THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 AND 
 
 THE JOHANNINE PROBLEM 
 
The Joh annine Writings 
 
 AND 
 
 The Joh annine Problem 
 
 NOV 16 1917 
 
 AN AID TO THE CRITICAL STUDY V k ^ 
 
 OF THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE ^v^^/^Cl^Hf SO^ 
 
 By HENRY C VEDDER 
 
 THE GRIFFITH AND ROWLAND PRESS 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 BOSTON CHICAGO ST. LOUIS 
 
 LOS ANGELES NEW YORK TORONTO 
 
Copyright 191 7 by 
 GUY C. LAMSON, Secretary 
 
 Published September, 1917 
 
TO 
 
 MtlUam ©baurr Utlktttsott 
 
 TEACHER, CRITIC. FRIEND. 
 
 A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE 
 
 AND AFFECTION 
 
PREFACE 
 
 Diligent study of literary and historical criticism, and 
 equally diligent practice of composition, in various fields 
 of literature, have been the chief occupation of the writer 
 of this book for half a century. During all these years he 
 has also been a less diligent student, but still fairly 
 diligent, of the Greek language and literature, classical as 
 well as biblical. If, therefore, there is any subject of 
 which he may claim expert knowledge, it is literature; if 
 there is a craft of which he has any mastery, it is the 
 writer's. So that, concerning a literary problem, after 
 he has duly studied it, he hopes that he may venture to 
 speak without incurring suspicion that he is one of 
 those who " rush in where angels fear to tread." On a 
 question of literature, nobody can speak ex cathedra 
 words to be received by others as infallible and irreform- 
 able of themselves ; nor yet with the authority of a judge, 
 who, however fallible, has both the right and duty to 
 decide a case tried before him. All that any critic of 
 literature can claim is, such study and experience as 
 entitle his words to be duly considered and well weighed 
 before they are either accepted or rejected. If the facts, 
 theories, and conclusions herein set forth receive such 
 consideration as this, it is the author's belief that most of 
 them, novel as they may at first appear, will be accepted. 
 
 The kernel of this discussion was first published in 
 the form of a two-part paper entitled " Two Johns or 
 One?" in The Watchman for August 9 and 16, 1900. 
 This was followed by a series of seven articles on the 
 Apocalypse in the same religious newspaper, beginning 
 
 vii 
 
Vlll PREFACE 
 
 June 28, 1906. An essay on the content of the Fourth 
 Gospel appeared in the Reviezv and Expositor of April, 
 1906; while the same periodical published in two suc- 
 cessive numbers (October, 19 12, and January, 191 3) 
 a study of the Epistle of John. The remainder now 
 appears for the first time ; and the older portions have 
 been, for the most part, so altered by revision, excision, 
 and expansion, as to be hardly recognizable by a former 
 reader. 
 
 This has therefore been a labor of love through many 
 years. When mind and body have been wearied by other 
 tasks, rest and refreshment have often been found by 
 turning to this. It has furnished delightful occupation 
 for many vacation days. Some parts of the text have 
 entailed an amount of work so disproportionate to the 
 visible results as to be incredible to any one who has 
 never attempted a like venture — such as the investigation 
 of the Johannine vocabularies. If an author could only 
 be certain that the value of his results might be measured 
 by what they have cost him in toil, with how light a 
 heart could he send a child of his brain out into the 
 world! But one may at least hope that he has done 
 something, if only a little, to promote study and under- 
 standing of a vital part of the most vital of all books. 
 
 Crozer Theological Seminary, 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PART I. A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE 
 JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 According to Modern Literary Canons 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I. The Apocalypse and Its Literary Form . . 3 
 II. Content and Significance of the Apoc- 
 alypse 24 
 
 III. The Fourth Gospel : Its Plan and Literary 
 
 Characteristics 50 
 
 IV. The Content of the Fourth Gospel 80 
 
 V. The Epistles of John: Their Literary 
 
 Characteristics and Content 99 
 
 VI. The Johannine Problem : The External 
 
 Testimony 133 
 
 VII. The Johannine Problem : The Internal 
 
 Evidence 155 
 
 PART II. A NEW TRANSLATION OF THE 
 JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Arranged in Modern Literary Form 
 
 Introduction 207 
 
 I. The Apocalypse 217 
 
 II. The Gospel According to John 266 
 
 III. The First Epistle of John 340 
 
 The Second Epistle of John 351 
 
 The Third Epistle of John 353 
 
 Index 355 
 
PART I 
 
 A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE 
 JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 According to Modern Literary Canons 
 
CHAPTER I 
 THE APOCALYPSE AND ITS LITERARY FORM 
 
 IN one respect at least, the Apocalypse is unique: it 
 claims more divine authority and is accorded less than 
 any other book in the New Testament. Most of the 
 canonical books make no specific claim to inspiration or 
 authority; but the Apocalypse claims both, and to such 
 extent that for anybody to alter a syllable of it is to 
 endanger, or rather to lose, his salvation. And yet it is 
 probably one of the least read books of the Bible. We 
 all have a private canon of our own — certain books or 
 parts of books that we believe to be especially valuable — 
 to which we turn for comfort and instruction. We may 
 believe the whole Bible; we may try to study the whole 
 Bible ; but this is our real Bible. And how many of us 
 include in this private canon the Revelation ? 
 
 And yet this is one of the most interesting, and might 
 be one of the most instructive, of our sacred books. 
 It well deserves to be among those most frequently read 
 and best loved. The lack of honor in which it is at 
 present held has an easily discovered cause; it has been 
 the worst-abused writing in the New Testament. All 
 sorts of wild-eyed cranks have gone to it for con- 
 firmation of their theories, and they have twisted and 
 tortured its words to obtain the desired testimony in their 
 favor, as never heretic was racked in the dungeons of the 
 Inquisition. A welter of conflicting interpretations has 
 gathered about the text, until the average man has con- 
 cluded that nobody knows anything about its meaning — 
 
 3 
 
4 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 that the Revelation is an insoluble mystery, about which 
 he would be foolish to concern himself. And so, pos- 
 sibly excepting the closing chapters, he seldom reads the 
 book; and when he does read it, the light that shines 
 from it serves only to make darkness visible. 
 
 A study of the ordinary commentary on the Revela- 
 tion, and indeed, of most commentaries, invites the con- 
 clusion that if the commentator's method is sound, and 
 his results valid, the sacred writers used language to 
 conceal their thought, which must be painfully dug for 
 and extracted in small fragments. On the contrary, the 
 canon of interpretation should be this: The writers of 
 Scripture used language to convey their thought, and 
 they succeeded at least as well as most writers do. What- 
 ever the content of " inspiration " may be, the influence 
 of the divine Spirit cannot be supposed to have rendered 
 a writer less skilful in his craft than the uninspired. 
 Therefore, a meaning that has to be painfully dug out 
 is not there. Exegesis, as actually practised through the 
 Christian ages, may be defined as the science of dis- 
 covering what the sacred writers never intended to say. 
 Suppose we begin our study with the assumption that the 
 Apocalypse was written, not to conceal thought, but to 
 convey ideas? We may as well dismiss at once the 
 hypothesis that it is a series of puzzles to which nobody 
 can find the key. The Revelation is prophecy, not predic- 
 tion; and they who go to it as an oracle to learn what 
 things are in the womb of the future misuse the book, 
 and will get from it nothing but harm. The idea so long 
 prevalent that the Apocalypse is a treatise on the philos- 
 ophy of history, has done untold mischief, and has hin- 
 dered thousands of readers from gaining any understand- 
 ing of what the book does mean. 
 
 We are to study the Apocalypse as literature. This 
 study of the Bible as literature has only begun of late 
 
apocalypse: literary form 5 
 
 years to be seriously pursued; but it has already thrown 
 much new light on the meaning of the Book. There is 
 still some prejudice against this study, because the pur- 
 pose and method are misapprehended. Literary study 
 of the Bible does not preclude nor hinder, nor even 
 discourage, devotional study, but constitutes an indis- 
 pensable preparation for genuine devotional study. The 
 spiritual content of any writing is conveyed through 
 literary forms, and the content cannot be accurately or 
 fully comprehended until the form has been studied and 
 understood. Literary study is so far from being irreverent 
 that if it should become irreverent it would prove futile ; 
 for it is well understood that no great work of literature 
 can be successfully studied unless it is studied sym- 
 pathetically. Lovers of the Bible should encourage its 
 literary study, because the new method will continually 
 cause new light to break forth from God's word, and his 
 truth will speak to us with fresh emphasis and gain a 
 stronger hold on our faith as we come to appreciate 
 better what an incomparable body of literature is this 
 collection that we call The Book. 
 
 Studied as literature, the Apocalypse takes on a charac- 
 ter wholly new to many readers. We discover that it is a 
 dramatic poem — that is to say, it is a dramatic poem in 
 substance and spirit. Judged by strict literary canons, 
 its form is not always dramatic, and only sometimes 
 poetic. It was one of our greatest English poets who 
 first discovered and announced the book's character — 
 John Milton, when he said: "And the Apocalypse of 
 Saint John is the majestic image of a high and stately 
 tragedy, shutting up and intermingling her solemn scenes 
 and acts with a sevenfold chorus of hallelujahs and harp- 
 ing symphonies." But Milton did not develop his idea, 
 and no one since his day has had the insight and courage 
 to attempt the task. A number of writers have had 
 
6 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 glimpses of the truth, and have given hints to their 
 readers of what might be done, but a systematic study of 
 the book with this as the guiding principle has never 
 been undertaken. 
 
 When we call the Apocalypse a dramatic poem, no one 
 should understand that it was intended to be acted. If 
 the author had ever read a drama, which is more than 
 doubtful, he certainly made no attempt to imitate one. 
 The resemblances of the Apocalypse to a Greek tragedy 
 are few, and of the most superficial kind. The twenty- 
 four Elders play, to some extent, the part of a Greek 
 chorus, and besides their frequent chants, there are others 
 of similar character introduced from time to time. There 
 is occasional dialogue. And with these features the 
 resemblances begin and end. 
 
 Likewise, when the Apocalypse is called a poem, the 
 reader must not look for the Western verse to which he 
 is accustomed, or for verse of the classic period; or he 
 will be disappointed. There is no verse in the Revelation. 
 What rhythm there is (and there is a good deal) is 
 sentence rhythm — rhythm that depends for its eflfect on 
 the balancing of clauses, on the parallelism or antithesis 
 of ideas, not on the regular succession of syllables. It is 
 the rhythm of the Psalms and of Hebrew poetry in 
 general that we find in the Apocalypse. And this is just 
 what we might expect to find there. The whole book 
 shows how the author's mind was steeped in the Old 
 Testament literature; in culture and mentality he is a 
 Hebrew of the Hebrews. What could be more natural 
 than that such a writer should throw his lofty spiritual 
 ideas into the forms of Hebrew poetry? 
 
 One marvels that this striking literary characteristic 
 should have gone so many centuries unmarked. The 
 poetry of the Apocalypse — Hebrew in spirit and form, 
 Greek in words only — is such poetry as the Magnificat 
 
apocalypse: Literary form 7 
 
 (Luke I : 46-55), or the Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2 : 29- 
 32), both of which the Revised Version has had the 
 grace to print in poetic form. Versions of the Psalms, 
 and of part, at least, of the Prophets, have been made at 
 various times, in which the peculiar Hebraic poetic spirit 
 and poetic forms have been given appropriate typograph- 
 ical expression ; but what version even hints at the pres- 
 ence of a poetic element in the Revelation ? And yet one 
 would suppose that nobody who had studied the Psalms 
 could mistake the literary character of such a passage 
 as this: 
 
 And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come; 
 
 And let him that hears say, Come ; 
 
 And let him that is athirst come ; 
 
 Let him that wills take the Water of Life freely. 
 
 Or this : 
 
 To Him that loved us 
 
 And freed us from our sins by his blood. 
 
 And made us a kingdom and priests to God and his Father, 
 
 To Him be honor and power, unto the ages. Amen. 
 
 So much for the literary form of this book. What of 
 the purpose of the writer? What ideas did he attempt 
 to express through this form ? 
 
 The Apocalypse was evidently composed in the midst 
 of a great persecution, to encourage those who were 
 undergoing this fiery ordeal. For our present purpose it 
 matters little what this historic occasion was. Not less 
 evident than this purpose of the writer are his two 
 dominant ideas : the judgment and downfall of the great 
 adversary of the faith, the imperial power of Rome, are 
 both certain and " soon " to occur ; the triumph of the 
 kingdom of God and the reign of Christ as King cannot 
 be withstood or delayed even by the power of mighty 
 Rome, and the reward of those who endure to the end 
 
8 THE JOHANNIXE WRITINGS 
 
 is as certain and as great as the triumph of their King. 
 On these thoughts the changes are rung throughout the 
 book, which becomes at once a prophecy and a war-cry. 
 And what thoughts could have been so well fitted to 
 sustain Christ's witnesses, to give them the hope and 
 courage and enthusiasm that would carry them trium- 
 phantly through their martyrdom? Though apparently 
 losers in the contest with Rome, they would know them- 
 selves to be on the winning side ; and like the soldier who 
 falls in battle, they saw the hour of victory approaching, 
 and died with a smile. None of the canonical books was 
 more highly appreciated by that large section of the 
 early Church which first received it as canonical, than the 
 Apocalypse. And there were good reasons for so high 
 an estimate. 
 
 To understand the book, therefore, we must approach 
 it from the writer's point of view and put ourselves back, 
 so far as we may, into the atmosphere of the first century. 
 The writer has given us a clue to the mass of perplexing 
 details in the one word " soon." To his vision it is the 
 immediate future, not the distant, that is unrolled. He is 
 not attempting to foretell the history of the Church 
 for fifteen or twenty centuries, but to comfort his terribly 
 tried brethren by visions of things that are to take place 
 in the near future — within the lifetime, probably, of many 
 who should read. This thought is so often repeated as 
 to leave no possibility of doubt as to the writer's purpose. 
 He describes his book in the opening sentences as the 
 revelation of things that must shortly come to pass ; and 
 the conclusion of the title, or introductory section, is, " the 
 crisis is at hand" (i : 3). Marks of the speedy accom- 
 plishment of the visions abound throughout the book 
 (e. g., I : 19; 3 : 11; 6 : 11; 10 : 6, 7). To leave no 
 room for doubt in the minds of his readers, he repeats his 
 assertions in the closing verses of the last vision {22 : 6, 
 
apocalypse: literary form 9 
 
 7, 10), and adds another equally emphatic declaration, 
 twice repeated by Jesus himself, *' Behold, I am coming 
 quickly" (22 : 12, 20). How can there be any question 
 after this of John's point of view and the scope of his 
 
 visions 
 
 The beginning of all study of a writing must be to in- 
 quire what the author meant to convey by it, and what 
 would naturally be understood by those for whom he 
 wrote. The beginning of all study must be this, but not 
 necessarily the end. A book certainly does mean what its 
 author consciously puts into it, but it may mean a good 
 deal more. This is true of any great work of human 
 genius. A Shakespeare, a Browning, says a vast deal 
 more to the world through his writings than ever passed 
 through his own mind. Literature — especially that form 
 of literature which we call poetry — is like music and 
 painting, in that its office is not merely to say, but to sug- 
 gest. It conveys thought, but it also stimulates thinking. 
 And in a great drama, as in a great symphony, there is not 
 only all the meaning of which the composer was conscious, 
 but quite as truly, all the meaning that anybody finds there. 
 
 The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, 
 
 Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to 
 
 heaven ; 
 And as imagination bodies forth 
 The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen 
 Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing 
 A local habitation and a name. 
 
 So the seer, in his " fine frenzy," bodies forth what were 
 otherwise vague and shadowy ideas of the invisible world, 
 and gives a local habitation and a name to things spiritual. 
 There is this difference mainly: the poet's inspiration is 
 love of the beautiful; the seer's, love of the holy. One 
 seeks to give men pleasure ; the other, to make men better. 
 And if it is true that men of genius, of whom in their 
 
10 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 loftier moments we speak as " inspired," have given to 
 the world a message more meaningful than they ever 
 dreamed, how much more may we expect to find this true 
 of any writing composed under special uplift and guidance 
 of the Spirit of God! If there were not in it a deeper, 
 richer, broader significance than was comprehended by 
 the writer and his generation, if continual study did not 
 reveal to us new vistas of meaning, and disclose striking 
 applications of its content to conditions undreamt of by 
 its author — should we not have good reason for doubting 
 its claim to inspiration? If even a poem that claims 
 no more than human origin cannot exhaust its meaning 
 to a single generation, but grows in interest and power 
 and value with the centuries, can a book that claims to 
 come from God be expected to do less ? 
 
 In view of such reasonable presumptions as these, the 
 disparaging remarks made regarding the Apocalypse by 
 some of the most orthodox scholars are not a little re- 
 markable. Sir William Ramsay, for example, says : " The 
 apocalyptic form of literature was far from being a 
 high one; and the Apocalypse of John suffers from the 
 unfortunate choice of this form: only occasionally is the 
 author able to free himself from the chilling influence 
 of that fanciful and extravagant mode of expression." ^ 
 One fears that the capacity to appreciate poetry was 
 somehow left out of the composition of this accomplished 
 scholar. His criticism reminds us irresistibly of the 
 story of the great mathematician who was persuaded 
 to read " Paradise Lost," and for his only comment said, 
 "After all, what does it prove?" Of course it is not 
 incumbent upon any student of the Apocalypse, however 
 orthodox, to maintain that its literary art is perfect. 
 The imperfection of the book, however, consists not in 
 the fact that the author adopted the apocalyptic form, 
 
 1 " The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia," New York, 1905, p. 72. 
 
apocalypse: literary form ii 
 
 but that he did not consistently adhere to it. Any piece 
 of literature, to be fully successful as a work of art, must 
 make choice of one form or method, and maintain it 
 throughout. Here wc have an apocalypse that is not 
 purely apocalyptic, but is partially epistolary. Each 
 method of composition has its own laws, and the two can- 
 not be successfully mingled in a single work. By mingling 
 them, the author made unity of form impossible. This 
 has led some to say that the letters to the churches which 
 form the introductory section were an afterthought; but 
 more careful study of the book excludes this possibility, 
 since, as will be presently made clear, the letters are an 
 integral part of the composition. Their insertion mars 
 unity of form, but it secures unity of plan. 
 
 As for John's choice of the apocalyptic form, which 
 seems so reprehensible to Doctor Ramsay, nothing more 
 need be said to explain it to the average reader who is 
 not a great scholar than that it was a common form 
 of Jewish literature. John conforms to literary canons 
 already well established. It is the privilege of a modern 
 reader to believe that there are better literary forms, but 
 to quarrel with John for his choice is as reasonable as 
 it would be to berate the author of sonnets because he 
 did not write an epic. It is the privilege of any writer 
 to choose his own form of expression, and the world 
 should accept his product and be grateful for anything 
 good contained in it. The Jewish apocalypses all pro- 
 fessed to be pictures of forthcoming events, received in 
 a state of ecstatic vision. This was little more than 
 a recognized literary fiction, to be taken hardly more 
 seriously than the device of modern romancers who pro- 
 fess to have discovered an ancient manuscript containing 
 their tale. But while the modern romancer does not ex- 
 pect to be literally believed, the apocalyptic prophet did 
 expect to be believed as to the substance of his mes- 
 
12 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 sage, and usually was believed. Nobody could write the 
 solemn warning of Revelation 22 : 18, 19, who did not 
 take himself and his message with utmost seriousness. 
 
 In saying that John wrote for his own time, and to 
 reveal the things soon to occur, one by no means excludes 
 the presence of other and deeper meanings. To dis- 
 cover these, however, is not the purpose of the present 
 study. But one may properly add just here his convic- 
 tion that the Church of all ages has not been astray in 
 setting a high estimate upon this book, though it has been 
 sadly misused and abused. The Revelation has always 
 taught true believers that, however mighty may appear 
 to be the power of evil, Christ rules his world; and the 
 victory of his Church is certain iV it continues in the 
 faith delivered to the saints. No book in the New Tes- 
 tament has shown greater power to sustain Christian 
 faith and hope and courage, and to inspire Christ's fol- 
 lowers to fidelity and endurance. Even in the midst of 
 apparent defeat. Christian faith still looks eagerly for- 
 ward to the Great Consummation; and still says, in the 
 present tense, as of a thing so certain that it may be 
 taken as already done. 
 
 The kingdom of the world is become 
 
 The kingdom of our Lord and his Anointed 
 
 And he will reign to the ages of the ages. 
 
 II 
 
 German critics have gone daft during the present 
 generation over the " partition theory " of the New Testa- 
 ment. There is hardly one of the canonical writings 
 that these critics are now willing to accept as the product 
 of a single mind and hand; and the hypothesis of com- 
 posite authorship is urged with special persistence and 
 ingenuity in the case of the Apocalypse. The chief 
 
apocalypse: literary form 13 
 
 problem now regarding this book is not whether " John " 
 wrote it, and if so, what John, but whether anybody wrote 
 it. The enterprise of resolving the various books of the 
 Bible into a number of independent documents has in no 
 case been more vigorously prosecuted than in this. Critics 
 like Volter and Briggs present what may without injus- 
 tice be called the scissors-and-paste theory of the origin 
 of the Apocalypse. 
 
 Volter's idea of the original book is that it consisted of the 
 following passages: 1:4-6; chapters 4 to 9 inclusive (with slight 
 changes in 4 : i and S : 9, and omitting a few words in 5 : 6, 10 ; 
 6 : 16 and the verses 5 : 11-14 and 7 : 9-17) ; 10 : 14 to 13 : 18 
 (saving a few words in 11 : 15, 18) ; 14 : 1-8 (all but a few 
 words of 14 : i) ; 18 : I to 19 : 4 (save two words in 18 : 20) ; 
 14 : 14-20; 19 : 1-5. This original composition was by "John," 
 about A. D. 65. Another book by an unknown author was com- 
 posed a few years later, say A. D. 70, and consisted of 10 : 17; 
 II : 1-13; 12 : 1-16; the whole of chapters 15 and 17; 19 : 11 
 to 22 : 6. These two independent compositions were combined 
 by an editor in Trajan's time (A. D. 114), who added the fol- 
 lowing passages: 5:6, 9; 6 : 16; 7 : 9-17; 12 : 17; 13 : 18; 
 14 : 9-12; 15 : 1-4, 7; 16 : 2; 19 : 5-ioa; 14 : 8; also a little in 
 chapters 18 and 19, more in 21 : 9 seq. ; and 22 : 8, 9. Finally, 
 another editor, in Hadrian's reign, contributed a preface and a 
 note here and there, such as: 1:1-3; i : 9 to 3 : 22; 14 : 13; 
 16 : 15 ; 19 : lob; 22 : 7, 10 seq. 
 
 It would perhaps be wasting space to comment on 
 the details of this rediictio ad absurdiim of the critical 
 method as practised in Germany. There have been 
 many profound scholars in that country whose literary 
 ineptitude is a thing to marvel at, but not to admire. 
 Still, the method has so many admirers and imitators 
 among ourselves that it may be worth while to point out 
 briefly two weighty objections that apply both to the 
 method in general and to this application of it in par- 
 ticular. Either objection deserves to be called weighty: 
 together, they make the theory and its results incredible. 
 
14 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 The first objection is furnished by the book itself. 
 To one practised in the study of literature, the Apoc- 
 alypse proves its own unity as a composition. The im- 
 press of the same hand is found on every part. The 
 unity of purpose, of style, discoverable throughout the 
 book, proves that a single mind brought together these 
 visions, whether he composed all of them, or merely 
 some of them, or none of them. Somebody has made of 
 these diverse materials one book. And whatever pre- 
 existing materials he may have employed, and however 
 incongruous they may have been in their original form, 
 they have been interfused in the alembic of a single 
 personality. These materials may have been as Jewish, 
 or as pagan, as any one pleases ; but in passing into this 
 alembic of a Christian consciousness, the carbon has 
 somehow been crystallized into the diamonds of Chris- 
 tian truth. A composite authorship is a hypothesis im- 
 possible of reconciliation with the testimony of the book 
 itself. The ultimate verdict of Christian scholarship, 
 we may be sure, will accept the testimony of the book — 
 will set aside these vagaries of criticism, and find an 
 explanation of the perplexing features of the Apocalypse 
 that is consistent with the fundamental literary fact of 
 a single authorship. 
 
 The second objection to such methods and results 
 as those of Volter is that the " editor " or " redactor," 
 who is so indispensable a personage in these critical 
 theories, is a being " of imagination all compact." He is 
 a figment of the modern critic's too ingenious mind. The 
 " editor " never existed in ancient times ; he is the prod- 
 uct of that modern scholarship which began with the 
 Renaissance. No ancient book was ever composed by 
 a process such as Volter supposes. Neither Oriental 
 nor classical literature knows anything of a " redactor." 
 We have authors and their books, and we have nothing 
 
apocalypse: literary form 15 
 
 else. Some ancient books are original (so far as we 
 know), and others make large use of previous materials. 
 Our modern literary conventions and modern literary 
 ethics were alike unknown. Authors used without 
 scruple or concealment any existing materials germane 
 to their purpose; and no author dreaded being called 
 a plagiarist. But — and this is the important point — he 
 used preexisting documents for his own purpose. He 
 did not piece together a crazy-quilt of unrelated docu- 
 ments ; he wrote a book with a definite purpose and with 
 a clear plan, borrowing for this book (and sometimes 
 using unskilfully) whatever he fancied in the literature 
 known to him. 
 
 Besides these two objections — which together, as has 
 been said, are fatal to the partition theory — there is a 
 third, which Jiilicher has urged in his " Introduction to 
 the New Testament." It is what may be called the 
 cumulative improbability of the results reached by apply- 
 ing this method in turn to nearly every New Testament 
 book. " If these gentlemen are right," says Jiilicher, 
 " the Almighty must have set from ninety to a hundred 
 and twenty hands in motion during the first and second 
 centuries to produce a mutilation, unparalleled elsewhere, 
 of all the New Testament texts, with the sole object of 
 creating a field for the brilliant display of the ingenuity 
 of modern historians, for whom no other task is now 
 worthy of notice." - 
 
 Nevertheless, the work of these critics has not alto- 
 gether been wasted. Their diligence has cleared up the 
 meaning of many obscure passages. They have proved 
 that we can discover to a considerable ext^^nt the mate- 
 rials that the author probably borrowed from earlier 
 writings. They have shown it to be extremely likely 
 that he used a Jewish Apocalypse or Apocalypses and 
 
 ■"Introduction to the New Testament," New Yotk, 1904, p. 30. 
 
l6 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 adapted this previous writing in whole or in part to his 
 own scheme. Light is thrown upon the author's literary 
 methods by the fact that of the four hundred and four 
 verses into which the book has been divided, two hun- 
 dred and seventy-eight contain references to the Old 
 Testament. Yet there are few exact quotations. This 
 makes it probable that the writer used his other sources, 
 whatever they were, in a similar independent manner. 
 Some have also suggested the hypothesis that the visions 
 of which the book consists may have been composed at 
 different times in the author's life, and not put together 
 all at once in their present form. This would help to 
 solve some of the chronological and other difficulties. 
 And there is so much truth as this in Volter's theory: 
 that there may very probably be interpolations here and 
 there by a later hand or hands. Moreover, the " I, 
 John " of 22 : 8 might be interpreted to mean that 
 the book as a whole had been dictated to an amanuensis 
 (as it is tolerably certain was the case with the letters 
 of Paul), and that John now adds a brief epilogue with 
 his own hand. This hypothesis would help to explain 
 some of the crudities of style. At any rate, the author 
 is no master of architectonics. But it will be wise to 
 test these and other like hypotheses rigorously, and to 
 resort to them only where they are required to explain 
 something otherwise inexplicable. Most of the errors 
 of criticism result from treatment of a possibly useful 
 hypothesis as if it were unquestioned and unquestionable 
 fact. i 
 
 That the book is the product of a single mind is, we 
 repeat, the conclusion to which literary study unmistak- 
 ably points. This is because in every part of the book 
 the influence of a single, definite, striking personality 
 is felt. " Do his works reveal to us a real man? If so, 
 they must be the genuine composition of a true person; 
 
apocalypse: literary form 17 
 
 110 pseudonymous work has ever succeeded, or could suc- 
 ceed, in exhibiting the supposititious writer as a real 
 personaHty." ^ These words of Ramsay regarding Luke 
 are equally applicable to John. The style of the Apoc- 
 alypse is unique, and the style is the man. None of the 
 New Testament books has so peculiar features ; and these 
 are found not in any single chapter, but throughout the 
 book. The key to most of these peculiarities is this: 
 we have here an author who writes in Greek, but thinks 
 in Hebrew. His mother speech is Aramaic ; and he has 
 acquired his Greek, not in a literary way, through teach- 
 ers and books, but by colloquial use. He has conse- 
 quently acquired it well enough to make it serve him 
 as a medium of expression, but not well enough to write 
 it correctly. Therefore his idioms are often the idioms 
 of the Old Testament ; and he ignores Greek grammar 
 to a degree that is extraordinary and surprising. No 
 other extant specimen of Greek literature contains so 
 many solecisms. Examples are all but innumerable, and 
 are found in every part of the book, which is to most 
 minds one of the strongest reasons for believing in a 
 single authorship. 
 
 The author follows the Hebrew idiom by putting in the 
 nominative case the word in apposition to any oblique case: 
 TTjV yuvaJxa Ut^djizX ^ liyouaa ("the woman Jezebel who calls 
 herself"), 2 : 20; cf . I : 5 ; 2 : 7, 13; 3 : 8, 13; 4 : i; 11 : 18; 
 12 : 6; 14 : 12, 19; 20 : 2. He is particularly fond of doing 
 this with a participle: cpov-qv . , . kiyovre^ ("a voice . . . say- 
 ing"), 5 : 12; cf. 14 : 6, 7, 12, 13, 14. Other clear cases of 
 Aramaic influence are: (i) Changing from a participial construc- 
 tion to indicative, which is quite proper in Hebrew but, to say 
 the least, irregular in Greek : rw ayaTzwvrc ijiia^ . . . xai i-Koifjaev 
 ("to him that loves us . . . and has made"), i : 5, 6; 2 : 2, 9; 
 7 : 14. (2) The singular number used for the plural, a clear 
 Hebraism: Svofxa ("name") for dvofiara, 17 : 8. (3) ol6g 
 ("son"), 12 : 5, used as "child," needing aptrev ("male") to 
 
 ^ Sir William Ramsay, "Luke the Physician," New York, 1908, p. 31. 
 B 
 
l8 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 be added to make the sex certain. (4) The use of nude<i in the 
 sense of " legs " rather than " feet," is not infrequent in the 
 Old Testament. (See Deut. 28 : 57; i Sam. 17 : 6; Isa. 7 : 20.) 
 
