John 20:31 — Community Reflections

JOHN 20:31 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“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.”

But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name — the stated purpose (hina clause) establishes faith as the Gospel's goal. The dual textual tradition (pistuēte present subjunctive: 'may come to believe' versus pisteuēte present indicative: 'may continue to believe') reflects debate about whether faith is initiatory or ongoing. The phrase 'life in his name' indicates that salvation is participation in Jesus' identity and presence. This purpose statement makes John fundamentally evangelistic theology, not detached narrative.

Church Fathers on John 20:31

Consider the mercy of the Lord, how for the sake; of one soul, He exhibits His wounds. And yet the disciples deserved credit, and He had Himself foretold the event. Notwithstanding, because one person, Thomas, would examine Him, Christ allowed him. But He did not appear to him immediately, but waited till the eighth day, in order that the admonition being given in the presence of the disciples, might kindle in him greater desire, and strengthen his faith for the future. And…
Chrysostom · 4th century

You ask; If He entered by the shut door, where is the nature of His body? And I reply; If He walked on the sea, where is the weight of His body? The Lord did that as the Lord; and did He, after His resurrection, cease to be the Lord?
Augustine · 4th century

Our Lord gave that flesh to be touched which He had introduced through shut doors: wherein two wonderful, and, according to human reason, contradictory things appear, viz. that after the resurrection He had a body incorruptible, and yet palpable. For that which is palpable must be corruptible, and that which is incorruptible must be impalpable. But He showed Himself incorruptible and yet palpable, to prove that His body after His resurrection was the same in nature as before,…
Gregory the Great · 6th century

Read all 15 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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