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The Gospel of JOHN.
#16.
The Marriage at Cana (2: 1 - 12).
The First of the Eight Signs
pp. 6 - 12
Having given our attention to the successive witnesses that are brought forward by
John in substantiation of the great truth unfolded in the prologue (1: 1-18), we arrive at the
body of the Gospel, extending from chapter 2: 1 to chapter 21: 14, and with the
opening of chapter 2: we come to the first of the eight signs that are so distinctive a
characteristic of the Gospel. We have already given the outline structure of this great
section in Volume XXIX, page 127, and have shown how these eight signs form as it
were the backbone of the book.
We must now acquaint ourselves with another remarkable feature, which has been
dealt with very fully in Appendix 176 of the Companion Bible. As it takes at least
two pages of type to set out in full the inter-relationship of these eight signs, we shall
adopt the briefer method of setting out the grouping in skeleton only, and then, as our
studies proceed, lift out each pair of signs and show their balance in extenso.
THE EIGHT SIGNS OF JOHN'S GOSPEL.
A | 2: 1-12. THE MARRIAGE IN CANA.
The third day. No wine. Glory manifested.
B | 4: 43-52. THE NOBLEMAN'S SON.
After two days. At the point of death.
C | 5: 1-17. THE IMPOTENT MAN.
Pool Bethesda. 38 years. Sabbath. Sin.
D | 6: 1-14. FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND.
The only sign (with D) recorded in the other Gospels.
D | 6: 15-21. WALKING ON THE SEA.
The only sign (with D) recorded in the other Gospels.
C | 9: 1-41. THE MAN BORN BLIND.
Pool. From birth. Sabbath. Sin.
B | 11: 1-46. THE SISTERS' BROTHER.
Two days. Lazarus is dead.
A | 21: 1-14. THE DRAUGHT OF FISHES.
The third time. No meat. Lord manifested.
We now lift out the first and eighth signs, in order to show their complete parallelism.