 (5) The constant use of «*? in the sense of " as it were," " in 
 the likeness of," equivalent to the Hebrew •? — not a Greek usage. 
 
 (6) The superfluous pronoun, of so frequent occurrence : rai 
 vcxwyrt, dtutru) aurui (paytlv ("to him that conquers, I will give 
 him to eat"), 2 : 17; cf. 3 : 8; 6 : 4; 7 : 9. 
 
 Other characteristic irregularities not so distinctly Hebraistic 
 in flavor are: (i) The coordination of a participle and a 
 finite verb by the definite article : q Xiyouaa . . . xat diodaxzi 
 ("who calls herself . . . and teaches"), 2 : 20; cf. i : 4, 8, etc. 
 (2) Confusion of moods and tenses, as in 3 : 9 and 16 : 4; of 
 genders, as in 4 : i, 8; 16 : 9; 21 : 14; and cases, as 17 : 4, and 
 the jumble of 18 : 13; and prepositions, as a-6 ("from") for 
 ini ("upon, over, unto") in 9: 18. (3) Treatment of tov 
 ("being") as an indeclinable noun, as in i : 4, 8; 4 : 8; 11 : 17; 
 16 : 5. (4) Disregard of the ordinary rules of syntax, as 
 where diddaxetv ("teach") and ahe'iv ("praise") are followed 
 by a dative, 2 : 14 and 19 : 5. The total disregard of gender, 
 number, and case is often startling: as, Ouiiiaixarmv at eiffcv 
 ("incense which are"), 5:8; rtD Orjpt'u) 09 e/££ ("the beast 
 which has"), 13: 14; Tzacddptov . . . oi e^e: ("a lad . . . who has") 
 is a rare case in the Gospel. (John 6:9.) (5) Unaccountably 
 varied constructions. One of the commonest phrases of the 
 book is, " sitting upon the throne." But irci is followed by the 
 dative three times, and by a genitive fifteen times, with no 
 assignable reason in any case for the choice of one form rather 
 than the other. Indeed, the author loves to play with ^-{^ as 
 this variation in the same sentence will show : i-Tzl rrjg daXd<Tari<}, 
 fiTJTs iiri Tc divdpov ("upon the sea, nor on any tree"), 7 : i. 
 Another curious variation of style is that while the author knows 
 the instrumental dative and sometimes uses it (5:2; 14 : 18), 
 he is overfond of the h with the dative to express instrument 
 (6 : 8; 9 : 10; 12 : 5; 14 : 2; 16 : 8; 17 : 16; 18 : 2; 19 : 2, IS, 
 20, 21). After 6ixoio<s ("like") he sometimes uses the accusative 
 (i : 13; 14 : 14) ; but the dative, twenty times. And occasion- 
 ally he invents a sjmtax of his own, as where he follows ooai 
 ("woe") by the accusative, 8: 13; 12: 12. And when everything 
 else fails him, he can still resort to an anacoluthon, of which this 
 is a fine instance: xai 6 vixZv . . . dmaio aurip ("and he that 
 conquers, I will give him"), 2 : 26; cf. 11 : i. 
 
apocalypse: literary form 19 
 
 Godet argues that the solecisms of the Apocalypse can- 
 not be due to ignorance of Greek grammar, because other 
 passages show that the writer knew the proper syntax. 
 The alleged solecisms must therefore be intentional, and 
 must have a significance. For example, the misuse of 
 the participle in i : 4 is to bring into greater prominence 
 the idea of God's immutability. The explanation is too 
 fanciful to win acceptance. And besides, by that sort 
 of reasoning one could prove that no writer was ever 
 guilty of a solecism. The trouble with the solecistic 
 writer is not so much that he is ignorant of grammatical 
 rules, as that he will not observe them. 
 
 Aside from the evidence of unity afforded by these 
 characteristics of style, the student will find equally 
 convincing the unity of plan that is maintained through- 
 out — a plan that is both original and consistent. It was 
 determined by the author's view of the symbolism of 
 numbers, and especially of the number seven. It is 
 literally true to say of the author of the Apocalypse that 
 he thinks in sevens; as is shown by the fact that the 
 word is used forty-two times in this comparatively brief 
 composition, against thirty-three in all the rest of the 
 New Testament. This peculiar feature begins in the first 
 chapter, and extends almost to the very end. We read 
 of seven lamps, seven angels, seven stars, seven churches, 
 at the very beginning. The lamb has seven horns and 
 seven eyes ; the mysterious book has seven seals, the 
 opening of which is accompanied by seven marvels. 
 Seven trumpets are blown ; seven bowls are emptied ; 
 seven thunders utter their voices ; seven thousand are 
 killed in an earthquake ; the Dragon has seven heads, and 
 so has the wild Beast who comes up out of the sea, and 
 the scarlet Beast of the Woman. Of course, the author 
 had abundant precedent for this sort of thing in the Old 
 Testament, which is full of sevens: seven priests with 
 
20 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 seven trumpets went around Jericho seven days, and 
 seven times on the seventh day. In the Jewish calendar 
 the seventh day was sacred, and special services were 
 held in the seventh month. Every seventh year was 
 sabljtic, and every seven-times-seventh year a jubilee. 
 We need not be surprised, then, to find as we do when 
 we carry our study a little further, that this number 
 is not only found in the incidental features of the 
 visions, but that it is the key to the entire literary struc- 
 ture of the Apocalypse. The book consists of seven 
 visions; and in all but the last of these, seven subdivisions 
 are also clearly indicated. A little ingenuity might, for 
 the sake of perfect regularity, divide the last vision also 
 into seven paragraphs ; but in the absence of plain indica- 
 tions of the author's intention, it is more fair to conclude 
 that he abandoned mathematical regularity at this point 
 as not appropriate to his theme, 
 
 III 
 
 Our interpretation of the book will necessarily be more 
 or less affected by our idea of the time at which it was 
 composed. This is one of the matters about which critics 
 have differed almost angrily from very early times. The 
 difficulty of arriving at approximate agreement upon a 
 date does not arise from the facts, or from legitimate 
 inferences from the facts, so much as from inferences 
 that the facts do not warrant, and from suppressed 
 premises in the reasoning that, if clearly stated, would 
 seem to be indefensible. A good example of these sup- 
 pressed premises is this : The Apocalypse was all written 
 at one time; therefore, when you have proved a part of 
 the book to have been written at a certain date, you have 
 found a date for the whole. Merely to state this premise 
 is to refute it; yet it causes most of the disputes about 
 the time when the Apocalypse was written. 
 
ArocALvrsi: ; literary form 21 
 
 Certain facts are so plain to any careful reader as to be 
 almost indisputable. The writer in all probability knew 
 of the great fire in Rome in A. D, 64, and draws from 
 it some of his most striking imagery. (18 : 8-10.) Yet 
 it is evident from 11 : i, 2, 8 that he knew nothing of 
 the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. 
 These facts point irresistibly to the year 68 as the ap- 
 proximate date of the composition of this part of the 
 book. And the entire visions of the Seals and the 
 Trumpets demand for their understanding the back- 
 ground of events furnished by the years shortly after 
 Nero. Wars and rumors of wars were on every hand. 
 It was the time of the revolt of Vindex and Civilis in 
 Gaul, the rise and fall of Galba and Otho, Vitellius 
 gathering forces for contest in the East with Vespasian, 
 the Parthians beyond the Euphrates threatening irrup- 
 tion, the legions of Titus closing around Jerusalem. The 
 writer might well see in these omens the presage of 
 Rome's destruction, if not the destruction of all things. 
 There was no such clash of forces in the last decade 
 of the century; no such general sense of impending 
 doom existed to which a writer might make successful 
 appeal. Domitian's reign furnishes a ludicrously inade- 
 quate background for this part of the Apocalypse. 
 
 On the other hand, the reader will find equally clear 
 evidence that portions of the book could not reasonably 
 be assigned to the time of Nero and the years immediately 
 following — they fit that situation as little as the visions 
 of Seals and Trumpets fit Domitian's reign. Chapters 
 13 and 17 are specimens of these portions of the Apoc- 
 alypse. The Beast and his worship is evidently intended 
 to mean the new imperial cult that was set up in Asia 
 Minor in Domitian's time, but did not exist there in 
 Nero's. In 17 : to, Vespasian, the sixth emperor, is 
 represented as reigning. And in addition to this weighty 
 
2.2 THE JOIIANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 internal evidence, we have external testimony to the 
 completion and publication of the book at about A. D, 
 97 which cannot be disregarded. Irenasus tells us that 
 John's vision " was seen no very long time since, but 
 almost in our day, toward the end of Domitian's reign." 
 Eusebius gives full credit to this statement in his history.* 
 Acceptance of it as fact, of course, does not exclude the 
 hypothesis that this was merely the time when the book 
 was finally made ready for publication, while parts of 
 it may have been written earlier by John, or he may at 
 this time have included in a writing of his portions of 
 an earlier document or documents by another hand. Be- 
 tween the several possible theories that will account for 
 all the facts and deny none, we have no convincing 
 reasons for choice; nor is a choice at all important for 
 the study and interpretation of the book. 
 
 EXCURSUS TO CHAPTER I 
 
 The vocabulary of the Apocalypse consists of nine 
 hundred and thirteen words, of which one hundred and 
 eight are not used elsewhere in the New Testament, and 
 ninety-eight others are used elsewhere but once. The 
 distribution of words that are more or less distinctive 
 is interesting and important, for its bearing on the ques- 
 tion of the integral quality of the writing. ^ Ayyzloz 
 is used sixty-seven times in seventeen chapters ; ddixs7u 
 is found in chapters 2, 6, 7, 9 (thrice), 11 (twice), 22; 
 «£oiv, twenty-four times in eleven chapters ; dpviou, 
 twenty-seven times in eleven chapters ; ^aadeuc:, twenty- 
 one times in ten chapters, while ^aacXe'ia and ^aacXtuio 
 are together used about the same number of times and 
 with equal distribution. Bpovnj occurs ten times in eight 
 chapters; ivcoizcoi^ , thirty-five times in fifteen chapters; 
 
 * Irenaeus, Adv. Haer., V, xxx, 3; Eusebius, H. E., Ill, xviii. 3. 
 
ArocALvrsE: literary form 23 
 
 ddXaaaa, twenty-six times in fifteen chapters ; dr^fnoi^y 
 thirty-eight times in nine chapters ; dpo'^o^, forty-eight 
 times in seventeen chapters; cTtno^ is found in chapters 
 6 (four times), 9 (five times), 14, 18, 19 (five times); 
 [lapropia and its cognates are found eighteen times in 
 eleven chapters ; p-^yoJZ, eighty times in eighteen chapters ; 
 vzipkhj occurs in chapters i, 10, 11, 14 (thrice); x^cxaoi 
 is used most frequently in chapters 2 and 3, but is also 
 found in 5, 6, 12, 13, 15, 17, 21 ; ohpavbz occurs fifty- 
 three times in seventeen chapters ; Ttavroxpdrcop (used but 
 once elsewhere, 2 Cor. 6 : 18) is found in chapters i, 4, 
 II, 15, 16, 19, 21; Tzepi^dUo) is found in chapters 3, 4, 
 7, 10, II, 12, 17, 18, 19; TTop is used twenty-four times in 
 seventeen chapters ; TzpocprjTVJco and its cognates are found 
 in chapters i, 10, 11, 16, 19, 23; (fcovij is used fifty-five 
 times in sixteen chapters. This list might be increased 
 to considerably greater proportions, especially by an 
 examination of the distinctive phrases of the book. The 
 result of this inductive study of the distribution of 
 words in the 'Apocalypse is to shatter completely the 
 theory of composite authorship. It has not a leg left 
 to stand on. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 CONTENT AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 
 APOCALYPSE 
 
 I. The Vision of the Son of Man 
 
 A DRAMATIC poem must be differently interpreted 
 from a historical writing like the Acts of the Apos- 
 tles, or a letter like the Epistle to the Romans. Historical 
 prose gives us plain fact that may be tested by our senses ; 
 epistolary prose has greater freedom and variety of ex- 
 pression, but still for the most part gives us the lan- 
 guage of plain fact; poetry, on the contrary, gives us 
 not fact, but truth — truth as seen not by the eye, but 
 by the imagination. To read poetry literally, as we read 
 history, is to read all the meaning out of it. This must 
 be our cardinal principle for the interpretation of the 
 Apocalypse. 
 
 In this vision John beholds " One like a son of man." 
 He was clothed in a garment that indicates priestly func- 
 tions ; but the other attributes assigned to him are rather 
 those of royalty. Many of the details of this imagery 
 are suggested by passages in the Old Testament, espe- 
 cially Daniel's vision of the Ancient of Days. (Dan. 7 * 
 9-14.) The white hair, shining like wool or snow, sig- 
 nifying that in him are hid all the treasures of knowledge 
 and of wisdom ; eyes whose burning glances penetrate 
 through the secret of men's inmost hearts; his legs 
 glowing as in the white heat of a furnace, ready to con- 
 sume the enemies on whom he treads; the two-edged 
 sword going out of his mouth, the symbol of executive 
 24 
 
apocalypse: content and significance 25 
 
 authority, of sovereign power, of the judicial function of 
 the word of God (cf. Heb. 4 : 12) ; the face, shining hke 
 the tropical sun, from whose deadly rays man and beast 
 alike flee for shelter; the voice, powerful as the surf 
 booming on the shores of Patmos — these are all marks of 
 royal majesty and power. It is Jesus whom John sees, 
 but Jesus the High Priest of his people and King of all 
 the earth. 
 
 The letters to the churches that follow are not an 
 afterthought, inserted at the beginning of the Apocalypse 
 because there was no other place for them, but an integral 
 part of the book. The often repeated phrase, " Let him 
 hear what the Spirit says to the churches," refers, of 
 course, not merely to the letters, but to the series of 
 visions that follow. The seven churches are a further 
 example of the author's symbolism. They were not an 
 exhaustive enumeration of the churches in Asia (even 
 in the narrow sense in which the Romans used that name) , 
 but are representatives of all the churches — the great 
 assembly of believers. More than this, they are symbolic 
 presentations of the ideal church, in its divine origin and 
 human frailty, in its gifts and graces as well as its 
 errors and defects, in its fidelity under persecution and its 
 lukewarmness in comparative prosperity — and above all, 
 in its assured final victory. The details of this first vision 
 present little difficulty. It is full of symbolism, but the 
 meaning of the symbols is quite obvious. The " seven 
 Spirits of God," for example, is merely the expression of 
 that perfection which results from unity amid diversity — 
 John's way of conceiving the one Spirit working in mani- 
 fold ways. Names as well as numbers are likely to be 
 symbolic in the Apocalypse, and the Jezebel of the fourth 
 letter is evidently such a case. The church in Thyatira 
 doubtless contained members who had the characteris- 
 tics of that infamous queen — licentiousness and idolatry. 
 
26 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 They were relapsing into their former heathen practices, 
 and the church is rebuked because it lacked moral energy 
 to oppose and overcome them, but tolerated the evil. 
 
 Who and what are the Angels of the churches? A 
 great deal of learning and subtlety have been wasted on 
 the discussion of this matter. A comparatively recent 
 suggestion is that there was an officer of the synagogue 
 who bore a title of which dyye?.o(; was the Greek equiva- 
 lent, one of whose functions was something like that of 
 the modern church clerk. But evidence is lacking to 
 show that such an office as this existed at the time when 
 John wrote ; it is not alluded to in the Mishna. The mat- 
 ter seems really quite simple ; it is only the ingenuity of 
 commentators that has made it appear so complex. If 
 John's symbolism of angels throughout the book is care- 
 fully examined, his meaning here becomes unmistakable. 
 The seven Angels are the personifications or representa- 
 tives in heaven of the seven churches. They are also, as 
 their name signifies, the messengers through whom the 
 letters are supposed to be conveyed to the churches on 
 earth. 
 
 2. The Vision of the Seven Seals 
 
 This vision would probably never have been written, 
 at least in anything like its present form, if the author 
 had not been familiar with the visions of the Hebrew 
 prophets — especially the two described in the first chap- 
 ter of Ezekiel and the sixth chapter of Isaiah. For the 
 understanding of such writings, there is needed first 
 of all some comprehension of Oriental habits of mind 
 and speech in dealing with religious ideas. These habits 
 are very different from the ways of Western peoples, 
 and some efifort on our part is necessary to adjust our- 
 selves to them. If we attempt to interpret an Oriental 
 writing as we would interpret a European book, the 
 
apocalypse: content and significance 27 
 
 result will be either puzzlement or misunderstanding. 
 We of the West are wont to clothe our general religious 
 ideas in abstract terms; while the man of the East ex- 
 presses his in concrete forms. We speak of God's 
 omnipresence; the Oriental beholds an animal with 
 "seven" wings. We say that God is omniscient; the 
 Oriental pictures a creature full of eyes. Where we 
 think of God's power in the abstract, and call it omnipo- 
 tence, the Oriental figures the activity of a lion, or the 
 irresistible force of a bull. 
 
 And when we do attempt to clothe our ideas in con- 
 crete forms, we have literary canons that the Oriental 
 does not acknowledge. We insist on the congruity of 
 our images; they must be capable of being pictured 
 on canvas, or at least in the imagination. But the 
 Oriental mind lacks what artists call " visual imagina- 
 tion " ; it does not require congruity ; it accumulates image 
 upon image, figure upon figure, each having its distinct 
 meaning; and is quite careless whether the ensemble 
 is depictable. To our Western taste, the result of such 
 imagery approaches the bizarre, the grotesque — almost 
 the ridiculous. 
 
 With this key, the Vision of the Seven Seals is easily 
 unlocked. John sees God upon his throne, and exhausts 
 Oriental imagery in the attempt to describe his glory 
 and majesty and power. All pictorial representations of 
 Jehovah were prohibited to the Jew, who would not 
 even pronounce the Holy Name; so all that John can 
 do is to compare the divine glory to the most precious 
 stones : God's presence has the ruby's fire and passion, 
 the diamond's brilliance and depth (for "jasper" and 
 "sardius" are thought by many to mean these gems). 
 The bow, symbol of God's covenant, and therefore of his 
 righteousness, encircles his throne ; and the thunders and 
 lightnings that proceed from it are symbols of his majesty 
 
28 THE JOHANxNINE WRITINGS 
 
 and power. The Living Creatures, witli their numerous 
 wings and innumerable eyes, represent God in his at- 
 tributes of omnipresence and omniscience. The number 
 four, which we here meet for the first time, like all the 
 other numbers in the Apocalypse, is symbolical and is in- 
 tended to represent perfection or completeness. We meet 
 it again in the four angels at the four corners of the earth, 
 and the four winds of heaven (7 : i) ; in the four horns 
 of the golden altar (9 : 13) ; and the four angels at the 
 Euphrates. (9 : 14.) The twenty-four Elders frequently 
 play the part of a chorus in this vision, and in those to 
 follow ; and by their worship typify the homage that all 
 the creation of God will pay to him. The number twenty- 
 four has been variously explained; but perhaps the best 
 suggestion is that it was intended to correspond to the 
 twelve Patriarchs of the old dispensation, and the twelve 
 Apostles of the new. 
 
 In God's hand John saw not a " book," as the old 
 version has it, but a manuscript roll, sealed with seven 
 seals. This roll contained the revelation of those things 
 tliat were soon to happen ; and when no one was found 
 worthy to unseal it, John grieved that the secrets of the 
 immediate future must remain unknown. But Jesus, 
 described as the " Lion of the Tribe of Judah," yet sym- 
 bolized by the Lamb, with throat cut ready for the sacri- 
 fice, took the roll and proceeded to open the seals. The 
 seven horns and seven eyes of the Lamb were evi- 
 dently intended to express his fulness of power and ful- 
 ness of vision. 
 
 The opening of each of the first four seals was fol- 
 lowed by the coming forth of a horse and rider. John 
 saw Conquest, War, Famine, and Death, riding forth 
 successively to bring great suffering and woe upon the 
 earth. The first figure, the bowman on a white horse, 
 has often been identified with the conquering Roman 
 
APOCALYPSE: CONTENT AND SIGNIFICANCE 29 
 
 Empire; but it seems more probable tliat tbe threatening 
 Parthian kingdom was in the writer's mind. The bow 
 was not a Roman weapon, but Parthian; and white was 
 the sacred color among the Persians. The Parthians 
 were a terror to the eastern provinces of the empire 
 for several generations. i\s a result of these ravages, 
 wheat was to be sold at seven times its ordinary price, 
 and barley at four times. But the vine and olive were 
 to be left uninjured — that is to say, the ordinary crops 
 were to be destroyed, but the vines and trees that re- 
 quired many years to grow and come to bearing were not 
 to be disturbed. The destruction was to be great, but 
 not absolutely ruthless. These four sinister figures fore- 
 tell the woes and suffering that are to precede and accom- 
 pany the great day of God's wrath that is approaching. 
 
 The opening of the fifth and sixth seals announces 
 for the first time one of the two great themes of the 
 Apocalypse — the triumph and eternal blessedness of the 
 saints. This theme will many times reappear in the fol- 
 lowing visions. In the sealing of the servants of God 
 after the opening of the sixth seal, we meet for the first 
 time with the s}mbolism of the number twelve, which 
 plays a considerable part in the rest of the visions. The 
 new Israel is conceived, like the old, to consist of twelve 
 tribes ; and the perfect number twelve, squared, gives the 
 number of thousands who were sealed. The Woman of 
 12 : I is crowned with twelve stars; the New Jerusalem 
 has twelve gates (21 : 12, etc.) and twelve foundations, 
 inscribed with the names of the twelve Apostles. The 
 Tree of Life bears twelve fruits. (22 : 2.) 
 
 Speaking in the language of drama, each of these 
 visions may be called an act ; and the seven subdivisions 
 seven scenes. In most of the acts, it will be found 
 that the seventh scene is preparatory for the next act — 
 the curtain does not fall, so to speak, but the closing scene 
 
30 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 of one act blends with the opening scene of tlie act 
 following, like a dissolving view. 
 
 3. The Vision of the Seven Trumpets 
 
 This vision was doubtless suggested by the second 
 chapter of Joel's prophecy : 
 
 Blow a trumpet in Zion, 
 
 And sound an alarm in my holy mountain; 
 
 Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: 
 
 For the day of Jehovah comes, for it is near; 
 
 A day of darkness and gloominess, 
 
 A day of clouds and thick darkness. 
 
 In this vision, as in the preceding Vision of the Seals, 
 the seven scenes are divided into a group of four, fol- 
 lowed by a group of three. Each of the first four trum- 
 pets is followed by a plague, or woe, the features of 
 which are obviously suggested in part by the plagues of 
 Egypt, while others were no doubt inspired by events 
 of the first century. The first four trumpets describe 
 visitations of God's wrath in nature. Men are necessarily 
 involved in these convulsions, but this is incidental — 
 direct judgments of men are reserved for the last three 
 trumpets. The mechanical regularity of the first group 
 as compared with the second has led some to argue that 
 the two groups cannot be by the same author. This is by 
 no means the only inference suggested, and we have 
 already seen that there are strong reasons for accepting 
 the theory of a single authorship. The more reason- 
 able inference, then, from these facts, would be that the 
 author may have derived materials for the two groups 
 from different documentary sources. 
 
 We should miss entirely the significance of these scenes 
 from the author's point of view by attempting to fit them 
 to definite historical events and demonstrate the precise 
 " fulfilment of the prophecy." Let us again remind 
 
APOCALYPSE: CONTENT AND SIGNIFICANCE ^l 
 
 ourselves that we are not dealing with prophecy in that 
 sense. We still have to do with the language of symbol- 
 ism; we are still reading poetry — not prose. The writer 
 is merely accumulating images, as a poet, to express as 
 vividly as he may his sense of the judgments that are 
 to precede and accompany the dissolving of the mighty 
 empire that had been so great an oppressor of God's 
 people. 
 
 Nevertheless, it is more than probable that John did 
 not wholly invent his imagery. Some events that had 
 lately occurred have been thought to furnish him with 
 hints for the forms in which he has represented these 
 woes. The year 66, for example, was a period of pass- 
 ing through that belt of aerolites which intersects the 
 earth's orbit every thirty years ; and phenomena of 
 meteors and shooting stars had been frequent, and to the 
 superstitious most alarming. There had been a recent 
 eruption in the volcanic island of Santorin, about eighty 
 miles distant from Patmos, which had made almost as 
 great a sensation in the East as the eruption of Vesuvius 
 in the West. There had been violent shocks of earth- 
 quake in Asia Minor from the year 59 onward. There 
 was a great pestilence in Rome in the year 65, and a 
 famine in the East in 68 that reduced almost to the 
 vanishing-point the grain exports of Alexandria on 
 which the capital so greatly relied. Titus was at the 
 same time preparing for his campaign against the Jews, 
 which was to end with the capture and destruction of 
 Jerusalem in the year 70 ; and no supernatural prophetic 
 gift was needed to foresee the inevitable end. Yes, there 
 was plenty of " local color " to lend verisimilitude to 
 John's prophetic pictures of Rome's approaching down- 
 fall. Great convulsions of nature are the appropriate 
 scenic setting to so signal an event. 
 
 The three woes accompanying the last three trum- 
 
32 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 pets arc of a different character — less convulsions oi" 
 nature than punishments inflicted upon men for their 
 wickedness, partial judgments in anticipation of the more 
 complete judgment to come. Just what specific calamity 
 the writer had in mind in his description of the plague 
 of locust-scorpions, it is difficult to determine — probably 
 impossible; but the symbolism of certain details is not 
 obscure. The venom of the scorpion makes it an ap- 
 propriate symbol of the forces of spiritual evil that 
 are active in the world; and the "five" months during 
 which they had power to hurt are symbolical of a com- 
 paratively brief space of time. The scourge of the horse- 
 men following the sixth trumpet seems to be a fairly 
 plain reference to that invasion from the East by 
 the Parthian hordes, which had threatened the empire 
 for generations and was always dreaded. John sees this 
 army, overwhelming in numbers, irresistible in valor, 
 breaking through the barriers of the empire and putting 
 to the sword a third of its population. Yet the survivors 
 did not turn from their idolatry and wickedness — par- 
 tial judgment was of no avail. 
 
 We have now before the sounding of the last trumpet 
 an interlude, or possibly a series of interludes. The 
 first shows us a strong angel, standing like a colossus 
 on both sea and land and proclaiming, not " that time 
 shall be no more," as our old version has it, but that 
 there shall be no longer delay in judgment. The pur- 
 poses of God are ripening fast, and with the sound of 
 the seventh trumpet will come the great consummation. 
 This angel had in his hand a little roll, containing (as the 
 context makes clear, lo : ii) the word of doom and 
 message of prophecy; and as he is bidden, John takes 
 it and eats it. The word of God was sweet in his mouth ; 
 but the duty of proclaiming it to many people was a 
 bitter one. The ancients spoke of the bowels, xocXia, 
 
apocalypse: content and significance 33 
 
 as the seat of the affections and will, where we would 
 say " heart " or " soul." " Every revelation of God's 
 purposes," says Swete, " even though a mere fragment, 
 is bitter-sweet, disclosing judgment as well as mercy." 
 For the prophet, the first joy of full knowledge is fol- 
 lowed by sorrows deeper and more bitter than those of 
 other men. 
 
 The next interlude makes it plain that this Vision of 
 the Trumpets, if not the whole Apocalypse, must have 
 been written before the destruction of Jerusalem^ — not 
 later than the year 69. The temple in heaven is the anti- 
 type of that in Jerusalem; and while the first reference 
 (II : i) seems to be to this heavenly building, at the 
 next verse transition is made to the earthly type. This 
 destruction of Jerusalem — the identity of the city is made 
 plain in II : 8 — is to be preceded by the preaching of 
 two prophets, Moses and Elijah, or men of their type. 
 This is shown by the work attributed to them. There 
 was a tradition among the Jews, in many forms, of 
 the return of these two prophets, which probably sug- 
 gested this episode. The two olive trees are suggested by 
 Zechariah 4 : 2-14. The symbolism of the time is in- 
 teresting, and not obscure : the twelve hundred and sixty 
 days (11 : 3) equals forty-two months (13 : 5), which 
 equals three years and a half (12 : 14), which is half 
 of seven years, and is used in the Old Testament as a 
 symbolic number for a short time (Dan. 7 : 25; 12 : 7), 
 or for an imperfect time that will not be completed. 
 (Cf. Rev. 17 : 12.) 
 
 It is worthy of remark that these interludes are of a 
 different literary character from the rest of this vision — 
 from the rest of the Apocalypse, indeed; for the writer 
 here drops the character of dramatic poet, and becomes 
 the mere prose narrator. The tone is utterly unlike the 
 more poetic sections. It is the only bald prose in the 
 c 
 
34 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 whoie book. Those who hold that various interpola- 
 tions have been made by a later hand have their best case 
 in the passage extending from lo : i to ii : 14 — it is 
 so evident an interruption of the regularity of the plan, 
 so patent an afterthought on the part of somebody. 
 And yet, this may not imply a difference of authorship ; 
 it may mean only carelessness of strict literary form. In 
 a book that was a more perfect work of art throughout, 
 the interpolation theory would be most probable; in a 
 book showing so little literary skill in any part, it seems 
 quite as probable that this interruption merely proves 
 the author's inability or neglect to make better use of 
 his material. The writer everywhere gives us the im- 
 pression that he is more intent upon the substance of 
 his message than upon the perfect form of its expression. 
 With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the end of 
 Rome's dominion and the triumph of Christ are announced 
 as having taken place ; and a chorus of praise from the 
 Elders concludes the scene and the vision. But though 
 all is now finished as to the dramatic action, the subject 
 is resumed in the following visions. The same ideas are 
 set forth in a series of figures, each time with added im- 
 pressiveness and wealth of detail, until at length nobody 
 can miss the great lessons that the writer is anxious to 
 impress on his readers. 
 
 4. The Vision of the Kingdom 
 
 After the vision of the kingdom victorious, the con- 
 summation of all things, nothing could follow that would 
 not be anticlimax, if it were not for the peculiar con- 
 struction of the Apocalypse. As has already been said, 
 we are not to look for orderly progress as we pass from 
 vision to vision ; and so we need not be surprised to find 
 that the theme of the fourth act in this great drama is 
 another phase of the conflict between the kingdom of 
 
APOCALYPSE: CONTENT AND SIGNIFICANCE 35 
 
 Christ and the mighty Roman Empire, whieh to John's 
 generation was a synonym for invincihle power. 
 
