F
Fiona01
Guest
I was wondering why John's gospel was so different from the others, and why the gospel was included in the bible... with it being so different from the others...?
-
Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
-
CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
S
StormHawk
Guest
The other 3 are calle "synoptic" because they have a synchronised optic, a similar view, looking at the interaction of Jesus with others. "John" (some believe it is actually Lazarus), "the disciple whom Jesus loved", focuses on Jesus the person and his relationship with The Father and his teaching about the Spirit.
The different focus is good reason for including it in the bible since the bible addresses all aspects of God.
The different focus is good reason for including it in the bible since the bible addresses all aspects of God.
Upvote
0
Clare73
Blood-bought
- Jun 12, 2012
- 30,182
- 7,773
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Republican
The burden of John's gospel is belief vs. unbelief in the divinity of Jesus. He organizes it around that purpose.
It is a running battle between the unbelief of the Jewish leaders (Pharisees and high priests) and the testimony of Jesus of Nazareth, through his works (signs/miracles) and words.
Upvote
0
Zoe of Elyon
Balletomane
The three synoptic gospels were written within a few decades of Jesus' ascension. Matthew and Luke may have used Mark's gospel, which was written first, as a model when they wrote their accounts for their specific audiences (Mark wrote to Gentiles, Matthew to the Jews, and Luke to a man named Theophilus who I think was involved in the government somehow?). John, being the only one of the Apostles to die of old age, had a long time to think things through before he penned his gospel account (around AD 100, 30-60 years after the synoptics were written). He chose to write from a unique perspective, presumably because he felt that perspective was necessary for a full understanding of Jesus' nature, His ministry, and His life and death and resurrection. John's gospel, as others have mentioned, focuses on Jesus' divinity and on the theological and spiritual implications of His teachings and actions.
Personally, John is my favorite biblical author.
Personally, John is my favorite biblical author.
Upvote
0
- Jun 25, 2008
- 17,698
- 4,522
- Gender
- Male
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
4 gospels
This is something which God showed me about the 4 Gospels and the Easter Controversy(EC). I also had wondered why John's Gospel was so much different. I copied this from a discussion which I had had with another person on Easter.
The disciple John was assigned the area of Asia, which is in present day Turkey. He resided at the Church of Ephesus and died there in the late 1st century, after writing the Gospel which bears his name.
----------------------------------------------
If we relate the Gospel to the areas of the early Church, we can 1st look at Matthew. The Gospel written in Hebrew or maybe Aramaic represents the area of the Church speaking those tongues. The area around the Holy Land, Assyria, Babylonia, etc.
Mark represents the area that he established the Gospel in, after leaving Rome, Africa. Luke, the disciple of Paul, represents the area which Paul evangelized, Parts of Turkey, and all of the northern Mediterranean area. These three Gospel are very similar but vary in places.
John represents Asia. His Gospel is so different from the others and unique.
In the EC we also see how Asia was unique in how they celebrated the Pascha. The other areas, varied in how the celebrated. The Aramaic speaking areas first celebrated on the day that the Jews did but began to celebrate on the Lord's Day in places while Paul and Mark's areas show celebrating on Sunday for the most part but some still celebrated on the 14th.
According to Irenaeus, Polycarp came to Rome to help them put down some heretics and while there, he and Anicetus got into a discussion about some things including the celebration of Pascha. Neither could presaude the other to concede but Anicetus did permit Polycarp to celebrate the Pascha on the 14th while he was there.
They parted believing that unity was what was important. Each with various customs but still One, just like the Gospels.
In the 4 Gospels we can see how various teachings can be accepted by God as long as faith is the reasoning. If we read Romans 14, we can see how God allows people to believe different things and still be acceptable.
Romans 14:
1. Welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.
2. One person believes that one may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.
3. The one who eats must not despise the one who abstains, and the one who abstains must not pass judgment on the one who eats; for God has welcomed him.
4. Who are you to pass judgment on someone elses servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5. [For] one person considers one day more important than another, while another person considers all days alike. Let everyone be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6. Whoever observes the day, observes it for the Lord. Also whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while whoever abstains, abstains for the Lord and gives thanks to God.
