WHO WROTE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN?
From its earliest days, the church has always attributed the Fourth Gospel to “John.” John was a popular Jewish name in the time of Jesus; there are at least five distinct Johns that are specifically referenced in the New Testament:
· John the Baptist;
· John, the father of the Apostle Peter;
· John the Apostle, brother of James, son of Zebedee;
· John Mark (often just called Mark);
· John, a member of the high priest’s family;
In addition, the author of the Book of Revelation (Revelation 1:4) identifies himself as “John.” So, which of these Johns—if any—wrotethe Gospel of John? Unlike the letters of Paul, e.g., nowhere in the text of the Fourth Gospel does it say “this book was written by John.” The reason the church has always called the Fourth Gospel “John’s Gospel” is because “The Gospel According to John” was scrawled as a title atop even the most ancient manuscripts, thereby attributing the Gospel to John. (The other three Gospels are attributed the exact same way—“According to Matthew,” “According to Mark,” “According to Luke.”) Who wrote the Gospel of John? Opinions differ and complete certainty is impossible—our best way forward, therefore, is to read the text itself and see what we can conclude about the author with the information he has provided us.
JOHN HAS WRITTEN HIMSELF INTO THE GOSPEL AT KEY POINTs
John never identifies himself by the name “John” in his Gospel—rather, he calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Why does he do this? The Gospel of John is a brilliant work of art, and John has slyly written himself into the story at key points to remind his readers that he was an eyewitness to some of the most crucial events he relates, most importantly at the Crucifixion itself. For example, John is apparently the only male disciple who was an eyewitness of the Crucifixion:
(Starting in chapter 13, John calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Chapter 13 is when the narrative has permanently moved to take place in Jerusalem. This detail makes it seem reasonable to conclude that John lived in Jerusalem and not in Galilee.)
25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
THE DEATH OF JESUS
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
JESUS' SIDE IS PIERCED
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” [John 19:25–37]
By calling himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved” John is making it clear he was in the perfect position to tell the story of the Gospel, but by not specifically naming himself, he ensures that the focus of the story is on Jesus, not on the one telling Jesus’s story.
THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS DEFINITELY KNEW JOHN’S IDENTITY
John is anonymous in the Gospel, but his identity was clearly known in the church community to which he belonged. At the very end of the Gospel, we read this fascinating detail about how the rumor grew that John wouldn’t die before the Second Coming:
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. [John 21:20–24]
What v. 24 tells us is that the reason the Gospel was treasured was because it came from an eyewitness that everyone knew and trusted. The Gospel of John seems to have come from the city of Ephesus, one of the largest cities of the ancient world and a strategically important center for Christianity in Asia (modern-day Turkey). Whoever John was, the church in Ephesus knew him and trusted him as a disciple of Jesus and eyewitness of the Gospel events.
HOW TO READ THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
The Gospel of John is the work of a lifetime. John has spent decades considering the meaning of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and his Gospel is the mature reflection of an old, wise man. John’s Gospel is different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, in that John relates fewer events and incidents in the life of Jesus, but he spends more time with them. One might say that John has chosen to focus on quality over quantity.
John is also a true artist in that he prefers to show instead of tell. What I mean is that John arranges his narrative to lead the reader to the truth, but he rarely comes out and specifically states his point—he is much more subtle than that.
HOW JOHN’S GOSPEL WORKS: EXAMPLE #1
In chapter 1, Andrew and an unnamed disciple (John, but because he has not yet met Jesus in the narrative, he just leaves himself anonymous) hear John the Baptist describe Jesus as “the Lamb of God.”
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. [John 1:35–40]
For the next nineteen chapters, we will read about what Jesus said and did as John works his Gospel to its shocking climax—the Crucifixion of the Son of God. At the cross, John is the only male disciple present when the soldiers take Jesus’s body down from the cross:
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” [John 19:31–36]
That little scriptural reference “not one of his bones will be broken” is a quotation from the Book of Exodus, specifically the place where the Israelites are given instructions about how to prepare the Passover lamb:
It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. [Exodus 12:46]
So, when John makes sure to tell us that none of Jesus’s bones were broken and then quotes from the Book of Exodus, what is he telling us? Namely that Jesus is the ultimate Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrifice! Note that John tells us that without telling us. What John heard John the Baptist say way back in chapter 1 now finally has its payoff in chapter 19.
HOW JOHN’S GOSPEL WORKS: EXAMPLE #2
Every single word and detail in John’s Gospel is deliberately chosen. John delights in laying a trail of breadcrumbs for attentive readers to follow. For example, consider the way he tells the story of Peter’s betrayal of Christ:
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servant and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. [John 18:15–18]
Note that small little detail I’ve highlighted in v.18: “charcoal fire.” Peter famously denies Jesus three times in total on the night of Jesus’s arrest. It’s a heartbreaking scene.
Then, after the Resurrection, Jesus meets with Peter on the beach. The story is recounted in John chapter 21:
21 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and 7 now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
JESUS AND PETER
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” [John 21:1–19]
Peter denies Jesus three times, and after the Resurrection, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” The scene on the beach is beautiful—you can imagine that poignant moment when Peter realizes that his denial is both known by Jesus and forgiven by Jesus. And to make sure that we make the connection between the threefold denial and the threefold question, John includes that little connecting detail that would have been easy for him to leave out: “a charcoal fire.” John is expecting us to catch details like that, which means we need to really pay attention!
HOW WE ARE GOING TO READ JOHN’S GOSPEL
John is a master artist who wants to show rather than tell. John has written his Gospel with the expectation that we will read and reread it over and over and over, paying close attention to every word and detail and finding the connections between them. It is a Gospel that rewards repeated readings with more and more insight into who Jesus is and the meaning of His life, death, and resurrection. Accordingly, we are going to take our time and slowly work our way through this magnificent work over the next several months, bringing our focused attention on what John has given us, namely one of the most breathtakingly profound, subtle, and beautiful literary products in the history of the world.
But this is no ordinary work of literature. In fact, John forthrightly tells us in his conclusion that he has had an agenda in writing his Gospel:
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are 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 20:30–31]
In writing this commentary, I have the same agenda: to help you believe in Jesus, the Light of the World.
