Who was John, the supposed author of the fourth book of the Gospels? John the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament, Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome or Joanna. His brother was James, who was another of the Twelve Apostles. The Church Fathers identify him as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder and the Beloved Disciple,
and testify that he outlived the remaining apostles and that he was the
only one to die of natural causes.
Church tradition has held that John is the author of the Gospel of John and five other books of the New Testament — the three Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation, although that is highly disputed. The writing style is significantly different. But, it serves the church's ends to pin Revelations on one of the disciples and John happened to have the right name.
The Gospel according to John differs considerably from the Synoptic Gospels, (Matthew, Mark and Luke) which were likely written decades earlier. The bishops of Asia Minor supposedly requested him to write his gospel to deal with the heresy of the Ebionites,
who asserted that Christ did not exist before Mary. This topic was in great debate for centuries following the death of Jesus. It is very important, as it flavors all the writing in the Gospel of John. John probably knew
and undoubtedly read and approved of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
Until the 19th century, the authorship of the Gospel of John had
been attributed to the Apostle John. However, most modern critical
scholars have their doubts. Some scholars place the Gospel of John somewhere between AD 65 and 85; John Robinson proposes an initial edition by 50–55 and then a final edition by 65 due to narrative similarities with Paul. Other scholars are of the opinion that the Gospel of John was composed in two or three stages.
Most contemporary scholars consider that the Gospel was not written
until the latter third of the first century AD, and with an earliest
possible date of AD 75. Other scholars think that an even later date, perhaps
even the last decade of the first century AD right up to the start of
the 2nd century (i.e. 90 - 100), is applicable.
The gospel of John is primarily a continuous sermon, just moving from one place to another, with a collection of the saying, prophesies and parables which is akin to that of Matthew. There is a different flavor to the writings of John. It is concentrated on the spiritual Jesus and not so much on Jesus as a man. Jesus's travels seemed to be for the sole purpose of getting him into a situation where he can preach another sermon. That doesn't make for an interesting history. In fact makes little real attempt to relate Jesus's history. He is much more concerned with establishing his divinity.
(John 1:1) "In the beginning was the Word, and Word was with God, and the Word was God". And so John begins. He, like Mark, did not tackle the birth of Jesus or his early life in his story.
Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized. As he was leaving on the morrow John was standing with two of his own disciples (John1;36-40) "and he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi(which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where abideth thou? He saith unto them, Come, and ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day: it was about the tenth hour. One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother".
Then Jesus collected Peter, Phillip and Nathanael as the first apostles. After that Jesus roamed around preaching.
At one point Jesus attended a wedding where he turned water into wine. The marriage was in Cana of Galilee and Jesus's mother was there. At one point his mother told Jesus that they had run out of wine. Jesus's answer was a bit strange. (John 2:4) "And Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come."
Mary then told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do. Jesus told them to fill six water pots with water to the brim and take them to the ruler of the feast. As every who has heard the story knows, the water pots were now filled with wine. This was the first of his signs.
After that he went to Capernaum with his mother, his brethren and his disciples and stayed for many days.
Passover was coming up so Jesus and his gang went to Jerusalem. When he got there he went into the temple and you know the story of what happened. Bedlam broke loose as Jesus got really violent (John 2:15) "and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers' money and overthrew their tables;". This is a story that is told in all the Gospels, but each seems to have it set at a different time.
Now John made a strange observation. (John 2:23-25) "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, during the feast, many believed on this name, beholding his signs which he did. But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he know all men, and because he needed not that any on should bear witness concerning man; for he himself know what was in man."
Here John establish that Jesus existed before he was born of Mary. John 3:16-17) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life, For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him".
Jesus went back to Cana of Galilee, where he had done the water into wine trick. A nobleman approached Jesus and said his son was sick at Capernaum and he asked Jesus to come to his home and heal his son who was near death. (John 4:48-50) "Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; the son liveth. The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way."