7. None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.
8. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lords.
9. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10. Why then do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;
11. for it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.
12. So [then] each of us shall give an account of himself [to God].
Upvote
0
Thomas Kelly guessed
Newbie
Fiona01,
You may look at part of the answer below, from an ancient document, in JEROME. Lives of Illustrious Men from NPNF2-03. Theodoret, Jerome, Gennadius, & Rufinus: Historical Writings in Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
"Chapter IX.
John, the apostle whom Jesus most loved, the son of Zebedee and brother of James, the apostle whom Herod, after our Lord’s passion, beheaded, most recently of all the evangelists wrote a Gospel, at the request of the bishops of Asia, against Cerinthus and other heretics and especially against the then growing dogma of the Ebionites, who assert that Christ did not exist before Mary. On this account he was compelled to maintain His divine nativity. But there is said to be yet another reason for this work, in that when he had read Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he approved indeed the substance of the history and declared that the things they said were true, but that they had given the history of only one year, the one, that is, which follows the imprisonment of John and in which he was put to death."
You may find more information about the apostles and other ancient writers in the texts.
If you want to change background to white on CCEL web page then look to top right hand corner of web page for small mechanical symbol and click on it and choose and you may change font size.
To look at the contents of the works, look towards top left hand corner for the lines symbol next to Prev and click on it.
You may look at part of the answer below, from an ancient document, in JEROME. Lives of Illustrious Men from NPNF2-03. Theodoret, Jerome, Gennadius, & Rufinus: Historical Writings in Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
"Chapter IX.
John, the apostle whom Jesus most loved, the son of Zebedee and brother of James, the apostle whom Herod, after our Lord’s passion, beheaded, most recently of all the evangelists wrote a Gospel, at the request of the bishops of Asia, against Cerinthus and other heretics and especially against the then growing dogma of the Ebionites, who assert that Christ did not exist before Mary. On this account he was compelled to maintain His divine nativity. But there is said to be yet another reason for this work, in that when he had read Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he approved indeed the substance of the history and declared that the things they said were true, but that they had given the history of only one year, the one, that is, which follows the imprisonment of John and in which he was put to death."
You may find more information about the apostles and other ancient writers in the texts.
If you want to change background to white on CCEL web page then look to top right hand corner of web page for small mechanical symbol and click on it and choose and you may change font size.
To look at the contents of the works, look towards top left hand corner for the lines symbol next to Prev and click on it.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
F
Fiona01
Guest
Thank you, everyone, for your helpful and insightful answers.
I have always noticed the strong difference between John's Gospel and the others, but never researched into the reason why....
John's gospel is my personal favourite gospel, purely because it is so full of the Lord's speech and spiritual guidance.
@Thomas Kelley - Thanks so much for that quote. I am going to read more into that.
I have always noticed the strong difference between John's Gospel and the others, but never researched into the reason why....
John's gospel is my personal favourite gospel, purely because it is so full of the Lord's speech and spiritual guidance.
@Thomas Kelley - Thanks so much for that quote. I am going to read more into that.
Upvote
0
Thomas Kelly guessed
Newbie
Fiona01
Amen. You may see knowledge of how to contact me in my profile in this forum if you need more help.
Amen. You may see knowledge of how to contact me in my profile in this forum if you need more help.
Upvote
0
Thomas Kelly guessed
Newbie
Fiona01,
Maybe you will benefit from reading Gospel of John literature of one who is known as an Early Church Father, NPNF1-14. Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews, at Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Maybe you will benefit from reading Gospel of John literature of one who is known as an Early Church Father, NPNF1-14. Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews, at Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Upvote
0
F
Fiona01
Guest
Thank you so much! You're being a fantastic help. I'm finding these documents and adding them to my online "favourites" so I can start reading.
Upvote
0
Thomas Kelly guessed
Newbie
Fiona01
Like I posted to someone else in this forum, if you ever need knowledge of the bible, the works of the ones known as Early Church Fathers may be most beneficial.
At CCEL or Christian Classics Ethereal Library you may use the literature of the ones known as Early Church Fathers. At the website click on Home and click on Church Fathers.
Like I posted to someone else in this forum, if you ever need knowledge of the bible, the works of the ones known as Early Church Fathers may be most beneficial.
