Did lazarus write the book of john

Out of matthew, mark and luke, the closest gospel to john is luke. The gospel of john, the letters of 1, 2 and 3 john, and revelation saint john the evangelist on patmos by hans burgkmair the writings of john are often assigned the latest dates of all new testament literature, with some secular scholars placing them well into the second century a. It reached its final form around ad 90110, most likely within a johannine community, but the reconstruction of this community, and therefore the social, religious and historical context of the. This is the first time i have ever heard that lazarus wrote the book. In addition, the disciple jesus loved was at the last supper as one of the 12 as evidenced in john. Patristic evidence seems to confirm that john wrote the gospel. The entire episode of lazarus sickness, death, and resurrection worked toward giving glory to god and increasing the faith of jesus followers, just as jesus had said when he heard of lazarus illness. When he heard this, jesus said, this sickness will not. Lazarus, not john, was the disciple whom jesus loved. I also showed why this author was not the same one who produced the fourth gospel, the gospel of john. So the chief priests made plans to kill lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the jews were going over to jesus and putting their faith in him.

This counts against both the theory that john of patmos was john of zebedee and the theory that the latter wrote the fourth gospel. The gospel of john is the fourth of the canonical gospels. Irenaeus is the source of the idea the john lived in ephesus. Fifthly, in john 18, it seems that the beloved disciple is known by the high priest. It most likely reflects a johannine community in conflict with. He easily could have been just that a disciple of jesus who was loved. It brought back memories of my old atheistic resistance to this story and reminded me of john shelby spongs comment a few years back challenging the historicity of this event. There is some controversy over whether he wrote first, second, and third john, but. At the sbl conference last year, ben witherington gave a discussion arguing that the author of the gospel of john was not john zebedee one. I cited the authorship of the fourth gospel as an example. Then we have the book of lazarus which is presently called john 21.

Among a host of other connections, only john and luke mention men named lazarus. Interestingly, authorship of the gospel of john has been contested for a long time. Pause to pray and ask god to use his word to lead you to the truth. Johns living in ephesus, if irenaeus is correct, would have to occur after the coming of the son of man. He was the one whom you love that was sick and the one that jesus wept over prompting the jews to say, see how much he loved him. Lazarus, hebrew eleazar, god has helped, either of two figures mentioned in the new testament the miraculous story of lazarus being brought back to life by jesus is known from the gospel according to john 11. This is a reference not to the apostle john, but to lazarus. John much as we might use the name homer, for example, to refer to. This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true john 21. So john did write the fourth gospel, but not the apostle john, but john lazarus. This one chapter is not a gospel since it covers events after jesus death. John wrote chapters 1 20 and lazarus wrote chapter 21. John of patmos also called john the revelator, john the divine, john the theologian, and possibly john the apostle. Yet only onethe gospel of john claims to be an eyewitness account, the testimony of the unnamed disciple whom jesus loved.

Those people holding that lazarus was literally raised from the dead have no explanation for the gospels of matthew, mark and luke not mentioning this, the most aweinspiring miracle attributed to jesus, other than to say that the gospel authors d. John is traditionally regarded as the author of five books of the bible. Scholars in the twentieth century have tended to doubt. Lazarus chapter 11 the book of john in song youtube. One of my favorite theories is that this person is lazarus indeed. Spong believes the gospel writer someone other than the apostle john, by the way exaggerated the. The text of revelation states that john was on patmos, a greek island where. Perhaps the incognito lazarus also used the name john, which was a common enough name in firstcentury palestine, or perhaps smiths lessthanliteral translations use the name john as shorthand for the author of the book commonly known as the gospel according to st. What if john actually did not write the gospel of john. If lazarus had a bigger role in the discipleship, authored revelation, and is a known missionary for the gospel, then a comparative could be done on the writing style and contents.

It was during this time that jesus and the disciples received the news that their friend lazarus was at the point of death john 11. Lazarus is the only figure of whom it is said that jesus loved him john 11. The book is written anonymously, although it identifies an unnamed disciple whom jesus loved as the source of its traditions, and reached its final form around ad 90110. Learn how the author identifies himself as lazarus whom jesus raisedfrom the. Niv whether lazarus told his neighbors about heaven is only speculation. The gospels, the first four books of the new testament, tell the story of the life of jesus. Perhaps the synoptics omitted the story of lazarus, since the message tends to get lost in the story of so great a miracle, so they only mentioned jairus daughter. The lazarus in the book of luke is different than the lazarus in the book of john. John was a companion of simon peter, and was a fisherman by trade before jesus called him. In the popular view the author of the fourth gospel is normally viewed as the aging apostle john, but it is important to remember that nowhere in the. The author of this book is not a single individual, but is at least three different writerseditors, who did their layered work over a period of 25 to 30 years.

