Discovery BoxJohn 2:11 
Context2:11 Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, 1 in Cana 2 of Galilee. In this way he revealed 3 his glory, and his disciples believed in him. 4
John 2:23
Context2:23 Now while Jesus 5 was in Jerusalem 6 at the feast of the Passover, many people believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. 7
John 6:30
Context6:30 So they said to him, “Then what miraculous sign will you perform, so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?
John 7:31
Context7:31 Yet many of the crowd 8 believed in him and said, “Whenever the Christ 9 comes, he won’t perform more miraculous signs than this man did, will he?” 10
John 10:41
Context10:41 Many 11 came to him and began to say, “John 12 performed 13 no miraculous sign, but everything John said about this man 14 was true!”
John 11:47
Context11:47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees 15 called the council 16 together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs.
John 14:11
Context14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, 17 believe because of the miraculous deeds 18 themselves.
1 tn This sentence in Greek involves an object-complement construction. The force can be either “Jesus did this as,” or possibly “Jesus made this to be.” The latter translation accents not only Jesus’ power but his sovereignty too. Cf. also 4:54 where the same construction occurs.
2 map For location see Map1 C3; Map2 D2; Map3 C5.
3 tn Grk “in Cana of Galilee, and he revealed.”
4 tn Or “his disciples trusted in him,” or “his disciples put their faith in him.”
5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
7 sn Because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. The issue here is not whether their faith was genuine or not, but what its object was. These individuals, after seeing the miracles, believed Jesus to be the Messiah. They most likely saw in him a political-eschatological figure of some sort. That does not, however, mean that their concept of “Messiah” was the same as Jesus’ own, or the author’s.
8 tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities).
9 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.
10 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here it is “will he?”).
11 tn Grk “And many.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
12 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
13 tn Grk “did.”
14 tn Grk “this one.”
15 tn The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.
16 tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). The συνέδριον (sunedrion) which they gathered was probably an informal meeting rather than the official Sanhedrin. This is the only occurrence of the word συνέδριον in the Gospel of John, and the only anarthrous singular use in the NT. There are other plural anarthrous uses which have the general meaning “councils.” The fact that Caiaphas in 11:49 is referred to as “one of them” supports the unofficial nature of the meeting; in the official Sanhedrin he, being high priest that year, would have presided over the assembly. Thus it appears that an informal council was called to discuss what to do about Jesus and his activities.
17 tn The phrase “but if you do not believe me” contains an ellipsis; the Greek text reads Grk “but if not.” The ellipsis has been filled out (“but if [you do] not [believe me]…”) for the benefit of the modern English reader.
18 tn Grk “because of the works.”
sn In the context of a proof or basis for belief, Jesus is referring to the miraculous deeds (signs) he has performed in the presence of the disciples.
