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Authorship in the Strict Sense of the Term, the Fourth Gospel Is Anonymous

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Authorship in the Strict Sense of the Term, the Fourth Gospel Is Anonymous Dr. Terren L. Dames Week 1 Authorship In the strict sense of the term, the Fourth Gospel is anonymous. No name of its author is given in the text. It was widely accepted through church history that John, one of the sons of a fisherman named Zebedee was the author. Polycarp (ca. A.D. 69 – ca. A.D. 155) spoke of his contact with John. Irenaeus (ca. 130 – ca. 200), the bishop of Lyons, heard Polycarp and testified that “John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, had himself published a Gospel during his residence in Ephesus in Asia” (Against Heresies 3. 1). Polycrates, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and other later fathers support this tradition. Eusebius was specific that Matthew and John of the apostles wrote the two Gospels which bear their specific names (The Ecclesiastical History 3. 24. 3–8).1 Place of Origin Church history and tradition is strong that John came to Ephesus after Paul had founded the church and that he labored in that city for many years (cf. Eusebius The Ecclesiastical History 3. 24. 1) where he wrote the Fourth Gospel. Date Most scholars date the Gospel of John between A.D. 85 and 95. This Gospel has been known in the church as the “Fourth” one, and the early church fathers believed that it was written when John was an old man. Purpose The purpose of the Gospel of John, stated in 20:31, was to record Jesus’ “signs” so that readers would come to believe in Him. John 20:30-31 30. Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31. but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. 1 Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 266–267). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. 1 | P a g e Dr. Terren L. Dames Week 1 Jesus’ Seven “Signs” in the Gospel of John 1. Changing water into wine in Cana (2:1–11) 2. Healing an official’s son in Capernaum (4:46–54) 3. Healing an invalid at the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem (5:1–18) 4. Feeding the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee (6:5–14) 5. Walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee (6:16–21) 6. Healing a blind man in Jerusalem (9:1–7) 7. Raising dead Lazarus in Bethany (11:1–45) Jesus’ Seven “I Am’s” in the Gospel of John 1. “I am the Bread of Life” (6:35). 2. “I am the Light of the world” (8:12). 3. “I am the Gate for the sheep” (10:7; cf. v. 9). 4. “I am the Good Shepherd” (10:11, 14). 5. “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (11:25). 6. “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life” (14:6). 2 7. “I am the true Vine” (15:1; cf. v. 5). 2 Blum, E. A. (1985, Vol. 2, p. 269). 2 | P a g e Dr. Terren L. Dames Week 1 Source 1 John 1:1-5 Source Source 2 3 Correlate Authenticate – verify or confirm the contextual harmony (understanding the true meaning of the text) Correlate – Draw a parallel or show relationship between various contexts (systematization) Evaluate – Appraise or review all sources using the same method Chapter 1 The Deity of Jesus Christ 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 3 | P a g e .
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