John 21:25 Study Bible: There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself would not have room for the books that would be written.

◄ John 21:25 ►

There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.

Study Bible

There are many more things that Jesus did.

John records only selected signs and teachings, as he stated in John 20:30–31, so that readers might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Christ’s public ministry included far more acts of healing, deliverance, instruction, mercy, and provision than the Gospel accounts preserve. The written record is sufficient for faith, yet it does not exhaust the works of the eternal Son.

Act 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit…
Mat 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,…
Mrk 1:34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases…

If all of them were written down,

Every deed of Jesus could have been faithfully remembered and recorded, but God directed the Gospel writers to bear witness to what was necessary for the church’s faith and proclamation. The apostles had personally seen His works and passed on their testimony in preaching before the New Testament was completed.

Jhn 20:30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence…
Luk 1:1-4 Many have undertaken to compose an account…
Act 1:1 In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that…

I suppose that not even the world itself would have space

John uses deliberate hyperbole to portray the immeasurable fullness of Christ’s works and glory. The One who walked among men as the incarnate Word is also the Creator and Sustainer of all things, through whom all things hold together (John 1:3; Colossians 1:17).

1Ki 8:27 But will God indeed dwell upon the earth?…
2Ch 2:6 But who is able to build a house for Him?…
Isa 66:1 This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne…”…

for the books that would be written.

No collection of human writings could fully contain the majesty, wisdom, power, and saving work of Jesus Christ. Scripture gives a true and sufficient witness to Him, while His person and works extend beyond every written account.

Ecc 12:12 And by these, my son, be further warned:…
Dan 7:10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence.…
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing…

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jesus
The central figure of the New Testament, whose life, teachings, death, and resurrection are the foundation of Christian faith. This verse emphasizes the vastness of His works.

2. John the Apostle
The author of the Gospel of John, traditionally believed to be the "disciple whom Jesus loved." He provides a unique perspective on Jesus' life and ministry.

3. The World
Refers to the physical world and humanity. The hyperbolic statement about the world not having space for the books underscores the magnitude of Jesus' works.

4. The Gospel of John
The book in which this verse is found, focusing on the divinity of Christ and His relationship with humanity.

5. The Unrecorded Works of Jesus
This event or concept highlights that Jesus' actions and teachings were so numerous that they could not all be documented.

Teaching Points

The Limitlessness of Christ's Works
Jesus' impact is immeasurable, and His works extend beyond what is recorded. This encourages believers to seek a deeper relationship with Him, knowing there is always more to learn and experience.

The Purpose of the Gospel
The Gospel of John was written to inspire belief in Jesus as the Messiah. Understanding this purpose helps believers focus on the core message of salvation and eternal life.

Faith Beyond Documentation
Believers are called to have faith in the unseen and the unrecorded. Trusting in Jesus involves accepting that His influence and actions are beyond human comprehension.

The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit guides believers into all truth, including understanding the unrecorded works of Jesus. This highlights the importance of spiritual discernment and reliance on the Spirit.

The Call to Witness
Just as not all of Jesus' works were recorded, believers are encouraged to continue His work by sharing their testimonies and living out the Gospel in their daily lives.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the idea that not all of Jesus' works were recorded affect your understanding of His ministry and its impact on the world?

2. In what ways can you seek to know more about Jesus beyond what is written in the Scriptures?

3. How does the purpose of the Gospel of John, as stated in John 20:30-31, influence your approach to reading and applying the Bible?

4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in helping you understand the unrecorded works of Jesus, and how can you cultivate a deeper relationship with the Spirit?

5. How can you be a witness to the works of Jesus in your own life, and what practical steps can you take to share His love and message with others?

Connections to Other Scriptures

John 20:30-31
These verses also mention that Jesus performed many other signs not recorded in the book, emphasizing the purpose of the Gospel to lead readers to faith in Christ.

Ecclesiastes 12:12
This verse speaks about the endless making of books, which can be related to the idea that not all of Jesus' works could be contained in written form.

Luke 24:44-45
Jesus explains that everything written about Him in the Scriptures must be fulfilled, indicating that His works were part of a divine plan beyond what was recorded.

Sermons

Christ an Inexhaustable Treasure	J. Cynddylan Jones, D. D.	John 21:24-25
St. John's Gospel a Collection of Specimens	J. Culross, D. D.	John 21:24-25
The Authentic and Apocryphal Gospels	George Dawson, M. A.	John 21:24-25
The Gospel of St. John	T. Whitelaw, D. D.	John 21:24-25
The Magnitude of Christ's Life	George Dawson, M. A.	John 21:24-25
The Many Things Which Jesus Did	J. Vaughan, M. A.	John 21:24-25
The Revealed and the Unrevealed in Christ's Biography	D. Thomas, D. D.	John 21:24-25
The Sufficiency of the Gospels	Mathematicus.	John 21:24-25
The Unwritten Sayings of Jesus	H. W. Beecher.	John 21:24-25

People

Didymus, Jesus, John, Jonah, Jonas, Nathanael, Peter, Simon, Thomas, Zabdi, Zebedee