Guess what? When the man was on his way, his servants met him and told him his son lived. He asked them at what hour his son started to mend and they answered that it was the seventh hour yesterday when his fever broke. That, of course, was the time that Jesus had told him that his son will live. This, according to John was the second sign that Jesus did.
Jesus went back into Jerusalem to celebrate passover. There he performed another miraculous healing upon a man that been infirm for thirty eight years. But, this got Jesus in trouble again because this happened on the sabbath, which was against the law. (John 5:16-18) "And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work. For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only brake the sabbath but also called God his own Father, making himself equal to God." Again John, more than any of the other Gospels, sets up the Jews as a whole, as the enemy of Jesus. The earlier Gospels pointed to the Pharisees and the high priests more. John was clearly on a mission to distance the new religion from the Jews and embrace the gentiles.
Jesus then went to the sea of Tiberias with a great mob following him, a lot imploring that he heal them of sickness. He went up to a mountain with his disciples. Passover was nearing. Jesus then turned to Philip and asked how are they to buy bread for the mob so they may eat. Philip answered that two hundred shillings worth of bread is not enough to feed this multitude. Then Andrew told Jesus that a lad had five barley loaves and two fishes, but that isn't enough for this crowd. Jesus told them to sit down, and they did. About five thousand it says. You know the story from here. He fed the five thousand with only five loaves of bread and 2 fishes, with twelve baskets of broken pieces left over.
When the evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, but Jesus didn't come with them. A great storm arose and they were terrified. Then they saw Jesus walking on the water and coming to the boat. As soon as Jesus stepped into the boat they were on the land where they were going.
At the end of chapter 6 John introduces the idea of a future betrayal. In a discussion with his twelve disciples, (John 6:70) "Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
John made a point of including Mary, his mother in the women that were following Jesus at this point. Something the other Gospels didn't do.
John is clearly writing for the Gentile audience. He blames the Jews for the hatred for Jesus and his crucifixion. Where Matthew and Mark put the blame on the Pharisees, the scribes and the high priests, John starts to lay the blame on the Jews directly. An example is: (John 7:1) "And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him".
Jesus frequently emphasized that his teaching was not his, but the one who sent him. (John 7:28-29) "Jesus therefore cried in the temple, teaching and saying, Ye both know me, and know whence I am; and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. I know him; because I am from him, and he sent me"
Jesus was preaching in the temple, stirring up his following with his usual lesson that he was sent by God. Many in the multitude believed in him and that wasn't taken well by the Pharisees and the priests. (John 7:30) "They sought therefore to take him: and no man laid his hand on him because his hour was not yet come."
At one time the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. They said that Moses decreed that the woman be stoned, what would Jesus say to that? (John 8:6-7) "And this they said, trying him, that they might have wherefore to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. But when the continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Everybody knows the story from here. No stone was cast.
Jesus saw a man blind from birth. The disciples asked what sin he or his parents had committed to cause him to be blind. (John 9:3) "Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." Jesus spate on the ground and made clay which he put on the mans eyes. He told the man to go wash the clay off in the pool of Siloam and guess what? He could see again. But, Jesus was in trouble again, because he did this on the sabbath.
There were doubters who went to the parents of the man asked who cured him. They denied that they knew who opened his eyes, ask him, they said. They said that because they feared the Jews. The Jews believed that the man was blind because of some sin. The Jews cast the man out of the synagogue.
The story of Lazarus of Bethany is told in Chapter 11. This was the village of Mary (not his mother) and her sister Martha. Mary's brother Lazarus was sick. Jesus loved Martha and her sister. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick he stayed for two days where he was and then he said that they should go to Judaea where Lazarus was. The disciples didn't like that idea and they warned Jesus that the Jews "were but now seeking to stone thee" if you go there.
Then Jesus said that our friend Lazarus has fallen to sleep and he should go to wake him. His disciples noted that if Lazarus had fallen asleep, he will recover. But, Jesus said that he will not awaken from this sleep, for he is dead.
So Jesus went to Lazarus's tomb where he had lain for four days. He told Martha to remove the stone that covered the tomb. Then he told Lazarus to come forth, and he did. Of course everyone was dumbfounded and worshipful. Who wouldn't be, they just saw a man raised from the dead.
