September 26 - John 19-21
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25)
The Gospel of John closes with one of the most remarkable statements in all of Scripture. After carefully selecting signs, teachings, miracles, and conversations to demonstrate that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:30–31), the apostle concludes by reminding his readers that what has been recorded is only a small portion of the Savior's life and ministry. John declares that if everything Jesus did were written down in detail, the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. While this is a figure of speech emphasizing abundance, it communicates a profound truth: Jesus Christ is far greater than any written account can fully describe.
Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus healed the sick, opened blind eyes, cleansed lepers, calmed storms, cast out demons, raised the dead, forgave sinners, taught with divine authority, and perfectly fulfilled the will of His Father. Yet these mighty works were only a glimpse of His glory. Before His incarnation, Christ was the eternal Word through whom all things were created. During His earthly life, He displayed the character of God in human flesh. After His resurrection and ascension, He continues His work as our great High Priest, Advocate, and reigning King. His ministry did not end when the Gospel accounts concluded.
John's closing words also remind believers that the Bible is sufficient without being exhaustive. God has given us exactly what we need to know for salvation, faith, and godly living. We do not need every detail of Christ's earthly life because the Holy Spirit has preserved everything necessary for us to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and to have life through His name. Scripture is complete, trustworthy, and fully adequate for teaching us the way of eternal life.
At the same time, this verse inspires awe and worship. The greatness of Christ can never be exhausted by human language. Every generation of believers discovers new depths of His wisdom, mercy, holiness, and love through the study of God's Word. Even throughout eternity, the redeemed will never come to the end of knowing and praising the Lord Jesus Christ. His glory is infinite because He is the eternal Son of God.
Our Savior is greater than our understanding, richer than our vocabulary, and more glorious than any library could adequately describe. The written Gospel leads us to the living Christ, and knowing Him is the greatest privilege anyone can possess. Though countless books could never fully tell His story, every believer can spend a lifetime studying Him and an eternity worshiping Him, always finding fresh reasons to marvel at the infinite greatness of Jesus Christ.