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InChristian scholarship, theBook of Signs is a name commonly given to the first main section of theGospel of John, from 1:19 to the end of Chapter 12. It follows theHymn to the Word and precedes theBook of Glory. It is named for seven notable events, often called "signs" or "miracles", that it records.[1]
There is a widespread scholarly view that the Gospel of John can be broken into four parts: aprologue (John 1:1–18), theBook of Signs (1:19 to 12:50), theBook of Glory (orExaltation; 13:1 to 20:31) and anepilogue (chapter 21).[1]
³⁰Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
— John xx[2]
It is this indication by the author of the gospel that the signs are selected, which leads to the examination of them as a sequence of seven.
The seven signs are seen by some scholars and theologians as evidence ofnew creation theology in the Gospel of John, theresurrection of Jesus being the implied eighth sign, indicating a week of creation and then a new creation beginning with the resurrection.[6]
Some writers disagree with this list of seven signs. John Marsh andStephen Smalley, amongst others, have suggested six initial signs (seeing the walking on the water as part of feeding the 5000, rather than a separate sign in itself), and that the seventh sign is thecrucifixion of Jesus and the post-resurrectionappearance to Thomas (John 20:26–29).[7][8]
Anthony T. Selvaggio replaces the walking on water with thecleansing of the Temple, because John 2:18 also includes the word "sign".[9]
Others, such asJohn Hutchinson[10] andE. W. Bullinger, have emphasized a sequence of eight signs, concluding with themiraculous catch of fish inJohn 21:1–14.[11]
This section of the Gospel of John is characterized by seven "signs"