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John 4,5 – Fraternal Twin Stories: 2nd and 3rd Sign
2nd Sign – Cana (Galilee); Public (v.48 is plural); Royalty; Father; Young boy healed; Miracle for another; Miracle Given after Asking; Father knew who Jesus was; Miracle Occurs Elsewhere; Others are Servants; Whole House Believed
3rd Sign – Jerusalem (Judea); Private; Commoner; “No Man”; Older man healed; Miracle for self; Miracle Given without Asking; Lam man did not know who Jesus was; Miracle Occurs There; Others are Jewish Leaders; Reported to Jews Who Want to Kill Jesus
The point of these two stories, the 2nd and 3rd signs, is not just the power of Jesus. These stories, or taken structurally as a whole story, tell us Jesus is not a respecter of persons. The gospel symbolized by the healings is for all. Just like earlier we saw the twin stories of Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman – and how much more different can you get – we see a royal official who is a loving father versus a common man who had no one. Ultimately the stories (story) point us to the contrasting reactions of belief and disbelief. The royal official’s family believed (4:53). The people whom the lonely man told tried to kill Jesus (5:16,18). We are not responsible for the reactions of others, whether acceptance or rejection. Our responsibility after being healed is to tell.
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