Believing And Secrecy

We finish up chapter 19 of John’s gospel with John seeming to tell us two things.  One is that he is testifying about what he has seen and the other is about the nature of being a disciple of Christ.

 Testimony

John states in the first paragraph following Christ’s death that he is 1) giving testimony and 2) it is true and 3) it is so the reader will believe.

He states that Jesus was dead before his legs were broken in accordance with scripture.

John’s statement should be an inspiration to us to keep it simple.  We should testify to the simple gospel.  Jesus died, was buried and resurrected, appeared to the twelve, appeared to five hundred others and to Paul.  We were sinners and He saved us.

We can get caught up in so many other controversies regarding our faith.  We really need to take John’s example and keep it simple.  Testify to what we know.

Secrecy

John then tells how Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took care of Jesus’ body and buried it.

Joseph of Arimathea was  secret disciple of Christ until this point.  Following his death, he could remain secret no longer.

Nicodemus first came to Jesus at night.  He too, it seems, had become a secret disciple of Jesus.  Now, he had come out into the light.

What John seems to be telling us is that you cannot remain a secret disciple of Christ.  You must come out publicly on one side or the other of Christ.

Do you believe John’s testimony about Christ?  Have you come out publicly to declare your faith in Christ?