The Word Alone

Commentary

The Empty Tomb and the Dawn of Resurrection Light (Verses 1–10)

The twentieth chapter of John’s Gospel brings us to the greatest triumph ever accomplished in the history of God’s dealings with man. The cross had closed the history of the first man under responsibility before God. There, in the rejection and crucifixion of Christ, man’s guilt reached its fullest expression. Yet where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. The very death which manifested man’s hatred became the means through which God laid the foundation of redemption.

John 20 opens not with the sufferings of Christ, but with the glorious consequences of His finished work. The Lord Jesus had declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30), and now God bears witness to the perfection of that work by raising Him from among the dead. Resurrection is God’s answer to the cross. It is the declaration that every claim of divine righteousness has been satisfied, every question of sin settled, and every purpose of grace secured in Christ.

The Spirit of God presents the resurrection in a manner entirely consistent with the character of John’s Gospel. We are not occupied here with the earthquake, the terror of the guards, or the public display of power. Rather, we are brought into the quiet and personal exercises of hearts being gradually led into the knowledge of the risen Lord. Faith must learn that Christ is no longer to be sought among the dead. A new order has begun. Death has been conquered. The grave has been emptied. The Son of God stands victorious over every enemy.

In these opening verses, we see different conditions of soul. Mary Magdalene is marked by affection but also by ignorance. Peter displays energy and activity. John exhibits spiritual perception. Yet all alike are learning that God’s thoughts are higher than their thoughts. The empty tomb is the first testimony that Christ has risen, but the disciples must be brought beyond outward evidence to the understanding of Scripture and the knowledge of the living Christ Himself.

Mary Discovers the Empty Tomb (John 20:1–2)

“The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.”

The resurrection takes place on the first day of the week. This is significant. The old creation had completed its course. A new creation order was beginning in the Person of the risen Christ. The Sabbath belonged to the old order; the first day belongs to resurrection.

Mary Magdalene comes while it is still dark. This darkness is not merely the condition of the hour but is expressive of the state of her understanding. Her heart is devoted to Christ, but she has not yet entered into the truth of resurrection. Affection for Christ is precious, yet affection alone cannot give spiritual intelligence.

Seeing the stone removed, Mary immediately concludes that someone has taken away the Lord’s body. “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.”

She has no thought of resurrection. Her conclusion is natural and reasonable from a human standpoint, but faith must rise above human reasoning. The Lord had repeatedly spoken of His resurrection, yet the disciples had not understood His words.

How often believers resemble Mary. Genuine love for Christ may exist alongside much ignorance concerning the purposes of God.

Peter and John Run to the Tomb (John 20:3–5)

“Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.” The news immediately stirs the two disciples. Their actions reveal their concern for the Lord, though neither yet comprehends what has occurred.

“So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.” The Spirit of God records this detail not to exalt one disciple above another but to illustrate differences in spiritual character. John, whose heart was peculiarly occupied with the Lord’s love, arrives first.

Yet upon reaching the tomb he does not enter. “And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.” There is reverence and contemplation. John pauses before the mystery before him. He sees evidence that something extraordinary has occurred, but he waits.

Peter Enters and Examines the Evidence (John 20:6–7)

“Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre.” This is characteristic of Peter. He is energetic, bold, and impulsive. Where John pauses, Peter enters immediately.

Inside he observes two important details. “And seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.”

Everything bears witness to calmness and order. Had grave robbers removed the body, they would not have taken the time to arrange the burial cloths. The condition of the tomb speaks not of theft but of divine power.

The Lord had not needed assistance to leave the tomb. The stone was not rolled away to permit Him to come out; it was removed that others might see He had already risen.

The orderly arrangement of the grave clothes is a silent but powerful testimony. Death had no claim upon Him. He rose in perfect triumph and dignity.

John Believes (John 20:8–9)

“Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.” John’s spiritual perception enables him to draw the proper conclusion from what he sees. The evidence before him convinces him that Christ has risen.

Yet the following verse shows that this faith was still incomplete. “For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.” John believed the fact of the resurrection before him, but neither he nor the others yet understood the scriptural necessity of it.

