3.2 the purpose and authorship of the fourth gospel

Question 1

Who are possible authors of the Fourth Gospel?

Answer 1

• John the Apostle
• The beloved disciple
• The Community of the Beloved Disciple
• John the Elder

Question 2

Who was John the Apostle?

Answer 2

• from Galilee and was a fisherman
• the son of Zebedee
• the synoptic Gospels show John to be part of the inner three (Peter, James and John)

Question 3

What internal evidence is there to suggest that John the Apostle wrote the Fourth Gospel?

Answer 3

• Jn 18:19-24 = the author appears to be present at Jesus’ trial and gives an eyewitness account of private meetings
• Jn 19 = inclusion of small details regarding the trial of Jesus before Pilate, such specific detail
• Jn 21:24 = ‘This is the disciple who testifies to these things’ - the Gospel itself declares the author is a disciple

Question 4

What internal evidence is there to suggest that John the Apostle didn’t write the fourth Gospel?

Answer 4

• some events are depicted in a different sequence in the synoptics
• some facts are historically inaccurate in Jn 6:1 the author calls the Sea of Galilee, the Sea of Tiberius when it wasn’t called that yet
• the disciple was ‘known to the High Priest’ BUT John was just a fisherman

Question 5

What external evidence is there to suggest that John the Apostle wrote the fourth gospel?

Answer 5

• Clement of Alexandria = ‘last of all, John…being urged by his friends, wrote a spiritual Gospel’
• Irenaeus = declared the witness behind the Gospel was ‘John the disciple of the Lord who reclined on His breast + himself issued the gospel at Ephesus’

Question 6

What are some problems with the external evidence for John the Apostle writing the fourth gospel?

Answer 6

• all this evidence is from the 2nd and 3rd centuries
• these is no evidence that John went to Asia
• no evidence in the gospels that John was based in Ephesus - in Ephesians, Paul doesn’t mention John

Question 7

What evidence is there to suggest that the beloved disciple wrote the fourth gospel?

Answer 7

• the fourth gospel regularly mentions ‘the disciple Jesus loved’ (13:23)

Question 8

Why do some argue that Lazarus is the beloved disciple?

Answer 8

• the beloved disciple isn’t mentioned until Lazarus is introduced in the Gospel
• E P Sanders = the BD is Lazarus as the BD cannot die
• in 11:3 Lazarus is referred to as ‘the one you love is sick’

Question 9

What evidence is there that the community of the beloved disciple wrote the fourth gospel?

Answer 9

• the gospel is rooted in the oral tradition coming from the companions of Jesus
• Raymond Brown = the gospel refers to the fact that anyone claiming Jesus is the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue which dates the gospel to the end of the first century

Question 10

What does John AT Robinson argue about the authorship of the gospel?

Answer 10

• the Gospel was written around 40-65 CE - the destruction of the Temple took place in 70 CE yet none of the gospels refer to it
• John the Apostle wrote the first draft + the Prologue and epilogue were added by the ECC

Question 11

What does John AT Robinson argue about the authorship of the gospel?

Answer 11

• the Gospel was written around 40-65 CE - the destruction of the Temple took place in 70 CE yet none of the gospels refer to it
• John the Apostle wrote the first draft + the Prologue and epilogue were added by the ECC

Question 12

What does the fourth gospel say the purpose of the gospel is?

Answer 12

John 20:31 = ‘these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and by believing have life in his name.’

Question 13

How can ‘you may believe’ be interpreted as?

Answer 13

‘you may begin believing’ OR ‘you may go on believing’

Question 14

How do the different interpretations of ‘you may believe’ affect the purpose of the fourth gospel?

Answer 14

• ‘you may begin believing’ = suggests it’s a gospel to convert
• ‘you may go on believing’ = suggests it’s a gospel to confirm Christianity

Question 15

How do the different interpretations of ‘you may believe’ affect the purpose of the fourth gospel?

Answer 15

• ‘you may begin believing’ = suggests it’s a gospel to convert
• ‘you may go on believing’ = suggests it’s a gospel to confirm Christianity

Question 16

Who might the gospel be trying to convert?

Answer 16

• Greeks
• Jews
• a John the Baptist sect

Question 17

What evidence is there to suggest that the fourth gospel was written to convert the Greeks?

Answer 17

• references to logos, light and darkness are seen in Greek philosophical thought - suggesting a Greek audience
• Reid = Jn is trying to attract the attention of more intellectual people with less supernatural aspects
• Dodd = Jn is addressing the contemporary world of Ephesus to convert them + was influenced by the work of Plato and gnosticism

Question 18

What evidence is there that the fourth gospel was written to convert the Jews?

Answer 18

• replacement theology e.g. bread of life vs manna
• Robinson = to prevent Greek-speaking Jews from rejecting Jesus in Palestine had

Question 19

What evidence is there that the fourth gospel was written to convert the Jews?

Answer 19

• replacement theology e.g. bread of life vs manna
• Robinson = to prevent Greek-speaking Jews from rejecting Jesus in Palestine had

Question 20

What evidence is there that the fourth gospel was written to convert a John the Baptist sect?

Answer 20

• Bultmann = Jn is determined to show that John the Baptist is inferior to Jesus (John the witness) - when asked if John is the Messiah he replies ‘I am not’ (as opposed to Jesus’ ‘I Am’ sayings)
• HOWEVER, Smalley argues this small sect was hardly a threat to Christianity

Question 21

How does Barrett argue that the gospel was used to confirm Christianity?

Answer 21

for members of the Church who had converted from Judaism - the gospel challenges readers to believe Jesus = Son of God not just Messiah

Question 22

How does Brown argue that the gospel was used to confirm Christianity?

Answer 22

to support the Johannine community - the ‘we’ in 1:14 and 3:11 suggest a rejected community for following Jesus

Question 23

What evidence is there to suggest that the Gospel was written to show that Jesus is Christ?

Answer 23

• different people proclaimed him to be the Messiah - 1:14 the disciples proclaim ‘we have found the Messiah’
• Jesus himself says he is the Messiah - 4:25-26
• Jesus fulfils OT prophecies of the Messiah - on entry into Jerusalem, Jesus rides a donkey in fulfilment of Zechariah 9:9
• the signs are used to show that Jesus is Christ
• sets Jesus apart as being chosen by God

Question 24

What evidence is there to suggest that the fourth gospel was written to show that Jesus is the son of God?

Answer 24

• 1:34 = John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is the Son of God
• 1:49 = the disciple Nathaniel declares Jesus is the Son of God
• 14:11 = it’s this relationship that gives Jesus’ teachings authority

Question 25

What evidence is there to suggest that the fourth gospel was written to show that one could have life in his name?

Answer 25

• 6:40 = Jesus says that eternal life is made possible through him
• 5:2127 = it’s those that hear the voice of the Son of God who will live
• 3:16 = Jesus makes it possible for humanity to be saved + receive eternal life

Question 26

What evidence is there to suggest that the fourth gospel was written to be a spiritual gospel?

Answer 26

• Clement of Alexandria = ‘inspired by the Spirit, composed a spiritual gospel’
• the author was very selective - 20:30 = there are many more signs which are not recorded
• the order of events is different to the other gospels, suggesting the author has a theological reasonfor this

Question 27

What’s a possible theological reason for the different time of Jesus’ crucifixion in the fourth gospel?

Answer 27

Jn wants to portray Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice as he was crucified when the passover lambs were being slaughtered