Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of John [Annotated, Updated]: A Commentary

by J.C. Ryle

He lives in heaven as a Priest to present His sacrifice continually before God. In grace as well as in providence, Christ works still. He is ever taking away sin.

He only is truly rich who has treasure in heaven.

The only true wisdom is to be always prepared to meet God, to put nothing off which concerns eternity, and to live like men ready to depart at any moment. So

“He delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18). He is far more ready to save than man is to be saved, far more willing to do good than man is to receive it.

“Their tears are all in His bottle” (Psalm 56:8). Their names are engraved on the palms of His hands.

It is a striking fact that the only thing which our Lord is said to have “marvelled” at during His earthly ministry was man’s “unbelief” (Mark 6:6). We

It is vain to deny that without the grace of God no one ever can become a true Christian. We are spiritually dead and have no power to give ourselves life.

Humility is the frame of mind which we should labor and pray for,

The Lord Jesus is more willing to give grace than man is to seek it. If men have it not, it is because they do not ask it.

He will find one day that there was wisdom in every step of his journey, though flesh and blood could not see it at the time.

Every true Christian has a Friend in heaven, of almighty power and boundless love. He is thought of, cared for, provided for, defended by God’s eternal Son. He has an unfailing Protector, who never slumbers or sleeps and watches continually over his interests.

Let us call to mind, in such an hour, that our great Friend takes thought for our bodies as well as for our souls, and that He will not allow one hair of our heads to perish. Let us never forget that the grave is the place where the Lord Himself lay, and that as He rose again triumphant from that cold bed, so also shall all His people.

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”

Christ has risen from the dead, and believers may well rejoice.

A cold heart and a stingy hand will generally go together.

“Lord, increase our faith.” We may easily have too much money or too much worldly prosperity; but we can never have too much faith.

No sin is so offensive to God and so injurious to the soul as pride. No grace is so commended, both by precept and example, as humility. “Be clothed with humility” (1 Peter 5:5). “He that humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14).

For one thing, we learn that all need to be washed by Christ. “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part in Me.” No man or woman can be saved unless his sins are washed away in Christ’s precious blood.

“Hold me up, and I shall be saved” (Psalm 119:117).

A humble sense of our own innate weakness, a constant dependence on the Strong for strength, a daily prayer to be held up, because we cannot hold up ourselves – these are the true secrets of safety.

There is more of heaven on earth to be obtained than most Christians are aware of. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant” (Psalm 25:14). “If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

Peace is Christ’s distinctive gift – not money, not worldly ease, not temporal prosperity. These are at best very questionable possessions.

Christ is far more willing to give than the world is to receive.

Sound views of doctrine and knowledge of controversy will avail us nothing at last, if we have known nothing of love.

God must begin the work of grace in a man’s heart, or else a man will never be saved. Christ must first choose us and call us by His Spirit, or else we shall never choose Christ.

“Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9).

In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

No one has learned of Christ so deeply as the man who is ever drawing nearer to the Father through the Son – ever feeling more childlike confidence in Him – and ever understanding more thoroughly that in Christ, God is not an angry judge, but a loving Father and Friend.

The true secret of spiritual strength is self-distrust and deep humility. “When I am weak,” said a great Christian, “then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Christ is the true source of peace.

“Lord, didst not Thou say, Be of good cheer? Lord, do as Thou hast said, and cheer us to the end.”

Christ has all power and is able to save to the uttermost, because Christ is divine.

that a believer’s death is intended to glorify God. The Holy Spirit tells us this truth in plain language. He graciously interprets the dark saying, which fell from our Lord’s lips about Peter’s end. He tells us that Jesus spoke this, “signifying by what death he should glorify God.”

We may die to the Lord, as well as live to the Lord; we may be patient sufferers as well as active workers. Like Samson, we may do more for God in our death than we ever did in our lives. It is probable that the patient deaths of our martyred Reformers had more effect on the minds of Englishmen than all the sermons they preached and all the books they wrote.

We may glorify God in death by testifying to others the comfort and support that we find in the grace of Christ.