This distinction is important. One may believe a truth because of evidence and yet not understand its place in the counsels of God. The disciples had not yet grasped that resurrection was the fulfilment of divine purpose revealed throughout the Scriptures.

The words “he must rise again” reveal divine necessity. The resurrection was not merely a miracle. It was morally necessary. The glory of Christ, the righteousness of God, the accomplishment of redemption, and the fulfilment of prophecy all demanded it. Death could not hold the One who had perfectly glorified God.

The Disciples Return Home (John 20:10)

“Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.” The disciples depart, having seen the empty tomb, yet without the full understanding that would soon be theirs.

There is a striking contrast between the Lord’s work and the disciples’ condition. Christ had accomplished redemption perfectly. The victory had been won. The grave was empty. Yet those who loved Him still possessed only partial understanding of these glorious realities.

God often leads His people progressively into truth. The fact may be apprehended before its significance is understood. The disciples stand at the threshold of a new revelation. Soon they will know the risen Christ personally, receive His peace, and understand the new position into which His death and resurrection have brought them.

Concluding Reflections (John 20:1–10)

John 20:1–10 presents the first witness of the resurrection, the empty tomb. The stone removed, the undisturbed grave clothes, and the absence of the Lord’s body all testify that death has been conquered. Yet the passage also shows how slowly the human heart enters into the thoughts of God.

Mary’s affection, Peter’s energy, and John’s perception each have their place, but none is sufficient in itself. The resurrection must be understood in the light of divine revelation.

The empty tomb proclaims that the work of redemption is complete. Christ has passed through death and emerged victorious. The grave that once held Him is empty forever. The believer therefore rests not upon hopes or feelings, but upon the accomplished victory of a risen Saviour.

The resurrection is God’s declaration that Jesus Christ is the triumphant Lord, and that all who belong to Him stand upon resurrection ground before God. The empty tomb is the pledge that death has been overcome, judgment borne, and eternal life secured in the risen Son of God.

Mary Magdalene and the Risen Christ (Verses 11–18)

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the grand foundation of Christianity. Had Christ remained in the grave, faith would have been vain, sin would have remained upon the conscience, and death would still have held its victory. But the Lord arose, having perfectly accomplished redemption, having glorified God in all that He was and in all that He did, and having broken the power of death through His own triumph. The resurrection is not merely the proof that Christ lives; it is the declaration that God has accepted His work and has raised Him from among the dead in righteousness and glory.

In John’s Gospel, the resurrection is presented in a character distinct from the other Gospels. Here the Spirit of God does not primarily occupy us with the public testimony of the resurrection, nor with the kingdom hopes of Israel. Rather, we are brought into the intimacy of the new relationship established through the death and resurrection of Christ. The Son who had come from the Father and revealed Him now brings His own into the blessed position which His work has secured. The believer is brought into association with Christ Himself before the Father.

The scene before us is deeply touching. Mary Magdalene remains at the tomb after Peter and John have departed. Her affection is genuine, but her thoughts are still occupied with a Christ whom death has taken away. She loves the Lord, yet she does not understand the power of His resurrection. Nevertheless, the Lord values true affection even where intelligence is lacking. He graciously reveals Himself to her and, in doing so, unfolds one of the most precious truths found in Scripture: His disciples are now brought into His own relationship with the Father. He says, “My Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”

This passage therefore presents not only the revelation of the risen Christ to a devoted disciple, but also the introduction of an entirely new position for believers. The old earthly associations are giving place to heavenly relationships. Christ is no longer to be known after the flesh. Redemption having been accomplished, His own are united with Him in resurrection life and brought into the liberty of sons before the Father.

Mary’s Sorrow at the Empty Tomb (John 20:11–13)

“But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping”. The disciples had returned to their own home, but affection kept Mary at the tomb. Her heart was attached to Christ, although she had not yet entered into the meaning of His words concerning resurrection. She sought a living Christ among the dead because she loved Him.

The Lord often allows such exercises of heart. Affection may be sincere while knowledge is deficient. Mary had not understood the Scriptures that He must rise again, but her love remained fixed upon His Person. It is better to have a heart occupied with Christ, though imperfectly, than to possess much knowledge without affection.

