CHAPTER 10

Eternal life: The Testimony of the Apostle John

That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life; the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us.

The Word was made flesh, and lived for a time in our midst, so that we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, sent from his presence.  He was full of grace and truth.  No human eye has ever seen God.  The only Son, who is in the Father's bosom, he has made him known.

Seven miracles of Jesus in John's Gospel

1) The water turned into wine, this, the first of His miracles, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee, and thus displayed his glorious power; and his disciples believed in him.

2) He came once more to Cana in Galilee.  Now there was a certain officer of the king's court whose son was ill at Capernaum.  Having heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he came to him and begged him to go down and cure his son; for he was at the point of death.

"You may return home," replied Jesus; "your son has recovered.”  He believed the words of Jesus, and started back home.  He was already on his way when his servants met him and told him that his son was alive and well.  This is the second miracle that Jesus performed after coming from Judea into Galilee.

3) After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  There was one man there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.  "Rise," said Jesus, "take up your mat and walk.”  Instantly the man was restored to perfect health, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

That day was a Sabbath.  So the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did these things on the Sabbath.  His reply to their accusation was, "My Father works unceasingly and so do I."

On this account then the Jews were all the more eager to put Him to death, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also spoke of God as being in a special sense his Father, thus putting himself on the same level as God.

"In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that the Son can do nothing of Himself.  He can only do what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does in like manner.  The man who withholds honour from the Son withholds honour from the Father who sent him.  In most solemn truth I tell you that he who listens to my teaching and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed over out of death into life.

4) Jesus went away across the Lake of Galilee.  He looked round and saw an immense crowd coming towards Him.  He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for all these people to eat?" He said this to put Philip to the test.  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a boy here with five barley loaves and a couple of fish: but what is that among so many?"

"Make the people sit down," said Jesus.  The ground was covered with thick grass; so they sat down, the adult men numbering about 5,000.  Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were resting on the ground; and also the fish in like manner - as much as they desired.

When all were fully satisfied, he said to His disciples, "Gather up the broken portions that remain over, so that nothing be lost.”  Accordingly they gathered them up; and they filled twelve baskets.

"I am the bread of Life," (said) Jesus; "he who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never, never thirst."

5) As He passed by, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth.  He spat on the ground, and then, kneading the dust and spittle into clay, he smeared the clay over the man's eyes and said to him, "Go and wash in the pool of Siloam".  So he went and washed his eyes, and returned able to see.

Now the day on which Jesus made the clay and opened the man's eyes was the Sabbath.  This led some of the Pharisees to say, "That man has not come from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."

"I came into this world," said Jesus, "that those who do not see may see, and that those who do see may become blind."

"In most solemn truth I tell you that the man who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs over some other way, is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep."

"I am the Good Shepherd.  A good shepherd lays down his very life for the sheep.  I lay down my life for the sheep in order to receive it back again.  No one is taking it away from me, but I myself am laying it down.

6) He called Lazarus out of the tomb and brought him back to life.  "I am the Resurrection and the Life," said Jesus; "he who believes in me, even if he has died, he shall live; and every one who is living and is a believer in me shall never, never die.

7) The Jews asked Him, "What sign do you exhibit to us, seeing that you do these things?" "Demolish this sanctuary," said Jesus, "and in three days I will rebuild it."

"It has taken forty-six years," replied the Jews, "to build this sanctuary, and will you rebuild it in three days?" But he was speaking of the sanctuary of his body.  When He had risen from among the dead, His disciples recollected that he had said this; and they believed the Scripture and the teaching which Jesus had given them.

Jesus had been crucified.  On the first day of the week, when it was evening and, for fear of the Jews, the doors of the house where the disciples were, were locked.  Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, "Peace be to you!" Having said this he showed them his hands and also his side.  The disciples were filled with joy.

There were also a great number of other signs which Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these have been recorded in order that you may believe that he is the Christ, the Son of God, and that, through believing, you may have life through His name.

