εὐαγγελίζω (euaggelizo)
“to announce the Good News of victory in battle”
“to announce the Good News of victory in battle”
“Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs (σημεῖα - semeia)
he was performing on the sick (ἐπὶ τῶν ἀσθενούντων - epi ton asthenounton).”
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs (σημεῖα - semeia)
he was performing on the sick (ἐπὶ τῶν ἀσθενούντων - epi ton asthenounton).”
θεωρέω (theoreo)
(“to perceive, discover, ponder a deeper meaning”)
(“to perceive, discover, ponder a deeper meaning”)
After a rather contentious battle with the crowds over healing on the Sabbath, His works, His relationship with the Father and believing, Jesus headed for the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The saintly Evangelist recorded that the crowds followed and apparently did so, not to continue debating Jesus, but because of the “signs He was was performing on the sick.” Such is the initiatory action that set the stage for what has come to be known as the “Bread of Life Discourse.”
σημεῖον (semeion), translated into English by the word sign, is an important aspect of the The Gospel according to Saint John. Many scripture scholars note the divison of this Gospel into the ‘Book of Signs’ and ‘the Book of Glory.’ Some of Jesus’ actions are recorded as signs, for example: Water to Wine at Cana (chapter 2), Healing of the Man born blind (chapter 9) and the calling forth of Lazarus (chapter 11). Other actions of Jesus are structurally similar to signs but are not explicitly termed such, for example: Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (chapter 5) and Jesus walking on water (chapter 6). While scholarly purests debate the actual signs and their number, in the Fourth Gospel the actions of Jesus from John 1:19 though the end of chapter 12 have a number of common elements.
Signs are ‘of the senses’ in other words, there is something touchable, tangible visible, etc... (might one even say sacramental?) about Jesus’ actions. Secondly, these signs satisfy or provide a remedy for a particular and immediate need. In the Jewish World of Jesus’ day, people would have understood this as ysh (yashaw often translated into English by the word salvation), that is, providing some element of the created world necessary for living. Thirdly, signs - as done by Jesus (an important point!) - ‘carry’ within them a means for being able to look beyond the immediate and ‘see’ or experience a deeper reality. This requires a choice by the recipient of the sign. One can choose to let the sign satisfy on one level without going any further.
Use a stop sign as a comparison. The physical reality of the octagonal red sign or word painted on the road surface calls a driver attention at an intersection. A driver must choose to halt progress. The stop sign or painted word has no power within itself to cause a driver to stop. There is no hook that springs from the sign, grabs an axle and prohibits vehicular movement until the road is clear. In order for the automobile to stap, a driver must make a choice to do so and complete that choice by applying the brake pedal. Jesus’ signs differ. While one must make a choice, the way He performs the sign embues the sign with power, a power initially to establish a connection - should she or he choose - with the Jesus. For Jesus, His signs are intended to spark a relationship with Him, what the Scriptures (especially Saint John’s Gospel) term believing. The concreteness of a given sign ordered initially to remedying a particular emptiness is intended ultimately to draw one into communion with the Person Jesus Who alone satisfies all the hungers of the human heart.
As chapter 6 opens, the crowd followed Jesus because of the “signs He was performing on the sick (chapter 5).” While particular ailments are mentioned in chapter 5 and throughout all the Gospels (for example: blind, lame and paralyzed) there is also the ‘generic’ sick (τῶν ἀσθενούντων - ton asthenounton). Taken from the verb ἀσθενέω (astheneo) and often translated into English as sick, scholars note that in antiquity (especially in terms of Greek medicine), ἀσθενέω (astheneo) meant “to be weak,” “a noticeable loss of strength” or “to be in a weakened condition.” In Greek and Jewish usage, the verb described not only physical fatigue that impeded movement but also a malaise when it came to living a moral or virtuous life (see Mark 14:38, “Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”) ἀσθενέω (astheneo) usage, especially in the early Christian world, also noted a twofold aspect to the weakened condition: on one hand the loss of strength could be attributed to choices made that rendered one physically and morally weak. On the other hand, the human condition itself, fundamentally limited and dependent upon the Father (see Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”) is always in need of assistance to live physically and spiritually.
