John 20:30-31 30Therefore, on the one hand, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which have not been written in this book; 31but on the other, these have been written in order that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and in order that by believing you may have life in his name.
The story of Thomas’ doubt and renewed faith serves as the backdrop (therefore) for John’s purpose statement found in these two verses. Not all the authors of New Testament books are as clear as John in why they wrote. John’s purpose is unmistakable and has been the recurring theme from the beginning. Each statement has significance.
First (Greek men; “on the one hand,” “now,” “consequently”), John writes about the signs (symeia) Jesus did with his disciples present. A sign represents something else. In traffic, a sign is a signal or sign for action (stop, go, yield). The signs in John are also a call to act, the intended act is to believe. John purposefully recorded these signs in chapters 2-12. Each of the miracles Jesus did is connected to a teaching or dialogue that explains the significance of the sign. John chose certain miracles to report about that he thought revealed who Jesus is. The greatest sign is Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, which proved everything else he said and did.
The disciples were eyewitnesses of everything, which adds further support to the truth of what John wrote. John recorded certain signs so that he readers would come to believe in Jesus, but John could have added many more. Every one has an intended message, and so, as readers, we are invited to read this Gospel carefully so that we can learn more about Jesus as the Son of God and accept him as Lord and Savior.
Second, the purpose of these signs (Greek hina) is that the reader might believe. Believe (pisteusēte) is the keyword of John. Faith is both an act and a response, both a noun and a verb. It does not occur as a noun in this Gospel but 74 times as a verb. It is something the reader must do upon reading or hearing the stories of Jesus. Believing is first mentioned in 1:12-13. Believing has three parts: an emotional response of trust, and intellectual response of belief, and a volitional response of loyalty or commitment.
The faith John writes about has a specific focus: Jesus, the man from Nazareth. He was more than the average man. There are two special things about Jesus to believe. First is that he is the Christ, the long awaited Messiah. The Jewish leaders failed to accept their Messiah and actually contrived how to kill him. Second, he was the divine Son of God. He was God in the flesh who came to reveale the extent of God’s love. These two descriptions would appeal to all people in the first century. The Jews were looking for their Messiah, and Jesus had all the qualifications. Gentiles had their myths and deities, but Jesus far surpassed them all as the Son of the one and only Almighty God. The Son was the only begotten because he is the only one who embodied in human flesh the person of God. These claims take faith to accept as true.
The ultimate goal of this believing is to receive life in his name. The form of the word used is an instrumental participle meaning by believing (pisteuontes). Believing in Jesus is the only way to eternal life. Eternal life begins now (3:16); death is only a brief interruption. Because Jesus lives, we too shall live (14:19). John’s purpose seems evangelistic in order to convince non-believers to trust in Jesus for salvation. Unbelievers are like the many people Jesus encountered who experienced his miracles and were drawn to the truth of his words. Yet, this Gospel also has a powerful intended outcome of strengthening the faith of believers. Those who are already believers can identify with the struggles of the disciples who finally came to full faith and commitment.
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