 By many scholars the episode of the Woman and the 
 Child (12 : i-io) is regarded as an interpolation. An 
 alternative hypothesis is that the author has worked this 
 episode into his other material somewhat clumsily, and 
 so impaired the unity of his composition. The episode 
 itself is believed to be of Babylonian origin — to have been 
 suggested by the myth describing the conflict between 
 Tiamat and Marduk. However this may be, the author 
 has given it a Christian significance. The Woman is 
 evidently a symbol of Israel, and the Child is the Mes- 
 siah. The Dragon is the Roman Empire, which through- 
 out the book is treated as the supreme incarnation of 
 the Prince of Evil. The seven crow^ned heads and the 
 ten horns have had a multitude of ingenious and con- 
 flicting interpretations. It is a pity that so much in- 
 genuity should be wasted for lack of appreciation of the 
 symbolic character of all numbers in this book.^ We 
 can understand the ten horns only when we remember 
 the ten days of persecution (2 : 10), the ten horns and 
 ten diadems of the Beast from the sea (13 : i), and the 
 ten horns of the scarlet Beast. (17 : 3.) To seek for 
 ten provinces or ten subject kingdoms, or for seven 
 emperors or seven proconsuls, is not only to waste time 
 and labor, but to obscure the real significance of the sym- 
 bols, which are intended to express in general terms 
 only — not by specific enumerations — the grandeur and 
 might of the empire. Rome persecuted Jews and Chris- 
 
 ^ Fouard, in his " Saint John and the Close of the Apostolic Age," Lon- 
 don, 1905, gives a good example of what happens when a scholar insists on 
 finding a literal interpretation of every feature of this poetic imagery. He 
 makes the seven heads of the Dragon (12 : 3) represent the seven deadly 
 sins, while his ten horns are " ten principal epochs wherein Satan and the 
 world shall reign " (p. 109). The seven heads of the Beast (17 : 9, 10) are 
 also epochs of history: (i) From Adam's fall to the Deluge; (2) from the 
 Deluge to Abraham: {3) from Abraham to Moses; (4) from Moses to the 
 captivity; (5) from the captivity to Christ; (6) which still lasts, the epoch 
 of every ungodly power; (7) reign of the false prophet, which " has not 
 come as yet, and when it conies will endure only for a season" (p. 120). 
 
36 THE JOIIANNINB WRITINGS 
 
 tians alike, though nut perhaps with equal severit}'. But 
 its designs are in either case brought to naught; Jesus, 
 the Messiah, is caught up to God's throne, and the woman 
 flees into the wilderness — the latter possibly an allusion 
 to the dispersion of the Jews throughout the Roman 
 world. 
 
 The second scene shows us Satan and his hosts finally 
 cast out of heaven, to which (as in the prologue to Job) 
 the writer conceives them as having had hitherto at least 
 occasional access. Their anger at this final, irremediable 
 defeat brings about the bitter persecution of scene three, 
 symbolized by the flood that the Dragon pours forth. 
 
 The conflict now becomes sharper, and takes on a new 
 character. A wild Beast, combining the fierceness of 
 leopard, bear, and lion, comes up out of the sea, and the 
 Dragon delegates to him his power and authority. This 
 Beast can hardly be other than the imperial power of 
 Rome as personified in its persecuting emperors, Nero 
 and Domitian." This hostile world-power was the great- 
 est enemy of Christ and his people then existent, and was 
 believed by all Christians to be the Antichrist — the cul- 
 mination of Satanic opposition to the progress of the 
 kingdom. The seven heads have been explained as the 
 seven emperors who had thus far reigned : Julius Caesar, 
 Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba. 
 There are other computations, but this is as good (and 
 as bad) as any. All that can be said of the best of 
 such explanations is that some of them are plausible, 
 but none are certain. To fit the ten horns to any known 
 political divisions of the empire is quite hopeless. It is 
 far better to regard both numbers, as in other cases of 
 the kind, as not literal, but purely symbolic. One cer- 
 tain conclusion forces itself upon one who studies the 
 
 - With less probability, Wernle understands the second Beast to be the 
 priesthood of the Roman emperor-worship. 
 
ai'Ocalvpse; content and significance 37 
 
 commentaries upon the Apocalypse, namely, the less of 
 arithmetical computation in the interpretation of the book, 
 the more assured are the results. 
 
 One sentence with regard to the Beast has given rise to 
 much conjecture, and it seems probable that a reasonable 
 explanation of it has been worked out : " And I saw 
 one of his heads, as it were, smitten to death; and his 
 death-stroke was healed." There was a widely prevalent 
 notion in the East, in John's day, that Nero was not 
 really dead, but that he would return some day and 
 resume his imperial sway. Some even believed that he 
 had returned and that he lived again in Domitian, who 
 w^as actually called by his contemporaries Calvus Nero, 
 " the Bald Nero." It is this idea to which the author of 
 the Apocalypse seems here to allude. 
 
 The meaning of the second wild Beast, of scene five, 
 is still more obscure, though there is no doubt as to the 
 general intent of the writer. This second Beast evidently 
 points out some subordinate of the emperor — a proconsul 
 or Asiarch — who had made himself peculiarly obnoxious 
 in Asia Minor by his introduction, or at least enforce- 
 ment, of the worship of " Rome and Augustus." This 
 Beast is described as " like a lamb," because under the 
 Roman rule Asia was a peaceful country ; but it " spoke 
 like a dragon," for the imperial power was great and 
 was sternly exercised. It "made people worship the 
 first Beast," for it organized the state religion of the 
 emperors. The devotion to the emperors was great in 
 Asia, from an early period of the empire. Augustus is 
 described in inscriptions as " Saviour of mankind." The 
 imperial cult was highly popular from his reign onward, 
 and refusal to take part in it was deeply resented, not 
 only by magistrates, but by a large part of the people. 
 The political unity of the empire found expression and 
 sanction in this common act of worship. But to Jews 
 
38 THE JOHANNIJME WRITINGS 
 
 and Christians alike, this imperial cult, this worship of 
 a living man as divine, was the crowning abomination of 
 idolatry. Sacrificing to the emperor — the casting of a 
 few grains of incense into the lamp always burning 
 before the emperor's statue — was to a heathen no more 
 than an oath of allegiance which every loyal citizen ought 
 to be ready to take : to a Christian it was the one idola- 
 trous rite that he would under no circumstances perform. 
 
 The " brand " that all were compelled to wear may 
 refer to any one of several things abhorred by Christians 
 because of their idolatrous associations and implications. 
 It may mean the use of Nero's coins with their image 
 of Nero as a god, without which, of course, no one could 
 buy or sell in the market. It may refer to the brevet 
 of Roman citizen, sealed with idolatrous emblems. Some 
 have suggested that the libelli are indicated — certificates 
 that the bearer had sacrificed — which were becoming too 
 common even among Christians, who sometimes pro- 
 cured them surreptitiously for their protection, when in 
 fact the bearer had not sacrificed. In 13 : 15 there is 
 a plain reference to the use of magic and ventriloquism 
 by the priests of the heathen cults in order to deceive 
 the people. Lucian's satires describe with plentiful de- 
 tail impositions of this sort, and prove that they were 
 very common in Asia Minor at this time. 
 
 Nothing in the Apocalypse has probably caused so much 
 •discussion as the number of the Beast. He has been 
 identified in turn with every prominent man who could 
 be esteemed a dangerous foe of the church, from Nero 
 to Napoleon. But there can be little doubt that Nero is 
 meant. The letters of his name in Hebrew — the lan- 
 guage more familiar to John than the Greek in which 
 he writes so lamely — treated as numerals, sum up 666, 
 as has been often demonstrated. That this conclusion 
 is correct becomes a moral certainty, in view of the fact 
 
ArocALYrsi£: content and significance 39 
 
 that in the time of Irenaeus some manuscripts read " 6i6," 
 a reading which that Father could explain only as an 
 error of transcription. But while 666 is the numerical 
 value in Hebrew characters of the Greek form of the 
 imperial name, Neron Kesar, 6i6 gives the value of the 
 Latin form, Nero Kesar. The change was therefore 
 intentional, not accidental; and the fact that both num- 
 bers were deliberately used in different manuscripts points 
 beyond reasonable doubt to Nero as the Beast. But while 
 this is now tolerably certain, it is wasted ingenuity to 
 try to make a harmonious teaching about the various 
 Beasts of these visions. The writer has probably used 
 fragmentary reminiscences of myths, originally Babylo- 
 nian, that had become part of the common stock of 
 Semitic traditions. The myths themselves were not con- 
 sistent, and the author of the Apocalypse made no at- 
 tempt to harmonize them. What he declined to do, it is 
 surely not incumbent upon us to attempt. 
 
 The vision closes with two scenes in which the final 
 judgment of Rome, under the symbolical name of Baby- 
 lon, is announced in the past tense, as if it had already 
 taken place. The scenes present no special difficulty, un- 
 less the extraordinary hyperbole with which they close 
 be regarded as such (suggested possibly by Joel 3 : 12- 
 14). The exaggeration is of course deliberate, to convey 
 an idea of the great quantity of blood shed, and the extent 
 of territory laid waste. In the Vision of the Bowls that 
 follows, the language is throughout hyperbolical. 
 
 5. The Vision of the Seven Bowls 
 
 Let not the reader be disturbed by the word " slave," 
 used in the Apocalypse to describe Moses and other of 
 God's saints. The translators of every English version 
 have seemed to shudder at this word, and have rendered 
 it " servant," which it decidedly is not. A few have by 
 
40 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 a violent effort prevailed on themselves to go so far 
 as to say " bond-servant." This misplaced squeamishness 
 has resulted in obscuring for the English student of the 
 New Testament the ideal that runs through all these 
 writings concerning the relation subsisting between God 
 and his saints. That ideal is perhaps most strikingly set 
 forth in i Peter 2:9," But ye are a chosen race, a royal 
 priesthood, a holy nation, a people of (God's) own pos- 
 session." The ideal is this : Those redeemed by the blood 
 of Christ belong to him ; they are no longer their own, but 
 his ; he is their Master, they are his slaves. The apos- 
 tles regarded this name as the highest badge of honor; 
 and Paul begins many of his letters with " Paul, a slave 
 of Jesus Christ." The letter of James and the second 
 letter of Peter begin the same way. The complete owner- 
 ship of the believer by his Lord, is thus emphatically ex- 
 pressed. Foreign as this conception is to our ways of 
 thinking, it was natural to the Christians of the first 
 century, where the relationship of master and slave was 
 so familiar, because so universal. 
 
 The seven plagues following the pouring out of the 
 seven bowls do not seem to require any explanation — 
 they are so evidently suggested by the seven plagues of 
 Egypt. The only thing that needs to be said is a word 
 of caution not to look for any close correspondence be- 
 tween this imagery and the facts of history. It cannot 
 be too often repeated, the Apocalypse is prophecy, but 
 not prediction. We are dealing with the spirit and 
 methods and language of poetry, even in those scenes 
 where the form is partly or wholly prose. 
 
 Each of the scenes into which the Vision of the Bowls 
 is divided is brief, until we come to the last. In that, after 
 the plague, the doom of Babylon — often foretold in 
 previous acts of the drama — is now actually shown to 
 the seer. The general meaning of the symbolism in 
 
AI'OCALVPSE: content and SlGNllTCANCli 4I 
 
 chapters 17 and 18 is clear. The Harlot is imperial 
 Rome, and deserves judgment because she has corrupted 
 the world by her idolatry, and made the blood of the 
 martyrs flow in streams. Many interpretations of the 
 details have been given, most of which are interesting or 
 curious rather than valuable ; and the best of all is prob- 
 ably that of Renan. The Beast is Nero, who was believed 
 to be dead, but who is soon to return, although his reign 
 will be brief. The seven heads, as explained in the text, 
 have a double meaning. They are the seven hills of Rome, 
 and also the seven emperors from Julius Caesar to Galba. 
 Five are dead ; Galba remains, but is soon to fall. Nero 
 will reign again for a short time, and thus be the eighth. 
 The ten horns are proconsuls and imperial legates of the 
 provinces — not real kings, but receiving from the emperor 
 for a time power truly royal. This will be employed 
 against Rome herself, to her undoing. This is a plausible 
 solution, and possibly the true explanation of the sym- 
 bolism. 
 
 But the impressiveness of this vision of judgment does 
 not at all depend on the explanation of every detail — in 
 fact, almost the contrary is the case. To give too much 
 attention to detail is, indeed, to risk missing the lesson of 
 the great fact: Rome has a judgment meted out to her 
 proportionate to the greatness of her iniquity. In de- 
 scribing this judgment, John rises to his greatest height 
 as a dramatic poet. There is nothing finer in Hebrew 
 poetry than this song of Rome's destruction. It is a pity 
 that translators and printers have done everything in their 
 power to hide from the English reader the fact that this 
 is poetry — poetry of a lofty spirit, of beauty of expression, 
 and setting forth ethical lessons of perpetual weight and 
 significance. 
 
 We cannot of course ignore the fact that Babylon did 
 not fall so suddenly and so tragically as the author of the 
 
42 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Apocalypse anticipated. In this, as in their beHef that 
 the Lord was speedily to return on earth, the apostles 
 were mistaken. But John was right in substance. The 
 principle that he proclaimed is eternally true in God's 
 world : evil is doomed ; destruction will overtake it, and 
 that equally whether the evil is sin of individuals or of 
 nations. Insignificant as the churches then seemed in 
 comparison with mighty Rome, a babe struggling hope- 
 lessly in the grasp of a giant, it is pagan Rome that has 
 passed away, while the Christian Church has grown into 
 a mightier empire than Rome ever ruled. 
 
 The one feature of this vision which is perhaps easiest 
 of explanation, so great a scholar as Renan gives up in 
 despair, saying, " As to the special puzzle in the name 
 Armageddon, it is to us undecipherable." The true He- 
 brew form of this name is Har-Megiddon, the Hill of 
 Megiddon — a table-land in central Palestine, better known 
 perhaps as the Plain of Esdraelon. This plain, on which 
 for ages armies have maneuvered and fought, the scene 
 of Sisera's defeat, of Gideon's slaughter of the Midianites, 
 of the death of Josiah and the downfall of the house of 
 David — becomes in John's vision the meeting-place of the 
 great host of God's enemies with the Son of David and his 
 hosts, where the cause of evil is to meet a disastrous 
 and final overthrow. (Judg. 4 : 16; 5 : 19; 2 Kings 9 : 
 2^ ; 23 : 29. ) The fall of Rome, the greatest empire 
 of ancient times, and the victory of Christ's kingdom, are 
 indissolubly coupled in this vision, as they are throughout 
 the Apocalypse. 
 
 6. The Vision of Judgment 
 
 We are rapidly approaching the end. Rome has fallen, 
 the imperial power is no more, and the kingship of the 
 Anointed One of God is established. The great chorus in 
 heaven joyfully makes proclamation of this fact, and 
 
apocalypse: content and signh-icance 43 
 
 announces the immediate marriage of the Lamb, the eter- 
 nal union of the saints with their God. The Church Per- 
 secuted, the Church j\IiHtant, is about to become the 
 Church Triumphant. But before this can take place, final 
 judgment must be pronounced on all the enemies of Christ 
 and his Bride. 
 
 Accordingly, in scene 2 Christ appears for the first time 
 in the role of a conquering King. The complete and final 
 overthrow of his enemies must now occur. An angel 
 calls the birds of heaven, the vultures and ravens, to come 
 to the feast that the field of slaughter is about to pro- 
 vide (scene 3). The final warfare between the Beast and 
 the powers of heaven begins ; all the opponents of Christ 
 are exterminated by the sword, and their remnants are 
 cast into the Lake of Fire (scene 4). Then the Dragon 
 himself is confined in the abyss for a thousand years, and 
 his power to deceive the nations is in abeyance during 
 that period (scene 5). The martyrs and confessors are 
 raised from the dead and reign with Christ during 
 this thousand years, a tribunal being established to deter- 
 mine who are worthy of this great honor. Satan is again 
 let loose at the end of this millennium, and the final con- 
 flict between the forces of good and evil occurs. It ends in 
 the defeat of Satan, who is this time cast into the Lake 
 of Fire (scene 6). Finally, John sees the great Day of 
 Judgment, when all the dead appear before the throne 
 to be judged according to their deeds. Evil and all that 
 do evil have now been destroyed beyond recovery : every- 
 thing is ready for the great consummation of the final 
 vision. 
 
 What did John mean by his " thousand years " ? This 
 is the only perplexing problem raised by this vision, the 
 meaning of which seems otherwise clear enough. The 
 question has been discussed for nineteen centuries with- 
 out any approach to agreement. The safest answer, 
 
44 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 because truest, would be frank confession of ignorance. 
 That John meant any definite period of time, in view of 
 his invariable symbolic use of numbers, is quite incredible. 
 Of so much meaning as this, only, can we be quite cer- 
 tain: Great and special privileges will be reserved for 
 those who have suffered for Christ's sake, when the day 
 of his triumph comes. They are to be in some sense the 
 aristocracy of his new kingdom — an aristocracy that rests 
 on worth and service alone. 
 
 But it is quite evident what John did not mean to 
 convey. The first resurrection is not, as has come to be 
 so generally supposed, for all the dead, nor for all the 
 saints; and this promised reign of the saints is not for 
 all believers. The common ideas about this passage are 
 altogether wrong; they read a meaning into the words, 
 rather than draw from the words the meaning their writer 
 put there. According to John, only two classes participate 
 in this blessed first resurrection: the first consists of 
 " those that had been beheaded because of the testimony 
 of Jesus and the word of God "; the second class consists 
 of " whosoever did not prostrate themselves before the 
 Beast and his image." The first are those who became 
 martyrs during the persecution ; the second are the con- 
 fessors^ — those who had been arrested, charged with be- 
 ing Christians, had confessed Christ, and refused to sacri- 
 fice to the emperor, but had not been put to death. The 
 great mass of Christians of John's day, notwithstanding 
 the considerable number of martyrs, were never molested 
 at all. Not having been accused or arrested, they had no 
 occasion to refuse sacrifice to the emperor (" pay homage 
 to the Beast "). They have no part in this scene — theirs 
 is the second resurrection of scene 7. 
 
 We cannot forget the fact that this is the classic pas- 
 sage of the New Testament concerning the millennium — 
 that in fact, the entire doctrine of the millennium depends 
 
apocalypse: content and significance 45 
 
 upon ihe interpretation of these verses. Two schools have 
 arisen, known as the premillennial and postmillcnnial. 
 But a careful exegesis of the passage will show that both 
 are equally excluded from consideration. Both theories 
 are, so far as the Apocalypse is concerned, extrascrip- 
 tural speculations, about which nothing has been revealed. 
 Therefore men may contend about them forever without 
 coming to any satisfactory conclusion. And if there is 
 nothing told us here concerning a millennial reign of 
 Christ and all his saints — the believers of all ages — if we 
 read only of a reign with him of a comparatively few 
 saints of a single age — what becomes of the tons of litera- 
 ture that the centuries have produced on this question? 
 
 The names of Gog and Magog, in 20 : 8, have greatly 
 puzzled many readers ; but a reference to Ezekiel, chapter 
 38, will remove the difficulty. In the ancient prophecy, 
 Gog and ]\Iagog are the princes of those northern hordes 
 who are to invade Israel " like a cloud to cover the 
 land,'' as God's scourge of his sinning and unrepentant 
 people — ■" in that day when my people Israel dwelleth 
 securely." John may have had in mind in his use of 
 the names those hordes of northern barbarians who were 
 a constant terror to the Romans and were ultimately 
 to destroy the empire, as a type of the enemies whom 
 Satan was to assemble for the final struggle against the 
 kingdom of God. 
 
 7. The Vision of the New Jerus.vLEm 
 
 The series of visions of which the Apocalypse consists 
 presents many problems, not a few of them perplexing, 
 some perhaps insoluble. Without utmost effort, our 
 minds can hardly be brought into full sympathy with 
 literary methods so completely foreign to our lifelong 
 habits of thought. Much of the imagery seems grotesque, 
 so that if we met it anywhere else than in the Bible, it 
 
46 THE JOIIANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 would provoke our ridicule. We find it difficult to realize 
 that to the Oriental mind these things were not grotesque, 
 still less ridiculous. To the Western mind, accustomed 
 to orderly procedure and logical connection of events, 
 the scenes of these visions lack order and coherence. 
 The seer's point of view is continually changing, so that 
 now he represents something as present, which a moment 
 ago he had treated as past, or vice versa. If we insist 
 on applying our Western modes of thought and stand- 
 ards of criticism; if we judge the book as cold, passion- 
 less prose; if we insist on logic, consistency of part 
 with part, orderly progress of thought — the ordinary 
 virtues, in a word, of our ordinary writers of prose; 
 in that case the Apocalypse will have little to say to us. 
 If we cannot study it more sympathetically, we shall do 
 well to give our time and thought to some other part of 
 Scripture, where these cherished literary canons of ours 
 may be applied more successfully. 
 
 And these remarks, which are true of the whole book, 
 especially apply to this closing vision, where the prophet 
 attempts the impossible — namely, to give his readers 
 some notion of the heavenly glories. For after all that 
 has been written on this subject by inspired pens, no 
 less than by uninspired, the last word is this: " Eye hath 
 not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the 
 heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for 
 them that love him." 
 
 In this last vision the Jewish training and prepossessions 
 of the author are very clearly seen. There is to be a new 
 heaven and a new earth, but both on the model of the 
 old. To a Jew, Jerusalem was as distinctly the center of 
 all earthly things, as Rome was the only visible center 
 to a Roman, The City of God, in John's eyes, is there- 
 fore only the spiritual antitype of the City of David; 
 and the new Jerusalem descends out of heaven to take 
 
APOCALYPSE: CONTENT AND SIGNIFICANCE 4/ 
 
 the place of the old. Genesis had represented man when 
 lirst created as placed in a garden. This, as it seemed in 
 that age of the world, was the ideal place for a sinless 
 being. But civilization has progressed, and John has 
 risen to a higher conception of manhood; and he places 
 redeemed and sanctified men, the new creation of God, in 
 a city. He conceives heaven, in other words, as a society 
 composed of a regenerated and harmonious humanity. 
 
 The measurements of the city must, of course, be re- 
 garded as purely symbolical. If we take them literally, 
 they represent a city one thousand three hundred and 
 seventy-nine miles square (a space equal to nearly all 
 central Asia), and extending the same distance into the 
 air, the whole surrounded by a wall two hundred and 
 twelve feet high. Even to an Oriental mind, this could 
 be nothing short of absurd. The numbers are intended 
 to express ideas of completeness and perfection, as is 
 show-n by the insistent repetition of the number twelve. 
 
 Only one or two of the details demand special atten- 
 tion. The idea of a stream of living water as the symbol 
 of heavenly felicity is at least as old as Ezekiel. (Ezek. 
 47 : I-I2.) The " tree of Hfe " is a phrase like the 
 " book of life," in the previous vision — too firmly fixed 
 in Christian literature to be displaced by a more accurate 
 rendering. The exact equivalent for the Greek would 
 be " wood of life " ; and in Greek, as in English, " wood " 
 may mean " grove." It is evident from 22 : 2 that such 
 is its meaning here, since not merely a single tree, but 
 trees on both sides of the river must be understood. 
 
 Alany readers and not a few scholars have blamed 
 John for his method : his description of the holy city, 
 they say, is wholly materialistic; there is not a spiritual 
 word or a spiritual thought in it. Not a spiritual word, 
 it is true ; but the thought is entirely spiritual. There are 
 no spiritual words — the very word " spirit " meant orig- 
 
48 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 iiiaily uotliing but " breath '' — all our conceptions of 
 spiritual things must be expressed by words of material 
 origin. We have been compelled to take such words, 
 reeking with suggestions of the flesh and the world, 
 and read into them the concepts of the spirit, and do the 
 best we can with such symbols to utter the unutterable. 
 What figures could John use but those that suggest earth 
 rather than heaven, if taken in their literal meaning? 
 But with his imperfect means, he has done this : he has 
 assembled in his description every element that could 
 impress the eye with a sense of splendor, or appeal to 
 the weary heart with a promise of rest and peace and 
 comfort, or suggest to the pure soul the joys of perfect 
 holiness — and what more than this can human language 
 do to make heaven real to man ? 
 
 And is it not also true that nothing gives us so high 
 an idea of heaven as the fact that John was utterly power- 
 less to express in human language the delights, the beau- 
 ties, the glories, that we may believe it holds in store for 
 us ? His utmost is but a suggestion — a glimpse. Yet he 
 makes clear this fundamental truth: heaven will consist 
 chiefly in knowing God through his Son, and in eternal 
 union and communion with him. " Such language," says 
 Professor Porter, " was the best the writer knew by 
 which to convey his hope. It was indeed fitted to convey 
 only the emotion of his hope, not its intellectual content. 
 Just this, indeed, is its value still for us. We have no 
 better language than his in which to suggest the incon- 
 ceivable glory and blessedness of the final life of the 
 soul with God." ^ 
 
 Many things of minor importance in these visions have 
 been passed by, because it seemed that any intelligent 
 reader was quite as competent to interpret them for 
 himself as any one else to interpret them for him. If 
 
 '" Messages of the Apocalyptic Writers," New York, 1905, p. 287. 
 
APOCALYPSE: CONTENT AND SIGNIFICANCE 49 
 
 what has been said in the wa}' of interpretation seems 
 justified by the text, one who has read thus far will 
 henceforth find the Revelation no longer a mere series 
 of insoluble puzzles, but sufiiciently intelligible to yield 
 a large measure of encouragement, of comfort, of in- 
 spiration. Of all the books of the New Testament, none 
 stirs the blood with such a trumpet-call to fidelity, to 
 endurance for Christ's sake; none speaks with an accent 
 of higher certitude regarding the triumph of the king- 
 dom ; none paints in colors so glowing the blessedness of 
 Christ's redeemed ones. And Christian faith still echoes 
 its closing words : " So be it ; come, Lord Jesus." 
 
 Note, — If the above chapter is read in connection with 
 the translation of the Apocalypse in Part II, vision by 
 vision, each will become more intelligible; and both to- 
 gether, it is hoped, will make the Revelation a new book 
 to many readers. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 THE FOURTH GOSPEL: ITS PLAN AND 
 LITERARY CHARACTERISTICS 
 
 THOSE who study the Fourth Gospel as literature 
 are likely to be surprised by discovery of evidence 
 concerning its authorship that has been overlooked by 
 most critics. Such discovery is only an incident of the 
 study, but a very important incident. How has it hap- 
 pened that such discovery remains to be made at this 
 late day? Chiefly because, contrary to the general im- 
 pression, the literary study of the Gospel has been much 
 neglected, one had almost written " totally neglected." 
 The general impression, though quite wrong, is also 
 quite pardonable, for the critics, especially German critics, 
 have done their utmost to persuade the world that they 
 have been devoted to the literary study of the New Tes- 
 tament documents, to the exclusion of almost everything 
 else. 
 
 Nevertheless, it is strictly true, as a review of the 
 critical literature will convince anybody, that the German 
 critics and their admiring imitators in England and 
 America have inexcusably neglected real literary study. 
 Worse than that: few of them have understood what the 
 literary study of an ancient writing is. Most of them 
 have been engaged in verbal study — a kind of research 
 that belongs to the sciences of grammar and lexicography, 
 not at all to the art of letters. Such study is related to 
 literature as Michelangelo's shapeless block of white 
 50 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 57 
 
 marble was to ihe statue of David that he carved out of 
 it. The study of words is no more the study of Hterature 
 than a block of marble is a statue. The critics have been 
 studying the materials out of which a philosopher, a saint, 
 and a writer of the highest skill carved that superb work 
 of art that we call the Fourth Gospel. They have studied 
 words, words, words. And they have left practically un- 
 touched those evidences of mental and spiritual qual- 
 ities that are found in the writing, when we go beyond 
 mere questions of words to inquire how the writer has 
 used words to produce his artistic result. 
 
 Literary criticism differs from linguistic scholarship, 
 and demands other aptitudes and attainments. Men 
 are born with and without appreciation of literature, just 
 as they are born with and without appreciation of music. 
 IMost men can discriminate melodies and appreciate har- 
 monies, but they differ greatly in quickness and keenness 
 and accuracy of their mental reactions to sounds. If 
 they have the faculty at all, culture will develop it to a 
 practically unlimited degree. But there is occasionally a 
 man who has " no ear for music " — that is, cannot dis- 
 tinguish one melody from another. To him, all music 
 is just a pleasant noise. General Grant once said of 
 himself that he knew two tunes : one was " Hail to the 
 Chief," which had been played so constantly in his honor 
 that he had learned to recognize it ; and the other was — 
 everything else. Some men cannot recognize even two 
 tunes, and are thereby shut out from a very paradise 
 of enjoyment. Such unfortunates may become learned 
 in the whole science and history of music; they may 
 learn to perform passably on some musical instrument ; 
 they may even compose by rule tolerably good music; 
 but they can never become real musicians; and, above 
 all, they can never become musical critics. Their judg- 
 ment of music is absolutely valueless, because they lack 
 
52 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 the first qualification for intelligent judgment : true ap- 
 preciation of musical sounds. And even a man who is 
 " fond of music " cannot form a worthful judgment re- 
 garding a musical composition, unless he has studied 
 the art of music — has learned to distinguish and evaluate 
 the different musical forms, and has cultivated his natural 
 love by hearing the best music until he has come to know 
 what constitutes real excellence. 
 
 All this is true, mutatis mutandis, of any art. It is 
 especially true of letters. The art of writing, or style, con- 
 sists in the choice of fit words and arranging them in 
 proper order to convey thought to others most effectively. 
 It is the art nearest to music, because it is rooted in 
 sound, and because words are susceptible of such ar- 
 rangement as will produce on the ear effects similar to 
 what we call melody and harmony in music. They are 
 also capable of arrangement that will exactly correspond 
 to the rhythm of music. This is as true of prose as of 
 poetry, the only dift'erence being that the rhythm of prose 
 is irregular, while that of verse is regular. Men differ 
 as widely in capacity to appreciate these qualities of 
 style as they dift'er in their enjoyment of music. And 
 as in music, so in literature, no matter what the original 
 endowment may be, long and arduous training is neces- 
 sary to develop such knowledge and taste as qualify one 
 to pronounce judgment on the literary characteristics of 
 any book. Scholarship of the highest order is no quali- 
 fication whatever: it may even be a serious disqualifica- 
 tion — that is to say, a man may have devoted himself so 
 assiduously to the acquirement of linguistic learning as 
 to permit whatever native gift he may have had for 
 style to become atrophied. Even the fact that a man 
 writes a fine style does not of itself make him a good 
 judge of the work of others. The creative and the critical 
 faculty, the ability to produce and the ability to judge. 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 53 
 
 are not always united — possibly it would not be too much 
 to say that they are usually disunited. The opinions 
 of great authors about other authors are always interest- 
 ing, but seldom valuable, save as psychological studies. 
 
