JOHN (Gospel)
(I) Author.
As with the other Gospels, the fourth does not bear the name of its author, but internal and external evidence corroborates the traditional testimony that attributes this Gospel to the apostle John.
(A) Internal tests.
(a) The author is one of the apostles.
His use of the first person plural demonstrates this (John 1:14 and perhaps John 21:24).
The writer’s belonging to the group of apostles is also confirmed in a large number of details, especially in relation to the impression made on the disciples by the events related to the life of Christ, etc. (John 1:37; 2:11, 17; 4:27, 54; 9:2; 11:8-16; 12:4-6, 21, 22; 13:23-26; 18:15; 19 :26, 27, 35; 20:8). There is also the clear statement of Jn. 21:24.
(b) The disciple whom Jesus loved is mentioned frequently (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20, 21), and the passage from John. 21:20-24 states that this disciple is the author. The book mentions the names of the apostles, with the exception of Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and the sons of Zebedee. Since Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot were not in the inner circle, none of them can be called “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
As for James the son of Zebedee, he had died long before the writing of the Fourth Gospel (Acts 12:2), and cannot be identified with the author. “The disciple whom Jesus loved” is undeniably the apostle John.
(c) The Greek of the Fourth Gospel is heavily tinged with Aramaicisms, which is a clear indication that the editor was a Jew.
(d) The writer is familiar with the geography of Palestine, and the history and customs of Jesus’ day (e.g., Jn. 1:21, 28, 46; 2:6; 3:23; 4: 5, 27; 5:2, 3; 7:40-52; 9:7; 10:22, 23; 11:18; 18:28; 19:31).
This book presents even more personal traits than the other Gospels. All these internal evidence confirm in a remarkable way the attribution of the fourth Gospel to the apostle John.
(B) External evidence is of two kinds:
(a) The formal mention of the name of the author and
(b) the use of the fourth Gospel in ancient documents demonstrates the high esteem in which this writing was held. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon around the year 185 and disciple of Polycarp (who had been a disciple of John), categorically states that the apostle had written the Gospel of him in Ephesus and that the other three Gospels already existed before.
At the end of the second century and the beginning of the third, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian and Origen agreed on this. External evidence of the second type testifies to the existence of the Fourth Gospel and the confidence it inspired.
The Didache (around 110 AD) seems to have derived some of its formulas from Johannine terminology. The Epistles of Ignatius (which are not later than the year 117) show that he knew the Fourth Gospel well, that he considered it to be authoritative for him, and probably for the churches of Asia Minor, at the beginning of the second century.
The oldest known text of the NT is a fragment of a page from a papyrus codex, which paleography places around the year 125. This fragment, which is preserved in the
John Rylands Library, University of Manchester, contains some verses from John 18. Because it was found in Egypt, it is an indication of how quickly the Fourth Gospel spread.
Another fragment of papyrus, dated around the year 140, recounts episodes from the life of Jesus, drawing part of his teachings from this Gospel. Justin Martyr (around the year 150) undeniably alludes to this Gospel and considers it “one of the memoirs of the apostles” called Gospels, according to him, and written by the apostles and their associates.
The Gospel of Peter and the Acts of John, two apocryphal books from around the year 150, present evident features of Johannine thought. The Diatessaron of Tatian (about the year 170) is a harmony of our four canonical Gospels.
The ms. Sinaiticus containing the ancient Syriac Gospels indicates that in the 2nd century the Syriac church had admitted our four Gospels. Finally, it is certain that even the first Gnostic heretics of the second century, p. For example, Basilides (around 120-140), Heracleon (around 160-180) and, perhaps, Valentinus (around 140-160), cited and even commented on the Fourth Gospel.
Thus, external evidence joins internal evidence to point to John as the author of the fourth Gospel; They also demonstrate that in extensive regions the Fourth Gospel already constituted an authority in the Church immediately after the apostles.
However, many critics reject the basis of the argument presented above. They believe that the author of the fourth Gospel is not the apostle John; The latter would have been nothing more than the eyewitness on which the evangelist would have relied (Jn. 19:35; 21:24).
According to these critics, the editor of the Gospel, a disciple of John the apostle, would have written his text based on the memories and teaching of his teacher. This editor would be unknown, unless one wants to see in him a certain “John the Elder”, about whom much has been said modernly, but about whom nothing is known.
Furthermore, a good number of modern scholars consider that John the Elder is none other than John the apostle. In any case, the assumptions on which the critics are based lack solid foundation, and cannot serve as a basis for denying that the disciple of Christ was the author of the fourth Gospel.
It is also proven that this book was written in Asia Minor (in Ephesus according to tradition) in the last quarter of the 1st century.
The adversaries of Jesus are simply designated by the name of Jews (Jn. 1:19; 2:18; 5:10; 7:15; etc.) explanations are given about the Jewish holidays (Jn. 6:4; 7 :2; 11:55; 19:31); The name of the Sea of Galilee is accompanied by the pagan expression “that of Tiberias” (John 6:1). In the prologue, Christ is called “the Word of God”, which shows that, at the time of its writing, Christianity was in the midst of philosophical movements that are known to have existed then in Asia Minor.
