The Word Speaks

Context of John’s Gospel

Q: What is John’s Gospel about?

A: The Word of God. The Logos, and belief that He is the Word.

Q: What is the purpose of the record of the miracles?

A: To demonstrate the He is the Word.

Exposition

Q: How does the passage start and why is significant?

A: He came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. This is referencing the first “sign” that Jesus performed to manifest His Glory.

Q: What is the first miracle and how did Jesus accomplish it? See John 2:1 ff

A: He converted water into wine at the request of his mother. She tells the servants to “Do whatever he tells you.” in verse 5. Jesus said (legei) to the servants, they obeyed, and the water was turned. There was no prayer, no incantation, or anything else. This was a pure act of the Word.

Q: How does this relate to our current miracle?

A: This is exactly how Jesus does most of the miracles. In this case, it’s even more pronounced. We are told that the official’s son is ill. He goes to Jesus and asks Jesus to come down and heal his son. Yet, he is met with rebuke from Jesus. I take this be a bigger rebuke against the Jews in general since the you is plural. Jesus knows that this man will believe, but is drawing out the problem for the Jews. The man was persistent though, and Jesus pronounces “Go; your son will live.” It says in v. 50 that the man believed the logos and went on his way. This eventually leads to the whole household believing, because the sign is perfectly fulfilled. This is the whole point of John’s Gospel. That you will believe the Logos. Thomas is also rebuked for wanting to see signs.

John 20:29–31 ESV

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Jesus rebukes Thomas for the same issue. He would not believe until he saw, but true faith comes by hearing the Word not seeing it. So John wrote His Gospel.

So the miracle of the official’s son is an illustration of faith. We have the same Word spoken to us, and that Word is the Logos Himself.