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Pontifical Institute of Theology&

Philosophy Aluva
Faculty of Theology

The Second Sign at Cana

An Exegetical and Theological Study of Jn 4:46-54

A Schema proposed for a dissertation in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the Degree of Masters in Theology

By Fr. Merton D‟Silva

Guided by Rev. Dr. Jacob Prasad

Aluva
2018
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Introduction

The Gospel of John calls the wondrous deeds of Jesus as signs (e.g. reference).In the
Synoptics a miracle are usually called aδύναμις(„mighty deed'). This term means that the miracles
of Jesus in the Gospel are not merely magnificent events, but significant occasions into which
associative messages are packed. Thus Johannine research has always shown a great deal of
interest in those extraordinary activities i.e. “signs” of Jesus. And this work concentrates on the
second sign of Jesus, in Jn 4:46-54 an interesting pericope of the Fourth Gospel.

The details of the pericope take us to different viewpoints: for instance, the question of
who this Nobleman was, itself takes us to the depth of different levels of faith; because faith of a
Gentile and of a Jew differs. And also its comparison of the text to the Synoptic Gospels takes
us to different angles as well. The study examines John 4:46-54 and it addresses the complex
relationship between signs and faith through Jesus‟ interaction with the nobleman showing that
the eyes of faith are necessary to “see” signs. The Gospel of John is starting with book of Signs
after the prologue. As the book of Signs begins, we see Jesus speaking to Nathanael, who comes
to him saying “You will see greater things than this” (1:50). They do see “greater things” in 2:11
“the beginning of his signs,” and that is the first of the instances in the Gospel where John
reports that “many started believing in him” (πολλοέίέ πίστευσαν είς αύτόν) because of the signs
he did (2:23; 7:31; 10:42; 11:45; 12:11, 42). The Johannine terminology on motif of faith is
έπίστευσαν1 which occurs at first as Jesus‟ disciples come to believe in him as the result of his first
sign at the wedding feast in Cana (2:11). First is a group of Jewish disciples who started believing
in him. In NAB Version of 2:11 we read “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in
Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.” Their faith is
fluctuates throughout the Gospel but is strengthened after the resurrection. The Jerusalemites2
began to believe in Jesus because of his σημέια (2:23-25); Nicodemus witness Jesus‟ σημέια (3:2);
Jesus refers him to a faith testing σημέιον in the OT (Jn.3:14 cf. Num 21:8-9), he explains that
faith is necessary to see σημέια (3:15-16). Repeatedly the Faith motif and its similar terminology
of έπίστευσαν appear in John 4:39 where many of the Samaritans believe in Jesus, because of the
woman‟s testimony and their own belief in his teaching (4:39,41).In the case of Nobleman, he
1
John expresses belief in two ways in his Gospel: πίστεύειν plus εις plus the accusative (2:23; 4:39; 7:31; 8:30;
10:42; 11:45; 12:11, 42; 14:1) and πίστεύειν plus the dative (5:24, 46; 8:31). Attempts to distinguish two levels
of faith based on these grammatical constructions are to be dealt in detail.
2
The use of the Jerusalemites here refers to the people of Jerusalem who exercise some degree of faith in
Jesus, (2:23; 7::31; 8:30; 12:42). They are in contradistinction from the Jews who are primarily Jewish leaders
who stand in open opposition to Jesus.
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himself along with his whole household started believing in him. ἐπίστευσαν. A Gentile‟s belief is
started here, which gives sense and strength to the words “many more started believing in him”.

1. The Scope of the work

The main propose/scope of the work is to do a thorough-going analysis of the pericope

so as to bring out the true import of it. In this second sign that Jesus performs the primary
character whom Jesus meets with is a Gentile. At first the man gets rebuked by Jesus: (“Unless
you see signs and wonders you will not believe” Jn 4:48). Then the man experiences stronger
sense of belief and the sign is effected, and that from a distance. Then the man and his
household started to believe. The very purpose of the Gospel as stated in 20:30-31 is that people
should come to/continue to believe by reading it. Hence in this pericope is worth-examining
thoroughly.