 A special gift, therefore, and still more a special train- 
 ing, must be conceded to be necessary for the success- 
 ful prosecution of literary criticism. A great propor- 
 tion of the literary criticism of the Scriptures is no better 
 than waste paper, because the critics have been, to speak 
 plainly, utterly ignorant of their business. They have 
 been great Hebrew and Greek scholars, but they had 
 no more qualifications to pronounce judgment in litera- 
 ture than in music or painting. And for the same reason 
 in the one case as in the others: they had never studied 
 the art. Everybody would recognize at once the folly 
 and presumption of one who should attempt to instruct 
 the world regarding the masterpieces of painting, unless 
 he had first spent years in the study of painting. But few 
 see anything wrong in the Hebrew scholar who discusses 
 the literary characteristics of Job or Isaiah, without 
 knowing the elements of the art of literature. This dif- 
 ference of attitude toward the literary art is really curi- 
 ous when we come to think of it. Not one man in a 
 thousand could paint a cow that could be distinguished 
 from a camel; and men are conscious of this fact, and 
 so they speak with diffidence about painting. But every 
 man can read and string a few words together; and so 
 he considers himself a judge of whatever is written and 
 printed. But is it not plain that the untrained man is as 
 little qualified to speak about literature as about painting? 
 Only, he will not recognize his limitations as a judge of 
 literature. 
 
 Another prime qualification for tlie critic of literature 
 is spiritual perception. No great work of art can be 
 judged — it cannot even be comprehended — unless it has 
 
54 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 been studied sympathetically. A hostile attitude, even 
 if it be unconsciously hostile, is fatal to criticism, because 
 the verdict is rendered in advance — unless, indeed, as 
 sometimes happens, the merits of the work are so over- 
 whelming that they conquer the critic's hostility and 
 awaken his sj^mpathy. The Scriptures can be adequately 
 understood and judged only by men who have had the 
 kind of religious experience that the Scriptures record, 
 to whom God is a reality and his Son a real Saviour. 
 It is true that, to some extent, men who lack this experi- 
 ence may by an act of imagination put themselves into 
 the place of a believer in the divine revelation. But this 
 artificial sympathy will probably result in an artificial 
 judgment, such as Renan, for example, arrives at in his 
 Vie de Jesus. But many of the Johannine critics have 
 not even made this effort of imagination; and they have 
 written in a tone so hard and unsympathetic as quite to 
 disqualify them from reaching conclusions worthy of 
 respect. 
 
 Since literature is an art, both the intellective and 
 esthetic faculties unite in its production, and are re- 
 quired for its study and appreciation. But in criticism 
 at least, the esthetic faculty is more requisite. Differences 
 of literary quality and method in the main make their 
 appeal to feeling. The coldly intellectual man can never 
 fully appreciate literature or any other art. Scholarship, 
 being purely intellectual, is at best but a partial quali- 
 fication for criticism. The critic can make great use of 
 scholarship, and the more learning he has, the more 
 thorough his work may be; but generally he will know 
 how to make use of the scholarship of others, rather than 
 himself become a great scholar. For insight and sym- 
 pathy and susceptibility are more necessary to him than 
 mere learning. When, on the contrary, the critic exalts 
 the value of learning to the practical exclusion of sym- 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 55 
 
 pathy, and comes to regard his impercipient callosity as 
 a virtue and not a defect, above all, when he makes his 
 own dulness of spirit the line and plummet for measuring 
 the work of his betters, he is the least pleasing of the 
 creatures that God has made. 
 
 II 
 
 In the light of what has been said, let us now attempt 
 the study of the Gospel as a masterpiece of literature, 
 with the desire to understand and appreciate both its 
 message and the form in which it has been set forth. 
 And as a first step, we may well try to discover the 
 author's purpose and plan, without for the present at- 
 tempting to solve the riddle of his personality. Let us 
 provisionally call him " John." 
 
 What does this Gospel tell? In what does it differ 
 from other Gospels that it should be written at all ? The 
 theme is announced in the opening sentences to be the 
 Word; the Word that was in the beginning with God, 
 and was God; the Word through whom all things were 
 made; the Word that is the Light of men; the Word 
 that was made flesh and tented among us, that he might 
 declare to men the invisible God. There is no need of 
 wearisome and bewildering discussion of the Logos-doc- 
 trine of Philo, and what " John " may have borrowed 
 from Alexandrine thought. It is more than probable that 
 " John " never heard of Philo or the Alexandrine philos- 
 ophy. The word " Logos " was floating about in the 
 common stock of phrases and ideas of A. D. lOO, just 
 as " evolution " and " socialism " are to-day. Because a 
 man uses glibly these tokens of speech is no proof that 
 he has read a word of Darwin or Karl Marx or that 
 the name of Spencer suggests to him more than the 
 teacher of a popular system of penmanship. Aside from 
 use of the word " Logos," the Gospel shows no trace of 
 
56 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Philo's influence; "John" shows a totally different con- 
 ception of God and the origin of the universe and the 
 relation of the Logos to humanity, from that of the 
 Jewish philosopher. And in spite of the library of 
 learned nonsense and the modicum of learned sense that 
 has been written on this subject, this use of Logos to 
 describe the preexistent Christ might quite easily have 
 been independent of all philosophical speculations. It 
 is a metaphor that might suggest itself to any thoughtful 
 man. A man's word is the man himself. So the Word 
 of God is God, and at the same time the revelation of 
 God's will, feeling, thought. The Word is God in crea- 
 tive energy, he is God coming into relation with the 
 world that he has made: he is Life, he is Light, he is 
 Truth. And the complete revelation of God to man was 
 made when the Word became flesh and lived a man's life, 
 under human limitations. " No one has ever seen God — 
 God only-begotten, he that is in the bosom of the Father, 
 he declared him." This does not mean that the Word 
 was transformed into man, the divine into the human; 
 nor that the divine became contracted to the limits 
 of the human and so indistinguishable from it; but that 
 the Word assumed human nature — ^became mysteriously, 
 yet really and indissolubly, united to a human spirit, 
 clothed with a human body — so that in Jesus of Nazareth 
 men beheld God manifest in the flesh. 
 
 And so the Word had breath, and wrought ' 
 
 With human hands the creed of creeds 
 In loveliness of perfect deeds, 
 
 More strong than all poetic thought/ 
 
 The Fourth Gospel is, therefore, the Gospel of the In- 
 carnation. And the fact of the incarnation is made thus 
 primal, central, not for any dogmatic reason, but to im- 
 press duly upon us the lesson of that incarnation: By 
 
 * " In Memoriam," xxxvi. 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 57 
 
 assuming man's nature, the Word has identified himself 
 with man's state, obligated himself to share man's burdens, 
 to bear man's penalty. Those who come into fellowship 
 with him enter the same path of lowly service and vicari- 
 ous suffering. The same mind must be in them that was 
 in the Word, who emptied himself of his divine glory 
 and power, and took upon himself the form of a servant, 
 and became obedient unto death. (Phil. 2 : 6-8.) Though 
 Paul does not use the word " Logos," he teaches one 
 doctrine with " John." 
 
 This is the Gospel of the Incarnation, not only in that 
 it begins with the fact of the Word becoming flesh, but 
 because it proceeds to tell the story of the earthly life 
 of the incarnate Word. The point of view gives to the V 
 Gospel its peculiar character. How the life of Jesus is 
 conceived by "John " is told us in i : 14: 
 
 And the Word became flesh and tented among us, 
 
 Full of grace and truth : 
 
 And we beheld his glory, 
 
 Glory as of an Only-begotten from the Father. 
 
 The Gospel is nothing more than the expansion of that 
 sentence. The life of Jesus is further declared to have 
 been visibly " full of grace and truth " — " grace," the 
 spiritual condition of one in whom God dwells, and who 
 is thereby completely governed by the divine will, and is 
 in full accord with the divine character ; " truth," exact 
 outward correspondence in word and deed to a per- 
 fect character, which exists in God himself chiefly, and 
 in all God's servants according to the measure of their 
 fellowship with him. And so, in Jesus Christ men beheld 
 " glory, glory as of an Only-begotten from the Father " — 
 a unique and absolutely perfect excellence, a Being not 
 only without sin (that would be merely negative), but 
 possessing and manifesting all those qualities of char- 
 acter that we associate with God himself. To justify in 
 
58 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 detail this characterization of Jesus the Christ is the one 
 theme of the Gospel. 
 
 This is what the Gospel has to tell. The object of the 
 writer in composing his book he has himself explicitly de- 
 clared : " These things have been written that you may 
 believe Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God, and that 
 believing you may have life in his name" (20 : 31). 
 ^The writer did not set out to produce a biography, but a 
 Gospel; his purpose was not historical, but homiletic.- 
 But he could best accomplish his purpose by making use 
 of much biographical material, by simply relating those 
 things in the life of Jesus that had elicited trust in those 
 who saw and heard, and were fitted to elicit like trust 
 in whoever might read. Those who had eyes to see 
 would behold the beauty and perfection of character that 
 this life revealed; they would trust and receive life. 
 
 We must pause here, at the risk of seeming digres- 
 sion, to consider another theory of the purpose of the 
 Gospel — a theory that, if accepted, would greatly afifect 
 our estimate of the book as a piece of literature. It is 
 a theory that can claim in its favor high antiquity and 
 the approval of many eminent Christian writers. It may 
 almost be called the popular theory of the Gospel. It is, 
 * in a word, the idea that the purpose of the author 
 was chiefly to supplement, and in a sense to correct, the 
 other Gospels. The notion is at least as old as the 
 time of Eusebius, who tells us : " They say that John, 
 who had employed all his time in proclaiming the gospel 
 orally, finally proceeded to write, for the following rea- 
 son: The three Gospels already mentioned having come 
 into the hands of all and into his own too, they say that 
 he accepted them and bore witness to their truthfulness ; 
 but that there was lacking in them an account of the 
 
 - V. H. Stanton, " The Gospels as Historical Document$," Part I, Cam- 
 bridge University Press, 1903. 
 
GOSriiL: PLAN AND CHARACTERISTICS 59 
 
 deeds done by Christ at the beginning of his ministry. . . 
 They say, therefore, that the apostle John, being asked to 
 do it for this reason, gave in his Gospel an account of 
 the period which had been omitted by the earlier evan- 
 gelists, and of the deeds done by the Saviour during that 
 period. John accordingly in his Gospel records the 
 deeds of Christ that were performed before the Baptist 
 was cast into prison, but the other three evangelists men- 
 tion the events which happened after that time. . . And 
 the genealogy of our Saviour after the fiesh John quite 
 naturally omitted, because it had already been given by 
 Matthew and Luke, and began with the doctrine of his 
 divinity, which has, as it were, been preserved for him, 
 as their superior, by the divine Spirit." ^ 
 
 The popularity of this theory is no doubt due to the 
 fact that, to a merely superficial reader, this explanation 
 seems to give an adequate account of easily perceived 
 differences between the Fourth Gospel and the Synoptics. 
 There is no question that, as matter of fact, the Fourth 
 Gospel does to a very considerable extent constitute a 
 supplement to the other Gospels. Three-fourths of its 
 matter is peculiar to itself. The " English Harmony " 
 of Professors Stevens and Burton offers to any student 
 opportunity to satisfy himself of this with little effort. 
 Thirty-one sections of the text, as there apportioned, are 
 found only in the Fourth Gospel, twelve are common to 
 all four ; and only four others are common to John and 
 one or two of the Synoptics, Or, if we take the division 
 into paragraphs of the Greek text in Scrivener's Greek 
 Testament as a basis of comparison, we find the following 
 facts : ninety-six paragraphs of various lengths are pecu- 
 liar to "John," seventy-two to Luke, and sixty-two to 
 Matthew — showing that " John " excels all the other 
 writers in originality. 
 
 'H. £., Ill, xxiv, 11-14. 
 
Co THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 But to say that the Gospel does in fact supplement our 
 knowledge of Jesus gained from the Synoptics, and to 
 say that the author wrote his Gospel chiefly with the in- 
 tention to supplement the other Gospels, are two quite 
 different things. The " supplementary " theory probably 
 originated in just this confounding of an observed fact 
 with the author's purpose. For, while it affords at first 
 sight an adequate, or at least a plausible, explanation of 
 the peculiar features of the Fourth Gospel, the moment 
 we go below the surface it fails to account for nearly 
 every fact of importance. Eusebius indeed suggests an 
 explanation of omission of the genealogies that fairly ac- 
 cords with the " supplementary " hypothesis, but most of 
 the facts observed by a careful reader are not accounted 
 for at all by that hypothesis. Indeed, it breaks down at 
 almost the first attempt to apply it to the facts. If the 
 Fourth Gospel were written to supplement the others, 
 it should not repeat matter contained in them; or, if it 
 does, some principle should be discernible to account for 
 the author's choice of incidents to repeat and for his 
 * omission of others. 
 
 Now, as we have seen, " John " does give one-fourth 
 of his space to telling what the Synoptics had already 
 told. To be sure, he sometimes supplies additional de- 
 tails, some of which are quite interesting, yet none of 
 them are of prime importance. The " supplementary " 
 theory utterly fails to account for this, and the more we 
 examine these incidents in detail the greater this difficulty 
 grows. We find the most unaccountable inclusions, and 
 exclusions equally unaccountable. Among the events that 
 " John " retells are some of relatively slight importance 
 in themselves, like the feeding of the multitude and the 
 anointing of Jesus at Bethany. Among the incidents 
 omitted are some of great importance, of which the 
 apostle John was the sole eye-witness among the evan- 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 6i 
 
 gelists; such as the transfiguration and the agony in 
 Gethsemane. If anything was to be repeated in a sup- 
 plementary Gospel, why not such things as these ? There 
 is no answer. " John " also omits the miraculous birth of 
 Jesus, his baptism, his temptation, the calling of the 
 Twelve, Peter's confession, the institution of the Lord's 
 Supper. The omission of these and the inclusion of so 
 many other things of less importance cannot be accounted 
 for by the " supplementary " hypothesis. And finally, 
 this breaks down altogether when we note that three 
 entire chapters of " John " are devoted to an account of 
 the last days of Jesus, and of his resurrection — all of 
 which had been told with such fulness by the Synoptics 
 as to need no supplementing. 
 
 Before the time of Eusebius there was another explana- 
 tion of the purpose of the Fourth Gospel that should have 
 received more attention. It was proposed by Clement of 
 Alexandria : " Last of all, perceiving that the external 
 facts had been set forth in the other Gospels, at the in- 
 stance of his disciples and with the inspiration of the 
 Spirit, John composed a sp^tual Gospel." * What did 
 Clement mean by a "spiritual" Gospel? Evidently a 
 Gospel that would bring out the deeper significance of the 
 teaching of Jesus, and the divine side of his person and 
 character. The epithet prepares us to look for a Gospel 
 conveying loftier ideas, more philosophical notions of the 
 Christian faith, than are found in the other Gospels. 
 Drummond interprets Clement to mean that " John " set 
 forth his higher and secret doctrine in the form of an 
 allegory.^ In any case it must mean that we have here a 
 Gospel of the essential and typical, as the author under- 
 stood things, rather than the factual and personal. It 
 
 * Quoted by Eusebius, H. E., VI, xiv, 7. 
 
 s J. Drummond, " Character and Authorship of the Fourth Gospel," Lon- 
 don, 1904, p. 33- 
 
62 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 was because of this spiritual characteristic that Luther 
 called this Das eindgc, sarte, rechte Haupt-Evangclien — 
 the unique, tender, truly chief Gospel.^ Or, as Augus- 
 tine put it, " John has taken a higher flight, and soared 
 in his preaching much more sublimely, than the other 
 three." ' 
 
 Is it not strange that so many writers, ancient and 
 modern, have laid so much stress on irresponsible tradi- 
 tion ("they say"), instead of going to the book itself 
 for light on the author's purpose ? He has stated his aim 
 with all clearness, and if we accept his own assurance as 
 to his reason for writing, we shall see plainly what guided 
 him in choice of material for his book out of all the 
 facts known to him. He almost certainly had in his pos- 
 session the three Synoptics. But he evidently did not 
 stop to ask whether a given incident had been previously 
 related. No, what he asked was, Will this fact help 
 elucidate my theme? Will it make better known to 
 readers the character of Jesus? Will it aid them more 
 clearly to apprehend his teaching? Will it tend to pro- 
 duce trust in the Giver of Life? And tried by this 
 test, we can see why each incident has been included, as 
 well as find a reason for the exclusion of other incidents. 
 Each fact included was germane to this purpose of the 
 author ; each fact omitted was either unfitted to the pur- 
 pose or superfluous. If in some few cases the reason 
 for exclusion is less clear than in every case is the reason 
 for inclusion, all we need say is, No writer tells all that 
 he knows, says all that he might have said ; and his reason 
 for omitting this or that may be purely subjective and 
 personal. 
 
 It is therefore the merit of this explanation of the 
 author's purpose that it really explains. 
 
 Works, Erlangen edition, LXIII, 115. 
 ' Horn, on John, xxxvi. 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 63 
 
 III 
 
 Having thus satisfied ourselves of the general purpose 
 of the author, the next step in the literary study of 
 the Gospel is to examine its plan or structure. We find 
 that it is the most regular, the most artificial (in the 
 good sense of that word) of the four Gospels. The plan 
 discloses itself at a first reading, and is striking because 
 of its symmetry. Commentators and critics differ widely 
 among themselves in their " analysis "of the various New 
 Testament writings, mainly because most of them do not 
 study the writing for indications of the author's plan, 
 but start with a subjective notion of what he ought to 
 have intended and manipulate the text in accord with this 
 idea. But the plan of " John " is so evident that many 
 scholars have recognized one of its features, while a con- 
 siderable number have not been able to close their eyes 
 against the other. No one of them, however, has set forth 
 the whole plan in accordance with the author's intent. 
 The contents of the book are arranged in three main 
 divisions (this is the fact that nearly all have seen), 
 while each of these divisions is subdivided into seven 
 heads or sections, as the following analysis shows: 
 
 Prologue, I : 1-18. 
 
 I. Testimonies and Manifestations of the Early Min- 
 istry 
 
 1. Testimony of John and his disciples, i : 19-51. 
 
 2. First " sign " at Cana, 2 : 1-12. 
 
 3. Cleansing of the temple, 2 : 13-25. 
 
 4. Conversation with Nicodemus, 3 : 1-21. 
 
 5. Second testimony of John, 3 : 22-36. 
 
 6. Jesus manifests himself in Samaria, 4 : 1-42. 
 
 7. Second " sign " at Cana, 4 : 43-54. 
 
64 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 II. Testimonies and Manifestations to the Jewish 
 
 Nation 
 
 1. Healing of the lame man, 5 : 1-47. 
 
 2. Feeding of the five thousand, 6 : 1-71. 
 
 3. Jesus at the feast of Booths, 7 : i to 8 : 59. 
 
 4. Healing of man born blind, 9 : i to 10 : 21. 
 
 5. Jesus at the feast of Dedication, 10 : 22-39. 
 
 6. Raising of Lazarus, 10 : 40 to ii : 54. 
 
 7. Jesus publicly assumes title of Messiah, 11 : 55 
 
 to 12 : 50. 
 
 III. Manifestations and Testimonies of the Last Days 
 
 1. Jesus manifests himself at the Supper, 13 : 1-30. 
 
 2. Last discourses to his Disciples — the coming of 
 
 the Comforter, 13 : 31 to 14 : 31. 
 
 3. Discourse continued — Union with Christ, 15 
 
 and 16. 
 
 4. The prayer of Jesus, 17. 
 
 5. The arrest and trial, 18 : i to 19 : 16. 
 
 6. The crucifixion and death, 19 : 17-42. 
 
 7. The resurrection, 20. 
 
 Epilogue, 21. 
 
 It is evident that " John " was profoundly influenced 
 by those ideas about the symbolism of numbers that pre- 
 vailed among his race, and he has constructed his book 
 on the numbers three and seven. Further study of the 
 text discloses the fact that this symbolism is not con- 
 fined merely to the plan, but extends to choice of material 
 and composition of sentences. The triads of the Gospel 
 are numerous and impressive: the Baptist bears witness 
 to Jesus three times; Jesus journeys to Galilee three 
 times, and the same number of journeys to Judea is 
 recorded; the Passover is mentioned three times, and 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 65 
 
 three other feasts of the Jews are named; Lazarus lay 
 in the grave three days, and Jesus did the same; Jesus 
 was condemned three times, and spoke three words from 
 the cross ; he appeared three times to his disciples. Some 
 of the cases of threes are possibly accidental; but in 
 most of them the number appears to be deliberately 
 chosen for its significance. It may be added to the above 
 instances that, in the body of the Gospel (excluding the 
 appended chapter), Jesus is represented as working three 
 miracles in Galilee and three in Judea. 
 
 It is easy to comprehend this association of the num- 
 ber three with the idea of completion or perfectness in 
 the minds of the ancients, and it is a phenomenon by 
 no means confined to writers of the biblical books. Ob- 
 servation and early experience early suggested to men 
 a general threefold division of things and events : The 
 root, trunk, and branches of a tree ; the head, trunk, and 
 legs of a man; morning, noon, and evening; the begin- 
 ning, middle, and end of enterprises and events — these 
 and a multitude of like things impressed on men's minds 
 the significance of threeness in nature and history. 
 
 The significance of seven as a number also denoting 
 completeness is even easier to account for. The four 
 sevens that made up the lunar month, the earliest method 
 of reckoning time by the heavens, deeply impressed that 
 number on the imaginations of men. As the heavens 
 were further studied, the seven stars of Arcturus and of 
 the Pleiades, and the seven planets visible to the naked 
 eye, deepened this impression. We are not astonished 
 therefore to find in this Gospel, not merely the funda- 
 mental grouping of the material into sections of sevens, 
 but the selection of material much influenced by this 
 number. There are seven miracles recorded, and seven 
 parabolic discourses. The distinctive sayings of Jesus 
 fall into groups of seven : there are seven important say- 
 
 E 
 
66 THE JOITANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 iiigs introduced by the words, " These things have I 
 spoken unto you"; seven references to the "hour" 
 of Jesus; and seven sayings of memorable interest and 
 importance introduced by the words " I am." * 
 
 It need not trouble us that these numbers are so 
 continuously employed in the composition of this Gospel, 
 nor should their use be regarded as any derogation of 
 the literary genius otherwise displayed. Some critics 
 have been disposed to doubt whether a mind so ham- 
 pered by these artificial trammels could construct a 
 great literary work. A little consideration will give 
 pause to a conclusion so hasty. Self-made rules, limiting 
 one's literary form or directing the choice of material, 
 have never really hampered genius, or there would have 
 been no epics, no dramas, and, above all, the sonnet 
 would never have been invented nor practised by so many 
 great poets. Let us not forget that we have one of the 
 greatest products of poetic genius and literary art in 
 the Divine Comedy of Dante, which is quite as re- 
 markable as the Fourth Gospel in its use of symbolic 
 numbers, since it is constructed throughout on the num- 
 bers three and ten. Ten is a number not prominent in 
 the Gospel, but in the Apocalypse it plays a considerable 
 part, especially in the multiples of one hundred and one 
 thousand; which are indeed used in all literature as ap- 
 proximate measures of things whose magnitude is rather 
 to be indicated than computed. 
 
 This definite and involved plan at once and finally dis- 
 poses of the theory of composite authorship, and nega- 
 tives the attempt of certain German critics to apply their 
 favorite partition methods to this Gospel. Most recent 
 writers emphatically reject the contention that this is a 
 
 8 The seven " I ams " are: " I am the Bread of Life " (6 : 35) ; " I am the 
 Light of the World" (8 : 12); "I am the Door" (10 : 7); "I am the 
 Good Shepherd" (10: 11); "I ara the Resurrection and the Life" (11 : 
 25); " I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life" (14 : 6); " I am the 
 true Vine " (15 : i). 
 
GOSPEL : PLAN AND CHARACTERISTICS dj 
 
 composite book. Thus Pfleiderer: "The Fourth Gospel 
 is, in fact, when all is said and done — this is a quite 
 unshakable conclusion — so entirely of one piece that it 
 must either be held to be genuine as a whole, or if that 
 is shown to be impossible, spurious as a whole." ^ Holtz- 
 mann is quite as emphatic : " The w^ork is both in form 
 and substance, both in arrangement and in range of 
 ideas, an organic whole without omissions or interpola- 
 tions, the ' seamless coat ' which cannot be parted or torn, 
 but only by a happy cast allotted to its rightful owner." 
 Holtzmann has perhaps exceeded the probabilities in de- 
 claring that the Gospel contains no omissions or inter- 
 polations — as we shall see, there is reason to believe that 
 it shows traces of both — but his emphasis on the essential 
 unity is none too strong. 
 
 IV 
 
 No sooner do we pass from the general to particulars 
 in our literary study of the Gospel, from the scrutiny of 
 plan to careful analysis of paragraphs and sentences, 
 than we become aware of a striking characteristic of the 
 book: a large part of it is in poetic form. Not so large 
 a part of the Gospel is poetic as of the Apocalypse, but 
 the Prologue and the discourses of Jesus are distinctly 
 marked by Hebraic parallelism.. This poetic element of 
 the Gospel is so large as to encourage some critics to 
 declare that the entire book is to be regarded as poetic, 
 not historic nor even hortatory. We have before us for 
 study, they say, not a history nor an evangel, but the 
 poetic interpretation of a great religious Teacher. And 
 through this haze of poetic fancy we are invited to * 
 descry the veritable Jesus of history — if we can. A 
 sound literary method does not confirm this view. The 
 
 '"Primitive Christianity," IV; 140. 
 
68 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Gospel is not a poem; it contains poetry. That part 
 wiiich is not distinctly poetry is distinctly prose — a mat- 
 ter-of-fact, unimaginative narrative, as little to be con- 
 founded with poetry as Caesar's Commentaries, 
 
 Of the poetry of this Gospel, as of all Oriental poetry, 
 it is true that it discloses little of that pure and polished 
 beauty so prized by the West. It is not the product of 
 delicate and precious artistry. But the poetry of the 
 Gospel is even less poetic, according to Western ideas, 
 than that of the Apocalypse. If the style of poetry 
 should be, as Milton said, " simple, sensuous, impas- 
 sioned," the Apocalypse meets this requirement and so 
 far justifies its classification with other great poems of 
 the world's literature. But of the three epithets of Mil- 
 ton, the Gospel poetry can lay claim only to the first; 
 its style is usually simple, but never sensuous, and is 
 thoughtful rather than impassioned. There is a dif- 
 ference in quality between the two writings like that be- 
 tween Byron and Wordsworth. 
 
 Unity is the only reasonable conclusion regarding the 
 Gospel, as we have seen from a study of the plan, and 
 study of the style suggests no other. The style is notable 
 for certain well-marked mannerisms, the recurrence of 
 characteristic words or phrases, some of which are com- 
 mon words used in an uncommon sense, while others 
 are words found in none of the other Gospels, if any- 
 where else in the New Testament. The more prominent 
 of these words and phrases it will be profitable for us to 
 consider in detail. 
 
 ^A^aTidu) and dydTtrj, " love," though used by the Synop- 
 tists (Mark lacks dydrn}, Matthew and Luke have it once 
 each) occur so frequently in " John " and in a sense so 
 distinctive as to make them his special words. They are 
 used to denote equally the benevolent love of God toward 
 man, the reverent and obedient love of man toward God, 
 
 J 
 
gospel; plan and characteristics 69 
 
 and the unselfish love of the sons of God toward each 
 other, and even toward their enemies. " Love " in this 
 Gospel is not so much an emotion as a principle of action, 
 and implies active good will more than mere affection. 
 For the latter " John " uses (peUco. 
 
 \lkrjdeca, " truth," found but seven times in the Synop- 
 tics, and then in the usual sense, is generally made by 
 " John " to indicate truth in some mystical, esoteric sense, 
 as the secret of Jesus, the sum total of his teaching re- 
 garding God, man, and duty. Sometimes it describes the 
 corresponding character of man when he has become 
 like God. Paul sometimes makes use of the word in a 
 similar way, but with a more distinctly dogmatic con- 
 tent, to denote the whole system of Christ's teaching. 
 The cognate words are also important; alrfiric, is merely 
 true, as distinguished from false, whereas dXrfiivbc: 
 means to have the character described by alr^Qua^ 
 genuine, free from deceit, candid. 
 
 ^A/iijv, " amen," is very common, as in the Synoptics, but 
 is always used by " John " in the double form, d/jiTJv, ajx-jv^ 
 Xeyco uficv, " verily, verily, I say unto you," which occurs 
 no fewer than twenty-three times and is one of the 
 most characteristic marks of the Johannine style. 
 
 Fcvcoaxecv, " to know," in all its varied forms, implies 
 a peculiar knowledge of God and divine things, the pos- 
 session of a Christian yvufac^, " knowledge," superior to 
 that of the pagans — a sense of the word not found in 
 the Synoptics, but clearly paralleled in the writings of 
 Paul. 
 
 Ao^a, " glory," and oo^d^co, " glorify," are very com- 
 mon words, occurring some forty-two times: and while 
 it might be difficult to show that " John " uses them in 
 a unique meaning, his frequent resort to them constitutes 
 one of the striking features of his Gospel. In a few cases 
 they denote merely honor, or the giving of honor; but 
 
JO THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 generally they refer to the majesty of Christ's character, 
 his perfect moral excellence, and consequent preeminence 
 among men, which " the Jews " stubbornly refused to 
 recognize. 
 
 "Epjov, " work," more commonly found in the plural, 
 as it is occasionally used in the Synoptics, to describe 
 the miracles of Jesus; but in the Synoptics epya 
 more commonly describes ceremonial righteousness, the 
 " works " prescribed by the Levitical law and Jewish 
 tradition. (Matt. 5 : 16; 11 : 19; 23 : 3, 5.) It be- 
 comes a distinctive Johannine term, for duvapicz, " mighty 
 work," which is the Synoptic word for miracle, " John " 
 never uses. On the contrary, his preference is ar^pCtov, 
 " sign," which occurs often in the Synoptics, but still 
 more often in "John," and is significant of his general 
 attitude of mind to the works of Jesus. For to him 
 the striking thing about a miracle was not the exercise 
 of supernatural power, but the spiritual significance in 
 the thing done. A miracle was truly to him a " sign " 
 and it was little else. 
 
