The Transcendent "Sign"
by T. Austin-Sparks
by T. Austin-Sparks
"What sign shewest thou...? Jesus answered... Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:13-22).
In our book, Discipleship in the School of Christ, we have pointed out two things as to the Gospel by John. One: that his peculiar name for miracles is "Signs", indicating that John was particularly concerned with what the "mighty works" signified in each case, rather than with the works themselves as demonstrations of power. Two: that from what John calls volumes of such works (21:25), he chose seven for his purpose in writing the Gospel.
In referring to the seven we were concerned with what Jesus actually did during His earthly ministry. We therefore did not refer to the greatest "Sign" of all, because it lay beyond the pre-crucifixion time. It is that to which we now turn - the Sign of the Resurrection Body.
To recognize the full force of the fragment quoted above it is necessary to read the whole section, verses 13-22 of chapter two. Jesus went up to Jerusalem at the time of the Passover. He found commercialism and merchandise in the temple, and cast it all out, calling the temple "My Father's House" ... "His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house shall eat me up. The Jews therefore" (note the "therefore") "answered and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?" (note "these things").
In our book, Discipleship in the School of Christ, we have pointed out two things as to the Gospel by John. One: that his peculiar name for miracles is "Signs", indicating that John was particularly concerned with what the "mighty works" signified in each case, rather than with the works themselves as demonstrations of power. Two: that from what John calls volumes of such works (21:25), he chose seven for his purpose in writing the Gospel.
In referring to the seven we were concerned with what Jesus actually did during His earthly ministry. We therefore did not refer to the greatest "Sign" of all, because it lay beyond the pre-crucifixion time. It is that to which we now turn - the Sign of the Resurrection Body.
To recognize the full force of the fragment quoted above it is necessary to read the whole section, verses 13-22 of chapter two. Jesus went up to Jerusalem at the time of the Passover. He found commercialism and merchandise in the temple, and cast it all out, calling the temple "My Father's House" ... "His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house shall eat me up. The Jews therefore" (note the "therefore") "answered and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?" (note "these things").
