Thrust Statement: John wrote his Gospel in order to
enable people to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and the savior of the
world.
Scripture Reading: John 20:30-31
Toward the end of John’s Gospel, he reveals the motive behind his writing such an insightful book concerning the One who became flesh and tabernacled among humanity (John 1:14). As one reflects upon the structure of this Book, one again is reminded of the words of Peter: “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).[1] This Book has spoken to men and women of every age. One cannot read this Book without a consciousness of its “ring of truth” on every page. John’s Gospel speaks to the old, it speaks to the young, it speaks to the saint, and it speaks to the sinner. From beginning to end, this Book reveals Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. This Gospel also unfolds, as it were, the mind of God and the mind of Christ. This Book sets forth the love of God and the love of Christ for a sinful world (John 3:16-21).
In the reading of this wonderful Book, one discovers that this Gospel points to Christ as the Son of God and to Christ as the savior of sinners. This Book makes known the way to heaven, namely, Jesus (14:6). The writings of John give comfort for hurting hearts (5:1-16). It gives solace to those in sorrow (8:1-11, see also, Matthew 11:28-30). It gives guidance to those who wish a way out of the “sting of death” (11:25-26, see also, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57). It gives hope to those in sin (1:29). As one reads and rereads the Gospel of John, one cannot help but recall the words of the Psalmist: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105). It goes almost without saying that no one can be complete without God’s Word to His people (Matthew 4:4). As we reflect together upon the overall purpose of John’s Gospel, it will be my purpose to assist you, as well as myself, in comprehending more fully the following words of John:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples,
which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these
are written that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31).
Even though John—one of the chosen Twelve—wrote the book, nevertheless,
one is always conscious that the true author is the Holy Spirit. Having said
this, the human author was born, as far as we know, in Galilee (Mark 1:21). He was the son of Zebedee and Salome
(see Mark 15:40
and Matthew
27:56) and the
brother of James (Matthew 10:2). John, as well as his brother (martyred—Acts 12:22), was once called a “son of thunder” (Mark 3:17) by Jesus. By trade, John was a fisherman (Matthew 4:21).
One cannot help but wonder if John, like Andrew, the brother of Peter,
had not heard John the Baptist (John 1:40). The name of one of the two men who
heard Jesus speak is not given. Was it John, the brother of James? Even though
John was not always loving and gentle (see Mark 3:17), he became known as the apostle of
love.
John was one of the “inner circle” (the
triumvirate) in the ministry of Jesus—Simon, James, and John. James and John
were present at the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29). These three were with Jesus on the
Mount of Transfiguration (9:1-12). They were also selected to be with Him during His time
of agony in the garden (14:33). John was also one of the disciples who stood by the
mother of Jesus at the crucifixion. When Jesus saw John standing next to His
mother, He spoke to both (John 19:25-27).
The author of the Book of John records the words of John the Baptist in order to set the stage for his development that Jesus is not only the Messiah, but that He is also the Son of God: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (1:29). Listen to John as he explains his purpose in writing: “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (20:30-31). The Gospel of John is relatively short; nevertheless, he accumulates enough evidence to convince anyone who is seeking to understand who this One is who is called Jesus of Nazareth. John records very few of the miracles that Jesus actually performed. In fact, he writes:
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (21:24-25).
Just a perusal of John’s Gospel quickly reveals that John’s objective in recording events surrounding the life of Christ differed in some important aspects. For example, Matthew presents Jesus as the King, Mark set forth Jesus as the Servant, Luke portrays Jesus as human, and John represents Jesus as Divine. Needless to say, this neat category, as set forth by commentators, is not strictly accurate. All four Gospels deal with the identity of Jesus Christ as God. There is a sense in which these Gospels appear to shed various shades of light about the identity of Jesus of Nazareth. As just stated, Matthew displays Jesus as heir to the throne of David; Mark shows Jesus as going about serving humanity; Luke exhibits Jesus as the perfect man in contrast to sinful humanity; and finally, John pictures His divinity—God. Every Gospel is concerned with the identity of Jesus. Who is He?
