John 20:30-31
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31 NIV
Devotional
“The Evidence Demands a Response”
John tells us that the signs Jesus performed were recorded with a specific purpose: so that we might believe. Faith is not a leap into the dark. It is a step toward the light of overwhelming evidence. The historical record surrounding Jesus is stronger than the record supporting many of the most celebrated figures of the ancient world. Non-Christian historians, religious traditions outside Christianity, and the sheer volume of manuscript evidence all point to a man who was undeniably real. The evidence does not ask you to abandon your intellect. It invites your intellect to follow the truth wherever it leads.
Read the Context
John 20
1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
11Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24Now Thomas (also known as Didymus (a) ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe (b) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Footnotes:
a 24 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
b 31 Or may continue to believe
Make it Personal
Practical Application
Spend time this week reading one credible resource on the historical evidence for Jesus. Approach it not to argue but to genuinely investigate.
Talk to God
“The Evidence Demands a Response”
John tells us that the signs Jesus performed were recorded with a specific purpose: so that we might believe. Faith is not a leap into the dark. It is a step toward the light of overwhelming evidence. The historical record surrounding Jesus is stronger than the record supporting many of the most celebrated figures of the ancient world. Non-Christian historians, religious traditions outside Christianity, and the sheer volume of manuscript evidence all point to a man who was undeniably real. The evidence does not ask you to abandon your intellect. It invites your intellect to follow the truth wherever it leads.
Read the Context
John 20
1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
11Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24Now Thomas (also known as Didymus (a) ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe (b) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Footnotes:
a 24 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
b 31 Or may continue to believe
Make it Personal
- Are there intellectual barriers keeping you from fully trusting the person of Jesus, and have you honestly examined the evidence?
- What can you do this week to begin addressing the barriers you still face?
Practical Application
Spend time this week reading one credible resource on the historical evidence for Jesus. Approach it not to argue but to genuinely investigate.
Talk to God
- What part of God’s character do I want to praise him for?
- What do I want to thank God for?
- Do I have any unconfessed sin?
- What do I need God’s help with?
- What questions do I have?
- Do I need direction? Do I know how God wants me to serve him today?
Recent
Archive
2026
January
February
March
Ephesians 1:4-7Colossians 2:9-10Philippians 3:20John 15:16Philippians 4:81 Corinthians 13:12John 9:3, 25bIsaiah 53:4-6Psalm 139:1-42 Corinthians 5:21John 9:4-5Ephesians 5:15-16Hebrews 3:131 Thessalonians 5:18Colossians 3:161 Corinthians 1:18Philippians 2:5-8Luke 2:49Matthew 1:21Luke 9:51Isaiah 52:14Isaiah 53:4-5
April
Isaiah 53:6-7Isaiah 53:10, 12bLuke 22:19John 11:25-26Romans 8:11-13, Galatians 5:1Luke 23:46, Matthew 27:46Luke 23:34Acts 1:8Daniel 1:4-5Romans 1:252 Thessalonians 2:10James 1:22Romans 12:21 Corinthians 9:24-26Proverbs 3:5-6Jeremiah 17:7-8Revelation 3:7-8Colossians 4:5-61 Corinthians 1:19-20, 25Daniel 2:11James 1:1-4John 10:2-3
No Comments