The Beginning Of Signs
THE BEGINNING OF SIGNS
In the Gospel of John all the miracles done by the Lord are called signs (2:23; 3:2; 4:54; 6:2, 14, 26, 30; 7:31; 9:16; 10:41; 11:47; 12:18, 37; 20:30). They are miracles, but they are used as signs to signify the matter of life. The word trans lated "miracles" in the King James Version is a word that means "signs" in Greek. A sign is that which signifies something. For instance, a red light is a sign that tells us to stop. All the miracles per formed by the Lord Jesus as recorded in the Gos pel of John were not only miracles but also signs.
The first mentioning of anything in the Scrip tures sets forth the principle of that particular matter. Therefore, the first sign here sets forth the principle of all the following signs, that is, to change death into life. The Lord's changing water into wine establishes the principle of life—chang ing death into life. Since this is the first sign, the principle of life that is set forth in it can be applied to all the other cases. For example, it can be applied to Nicodemus, a person full of death, who needed to be born again so that he might have the eternal life, which is God Himself (3:2-16).
We may also apply this principle to the case of the Samaritan woman in chapter 4. Do you think