At CCEL or Christian Classics Ethereal Library you may use the literature of the ones known as Early Church Fathers. At the website click on Home and click on Church Fathers.
Upvote
0
Thomas Kelly guessed
Newbie
Fiona01,
Or Early Church Father NPNF1-07. St. Augustine: Homilies on the Gospel of John; Homilies on the First Epistle of John; Soliloquies.
Like I posted to someone else in this forum, if you go to the CCEL website, look for Browse, then choose Author, you may see St Augustine's works listed under A at the bottom of the list. You may need to click on a small square like symbol to reveal the list.
Or Early Church Father NPNF1-07. St. Augustine: Homilies on the Gospel of John; Homilies on the First Epistle of John; Soliloquies.
Like I posted to someone else in this forum, if you go to the CCEL website, look for Browse, then choose Author, you may see St Augustine's works listed under A at the bottom of the list. You may need to click on a small square like symbol to reveal the list.
Last edited:
Upvote
0
F
Fiona01
Guest
Thanks, Lux, for the link. I'll take a look 
Thomas Kelley - I'll make my way through your suggested reading! Thanks again.
Thomas Kelley - I'll make my way through your suggested reading!
Thanks again.
Upvote
0
Thomas Kelly guessed
Newbie
Fiona01,
Amen, hallelujah.
It appeared you made an error in swearing in the words "I'll make". You may look below at part of The New Testament so you may see how.
34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is Gods throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply Yes or No; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Matthew 5
New International Version (NIV)
Thanks, Lux, for the link. I'll take a look
Thomas Kelley - I'll make my way through your suggested reading!
Amen, hallelujah.
It appeared you made an error in swearing in the words "I'll make". You may look below at part of The New Testament so you may see how.
34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is Gods throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply Yes or No; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Matthew 5
New International Version (NIV)
Upvote
0
F
Fiona01
Guest
I don't see how me telling you I will be reading through your suggested text is swearing? But thanks for the quote... I do try to live by not making any promises or swearing by any oaths etc...
Upvote
0
Thomas Kelly guessed
Newbie
Fiona01
Maybe another part of The New Testament will reveal.
3 Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, If it is the Lords will, we will live and do this or that.
James 4
New International Version (NIV)
The error is in saying "I will"
Amen, Hallelujah.
Some people may say I promise or I swear, what you may not have had any knowledge of is the error of "I will" or "I shall", both statements of certainty.
Maybe another part of The New Testament will reveal.
3 Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, If it is the Lords will, we will live and do this or that.
James 4
New International Version (NIV)
The error is in saying "I will"
Amen, Hallelujah.
Some people may say I promise or I swear, what you may not have had any knowledge of is the error of "I will" or "I shall", both statements of certainty.
Upvote
0
Explanations for why it was written don't solve the problem: why is the feel you get when reading John so different? Some of it has to do with the way the Gospel is written. It is mostly organized into episodes. Each episode starts with a brief teaching or dialog, which isn't that different from something you might find in the Synoptics. But those move into a longer reflection, whose style and even substance is a bit different.
Remember that Greek didn't have quotation marks. In my opinion that actual quotations from Jesus end fairly quickly, and the rest is the author's reflections on the significance, from a perspective late in the 1st Cent. This kind of theological reflection doesn't happen in the Synoptics. It represents a lot of the difference. Similarly the 1st chapter of John is mostly theological reflection, not a quotation of Jesus' teaching. So doesn't have a direct equivalent in the Synoptics. [I'm not denying the inspiration of those reflections, by the way. I'm just looking at why John is different.]
Remember that Greek didn't have quotation marks. In my opinion that actual quotations from Jesus end fairly quickly, and the rest is the author's reflections on the significance, from a perspective late in the 1st Cent. This kind of theological reflection doesn't happen in the Synoptics. It represents a lot of the difference. Similarly the 1st chapter of John is mostly theological reflection, not a quotation of Jesus' teaching. So doesn't have a direct equivalent in the Synoptics. [I'm not denying the inspiration of those reflections, by the way. I'm just looking at why John is different.]
Upvote
0
Similar threads
