The Gospel of John (90–110 CE) stands apart—here Jesus claims divinity (John 1:1, 10:30), unlike Synoptics’ hints (*Mark 14:62*). It shares little with Matthew, Mark, Luke, pushing a pseudo-Gnostic break from Judaism (*Dodd*). My note: Reason smells a cult shift.
Jesus is an outsider, hostile to “the Jews” (64 times, KJV)—a slur, not just leaders (*John 8:44*). The ending (John 21) is clunky, edited, contradictory—5:18 (divine) vs. 8:40 (man)—sparking Christological wars (*NAB*). The *Apocryphon of John* seems to pick up where this mess leaves off, hinting at a split text. My note: Deism recoils—hate and muddle mar it; why split Luke-Acts but not John? See Apocryphon of John.
Chadwick (*History*, p. 51) notes early Christians were simple—fishermen, not scholars. John’s author was educated, unlike them (*Brown*). Secular scholars say convert; religious claim Apostle John, faith-driven (*Carson*). *NAB* calls it symbolic, cryptic—not Synoptic. My note: Reason doubts—bias clouds both.
Father Alexander (link): written in Koine Greek, no punctuation till later (*Metzger*). Translation’s belief-driven—Holy Spirit guides, he claims. My note: Reason disagrees—Father Alexander’s insight is sharp, but text, not faith, should rule.
John’s core: Jesus as divine savior, Logos for Greeks (*John 1:1*). No fisherman wrote this—late (90+ CE), Ephesus-based, anti-Jewish (*Kysar*). “Disciple Jesus loved” (21:20) self-inserts; Synoptics barely note John (*Mark 1:19*), Paul once (Galatians 2:9). My note: Deism sees a Greek hater, not a witness. See Part 2.
Conclusion: A Greek convert, not John, wrote this—late date, scholarly Greek, “the Jews” as venom (*John 8*). Never met Jesus or Paul (*Dunn*). Most anti-Semitic NT book—belongs after Revelation, not splitting Luke-Acts (*NAB*). Gnostic tinge fits (*Pagels*), with *Apocryphon of John* continuing its clumsy end—why not split it too? My note: Reason rejects—hate and myth, not truth.
Wikipedia: John, son of Zebedee (*Mark 1:19*), Apostle, saint—December 27 (Catholic), September 26 (Orthodox). Tradition says Ephesus with Mary, Patmos for Revelation (*Irenaeus*). Scholars doubt—Mary’s age, authorship shaky (*Brown*). My note: Reason questions—legend, not fact.
Evangelist (d. ~110 CE) wrote John, 1–3 John, Revelation (*NAB*). Tradition ties to Apostle; many dispute (*Brown*). My note: Deism shrugs—late convert fits better.
“Sons of God” abound—Genesis 6:2, Job 1:6, Romans 8:14, John 1:12 (*Westermann*). John’s “only begotten” (1:18, 3:16) is unique; Psalms 2:7 (David) counters (*Dahood*). John’s Torah gaffes—Law from God, not Moses (*Exodus 20*); Moses saw God (*33:11*). My note: Reason spots ignorance—hate blinds him.
John 8:40 (Jesus as man) clashes with 5:18 (divine)—rewritten, scholars say (*NAB*). “Sons” aren’t God—David, Cyrus anointed (*Isaiah 45:1*). My note: Deism cheers—righteousness, not divinity, counts.
Luke 3:6—all see salvation (*Fitzmyer*). Psalms 2:7—David “begotten” (*Dahood*). Malachi 4:5—Elijah returns (*Hill*); Matthew 17:12 ties to Baptist (*Davies*), John 1:21 denies (*Brown*). Zechariah 9:9-13—peaceful king (*Meyers*). My note: Reason aligns—ethics over myth.