 Zco^, " life," occurs thirty-seven times. It is not a 
 word peculiar to " John," but while the Synoptists speak 
 of life, " John " speaks of Life — the fulness of life that 
 belongs to God and is communicated by him to those 
 who trust in Jesus and follow him. Occasionally, but 
 not often, it is called ^oij aicbvcoz, " eternal " or " ever- 
 lasting " life, as it is usually translated. But neither of 
 these English words conveys the idea of the original, 
 because they concentrate thought on the element of dura- 
 tion of life instead of quality. ^o)ij accouio^ is much 
 more than unending life ; it is a relation to God of the 
 most intimate and happy sort, which is a possession 
 enjoyed now and forever inalienable. When the later 
 Christian ages lost sight of this significance of the words, 
 hope of endless life degenerated into fear of endless pain, 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 71 
 
 and heaven became far less real to the medieval world than 
 hell. But while " John " puts this fulness of meaning into 
 ^(OTJy he docs not spiritualize ddvavo^, " death," so much 
 as Paul does. He prefers to dwell on the bright, positive, 
 inspiring idea of life. 
 
 'loudacoi, " Jews," is a word so peculiarly used by 
 " John " as to lead some critics to assert that the author of 
 the Gospel could not himself have been a Jew. But this is 
 to lose sight of the fact that there are two classes of 
 passages in which we find the word : in one class it has 
 the usual meaning, " people of the Hebrew race " ; in 
 the other, it means the Jewish people as represented by 
 their ruling caste. In forty-nine cases it has this mean- 
 ing, and plainly describes, not the Jews as a whole, but 
 the official opponents and persecutors of Jesus, together 
 with their agents and sympathizers. These were, in ef- 
 fect, the nation; and it was natural that " John " or any 
 other Christian writer at the end of the first century 
 should have come to think of them as an alien and hostile 
 people, with whom he had nothing in common but the 
 accident of birth. 
 
 KofffLOt;, " world," we find fully three times as often in 
 " John " as in all three of the Synoptics, and about 
 half the entire number of times in the entire New Tes- 
 tament. It therefore becomes a distinctive word of the 
 Gospel, where it signifies not so often the ordered uni- 
 verse as the aggregate of men and things opposed to God. 
 
 Kpiac^, " judgment," xpivco, " to judge," are words of 
 inherent, not numerical, importance, though used twenty- 
 nine times in the Gospel. The judgment is not forensic, 
 but individual; not final, but present — the decision to 
 which men come in the forum of conscience, and thereby 
 determine character and conduct. This is a sense not 
 found elsewhere, or, at all events, but rarely. 
 
 Aafi^dvco, " to receive," is a common word throughout 
 
"^2 THE JOliANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 the New Testament; nevertheless it has a somewhat 
 peculiar sense in the Gospel, whenever it is applied to 
 Jesus. To " receive " him or his word is equivalent to 
 having " faith " or trust. 
 
 Abyoz, " word," is a well-recognized Johannine word, 
 yet outside of the Prologue it has no special significance 
 in the Gospel. 
 
 Maprupia, " testimony," juaprupew, " to testify," are 
 keywords of tlie Gospel, and occur seventy-nine times. " I 
 have been born for this," said Jesus to Pilate, " and for 
 this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth " — 
 the truth, namely, that he was King, Messiah, Son of 
 God. (i8 : T^y.) The mission of Jesus is thus defined 
 by himself as that essentially of testimony, witness-bear- 
 ing, the declaring of God to man. Accordingly, the entire 
 public life of Jesus is viewed in this Gospel as fiapzupia. 
 The Word became flesh that he might become God's wit- 
 ness; the book was written in testimony to the words 
 and work of Jesus, that men might believe him to be the 
 Christ, the Son of God. 
 
 "Ovofta, " name," while used by nearly every New Tes- 
 tament writer, undoubtedly has a special and character- 
 istic sense in the Gospel, especially in the phrase iv 
 dvofiari fxoo, " in my name," found ten times in chapters 
 14 to 20. This does not occur in the Synoptics un- 
 less in the doubtful case of Mark 9 : 41, where Tischen- 
 dorf alone has that reading, and in Luke 10 : 17, 20. 
 Elsewhere in the Synoptics the phrase corresponding is, 
 inl dvofiari fiou, " by my name." 
 
 JJcaztua), " to believe," occurs ninety-eight times, while 
 strangely enough the Gospel does not once contain mari^y 
 so common everywhere else. The common English 
 equivalent, " faith," is rather a mistranslation than a 
 translation. For 7ilaxc(; is an ethical thing rather than 
 an intellectual, something active, not an abstraction. It 
 
gospel: flan and characteristics "72^ 
 
 is best rendered into English by " trust," since in every 
 case it implies the affectionate choice of Jesus as De- 
 liverer, Teacher, Master. The constant reproach of 
 Jesus to " the Jews " was that they would not trust him, 
 would not commit themselves to him as disciples to a 
 teacher, would not accept him as the Messiah. 
 
 Idp^, " flesh," is a conspicuous word in the Gospel, es- 
 pecially in chapter 6, which has been called the core of 
 the book. The Synoptics and Paul agree in making 
 Jesus use the phrase ro aa}[m [jlou, " my body," in the in- 
 stitution of the eucharist, but in this discourse " John " 
 puts jj odp^ [lou, " my flesh," seven times into the mouth 
 of Jesus, while " the Jews " use it once. To be sure, it is 
 a matter of dispute whether Jesus was in this discourse 
 referring to the eucharist by way of anticipation; but 
 whether Jesus had in mind the eucharist or not, it is 
 evident that the writer of the Gospel had it very dis- 
 tinctly in mind. Paul also uses adp^ metaphorically, but 
 always in antithesis to nvvjfia, " spirit," never as in 
 " John," whose treatment of the word is unique and 
 striking. The words acofia and ffdp^ may be regarded as 
 variant renderings of the Aramaic word actually spoken 
 by Jesus. 
 
 <^a»c, " light," is often used in a figurative sense in the 
 Synoptics, as, " Ye are the light of the world " ; but it is 
 a favorite word with " John," who employs it no fewer 
 than twenty-three times. It first of all denotes the divine 
 nature, incorporeal, holy : Truth and Wisdom emanating 
 from God and illuminating mankind. Then it describes 
 Jesus as the embodiment of the divine Holiness, Wis- 
 dom, and Truth, and so become preeminently the Light 
 of the Cosmos. Of course, gxoto^, " darkness," is the 
 precise opposite of all this — ignorance of God and his 
 revelation, the necessary consequence of which is moral 
 degradation. 
 
74 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Qavtpbo), " to manifest," is by some reckoned among 
 the Johannine words, and perhaps justly, though it is 
 used only nine times. It is found in the genuine text 
 of the Synoptics only once. (Mark 4 : 22.) 
 
 Ti/jpeo), " to keep," must certainly be placed among the 
 distinctive words of the Gospel, for though not unknown 
 elsewhere, it is so frequently used by " John " as to be- 
 come characteristic of his style. It is commonly coupled 
 with Xoyov, " word," or ivzoXdz, " commandments." 
 
 Besides those words that may be claimed with some 
 confidence as distinctively Johannine, there are a number 
 found in the Synoptics, but much more frequently in the 
 Fourth Gospel, and generally in some figurative or spe- 
 cial sense. Kupcoc: is an excellent instance ; in thirty-two 
 cases out of fifty-three it is a mere term of address, prac- 
 tically equivalent to " Sir." Other instances often occur- 
 ring are : Tzetvav and di(/'av, to " hunger " and " thirst " 
 for spiritual things ; mpiTzavsTu, to " walk," in the sense 
 of general conduct. These illustrations might be much 
 amplified without throwing any additional light on the 
 subject, since the main purpose of our study is by no 
 means an exhaustive comparison of the vocabularies of 
 the Synoptics with " John." 
 
 There are also numerous words common in the Synop- 
 tics that are seldom or never used by " John," and this 
 fact constitutes another feature of his style. Thus coou, 
 " lo," one of the commonest Synoptic words, occurs but 
 four times in the Gospel, while cde, " see," rare in the 
 Synoptics, is found fifteen times in " John." Matthew's 
 favorite tots, " then," is used sparingly ; sddui:, " straight- 
 way," is found three times to Mark's forty-two, while 
 8.7za^, " once for all," of which Luke is quite fond, occurs 
 but once ; and fJtiya^, " great," frequent in all the Synop- 
 tics, is almost absent from " John." Some have thought 
 that this Gospel's avoidance of certain common New 
 
gospel: plan and characteristics 75 
 
 Testament words, such as eua-jje/Ja, " gospel," and e-jay- 
 Ye}.c^aj, " preach the gospel," is a fact not easily explained. 
 On the contrary, the explanation is the easiest possible: 
 the writer did not choose to use them. He could not 
 have been ignorant of them — no words could be more 
 familiar to any early Christian writer than these. It is 
 the commonest of all literary phenomena, this that has 
 so puzzled the critics; there are, for example, several 
 thousand English words known to the writer of this book 
 which he has not chosen to use in these pages. 
 
 The choice of words made by any writer from the 
 entire number known to him is determined by the course 
 of his thought and the nature of his theme. The frequent* 
 occurrence of certain words in one composition and their 
 complete absence from another may not be a mark of 
 style at all, but the necessary result of a difference of sub- 
 ject-matter. A treatise on geology will necessarily contain 
 many w^ords not found in an essay on painting, while 
 a book of theology will differ widely from both. One 
 would be ashamed to dwell on such a truism, if it had 
 not been so persistently ignored by critics. The neglect 
 of this simple principle, the mere statement of which 
 secures for it the assent of every qualified student of 
 literature, has vitiated most of what has been written by 
 New Testament critics about the " style " of the various 
 books, and makes particularly vicious conclusions reached 
 by mere comparison of words. The results thus far 
 attained by verbal criticism of the New Testament re- 
 quire to be carefully checked by other methods of study 
 and subjected to rigorous tests, before real significance 
 can be conceded to them. 
 
 Foremost among the influences that determine a writer's 
 style must be placed race and education. " John " was 
 a Jew, and his mind was disciplined and his taste formed 
 by study of the masterpieces of Hebrew literature. The 
 
76 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 distinct Hebraic flavor of the style cannot be missed by 
 any reader of the Fourth Gospel. An instance familiar 
 to all is the use in dialogue passages of dTzexpidr] with 
 ecTtsv and Uycov, " and he answered and said." Yet we 
 must not overwork this explanation of phrases that strike 
 us as exceptional or characteristic ; for " Hebraism " has 
 too often been the resort of lazy and slovenly scholarship 
 in the study of New Testament idiom. Thus i^^i 
 Afiapziav, " he has sin," an unmistakably Johannine locu- 
 tion, is probably as little entitled to be called Hebraistic 
 as classical Greek. 
 ^ We need be in no apprehension of misapplying this 
 explanation, however, when we come to study the par- 
 ticles and the structure of " John's " sentences. Hebrew 
 has few particles, and " John " uses in his Greek as few 
 as he possibly can — to the equal loss of writer and reader, 
 for he deprives both of the finest means of tracing the 
 subtle connection of ideas to be found in any extant 
 language. The words expressing relations are few in 
 the Gospel, notwithstanding the fact that Greek offers a 
 rich field of choice to a writer; and these few are so 
 constantly in use as to give that quality of monotony to 
 the style which a Greek writer would have done his ut- 
 most to escape. " John " is without resource to express 
 those delicate relations of ideas, those almost imper- 
 ceptible transitions of thought, that a classical Greek 
 writer expresses by fiiv, di, " indeed, but," dpa, " now," 
 ye, " at least," //^'v, " however," roc, " then," and the like, 
 which are either altogether absent from the Gospel or used 
 most sparingly. The misuse of those words of this class 
 that do occur is equally noteworthy. The favorite par- 
 ticle is o5v, " therefore," which is used continually, fre- 
 quently as an equivalent for the Hebrew vav consecutive. 
 We find xac doing duty for every conjunction and con- 
 junctive adverb known to a Greek, so that the translator 
 
gospel: plan and citaractertstics y'j 
 
 must permit himself — or rather, he must boldly take — 
 fgreat liberty in rendering this word into English. It is 
 sometimes as strongly adversative as akld, " but," still 
 more frequently it is concessive (in such cases best trans- 
 lated "yet"), and is sometimes equivalent to totz, "at 
 that time." So Tva, " in order that," which " John " uses 
 as many times as Matthew and Mark together, seldom 
 introduces a true telic clause, but is chosen where or;, 
 " that," would better fit the thought, or perhaps ujaxt, 
 " so that." 
 
 We have seen that the Fourth Gospel is not pri- 
 marily a biography, but an evangel. It is nevertheless 
 an account of the words and life of Jesus — so much 
 of both as will promote the prime evangelic purpose. But 
 it is more than this: it is an interpretation, to a much 
 greater extent than any of the other Gospels. It is the 
 product of theological reflection, the appreciation of a 
 unique character and life by a philosophic mind that 
 had long revolved the problems suggested by such a per- 
 sonality. To be read and considered as an interpretation 
 even more than a record, it is not the less a record. 
 At least, it not the less purports to be that. While 
 the writer gives us a clear picture of the personality of 
 Jesus, with touches lacking in other accounts, he quite 
 as definitely discloses himself. He makes himself known 
 to us as a man of virile fiber, albeit of exceptional lofti- 
 ness of soul. His ideas are sublime but few, and it 
 sometimes seems to the reader that the evangelist's power 
 of expression is small and his vocabulary limited, for he 
 says the same things over and over again, with only slight 
 variation of phrase. But while some find this monoto- 
 nous and tiresome, others see here merely the pedagogic 
 device of repetition. When we call Jesus the Great 
 
78 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Teacher, we are not merely indulging in a figure of speech 
 ^ behind which there is no real meaning. He wa s/one ofl 
 '. V v> t he world' s greatest teachers , and well knew the value 
 of repetition. And " JohrT^' may himself have added 
 something to his Master's method, as a result of his own 
 experience as teacher of young Christians at Ephesus — 
 if for the' moment we may accept something of the tradi- 
 tion regarding the later years of the apostle and deduce 
 what is fairly obvious. 
 
 There is indeed a curious mixture of simplicity and 
 depth, of ordinary vocabulary and extraordinary mean- 
 ing, in this Gospel. Many of the sayings here attributed 
 to Jesus are more pregnant with meaning, more spiritually 
 luminous, show more creative potencies of life, than 
 anything found elsewhere in the New Testament. The 
 thrust of the thought is more powerful even than Paul's — 
 a fact that has often escaped notice, because of the ex- 
 treme simplicity of the sentences in which the thought 
 is clothed. It requires no careful search of the text to 
 discover instances of this; one may almost select at 
 random from the sayings to light on such as these : 
 
 Unless one be born from above, 
 
 He cannot see the Kingdom of God (3 : 3). 
 
 God is Spirit, 
 
 And they that worship Him must worship in spirit and 
 in truth (4 : 24). 
 
 I am the Bread of Life : 
 
 He that comes to me will not hunger. 
 
 And he that trusts me will never thirst (6 : 35). 
 
 You will know the truth, 
 
 And the truth will make you free (8 : 32). 
 
 He that loves his life, loses it : 
 
 And he that hates his life in this world 
 
 Will keep it to life eternal (12 : 25). 
 
GOSPEL: PLAN AND CHARACTERISTICS 79 
 
 He that has seen me has seen the Father (14 : 9). 
 
 If a man love mc, he will keep my word (14 : 23). 
 
 This is my commandment : 
 That you love one another, 
 Just as I have loved you (15 : 12). 
 
 I pray . . . that they all may be one, 
 Just as thou. Father, art in me, 
 And I in thee (17 : 21). 
 
 It is sayings like these, in which the Gospel of John 
 is peculiarly rich, so simple in form, so inexhaustibly pro- 
 found in significance, that have always made the book a 
 favorite of the spiritually minded in all the Christian 
 ages, and they go far to justify Luther's epithet, " the 
 truly chief Gospel." If any one would know the heights 
 to which the mind of man has winged its way as it has 
 meditated the things of the spirit, the great problems 
 of the here and the hereafter, let him read the Fourth 
 Gospel; and if he would know the depths to which the 
 human mind has descended in its attempts to evaluate 
 these same spiritual verities, let him read the critics of 
 the Fourth Gospel. 'And this is no more to imply that 
 there is no sound and instructive thought in the litera- 
 ture of criticism, than that all the words of the Gospel 
 are of equal value. Any literature, the greatest, even the 
 book that the reader now holds in his hand, to be read 
 with profit, must be read with discrimination. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 THE CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL ^ 
 
 TO master any piece of literature, no single method 
 of study suffices. At least two methods must be 
 pursued, neither to the exclusion of the other, since they 
 are complementary. One is to study the whole in the 
 light of the details — a method commonly called exegesis. 
 The other is to study the details in the light of the whole, 
 and is often called exposition. It is perhaps a matter 
 of no great importance which method is first employed, 
 provided the other is not neglected; for there can be 
 no accurate exposition without careful exegesis, nor 
 truthful exegesis without thorough exposition. 
 
 First of all, after the Prologue, we have a group of 
 seven events, conceived either as testimonies borne to the 
 divine Sonship and Messianic mission of Jesus, or as 
 manifestations of his " glory," his uniquely perfect char- 
 acter, in the earlier part of his ministry. The Gospel 
 begins (i : 19) almost as abruptly as the Gospel of 
 Mark, with the testimony of John the Baptist and certain 
 
 1 The author acknowledges that he has found much help in the under- 
 standing of the Fourth Gospel in the writings of commentators and exposi- 
 tors, which he has used diligently and from which he has borrowed much. 
 These borrowings include not only all their ideas that seemed good, but 
 sometimes their exact words. These have been, however, an apt phrase here, 
 a telling clause there — both too numerous and too brief for it to be practi- 
 cable in all cases to acknowledge them, either by specific reference or by 
 quotation-marks. This general acknowledgment of indebtedness must, there- 
 fore, suffice. It is not claimed that any considerable part of this expo- 
 sition is original; the author only hopes that it is true. These remarks apply 
 equally to the expositions of the Apocalypse and the Epistle. No writer, who 
 is also a student, can be certain that anything of his is absolutely original; 
 what he fondly believes to be such may he unconscious reminiscence. 
 
 80 
 
CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 8l 
 
 of his disciples. Knowledge of the preliminary work of 
 John, and its results among the Jewish people, is as- 
 sumed by the author. This work has created such a stir 
 that the national authorities can no longer ignore it; 
 they send a deputation to John, who demand from him 
 an account of himself and a declaration of his authority. 
 He frankly confesses that he is not the Christ, but only 
 the forerunner; but to their demand for his credentials 
 he gives what must have seemed to them a vague and 
 enigmatic, if not evasive, reply. 
 
 On the very next day (if we are to construe literally 
 this note of time) the Baptist bears public testimony to 
 the Messianic character and divine Sonship of Jesus. 
 The baptism of Jesus we must understand from i : 32-34 
 to have occurred previously, but though John at that time 
 recognized the Messiah in Jesus, he had not then oppor- 
 tunity to bear his testimony. He now announces that he 
 has beheld the divinely appointed sign of the Spirit of 
 God descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove and 
 remaining on him, and by this he knows Jesus for the 
 Lamb of God, for him who would baptize in the Holy 
 Spirit. But this was to John more than a mere sign of 
 identity; he recognizes and testifies that in this descent 
 of the Spirit Jesus had received the reality of which the 
 holy oil was but a symbol, and was now become the 
 Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ. With this formal 
 public attestation of his official character, Jesus begins 
 his ministry. 
 
 With John on that day are two disciples who are, 
 like him, waiting and watching for the coming of the 
 promised Deliverer. Hearing the words of their Master 
 they follow Jesus, and at his invitation spend the rest of 
 the day with him. What a day of days it was to them! 
 How every incident of it must have remained photo- 
 graphed upon their memories to their latest breath. From 
 
 F 
 
82 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 that interview they are the devoted followers of Jesus — 
 they become his disciples as they had been John's. 
 
 One of these men was Andrew ; the other, unnamed — 
 who can he be but the author himself? Andrew, in his 
 new enthusiasm, goes in search of his brother Simon, 
 bursts upon him with these words, " We have found the 
 Messiah," and brings him forthwith to his new-found 
 Master and Teacher, Jesus, who needed not to be told 
 what was in any man, beheld in Simon not only the man 
 he was, impulsive, headstrong, fickle, a strange compound 
 of bravery and cowardice ; but the man he would become 
 by God's grace — the leader, the pillar, the tower of 
 strength to his brethren and their common cause — and 
 gives him a new name, expressive of this new character, 
 Kephas, Peter, Rock. 
 
 The next day Philip is called to be a disciple, and at 
 once accepting the invitation goes to his friend, Nathanael, 
 the Israelite in whom there was no deceit, who, though 
 doubtful at first, is persuaded to see Jesus, and recog- 
 nizes him for what he is. Though we are not told this 
 in so many words, we may be sure that John would 
 not be long in finding his brother James, and with him 
 six of those who are to be the twelve closest disciples 
 have already heard and answered their call. These in- 
 stances illustrate, and were probably recorded to illus- 
 trate, the eagerness with which a select few choice souls, 
 who were prepared by previous spiritual experiences to 
 understand Christ, instinctively perceived his unique char- 
 acter and mission, joyfully welcomed him as one to whom 
 they were drawn by irresistible affinity, and confessed 
 with Nathanael, " Teacher, you are God's Son, you are 
 Israel's King." 
 
 The author now goes on to relate the first public mani- 
 festation of his " glory " by Jesus — the first " sign " to 
 the world of his character and office — the miracle of 
 
CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 83 
 
 turning water into wine at Cana. What the effect upon 
 the guests may have been, we can guess, but are not 
 told; what we are told is that his disciples were led by 
 tliis manifestation of himself to give him their whole 
 trust. They had already recognized his exalted character 
 from his words to them; this deed confirms their in- 
 tuitions. It show^s Jesus, as the Christ of God, to be 
 the source of life. King of the physical world as of the 
 spiritual, as far above men in power as he is in character 
 and dignity. 
 
 After a brief stay at Capernaum, Jesus goes up to Jeru- 
 salem. This ministry in Galilee " John " passes over in 
 almost complete silence, not because it was in his view 
 unimportant, not because it is fully described in the 
 other Gospels, and so need not be told again, but because 
 it is not germane to his purpose. He has set out to 
 tell the story of Christ's appeal to the Jewish nation, 
 and his rejection by its official and spiritual heads. For 
 the same reason he tells us of but one incident of this 
 visit to Jerusalem — the one that exactly fits his theme 
 and purpose. Jesus goes to the temple; he is outraged 
 by the flagrant abuses that have grown up ; before his 
 authoritative manner, before his flaming indignation, the 
 conscience-stricken brokers and dealers flee in dismay. 
 This assumption of authority, this manifestation of moral 
 power, were strictly appropriate for the Messiah, and 
 were a tacit assertion of his official dignity. It was so 
 understood by priests and Sanhedrin — for by " the Jews " 
 are meant either these official representatives of the 
 nation, or their unofficial religious leaders, the scribes and 
 Pharisees — and they instinctively assume a hostile atti- 
 tude to this new prophet and teacher. They demand of 
 him a " sign," that he shall work a miracle to attest his 
 right to such exercise of authority. Jesus refused then, 
 as always, to perform a miracle for the convincing of the 
 
84 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 hostile or incredulous. Nor will he explicitly declare 
 himself to be the Messiah, and thus precipitate the fate 
 that is finally to overtake him. 
 
 Though no other acts of Jesus during this visit are 
 narrated, it is easy to gather that John is not silent 
 because there was nothing more to tell. Other " signs " 
 that Jesus did are mentioned, and the fact is recorded 
 that many believed on him at this time — which things 
 show that his ministry here was of some duration and in- 
 cluded both teaching and miracles. That he made a pro- 
 found impression in Jerusalem, both upon the people at 
 large and upon their leaders, is evident. At least one of 
 the leaders was favorably impressed by the teaching 
 of Jesus, and desired to know more about him, and ac- 
 cordingly came to him for a private, personal conference. 
 His coming by night may have been due in part to a 
 prudent wish to avoid comment — he was not yet an 
 avowed disciple, and may not have wished to identify 
 himself too closely with a teacher already under suspicion 
 of the authorities. Quite as probable is the conjecture 
 that he came by night, because Jesus was thronged all 
 day by the people, and night offered the only opportunity 
 for a private and prolonged conversation, such as he 
 desired. To Nicodemus Jesus imparts two principles 
 fundamental in his teaching: First, that his kingdom is 
 spiritual, and consequently natural birth gives no one 
 entrance into this kingdom. Jew as well as Gentile must 
 undergo a profound spiritual change before he can be- 
 come a subject of the King. And secondly, he makes 
 clear his atoning work, his redemptive mission. Because 
 his sacrifice was so immeasurable, his exaltation is so 
 matchless — the way of lowliness, of service, of death, is 
 the way of greatness, of glory, in his kingdom. 
 
 While we have no definite information regarding the 
 length of this stay in Jerusalem, we may plausibly guess 
 
CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 85 
 
 that it was not more than a few weeks at most. It must 
 have created great excitement, and even exposed Jesus 
 to the danger of immediate arrest. We may read these 
 things between the hues, as the reason for his going 
 into the rural districts, where there would be less ex- 
 citement and danger of interference. He continues to 
 teach and make disciples. His success was so great that 
 the jealousy of certain disciples of the Baptist was roused; 
 they come to their Master complaining that he is in 
 danger of eclipse. John again bears most emphatic 
 testimony that Jesus is the Christ, of whom he has 
 claiined to be only the forerunner. There is no room 
 for jealousy in the great heart of the Baptist; he knows 
 that his work is nearly done. Henceforth he must 
 decrease and Jesus must increase, and he rejoices that 
 such is the case. 
 
 The Pharisees continue their opposition, and Jesus 
 thinks it the part of prudence to leave Judea for a time. 
 On the journey, at Jacob's well, he meets a Samaritan 
 woman and converses at length with her. Three prin- 
 cipal themes are found in this discourse: (i) Jesus de- 
 clares himself to be the Water of Life, the source of 
 spiritual power; (2) he makes clear the nature of genuine 
 Avorship, that its essence is not in time or place or ritual, 
 but in the relation of man's spirit to God, who is Spirit; 
 (3) he first explicitly declares himself to be the Mes- 
 siah. What he would not tell to hostile unbelief at Jeru- 
 salem he discloses to simple faith at Sychar. For several 
 days he tarries in the town, and many believe on him 
 there. It is easy to see why John relates this episode : it 
 is, in some respects, the most striking of all the mani- 
 festations of the " glory " of Jesus. A hated Jew, the 
 power of his character and teaching are so convincing 
 that multitudes give him their entire trust. There could 
 be no more emphatic contrast between the faith of these 
 
86 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Samaritans and the unbelief and rejection of the Jews. 
 To make that contrast as vivid as possible is the writer's 
 evident object. 
 
 Which ought a religious teacher to regard as the greater 
 failure — to elicit no faith from a part of his hearers, or 
 to rouse a wrong kind of faith in another part? In Judea, 
 in spite of having created a great furore, Jesus had on 
 the whole been coldly received, suspected, rejected; in 
 Galilee men received him favorably because they had 
 heard of his signs and wonders at Jerusalem. Only in 
 Samaria did his message find a ready acceptance for its 
 own sake, for its intrinsic worth. It is perhaps because 
 of this attitude on the part of the men of Galilee that 
 " John " elects to tell but one incident of the early minis- 
 try there. He evidently chose this one, not because it was 
 not told in the earlier Gospels, but because it was a strik- 
 ing manifestation of the " glory " of Jesus, inasmuch as 
 it called forth faith of a peculiar quality, such as he did 
 not often find in Galilee or elsewhere. It was natural 
 that this royal officer should seek Jesus — a journey of 
 twenty miles or so — a father in such case will leave noth- 
 ing untried. What was not to be expected was the 
 officer's instant and entire confidence in the mere word 
 of Jesus, a confidence that next day he found to be fully 
 justified. Such faith was peculiarly grateful to Jesus. 
 Every man would rather be valued for what he is than 
 for what he can bestow. The faith that sees in Jesus the 
 chiefest among ten thousand and the one altogether 
 lovely, is surely dearer to him now, in his exaltation, than 
 the faith that sees in him only the most willing and boun- 
 tiful of givers — though he may not repudiate the latter 
 sort of faith, and may honor it more than it deserves. 
 In his first " sign " at Cana, Jesus had shown himself 
 lord of the forces of nature that minister to the needs of 
 man. Now he shows that his lordship is such that he 
 
CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 87 
 
 can heal disease. But who can do this except one that 
 has power also to minister to minds diseased, to heal 
 sickness of soul as well as of body? 
 
 II 
 
 Here, with the second main division of the Gospel, 
 begins a series of seven distinct and direct appeals to the 
 representatives of the Jewish nation, all but one of which 
 are made in Jerusalem. These appeals are arranged in a 
 rising scale, a crescendo of interest and power. Four of 
 them have their starting-point in the performance of a 
 notable miracle, or " sign," and in each case the miracle 
 is followed by an address or sermon. 
 
 The first of the incidents is the healing of the lame 
 man at the pool of Bethesda. His lameness had been 
 caused by sin; the man had become hopeless of cure. 
 What a type of sin and its results! for sin is paralysis, 
 sin is the maiming of all our powers, sin is a hopeless 
 condition apart from divine healing. This healing, which 
 took place during an unnamed feast, was a sign of un- 
 deniable power, but nevertheless gave occasion for a 
 enlarge by the Pharisees that Jesus had violated the Sab- 
 bath. We see how rapidly unbelief hardens into opposi- 
 tion. In his discourse, Jesus shows how absurd the 
 charge of sacrilege really is, but this only in passing ; his 
 main purpose is to announce his divine Sonship and the 
 proofs by which his mission is authenticated. The Jews 
 rightly understood him to claim equality with God, as 
 his real ground of justification in the course he was pur- 
 suing. His mission, he declares, is to honor the Father 
 by doing his works. God is the source of Life, but he 
 has given to the Son power to make alive. God is Judge, 
 but he has committed all judgment to the Son. This is 
 not inconsistent with the declarations of Jesus elsewhere 
 
88 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 (3 : 17; 8 : 15) that he did not come into the world to 
 judge the world. All hearing of the gospel is necessarily 
 a judgment; men either accept the truth and find life, or 
 they reject it and continue in death. A testing, winnow- 
 ing self-judgment of hearers is inseparable from the 
 teaching of truth. In short, the Son is the revelation of 
 the Father, he has come into the world to declare God to 
 man. This mission is authenticated by three lines of 
 proof: (i) the testimony of John; (2) the testimony of 
 the works; (3) the testimony of the Scriptures. If they 
 really believed Moses and the prophets they would be- 
 lieve him; their rejection of him proves that they did 
 not really believe Moses or understand the Scriptures. 
 They could not believe Jesus because their ideals were 
 earthly, as they showed by preferring the applause of 
 men to tlie honor of God. 
 