Lazarus, not john, was the disciple whom jesus loved alan rudnick. This mary, whose brother lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the lord and wiped his feet with her hair. The way he refers to himself as the disciple whom jesus loved gives absolutely nothing away until his appearance in the book. John is also traditionally credited with writing 1, 2, and 3rd john as well as the book of revelation. And, of course, death did eventually sever the loving bonds that joined martha to her. In the second facts were cited that indicate this unnamed beloved disciple was lazarus. So the sisters sent word to jesus, lord, the one you love is sick. The question then become, why did the author of johns gospel write of jesus raising lazarus. Ad 69155, who claimed to have been tutored by john. Later, john shows jesus multiplying the loaves and fish to feed the thousands. When one looks closely at that chapter it is clear that jesus exudes the most. Yes, as you mentioned, some people suggest that lazarus was in fact the author of the gospel of john.

Apostle john lived in ephesus christianity stack exchange. It is obvious that lazarus could not have been the author as he was named 15 times throughout the gospel. Lazarus in the bible 7 important truths about his life story. It means lazarus, who yeshua raised from the dead, was also known as john eleazar. However we now have a new bible writer and a new book of the bible. In my previous post i explained why the author of the book of revelation, someone named john, was not claiming to be john the son of zebedee and in fact probably was not john the son of zebedee. Tradition tells us that john was the longest living disciple and that his gospel was probably written last. Many facts make it clear that this is only a parable. A closer study of this gives far more weight to lazarus. Peter himself did not write the gospel, but tradition suggests that he oversaw marks composition. So the gospel of john runs from chapter 1 to chapter 20. It was written from chapter 11 in the gospel of john where jesus raises lazarus from the dead. However, upon closer study, there is another follower of jesus that is.

I find it interesting that john is described as the beloved disciple throughout the bible, yet in the gospel of john, lazarus is actually described as jesus most beloved. According to those holding that lazarus was literally. Early in the book of john, we read about jesus turning water into wine at a wedding celebration. Lazarus of bethany, also known as saint lazarus or lazarus of the four days, venerated in the eastern orthodox church as righteous lazarus the four days dead after he rose again, is the subject of a prominent miracle of jesus in the gospel of john, in which jesus restores him to life four days after his death.

Irenaeus even writes that when he himself was young, he knew another teacher, polycarp, bishop of smyrna c. Yet only onethe gospel of johnclaims to be an eyewitness account, the testimony of the unnamed disciple whom jesus loved. I now believe that john did not write the fourth gospel because it contains. Irenaeus was born in at least 30 years after john died. The love that is mentioned in john s gospel regarding lazarus and the beloved disciple is phileo a deep affection, a love of a dear friend, or a brotherly love. One sunday in church, our pastor preached from john chapter 11, the raising of lazarus. The mentioning of the disciple whom jesus loved is used only after the raising of lazarus in the book of john.

Scholars writing gospel of john commentary often grapple with the. Further, the same murderous hypocrites who killed him were determined to kill lazarus as well, since his resurrection was boosting the faith of so many. Frederick baltz asserts that the lazarus identification, the evidence suggesting that the beloved disciple was a priest, and the ancient john tradition are all correct. A better bible study method, book one chapter 7 the bible versus tradition the jury summation this study presented two cases. The death of lazarus now a man named lazarus was sick. Most intriguing is the fact that the character of the beloved disciple is not introduced until after the lazarus narrative in john 11. In the gospel of john, thomas plays a leading role in two significant accounts. One reason given is the supposed evidence of late authorship, 100 ad or even later. The end of each chapter is saying the same thing, namely that jesus did a whole load more things that are not written in this scroll. Traditionally, john the gospel writer was the disciple whom jesus loved. He went to lazarus tomb and raised him from the dead john 11. Considering the parallels of language between the fourth gospel and the epistles of john which are attributed to a figure named john, perhaps the apostle john helped to oversee lazarus composition of the fourth gospel. Irenaeus, writing at about ad 200, says that the beloved disciple was john, the disciple of jesus, and that john originated the gospel at ephesus.

Lazarus of bethany was the brother of martha and mary and lived at bethany, near jerusalem. This is always a bad sign he would have had to write 1,2,3 john as well because of the similarity of all these writings. Near the end of jesus earthly ministry, some people in judea were plotting the lords demise. Everything became clear when jesus did the unexpected. Lazarus was the disciple whom jesus loved, as per john 11. The love that is mentioned in johns gospel regarding lazarus and the beloved disciple is phileo a deep affection, a love of a dear friend, or a brotherly love. One of them, the disciple whom jesus loved, was reclining. He was from bethany, the village of mary and her sister martha.

I think the gospel was authored by john, the son of zebedee. So if we have two endings then we have two authors. In the case of lazarus vs john, i think contra is right that there is not enough evidence to unseat john as the author. Like the other gospels it is anonymous, although it identifies an unnamed disciple whom jesus loved as the source of its traditions. The account notes that jesus loved lazarus and his. This song is a part of the book of john in song project and features kala balch on lead vocals. He wrote against heresies in about 180 it is this work where he makes the claim. The bible versus tradition the disciple whom jesus loved. The eastern orthodox and roman catholic traditions offer varying. Lazarus aroused curiosity even during the time of jesus. I know this is just history, i know that it is not inspired, but it is interesting. He is also believed to be the only disciple who died of old age the others were allegedly martyred. The gospel commonly called the gospel according to john has for long centuries of church tradition been attributed to john, the brother of james and son of zebedee, one of the twelve apostles.