Gospel of John 09.vp

Sess ion 1: The Word Made F l esh, the Word Made F i lm: Int roduct ion 17

Man?” [36] He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” [37] Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” [38] He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

d. Thomas’s post-resurrection affirmation, John 20.28 – Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

C. Date of the book: A.D. 90-100

1. John’s authorship has been seriously questioned by the Tubingen school of higher critics, but these questions have been sufficiently answered by the Dead Sea Scrolls.

2. Early church fathers ascribe the fourth Gospel to John.

a. Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, A.D. 180

b. Iraneaus, a pupil of Polycarp, one who was mentored by John himself, A.D. 190

c. Clement of Alexandria, A.D. 200

3. Serious debate about the order of the writings of John; best sequence, Gospel of John, the three Epistles, and the Apocalypse (arguably all written within the last 10 years of his life)

4. Point of contention: The Ephesian Traditions . John the Apostle versus John the Presbyter (Elder)

a. We have little knowledge of John after the reference to him as pillar in Galatians 2.