As she stoops to look into the sepulchre, she sees two angels sitting where the body of Jesus had lain. They ask, “Woman, why weepest thou?” Her answer reveals the state of her soul, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him”. She speaks of “my Lord.” There is personal attachment, yet she thinks only of a dead Christ. The resurrection had not yet dawned upon her soul. Even the presence of angels cannot satisfy her heart. They occupy no place in her affections because she is seeking Christ Himself. This is beautiful in its way. The heart that truly loves Christ cannot rest with anything less than Christ.

The Lord Reveals Himself to Mary (John 20:14–16)

“And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus”. The Lord was nearer than she imagined. While she was occupied with her grief, He stood before her. So often believers are distressed because they cannot perceive His presence, while He Himself is closer than they suppose.

Jesus repeats the angels’ question, “Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?” The second question goes deeper. The issue was not merely why she wept, but whom she sought. Her heart had but one object. Supposing Him to be the gardener, she asks where the body has been laid. Her thoughts still move within the circle of death and earthly associations.

Then comes the moment of divine revelation, “Jesus saith unto her, Mary” One word changes everything. The sheep know the Shepherd’s voice. The Lord had said earlier, “He calleth his own sheep by name”.

The same Shepherd now calls one of His sheep by name. It is not doctrine that first reaches Mary’s heart; it is the voice of the Person she loves. Instantly she recognises Him and replies, “Rabboni; which is to say, Master.” Her sorrow disappears in the presence of the risen Lord. The One whom she thought lost forever stands before her alive. Thus the Lord reveals Himself. Christianity begins not merely with truth received, but with a living Christ known.

A New Relationship Established (John 20:17)

“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father”. This statement is of profound importance. Mary naturally desired to resume the old relationship she had known before the cross. But the Lord was introducing something entirely new. He was not returning to the former conditions of association with His disciples upon earth. Redemption had been accomplished. He was about to enter a new position as the risen and glorified Man before the Father.

The words “Touch me not” do not imply that the Lord rejected affection. Rather, they indicate that earthly attachment to Him was no longer the ground of relationship. A new order had begun. The Lord continues, “But go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”

This is the first time in John’s Gospel that the disciples are called “brethren.” The corn of wheat had fallen into the ground and died (John 12:24). Redemption was accomplished. Now Christ could associate His redeemed people with Himself before God.

Yet the distinction of His Person remains carefully preserved. He does not say, “Our Father” or “Our God.” His relationship is His by eternal right and dignity as the Son. Ours is by grace and redemption. Nevertheless, the relationship into which believers are brought is the same in character.

The Father whom Christ knew eternally is now the Father of His redeemed people. The God whom He served as the dependent and perfect Man is now their God also. Nothing higher could be revealed concerning the believer’s place before God.

Mary Becomes the Messenger of Resurrection Truth (John 20:18)

“Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord”. Having received the revelation, Mary becomes the messenger. The Lord entrusts this precious communication not to angels but to a redeemed believer. She announces not merely that the tomb is empty, nor simply that Christ lives, but that she has seen the Lord and bears His message to His brethren.

Her testimony marks the beginning of a new era. The risen Christ is gathering His own around Himself upon resurrection ground. The relationship established by His death and resurrection is now declared.

Mary entered the garden weeping because she sought a dead Christ. She left it rejoicing because she had found a living Christ.

Concluding Reflections (John 20:11–18)

This beautiful passage presents the transition from earthly association with Christ to heavenly relationship with Him. Mary Magdalene’s devoted affection is honoured, yet the Lord leads her beyond her former thoughts. He reveals Himself as risen from among the dead and announces the new position secured by His finished work.

The central truth of the passage is found in the Lord’s message, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” Here we learn the blessed result of redemption. Believers are brought into the relationship which Christ, as risen Man, enjoys before the Father. They are His brethren, associated with Him in resurrection life and accepted before God in all the value of His accomplished work.

The tears of the garden give way to the joy of resurrection. The empty tomb gives place to the living Person of the Son. Christianity is founded upon this glorious reality: Christ is risen, and through Him His people are brought into the Father’s presence in the liberty and favour secured by His redeeming love.

