I Suppose

12.24.13

John 21.25 25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (ESV)

I think one of the things that endears me to Scripture is the humanness of it all. Now that’s not to say that the Bible wasn’t authored by God, but it is to say that the fingerprints of mankind are all over it. We might say It was a collaborative effort: God dictating and man writing.

Today, as I read the last three chapters of John’s gospel I saw in his words a man whom I very much would like to have known and someday want to meet. It’s going to happen, I will get to meet John the Apostle and sit and talk with him and what he saw and how and why he wrote.

Today, I thought John’s words were very kind and considerate. He spoke of the trial and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus but did in such a way as to communicate just what was important, not a bunch of blood and gore. He speaks of himself in the third person up to the last sentence of his work where he says: Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. “I suppose.” Nothing dogmatic, nothing arrogant or authoritative; just a man saying speculatively, “I suppose.” That’s very human.

I suppose there truly are enough testimonies of Jesus in the world (past and present) to fill it. I suppose the library of the books that could and would be written, could and would be massive. What Jesus did, why He did it, and for whom is massive. And John knew that and said very off-handedly: I suppose.

We don’t build a theology on “I suppose” but we do communicate with a world, which would crucify the Son of Man all over again if they could, in a kind, gentle, and speculative way that Jesus did what He did for the reasons He did it and it was all for us, the very ones with the hammer in one hand and the nails in the other wanting to rid ourselves forever of perfection. It is true and millions upon millions of people have been touched and born again because of what He did. I, for one, am one. And I write.

John knew the truth and spoke the truth. John sat down with the other disciples in Jesus’ presence. I suppose he knew what was going on; he was there. I wasn’t there but he was and he wrote and I read. I have his testimony of his experience with the Lord of Glory. And somehow he knew many others would have these experiences with Jesus as well and many would write them down.

I suppose my words aren’t rocket science theology today. I suppose I can only think of John and Jesus, and Peter, and how John recorded the event in his writings. I suppose as a recipient of his writings, I too, am one of the ones who would contribute to that great and massive library honoring the Lord of lords, and King of kings. (PS, I looked and as of this morning, I’ve devoted 1271 posts to my current blog about the Lord. I suppose that might go toward filling the planet with my portion of my perspective about Jesus Christ…I suppose…)