The Gospel of John did not Record Many Things (Jn. 21:20-25)

This is a personal summary of the preaching of Rev Dr Stephen Tong on 16 February 2014 in True Way Presbyterian Church. It was preached in Chinese with English translation.

Passage: John 21:20-25

At the end of the Gospel of John, there is mention of the author, the testimony, and the truth.  It also says Jesus did many other things as well which were not recorded in the book.

The gospel of John did not record the birth and the ascension of Jesus.   For 3.5 years on earth, Jesus did many things and John recorded the important ones.  He did not repeat most passages which Matthew, Mark and Luke recorded.  The only miracle all 4 gospels recorded is the feeding of the 5000 people using 5 loaves and two fishes.  In comparison, John recorded more of the dialogues, debates and teaching than incidents. 

When he was old, there was an assault on the gospel from the gnostics.  God preserved John to fight the false teaching.  By the end of the first century after the birth of Christ, the four gospels were already written.  It took about 50 years from Matthew to John.  Humanity can understand the plan of salvation through these recorded gospels.  However, there were many false gospels written in the name of Jesus’ disciples.  The churches were confused.  The gospel of John written at the end of the first century became the foundation to deny all other false gospels.

John also stated that the whole world would not have room for the books to be written if everything Jesus did was to be recorded (21:25).

If we only view Jesus as a human being, surely it is possible to record everything He did.  But He is infinite.  Did He just work during the 33.5 years on earth?  In John 5:17 Jesus said “My Father has been at work till now, I too am working”  What was He doing?  He was working from the time of creation.  He prepared for redemption before creation.  The work of God cannot be constrained in finite existence.  The Son has been working with the Father.

In infinite realm, God has been working.  When Jesus entered finite world, the Spirit entered the flesh, He worked for 33.5 years in physical time and space.   But He is not the finite one, He is the Son of God from all eternity not bounded by space and time created by God at creation point.    Christ is the contact point between man and God, between time and eternity, between visible and invisible.  The contact point appears 3 times, at creation point, at incarnation time (Christ’s first coming), and at consummation point (Christ’s second coming). 

From this point of view, created world is too small.  Finite paper write finite things.  Thus the things that Jesus did, in creation, salvation and revelation, cannot all be contained by the small finite world.