When one enters the reading of a book the goal should be to understand it precisely as the author intended it be understood. The first thing, and perhaps the most important, is that John clearly meant his book to be read as a sequential part of the inspired canon of Scripture, the Biblical Story. That is evident from his massive reference to the Old Testament as prophetic proof that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31, Psalm 2:2,7). The Johannine Old Testament references are only small direction signs to the previous larger context from which they come. In other words, the author simply gives the crux verse of the Old Testament context assuming the reader knows the contextual argument (i.e., the story) or that he will pursue it following John’s reference. Thus, John’s purpose is that he is the eyewitness to the appearance of the Old Testament expectation of the Messiah, thus confirming to all future readers what they could not experience for themselves. Thus it becomes imperative for the reader to understand the Old Testament argument, particularly in the references to which John guides the reader. Fortunately for the reader, John has focused specifically on his Old Testament context in his pinpoint goal for the reader in 20:31.

Dr. Charles Baylis

“Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31)