Outline for

Research paper outline

Thesis: There has been much debate about whom the author of the book of John, however, internal and external evidence provide support that the true author is John, the Son of Zebedee.

1. INTRODUCTION

a. The authorship has been widely dispute over the last 150 years (MacDonald, 1463).

b. The importance of the Gospel of John

i. Author and its interpretation meaning (See first page of Andrews’s article).

ii.

* The Forth Gospel does not bear an author’s name, like the other Synoptic are (D.A. Carson, 68)

* The Forth Gospel as it stands is anonymous, but there is good reason for thinking that John wrote it and that he was beloved disciple who learned on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper and to whom the dying Jesus commended his mother. The impression we get is that John had entered into the mind of Jesus more than any of the other disciples (Elwell, 633-634).

* This gospel was titled “According to John.” (Carson, 229)

* The other four canonical books were written by those whom were close to Jesus or Apostles. (Cannon, 229).

2. BACKGROUND ON THE BOOK OF JOHN

* Audience

* Date

* Varying dates are provided.

* Most common dates fall between 80-100 AD.

* Originally thought to have a second century date until a 1935 fragment of John 18 forced the abandonment of this theory and moved the date much earlier. (lea, 158)

* Message that is portrayed throughout

* The book is written with a simple style and vocabulary that encourages a deep study and reflection (Lea, 156).

3. ISSUES WITH JOHN THE APOSTLE AS AUTHOR

c. JOHN THE ELDER

iii. Papius writes “And If anyone chanced to come who had actually been a follower of the elders, I would enquire as to the discourses of the elders, what Andrew or what Peter or what Phillip, or what Thomas, or James, or what John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples; and things...