John presents Jesus as the One who came down from heaven (John 3:34). This One that John declares as the Messiah is also the One who was before the world was spoken into existence (1:1-3, 14-18; 17:1-5). John asserts that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (1:1). How could John prove this assertion? John proved it by the testimony of the miraculous. Yes, he confirmed it by the signs (shmei'a shmeia) that were of a miraculous nature (20:30). John lists several miracles to give credence to back up his claim concerning Jesus as the Son of God. For example, he records the following miracles in order to substantiate his claims concerning the true identity of Jesus as Son of God: (1) turns water into wine [2:1-11], (2) heals official’s son at Capernaum [4:46-54], (3) heals invalid at the pool of Bethesda [5:1-9], (4) feeds 5000 with five barley loaves and two fishes [6:5-13], (5) walks on water [6:19-21], (6) heals a man born blind [9:1-41], (7) raises Lazarus from the dead [11:1-44], (8) resurrects from the dead [2:18-22; 20:1-9], (9) passes through a locked door [20:26], and (10) disciples catch fish through the miraculous [21:1-11].
The first miracle that John records is the turning of water into wine; the seventh miracle is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. John is saying, in essence, these two miracles, as well as the other eight, prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Son of God. The crowning of all the miracles is the resurrection. The first miracle is recorded in 2:1-11, but the second miracle that John records is not described until 4:46-54, which was the second miracle performed in Galilee (4:54). Did Jesus perform other miracles in between these two? Yes! After the first miracle—performed in Galilee—Jesus went to Jerusalem and performed many other miracles (2:12-24].
John selected carefully the miracles he wanted to call forth in order to establish his claims concerning Jesus of Nazareth as God come in the flesh. If one can turn water into wine, if one can heal one who is close to death, if one can heal an individual who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years, if one can feed 5000 on five small barley loaves and two fishes, if one can walk on water, if one can heal the blind, if one can raise the dead, if one can resurrect from the dead, if one can walk through a locked door, and if one can create a miraculous catch of fish, then this One should be recognized for who He is, namely, God.
As one mulls over these miracles, one again must reflect upon the words of John toward the close of his Gospel as he justifies his limited use of miracles: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (21:25). This statement of John coincides with an earlier statement of John concerning faith in Him by Nicodemus as the logical outcome of miracles performed by Jesus in Jerusalem. Between the first and second miracles that John records that were performed in Galilee, one can listen in on a conversation between a Jewish religious leader and Jesus (3:1-21). Nicodemus’ statement to Jesus is quite telling concerning the effect of the miraculous as to His claims:
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him” (3:1-2).
For Nicodemus, it was just a forgone conclusion that no one could do the things He did without God being with Him. Is it any wonder that Nicodemus said, “We know”? Prior to this conversation, John had only recorded one miracle in Galilee, but, according to Nicodemus’ statement to Jesus, one observes the language of numerous miracles performed in Jerusalem—“no one could perform the miraculous signs.” Nicodemus uses the plural (shmei'a shmeia, “signs”), not the singular (shmei'on shmeion, “sign”), which indicates that many other miracles had been performed between the first recorded miracle in Galilee (2:1-11) and the second recorded miracle in Galilee (4:46-54). No one but God could actually turn water into wine and heal a child at the point of death, or even raise the dead. John emphasizes that the miracles between miracle one and the last miracles he records all go to prove that Jesus is the Son of God. Even the fifth miracle—walks on water—signifies Jesus’ power over nature, which also reveals His deity.
One cannot help but wonder why John chose to record so many miracles in Jesus ministry if miracles were not a means of giving validity to the ministry of Jesus. After the performing of the first miracle—turning water into wine—Jesus went to Jerusalem. Upon His arrival He witnessed individuals making merchandise of God’s house. In His anger, He “scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables” (2:15). He rebuked them for turning His Father’s house into a market (2:16). This action on the part of Christ so astonished the Jews that they wanted to know “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” (2:18). Whereupon Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (2:19). The Jews misunderstood His comments and associated His remarks to the literal temple built by Herod, which took forty-six years to build. After the resurrection, the disciples realized that the miracle related to His resurrection—“The temple he had spoken of was his body” (2:21).
While at Jerusalem, He performed many miraculous signs and the people believed (2:23). These miracles convinced men like Nicodemus (3:1-2). After His visit in Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples headed back to Galilee. On the way back, they went through Samaria. Again, one encounters the miraculous. In Jesus discussion with the woman at the well, He revealed to the woman that she had been married five times and was simply living with a man at the present time without marriage (4:17). She was so taken back by this kind of knowledge that she went into the village to tell them about this One that she considered to be the Christ. In her excitement, she said to the town people: “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (4:29). As a result of this testimony concerning this supernatural knowledge that John records: “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony” (4:39). What generated this faith? One must say that this supernatural knowledge was looked upon as a miraculous sign.