 It was desirable that at least one appeal should be 
 made to the Pharisees and leaders of Galilee. The 
 second notable miracle, the feeding of five thousand, 
 was made the occasion of such an appeal. In the syna- 
 gogue at Capernaum Jesus delivered a long discourse, 
 in which he explained the spiritual significance of that 
 miracle, and made clear the manward aspect of his 
 mission. He had come into the world that men might 
 have life — had come to satisfy their hunger with the 
 Bread of Life. He was himself that Bread — in him was 
 to be found the satisfaction of the spiritual hunger of 
 men, and only those that feed on his flesh and drink his 
 blood, that is, become partakers of his nature, receive 
 eternal life. To a material mind, the figurative way in 
 which this teaching was given would naturally seem 
 grossly material, and so we need not wonder that the 
 Jews "murmured" (discussed, complained, criticized in 
 a hostile spirit). It is more surprising that some of his 
 disciples declared such teaching to be intolerable, and 
 
CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 89 
 
 that from that day many who had hitherto professed 
 discipleship turned away from him. 
 
 This was the crisis of the work in Gahlee. Those who 
 sougiit material blessings, those who had political aspira- 
 tions, fell away, unable to receive a teaching so spiritual, 
 caring nothing for a kingdom not of this world, or for 
 food that did not nourish the body. But the Twelve, 
 and some others doubtless, remained faithful. With 
 Peter they believed that Jesus had words of eternal 
 life, that his words and works avowed him to be God's 
 Anointed One. He satisfied their deepest spiritual wants. 
 Yet already Jesus could see in Judas signs of that de- 
 fection which was to come. 
 
 The remaining appeals to the nation were made in 
 Jerusalem. The authorities generally say that " John " is 
 the most precise in his chronology of all the evangelists, 
 which is true in a sense, though it is also true that " John " 
 does not care a button for chronology. What he shows 
 us is that Jesus made his appeals to the nation in con- 
 nection wdth the great national feasts ; partly because he 
 had greater opportunity to present his teachings at those 
 times, partly because the crowds then present were a 
 protection to him. The Sanhedrin did not venture for 
 some time to risk the disapprobation of the multitude 
 by arresting him during a feast. Again and again we 
 are told that he would have been summarily dealt with 
 by that body but for this fear of the people, in whose 
 eyes Jesus was a prophet. 
 
 The feast of Booths afforded an excellent occasion for 
 teaching the multitudes, and making an appeal to the 
 scribes and Pharisees. Jesus declined to be moved by 
 his brothers' taunts to make a demonstrative entry of the 
 city and a public proclamation of his Messianic char- 
 acter. A few months later, at the Passover feast, he 
 did this; and the result was his speedy death, as he had 
 
90 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 foreseen. Not to provoke such an untimely fate, while 
 his work was still but half done, he now goes up quietly, 
 but teaches publicly in the temple. The authorities and 
 leaders were astonished at his teaching, indeed perplexed, 
 because he had not been a pupil of any rabbi and be- 
 longed to none of the recognized schools or parties. But 
 already among the people the question was anxiously 
 discussed whether this teacher were not in truth the 
 Christ. Enraged by this, the Pharisaic party in the 
 Sanhedrin sent officers to arrest him, but these were so 
 impressed by the teaching that they returned without 
 their prisoner, saying, " No man ever talked like this ! " 
 
 What had so impressed them? A discourse in which 
 Jesus declared that he was soon going whither they could 
 not come, and because they did not believe his teaching 
 they would die in their sins. He also declared more 
 plainly than ever before his divine authority for his 
 teachings : " He that sent me is with me. He has not 
 left me alone, because I always do the things pleasing 
 to him." 
 
 On the last day of the feast the teaching of Jesus 
 becomes more emphatic; he promises the Water of Life; 
 he declares that he alone can make men free. There is 
 a tone of unusual sharpness in his denunciations of " the 
 Jews " (some rabbis apparently had engaged in contro- 
 versy with him), for he now says they are not children 
 of Abraham at all. The Jews could not receive him be- 
 cause he was not their ideal of a Messiah ; and they had 
 such an ideal because they had become alienated from 
 God and so misunderstood the Scriptures. In con- 
 clusion, Jesus makes what every Jew would understand 
 to be a claim of divine nature. " Before Abraham was, 
 I am." They attempted to stone him for blasphemy. 
 The rising tide of opposition is almost ready to overwhelm 
 Jesus — the people begin to join their leaders. 
 
CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 9I 
 
 The healing of the man bom blind, which seemingly 
 happened during this visit, deepens the intensity of feel- 
 ing. It is symbolic, like all of the miracles of Jesus, and 
 the discourse following in the treasury of the temple 
 made clear its meaning. Jesus is the Light of the world ; 
 he has come to dispel the darkness, to cure the moral 
 blindness that sin has caused. But he has also come for 
 " judgment," for testing and sifting men. Those who, 
 like the Pharisees, are not conscious of their need of heal- 
 ing and insist that they see, must remain in their dark- 
 ness and guilt. The Jewish leaders not only could not 
 receive this teaching, but they had the blind man who 
 had been healed expelled from the synagogue, because he 
 proclaimed his trust in Jesus as the Christ. Persecution 
 quickly followed rejection. 
 
 Passing over the intervening time without comment, 
 " John " comes to the feast that commemorated the dedi- 
 cation of the temple. Again Jesus makes his appearance 
 in Jerusalem and teaches in the temple, this time in Sol- 
 omon's colonnade. " The Jews " challenge him to tell 
 frankly whether he is the Messiah or not, but he docs not 
 permit them to force him into a premature declaration of 
 himself. Yet he gives an implicit declaration of his office 
 and work, in the allegories of the Good Shepherd and the 
 Door; and he closes his discourse with the announce- 
 ment that he and his Father are one. Again the Jews 
 make a demonstration of stoning him, for what they 
 regarded as blasphemous words, but he shows that the 
 Scriptures which they accepted as God's word contained 
 precedents for such language. 
 
 Escaping an attempt to arrest him, and judging that 
 the excitement and opposition had become too great for 
 him to continue his teaching in Jerusalem, Jesus went for 
 a time to Perea. From now on he teaches only those 
 who come to him of their own choice for instruction. 
 
93 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Luke has given us a very full account of this part of 
 his ministry. Chapters ii to 13 of the Third Gospel 
 are given to this subject, and contain among other things 
 the discourse on prayer, the parables of the Prodigal 
 Son, the Unjust Stew^ard, and the Pharisee and Pub- 
 lican, as well as the incident of the rich young ruler. 
 " John " merely says that many came to him at that time 
 and believed. 
 
 This Perean ministry was interrupted by the greatest 
 of the miracles of Jesus, the raising of Lazarus. The key 
 to the chapter describing this event and its consequences 
 is given us in the words, " I am the resurrection and 
 the life." This " sign " again discloses Jesus as Lord of 
 all things, including life and death, as the one in whom 
 alone men have hope of eternal life. The miracle in the 
 flesh was wrought only to turn men's minds to the miracle 
 in the spirit that he was equally able and equally ready to 
 work. But instead of this, it merely embittered his 
 enemies and precipitated the long-preparing catastrophe. 
 Jesus foresaw the consequences — the final rejection of 
 his claims by the Jewish leaders, who, instead of being 
 convinced by the truth of his teaching, were infuriated 
 by his success to the point of including Lazarus with 
 Jesus in their scheme of vengeance. It was knowledge 
 of this stifif-necked opposition, as well as the faint faith 
 of his closest disciples, that made Jesus so indignant in 
 spirit as he approached the tomb of Lazarus, and drew 
 from him tears that the bystanders incorrectly interpreted 
 as evidence of his great love and grief for his friend. 
 He was not grieving for the dead Lazarus, but for liv- 
 ing sinners, whose fixity of unbelief and malignant op- 
 position cut him to the heart. 
 
 They had scornfully rejected him without taking pains 
 to comprehend his teaching. He was not the sort of 
 Messiah they were looking for, so in their eyes he was 
 
CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 93 
 
 an impostor. But they greatly feared that his miracles 
 would lead the people to accept him, and that a revolt 
 against Rome would be the natural consequence — a re- 
 volt certain to be unsuccessful, and to be punished by 
 a still further loss of their liberties. There was, there- 
 fore (granting the validity of their premises), but one 
 prudent course to pursue: to suppress this false Mes- 
 siah before worse mischief should be done. Their cul- 
 pability lay in the fact that they had not even attempted 
 to understand Jesus and his teachings ; had they done so, 
 their fears would have been shown to be groundless. 
 Jesus was put to death in complete misapprehension of 
 his aims; but, if they had understood him better, would 
 the Jewish leaders have believed in him more readily? 
 Nothing warrants an affirmative answer. 
 
 After the raising of Lazarus, Jesus again goes across 
 the Jordan, to await the Passover, when he will make 
 the final manifestation of himself and complete his work. 
 At the proper time he goes up to Jerusalem. Jesus may 
 have made no appreciable impression on the Jewish lead- 
 ers, he may have made less impression on the people than 
 his large following would suggest; but, at any rate, he 
 had a small company of intimate friends and disciples in 
 whose hearts he was enshrined forever, in whose love 
 and fidelity he could unquestioningly trust. His friends 
 are the measure of his " glory." The story of the supper 
 at Bethany is therefore told by " John " for its own sake 
 and in its proper order, while the other Gospels tell it 
 out of its chronological order, merely to explain the 
 treason of Judas. The anger of this unworthy disciple 
 at the rebuke of Jesus no doubt precipitated action that 
 he had perhaps long secretly meditated. 
 
 On the following morning Jesus makes his entry into 
 the city. The news of his coming has preceded him, and 
 disciples come forth to welcome him. If there has been 
 
94 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 a steadily growing unbelief and hostility among the ruling 
 classes, there has also been a rising tide of belief and 
 enthusiasm among the people. The enthusiasm of the 
 crowd leads them to make a considerable demonstration, 
 and Jesus does not check them. The time has come for 
 him to declare himself unmistakably, and he accepts the 
 title of Messiah as his of right when the acclaiming 
 crowd confers it on him. 
 
 When he reaches the temple, Jesus finds certain Greeks 
 desiring to see and hear him, and he hails this as proof 
 that his work has culminated, his mission is accomplished, 
 since his fame has gone beyond the narrow limits of 
 Judea. Henceforth nothing remains but to fructify by 
 his death the truth he has been teaching. He leaves the 
 temple with his work on earth completed. His few 
 remaining hours of life belong to the inner circle of 
 his disciples, that he may impress himself as deeply 
 as possible on their consciousness and prepare them to 
 become his apostles and witnesses. 
 
 Ill 
 
 Eight chapters — nearly half the entire writing, exclu- 
 sive of Prologue and Epilogue — are devoted by " John " 
 to the last manifestations and testimonies of Jesus. The 
 greater part of this matter is peculiar to " John," and even 
 when he describes scenes and events that are narrated in 
 the other Gospels with sufficient fulness for biographical 
 purposes, the point of view from which he writes is so 
 novel and the end he keeps in mind is so distinctive, that 
 he is invariably led to give fresh incidents and illuminat- 
 ing details. We see this in the very first of the seven 
 subdivisions of this part — the account of the Last Sup- 
 per. Of the supper itself " John " says little, and of the 
 institution of the eucharist he says nothing at all — an 
 
CONTENT OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL 95 
 
 omission that at llrst seems unaccountable and incredible, 
 until we remind ourselves once more of his main object 
 in writing, and then we see why he tells us only the one 
 incident of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. This was 
 the supreme manifestation of Jesus' love. While his dis- 
 ciples were disputing w^hich should be greatest in the 
 kingdom, and striving which should have the seats of 
 honor at table, he performs this menial service — not to 
 teach humility, as is so commonly said, but to teach 
 love, as he himself says (13 : i) : the love that he actually 
 had for his disciples, the love that they should have for 
 each other. (13 : 12-17.) ^^ thus says to them in 
 symbol, what he soon after says in word, " This is my 
 commandment, that you love one another, even as I have 
 loved you." 
 
 In the conversation at the supper, we have one of the 
 purely personal touches that are a part of the charm of 
 this Gospel. " John " alone tells, as he alone of the evan- 
 gelists knew at first hand, of the byplay between him- 
 self and Peter regarding the betrayer of Jesus. For 
 tradition cannot be wrong in its uniform maintenance 
 that " the disciple whom Jesus loved " is to be regarded 
 both here and elsewhere as no other than John himself. 
 
 After the departure of the traitor — smarting at the 
 knowledge that his treason is now known not only to his 
 Master, but to at least two of his fellow disciples, and 
 burning to accomplish his evil purpose and receive his 
 reward — ^Jesus begins the most tender and impressive 
 of all his discourses. All that he says may be naturally 
 classified under two topics : Union with Christ, and the 
 Coming of the Comforter. 
 
 We may then conceive the discourse as beginning with 
 chapter 15, and the allegory of the Vine. (15 : 1-8.) 
 From this Jesus passes to the New Commandment that 
 he is about to leave with them (13 : 34, 35), and the 
 
96 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 subject is continued in 15 : 9-27. Union with Christ, as 
 of the branches with the vine, a union whose proof and 
 manifestation are furnished in their mutual love — this is 
 the topic of the discourse. 
 
 The other topic, the Coming of the Comforter, to which 
 transition is made in 15 : 26, 27, is continued in 16 : l-II 
 and 16-33. Then we return for its further discussion 
 to 13 : 31, whence the discourse moves on to 14 : 29, 
 to which should be added 16 : 12-15, and as the con- 
 clusion of the whole, 14 : 30, 31. 
 
 One can hardly miss the purpose of the author in so 
 fully repeating to us these discourses. They are the 
 crowning manifestation by Jesus to his disciples of his 
 " glory," his unique character. Only the incarnate Word 
 could thus intimately speak of his Father ; only the incar- 
 nate Word could declare that " he that has seen me has 
 seen the Father " ; only the incarnate Word could speak 
 of " the Comforter, whom I will send you." As these 
 promises gave a new idea of their Master to the disciples 
 who first heard them — an idea that never ceased to 
 deepen and broaden — so the permanent record of them, it 
 seemed to John, could not but give readers for all time 
 a truer idea of the real character of Jesus Christ. 
 
 And now, having finished his instructions to his dis- 
 ciples, Jesus pours out his whole soul to his Father in 
 prayer. This chapter 17 is the most wonderful chapter 
 of the Bible, for by admitting us to the privacy of his 
 communion with his Father, our Lord has taken us 
 into the very holy of holies. This is commonly called 
 " Christ's Intercessory Prayer," and the title is so far 
 justified as this: Jesus does in this prayer make inter- 
 cession for his disciples, present and to be. But this is 
 to name the prayer from a single element in it, and that 
 not the most important. The chief thing in the prayer 
 is not Christ's concern for his disciples, but Christ's rela- 
 
CONTEXT OF THE FOURTH GOSFEL 97 
 
 tion to his Father. His work on earth is finished, he is 
 standing (so to speak) by his open grave, he is in the 
 very article of death, and under these circumstances he 
 solemnly commends to his heavenly Father himself, his 
 work, and his followers. Far more appropriately than 
 to the prayer given by Matthew and Luke, the name of 
 the Lord's Prayer might have been given to this outpour- 
 ing of our Lord's inmost heart. The other prayer should 
 be called the Disciples' Prayer. It is, of course, hopeless 
 to think of changing a usage that has so rooted itself 
 in Christian literature, but w^e can at least remember 
 that this is the real Lord's Prayer, and so think of it. 
 
 And as to its substance, let us note that it is largely 
 communion with God, soul to soul, heart to heart. It 
 is not mainly petition. Petition has its place in this, 
 as in all prayer, but here its place is distinctly subordinate. 
 Communion, fellowship — that is the essence of prayer. 
 If we come to God only to seek gifts from him, even spir- 
 itual gifts, we have not yet learned the nature of true 
 prayer. 
 
 L"^pon the three testimonies of the arrest and trial, 
 the crucifixion, death and burial, and the resurrection, 
 it is not necessary to dwell. The author's purpose is evi- 
 dent in each case ; the bearing of Jesus under this supreme 
 test, the proofs of his divine nature that he continually 
 gave, correspond to the general theme and round out the 
 account of the incarnate Word. The words and incidents 
 that " John " alone reports — we may note especially the in- 
 cident of " the doubting Thomas " — are such as precisely 
 suit his purpose to let the greatness of Christ's character 
 speak for itself. He was right in believing that Jesus is 
 himself the most convincing argument for the truth of 
 Christianity, as generations of readers of this Gospel 
 have discovered and testified. 
 
 With chapter 20 the Gospel proper ends, but who would 
 
 G 
 
98 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 wish omitted the Epilogue and its personal reminiscences ? 
 It is the most touching manifestation of the character of 
 Jesus in the whole book : his unbounded love and mercy, 
 the forgiveness that could restore Peter without rebuke 
 (save one delicately hinted) to his place of primacy and 
 influence among the apostles. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE EPISTLES OF JOHN: THEIR LITERARY 
 CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTENT 
 
 NOTHING can be plainer to one who deeply and can- 
 didly studies the First Epistle of John than the 
 fact that it is not a letter. It is most unfortunate that 
 this misleading title has become so firmly attached to the 
 document; for, on the one hand, no attempt to change 
 it could have the slightest prospect of success, while, on 
 the other, such a name obscures the real nature of the 
 book and has led to no end of misinterpretation. The 
 writing lacks every peculiarity of letter-writing, as one 
 may see by comparing it with the Epistles of Paul, 
 genuine letters if any letters were ever written. The 
 literary affinities of John's writing are with the Wisdom 
 literature. With this, the uncanonical books as well as 
 the canonical, the author may be fairly presumed to have 
 been well acquainted. These affinities, however, extend 
 only to literary form. In spirit this " epistle " is unmis- 
 takably, even aggressively, Christian. The lack of con- 
 tinuity of thought, so perplexing to those who persist in 
 regarding this as epistolary in literary form, becomes ap- 
 propriate and even characteristic in a composition of the 
 Wisdom order. 
 
 This is not put forward as any new discovery. The 
 lack of epistolary features in this writing has always 
 been felt, and has frequently been acknowledged, by 
 Christian scholars who have undertaken to expound it. 
 The difficulty is that they appear to have lacked the 
 courage of their convictions, and could not persuade 
 
 99 
 
lOO THE JOHANNIXE WRITINGS 
 
 themselves to treat the hook as they felt it should be 
 treated. For example, Dr. Horatio B. Hackett, one of 
 the greatest exegetes that America has produced, in the 
 notes that he used to dictate to his classes, said : " The 
 ideas in the Epistle are not presented with any strict 
 method, but follow each other with a freedom character- 
 istic of a familiar letter." The candid recognition of 
 fact in the first clause is as clear and characteristic of 
 Doctor Hackett as his inability to break away from tradi- 
 tional conclusions in the second. Bishop Westcott, in his 
 excellent commentary on the book, remarks : "It is ex- 
 tremely difficult to determine with certainty the structure 
 of the Epistle. No single arrangement is able to take 
 account of the complex development of thought which it 
 offers, and of the many connections which exist between 
 its dift'erent parts." But after this judicious comment he 
 proceeds to do what he declares to be impossible — he 
 makes an extended " analysis " that purports to show 
 entire continuity of thought. 
 
 Doctor Salmond, in the Hastings " Bible Dictionary," 
 quite agrees with these distinguished scholars in both 
 particulars. He says of the book: "It has nothing of 
 the formal structure, the systematic course, the dialectical 
 movement of these (the Pauline Epistles) ... It takes 
 the form of a succession of ideas which seem to have 
 no logical connection, and which fall only now and then 
 into a connected series. They are delivered, not in the 
 way of reasoned statements, but as a series of reflections 
 and declarations given in meditative, aphoristic fashion." 
 That is excellently said; it goes right to the heart of 
 the matter. And yet, will it be believed that, in the 
 very teeth of this, Doctor Salmond proceeds to give 
 us an elaborate " Order of Thought," which fills two 
 closely printed columns, and extends to nearly two thou- 
 sand words ! 
 
epistles: characteristics and content ioi 
 
 All these and other like inconsistencies would disap- 
 pear in a moment, if eminent scholars would have the 
 courage to treat the book as they declare that it should 
 be treated. We must set aside from the beginning of 
 our study all notion that this is a letter, and look upon 
 the writing as a tractate, a literary production of the 
 Wisdom type, whose distinguishing mark is not continuity 
 of thought, but the very reverse. In other words, we have 
 here a collection of brief essays or Thoughts, more or 
 less connected through their mutual relations to a general 
 theme. A brief prologue states this theme, and an 
 equally brief epilogue sums up what the writer regards 
 as the chief things established by what he has written. 
 This gives to the collection a quasi-methodical air that it 
 would otherwise not possess. 
 
 It would not be correct, however, to say that the book 
 consists of disconnected paragraphs, but the connection 
 of its component parts is rather that of variations on one 
 theme, than the logical nexus that we expect in a letter, 
 still more in a theological discussion. Sometimes the 
 closing sentence of one Thought has obviously suggested 
 the opening sentence of the next ; sometimes one para- 
 graph is found to be a development of some idea con- 
 tained in or germane to a paragraph preceding; some- 
 times little or no connection between parts can be traced 
 without a too ingenious exegesis ; we may even find abrupt 
 and complete transition of thought. Such phrases as 
 " I write unto you," which are not infrequent, and the 
 continual use of endearing address, " little children," 
 " brothers," " beloved," are not at all inconsistent with 
 this view of the literary form of the Epistle. This form 
 of personal appeal is frequent in the Wisdom literature, 
 and is well known to readers of the Proverbs and the 
 Wisdom of Solomon: but the form of address in the 
 Wisdom literature, " my son," has been changed to more 
 
I02 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 distinctively Christian salutations. There is as little 
 question that the book was written for Christians, as that 
 it was not addressed to Christians. The Gospel was writ- 
 ten to make believers, the Epistle to comfort and establish 
 saints. 
 
 The full meaning and significance of this book can be 
 appreciated, it is believed, only as it is interpreted from 
 the point of view above defined. But there is, of course, 
 an alternative theory of the literary characteristics of 
 this writing, and certain German critics have not hesi- 
 tated to adopt it — namely, to hold that the author at- 
 tempted to write a letter, and failed for lack of skill. 
 Baur saw in the book an " indefiniteness," a " tendency 
 to repetition," a want of " logical force," that gives the 
 Epistle "a tone of ^childlike feebleness." It Is, in short, 
 precisely such an Epistle as John might have been ex- 
 pected to produce in his dotage. But why, one asks, 
 should we demand that every writing be orderly, logical, 
 definite, and free from repetitions, on pain of being 
 pronounced childish? It is the dotage of criticism that 
 proposes such a critical test. What would be the result 
 if such a canon were applied to literature outside of the 
 books of the New Testament? Were Epictetus and 
 Marcus Aurelius and Pascal in their dotage, and has the 
 world been wrong all these centuries in accepting their 
 writings as belonging to that small collection of literature 
 that is all pure gold? S. G. Lange also found in the 
 writing the " feebleness of old age," but why should we 
 not rather see in such a criticism the feebleness of the 
 critic? The lack of Insight, of literary taste and feeling, 
 shown in such criticisms is pitiful rather than blame- 
 worthy; and there has been a plentiful sufficiency of 
 just such Inept ^vrltlng in the productions of Germans 
 famous for their biblical scholarship and historical learn- 
 ing. One need have no hesitation in saying that the 
 
epistles: CIIAKACIEKISTICS AND CONTENT IO3 
 
 student of this Epistle who cannot feel its unique power, 
 cannot discern its vigor, vividness, originality, freshness, 
 and, above all, its spiritual insight, ought by all means 
 to devote himself and his powers to some other pursuit 
 than literary criticism. 
 
 Giving to the theory of the literary form and char- 
 acteristics of the Epistle as above set forth a provisional 
 acceptance, let us study the document in detail. 
 
 Prologue. 1:1-4 
 
 This is strikingly like, and as strikingly different from, 
 the Prologue to the Fourth Gospel. It introduces us at 
 once to the two fundamental ideas of the writer, which 
 he is here announcing, a Person and a Fact. The Person 
 is here, as in the Gospel, the Word, eternal, source of 
 Life. The Fact is the Incarnation or earthly manifesta- 
 tion of this Revealer of the Father, not stated explicitly, 
 as in the Gospel ("the Word was made flesh"), but 
 implicitly ("the Hfe was manifested"). This fact has 
 a threefold attestation : hearing, sight, touch. Thus early 
 the apostle makes plain his antagonism to the form of 
 Gnosticism known as Docetism. Jesus was no phantom, 
 but the Word became man and lived a real human life. 
 To this the writer bears personal testimony. And the 
 object of this testimony and announcement is to bring 
 his readers into fellowship with him, and so into fel- 
 lowship with God and his Son. In such fellowship is the 
 consummation of the Christian's joy. 
 
 The theme of the book is thus plainly stated, and its 
 method foreshadowed. It is to consist of a series of 
 meditations, through which will run these two threads : 
 the new spiritual life that has its source in the eternal 
 Word ; and that fellowship with him which is the highest 
 privilege and joy of believers. 
 
104 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 I. God is Light, i : 5-7 
 
 In the first meditation the apostle sums up again his 
 whole message. He is not afraid of repetition; he knows 
 how useful, how indispensable it is to the teacher; but 
 he does not merely repeat, he adds something. His object 
 he has already declared to be the establishing of Chris- 
 tian fellowship on the basis of fellowship with God. But 
 fellowship rests on mutual knowledge, and it is there- 
 fore first of all necessary that we should know God. 
 This is the message that makes fellowship possible : God 
 is Light. Light is a higher potency of God's manifesta- 
 tion of himself than Life. But this does not refer pri- 
 marily to manifestation ; it designates the divine essence ; 
 it describes what God is, not what God does. He pos- 
 sesses in fullest perfection and intensity that spiritual 
 nature which may be typified to us by Light. In him all 
 goodness, all perfection, dwell ; he is absolutely pure and 
 glorious. In verse 7 God is described as not only Light, 
 but as " being in the Light " — that is, he radiates Light, 
 clothes himself with it as a garment. God is therefore 
 self -communicating by his very nature, and imparts him- 
 self to man, and man is able to receive him. As flower 
 to the sun, so man made in the divine image instinctively 
 turns to God. And as Light, God is also Life, for light 
 is the fundamental and indispensable condition of our 
 existence. Darkness is the negation of light, and signifies 
 the contrary of all that God is, the sphere of life and con- 
 duct undivine, opposed to God. 
 
 Revelation of what God is determines man's relations 
 to him. Hence, says the apostle, if we claim fellowship 
 with God, and yet our entire life is in a sphere outside 
 of God, opposed to God, we make a claim patently false 
 and we have no connection Avith the divine fulness of 
 truth. For truth is not only thought, but action; not 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 105 
 
 merely speculation, but character. I do, therefore 1 am. 
 A Christian life is impossible where there is no corre- 
 spondence between profession and moral action, where 
 faith is disjoined from ethics. 
 
 And hence, on the other hand, if we live in the sphere 
 of God's character and influence, two results follow. 
 First, Christian fellowship, a common interest and life 
 among believers. True fellowship with God is here 
 represented as coming through, or at least as being proved 
 by, fellowship with men, our fellow believers in Christ. 
 This first result is a result of relationship with others, but 
 there is another, for life in the Light cannot fail to have its 
 effects on him who lives it — he is cleansed from all sin. 
 Not forgiveness of sins merely — that the believer receives 
 at the moment he passes from death to life; that is 
 justification — but cleansing from sin, sanctification. The 
 verb used here, xadapl^o), " cleanse," is in the present, 
 not the aorist, and hence does not signify an act per- 
 formed once for all, as in justification, but a continuous 
 process, little by little, as life in the Light continues. 
 Sanctification is here attributed to the blood of Christ, 
 blood and life being generally convertible terms in the 
 Scriptures. No sanctification is conceivable that is not 
 the eflfect of Christ's power of life working in the be- 
 liever who lives in the Light. 
 
 2. Our Advocate, i : 8 to 2 : 2 
 
 The mention of sin leads to this new meditation. A 
 question naturally presents itself : How has he that walks 
 in the Light anything more to do with sin? Can he be 
 a Christian and still sin? May he not, should he not, 
 expect perfection? Is he not free from the law, and may 
 he not assert that sin is an accident of conduct, not a prin- 
 ciple of life within him? The question is a perplexing 
 
Io6 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 one, to which the easiest answer is a general denial; and 
 so, the antinomian solves the problem at a stroke: the 
 Christian is freed from the law and cannot sin, for with- 
 out law there is no transgression. No, says the apostle, 
 this answer is inadmissible. Denial of sin and of the 
 need of cleansing is an evidence that one is not walking 
 in Light, but in darkness. We still have sin — a phrase 
 peculiarly Johannine, which distinguishes between the 
 sinful principle and the sinful act, which latter he de- 
 scribes by the verb sin or commit sin. Denial of sin 
 is not merely falling into error, it is entering on an alto- 
 gether false and godless course of life. We know the 
 assertion to be false, yet persuade ourselves that it is 
 true, and so we lead ourselves astray and the truth 
 cannot be in us as an informing and transforming power. 
 Without consciousness of sin, there cannot be even the 
 beginning of the life of truth, much less continuance in it. 
 If sin thus besets us (cf. Heb. 12 : i, " the closely cling- 
 ing sin"), how shall we be rid of it and of its conse- 
 quences? By confession, says the apostle. But confes- 
 sion does not relate to sin, rather to sins. The denial is 
 made in the abstract, but the confession is to be made in 
 the concrete ; the specific, overt acts of transgression are 
 to be acknowledged, openly, before all men. We are in- 
 deed conscious of sin, but we cannot successfully contend 
 against it as a principle or state ; we can only oppose its 
 manifestation in specific cases. Hence we can gain de- 
 liverance from sin only through forgiveness of sins. This 
 forgiveness is rooted in the character of God ; it is because 
 he is faithful to his promises and righteous that he will 
 not only forgive (that is, remit the consequences of our 
 sins, as a debt owed hirn), but will in addition cleanse 
 us from everything that is not in accord with his own 
 character. Both the last verbs are in the aorist ; this may 
 be simply the aorist of completed action, the writer look- 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 107 
 
 ing forward to the end; or it may have been the apostle's 
 thought that, as the sins confessed are specific, so are 
 the forgiveness and the cleansing. 
 
