Testimony: John’s Gospel is a testimony (John 19:35; 21:24). He presents Jesus’ resurrection as fact, evidenced by His empty tomb, graveclothes, and post-resurrection appearances. John writes to persuade us to believe (John 20:31) whether for the first time or the one thousandth time.[1] From its inception, the church has upheld Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection based on the testimony of Scripture (1 Cor. 15:3-4).[2] We believe this testimony of God, even as the saints of old believed by the word of God preached (1 Pet. 1:23-25). God’s people have always believed His testimony, trusting Christ without ever having seen Him (John 20:29; 2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:1; 1 Pet. 1:8).
Peace and Life: The risen Lord brought peace and life. Although Jesus could have scolded the disciples for their cowardice and condemned them for their defection and Peter for his denials, He assured them of peace (John 20:19, 21, 26). He did this because His atoning sacrifice had propitiated the wrath of God for their sins (Matt. 26:28) and established peace between sinners and God (Rom. 4:25-5:1; Col. 1:19-22). Their status was radically changed from enmity to that of family. God was now their Father even as He was Jesus’ (John 20:17). They were now children with the full right of sonship (John 1:12; Rom. 8:16-17; Heb. 2:11). This filial relationship also meant spiritual life (John 6:53; Luke 15:24) which Christ possessed for all eternity (John 1:4; 5:26; 14:6). We now can know God relationally and taste of this life (John 17:3; 20:31), because our shepherd exchanged His life for our eternal and abundant life (John 10:10-11).