Reading
John 20:30–31—So that you may believe
Notes
After narrating this sequence of resurrection appearances, John states his aim in writing this Gospel. It is that those who read will ‘believe’ that Jesus is the Son of God. … The purpose of the Gospel is for people to become and be believers.
John teaches many important truths about his Gospel in these few words.
(i) The reference to ‘other signs’ emphasises the preeminence of the ‘sign’ of Jesus’ bodily resurrection.
(ii) John writes as an eyewitness, who had been ‘present’ from first to last …
(iii) In writing his Gospel, John has selected only some of Jesus’ miracles that he witnessed. There were many ‘others’, as reference to the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke indicates.
(iv) John’s words show that ‘believing’ arose equally from a written Gospel as from a spoken message. Paul said that ‘faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ’ (Romans 10:17). The Gospel John wrote was to be read aloud and heard, in a congregational setting.
(v) …The present tense verb tells us that John wants his readers to ‘go on believing’ …
(vi) John promises that those who believe in Jesus as Messiah and the divine Son already ‘have’ eternal life … . The Son of God is the source of eternal life so that to embrace him by faith is to possess eternal life in the kingdom of God.
Questions
- Why did John write his gospel?
- What other signs did Jesus perform?
- What happens when we believe in Jesus?
Praise
Psalm 91a, 119r
Prayer
- Praise God that he keeps you believing.
- Give thanks for something from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.