All this explains the purpose, also manifest, of this writing: to expose the testimony that Christ gave of himself as the Son of God come in the flesh and as Savior of the world (John 20:30, 31). The author assumes the knowledge of numerous episodes of the Synoptic Gospels by his readers (see GOSPELS).
The Synoptists had not recorded the great speeches of the Lord which constitute the answer to the attacks of the Jews against his divinity or the revelation to his disciples of the mystery of his person and of the spiritual relationship they had with him.
John decided to record this personal testimony of Jesus in writing, a task that was all the more urgent as false doctrines arose that denied certain aspects of the person of Christ.
Naturally, the apostle added to all this numerous details taken from his personal memories. As a result, the Church received a comprehensive portrait of the Lord under her aspect that was both human and divine.
(II) CONTENT.
The Gospel of John begins with a prologue (John 1:1-8), where the apostle summarizes the great truth manifested by the life of Christ: the existence of a Second divine Person who reveals God and who, for this reason , is called “the Word.”
Universal source of life and light in creation, this eternal Word is incarnated in Jesus Christ, reveals God to believers, and transmits salvation to them. Then Juan relates:
(A) The first testimonies concerning Jesus, given by John the Baptist and by Jesus himself in the presence of his first disciples (John 1:19-2:11).
(B) What Christ himself reveals about his own person in a series of actions and, above all, speeches, addressed to both inquirers and adversaries (John 2: 12-12: 50). This includes:
(a) the testimony that Jesus gives of his own person, the first time he intervenes during the Passover (John 2: 12-25); the conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21); the repeated testimony of John the Baptist (John 3:22-36);
(b) the conversation with the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-42);
(c) the second miracle he performed in Galilee (John 4:43-54);
(d) Jesus’ response to the Jews who denied his divinity and his authority (John 5);
(e) the speech in which Jesus presented himself as the bread of life (John 6);
(f) the renewed affirmation of his authority and divine sonship during the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7-8);
(g) the healing of a blind man and the parable of the good shepherd (John 9:1-10:21);
(h) the last testimony of Christ to the Jews (John 9:22-42);
(i) the resurrection of Lazarus and the consequences of it (Jn. 11);
(j) Jesus’ statements during the anointing in Bethany, during the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the interview with the Greeks (John 12).
(C) Christ’s revelation of Himself in relation to His death and resurrection (John 13:1-21:25). This section includes:
(a) the last words of Jesus with his disciples (Jn. 13-17).
(b) his arrest, trial, crucifixion of him, during all of which he testified about his divinity and mission, particularly before Pilate (John 18-19).
(c) his resurrection and a certain number of testimonies in this regard (John 20-21). The author seems to have added chapter 21 as an appendix to his work, which in principle would have ended with chapter 20.
The fourth Gospel shows that Jesus is not only the Son of Man but also the eternal Son of God. His person, his teachings, his redemptive work, all of this has served to reveal God and give eternal life to those who receive him.
John presents the mission of Jesus as the climax of God’s self-revelation; and Christ communicates to believers this light by means of which they come to the knowledge of the most sublime truths.
Thus, they are granted spiritual communion with God, which constitutes eternal life, plenitude, the supreme good, perfect salvation.
Calvin says of this Gospel that it is “the key that opens the door to the understanding of the other three.” If the first evangelists relate what Jesus “did,” this one reveals above all what Jesus “is.”
The “disciple whom Jesus loves” has been able to give his book a unique character in the endearing nature of his profound knowledge of the Savior.
Seven and a half chapters can be counted of private conversations and the healing of souls: Jesus in private with:
Nicodemus (John 3),
the Samaritan woman (Jn. 4),
the apostles (Jn. 13-16),
God (Jn. 17),
Pilate (John 18:33-38; 19:8-11),
Peter (John 21:15-23).
Writing after the others, Juan strives to relate unpublished things:
miracles (John 2:7; 4:50; 5:8; 9:7; 11:43; 21:6),
parables (John 4:10-14; 6:32-58; 10:1-30; 15:1-8),
actions (John 8:3-11; 13:1-17; 21:15-23),
speeches (Jn. 13-16),
prayer (Jn. 17).
The entire book, intended to demonstrate “that Jesus is the Son of God,” contains numerous proofs of his divinity:
(a) The eternity of Christ (John 1:1-2; 8:58; 12:34; 17:5).
(b) His omnipotence manifested in creation (John 1:3, 10) and in His miracles (John 5:36; 10:25, 37-38).
(c) his omniscience (John 1:46-50; 4:17-19).
(d) his absolute holiness (John 8:13, 46),
(e) his equality with God (John 5:18; 10:30, 31),
(f) his perfect wisdom (John 7:45, 46),
(g) his omnipresence (John 3:13; 17:11-26),
(h) The statements of the Scriptures (John 5:39),
(i) The testimonies given about Him (John 1:29-34, 45-49; 5:31, 33, 37).
(j) his resurrection (Jn. 20: 8, 27-28; cf. Acts 2:24, 36; 5:30, 31; etc.).
(k) the glorification of him (John 13:32; 16:10; cf. Acts 9:3; 26:13).
Faced with such a Savior, the believer may well burst out: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). “These (things) have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).