Places

Cana, Galilee, Sea of Tiberias

Topics

Amen, Books, Contain, Described, Detail, Indeed, Itself, Opinion, Recorded, Room, Suppose, Vast, Wouldn't, Written

Dictionary of Bible Themes

John 21:25

5232 book

Library

November 20. "The Disciple whom Jesus Loved Leaned on his Breast" (John xxi. 20).
"The disciple whom Jesus loved leaned on His breast" (John xxi. 20). An American gentleman once visited the saintly Albert Bengel. He was very desirous to hear him pray. So one night he lingered at his door, hoping to overhear his closing devotions. The rooms were adjoining and the doors ajar. The good man finished his studies, closed his books, knelt down for a moment and simply said: "Dear Lord Jesus, things are still the same between us," and then sweetly fell asleep. So close was his communion …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

'Lovest Thou Me?'
'Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs.'--JOHN xxi. 15. Peter had already seen the risen Lord. There had been that interview on Easter morning, on which the seal of sacred secrecy was impressed; when, alone, the denier poured out his heart to his Lord, and was taken to the heart that he had wounded. Then there had been two interviews on the two successive Sundays …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

An Eloquent Catalogue
'There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples.'--JOHN xxi. 2. This chapter, containing the infinitely significant and pathetic account of our Lord's appearance to these disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, is evidently an appendix to the Gospel of John. The design of that Gospel is complete with the previous chapter, and there is a formal close, as of the whole book, at the end thereof. But whilst …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

The Beach and the Sea
'When the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.'--JOHN xxi. 4. The incident recorded in this appendix to John's Gospel is separated from the other appearances of our risen Lord in respect of place, time, and purpose. They all occurred in and about Jerusalem; this took place in Galilee. The bulk of them happened on the day of the Resurrection, one of them a week after. This, of course, to allow time for the journey, must have been at a considerably …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

'It is the Lord!'
'Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.--JOHN xxi. 7. It seems a very strange thing that these disciples had not, at an earlier period of this incident, discovered the presence of Christ, inasmuch as the whole was so manifestly a repetition of that former event by which the commencement of their ministry had been signalised, when He called them to become 'fishers of men.' We are apt to suppose that when once again they embarked on the lake, and went back to their …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

Youth and Age, and the Command for Both
Annual Sermon to the Young '... When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.... And when He had spoken this, He saith unto him, Follow Me.'--JOHN xxi. 18, 19. The immediate reference of these words is, of course, to the martyrdom of the Apostle Peter. Our Lord contrasts the vigorous and somewhat self-willed youth and the mellowed …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

'They Also Serve who Only Stand and Wait'
'Peter, seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do! Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me.'--John xxi. 21, 22. We have seen in a former sermon that the charge of the risen Christ to Peter, which immediately precedes these verses, allotted to him service and suffering. The closing words of that charge 'Follow Me!' had a deep significance, as uniting both parts of his task in the one supreme command of imitation of his Master. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

November the Thirteenth a Transformed Fisherman
"Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing." --JOHN xxi. 1-14. Simon Peter had often gone a fishing, but never had he gone as he went in the twilight of that most wonderful evening. He handled the ropes in a new style, with a new dignity born of the bigger capacity of his own soul. He turned to the familiar task, but with a quite unfamiliar spirit. He went a fishing, but the power of the resurrection went with him. This action of Simon Peter's is the only true test of the reality of any spiritual …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Love and Service.
TEXT: JOHN xxi. 16. "He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep." THERE is no more important charge than that which the Lord gave to His apostle in these words. He calls Himself the Shepherd of His flock; therefore what He here committed to the charge of the apostle was to do the Lord's own work in His name, and under His oversight and ruling direction as Chief Shepherd. But …
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

On the Same Words of the Gospel of John. xxi. 15, "Simon, Son of John, Lovest Thou Me More than These?" Etc.
1. Ye remember that the Apostle Peter, the first of all the Apostles, was disturbed at the Lord's Passion. Of his own self disturbed, but by Christ renewed. For he was first a bold presumer, and became afterwards a timid denier. He had promised that he would die for the Lord, when the Lord was first to die for him. When he said then, "I will be with Thee even unto death," and "I will lay down my life for Thee;" the Lord answered him, "Wilt thou lay down thy life for Me? Verily I say unto thee, Before …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

On the Words of the Gospel, John. xxi. 16, "Simon, Son of John, Lovest Thou Me?" Etc.
1. Ye have observed, beloved, that in to-day's lesson it was said by the Lord to Peter in a question, "Lovest thou Me?" To whom he answered, "Thou knowest, Lord, that I love thee." This was done a second, and a third time; and at each several reply, the Lord said, "Feed My lambs." [4317] To Peter did Christ commend His lambs to be fed, who fed even Peter himself. For what could Peter do for the Lord, especially now that He had an Immortal Body, and was about to ascend into heaven? As though He had …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Lovest Thou Me?
Without preface, for we shall have but little time this morning--may God help us to make good use of it!--we shall mention three things: first a solemn question--"Lovest thou me?" secondly, a discreet answer, "Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee;" and thirdly, a required demonstration of the fact, "He saith unto him, Feed my lambs;" or, again, "Feed my sheep." I. First, then, here was A SOLEMN QUESTION, which our Saviour put to Peter, not for his own information, for, as Peter said, "Thou knowest …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Christ among the Common Things of Life
William James Dawson, Congregational preacher and evangelist, was born in Towcester, Northamptonshire, in 1854. He was educated at Kingswood School, Bath, and Didsbury College, Manchester. He has long been known as an author of originality and pure literary style. In 1906 he received the pastorate of Highbury Quadrant Congregational Church, London, and accepted an invitation to do general evangelistic work under the auspices of the National Council of the Congregational churches of the United States. …
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume 10

