In chapter two, Jesus performs His first recorded miracle, and the Greek word for miracle in John is always semeion. It means a sign, mark, or token to identify who the Lord really is. The first recorded miracle is the changing of water into wine. The water would represent spirit, godliness, and divinity. The wine would represent blood. It becomes a testimony of the mission of the Incarnate Son. It is Jehovah, God of the Old Testament, coming down as Jesus Christ. Or, as John describes in the first chapter, "the Word was made flesh," as Jesus takes upon Himself a mortal body of flesh and blood (see John 1: 14).
In chapter three water and spirit are combined again. Jesus teaches Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3: 5). Water and spirit here are associated with rebirth. In verse 8, wind is compared to spirit and spiritual rebirth. In fact, the word wind and the word Spirit are both translated from the Greek word pneuma, meaning wind, breath, or spirit. Again, wind and water are both associated with birth and new life.
In chapter four, Jesus meets a woman of Samaria and offers her (and us) "living water" (see John 4: 10). In chapter five He heals an invalid by a pool of water, and the moving of the water echoes the creation scene in Genesis, where "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1: 2).
In the Book of Mormon, Nephi compares the tree of life to living water. Both represent the love of God. Nephi said, "And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God" (1 Nephi 11: 25).
In the Book of Moses, blood, water, and Spirit come together as symbols of birth and rebirth. After Adam is baptized he is "quickened (or made alive) in the inner man." This demonstrates the relationship between newness of life, eternal life, and covenants. Through the making and keeping of covenants and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ spiritual death and physical death are overcome.
The Lord said, "That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
"For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified" (Moses 6: 59-60, 65).
In the Gospel of John, the Roman soldiers come to break the legs of the three being crucified. They did this because the next day was the Feast of Unleavened Bread and it was also a Sabbath. Under the Law of Moses, anyone worthy of death by crucifixion should "not remain all night upon the tree." The commandment was that he should be buried that day; "for he that is hanged is accursed of God" and this would defile the land (see Deuteronomy 21: 23). Crucifixion caused death by suffocation, since the head would hang down and the position of the body would put pressure on the diaphragm. The only way to stay alive would be to push with the legs to lift the body into a more upright position. But Jesus was dead already, so the soldiers did not break His legs as they did the other two.
One of the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus with a spear "and forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19: 34). It is significant that He was pierced in the side. The Greek word for side is pleara, and it's the same word used in the Greek Septuagint translation of "rib" in the Old Testament when the Lord takes a rib from Adam to create new life. Eve's name means life or living. Thus, out of Jesus' side (or rib) comes new life.
As Jesus surrenders His life for us, His Spirit leaves His body. Blood and water also come out of His body. Thus, blood, water, and spirit leave His body to transform a wooden cross--an instrument of death--into a tree of life.
Only through His supreme love can we gain access to that life which is eternal.
In the Book of Moses, blood, water, and Spirit come together as symbols of birth and rebirth. After Adam is baptized he is "quickened (or made alive) in the inner man." This demonstrates the relationship between newness of life, eternal life, and covenants. Through the making and keeping of covenants and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ spiritual death and physical death are overcome.
The Lord said, "That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
"For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified" (Moses 6: 59-60, 65).
In the Gospel of John, the Roman soldiers come to break the legs of the three being crucified. They did this because the next day was the Feast of Unleavened Bread and it was also a Sabbath. Under the Law of Moses, anyone worthy of death by crucifixion should "not remain all night upon the tree." The commandment was that he should be buried that day; "for he that is hanged is accursed of God" and this would defile the land (see Deuteronomy 21: 23). Crucifixion caused death by suffocation, since the head would hang down and the position of the body would put pressure on the diaphragm. The only way to stay alive would be to push with the legs to lift the body into a more upright position. But Jesus was dead already, so the soldiers did not break His legs as they did the other two.
One of the soldiers pierced the side of Jesus with a spear "and forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19: 34). It is significant that He was pierced in the side. The Greek word for side is pleara, and it's the same word used in the Greek Septuagint translation of "rib" in the Old Testament when the Lord takes a rib from Adam to create new life. Eve's name means life or living. Thus, out of Jesus' side (or rib) comes new life.
As Jesus surrenders His life for us, His Spirit leaves His body. Blood and water also come out of His body. Thus, blood, water, and spirit leave His body to transform a wooden cross--an instrument of death--into a tree of life.
Only through His supreme love can we gain access to that life which is eternal.
Thanks for sharing.
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