The Risen Christ in the Midst of His Disciples (Verses 19–23)

The twentieth chapter of John presents a remarkable transition in the ways of God. The Lord Jesus Christ had passed through death, borne the judgment due to sin, glorified God in all that He is, and risen victorious from among the dead. The old condition of man had been fully tested and found wanting. The first man had failed in responsibility; the Last Adam now stood before His own in resurrection life.

In this chapter we do not merely find proof that Christ rose from the dead. We are introduced to an entirely new order of blessing founded upon accomplished redemption. The Lord had entered death and come forth beyond it. Sin had been put away before God. Satan’s power had been broken. The grave had lost its victory. The disciples are therefore viewed in relation to a risen Christ rather than an earthly Messiah.

Throughout John’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit presents the Lord Jesus as the Son who reveals the Father. Accordingly, the resurrection scenes in this Gospel possess a distinctive character. The emphasis is not upon the establishment of the kingdom, as in Matthew, nor upon the ascension ministry of Christ, as in Luke, but upon the communication of divine life and the introduction of believers into a new relationship with God.

Earlier in the chapter the Lord had said to Mary Magdalene, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). These words form the foundation of what follows. Redemption having been accomplished, the disciples are brought into association with Christ before the Father. The Lord does not say “our Father,” for His relationship is unique and eternal; nevertheless, by grace they are brought into the enjoyment of the same place of favour before God.

Verses 19–23 therefore reveal the practical consequences of resurrection. We see the Lord gathering His own around Himself, communicating peace, commissioning them for service, imparting the Holy Ghost in resurrection character, and entrusting to them a ministry connected with forgiveness. The scene is one of profound spiritual beauty. Christ is the centre, peace is the atmosphere, and divine life is the power.

The Lord Appears in the Midst of His Own (John 20:19–20)

“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”

The disciples were gathered together, yet fear characterised their condition. The death of their Master had filled them with uncertainty. The doors were shut because they feared the hostility of the Jews. Such is often the condition of believers when occupied with circumstances rather than with Christ.

Yet neither locked doors nor human weakness could hinder the presence of the risen Lord. He came and stood in the midst. This is the blessed place He always occupies among His people. He is the centre of every gathering formed by the Holy Spirit.

His first word is one of peace, “Peace be unto you.” This was not merely a wish for tranquillity. It was the declaration of a peace that had been secured through His death and resurrection. The work was finished. Every question between God and His people had been settled. The peace He announced rested upon accomplished redemption.

“And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.” The peace proclaimed rests upon the work accomplished. Therefore the Lord points them to His hands and His side. The marks of His suffering remained as the eternal witness that redemption had been secured.

Peace is never founded upon our feelings, experiences, or attainments. It rests solely upon the sacrifice of Christ. The disciples were not asked to look within themselves but upon Him who had borne the judgment.

As a result, their fear gave way to joy. They were glad when they saw the Lord. True Christian joy is inseparable from occupation with the risen Christ Himself.

The Commission of the Disciples (John 20:21)

“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” The Lord repeats His message of peace. Service must flow from peace already possessed. A troubled conscience cannot be an effective instrument in the work of God.

The Lord then establishes a striking parallel between His own mission and that of the disciples. He does not say that they are sent to accomplish redemption, for that belonged exclusively to Him. Rather, they are sent into the world as witnesses of the grace and truth that had been displayed in Him.

The Son had come from the Father to reveal Him in a world estranged from God. Now the disciples are sent forth to bear testimony to Christ in that same world.

The character of the mission is important. The Lord does not speak of earthly power, political influence, or outward glory. The disciples are to continue a testimony marked by dependence, humility, grace, and truth. They are sent by the risen Christ just as He had been sent by the Father.

The Gift of the Holy Ghost in Resurrection Character (John 20:22)

“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:”. This action recalls the creation of Adam in Genesis 2:7, when God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life. Here, however, we have something far greater. The risen Christ communicates life in resurrection character.

This is not the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. The Spirit was not yet given as the divine Person dwelling in the Church, for the Lord had not yet ascended into heaven. That blessing awaited is in Acts 2.