After the conversion of many in Samaria, Jesus and His disciples went back to Galilee where He had performed His first miracle (4:46). Upon His arrival, He was confronted by the request of a royal official to heal his child—a child at the point of death (1:47). Jesus makes a telling remark concerning the power that miracles have upon the witnesses of such miraculous signs: “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe” (4:48). Once more, after the feeding of 5000 with just five small barley loaves and two fishes (6:8-10), one again is confronted with the effect of the miraculous upon the mind: “After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, ‘surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world’” (6:14).
Again, one finds Jesus in Jerusalem attending the Feast of Tabernacles (7:1-24). The question arose as to His true identity. John informs his readers: “many in the crowd put their faith in Him” (7:31). Did the miraculous play a part in their faith? Listen once more as John reveals their words: “When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?” (7:31). While still in Jerusalem, Jesus heals a man of blindness—born blind from birth (9:1). As a result of this miracle, some believed on Him as the Christ. On the one hand, some individuals said Jesus was a sinner, but on the other hand, others denied this allegation by saying, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” (9:16). What is astounding is that some refused to believe in spite of the miraculous.
Should miracles convince one of the truthfulness of Jesus’ claims? During the Feast of Dedication, the Jews asked Jesus to tell them plainly if he was the Christ (10:24). Jesus spoke rather pointedly on this point: “I did tell you, but you do not believe” (10:25). Then Jesus says, “The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me” (10:25). Did the miraculous play an important part in verifying the truthfulness of Jesus’ claim to be the Christ and God’s Son? Jesus rebukes the Jews for their lack of faith in Him. He calls attention to His miracles by saying,
Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy
because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe
me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do
it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you
may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father (10:36-38).
On another occasion, John exhibits incredulity as he marvels at the unbelief of many Jews who refused to believe even after they witnessed many miracles. Listen to John as he explains: “Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him” (12:37). As already pointed out, John, in the conclusion of his Gospel, calls attention to miracles as a means of creating faith:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may a believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (20:30-31).
These miracles should cause each of us to say, “Here is your God” (Isaiah 40:9). The expression given by Isaiah in 40:9 is appropriate today in calling attention to God and Christ in the scheme of redemption. The KJV renders the Hebrew phrase (hN}h! <k#yh@Oa$ a$l)h@k#m h!nn@h) as “Behold your God” rather than “Here is your God” (NIV). Just as Isaiah told the children of Israel to “behold your God,” (KJV), so John very well could have also written, “Behold your God” as he sought to make known this One who is called Jesus the Christ. One finds this unique expression within the context of a Messianic prophecy (Isaiah 40:1-10), which John also cites in chapter one of his Gospel. John the apostle discloses the testimony of John the Baptist’s denial that he was “the Christ” (John 1:20).
After responding to questions concerning his identity (20:21-22), John the Baptist cites from Isaiah 40:3: “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” Even though John the Baptist did not cite the expression “Behold your God,” nevertheless, John the apostle is saying this throughout his Gospel concerning Jesus. John begins his Gospel with the statement about Jesus’ existence prior to the creation of the world: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1-2). In other words, Jesus was One who was with the Father from all eternity past—“Behold your God.”
John also calls attention to the uniqueness of His birth: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (1:14; see also Matthew 1:22-23). Even though John did not use the word virgin in his description of God becoming flesh, nevertheless, just a casual reading of John 1:14 sets forth this same teaching. Since Jesus was sinless, He alone could take away the sin of the world: “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
On every page of John’s Gospel, one can see, as it were, the words: “Behold your God” from the words of Isaiah. Not only did John begin this Gospel with an announcement about Jesus’ prior existence, but he also made reference to the fact that even though John the Baptist preceded Jesus by about six months in age, still Jesus existed before John the Baptist. Listen to the testimony from John the Baptist himself: “This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me’” (1:30)—“Behold your God.”
