Lesson for the Lord’s Day
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. John 20:30
As a reporter, I attended many meetings of Saint John Common Council. To avoid missing any important sound from the meetings, I would record each session from beginning to adjournment. By keeping careful track of the counter numbers on the recorder, I could limit the amount of each session that I had to go through when I returned to the newsroom to prepare my reports. All of the material was on the tapes, but I needed only those portions that were required to prepare good reports. John takes the same approach as he presents details of the days after Jesus’ resurrection. The next verse tells us that he provided the details that were needed to enable us to believe. The account He gives us is all that the Holy Spirit requires to confirm the truth in our hearts.
We have some other events recorded in other Gospels. But even if we put them all together, we are still missing many of the events that transpired during this crucial period. John assures us that there were many other signs performed and discussions held, and other occasions experienced. We will never know about all of those; they are not in the book. That doesn’t mean those things were not important or interesting. I am sure the disciples were thrilled at everything they experienced during that period. Just to have Jesus with them again after the trauma of the arrest, crucifixion, and burial was amazing and precious to them. If we had been there, we would have hung on every word and deed, and made notes of everything. But the Holy Spirit has filtered out those things that are not necessary for us to know at this time. And we have everything that is necessary.
John’s reference to all those things that are not written in this Book is important, because it tells us that there are some things we don’t need to know. It also tells us that what is in the Book is the most important. Sometimes we like to get information from other sources. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But it can be bad if what we get from other sources contradicts or disputes what is in Scripture. Whenever there is a difference between Scripture says and what something else says, Scripture must always be taken as the correct information. Because it is always accurate, Scripture cannot be challenged.
Some things that are not in the Book are interesting. But unless they line up with the Book, they can be ignored. -Jim MacIntosh