Believe or Believe Not, No Almost

The 2nd chapter of John’s Gospel documents the beginning of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry.  John recorded the Lord’s first miracle, His first cleansing of the temple and His first prophecy about His death and resurrection.  Jesus Christ also performed many signs that John did not mention, but he did tell us that a number Jews attending the Passover believed in Christ’s name because of them.  
 
John 2:23-25 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. (NKJV)
 
Based on John’s normal use of the word believe we should understand John 2:23 meant those people received everlasting life because of their belief in Jesus Christ.  However, because of V. 24 some people claim this passage indicates there is a way to believe in Christ that does not bring everlasting life.  Their claim is that Jesus did not believe their faith was real.  The word commit (NKJV) in v. 24 is the same Greek word translated as believed in v. 23.  Both are the verb pisteuo, just different tenses.  And it’s clear from the different ways the translators rendered it in the English that the verb tenses used did imply different meanings.   So, we need to check out why.    
 
The Greek word in V. 23 is Episteusan and is an aorist active indicative.  The aorist active represents a past action as an event.  In this case many people had believed in Jesus’ name at a point in time during the Passover.  That completed action fulfills the requirement of believing in Jesus Christ for everlasting life as stated by the Lord in John 3:16, 5:24 and 11:25-26.  
 
The word in V. 24 is Episteuen and is the imperfect active indicative form of pisteuo.  The imperfect tense represents a past action of some duration which has been completed.  It could be a repeated action or one that took time to complete.  So, it is completely legitimate to understand Jesus’ lack of commitment to these new believers was temporary.  He knew they were not ready to face the heat of the Jewish Leaders.  They had much to learn before they would be ready to join as disciples.  As He told Mary at the wedding (John 2:4) “My hour has not yet come.”   Neither had it for these new believers.  Compare this to John 8:31 & 32 where those new believers needed to learn more about Jesus Christ and discipleship.   The people who believed in His name in John 2:22 would in time find the Lord embracing them as brethren. 
 
The fact that believe is never modified by an adverb in John tells us God sees believing as a binary function.  You either believe something or you don’t.  Just as you cannot almost tell the truth you can’t almost believe something God has said.  He cannot lie; He is always truthful.  So you can believe every promise He has made. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  Believe Jesus for life and live forever!
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My apologies for the grammar lesson!