According to John 20:30, 31, Jesus performed numerous signs during His earthly ministry (far more than the thirty-six recorded in the four gospels).  And the Spirit of God singled out eight signs from among the numerous signs that Christ had performed and moved John to record them in his gospel, for a stated purposed:  “. . . that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (v. 31b).

Thus, the Spirit of God, after He had moved John to record these eight signs, then moved John to provide the reason why this had been done — something stated in such a manner that it should not be missed by anyone.

These eight signs were originally performed and later recorded in order that those requiring a sign, the Jewish people (1 Corinthians 1:22), might “believe that Jesus is the Christ [the Messiah, the One who was to rule and reign], the Son of God [God’s Firstborn Son, the One whom God recognized as possessing the rights of primogeniture].”  And through believing the preceding, resulting from the manifested signs, the Jewish people “may have life in His name [not eternal life (which they already possessed) but life in keeping with that to which the signs pointed — life in the kingdom].”

The recipients of and the subject matter surround the appearance of “signs” in Scripture are always the same.  Without exception, “signs” in Scripture always have to do with two things:  (1) Israel, and (2) the kingdom.

The signs in John’s gospel were recorded for and directed to the same people for whom the signs had been previously performed and directed — the Jewish people.  And these signs, in both instances — both during Christ’s earthly ministry and following His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension — had to do with the subject matter at hand.  These signs had to do with the offer of the kingdom of the heavens to Israel.