Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study
Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study

The Whole Point of John’s Gospel | The Gospels | John 20:30–31

September 2, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Whole Point of John’s Gospel

John 20:30–31 is only two verses long, but they contain something rare in Scripture: the author telling you, in his own words, exactly why he wrote the book. John pauses near the end of his gospel to say explicitly what he wanted his readers to take away. And what he says reframes everything that came before it.

John begins by acknowledging that Jesus performed many other signs that are not recorded in this book. He was selective. The seven prominent miracles he chose to include—turning water to wine, feeding the five thousand, raising Lazarus from the dead—were not chosen simply to display power. Each sign was tied to a teaching about who Jesus is. The feeding of the five thousand leads to Jesus declaring himself the bread of life. The raising of Lazarus leads to Jesus saying, "I am the resurrection and the life." The signs are not ends in themselves; they are windows into identity.

What John Wants You to Believe

Verse 31 states the purpose plainly: "these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God." Two claims are being made here, and John has been building both from chapter one.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:05) **John’s Explicit Purpose Statement** - The host introduces the final two verses of John 20, which serve as a clear conclusion to the book’s main argument.
  • 2 (01:31) **Selective Signs Point to Jesus’ Identity** - John explains he chose specific miracles (signs) from Jesus’ life, not just to show power, but to reveal who Jesus is.
  • 3 (03:16) **Two-Part Purpose: Belief and Life** - John’s gospel is written so that readers may believe Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God, and that this belief brings life.
  • 4 (04:31) **Jesus as Divine, Not Just a Prophet** - John argues Jesus is fully God, not merely a great human savior like Moses or David.
  • 5 (05:48) **Relational Belief vs. Intellectual Assent** - The host distinguishes between knowing facts about Jesus and having a personal, submitting relationship with him.
  • 6 (07:02) **The Life Offered in Jesus** - The host summarizes the abundant life available through belief in Jesus, rooted in his identity as creator and lover of humanity.
  • 7 (08:10) **Union with Christ: The Mechanism of Life** - The host reads a note from the ESV Study Bible on John 11:25, explaining that faith brings people “into” Christ, uniting them to him.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Why was John’s Gospel written? Who does John want us to believe Jesus really is? And what kind of life does that belief lead to? In today’s episode, Jensen explores John 20:30–31 and reveals the purpose behind every sign in John’s Gospel: that we would believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and find life in his name.


Read the Bible with us! This year, we’re exploring the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—and it's never too late to join! Download your reading plan now.

Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now.


Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you!


To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks.


Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here.


Passage: John 20:30-31

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study

More from this podcast

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study →