With their journey across the Sea and their inability (or refusal) to see the deeper meaning of the sign, Jesus makes use of food - 5 barley pieces and 2 morsels of preserved fish (not all that tasty, more on that in the weeks to come) - concrete elements of this world to be another sign hopefully leading the crowd this time to connect with Him. Stay tuned.
σημεῖον (semeion), translated into English by the word sign, is an important aspect of the The Gospel according to Saint John. Many scripture scholars note the divison of this Gospel into the ‘Book of Signs’ and ‘the Book of Glory.’ Some of Jesus’ actions are recorded as signs, for example: Water to Wine at Cana (chapter 2), Healing of the Man born blind (chapter 9) and the calling forth of Lazarus (chapter 11). Other actions of Jesus are structurally similar to signs but are not explicitly termed such, for example: Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (chapter 5) and Jesus walking on water (chapter 6). While scholarly purests debate the actual signs and their number, in the Fourth Gospel the actions of Jesus from John 1:19 though the end of chapter 12 have a number of common elements.
Signs are ‘of the senses’ in other words, there is something touchable, tangible visible, etc... (might one even say sacramental?) about Jesus’ actions. Secondly, these signs satisfy or provide a remedy for a particular and immediate need. In the Jewish World of Jesus’ day, people would have understood this as ysh (yashaw often translated into English by the word salvation), that is, providing some element of the created world necessary for living. Thirdly, signs - as done by Jesus (an important point!) - ‘carry’ within them a means for being able to look beyond the immediate and ‘see’ or experience a deeper reality. This requires a choice by the recipient of the sign. One can choose to let the sign satisfy on one level without going any further.
Use a stop sign as a comparison. The physical reality of the octagonal red sign or word painted on the road surface calls a driver attention at an intersection. A driver must choose to halt progress. The stop sign or painted word has no power within itself to cause a driver to stop. There is no hook that springs from the sign, grabs an axle and prohibits vehicular movement until the road is clear. In order for the automobile to stap, a driver must make a choice to do so and complete that choice by applying the brake pedal. Jesus’ signs differ. While one must make a choice, the way He performs the sign embues the sign with power, a power initially to establish a connection - should she or he choose - with the Jesus. For Jesus, His signs are intended to spark a relationship with Him, what the Scriptures (especially Saint John’s Gospel) term believing. The concreteness of a given sign ordered initially to remedying a particular emptiness is intended ultimately to draw one into communion with the Person Jesus Who alone satisfies all the hungers of the human heart.
As chapter 6 opens, the crowd followed Jesus because of the “signs He was performing on the sick (chapter 5).” While particular ailments are mentioned in chapter 5 and throughout all the Gospels (for example: blind, lame and paralyzed) there is also the ‘generic’ sick (τῶν ἀσθενούντων - ton asthenounton). Taken from the verb ἀσθενέω (astheneo) and often translated into English as sick, scholars note that in antiquity (especially in terms of Greek medicine), ἀσθενέω (astheneo) meant “to be weak,” “a noticeable loss of strength” or “to be in a weakened condition.” In Greek and Jewish usage, the verb described not only physical fatigue that impeded movement but also a malaise when it came to living a moral or virtuous life (see Mark 14:38, “Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”) ἀσθενέω (astheneo) usage, especially in the early Christian world, also noted a twofold aspect to the weakened condition: on one hand the loss of strength could be attributed to choices made that rendered one physically and morally weak. On the other hand, the human condition itself, fundamentally limited and dependent upon the Father (see Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”) is always in need of assistance to live physically and spiritually.
With their journey across the Sea and their inability (or refusal) to see the deeper meaning of the sign, Jesus makes use of food - 5 barley pieces and 2 morsels of preserved fish (not all that tasty, more on that in the weeks to come) - concrete elements of this world to be another sign hopefully leading the crowd this time to connect with Him. Stay tuned.