2. The Limitations of the work

We are limiting the area of study of this Johannine passage within the verses selected for
study, vis. John 4:46-54; even though these words have further implications with the rest of the
whole Gospel. We will contract the work with limitation of the chapter, and we are not going to
a detailed criteria referring to Sign Sources. We will limit the study to the very text situating it in
the context and structure of the Johannine Gospel. We do not also intend to do a diachronic
study of the text. In the synchronic study we wish to adopt semiotic method of analysis, which is
one of the new three methods, as indicted in the Pontifical Biblical Commission‟s document,
“Interpretation of the Bible in the Church” (1993).

3. Sources of the work

We will treat the Greek text of the pericope as it is there in the Greek New testament 4th
edition, and when required we shall also refer to the 27th edition of Nestle-Aland. This is our
primary source. And the secondary sources will be the articles, monographs and commentaries
on the fourth Gospel and related items.

4. Methodology

The methodology of this study is mainly using semiotic analysis. Semiotic Analysis was
developed by Saussure to work as auxiliary his studies on linguistics and psychology. He defines
this as the “science that studies the life of signs within society is conceivable; it would be a part
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of social psychology and consequently of general psychology; I shall call it Semiology (from
Greek semeion “sign”). Semiology would show what constitutes signs, what laws govern them. 3
To apply Semiotics on biblical exegesis would result in, what deeper patterns of meaning are
conveyed by the words and symbols?4

5. The Steps of the study: A proposed methodology

The study can be divided into four segments, through which a thorough exegesis would be made
possible. The detail of the chapter division is as follows:

i. The first chapter presents the text of the pericope. It will go into a comparison of the pericope
with its parallels in the Synoptics. It will bring forth the significant differences between the
narration in Mathew, Luke and John. The incident is not there in Mark. There are similarities
here with the account of the healing of the centurion‟s servant (Mt. 8:5–10; Lk. 7:2–10), but
there are sufficient differences to make any identification of the two incidents difficult. The most
significant of the differences are the different status of the father and the different rank of the
person healed (son instead of servant).

ii. The position of the text in the whole context of John is traced in the 2nd chapter. This sign has
a peculiar role to play in the development of the story of the Gospel. It is in the structure of the
whole that parts obtain their true meaning.

iii. The third chapter will do a thorough analysis of the Greek text an find the nuances of the
text; that is morphological and syntactical peculiarities will be fully explicated. Such peculiarities
should necessarily lead to exegetical niceties, which are to be lessons for the reader so that he or
she can get inspired and search for the meaning of the text in the present day scenario.

iv. Analysis from a Semiotic perspective: The fourth chapter is in fact the crux of the thesis.
Here it analyzes the pericope about the healing of the son of the royal official (4:46-54) from the
perspective of Semiotic analysis.

Interestingly the very text says that what Jesus did is sign; and for that matter reading the text
from a semiotic analysis means looking for signs within the text. We shall therefore be observant
of signs within this text and come to varying conclusions. This reading is a done to have a
comprehensive approach to the reading of this pericope and it consists of three stages that

3
FERDINAND DE SAUSSURE, Course in General Linguistics (Open Court Classics, 1983) 16.
4
“The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church" Presented by the Pontifical Biblical Commission to Pope John
Paul II on April 23, 1993
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follow one another in a complementary sequence Firstly the comprehending within the text for
the sense (mimesis), and secondly reading upon the text for the value (semiosis) and finally,
reading against the text for the critique (synthesis).

6. A proposed outline of the dissertation.

1. The comparison of the pericope with its parallels in the Synoptics

1.1. Comparative study of the Second Sign

1.1.1 Comparison with the synoptic tradition of the “centurion of Capernaum”
a. Important coincidences with the Synoptic account
b. Notable differences with the Synoptic account
1.1.2 Comparison with the „First Sign‟
a. On the spatial setting
b. On its Similarities with „the First sign‟
c. Contrasting „the first sign‟
d. The parallelism between „the first sign‟ and „the second sign‟
1.4.4. Conclusion