The assurance of possessing eternal life

If we accept the testimony of men, God's testimony is greater, for God's testimony consists of the things which he has testified about his Son.  And that testimony is to the effect that God has given us eternal life, and that this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has the life.  He who has not the Son of God has not the life.

I write all this to you in order that you who believe in the Son of God may know for certain that you already have eternal life.

Things to come

The revelation given by Jesus Christ, which God granted him, that he might make known to his servants events which must shortly come to pass.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins with his own blood, and has formed us into a kingdom, to be priests to God, his Father, to him be ascribed the glory and the power until the ages of the ages.  Amen.

He is coming in the clouds, and every eye will see him, and so will those who pierced him, and all the nations of the earth will gaze on him and mourn.  It is fitting that the Lamb which has been offered in sacrifice should receive all power and riches and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing.

“You have been offered in sacrifice, and have purchased for God with your own blood some out of every tribe and language and people and nation, and have formed them into a kingdom to be priests to our God, and they shall reign over the earth.”

The twenty-four elders, who sit on thrones in the presence of God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying, "We give thee thanks, O Lord God, the Ruler of all, who are and were, because you have exerted your power, your great power, and have become King.  The nations grew angry, and your anger has come, and the time for the dead to be judged, and the time for you to give their reward to your servants the prophets and to your people, and to those who fear you, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."

I saw what seemed to be a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had gained the victory standing on the sea of glass, having harps, and they were singing the song of Moses, God's servant, and the song of the Lamb.  Their words were, "Great and wonderful are your works, O Lord God, the Ruler of all.  Righteous and true are your ways, O King of the nations.  Who shall not be afraid, O Lord, and glorify your name?  For you alone art holy.  All nations shall come and shall worship you, because the righteousness of all that you have done has been made manifest."

And I seemed to hear the voices of a great multitude and the sound of many waters and of loud peals of thunder, which said, "Hallelujah! Because the Lord our God, the Ruler of all, has become King.

"Let us rejoice and triumph and give him the glory; for the time for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.  And she was permitted to array herself in fine linen, shining and spotless; the fine linen being the righteous actions of God's people.  And he said to me, "Write as follows: `Blessed are those who receive an invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb."  And he added, still addressing me, "These are truly the words of God."

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.  The second death has no power over them, but they shall be priests to God and to Christ, and shall reign with Christ for (a) thousand years.

Then I saw a great white throne and One who was seated on it, from whose presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing in front of the throne.  And books were opened; and so was another book - namely, the book of life; and the dead were judged by the things recorded in the books in accordance with what their conduct had been.  And if any one's name was not found recorded in the book of life he was thrown into the lake of fire.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were gone, and the sea no longer exists.  And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and made ready like a bride attired to meet her husband.  And I heard a loud voice, which came from the throne, say, "God's dwelling place is among men and He will dwell among them and they shall be His peoples.  Yes, God himself will be among them.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  Death shall be no more; nor sorrow, nor wail of woe, nor pain; for the first things have passed away."

Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, issuing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  On either side of the river, midway between it and the main street of the city, was the tree of life.  It produced twelve kinds of fruit, yielding a fresh crop month by month, and the leaves of the tree served as medicine for the nations.

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come" and whoever hears, let him say, "Come" and let those who are thirsty come.  Whoever will, let him take the water of life, without payment.  He who solemnly declares all this says, "Yes, I am coming quickly."  Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus.

Verses used to construct this history:

Chapter 10:  1 John 1:1-2; John 1:14,18; 2:9,11; 4:46,47,50,51.54: 5;1,5,8,9,16-19,23,24; 6:1,5,6,8-13,35.  9:1,6-8.14,16, 39; 10:1,2,11,15,17; 12:17; 11:25,26; 2:18-22;19:41; 20:1,19,20, 30,31.  1John 5:9,11-13; Rev.  1:1,5-7; 5:12,9,10; 15:2-4; 19:6-9: 20:6,11,12,15; 21:1-4; 22:1,2,17,20. 

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