Day 9: …to all that he saw…

John did not only testify to everything the Lord Jesus Christ said and did during His lifetime, but he also claimed to have seen everything with his own eyes. That qualified him to be an apostle. He was an ear- and an eye-witness. He writes in his first letter: ‘What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life (…) we proclaim to you also.’1

The apostles have chosen another Apostle to replace Judas after he had taken his own life. (Acts 1:16-20). ‘So of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus spent with us, beginning with the baptism by John [at the outset of Jesus’ ministry] until the day when He was taken up from us—one of these men must become a witness with us [to testify] of His resurrection.’ (Acts 1:21-22, AMP)

Yes, the Apostles could testify of His resurrection and even their hands had touched Him after His resurrection from the dead as well.2 These were not little stories they made up themselves, not pious myths, but hard facts that could have been videotaped had video cameras existed then. John was standing there and saw that after the soldier took the spear and thrust it into Jesus’ side, blood and water came out. Jesus was not unconscious or in a state of suspended animation. He had died. The hardened Roman soldiers, who carried out numerous executions, including many crucifixions, knew precisely when death took place. Crushing the skull and the legs of this crucifixion victim was not necessary. That blood and water flowed out meant Jesus had died as His heart was no longer pumping blood ‘I was there myself,’ is basically what John said ‘and I’m telling you this so that you can be absolutely sure.’3 Believing is trusting, trusting with the head and the heart, trusting the facts, and experiencing the redeeming power of such trust. Believing = trusting. The Greeks have only one verb for this. In the Greek and Hebrew language there is only one word for faith. They cannot separate ‘believing with your mind’ and ‘trusting with your heart’. Faith means acknowledging the facts with your mind + putting the trust of your heart on these facts! John had seen and heard all this personally: the life of Jesus from the beginning till the end, His words and miracles, His cross, resurrection and ascension. Now John was permitted to bear witness to the final future event: Jesus will come back in glory. The completion of world history is approaching, and one day every eye will see what John was allowed already then to see in the spirit with his eyes and hear with his ears.4 Are we prepared for that great event?

• The Lord Jesus appeared personally to Paul on the road to Damascus so that he too could be a true Apostle.5 He also had seen and heard the Furthermore, the Lord taught him personally in Arabia.6 Only later did he have contact with the other Apostles, who then fully recognized his apostleship. His letters are therefore considered to be on a par with the other ‘Scriptures’, i.e. those of the Old Testament.7
• Paul, the Apostle, was thus also an ear- and eye-witness of Christ, and so was able speak and write with His authority.

Bible References:

1.1 John 1:1–3 2.Luke 24:36–43 and John 20:24–28 John 19:35 3.John 19:36; 4.Zechariah 12:10; Revelation 1:7 5.Acts 26 6.Galatians 1:15–20 7.2 Peter 3:14–16