Six days before passover they went to where Lazarus was and ate supper with him. It was noted that Mary, Martha's sister, took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus's feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The common people came, not to see Jesus but to see Lazarus, a man who had been raised from the dead.
The chief priests didn't like that much. That made many of the common people believe in Jesus and they figured to put Lazarus to death along with Jesus.
Jesus entered Jerusalem on an ass. How he got that ass isn't detailed in John, it's just there. The Last Supper for John, like everything else in this book, is a long sermon. He does make note of the future betrayal of Peter and Judas, but that is not given a lot of weight.
Now the story takes on familiar grounds. Jesus took his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden. At that point in the story Judas acted to betray Jesus. (John 18:3-5) "Judas then, having received the band of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore,knowing all the things that were coming upon him, went forth, and saith unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus saith unto them, I am he, And Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them."
They seized him and bound him and then (John 18:13) "and led him to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year".
At this point in the story is where Peter started his denial of Jesus. After some questions, Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the high priest. The high priest then sent on to Pilate. Pilate told them to take him and judge him according to their own laws. The Jews then noted that Jewish law didn't allow executions.
Pilate said again, he saw no crime in him, but he saw a way out of this mess. (John 18:39-40) "But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? They cried out therefore again saying. Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber".
Pilate then took Jesus and scourged him. (Whatever that means). Note: I don't think a Roman governor would stoop to actually applying a whip to anyone. The soldiers crowned him with a thorns and arrayed him in a purple garment. But, Pilate again said that he would return him to the Jews because he saw no crime in him. But, the chief priests and officers cried out that they wanted him crucified. It says that Pilate was afraid after hearing them. Note: That isn't likely that a Roman governor would be afraid of any Jewish mob.
After some more questioning, Pilate wanted to release him again. Then the Jews played their trump card. (John 19:12) "Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou release this man, thou art not Caesars friend: every one that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar." Now Pilate gave in and ordered the crucifixion. Damned clever these Jews.
John, unlike the other Gospels, has Jesus bearing the cross to the crucifixion himself. No Simon in his tale. There they crucified him with two others. No atonement for one of the others in John's tale. That was strictly a Luke invention. They wrote JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS on the cross.
The scene on the cross is pretty consistent among the Gospels, few deviations. John, like the other Gospels makes a point of the women standing by the cross. Mary his mother, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. A little different group. Now we have three Mary's that are featured in the story.
Jesus said that he was thirsty. (John 19:29-30) "There was set there a vessel full of vinegar: so they put a sponge full of vinegar upon hyssop, and brought it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit."
Now John changes the story some. (John 19:31) "The Jews therefore,, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross upon the sabbath (for the day of the sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." Note there are three bodies.
So the soldiers broke the legs of two of the executed, but when they came to Jesus they saw he was dead and didn't break his legs. But, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and it says that there came out blood and water. That is interesting as a dead body is not likely to bleed, especially if the body is vertical. The blood will pool at the lower extremities. This leads to the conjecture that Jesus wasn't really dead.
Joseph of Arimathaea asked Pilate if he could take the body of Jesus and Pilate said yes. Then Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds and he took the body of Jesus, bound it in linen cloth with spices.
John 19:41-42) "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb wherein was never man yet laid. There then because of the Jews' Preparation (for the tomb was nigh at hand) they laid Jesus." Every one of the Gospels seems to have a different take on the exactly where Jesus was entombed.
On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark and saw that the stone was rolled away. She then ran to Peter and "the other disciple whom Jesus loved" and told them that somebody had taken Jesus's body.
Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb. The other disciple got there first and noted that the linen cloths were just laying, but he did not enter. Peter arrived and went into the tomb. Jesus was missing.
(John 20:9-10) "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. So the disciples went away again unto their own home." This really strange because he had been telling them this for some time.
