John selected seven of Jesus’ miracles as signs, and included them in a particular order for the purpose of opening the eyes of unbelievers to have faith in Jesus.  Some scholars add an eighth sign, Jesus’ resurrection.  The signs John chose serve as symbolic markers that authenticate Jesus as God’s son and Israel’s Messiah, and demonstrate who Jesus is and what he came to do.

1. Changing water Into wine (John 2:1-11)

Jesus offers a new life with a new nature to everyone who trusts him.

The first sign takes place at a wedding.  When Jesus changed water into wine, he showed that as the creator of everything that exists, he has authority over it all.  And just as he changed the nature of the water, he has the power to change human nature as well.  John continued this idea in the next chapter when Jesus told Nicodemus that people could be born again, through faith, into a new nature.

This sign begins with a reminder that Jesus has come on a mission that is moving toward “his hour” when he will inaugurate the new covenant on the cross.  And that will culminate with a wedding feast in heaven when Jesus returns to earth for his bride.

2. Healing the royal official’s son (John 4:46-54)

Jesus offers a new life on the single condition of faith.

The Gentile official’s son was sick, and about to die.  But he showed enough faith in Jesus to believe his son would live and started the trip back home.

Then Jesus told him, “Go back home.  Your son will live!”  And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

John 4:50 NLT

Jesus’ word alone has power.  Jesus’ authority and control isn’t limited to his physical presence.  His mission also wasn’t limited to Israel; he came for the whole world.  Isaiah describes Israel’s coming Messiah as a “light to the gentiles”. 

He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:6 NLT

3. Healing the paralyzed man at the pool (John 5:1-27) 

The spirit of God’s law is more important than man’s interpretation of the letter of the law.

God acts in response to faith; the paralyzed man needed just enough faith in Jesus to do what Jesus asked him to do – get up, pick up his mat and walk.  But the Jewish leaders only saw that it happened on the Sabbath.  They missed the important points – that Jesus was God’s Messiah, that he had come to bring both physical and spiritual healing, and that the spirit of the law overrules the letter of the law.

4. Feeding 5,000 with fish and loaves (John 6:1-14)

Jesus is the Bread of Life, who satisfies both our physical and spiritual hunger.

The people were convinced that Jesus was the Messiah and they wanted to make him king.  So, the next day they followed Jesus to the other side of the lake.  When they found him, Jesus explained the deeper significance of the sign:

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.  Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

… For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life.  I will raise them up at the last day.”

John 6:35,40 NLT

5. Walking on water (John 6:15-25)

As the creator of the natural world, Jesus has authority over nature.

Just after Jesus had fed 5000 people beside the Sea of Galilee, he had gone up into the hills alone to pray.  When he hadn’t returned by nightfall, the disciples got into their boat and started for Capernaum, Jesus’ home base, on the other side of the lake.  Halfway across, a gale came up and the disciples were in real peril.  While trying to save the boat and themselves, they saw Jesus walking to them on the water, and they were terrified.  But he stilled the storm, saved Peter from drowning, and brought the boat safely to shore.  It is no wonder that after all the disciples had seen over the past 24 hours, Matthew records them saying:

“Truly you are the Son of God.”

6. Healing a man born blind (John 9:1-41)

Jesus is the light of the world, who gives sight to the spiritually blind.

In general, the Jews believed that disease was the result of sin.  But in the case of someone born with a disease, the open question was “who sinned, the man or his parents”?  Jesus told his disciples that their ideas about disease were wrong, and in this case the man was blind in order to let others see the power of God at work.

Later, in the presence of some Pharisees, Jesus explained the significance:

Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment – to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

John 9:39 NLT

The man who had been healed believed Jesus and was also healed spiritually.  But the Pharisees who had witnessed the miracle refused to believe, and remained spiritually blind.

7. Raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46)

Jesus has authority over life and death, both physical and spiritual.

When Jesus received the news that his friend Lazarus was near death, he intentionally delayed until Lazarus had been buried for four days.  Jewish belief at the time was that the soul didn’t descend into Hades until after three days.  Jesus waited until the fourth day to demonstrate his authority over both life and death.

Those who rejected the message in Jesus’ signs crucified Him.  Those who believe Jesus’ signs accept him as God’s promised Messiah, God’s son, and the savior of the world.