John the apostle stacks evidence upon evidence in order to call attention to the deity of Jesus. Listen once more as the author of the Gospel of John as he reflects upon an incident that happened in the life of Nathanael (John 1:43-51). You remember the story, do you not? Philip had invited Nathanael to meet Jesus and he responded by saying, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (1:46). Whereupon Philip said: “Come and see” (1:46). Upon their arrival, Jesus says, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false” (1:47). This statement dumbfounded Nathanael. Thus, Nathanael answered back by saying, “How do you know me?” (1:48a). Jesus’ comeback to Philip’s question reveals the supernatural (miraculous powers): “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you” (1:48b). How would you have reacted to such an amazing statement that is almost beyond belief? Would you have responded by saying, “Behold your God”? Listen to Philip’s astonishment: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel” (1:49).
Just a casual reading of this wonderful story by John concerning Jesus should awaken a faith in every individual that says, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” But one’s faith still does not stop with just that simple confession of faith. In other words, the evidence that John accumulates should generate trust—a trust that commits one’s life to God with the whole heart. As one thinks about faith, one must never forget that there are two of kinds of faith—trust and obedience. Faith involves not only the intellectual side of humanity, but it also demands obedience (John 15:1-13). Following the prediction of Jesus’ death, He told the crowd to put their trust “in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light” (12:36). Have you put your trust in Him in order that you, too, may become “sons of light”?
Do you think your life is too dark to become light? Can God use drunkards? Can God use prostitutes? Can God use thieves? Can God use liars? Can God use homosexuals? Can God use men and women who are just living together? Can God use individuals who are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice? Can God use gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful people? Can God use people who are senseless, faithless, heartless, or ruthless? Yes! It is true that people who commit such sins and atrocities are worthy of death. But is there hope? Yes, there is! Paul is a classic example of God’s mercy. Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, gives a brief biographical note about his earlier life:
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life (1 Timothy 1:12-16).
Yes, there is hope for everyone who desires to put his or her trust in God for salvation. Jesus came to save the lost (Matthew 1:21). The words of Jesus to Nicodemus are an excellent commentary on Paul’s own repulsive life against Christians prior to his conversion. Do you remember the words of Jesus to Nicodemus? If not, listen to Jesus as He describes God’s love and patience:
For God so loved the world that he gave his
one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not
send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This
is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead
of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone
who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that
his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by
the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has
done has been done through God (John 3:16-21).
In
the Gospel of John, one sees more than just His mighty miracles. One sees Him
telling a ruler of Israel that he must be born again (3:3). One reads some of
His greatest sermons (for examples, see 5:19-46; 6:25-29).
One witnesses His forgiveness to a woman taken in adultery in the very act (8:1-11).
One observes Jesus praying for His immediate disciples and for all those, in
every age, who confess His name (John 17). In this Gospel, one can watch Him
die and rise from the dead (19:16-37; 20:1-9). Nothing in the world can
separate individuals who put their trust in Him from the love of God (5:21-24; see
also Romans
8:28-39). Have you come to put your trust in Jesus? Have you
come to know the love of God through Jesus? I invite you to trust Him. You will
find Him sweet to your troubled soul and in the life to come.
The story is
told of a man who responded to Jesus during a revival meeting conducted by Dr.
Wharton of Baltimore. Following the preaching, he extended an invitation. A
drunkard came forward—dressed in shabby clothes—and asked, “Can Jesus do
anything for me?” Whereupon Dr. Wharton assured him that Jesus could save him.
They had prayer together and the man left. Some in the congregation told Dr.
Wharton that this man had gone through a fortune and that his wife and children
were in desperate need. Seven years later, while in this same city, he received
a call from a man who invited him to his home. Dr. Wharton was informed that
this man would send someone to pick him up. As he approached a beautiful home,
a lovely woman and two children met him. A well-dressed man came down to meet
him—a man, who seven years earlier—had been a drunkard and an outcast, but now
a successful businessman and Christian. After spending an evening with this
man, Dr. Wharton was told by this same man to tell people wherever he preached
these words: “Wherever you go, tell people what Christ can do for a drunkard.”
The Gospel is not only for drunkards, it is for everyone who will believe in the Son of God and will receive Him as their savior. John says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (3:36). In one of Jesus’ sermons, He says, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (6:40). Do you want to do the work of God? If so, then you should reflect upon the words of Jesus: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (6:29). In conclusion, remember the words of John:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (20:30-31).
[1]All Scripture citations are from the New International Version, (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1996, c1984), unless stated otherwise.