Now John really deviates from the other Gospels. Mary Magdalene was standing outside the tomb weeping. She stooped and looked into the tomb. What she saw was two angels in white just sitting there, one at the head and the other at the feet of where Jesus had lain. They asked why she was weeping. She answered that they had taken away her lord and she didn't know where they had him. Then she tuned back and there was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him. She thought he was the gardener and asked him where they had taken Jesus. Then (John 20:16) "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni; which is to say, Teacher."
Of course Mary was thrilled because she now recognized Jesus, but he told her not to touch him, for he has not yet ascended, but to go to his brethren and tell them "I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and my God and your God." (John20:17).
So Mary took off and told the disciples what she had seen and what he had said to her. That evening, with the doors shut for fear of the Jews, Jesus came into their midst. He showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were impressed. But. Thomas wasn't there.
Now comes the kicker. (John 20:21-23) "Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: whose sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." So here it is, the one sentence in the gospels that propelled the Catholic Church, and it's priesthood, into great power and wealth. The church assumed the authority to not only forgive sin, but to cast a soul into everlasting hell. It was taken as a given, that the authority given to the disciples extended to those that were ordained by them subsequently. A position they held for over a thousand years, until Martin Luther posted some things on the door. They can thank John alone for this authority, because Mathew, Mark nor Luke gave them that power, at least as far as I have found.
After eight days the scene was basically repeated, except Thomas was there. Thomas apparently was a doubter (Doubting Thomas). Jesus told Thomas to exam his hands and his side so that he would believe. Thomas was convinced. Then Jesus said that because he had seen him he believed, but blessed are they that did not see him and yet believed. John noted that there were many other signs that Jesus did that are not written in the Gospel.
Peter, Thomas and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee (James and John) and two other of his disciples were together. Peter said that they should go fishing, and they did that night.
They fished through the night and morning was breaking they saw a man standing on the beach. The man was Jesus, but they didn't know him. Jesus asked if the had anything to eat and they told him that they didn't. Fishing hadn't been good. Jesus then told them to cast their nets into the sea again. They did and hauled out a multitude of fish. The disciple, who Jesus loved, said to Peter that the man is the Lord. Peter heard that it was the Lord, he "girt" (put on) his coat and cast himself into the sea. (Don't know why, but that is what it says). Another interesting thing that keeps coming up in John, is the reference to the disciple that Jesus loved. Never identified. There is conjecture that Mary Magdalene is the one Jesus loved. One must admit that Mary Magdalene plays a big part in the story of Jesus. However, it seems clear that the disciple mentioned in this Gospel was John.
The other disciples rowed the little boat ashore dragging a net full of fish. When the got to land, they saw a fire of coals with fish cooking and bread.
Jesus told them to bring the fish and they did, a hundred and fifty three. Wow! Thirty of forty years later the number is still remembered.
Jesus then turned to Peter and asked him three times if he loved him more than the others. All three times Peter said yes he did. Jesus then said to Peter that he should "Feed my Lambs", "Tend My sheep", and "Feed my sheep" after each answer.
John closes with (John 20-25) "Peter turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; who also leaned back on this breast at the supper, and said, Lord who is he that betrayeth thee? Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto to him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. This saying therefore went forth among the brethren, that the disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, that he should not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This is the disciple that beareth witness of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his witness is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if the should be written ever one, I suppose that even the world it self would not contain the books that should be written". This is kind of a strange question. Every one of the disciples knew that Judas betrayed Jesus.
So Ends John.
And, so ends my own journey into the life of Jesus as told in the Gospels. I thought it was an interesting trip and I am sorry if it offended any reader when I pointed out the discrepancies and related events in the first four books of the New Testament.
Whether one believes that the Gospels actually relate a true story of a man called Jesus, and how much is nothing but the imagination of the writer, is up to the individual. But, no matter what your personal beliefs, it is clear that this one man had a profound impact on the world. His teachings are the basis for the major religion of Christianity, no matter how much those teachings have been bent and corrupted by men seeking power and riches. I doubt seriously that Jesus would recognize the church which bears his name today. But, that's a story for another time.
I will close this on that note. Thanks for reading the four papers and comments are welcome.
