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The Book Of Signs, And The Book Of Glory

Somewhere, I was taught to divide the Gospel of John into two parts: the book of signs, and the book of glory. Sometimes with very large books of the Bible, it is prudent to make a brief outline, with memorable headings. You won't capture everything that goes on in the text that way, but you can go back and do a more detailed outline after that.

I was debating with myself pretty much for a week, regarding where the "book of glory" should start. I think it should start after verse 15 of John chapter 12. There we have the quotation of Zechariah 9:9, and the rising tension of the growing opposition to Jesus and his ministry. One reason to call the first part of the book "the book of signs" is that Jesus did miracles to announce the kingdom of God. His journey to Jerusalem, which will result in his death by crucifixion, is the beginning of the fulfillment of the kingdom of God. In this way, the signs pointed forward to the cross; afterward, they point backward, to the cross, and Jesus' victorious resurrection. It makes good sense to put it here in chapter 12 anyway, because 13 through 17 will have Jesus alone in the Upper Room with his disciples.

The tension rises quickly in this Gospel. Some of us have become so familiar with it that it doesn't shock us anymore. On the other hand, John essentially admits that he has selected what he regards as the most significant events of Jesus' ministry, in order that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah.

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