The Purpose of John's Gospel (John 20:30–31; 21:24–25)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, Homilies 87 and 88 (on John 20:30–31 and 21:24–25) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 14. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf114.iv.lxxxix.html

On why this Evangelist recorded fewer signs than the others:

Since this Evangelist hath mentioned fewer than the others, he tells us that neither have all the others mentioned them all, but as many as were sufficient to draw the hearers to belief.

On why the Evangelists set down what they did:

Whence it is clear, that What they have mentioned they wrote not for display, but only for the sake of what was useful.

On "that believing ye might have life in His Name," and the favor thereby bestowed on us:

Speaking generally to mankind, and showing that not on Him who is believed on, but on ourselves, he bestows a very great favor.

On why the beloved disciple does not refuse to bear witness to himself:

For it is a custom with us, when we think that we are speaking exactly true, never to refuse our testimony; and if we do this, much more would he who wrote by the Spirit.

On the very selectiveness of his record as proof that he wrote not to court favor:

Whence it is clear that I could not have written to court favor; for I who, when the miracles were so many, have not even related so many as the others have, but omitting most of them, have brought forward the plots of the Jews, the stonings, the hatred, the insults, the revilings, and have shown how they called Him a demoniac and a deceiver, certainly could not have acted to gain favor.

St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book XII (on John 20:30–31 and 21:24–25) Source: trans. T. Randell, Library of Fathers, 1885. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_john_12_book12.htm

On how the Evangelist sums up his book and makes plain its object:

He sums up the book in a manner, and makes plain to His hearers the object of the preaching of the Gospel. For, he says, this book was composed that ye may believe, and believing might have eternal life.

On the many signs left unwritten:

He says that the signs were many, and does not limit the actions and marvellous works of our Saviour to those which were accurately known by him personally, and recorded by him, and leaves the other disciples to publish, if they chose, whatever was vividly impressed on their memory.

On the truthfulness of the beloved disciple's witness:

After this admirable preface, then, and after having said that he was beloved, he modestly and with great humility says that he testified of these things; well and admirably inviting his hearers, as a necessary consequence, to assent to the things which he had written, and of which he had testified; for the preacher of truth cannot lie.

On the boundless number of Christ's deeds, and the sufficiency of what is written:

For if the things that He did had been written every one, without any omission, then would the immeasurable number of the books have filled the world. We maintain that, even as it is, the power of the Word has been displayed more than abundantly.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 124 (on John 21:24–25) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107.iii.cxxv.html

On the sense in which the world could not contain the books:

We are not to suppose that in regard to local space the world would be unable to contain them; for how could they be written in it if it could not bear them when written? but perhaps it is that they could not be comprehended by the capacity of the readers

On the figure of speech the Greeks call hyperbole:

This mode of speaking is called by the Greek name hyperbole, by the masters not only of Greek, but also of Latin literature. And this mode is found not only here, but in several other parts also of the divine literature