Response to Introductory Material
~ The Gospel of John ~

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In regard to authorship, I would include other possibilities like John the Elder, Lazarus, or Mark. I would also mention talk of a “Johnnine School” as written by a committee of immediate disciples of John. I would also bullet a few more reasons why John the Apostle is the most likely author. 1. John the son of Zebedee is not mentioned by name in the fourth gospel. A glaring omission if the “beloved one” and John bar Zebedee are not the same person. 2. The author claims to be an eye witness from the beginning, at the last supper, and at the foot of the cross. Who else does this fit? 3. As mentioned, the apostle was given the immediate and nearly universal credit for the gospel. In regard to dating the fourth gospel, I would mention the fragment of papyrus of John found in Egypt and reliably dated to the mid second century. Allowing for migration, this would certainly exclude anything after 120 AD. I think that both the early and late dating could be correct. John could have taken notes in the 50s to 70s, then composed and redacted around 90 AD.

In regard to purpose, I would also quote 20:31: “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ”. I would also mention to balance the SG, maybe more than to supplement the SG. This gospel is private teaching while the SG is more public ministry. In regard to History vs. Theology, I would suggest that both are possible with the understanding that this is not a biography but a proclamation of the good news. In regard to dislocation, I especially liked the proposition that because chapter 21 is obviously a postscript, it may be that chapters 1 to 20 were completed by the author years earlier and that when he tacked on chapter 21 he also reworked some of the earlier material. That makes sense to me. In reciting chapter 14, I have always noticed how the last verse “Arise, let us go hence” seems so dislocated. Finally, I wish that the authors of either text would have considered the Gospel of John in the context of John's three epistles and Revelation. In what order were these books written? Do John 1 and the gospel of John show enough similarities to suggest a common author?