Survey of the Four Gospels River Pointe Church Bible College Certificate Program Instructor: Dr. Bob Page
Ernest Heaton WWII Veteran: Last survivor of the USAT Dorchester
Early Tradition on the Fourth Gospel Theophilus of Antioch (170-180): Earliest surviving writing to name the 4th Gospel as John s and regard it as inspired Scripture (earliest mention of Trinity ) Clement of Alexandria (150-215): Last of all John composed a spiritual gospel. Irenaeus (130-202): John, the disciple of the Lord, who leaned against his breast, published a gospel while he was residing at Ephesus in Asia. Justin Martyr (110-165): wrote about Logos theology Tatian (150): Earliest surviving writing to quote the 4th gospel verbatim. Wrote a harmony weaving 4 gospels into one narrative. Eusebius (263-339): John began his gospel with an account of the deity of Jesus Jerome (347-420): John the apostle when asked by the bishops of Asia, wrote a gospel against Cerinthus
Gnosticism Dualism: Matter and spirit have always coexisted. Matter is evil. Spirit is good. World not created by the true God. An emanation from the true God created the world. Christ was not a real human in the flesh. He only seemed real. Denied the virgin birth. Spirit is trapped in prison of flesh. Knowledge is necessary to escape the prison. Only a certain few can attain this knowledge. (Exclusive) This was the teaching of Cerinthus. See 1 John 4:2
Summary of Tradition and Internal Evidence Written after the Synoptics by the Apostle John, the beloved disciple in Ephesus at the urging of bishops in Asia. Written by a Palestinian Jew who was an apostle of Jesus and an eyewitness of the events he describes. (B F Westcott 1825-1901)
The Rylands Papyrus P52 Fragment from the Gospel of John found in Egypt. Dated second half of 1st century On display in the John Rylands University Library, Manchester, England
Front Side of the Rylands Fragment John 18:31-33 ΟΙ ΙΟΥΔΑΙΟΙ ΗΜΕIΝ ΟΥΚ ΕΞΕΣΤΙΝ ΑΠΟΚΤΕΙΝΑΙ OYΔΕΝΑ ΙΝΑ Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΙΗΣΟΥ ΠΛΗΡΩΘΗ ΟΝ ΕΙ- ΠΕΝ ΣHΜΑΙΝΩΝ ΠΟΙΩ ΘΑΝΑΤΩ ΗΜΕΛΛΕΝ ΑΠΟ- ΘΝHΣΚΕΙΝ ΙΣΗΛΘΕΝ ΟΥΝ ΠΑΛΙΝ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΠΡΑΙΤΩ- ΡΙΟΝ Ο ΠIΛΑΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΦΩΝΗΣΕΝ ΤΟΝ ΙΗΣΟΥΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΙΠΕΝ ΑΥΤΩ ΣΥ ΕΙ O ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΤΩΝ ΙΟΥ- ΔAΙΩN... the Jews, "For us it is not permitted to kill anyone," so that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke signifying what kind of death he was going to die. Entered therefore again into the Praetorium Pilate and summoned Jesus and said to him, "Thou art king of the Jews?"
Back side of the Rylands Fragment John 18:37-38 ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΕΙΜΙ ΕΓΩ ΕΙΣ TOΥΤΟ ΓΕΓΕΝΝΗΜΑΙ ΚΑΙ (ΕΙΣ ΤΟΥΤΟ) ΕΛΗΛΥΘΑ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΚΟΣΜΟΝ ΙΝΑ ΜΑΡΤY- ΡΗΣΩ ΤΗ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ ΠΑΣ Ο ΩΝ EΚ ΤΗΣ ΑΛΗΘΕI- ΑΣ ΑΚΟΥΕΙ ΜΟΥ ΤΗΣ ΦΩΝΗΣ ΛΕΓΕΙ ΑΥΤΩ Ο ΠΙΛΑΤΟΣ ΤΙ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ ΚAΙ ΤΟΥΤO ΕΙΠΩΝ ΠΑΛΙΝ ΕΞΗΛΘΕΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΙΟΥ- ΔΑΙΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΛΕΓΕΙ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ ΕΓΩ ΟΥΔEΜΙΑΝ ΕΥΡΙΣΚΩ ΕΝ ΑΥΤΩ ΑΙΤΙΑΝ... a King I am. For this I have been born and (for this) I have come into the world so that I would testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears of me my voice." Said to him Pilate, "What is truth?" and this having said, again he went out unto the Jews and said to them, "I find not one fault in him."
The Beloved Disciple John 13:21-25 John 19:25-27 John 21:20 Unanimous tradition: he was John the Son of Zebedee No mention of John the apostle in the 4th Gospel!
Why is John so different from the Synoptics? John is not a simple retelling of the Synoptics Synoptics cover ministry after John the Baptist was imprisoned. John covers the ministry before. John was written for a different purpose.
How John Bridged the Gap Concept of Messiah foreign to Greeks Greeks did have the concept of Logos Word / Reason = thought, reason expressed as word The Mind of God became a human person. Jesus is God s means of communicating with us. He is the perfect expression of God s mind / thought.
Word in Hebrew Thought God s word is powerful and active. It accomplishes his purposes. Isa 55:10-11 Ps 33:6 Ps 107:20 Gen 1:1-8
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. The Word was already present at the beginning of all things. There has always been the most intimate connection (face to face) between God and the Word. The Word was God.
John 1:1-2 The Word was already present at the beginning. There has always been the most intimate relationship between the Word and God. The Word was God of the same character and quality as God.
John 1:3 Christ was not created. All things (one by one without exception) were made by him.
John 1:3, 14 Jesus is the agent of God in creation Colossians 1:16 1 Cor 8:6 Heb 1:2 And the Word became flesh and lived among us!