 But a man may recognize the true character and per- 
 manence of sin, and yet maintain that he has not sinned. 
 Pelagius taught that some men keep the law^ of God per- 
 fectly and are saved by their obedience. Not so, says 
 the apostle. Such denial of sin is blasphemous; by it 
 we would degrade God, if that were possible, from the 
 realm of truth into that of falsehood, since we proclaim 
 that he has dealt falsely with all men in treating them 
 all as sinners. The whole of God's revelation assumes 
 sin as a premise, implies that normal relations between 
 God and man have been interrupted. But for this there 
 would have been no need of God's Son coming into the 
 world. By such denial of the thing fundamental in revela- 
 tion, all possible fellowship with God is destroyed, and 
 his words, as spirit and life, a power laying fast hold 
 on men and transforming them, have no place in our 
 hearts. 
 
 I am writing these things to you, continues the apostle, 
 that you may not sin at all (the verb denotes the single 
 act, not the state). He is not merely warning them 
 against the danger of converting his teaching about for- 
 giveness into license for continuance in sin, but is rather 
 aiming to produce in them the completeness of life in 
 the Light. In spite of abiding sinfulness of nature, their 
 purpose should be not to fall into specific acts of trans- 
 gression. This is the double goal : cleansing from sin 
 and freedom from sins. Yet it may happen tliat the 
 Christian will be carried into sins that contradict the 
 tenor of his life; it will be possible therefore to say of 
 him, -^fiapTe, " he sinned," but not A/iaprduec, " he lives 
 in sin." If this has happened to him who is walking in 
 the Light, let him not despair, for we (note the sig- 
 
loS THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 nificant change of pronoun, not the sinner only, but all 
 Christians) have an Advocate, Counselor, Helper, with 
 the Father. This word Paraclete is the same used by 
 Jesus of the Holy Spirit (John 14 : 16, etc.), but this is 
 not inconsistent with its use here, for everywhere in the 
 New Testament the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus 
 Christ. Both the humanity and the deity of the Mediator 
 are here recognized in the double name. Two conditions 
 of successful mediatorship are implied by the apostle, 
 both of which were fulfilled in Jesus Christ: (i) He was 
 fitted for his mediatorial office and work by his charac- 
 ter — ^he is the " righteous " one (corresponding to the 
 " righteous " God of 1:9) who has accomplished per- 
 fectly all that is revealed to us of the Father's nature; 
 (2) the case advocated must be in conformity with the 
 divine righteousness. This was accomplished by his tak- 
 ing away our unrighteousness. He is himself a propitia- 
 tion or means of reconciliation with God, in behalf of the 
 sins of all men. He is the high-priestly offering through 
 which sin is expiated. And this expiation is not merely in 
 behalf of Christians, but of the " whole world " — words 
 that have the broadest possible meaning, which it is not 
 possible to restrict by any honest exegesis. If the pro- 
 pitiation does not in fact effect the salvation of all men, 
 the failure is not due to the extent of the propitiation — 
 that is sufficient in worth and dignity to secure the salva- 
 tion of every man that comes into this world. 
 
 3. Obedience the Test of Love. 2 : 3-6 
 
 The apostle's general object is to make known the 
 Word, that men may be brought into fellowship with 
 him. He has just declared the remedy for sin, and now 
 proceeds to point out the signs of its efficacy. How are 
 men to be sure that they know God as Light and Jesus 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 109 
 
 Christ as Advocate and propitiation? What evidence can 
 they give to others that they possess such knowledge? 
 Mere profession is nothing. We perceive that men know 
 God hy this test: they possess character like God's. 
 Knowledge no less than fellowship produces assimilation 
 of character, and so tends to manifest itself in conduct 
 that accords with God's nature. For the commandments 
 are the expression of what God is, and what we must 
 be if we are in fellowship with God, who is Light. To 
 profess fellowship with him and yet not keep his com- 
 mandments is not only obvious falseliood — there is no 
 correspondence of word to fact — but shows that the 
 whole character is false. Truth is in a man when it 
 is an active principle, regulating his thought and action — 
 this cannot be said of the man whose conduct contradicts 
 his profession. In any man who keeps God's word, not 
 his commandments merely, but the spirit of the law as 
 well as the letter — the love of God has been perfected, 
 because love is the fulhlling of the law. The truth is 
 not merely in him, but has reached its consummation — 
 love is perfect, because obedience is complete. This is 
 true, whether " love of God " is objective or subjective 
 genitive, whether it means the love that God shows us, 
 or the love of which God is the object, or has the still 
 larger sense of the love that is characteristic of God. 
 This divine character in us is not only the proof to others 
 that we love God, and are walking in the Light, but is 
 the test by w'hich we know ourselves to be united to him. 
 It follows, therefore, that he who professes to abide in 
 God, to be in full and permanent fellowship with him, 
 must live the Christ-life, not as a necessity laid upon 
 him, but as an obligation that he has voluntarily assumed. 
 Not the mere semblance, but the reality, of godliness must 
 be his. This imitation of Christ is the infallible mark 
 of the Christian — that we follow the Christ-pattern in a 
 
no THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 life of humiliation, suffering, sacrifice, is proof that we 
 are in union with him. 
 
 4. A Commandment New and Old. 2 : 7-1 1 
 
 The mention of the love of God naturally suggests 
 brotherly love. The apostle puts his teaching into a 
 paradox. The commandment is new or old according 
 to the point of view. Brotherly love is no new command- 
 ment, because from the beginning of proclaiming the gos- 
 pel, the word of God to man, love has been the law of 
 life. The gospel is nothing else than a message of love 
 from God, and its end is to make men love God and their 
 fellows. On the other hand, Jesus himself calls the 
 commandment a new one, because it was given by him 
 in a new form and with a new sanction, " Love one an- 
 other as I have loved you." This was a new and stronger 
 incentive to brotherly love; resting on this foundation 
 and enforced by this example, it was indeed a new com- 
 mandment. While this duty was enjoined by the gospel 
 from the first, the words and works of Christ have be- 
 come better understood, and so the commandment has 
 been found in more complete accord than was at first per- 
 ceived with the facts of Christ's life on the one hand, 
 and with the facts of Christian experience on the other. 
 
 This love of our fellows, perceived to be characteristic 
 of their Master, must be realized in his followers. It has 
 been brought into the world only through the example 
 of Christ, and it can be attained by us only through fel- 
 lowship with him. The paradox is shown to be justified 
 by the change that has been produced through the pro- 
 claiming of the gospel of love: Because the power of 
 evil has been broken — it has not yet passed away, but is 
 now in the act of passing, is being drawn aside as a cur- 
 tain — and the genuine light is shining, the kingdom of 
 
epistles: characteristics and context hi 
 
 God, the reign of righteousness, has begun to triumph. 
 But whether a man is still in the darkness or the hght, 
 whether he really belongs to the kingdom of God or the 
 kingdom of Satan, is a matter about which he may deceive 
 himself. It is in vain for one who hates his brother — 
 not his neighbor, merely, but a fellow Christian — to pro- 
 fess himself a member of Christ's kingdom. His moral 
 condition is the exact opposite of that which he claims, 
 and doubtless sincerely believes, to be his. On the other 
 hand, he that loves his brother is not merely in the king- 
 dom of God, but abides there in a condition of stability 
 and certitude. His love is not the cause of his fellow- 
 ship with God, but the consequence and proof of that 
 fellowship. He will never cause others to fall — on the 
 contrary, his character will be an inspiration and help 
 to them — but lack of love is a prolific source of offenses. 
 Finally, love clarifies the vision, while hate blinds the 
 eyes. To see the truth, light and love are necessary; 
 hatred means loss of the very faculty of seeing, and the 
 life of the hater is one continual stumbling in the dark. 
 
 5. The Writer's Purpose. 2 : 12-14 
 
 The apostle now states in a dift'erent form his pur- 
 pose in writing these meditations. He puts his thought 
 into six terse sentences, rhythmical in their balanced 
 form — Hebrew poetry, in short — and these naturally fall 
 into two triads. He first addresses all his readers by the 
 affectionate title, " little children," and declares that he is 
 not teaching the first principles of the Christian faith, for 
 he is writing to those whose sins are forgiven, and know 
 the ground of that forgiveness to be what Christ has done. 
 They have therefore already made considerable progress 
 in the faith, and he is desirous to lead them to maturity. 
 (Cf. Heb. 6:1.) They have already experienced in part 
 
112 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 the word of God, they have known something of the 
 blessedness of fellowship witli Christ; he purposes exhort- 
 ing them to continuance in the faith, to attainment of 
 nobler heights of Christian character. He then addresses 
 the two classes into which they may be divided — fathers 
 and youths, the men of experience and the men of action, 
 thinkers and soldiers. Christians are indeed one in the 
 experience of the forgiveness of sins, but their other ex- 
 periences differ largely with their ages and circumstances. 
 The fathers, or elders, the more mature and thoughtful 
 Christians, have learned to know Christ, him who has 
 existed from the beginning. This knowledge is conceived 
 as the fruit of past experience and still abiding, not as a 
 process now continuing — the verb is aorist, not present. 
 The young men, the possessors of soldierly qualities, vigor 
 and bravery, have conquered the Evil One, the prince of 
 the realm of darkness — not that their victory is in fact 
 complete, but it may be so regarded, in view of what they 
 are and of what they have already accomplished. 
 
 The second triad is a repetition of the first, but with 
 some significant, if slight, modifications. The most strik- 
 ing of these is perhaps the change from " I am writing " 
 to " I have w^ritten," as if the apostle would have said, " I 
 am writing to you, yes, I assert it again, that it is for 
 these reasons." The general address is also slightly 
 changed, and becomes " little ones," instead of " little 
 children," but more important is the change of reason : I 
 have written to you on the ground of your Christian 
 character and experience, because you have learned to 
 know the Father, They manifest this knowledge by 
 correspondence of character to profession, by exhibition 
 of brotherly love. There is no change in the address to 
 " fathers," but a significant addition to the words spoken 
 to young men : " because you are strong " (that is, they 
 are well qualified for active and aggressive service) " and 
 
El'ISTLES: CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTENT II3 
 
 God's word abides in you," so that they are in contact 
 with the source of strength — in these two facts is to be 
 found the certainty of their victory. 
 
 6. Love of the World. 2 : 15-17 
 
 The apostle has given his new-old commandment; he 
 now adds another. " Love not " is as important as 
 " love." Love determines character ; love discloses char- 
 acter; hence the object of love is all-important. Love 
 of the world and love of the Father are absolutely in- 
 compatible, for the world is everything that God is not. 
 The " darkness " of i : 5, 6 and 2:9, 11 is the evil 
 principle, the world is the sphere of its working — both 
 are God's antithesis. Note the emphasis achieved through 
 the order of the Greek words: "If any one love tlie 
 world, there exists not [whatever he may say] the love 
 of the Father in him." All fellowship with God is neces- 
 sarily destroyed by this love, and the love of which God 
 is both source and object cannot animate and inspire one 
 whose moving principle is love of the world. Because in 
 moral and spiritual things, as well as in physical, no 
 stream rises higher than its source. The things in the 
 world, all that constitute it what it is, do not come from 
 God, and hence cannot lead men to God, but keep them 
 in bondage to the world. The desires that have their 
 source in the flesh, and find their satisfaction in physical 
 pleasure; the desires whose gratification constitutes the 
 higher mental pleasures: unregulated mental activity, 
 unrestrained intellectual curiosity; the thousand vices, 
 whether physical or mental, that are rooted in self-asser- 
 tion, arrogance, pride — these are the " things that are in 
 the world " and make the love of it incompatible with the 
 love of God. Not only so, but the love of the world is 
 as different from the love of God in its end as in its 
 H 
 
114 THE JOHAXNINE WRITINGS 
 
 source. The world, the order of things opposed to God, 
 is passing away — hke a screen or curtain that hides God 
 from men, it is pushed aside, and those whose love has 
 made them a part of it must vanish also. Only in har- 
 mony with God, in fellowship with God, practically evi- 
 denced by the doing of his will, is there assurance of 
 permanence. The world is transitory, God is vmchanging 
 and eternal. He that does his will, he only, abides for- 
 ever. 
 
 7. Antichrist. 2 : 18-28 
 
 And now the apostle speaks a word of solemn warn- 
 ing to his readers. The " last hour " is at hand — not 
 necessarily the immediate end of all things, the consum- 
 mation of the age and the final judgment, but a critical 
 period, a time of change and sifting. This is proved 
 by the divisions among Christians themselves, and the 
 consequent temptations to desert the faith and break off 
 fellowship with God. " My little ones," says the writer, 
 addressing his readers with the double authority of age 
 and experience, you have heard that the " last hour " will 
 be preceded by the coming of Antichrist — not merely 
 an opponent of Christ, but one who takes the place of 
 Christ, becomes his opponent by assuming his guise. 
 Antichrist is therefore he whose character is the nega- 
 tion of all for which the name of Christ stands. But 
 already there are among us many manifestations of this 
 Antichrist; those who, like Judas, have been numbered 
 among the disciples of Christ, and for a time were indis- 
 tinguishable from them, but were never in real union with 
 Christ, and so were never truly of us. If they had ever 
 been really of our fellowship they would have continued 
 with us — their apostasy shows that their fellowship was 
 but a sham. Now their masks have fallen, and they 
 stand revealed in their true characters; and by this dis- 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 115 
 
 closure they are shorn of the greater part of their power 
 for evil. But you are not hice them, for to you the Holy 
 Spirit has been given and you have a special gift of dis- 
 cernment. This is why 1 have written to you, because 
 you understand the truth and know the absolute con- 
 trariety between falsehood and truth. And who is the 
 liar above all others, if not he who denies that Jesus is 
 the ]\Iessiah ? It cannot be doubted that here John refers 
 not to the Jew, but to the Gnostic, who affirmed that 
 the aeon Christ descended on Jesus at his baptism and 
 left him before the passion, and so denied the indissoluble 
 union of the divine and human in the one personality of 
 Jesus Christ. This, says the apostle, is to be Antichrist, 
 for to deny the incarnation leads inevitably to a denial 
 of the eternal oneness of the Father and the Son. 
 
 This is no mere abstract dogmatic disputation, but a 
 most practical matter: since God has fully revealed him- 
 self in Christ, and in him alone, one who refuses to ac- 
 knowledge Christ as the Son of God of necessity loses 
 knowledge of the Father, even though he professes to 
 revere him. Conversely, such is the eternal and essen- 
 tial unity and mutual indwelling of Father and Son, that 
 he who acknowledges the Son is thereby brought into vital 
 relations with the Father. Therefore, guard yourselves 
 from every declension from the truth ; hold fast the 
 teaching you have had from the beginning, and you will 
 as a natural and inevitable result abide in fellowship 
 with the Son, and therefore with the Father. And this 
 fellowship, this vital relation to God through his Son, is 
 the promise that he has himself given you — this is life 
 eternal, the final scope of Christ's redemptive work, the 
 consummation of the Christian faith. 
 
 I have written these things, the apostle concludes, as a 
 warning against those whose aim is to lead you away 
 from the truth, away from God. But you do not need a 
 
Il6 THE JOIIANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 human teacher, you have only to Hsten to the Holy Spirit 
 that has been given you, to learn what is true and what is 
 false, and by holding fast to his teaching you shall con- 
 tinue in the divine life and fellowship. So then, in the 
 face of all enemies and temptations, constantly endeavor 
 to maintain your fellowship with God, in order that, when 
 Christ shall come again, we may have the boldness of 
 those who are friends of the Judge, and not the shame 
 of those who are consciously under his condemnation. 
 
 8, The Character of God's Children. 2 : 29 to 3 : 12 
 
 The writer proceeds to contrast with those whom he 
 has described in the foregoing section — the Pseudo-Chris- 
 tians, the Antichrists — the genuine Christian. There is 
 but one test by which he may be known : Character. A 
 single act may mean little, but he who lives a life of 
 righteousness has been begotten by the righteous God. 
 His righteousness does not make him a child of God, it 
 is the consequence of his sonship. This is the only un- 
 deceptive mark by which a Christian may test himself 
 or others. The amazing love that the Father has be- 
 stowed on us is manifest in the fact that we are called 
 children of God; and this is not a mere name, this is 
 really our character. The world does not recognize this 
 character in us, because the world has failed to recog- 
 nize God, whether as made known in creation or through 
 his Son. We are now, already, children of God, and 
 while we do not fully know what we shall become, we 
 do know this : We shall be like Christ. The day of his 
 full manifestation approaches, when we shall see him as 
 he is; and in consequence of that beatific vision of the 
 glory of God in Christ we shall reflect his glory, we shall 
 be transformed into his likeness. And every man who, 
 with firm trust in God, looks forward to becoming 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 117 
 
 like Christ must strive to be like him now — he will dis- 
 ciphne and train himself to a life of holiness and avoid 
 everything that pollutes. The character of sonship has 
 been divinely bestowed on the Christian, but he will ear- 
 nestly desire to make the ethical relation correspond to 
 the spiritual fact, and the moral habit of a man is not the 
 mere gift of God, but depends also on his personal coop- 
 eration in righteous conduct. 
 
 Sin is in its very nature irreconcilable with the Chris- 
 tian life, for all sin is violation of the divine law. The 
 very reason of the incarnation and the redemptive work 
 of Christ was to deliver man from sin, not from punish- 
 ment merely; and Christ could do this, because he was 
 himself sinless. No one can have fellowship with him 
 and continue in sin (note the force of the present tense 
 in this and the other verses of this section) ; the very 
 fact that a man continues in sin proves that he has not 
 comprehended Christ's mission or come into real fellow- 
 ship with him. For really to see Christ, truly to know 
 him, is to become partaker of his nature and to be 
 changed into his image. 
 
 Let nobody deceive you about this: He that lives a 
 life of righteousness is like him who is the source of 
 righteousness, he has the mark of the divine sonship ; but 
 he that lives a life of sin is the child of the devil, who is 
 the source of all evil. But the Son of God came into 
 the world for the express purpose of destroying the devil's 
 works, that is, to take away sin. Every child of God 
 has a divine germ within him, the permanent principle 
 of a new life, and therefore he does not continue in sin. 
 He may commit sins, isolated acts that are contrary to 
 the whole tendency of his character, but to live a life 
 of conscious and deliberate sin is for him a moral im- 
 possibility. God's children may therefore be distinguished 
 from the devil's by this simple test: No man who does 
 
II 8 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 not live a life of righteousness and love his brother is of 
 God. And for this reason : The whole aim of the gospel 
 is to create and develop love — this is its first message, 
 this is the meaning of Christ's entire life. Take warn- 
 ing from the example of Cain, who showed himself to be 
 of the devil because he hated his brother and slew him. 
 The secret of his crime was that he hated righteousness, 
 knowing his own works to be evil, while his brother's 
 were righteous. By his sin, then, Cain preaches the duty 
 of brotherly love. 
 
 9. Love, the Badge of the New Life. 3 : 13-24 
 
 The mention of Cain and his hatred suggests a further 
 development of the thought. It ought not to astonish 
 Christians that the world hates them; on the contrary, 
 this is precisely what they should expect. Only the world 
 can hate. Hatred is characteristic of the world, because 
 the world is spiritually dead. On the other hand, love 
 is the sign that we have experienced the change from 
 death to life. Conversely, he that hates his brother shows 
 by that very fact that he is not a Christian, but is still in 
 a state of spiritual death. Hatred is the sinful inward 
 state of which murder is merely the formal outward ex- 
 pression. So our Lord taught in the Sermon on the 
 Mount; so the apostle teaches here. Such a state is 
 incompatible with love and life, which are convertible 
 terms, though not precisely identical ideas, with the 
 apostle. " Life " in his writings always means some- 
 thing other and higher than mere existence, and " eternal 
 life " is much more than existence prolonged forever — 
 " eternal " connotes an idea of ethical quality rather than 
 of duration. Eternal life is life of the highest type, ful- 
 filment of the loftiest ideal and purpose of being, the 
 realizing of all the powers and possibilities of our nature. 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 119 
 
 How can the man that hates have this hfe? But if love 
 is the mark of the Christian, w^hat is the test or standard 
 of love? The love of him who first revealed what love 
 really is, what it really means — that love seeks not to re- 
 ceive, but to give; not to be blessed, but to bless; that 
 love means unselfishness, love means sacrifice. We love 
 because Christ taught us that, and because he has taught 
 us we count it our joy and privilege to repeat his self- 
 sacrifice. Except a man renounce self and take up his 
 cross and follow Christ, he cannot be his disciple. 
 
 This is a lofty ideal, but what relation has it to daily 
 duty ? Few are called to die for Christ, but all are called 
 to live for him. There is a test of discipleship that lies 
 nearer at hand than the cross, and is not less searching 
 and decisive. Here is our suffering brother — " the poor 
 ye have always with you " — and he who loves self better 
 than his brother, he who has the ability but not the will 
 to relieve his brother's distress, gives no indication that 
 he understands what God's love means. It is not the 
 indwelling and all-controlling principle of his life. Here 
 is a practical test. We are in danger of hypocrisy ; let us 
 strive to avoid the mere semblance of love, the making 
 of empty professions, the glib use of unmeaning phrases ; 
 let us beware even of evanescent emotions; it is deeds 
 that count, and these are the true test of our love. 
 
 The necessity of love and its pattern or standard hav- 
 ing been thus discussed, the writer goes on to consider its 
 fruit, confidence. Here the thought is somewhat ob- 
 scurely expressed, and while we are in no doubt as to 
 the general meaning, the exact thing said is not easy to 
 determine. The apostle seems to say that confidence 
 born of love assures us against the condemnation that 
 our own moral nature pronounces against us; and this 
 is only the feeble echo of God's condemnation, which is 
 the mightier in that it springs from perfect knowledge; 
 
I20 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 SO that, apart from our s"ense of fellowship with him 
 we should have no hope. Or, the meaning may be, 
 as Bishop Westcott suggests : *' The sense within us of 
 a sincere love of the brethren, which is the sign of God's 
 presence with us, will enable us to stay the accusations 
 of conscience, whatever they may be, because God, who 
 gives us his love, and so blesses us with his fellowship, 
 is greater than our heart; and he, having perfect knowl- 
 edge, forgives us all on which the heart sadly dwells." 
 
 Furthermore, because of this sense of fellowship with 
 God and the assurance against condemnation, our con- 
 fidence finds expression in prayer, which is always an- 
 swered. At first thought, this statement of the apostle 
 seems unqualified, and contradictory of our frequent 
 experience, that we do not receive what we ask. But this 
 is because our asking is not in accordance with the prin- 
 ciple that the apostle adds : We receive of him what- 
 ever we ask, because we are ever seeking to know and 
 do the will of God. It is prayer offered by one who is 
 in harmony with the will of God that is always answered, 
 and such prayer cannot fail to receive its answer. And 
 do we ask what it is to do the will of God? to " keep his 
 commandments ? " They are summed up in one word : 
 That we trust his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another. 
 This is the Christian version of the summary of the 
 Jewish law : " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
 all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself." Again we 
 see that love is the fulfilling of the law. Obedience to 
 this law is at once the condition and the test of a life 
 of fellowship with God. 
 
 10. The Test of the Spirit. 3 : 24 to 4 : 6 
 
 Thus far the apostle has had much to say of the 
 Father and the Son, but he has not even mentioned the 
 
epistles: CHAKACTEKISTICS AND CONTENT 121 
 
 Spirit; he now proceeds to speak of the relation of the 
 Spirit to the Christian. We know, he says, that we have 
 fellowship with God, because he has given us of his 
 Spirit. But how shall we be certain that we have this 
 indwelling Spirit? Caution is surely necessary, for not 
 everything that seems or professes to be of the Spirit of 
 God really comes from that source. Many spiritual 
 forces are active among men; many profess to teach 
 under the authority of the Spirit ; but some spirits are 
 lying spirits, some prophets are false prophets. These 
 we should not receive without question, but we should 
 test them and discriminate. One test was especially 
 appropriate for those to whom John wrote. Gnosticism, 
 in the peculiar form of Docetism, was already rife. The 
 Docetists denied that Jesus of Nazareth was a real man, 
 but only God in the appearance of a man. God, said 
 they, could not become united to human nature, and 
 certainly God could not have suffered on the cross — it 
 was but a phantom that went about among men as Jesus, 
 and all that was divine withdrew into heaven before the 
 crucifixion. With the best of motives, possibly, these 
 teachers were taking out of Christianity all that made 
 it valuable to the world. Therefore John makes the test 
 of the spirits the confession that Jesus has come in the 
 flesh, was a real man and no phantasm, for no man 
 can make that confession but by the Spirit of God. 
 
 The Fourth Gospel is the Gospel of the Incarnation, 
 and this " epistle " makes the incarnation the central fact 
 to a Christian, confession of which is the strongest proof 
 of the Spirit's presence and power. The test of Anti- 
 christ was confession of a vital truth: Jesus is Son of 
 God; the test of spirits is confession of a vital fact: 
 Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. He who refuses 
 this confession denies the characteristic thing in Chris- 
 tianity, the true union of God and man in the person 
 
122 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 of Jesus Christ, which alone makes possible and authen- 
 ticates our fellowship with God. This is to be of Anti- 
 christ, rather than of God, to be partaker in spirit and 
 purpose with God's greatest opponent. This test sug- 
 gested by John is as applicable to our day as to his ; de- 
 nial of the incarnation is rife amongst us also, and now, 
 as then, it is a denial of all that is worthful in Christianity. 
 In this conflict between spirits good and bad, between 
 teachings true and false. Christians must engage, be- 
 cause they are in the world where the conflict rages ; but 
 their victory is so certain, because of the power of Him 
 who dwells within them, that it is stated by the writer 
 in the present tense, as a thing already fully accomplished. 
 The apostle's thought probably is, that by the fact of 
 Christians' turning away from error and bearing testi- 
 mony to the truth, they have already been successful 
 and have conquered Antichrist. The apostle marks off, 
 by a sharp antithesis, those in whom God dwells and 
 makes victorious from " the world," the present moral 
 order, in its separation from and hostility to God. The 
 false teachers are of the world, and their teaching has 
 the characteristics of this ungodly social order. Men 
 listen to them gladly, because the teaching agrees with 
 their own evil character. Here is the contrast: The 
 world listens to the false teachers because they repro- 
 duce its own thoughts ; but those who are in harmony 
 with God listen to those who speak of the things of God. 
 Men accept or reject the divine message according to 
 their character, and the preaching of the gospel is neces- 
 sarily a sifting, a judgment. The desire for the truth and 
 acceptance of the truth come from the Spirit of Truth ; 
 and rejection of the truth proves the working of the 
 spirit of error. All judgment is self-judgment; a man 
 affords an infallible index to his character by what he 
 approves and what he condemns. 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 123 
 
 II. God is Love. 4 : 7-21 
 
 In several meditations tiie apostle has considered vari- 
 ous aspects of the conflict between truth and falsehood; 
 he has warned Christians against Antichrist and the spirit 
 of Antichrist; he now turns to consider the Christian life, 
 its distinguishing badge, the source of its power, its 
 ground of assurance. 
 
 The badge of the Christian society is love, which has 
 its source in God himself, whose inmost nature is love. 
 Our love of the brethren is only the reflection — only the 
 faint reflection — of the divine love in us. The very 
 fact that one loves is proof that new life has been im- 
 parted to him by God, that he is partaker of the divine 
 nature; and the absence of love proves that a man 
 has no real knowledge of God, no likeness to his nature, 
 no sympathy with his purposes. For all knowledge is 
 grounded in spiritual likeness to the one known; knowl- 
 edge of God presupposes possession of the divine char- 
 acter. God's nature is love. Love is the self-imparting 
 faculty. Because God is love, he desires to impart him- 
 self, the fulness of all goodness, to his creatures. In 
 our case God has demonstrated the character of his love 
 in the incarnation and the atonement — in the supreme 
 self-sacrifice of giving his Son to impart life to us. 
 Thus the mission of God's Son has become a power of 
 God working in us. We should never have loved God 
 but for this revelation of himself; but now that we know 
 what he is, now that we appreciate what the gift of his 
 Son meant to him and means to us, an overwhelming 
 obligation rests on us to imitate his love. The love of 
 God becomes the Christian's constraining motive; it is 
 his energizing power. 
 
 But note carefully: the apostle does not draw from 
 this the conclusion that we might expect. He does not 
 
124 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 say, " we ought also to love God," but " we also ought 
 to love one another." The former inference we may 
 be trusted to draw for ourselves, the latter we are in 
 danger of overlooking or forgetting, and therefore the 
 apostle lays special stress on it. It is, in fact, a vital 
 thing, for it is the only possible proof that we possess 
 the Christian character and are living the life of fellow- 
 ship with God, God is spirit; we have no actual vision 
 of him; we must know him through the spirit and 
 in the spirit. How then can we know, how can we prove, 
 to others, that we are in genuine fellowship with him? 
 The manifestation of love to our brother, says the apos- 
 tle, proves that we do know God, that he dwells within 
 us, and that the divine love in its completest form is 
 ours. The perfection of love in the believer results in 
 the perfection of the believer in love; the latter can be 
 seen and recognized, and thence the former can be safely 
 inferred. Besides this objective test, there is a test sub- 
 jective: for himself the believer is conscious that the 
 divine indwelling is a fact, because he knows that the 
 love filling his heart is not native to himself, but can 
 be inspired only by the Spirit of God. 
 
 In saying these things, the apostle is testifying, not 
 for himself alone, but for the Christian society as a 
 whole, for the church of Christ. What the immediate 
 disciples beheld in the flesh, Christian disciples will be- 
 hold by faith through all ages; and therefore whoso- 
 ever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God will enjoy 
 the life of fellowship with God, because only love can 
 prompt that confession. That love we have already 
 perceived and partly realized, but we are far from having 
 exhausted its meaning; we wait confidently for a more 
 complete unfolding of its significance. 
 
 That God is love is the ground of our redemption, and 
 source of our new life and knowledge; it is also the 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 125 
 
 ground of inward peace. To abide in God's love is to 
 share his nature, to know ourselves as possessing a 
 Christlike character, even in this un-Christlike world. 
 Therefore we feel only unhesitating confidence, perfect 
 assurance, when we think of that supreme test, the day 
 of final judgment; for what partakes of Christ's nature 
 cannot fall under God's condemnation. We might feel 
 fear were it not for love, but love and fear are incom- 
 patible. Fear means lack of fellowship, implies want of 
 harmony, carries with it the idea of punishment, and there 
 can be punishment only for disobedience. Those who 
 love may yet fear, because their love is imperfect; but 
 perfect love means perfect harmony, perfect obedience, 
 and so excludes the very possibility of fear. Bengel 
 states the progress of the soul, in its relations to fear and 
 love, thus: Varius hominnni status: Sine timore et amore; 
 cum timore sine amore; cum timore et amore; sine timore 
 cum amore — which loses some of its point and all its 
 assonance in English : " These are the varied conditions 
 of men: without fear or love; with fear, without love; 
 with fear and love; without fear, with love." 
 