2. The immanence of the text within the fourth Gospel

2.1 Introduction
2.2. The position of the text
2.2.1 Forming as a unit meaningful and complete in itself
2.2.2 The Pericope in its analysis considering the entire text
2.2.3 The Johannine Figures of Speech used in the Pericope
a. Dualism
b. Irony
c. In Structures
d. The Johannine characterization
2.3 The Literary Context, Style and Language in 4:46-54
2.3.1 Literary Context
2.3.2 The plot
2.3.3 The audience
2.3.4 Characterization of the Nobleman
2.3.5 The Narrative Style
2.3.6 The Scene or location
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2.3.7 The Symbols within the Passage

a. The Significance of „the seventh hour‟
b. The occurrence of the term „sign‟
2.4 The Literary genre of the Pericope
2.4.1 It is pattern is of Greek tragedy
2.4.1 Its pattern is of displacement
2.4.1 Its pattern is dialogical
2.5 The Literary background of this sign
2.5.1 The remote Context
2.5.2 The immediate Context
2.5.3 The Cultural background
2.6 A Literary Evaluation and conclusion
2.6.1 The significance of 4:42-54 as the climax of „the first act‟
2.6.2 The Literary Aporia of 4:46-54
2.6.3 A Solution for the Aporia in 4:46-54
2.7. The synthesis
2.7.1. The completion of the first circular journey of Jesus
2.7.2. The threefold theological significance
a. The faith in the word of Jesus
b. Jesus‟ power to give life
c. The universal range of Jesus‟ ministry
2.7.3. Theological and hermeneutical conclusion

iii. The Grammar of the text in Analysis:

3.1 Introduction for the Exegetical Analysis

3.2 Structure of the Second Miracle in 4:43-54
3.3 The distinctive grammar found in the Second Sign
3.4 The Significant grammatical nuances found in the text
3.5 Synthesis and Grammatical Reflections
3.6 Conclusion
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4. Analysis from a Semiotic perspective: the pericope analyzed at three

different levels

4.1 The narrative level.

4.1.1 The Narrators‟ point of view

4.1. 2 Transformations in the pericope which move the action from the initial to
the final state.

4.2. The aspects highlighted by the narratological perspective

4.2.1. The word and the faith
4.2.2. The „life‟ motif
4.2.3. The identity of the royal official

4.3 Retracing the different phases in the Pericope

4.3.1 The Return (4:43-46a)

a. Jesus comes to Galilee (v.43)
b. A prophet has no honor in his own country (v.44)
c. Having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast (v.45)
d. Jesus arrives at Cana (46a)
4.3.2 The Request and Rebuke (4:46b-48)
a. The Requester: Nobleman (βασιλικὸς) (v.46b)
b. The Requester‟s Son (46)
c. The Request and the Requester‟s faith of a sort (47)
d. The Rebuke: Unless you people see signs and wonders (v.48)
4.3.3 The Revelation (49-50) Jesus heals the nobleman‟s son.
a. Faith Requested: Sir, come down before my little boy dies! (v.49)
b. Faith answered: Go your way; your son will live (v.50)
4.3.4. The Reliance (51-54)
a. Faith Confirmed: Your son lives (51)
b. Faith is progressed (52)
c. Faith is Contagious: And he himself believed and his whole household, (v.53)
d. Faith is the Sign: This was the second Sign (v.54)
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4.2 The level of discourse.

4.2.1. The fixing and classification of figures

4.2.2. The elements of meaning in the text (actors, times, places)

4.2.3 The tracking of the course of each figure in the text in order to determine
how the text uses each one

4.2.4 An Inquiry into the thematic value of the figures.

4.3 The Logico-semantic level.

4.3.1 Reaching a deeper levels of meaning from its abstracts

4.3.2 Identifying the logic which governs the basic articulations of the narrative

4.3.3 Respawning of the healed son and fig the figurative flow of a text.

4. 4 Finding the "semiotic square" (carre semiotique) within the text

4.5 Findings and Conclusions

Conclusion

The purpose of this dissertation is therefore to search for the theological role and
meaning of the second sign using the tool of Semiotic analysis, a new method.
Every passage in the Gospel of John has very interesting features. The second sign that Jesus did,
out of the seven signs narrated in the Gospel, has a programmatic character. While initially in the
fourth chapter of John there is a Samaritan mission, with a widening of perspective is seen. The
Gentile mission will come to the forefront only again in chapter 12, where the Greeks will come
in search of Jesus.
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