Rather, this act symbolically presents the disciples as brought into the power of a new creation. They receive life associated with the risen Christ. The old order had passed away in principle; a new order had begun in Him.

The disciples are thus fitted morally and spiritually for the mission entrusted to them. Their service would not be carried out in the energy of the flesh but in the power of life communicated from the risen Lord.

The Ministry of Forgiveness and Retention (John 20:23)

“Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” These words have often been misunderstood. The Lord is not granting the disciples authority to forgive sins in the absolute sense that belongs to God alone. Scripture everywhere teaches that forgiveness rests upon the work of Christ and is granted by God.

The meaning is ministerial rather than judicial. The disciples were entrusted with a testimony concerning forgiveness. As they proclaimed the gospel, those who received the message entered into the blessing of forgiveness. Those who rejected it remained in their sins.

We see this principle illustrated throughout the Acts of the Apostles. The apostles announced forgiveness through Christ to believers and declared the solemn consequences of unbelief.

Thus the assembly, acting according to the Word of God and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, becomes the responsible witness of God’s judgment concerning men. It publicly recognises those who have received the gospel and exposes those who reject it.

The authority is therefore representative, not sovereign. God alone forgives sins; the servants of Christ announce and administer the truth of that forgiveness according to the commission entrusted to them.

Concluding Reflections (John 20:19–23)

John 20:19–23 presents a beautiful picture of the new position into which believers are brought through the resurrection of Christ. The risen Lord stands in the midst of His own as the centre of their gathering and the source of their blessing. He speaks peace founded upon His finished work. He sends His disciples into the world as witnesses of the grace they have received. He imparts life in resurrection character through the Holy Ghost and entrusts to them the ministry of reconciliation.

Everything in the passage rests upon the accomplished work of Christ and the reality of His resurrection. Fear gives place to peace, uncertainty to joy, and weakness to service. The disciples are no longer connected merely with an earthly hope; they are associated with a risen and heavenly Christ.

The scene therefore stands as a precious testimony to the blessings that flow from redemption completed and resurrection accomplished. Christ Himself is the centre, the foundation, and the power of all. Wherever He is known in resurrection, there peace, joy, life, and testimony are found.

Faith Without Sight: The Revelation of the Risen Christ and the Remnant of Israel (Verses 24–31)

The closing verses of John 20 present one of the most significant scenes in the Gospel. The resurrection of Christ has already been declared. The Lord has appeared to Mary Magdalene, revealing Himself as the risen Son ascending to His Father and our Father, to His God and our God. He has also appeared to the gathered disciples, breathing upon them and communicating to them the character of their future service. Yet one disciple was absent, Thomas.

The Spirit of God does not record this incident merely to expose the weakness of Thomas. Rather, it forms an important part of the divine testimony concerning the ways of God. Throughout this Gospel, the Holy Spirit presents Christ as the Son of God, rejected by the world, yet revealing the Father and communicating eternal life to those who believe. The resurrection does not alter this testimony but confirms it.

Thomas becomes representative of a principle that extends beyond his own personal experience. In him we see the condition of the Jewish remnant in a future day. They will not believe merely on the testimony of others. They will require the visible manifestation of the Messiah whom they pierced. When Christ appears in glory, they will look upon Him and believe. Thus Thomas serves as a striking picture of Israel restored through sight, while those who believe during the present dispensation are blessed through faith apart from sight.

The passage therefore stands as a bridge between Christ’s earthly manifestation and the heavenly character of Christian faith. The Lord graciously meets Thomas in his weakness, yet He establishes a higher principle for the Church: believing without seeing. The Gospel concludes by directing the reader to this very faith, that through the written testimony of the apostles men might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life through His name.

Thomas’s Unbelief and the Testimony of the Disciples (John 20:24–25)

“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.” Thomas had missed the Lord’s first appearance to the assembled disciples. There is often spiritual loss when believers absent themselves from the company where the Lord delights to reveal Himself. The Lord had come into the midst of His gathered disciples, yet Thomas was not there to enjoy the blessing.

“Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” The testimony of the other disciples was not enough for Thomas. They had seen the Lord and faithfully reported what they had witnessed. Yet Thomas demanded personal and visible proof.

