Journal: Conspectus
Volume: CONSPECTUS 29:1 (Mar 2020)
Article: Jesus As Creator In The Miraculous Signs Of The Fourth Gospel And The Influence Of Isaiah’s Creation Theology
Author: Gerard Bernard

Conspectus 29:1 (March 2020) p. 5

Jesus As Creator In The Miraculous Signs Of The Fourth Gospel And The Influence Of Isaiah’s Creation Theology1

Gerard Bernard

and

Dan Lioy2

Abstract

This essay is the first in a two-part series on the theme of creation in the Fourth Gospel. The essays are based on the author’s dissertation written under the supervision of Professor Dan Lioy. In this particular essay, the investigation focuses on the portrayal of Jesus as Creator in the miraculous signs, as proposed by some scholars. The traditionally accepted seven miraculous signs present several significant features which portray Jesus as Creator. The features depict Jesus as the Word incarnate, who utters words to effect creative transformation. He is sent by the Father to the world in order to accomplish the work of new creation, which is partly expressed in the miraculous signs. The depiction of Jesus as Creator in the miraculous signs corresponds with the ideas in Isaiah 55:11. The ‘sending’ of the Son in the miraculous signs (the Gospel) parallels the ‘going forth’ of Yahweh’s word from his mouth (Isa 55:11) and the efficacy of Jesus’s words corresponds with the efficacy of Yahweh’s word (dbr; LXX: rhēma). The efficacy of Yahweh’s word is witnessed in Jesus Christ.

Keywords

Creation theology; servant of the Lord; Isaiah; Fourth Gospel.

Conspectus 29:1 (March 2020) p. 6

1. Introduction

The Fourth Gospel presents the theme of creation right from the beginning of the Gospel (John 1:1–3, 10). The prologue alludes to the Genesis creation narrative when it opens with the phrase ‘in the beginning’ (en archē), resembling Genesis 1:1 LXX. It explicitly mentions the Word (logos), identified as Jesus (1:14–18), as the Agent of creation who has come into the world he created. Since the prologue serves ‘as an entry point in which key themes are broached and woven together in a liturgical celebration of the advent of the divine Word’ (Lioy 2005:57; cf. Carson 1991:111; Coloe 2011:2;

Köstenberger 2009:176; Kruse 2003:20; Lindars 1972:81; Marshall 1982, 2:1082), it is assumed that the theme of creation also appears in the rest of the Gospel. Consequently, some interpreters have identified the theme of creation in the ‘...