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 (as sufficient specimens), that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life - in the sense of John 6:27, etc.,
Through (or rather, 'in') his name. Two things about Jesus the Evangelist says his Gospel was written to establish. First, That He was "THE CHRIST," or 'the Messiah,' the great Hope of all heaven-taught souls from the beginning; and next, that this Messiah was "THE SON OF GOD." The one of these titles was the official one with which all who were looking for the promised Deliverer were familiar; the other is intended to express His Personal dignity and relation to the Father-for claiming which the Jews once and again took up stones to stone Him, and at length put Him to death. Without the Sonship, the Messiahship would be of no avail to sinful men; nor would the Sonship have done anything for us without the Messiahship. But as the two together constitute that "all fullness" which "it hath pleased the Father should dwell in Him," (Colossians 1:19), so in the hallowed phrase, that "Jesus is the Christ the Son of God," we have that full Name which is as ointment poured forth to all that have ever tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Beautiful is the connection between these concluding verses and the last words of the preceding verse, about Thomas: q.d., 'And indeed, as the Lord pronounced them blessed who not having seen Him have yet believed, so for that one end have the whole contents of this Gospel been recorded, that all who read it may believe on Him, and believing, have life in that blessed Name.'
For Remarks on the Resurrection of Christ, see those on Matthew 28:1-15, at the close of that section, and on Luke 24:13-53, Remarks 1 and 5 at the close of that section. But on the distinctive features of the present section we may add the following. Remarks:
(1) Referring to the Remarks already made on Christian womanhood (on Luke 8:1-3, at the close of that section), one cannot but notice how exquisitely Woman's position in relation to Christ and His cause come out in this chapter. Indeed, were one internal evidence of the truth of the Bible, and of the divinity of the religion it discloses, to be demanded-one that should be at once decisive and level to ordinary capacity, perhaps the position which it assigns to Woman might as safely be fixed upon as any other; for whether we take her destination before the fall, her condition under the fall, or what the religion of the Bible has done to lift her out of it, the finger of God is alike clearly seen. But nowhere in the Bible-nowhere in Christianity-is her place more beautiful than here, in looking, before others were astir, for the Saviour so dear to her, receiving from the lips that had fed so many His first word as the Risen One-a word, too, of such familiarity and love-and getting a commission from Him to carry the glad tidings to His disconsolate "brethren." O Woman! self-ruined but dearly ransomed, how much owest thou unto thy Lord! The Lord hath need of thee, not only for all thou hast in common with the other, sex, but, over and above this, for all that sanctified Woman has to render to Him; and that is much. Some of the services of Woman to Christ are recorded in the New Testament for her encouragement in all time, (see the notes at Mark 14:1-11, Remark 2 at the close of that section; and at Romans 16:1-27.) But some of most beautiful specimens of female Christianity will never be heard of until the resurrection-morn.
`Unseen, unfelt their earthly growth, And self-accused of sin and aloth They live and die: their names decay,
Their fragrance passes clean away; Like violets in the freezing blast, No vernal steam around they cast - But they shall flourish from the tomb, The breath of God shall wake them into od'rous bloom'
(KEBLE)
And this should be enough with male or female.
(2) As "PEACE" was the last word which Jesus spoke to His assembled disciples before He suffered (John 16:33), so it was His first word to them as He presented Himself in the midst of them for the first time on the evening of His resurrection day (John 20:19). As this was what His death emphatically procured (Ephesians 2:14-15), so this is what His resurrection emphatically sealed (Hebrews 13:20). Let the peace of God, then, rule in our hearts, to the which also we are called in one body (Colossians 3:15).
(3) Did Jesus, when He was announcing to the Eleven His purpose to send them forth on a high mission into the world, even as His Father had sent Him, breathe on them and say, Receive ye the Holy Spirit? How impressively does this proclaim to all who go forth to preach the Gospel, that their speech and their preaching, if it is to be efficacious at all, must not be with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power! (1 Corinthians 2:4).
(4) Is not a divine seal set upon the faithful exercise of church discipline in John 20:23? (See the note at Matthew 18:18, and Remark 4 at the close of that section.)
(5) As our Lord, in very emphatic terms, exalts those who have not seen and yet have believed, over those who have believed only on the evidence of their senses, and as the miraculous introduction of the Gospel Economy has long ago given place to the noiseless development of it under the ordinary laws of the spiritual kingdom, so there is no reason to expect that this will ever on earth be superseded by the re-erection of a supernatural economy and the re-introduction of palpable contact between heaven and earth. "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," is the fitting description of all who have been or ever shall be drawn to the Lord Jesus from the time of His departure until He come again and receive us to Himself, that where He is, we may be also. Even so, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!