May scholars over the past century have claimed that John’s Gospel is the least historically reliable since it was written in the late first century. Essentially, they’ve argued that this text tells us more about the beliefs of the church in that period than it does about the historical Jesus. On this episode, Shane talks with New Testament scholar Daniel Wallace about evidence that points to a much earlier date, along with other matters related to the historical reliability and faithful transmission of the Fourth Gospel. Note: A few clips of this interview were featured on episode 16, but here we’re presenting the entire conversation.
SHOW NOTES
Recommended BooksRevisiting the Corruption of the New Testament, Daniel WallaceRedating the New Testament, John A.T. RobinsonThe Priority of John, John A.T. RobinsonRethinking the Dates of the New Testament, Jonathan BernierRedating Matthew, Mark & Luke, John WenhamNICNT Commentary on The Gospel of John (1995), Leon MorrisConcordia Commentary: John 1:1-7:1, William WeinrichCan We Trust The Gospels? Peter J. WilliamsThe Testimony of the Beloved Disciple, Richard BauckhamJesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard BauckhamGreek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Daniel Wallace
Recommended ArticlesJohn 5:2 & The Date of The Fourth Gospel, Daniel WallaceJohn 5:2 (Part 2) & John 5:2 (Part 3), Daniel WallaceThe Gospel of John: An Introduction, Daniel WallaceThe Authenticity & Genuineness of the Fourth Gospel, J.B. LightfootAuthenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane RosenthalWater Into Wine? Shane RosenthalThe Identity of the Beloved Disciple, Shane RosenthalOutside The Gospels, What Can We Know About Jesus? Shane RosenthalCan We Trust Luke’s History of the Early Jesus Movement? Shane RosenthalSimon of Cyrene: An Intriguing Archaeological Discovery, Shane Rosenthal
Other Related ResourcesHas the Bible Been Miscopied or Mistranslated? Daniel Wallace, WHI #1377Which John Wrote John? Humble Skeptic #50 Questioning The Fourth Gospel, Humble Skeptic #49The Gospels As Eyewitness Testimony, Humble Skeptic #48The Jesus of History, Humble Skeptic #12New Evidence for the Gospels, Peter J. Williams (video)Are the Gospels Reliable? Peter J. Williams & Bart Ehrman (video)An Interview with D.A. Carson, WHI #1456The Historical Reliability of John’s Gospel, Craig Blomberg, WHI #1462
Additional Notes for this Episode• In a recently discovered commentary on John’s Gospel, nineteen-century Cambridge scholar J.B. Lightfoot noted that: “This is the narrative of a person who was an eyewitness of the events he relates, and who writes not half a century later, but within a very few years of the occurrence” (p. 197). Click here to read Lightfoot’s excellent essay on the Authenticity of John’s Gospel.
• In his discussion of John 5:2, Hubert E. Edwards observed that “If words mean anything…these words were first uttered at a time when the sheep gate and the pool, and its five porches were still…standing, and the ‘desolation’ which the Romans left behind in A.D. 70 had not yet taken place.” He also says that if a man spoke of a building in the present tense that had been destroyed decades earlier, we’d probably assume him to be senile. This is from his thoughtful (but hard-to-obtain) book, The Disciple Who Wrote These Things (London: James Clark & Co, 1953), pp. 126-127.
• In the revised edition of his commentary on The Gospel of John (NICNT, 1995), Leon Morris changed his view of the date of the Fourth Gospel and ended up siding with scholars who suggest that it may have been written as early as the 50s or 60s (pp. 25-30).
• In the introduction of his commentary on John 1:1-7:1, (2015), Lutheran theologian William Weinrich provides several compelling reasons for dating John well before the Jewish War in 66 AD (pp. 44-51).
• In his book, Can We Trust The Gospels? (2018), Peter J. Williams says that all four Gospels “are so influenced by Judaism in their outlook, subject matter, and detail that it would be reasonable to date them considerably before the Jewish War” (p. 81).
• In Rethinking the Dates of the New Testament (2022), Jonathan Bernier writes, “Whereas most scholars favor a date for John’s Gospel at or around 90, this study concludes that [it] was most likely written sometime between 60 and 70” (p. 87).
Upcoming Events• Shane will be speaking at the ReThink315 College Camp which will take place on the campus of St. Louis University, July 16-19, 2024.
• On Wednesday, Sept. 18th, Shane will discuss the question, “Is Faith Blind & Irrational?” at an event in Cedar City, Utah (more details coming soon).
• On Friday, Oct. 18th, Shane will be the keynote speaker at the ReThink315 fundraising dinner, which will take place at the Missouri Athletic Club in Des Peres, Missouri. For more information, or to purchase tickets for this event, click here.
• For more information, or to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your next event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM.
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