Resurrection and Life after Death as shown in The Gospel of John

Mark, Matthew and Luke are referred to as the synoptic gospels since they share stories of Jesus--in some cases word-for-word. "The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Edition" provides excellent teaching regarding the formation of the Gospels.

John's Gospel is considered to have been written later than the synoptic gospels and it differs in several places from the others relative to the timing of the events in the Gospel. In John's Gospel there are two resurrections: Lazarus and Jesus. Others mentioned in Mark and Luke are not noted in John. However, life after death and spirits are noted in several places in John. To me spirits are a direct expression of life after death. The spirits may have once had earthly bodies and are now in the 'non-physical reality' realm.

References from John:

Ch. 1:32 "...I saw the spirit descending from heaven."

Ch. 3:16 "...For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."

Ch. 4:14 "...The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life."

Ch. 5:28-29 "Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

Ch. 8:58 "...Jesus said to them, 'very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was I am." [Look up the definition of eternity.]

Ch. 10:28 "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish."

Ch. 11:25-26 "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die."

Ch. 11: 43- "...he cried out in a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out!' The dead man came out .... Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him and let him go.' "

Ch. 17: 1-3 "After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, 'Father the hour has come; glorify your Son so the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

Ch. 19: 30 "When Jesus had received the wine, he said, 'It is finished'. Then be bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

Ch. 20: 14-17 "When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus....Jesus said to her, 'Mary'..."

Ch. 20:19 "When it was evening on that day...and the doors of the house...were locked...Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' "

Ch. 20:26 "Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' "

Ch. 21:4 "Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus."

In Ch 21:5-22 Jesus has breakfast and long discussions with the disciples, especially Simon Peter.

It seems to me that Jesus' main goal is teaching that there is life after death.