The Book Of John | The 7 "Signs" And The 7 "I AM's" Of JesusSample

“Changing Water into Wine”

John’s Gospel begins with John describing to us the glory of the one who is “Word made Flesh.” John understands Jesus to be the one among the three (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) in the beginning—the Word and Light that breathes creation into existence. He understands Jesus to be the fulfillment of the tabernacle (God dwelling amongst man), and he understands Jesus to be the one that gave the law to Moses. He also understands that Jesus’ task was to take on human flesh and make God fully known to humanity. 

John quickly proceeds in his book into the second section (John 1:19-12:50) after the Prologue (John 1:1-18) in writing about some of Jesus’ particular miracles and sayings (the first of which is his changing water to wine), to demonstrate how Jesus’ heavenly deity breaks through and out of his skin covered humanity. John does this intentionally, but not before he recognizes that it is John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for this man Jesus—a man whose ministry we are to “Behold.”

Though John the Baptist refutes being called Elijah (Jhn. 1:22), one of John's aims in writing his gospel was to structure his book in such a way that helps us as the reader to understand John The Baptist's role in preparing the way for the Messiah. Jesus called him the "Elijah who was to come" (Mt. 11:14). In the same way that Elijah prepared the way for Elisha's ministry, John the Baptist prepares people to meet Jesus--the one GREATER than Elisha.

As you go through this study, see how John intentionally structures the first half of his book around the “re-visited” miracles of Elisha. To interpret John rightly, we need to observe that Jesus’ ministry is anchored in the Old Testament, and that every character of the Old Testament points to the work that Jesus came to accomplish.

In John’s book, are paired together 7 “Signs” from Jesus, and also 7 “I AM” sayings that John links together. John does this to show that not only did Jesus perform the miracles of Elisha, and better, but he also affirmed himself as God, and as the I AM of the Old Testament (Ex. 3:14).

John Prologue -

For more poetry, images, writings, music, and a children’s book that will enrich your study of the Gospel of John go to http://www.gardencityproject.com/john .