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"And many more believed because of His own word; and said unto the woman, Now
we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that
this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world" (John 4: 41, 42).
Here is the object of John's Gospel realized. That men should be attracted to the Lord
by the evidence of His works (in this case His supernatural knowledge), and by personal
contact become convinced that He is the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
There is a marked parallel in the experience of this woman and that of the man born
blind.
SHE said of Christ at the beginning . . . "A Jew" (John 4: 9).
HE said of Christ at the beginning . . . "A man that is called Jesus" (John 9: 11).
SHE said, after the Lord had spoken . . . "That thou art a prophet" (John 4: 19).
HE said, after questioning . . . "He is a prophet" (John 9: 17).
SHE finally received the revelation . . . "I am He" (John 4: 26).
HE finally received the revelation . . . "It is He that talketh with thee" (John 9: 37).
This parallel is indicative of John's method. Sinful and blind though they be, He
would lead men and women first to consider Him, the Man that is called Jesus; then to
realize that His title of "The Word" indicates that He is "The Prophet" and finally to
acknowledge Him as the Christ, the Son of God, so finding life and light in believing in
His name.
#27. The Second Sign: (4: 43 - 54).
The Nobleman's Son. Belief of the Word Spoken.
pp. 180, 181
We are assured by John that the Lord did "many signs" which are not written in this
Gospel, but that he made a selection of eight of them with a definite object. This we must
keep in mind as we approach the second sign recorded by John.
Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul said, "The Jews require a sign"
(I Cor. 1: 22).
The first occurrence of the word "sign" is found in Matt. 12: 38, where the Scribes
and Pharisees said, "Master, we would see a sign from Thee".
In John's Gospel, on the occasion of his cleansing of the temple, the Saviour is
challenged with the inquiry, "What sign showest Thou unto us, seeing Thou doest these
things?" (John 2: 18). Right in the heart of the second sign come the words, "Except ye
see signs and wonders, ye will not believe" (John 4: 48). After the confession of