John 20:30-31: And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.
After Jesus was raised from the dead, He appeared to some of His disciples (Jn. 20:19). Thomas, who was not with those who Jesus appeared to, was told that Jesus had been seen (verses 24-25). Thomas would not believe He had been raised unless he could physically see and/or touch Jesus (verse 25). After Jesus appeared to Thomas and Thomas recognized it was Him (verses 26-28), Jesus told him, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (verse 29). It is interesting that this is the “lead-up” to the statement made by John in verses 30-31.
None of us have physically seen Jesus as Thomas did, yet we must believe on Him to the extent that we give our lives to His service (Matt. 16:24-25). Worldly wisdom says to do so does not make sense. Yet, John 20:30-31 points out that we have sufficient reason to believe.
John himself was an eyewitness of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. John saw Jesus’ crucifixion (Jn. 19:26-27), and noted “he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe” (verse 35).
John saw Jesus after He was raised (Jn. 21:20), confirming the “disciple whom Jesus loved” “is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true” (verse 24).
Just as John and Peter were “eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Pet. 1:16), so too were “above five hundred brethren at once” (1 Cor. 15:6) and “all the apostles” (verse 7) who saw Him after He was raised from the grave.
Jesus’ works bore witness that God sent Him (Jn. 5:36). He fulfilled over a hundred prophecies written centuries before He walked on earth (Lk. 24:44).
He is the prophet that was like unto Moses (Deut. 18:15-19; Acts 3:22-26). He was the rejected teacher of Isaiah’s prophecy (Is. 53:1; 6:9-10; Jn. 12:38-41). He was hated without a cause, as the psalmist said (Ps. 69:4; Jn. 15:24-25), and His garments were parted (Ps. 22:18; Jn. 19:24) at His crucifixion.
Jesus’ words were confirmed by miracles, as He healed the blind (Mk. 8:22-25), lame (Jn. 5:5-9), deaf, and mute (Mk. 7:31-37). His apostles who spoke of Him had the Word likewise confirmed by miracles (Mk. 16:20).
The things written about Jesus do not convince all of who He is because not all hearts are what God desires.
Some hearts are hardened, following a “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (2 Thes. 2:11).
Yet, there are some hearts that “heareth the Word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt. 13:23).
When these hearts hear what is written about Jesus, they are convinced that He is the Son of God, and that every word spoken of Him in Scripture is truth. This belief causes them to make all changes necessary to follow Him (Matt. 16:24).
This seems foolish to a world that walks by sight, but when we open our hearts to the truth, it leaves zero doubt that One we have never physically seen is worthy to be obeyed, praised, and followed. The truth about Jesus is the evidence that produces faith (Rom. 10:17), and forms the foundation of the Christian’s life (2 Cor. 5:7).
Indeed, the things written about Him cause those with good hearts to believe, and leads to eternal life through His name.
– Michael Hickox