Erroneous Opinions Imputed to the Apostles.
A species of candour which is shown towards every other book is sometimes refused to the Scriptures: and that is, the placing of a distinction between judgment and testimony. We do not usually question the credit of a writer, by reason of an opinion he may have delivered upon subjects unconnected with his evidence: and even upon subjects connected with his account, or mixed with it in the same discourse or writing, we naturally separate facts from opinions, testimony from observation, narrative from …
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

Of Avoiding of Curious Inquiry into the Life of Another
"My Son, be not curious, nor trouble thyself with vain cares. What is that to thee? Follow thou Me.(1) For what is it to thee whether a man be this or that, or say or do thus or thus? Thou hast no need to answer for others, but thou must give an answer for thyself. Why therefore dost thou entangle thyself? Behold, I know all men, and I behold all things which are done under the sun; and I know how it standeth with each one, what he thinketh, what he willeth, and to what end his thoughts reach. …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Instructions to Converts.
Text.--Feed my lambs.--John xxi. 15. YOU, who read your Bibles, recollect the connection in which these words are found, and by whom they were spoken. They were addressed by the Lord Jesus Christ to Peter, after he had denied his Lord, and had professed repentance. Probably one of the designs which Christ had in view, in suffering Peter to sin so awfully as to deny his master, was to produce a deeper work of grace in him, and thus fit him for the peculiar duty to which he intended to call him, in …
Charles Grandison Finney—Lectures on Revivals of Religion

Synopsis. --Arbitrary Criticism of the Biblical Narratives of the Raising of the "Dead. " --Facts which it Ignores. --The Subject Related to the Phenomena of Trance
III SYNOPSIS.--Arbitrary criticism of the Biblical narratives of the raising of the "dead."--Facts which it ignores.--The subject related to the phenomena of trance, and records of premature burial.--The resuscitation in Elisha's tomb probably historical.--Jesus' raising of the ruler's daughter plainly a case of this kind.--His raising of the widow's son probably such.--The hypothesis that his raising of Lazarus may also have been such critically examined.--The record allows this supposition.--Further …
James Morris Whiton—Miracles and Supernatural Religion

Seventh Appearance of Jesus.
(Sea of Galilee.) ^D John XXI. 1-25. ^d 1 After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and he manifested himself on this wise. 2 There was together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee [see p. 111], and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. [As usual, Peter was the leader.] They say unto him, We also come with thee. They went forth, and entered into the boat; …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Harmony of the Gospels
36. The church early appreciated the value and the difficulty of having four different pictures of the life and teachings of the Lord. Irenaeus at the close of the second century felt it to be as essential that there should be four gospels as that there should be "four zones of the world, four principal winds, and four faces of the cherubim" (Against Heresies III. ii. 8). 37. Before Irenaeus, however, another had sought to obviate the difficulty of having four records which seem at some points to …
Rush Rhees—The Life of Jesus of Nazareth

Feeding the Lambs.
Some years ago when attending to the work to which the Lord had called me in one of the sunny Southern States it was my happy privilege to enjoy for a few days the kind hospitality of a generous Christian farmer. One balmy afternoon while walking over the pleasant fields of his large farm, with my heart in sweet communion with God, I came upon the most beautiful flock of sheep it had ever been my privilege to behold. They were quietly grazing in a rich green pasture, near by which silently flowed …
Charles Ebert Orr—Food for the Lambs; or, Helps for Young Christians

The Fall of the Empire and of the Papacy
[Sidenote: Urban IV (1261-4).] The date of Alexander's death marks the beginning of a new episode in the history of the mediaval Papacy. His successor, Urban IV, was a Frenchman. With more vigour than his predecessor he pursued the policy of the destruction of the Hohenstaufen. Since the English prince had proved a useless tool and no more money could be wrung from the English people, he obtained the renunciation of the claims of Edmund to the Sicilian crown and turned to his native country for a …
D. J. Medley—The Church and the Empire

Epistle xx. To Mauricius Augustus.
To Mauricius Augustus. Gregory to Mauricius, &c. Our most pious and God-appointed lord, among his other august cares and burdens, watches also in the uprightness of spiritual zeal over the preservation of peace among the priesthood, inasmuch as he piously and truly considers that no one can govern earthly things aright unless he knows how to deal with divine things, and that the peace of the republic hangs on the peace of the universal Church. For, most serene Lord, what human power, and what strength …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Links

John 21:25 NIV
John 21:25 NLT
John 21:25 ESV
John 21:25 NASB
John 21:25 KJV

John 21:25 Commentaries

Bible Hub