This was not merely caution; it was unbelief. Faith receives God’s testimony. Thomas placed his own senses above the witness God had already provided. The natural heart constantly seeks visible evidence before believing, but faith rests upon the word of God.

Nevertheless, the Lord knew the weakness of His servant. He did not cast Thomas off because of his unbelief. Divine grace would meet him precisely at the point of his need.

The Lord Appears Again in Grace (John 20:26–27)

“And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them.” The disciples were again gathered together, and this time Thomas was present. Once more the Lord came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst.

The resurrection body of Christ was no longer subject to ordinary earthly limitations. Yet He remained the same blessed Person whom the disciples had known before His death. His first word again was, “Peace be unto you.”

Peace had been made through the blood of His cross. The resurrection was God’s declaration that the work was complete and accepted. Therefore peace could now be proclaimed to His own.

The Lord immediately turned to Thomas. “Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” What tenderness shines here. The Lord repeats the very words Thomas had spoken in secret unbelief. Every doubt, every word, every thought had been perfectly known to Him.

Yet there is no harsh rebuke. The Lord’s object is restoration, not condemnation. He presents Himself to Thomas exactly as Thomas had requested. At the same time, the Lord exposes the real issue. The problem was not a lack of evidence but a lack of faith. “Be not faithless, but believing.” This is the divine remedy for every form of unbelief.

Thomas’s Confession of the Lord’s Glory (John 20:28–29)

“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” This is one of the highest confessions recorded in Scripture.

Thomas now recognises in the risen Jesus not merely the Messiah nor only the Master whom he had followed, but One who is both Lord and God. The resurrection has publicly vindicated all that Christ is.

The Gospel began with the declaration, “And the Word was God.” It now closes with a disciple confessing the same truth. The Son who became flesh is acknowledged as God Himself. Yet the Lord immediately introduces a principle that reaches beyond Thomas.

“Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” This is the special blessing of Christianity.

Thomas believed through sight. Future Israel will believe in a similar way when they behold their rejected Messiah returning in glory. But Christians believe through the testimony of the Holy Spirit contained in the Word of God.

The present position of believers is heavenly, not earthly. They know Christ by faith while He is absent from the world. Their faith does not rest upon visible manifestations but upon the infallible testimony of God.

This verse therefore marks the transition from a faith connected with visible signs to a faith resting upon divine revelation.

The Purpose of the Gospel (John 20:30–31)

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.” The Holy Spirit did not intend to provide an exhaustive biography of Christ. Many miracles and signs were performed which are not recorded.

The selection of signs in John’s Gospel is deliberate. Each one serves the great purpose of revealing the glory of the Son of God. “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” The Gospel has a definite object. It presents evidence sufficient for faith.

Jesus is shown to be both the Christ, the promised Messiah, and the Son of God in all the fullness of His divine glory. These truths are inseparable. The Messiah of Israel is none other than the eternal Son.

“And that believing ye might have life through his name.” The result of faith is life. John consistently presents eternal life not merely as future blessing but as a present possession in Christ. The believer receives life through His name because life is found in the Son alone.

Thus the Gospel ends where it has been leading throughout: to faith in the Person of Christ. The signs point to Him, the words reveal Him, the resurrection vindicates Him, and the written testimony calls men to believe in Him.

Concluding Reflections (John 20:24–31)

John 20:24–31 presents the gracious restoration of a doubting disciple, but it also unfolds a much broader divine purpose. Thomas illustrates the faith that comes through sight, while the Lord pronounces a special blessing upon those who believe through the testimony of God without seeing.

The passage therefore anticipates both the future restoration of Israel and the present position of the Church. Israel will one day look upon their Messiah and believe. Christians, however, know Him by faith while He is hidden from the world.

The Gospel concludes by directing every reader to the written testimony concerning Christ. The signs recorded by the Holy Spirit are sufficient. The evidence has been provided. The risen Lord has been revealed.

The question is no longer whether Christ has given adequate proof, but whether we will receive God’s testimony concerning His Son. Those who do so discover the great purpose of the Gospel fulfilled in their own souls, “That believing ye might have life through his name.”