 It is true that men give us little encouragement to love 
 them, but God loved us while we still hated him, and 
 by that love won us to himself and to love. This is why 
 we love those who do not seem to wish or appreciate 
 our love. And if we really love God we shall do this, for 
 this is what he commands ; and to say that we love God 
 while not obeying him is absurd. Love that expresses 
 itself in w^ords only is not love; genuine love impels to 
 action; real love demands an object on which to expend 
 itself. And so, if we cannot love that which is visible, 
 like ourselves — namely, our brother, who is also a child 
 of the same Father, and has in him something of the 
 divine image — ^how can w^e expect our professions of love 
 to a far-oft, unseen God to be believed? It is im- 
 
126 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 possible that such professions should be true — our con- 
 duet gives the lie to our words. He that loves God must 
 love his brother ; the test is as inexorable as it is obvious. 
 
 12. The Victory of Faith. 5:1-5 
 
 Not content with what he has hitherto said about love 
 of the brother, the apostle goes more deeply into the mat- 
 ter and discusses the foundations of Christian broth- 
 erhood. And here we have the first full and explicit 
 mention of faith as the means by which we attain the 
 new life. Up to this point the writer has spoken only 
 of the love that the new life produces and the confession 
 that love prompts. As love brings life, love will neces- 
 sarily accompany that life; and if we love Him who is 
 the source of our life, we shall inevitably love all that 
 share that life. As the apostle has said before, brotherly 
 love is the proof of the love of God — indeed, the only 
 proof of it. 
 
 Brotherhood is founded on the vital relation with God 
 into which we have come by faith in Jesus Christ, his 
 Son. We are all brothers, because we have one divine 
 Father. That we should love our brother is not, there- 
 fore, an arbitrary command, but a moral necessity. This 
 seems like an inversion of the logic expected, but it is 
 evident that any genuine love of God will result in obedi- 
 ence to him, and he has commanded us to love our brother. 
 Hence, it is equally true to say, " We love God because 
 we love our brother," and " We love our brother be- 
 cause we love God." 
 
 The brotherly love of which the apostle speaks is 
 something different from and superior to natural affec- 
 tion ; it is spiritual, and of everything in the spiritual 
 realm love of God is the necessary and final norm. And 
 here let us not fail to note again the force of the present 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 127 
 
 tense, in the zr^()u)fis.v, " we keep," of verse 3. The present 
 tense always expresses continuous action, therefore the 
 thought here is not the mere keeping of the command- 
 ments (the aorist would have sufficed for that), but the 
 unflagging and vigilant endeavor to do the will of God. 
 The commandments are not grievous, they are no despotic 
 enactments whose crushing weight is destructive of all 
 spontaneity and freedom in love and service, as con- 
 sideration of their character will show. They are hard 
 only to him that resists them, whose will is in opposition 
 to the divine will; and so only to the Christian, and 
 through divine grace, do they become easy — " my yoke 
 is easy and my burden light." The proof that they are 
 not grievous to the believer is that every one who has 
 become partaker of the divine life is conquering the 
 world. His victory is not yet complete, the battle is 
 still on, but he is conquering. All the powers that oppose 
 God and the progress of his kingdom are yielding, and 
 there is no doubt of their final and complete defeat. That 
 which makes the conquest certain is faith. To " be- 
 lieve " in Christ as Son of God is with perfect trust to 
 commit oneself to him forever, and thus to become one 
 with him in the victory he has already won over death 
 and sin, a victory that is moving toward its final consum- 
 mation. Only he who has such faith is conquering or can 
 conquer the world. 
 
 13. The Three Witnesses. 5 : 6-13 
 
 The Christian is gaining the victory over the world 
 by faith in Jesus Christ and confession of him as Son of 
 God. The apostle now considers the testimony or evi- 
 dence on which such faith and confession are grounded, 
 and by which they are justified. And here it is worth 
 while to consider the remarkable prominence of this idea 
 
128 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 of " testimony " throughout the Johannine writings. The 
 Gospel introduces the idea in the Prologue, goes on with 
 the testimony of the Baptist, gives continual testimonies 
 throughout the public ministry of Jesus, and ends with the 
 testimony of the evangelist himself. The entire Apoca- 
 lypse, from I : 2 to chapter 22, is treated from this point 
 of view ; every vision is begun with the words, " And I 
 saw." This " Epistle " begins with the testimony of 
 the apostle to what he had himself seen, and ends with 
 that of God himself. 
 
 As grounds of certitude, we have now given, first, the 
 historical evidence afforded by the life and death of 
 Jesus Christ. He was shown to be the Christ by water 
 and blood; these revealed the nature of his work as 
 Redeemer. In that day a fountain was opened to the 
 house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem not 
 only, but to the whole world, for sin and for uncleanness. 
 The water and the blood must represent some divine act, 
 or some divine institution, which testifies to the mission 
 of Christ. They must be at once the pledge of his son- 
 ship and the means by which he was constituted the 
 world's Redeemer. There can be little doubt that John 
 sees, and means us to see, in this " healing flood " the 
 symbols of life and death, atonement and regeneration, 
 the double pledge for man's redemption and the forgive- 
 ness of his sins. The propitiation for our sins wrought 
 by Christ's death is symbolized by the blood; the new 
 life cleansed from sin that comes to us through him is 
 signified by the water. The emphatic repetition, " not 
 in the water only, but in the water and the blood," prob- 
 ably indicates that the apostle had in mind an error, early 
 prevalent in the church, that the Spirit of God descended 
 on Jesus at his baptism and made him Son of God, but 
 left him before his passion, so that a mere man died on 
 the cross. 
 
epistles: characteristics and content 129 
 
 We have also, says the apostle, the testimony of the 
 Spirit, because he is Truth, and cannot but testify con- 
 cerning the mission and work of Christ. The writer does 
 not here pause to discuss the content of this testimony, 
 or the way in which it is given, or the person to whom 
 the Spirit testifies. He has spoken with sufficient ful- 
 ness on these points before, and now another thought 
 causes him to hasten onward. We have in reality three 
 witnesses, he says, the Spirit, the water, and the blood — 
 the inward spiritual assurance and the double historical 
 attestation. This fulness of evidence warrants our cer- 
 tainty concerning that which the three witnesses with 
 one voice affirm. " These three are for the one " is not 
 a statement of their mere unanimity, but means that 
 their independent testimonies converge on the one gospel 
 of Christ. Two witnesses were, under both Roman and 
 Jewish law, sufficient to establish a fact, but here are 
 three; and these three are living, continuous witnesses, 
 as is implied in the present participle, fiaprupouvre!:. 
 
 From the character of the witnesses and their testi- 
 mony, the apostle passes to consider its effectiveness. It 
 is first of all a divine testimony. God himself has testi- 
 fied concerning his Son, and if we receive human testi- 
 mony as credible, how much more is that of God to be 
 accepted as credible, authoritative, and convincing. The 
 apostle may here refer to the audible voice in which God 
 several times attested the divine mission of Christ, ac- 
 cording to the Gospels ; or he may mean that God testi- 
 fied through the water and blood. Secondly, there is a 
 human witness, the consciousness that the believer has 
 the presence and testimony of the Spirit. No one who has 
 experienced the regenerating power of the Spirit can have 
 any doubt of the divine mission and nature of Christ. 
 Unbelief is essentially denial of the testimony of God — in 
 efl'ect an accusation that he is false and untrustworthy 
 I 
 
130 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 in his dealings with men. Above all, we have the witness 
 of the eternal life, a life of union with the Son of God, 
 its sole source. To impart this life was the object for 
 which Christ came, and the fact that we possess this life 
 is the supreme evidence that his coming was not in vain. 
 To establish the certainty of this in the hearts of believers, 
 the apostle declares, is the object of his writing these 
 meditations. 
 
 14. Prayer. 5 : 14-17 
 
 If this certainty of fellowship with God through his 
 Son becomes established in us, we shall be in perfect 
 harmony with God's will. Therefore we shall have bold- 
 ness with him, knowing that all our petitions will be 
 heard — and not merely heard, for our confidence is so 
 great that we shall regard as already ours whatever we 
 ask, because the believer will not make his own any 
 desire contrary to the will of God. The believer's char- 
 acteristic use of this freedom of access to God in prayer 
 will not be in petitions for himself, but in intercessions 
 for others — he will pray for his brother man whom he 
 sees falling into sin. This is the highest expression of 
 that brotherly love to which the apostle has been con- 
 tinually exhorting. But it seems to be taught plainly 
 that there is a kind of sinning for which it would be 
 vain to pray, for which believers would have no desire 
 to pray. The distinction is between " sin unto death " and 
 a " sin not unto death," and it is clearly implied that 
 the believer can recognize and distinguish between them, 
 else he would not decline to pray for the latter. The 
 apostle does not further define either sin, perhaps because 
 exact definition is impossible. Certainly the distinction 
 that the church early came to make between " mortal " 
 and " venial " sins has no justification here. " Death " 
 must have here, as so often in the Scriptures, a spiritual 
 
epistles: characteristics a\d content 131 
 
 meaning, not the physical. " A sin unto death " there- 
 fore must be, not some specilic and horribly wicked 
 transgression, but any form of sinning that totally sepa- 
 rates one from Christ. Nothing can be meant but such 
 sin as proves that the sinner has finally and irrevocably 
 turned away from Christ, the sole source of life and 
 fellowship with God, and thereby placed himself beyond 
 the pale of prayer or any good influence. He has hard- 
 ened his heart against God and chosen death rather than 
 life. No man's case is hopeless, whatever sins he has 
 committed, until he has said with Satan, " Evil, be thou 
 my good," until he sins from the pure love of sinning. 
 For such it will be vain to pray. There is sin, however, 
 that falls short of this, and all unrighteousijess is to be 
 reprehended and renounced. From such sin we are to 
 pray that our brother may be delivered, and this prayer, 
 being according to the will of God, will be granted. The 
 lesson is, therefore, to pray more frequently and earnestly 
 and with more confident assurance for our brother's de- 
 liverance from sin. 
 
 Epilogue 
 
 In three closing sentences, the apostle sums up the 
 grounds of Christian assurance — the things that we do 
 not merely believe, but know, because they are incon- 
 testable facts of experience. 
 
 We know that the new life and sin are incompatible, 
 and that whoever has received the new life from God 
 hates sin, does not habitually do that which is sinful, 
 scrupulously guards his conduct, and is free from the 
 bondage in which the Evil One once held him. 
 
 We know that the source of our life is God, and that 
 human society is wholly under the dominion of the 
 Evil One ; he has more than " laid hold " on it ; it " lies 
 in " him, he has such perfect possession that he who says 
 
132 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 " world " says " devil." John was speaking of die Roman 
 world, as he knew it, but is even a so-called Christian 
 nation much better ? 
 
 We know that the Son of God has come, that his mis- 
 sion and work is a permanent fact, and that he has 
 endowed us with the power of discerning truth. And 
 the ground of that discernment is, that we are in fel- 
 lowship with Jesus Christ, who is Truth and Life. 
 
 The apostle adds a last warning, both affectionate and 
 solemn : " Guard yourselves from idols " — not the mere 
 images of false gods, but from all thoughts, ideals, teach- 
 ings, innumerable inducements on every side, that will 
 lead the believer to turn from faith in Jesus Christ and 
 give his faith and love and service to false objects of 
 devotion. It is the fitting end to these deeply spiritual 
 meditations. 
 
 The Second and Third Epistles of John demand no 
 extended treatment. They differ from the First, in being 
 really epistolary in form, but their ideas and style are 
 the same. So great is this similarity that there is 
 practically no dissent from the opinion that they are by 
 the author of the First Epistle. The only serious alter- 
 native is that they are the work of a later writer, who 
 imitated so successfully the style and thought of the 
 First Epistle as to deceive generations of Christians ; 
 but no adequate motive for such a forgery has ever been 
 suggested. Neither of the Epistles, nor both combined, 
 can be said to make the arguments and conclusions based 
 on the First Epistle stronger or weaker. They are so 
 brief and uncomplex that to summarize their content 
 would be waste labor — It is enough to refer the reader 
 to the translation in Part II. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE JOHANNIXE PROBLEM : THE EXTERNAL 
 TESTIMONY 
 
 FOR three generations the New Testament has suf- 
 fered many things because of the critics. No book 
 has been exempt, but perhaps the worst has befallen 
 those writings that had been ascribed by the unbroken 
 tradition of Christendom to the apostle John. Since 
 the days of Baur it has been stoutly maintained that the 
 Fourth Gospel cannot be Johannine. With that Gospel, 
 the Epistles were also denied to be the work of the 
 apostle. For a time it was conceded that John the apostle 
 might be accepted as the author of the Apocalypse, but 
 criticism has now resolved that book into numerous frag- 
 ments, and concluded that though the book may have 
 had an editor, it had, properly speaking, no author. 
 
 These conclusions, so completely contradicting and 
 overturning what had been unquestioningly believed for 
 centuries, have been professedly attained by rigid ap- 
 plication of the scientific method to study of New Tes- 
 tament texts. To question these conclusions is, in the 
 judgment of many, to expose oneself to the imputation 
 of ignorance or incompetence. Such is the glamor that 
 a succession of German critics have been able to cast 
 about the whole subject, that for a long time hardly a 
 competent scholar has ventured to raise his voice in 
 opposition to this verdict or challenge its validity. Sir 
 William Ramsay has, indeed, with courage and learning 
 worthy of all praise, come to the rescue of Luke, and has 
 
 133 
 
134 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 SO triumphantly vindicated the good physician's author- 
 ship of the Third Gospel and the Acts that Harnack has 
 accepted this view and abandoned his own earlier denial 
 of the Lucan authorship of these writings. It is worthy 
 of remark, however, that Harnack has not as yet been 
 convinced by Ramsay's equally complete vindication of 
 Luke's accuracy and trustworthiness as a historian. But 
 while Luke has thus been defended, John is still left to 
 the tender mercies of German criticism. 
 
 That John the apostle could not have been the author 
 of the Fourth Gospel has been called " an axiom of 
 criticism." The phrase is happily chosen; for an axiom 
 is a principle whose truth is assumed, and is not capable 
 of being proved by testimony, or demonstrated by reason. 
 That seems to describe fairly well this notion of the non- 
 Johannine character of the Fourth Gospel, that has been 
 so long masquerading as the assured result of inductive 
 study of the document. As already intimated, Baur 
 set the fashion of denying the Johannine authorship of 
 this Gospel ; and Baur's entire criticism of the New Tes- 
 tament was conditioned and directed by a philosophic 
 theory that he brought with him to the study. It was 
 absolutely necessary for the establishment of his theory 
 that the composition of the New Testament books, and 
 of the Fourth Gospel in particular, should be pushed as 
 far away into the second century as possible. The authen- 
 ticity of the Fourth Gospel, as an admitted fact, would 
 have demolished his whole historical structure. This is 
 not to accuse Baur of conscious unfairness; it is rather 
 to recognize in him unconscious prejudice, such as made 
 any truly scientific study of the literature impossible. 
 For scientific study must begin with an open mind, and 
 Baur's mind was not open — it was impervious to any 
 evidence that did not make for his theory. This is now 
 quite generally admitted; and though Baur made some 
 
THE problem: external testimony 135 
 
 contributions of great value to our knowledge of the New 
 Testament documents, nearly every one of his particular 
 contentions has been abandoned by the later exponents of 
 ** scientific " criticism. 
 
 But what was true of Baur has been true of every 
 other German critic, from his day to Schmiedel. Hardly 
 one of them has approached the study of the Fourth 
 Gospel but with a theory of the early history of Chris- 
 tianity that absolutely required denial of a Johannine 
 authorship. Scarcely one of them could have made place 
 in his scheme of Christian origins for the Fourth Gospel, 
 on the theory that it was written by John the apostle, and 
 is a trustworthy historical document. What chance is 
 there for such impartial weighing of fact as is the sine 
 qua non of the scientific method by men who have thus 
 predetermined their conclusion? Instead of real scientific 
 study, under great show of scientific method and of scien- 
 tific impartiality, we have had for three generations an 
 industrious search for every item of evidence that could 
 by any ingenuity be made to support what w^as in fact a 
 begging of the whole question involved. German criticism 
 of the Johannine writings has been just as much and just 
 as little entitled to be called scientific, as was the Sumnia 
 Theologiae of Thomas Aquinas, when he first inquired, 
 What does the Church teach ? and assuming that to be true, 
 then went to the Scripture to find proof-texts that would 
 support the teaching. Of course, he found what he looked 
 for. The critics have found what they looked for — plenty 
 of evidence against the Johannine authorship. They 
 have as one man refused to find any other evidence. 
 Their preconceived idea that John could not be the author 
 has made it inevitable that their study should end in the 
 conclusion that John was not the author. 
 
 Doubtless the retort will be. " Physician, heal thyself." 
 Is one who thus freely accuses others of prejudice him- 
 
13^ THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 self unprejudiced? In what way does he dare claim that 
 he is better fitted for scientific study of the literature than 
 the critics whom he condemns? The retort is fair; the 
 question is pertinent; but the answer is an easy one: 
 the author does not consciously hold any theory of the 
 origins of Christianity; and particularly does not hold a 
 theory that obligates him to any conclusion whatever 
 regarding authorship and date of any New Testament 
 writing. Working hypotheses regarding these matters 
 one does hold; but is willing to change any or all of them 
 at any moment for good reason, because one is anxious 
 only to know the truth about them. No man can be 
 certain that he is free from bias — on the contrary, every 
 sensible man knows that he cannot entirely free himself 
 from bias. At best he can only approximate the unbiased 
 state of mind. But one can approximate it ; one can 
 consciously begin an investigation without a theory that 
 requires a given conclusion. The Johannine problem is 
 a problem of criticism, not of dogmatics. It is not im- 
 perative, on theological or sectarian grounds, to main- 
 tain the traditional authorship and dates of these writ- 
 ings. The most orthodox may approach the problem, 
 not wholly without prepossessions perhaps, but without 
 anxiety; and he can examine with entire candor all the 
 evidence that presents itself. And whether the Fourth 
 Gospel shall be shown by the inquiry not to be the work 
 of the apostle John, or the Johannine authorship shall be 
 confirmed and established, is, if not a matter of indif- 
 ference to Christian believers, at least a matter of com- 
 parative unimportance. 
 
 II 
 
 Many volumes have been written on the Johannine 
 problem, and much learning has been devoted to solution 
 of such questions as, Have the books attributed to the 
 
THE PROBLEM : EXTERNAL TESTIMONY I37 
 
 apostle John a common authorship? and, Did the apostle 
 John write any of these books? One will not be under- 
 stood to accuse the scholars who have discussed every 
 possible phase of such questions with so painstaking care 
 of having only darkened counsel with words, if he ven- 
 tures to say that all the pertinent evidence is capable of 
 statement within the compass of a few pages. The direct 
 and indirect evidence is of small bulk, and the significance 
 of each testimony has been thoroughly sifted and is 
 generally admitted. It will be profitable to sum up this 
 residuum of critical discussion. 
 
 Eusebius places all the Johannine writings among his 
 bfioloyo'Jiitva^ or acknowledged books, about which there 
 was never any serious question in the Church.^ In this 
 he was quite justified by all that we can learn from 
 patristic literature. It may be true that the Johannine 
 authorship of any writing cannot be proved from the 
 Fathers ; it is certainly true that, with a single exception 
 to be noted, their genuineness was never questioned. 
 Even the few heretics who rejected the Fourth Gospel, 
 did this because of its content, not because of its alleged 
 authorship. Marcion is said to have rejected all the 
 Gospels but that of Luke, and he " edited " that after a 
 fashion to delight the heart of a modern German critic. 
 The Alogi, about whom we hear so much and know so 
 little, rejected the Fourth Gospel (so Epiphanius tells 
 us) really on account of its doctrine of the incarnation 
 of the Logos, but they made a question of authorship 
 an excuse and assigned its composition to Cerinthus. 
 But Cerinthus the Gnostic was so impossible an author 
 for the book that no orthodox writer ever troubled him- 
 self to refute the Alogi. Yet we may note in passing that 
 it is not without significance that the Alogi, in seeking 
 for a putative author of this Gospel, selected an Ephesian 
 
 * B. E., iii, 2$. 
 
138 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 and a contemporary of the apostle John, according to 
 tradition. 
 
 But while Eusebius does not place the Apocalypse 
 among his avrtlzybiizva, or disputed writings, he does 
 indicate that a considerable minority of Christians were 
 still inclined in his day to refuse this book a place in 
 the canon. This opposition to the Apocalypse, especially 
 in the East, was no doubt due to the fact that the 
 Montanists appealed so confidently to that book for con- 
 firmation of their chiliastic teachings. The Catholic 
 Church rejected chiliasm, and naturally inclined to look 
 with some suspicion upon a book that was said to give 
 apostolic support to that doctrine. Yet of the two writ- 
 ings, Gospel and Apocalypse, it is the latter that has 
 the earlier and stronger attestation as of Johannine 
 origin. As early as 150 Justin recognizes as current in 
 his day what became the generally accepted view : " And 
 further, there was a certain man with us, whose name 
 was John, one of the apostles of Christ, who prophesied, 
 by a revelation that was made to him, that those who 
 believed in our Christ would dwell a thousand years in 
 Jerusalem." - No such decisive testimony regarding the 
 authorship of the Gospel can be cited until several 
 decades later. Irenseus, about 180, bears testimony not 
 only to what was held in his day regarding the Johan- 
 nine authorship of the Apocalypse, but also to the date 
 of its composition : " It was not in the long ago that this 
 vision came to pass, but almost in our own generation, 
 toward the end of the reign of Domitian." ^ It is per- 
 haps worthy of note that this Father says no more than 
 the book itself, that it was written by " John," and 
 does not call the author an apostle. Since, however, 
 Justin had affirmed the John of Revelation to be the 
 
 * " Dial, with Trypho," Ixxxi. 
 
 * Adv. Haer., v, 30, 3. 
 
THE problem: external testimo:ny 139 
 
 apostle, and Ircnaeus does not deny it, wc may infer tliat 
 the latter believed such to be the, case.* 
 
 Dionysius of Alexandria (d. 265) was the first of the 
 Fathers to question the apostolic authorship of the Apoca- 
 lypse. It seems not to have occurred to him to suspect 
 the tradition about the Gospel, but he found difficulty in 
 believing that both books could have the same author. In 
 his treatise '' On Nature " he discusses the matter at 
 considerable length, and though the book itself is lost, 
 Eusebius has preserved for us a long extract. After 
 telling us that some ascribed the Apocalypse to Cerinthus, 
 Dionysius says that for himself he cannot reject a writ- 
 ing held in high esteem by others, though he finds it 
 beyond his own comprehension. " That this book is the 
 work of one John," he goes on to say, " I do not deny. 
 And I agree also that it is the work of a holy and 
 inspired man. But I cannot readily admit that he was 
 the apostle, the son of Zebedee, the brother of James, 
 by whom the Gospel and Catholic Epistle were written." 
 In giving his reasons for this opinion, Dionysius antici- 
 pates the arguments of the nineteenth-century critics, 
 who did little more than amplify what had already been 
 said by this Alexandrine scholar of the third century: 
 " In fact, it is plainly to be seen that one and the same 
 character marks the Gospel and Epistle throughout. But 
 the Apocalypse is different from these writings and for- 
 eign to them: almost, so to speak, without even a syl- 
 lable in common with them. . . Moreover, it can also 
 be shown that the diction of the Gospel and Epistle 
 differs from that of the Apocalypse. For they were writ- 
 ten not only without error as regards the Greek language, 
 
 * Irenaeus is also our earliest authority for the tradition that after his re- 
 lease from confinement on Patmos. John returned to Ephesus, lived there 
 until the times of Trajan, and published his Gospel there. (Adv. Haer., iii, 
 I, i; ii, 22, 5.) It is Epiphanius who first adds the detail that the apostle 
 was nearly a liundred years old when he WTOte his Gospel, shortly before 
 his death. (Haer., ii, 12.) 
 
140 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 but also with elegance in their expression, in their reason- 
 ings, and in their entire structure. They are far indeed 
 from betraying any barbarism or solecism, or any vul- 
 garism whatever. . . I do not deny that the other writer 
 saw a revelation and received knowledge and prophecy. 
 I perceive, however, that his dialect and language are not 
 accurate Greek, but he uses barbarous idioms, and, in 
 some places, solecisms." ^ For the present it is sufficient 
 to say that no orthodox student of the New Testament 
 need feel under any obligation to assert and defend what 
 the Apocalypse itself does not claim, an apostolic author- 
 ship. " John " may or may not have been the apostle. 
 That he was is merely the voice of tradition and the 
 opinion of many Christian scholars — nothing more. But 
 so far as the external evidence goes, it is clearly in favor 
 of apostolic authorship. 
 
 Ill 
 
 In considering the external evidence concerning the 
 Gospel and Epistles, it will be convenient to treat them 
 together, since from earliest times until now there has 
 been practically no doubt that they have a common au- 
 thorship. This has indeed been questioned — what is 
 there that has not been questioned? — but the overwhelm- 
 ing weight of scholarly opinion has always been, and 
 still is, in favor of a common authorship. We may, 
 however, properly take pains to separate more clearly 
 than has sometimes been done between evidence of the 
 existence of the Fourth Gospel from the year too on- 
 ward, and evidence of Johannine authorship. To some 
 extent, the one fact implies the other, yet they are not 
 precisely the same thing. Much of the external evidence 
 only proves the existence and use in the church of the 
 Gospel at a certain time ; and in such cases, authorship 
 
 ^ Eusebius, H. E., vii, 34, 7, 22-27. 
 
THE PROBLEM : EXTERNAL TESTIMONY I4T 
 
 is rather inferred with great probabiHty than delinitely 
 proved. 
 
 We begin, as a sohd starting-point, with the exis- 
 tence of our four Gospels under the same names that 
 they now bear, in the time of Irenseus. He not only 
 enters into a fanciful and far-fetched argument to show 
 that there must be four Gospels and no more, but also 
 repeats the extant traditions regarding the authorship of 
 the various books. As to the matter with which we 
 are concerned, he says : " Then John, the disciple of the 
 Lord, who also leaned upon his breast, himself also 
 published the Gospel, while he was dwelling at Ephesus 
 in Asia."® A little further on he adds that John re- 
 mained permanently with the church at Ephesus " until 
 the time of Trajan." As Trajan was emperor from 98 to 
 117, the statement of Irenseus accords with later tradi- 
 tions that speak of the apostle's death at Ephesus at an 
 advanced age. But the point just now to note is that 
 in the age of Irenseus there was no Johannine problem: a 
 common authorship, and that apostolic, of the Johannine 
 writings was the generally accepted tradition. 
 
 And, therefore, the importance of this testimony of 
 Irenaeus is that it is not merely his individual witness: 
 the implications are as significant as the assertions. This 
 Father was born, probably, not later than 140, and by 
 his own account he had in his youth known Polycarp, 
 who had been a learner from the original disciples of 
 Jesus. It is incredible that the Fourth Gospel should 
 have been published during his own lifetime, and he be 
 ignorant of the fact. Therefore, his words carry the 
 date of the Gospel, and the tradition of the Johannine 
 authorship as well, back to at least the middle of the 
 second century. But, as already intimated, by linking 
 his own testimony with that of Polycarp, the date is 
 
 ^Adr. Haer., iii, i, i; ii, 3, 4; ii, 22, s; cf- iii. u. 9- 
 
142 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 pushed back close to the apostolic period itself. In a 
 lost letter to Florinus, from which Eusebius quotes at 
 some length, Irenaeus says: " What boys learn, growing 
 with their mind, becomes joined with it; so that I am 
 able to describe the very place in which the blessed Poly- 
 carp sat as he discoursed, and his goings out and com- 
 ings in, and the manner of his life and his physical ap- 
 pearance, and his discourses to the people, and the 
 accounts that he gave of his intercourse with John and 
 with the others who had seen the Lord. And as he re- 
 membered their words, and what he heard from them 
 concerning the Lord, and concerning his miracles and 
 his teaching, having received them from eye-witnesses 
 of the ' Word of Life,' Polycarp related all things in 
 harmony with the Scriptures. These things being told 
 me by the mercy of God, I listened to them attentively, 
 noting them down, not on paper, but in my heart. And 
 continually, through God's grace, I recall them faith- 
 fully." '^ This statement, with its unmistakable allusion 
 to the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel, goes so far to 
 make Polycarp a witness to the Johannine authorship, 
 that the only way of escape from that conclusion has 
 proved to be a denial of the authenticity of the letter. 
 But this is mere denial, which rests on no proof what- 
 ever. Consequently, the majority of scholars accept the 
 letter on the authority of Eusebius. 
 
 To be sure, there is another small loophole, through 
 which a few have crawled. Irenseus does not say in 
 so many words, '' John the apostle." But he does say, 
 " John who had seen the Lord." And if the Fourth 
 Gospel was written by a John who was an eye-witness 
 of the ministry of Jesus, what profit will there be in 
 discussing whether he should be further named John the 
 apostle or John the presbyter or John something-else? 
 
 ■^ Eusebius, H. E., v, 20, 4-7. 
 
THE PROP.LEM : EXTERNAL TESTIMONY I43 
 
 We may surely leave such discussion to minds that find 
 profitable exercise in debating the vast difference between 
 tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum, and turn to the Muratorian 
 Canon, which belongs to about the time of Irenaeus, at 
 least to the later years of his episcopate. We read : " So 
 also John, one of the disciples [author of the] fourth 
 of the Gospels, began to write from the birth of John 
 [the Baptist]. At the entreaties of his fellow disciples 
 and bishops, he said, ' Fast with me three days from this, 
 and whatever shall be revealed to us, let us narrate to 
 each other.' On the same night it was revealed to 
 Andrew, one of the apostles, that John should relate all 
 things in his own name, while all revised them. . . He 
 professes that he was not only an eye-witness, but also 
 a hearer, and besides a writer in order of the wonderful 
 works of the Lord." * Legendary and even silly, per- 
 haps, this record yet makes clear the fact that the un- 
 known writer of this document, and those for whom 
 he spoke, believed John the apostle to be the author 
 of the Fourth Gospel. 
 
 The earliest writer to ascribe the Gospel to "John," 
 presumably the apostle, is Theophilus of Antioch. Writ- 
 ing perhaps a decade before Irenseus, he speaks of " all 
 the Spirit-bearing men, one of whom, John, says, * In 
 the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with 
 God.'"^ Clement of Alexandria, probably writing a 
 little later, but belonging to the last quarter of the second 
 century, speaks like Irenaeus of the " four Gospels." ^" 
 And Eusebius quotes from a lost work of Clement, the 
 " Hypotyposes," a distinct testimony to the authorship 
 of the Fourth Gospel : " But last of all, John, perceiving 
 
 « For the full text of the Muratorian Canon, see Westcott's " History of 
 the Canon,' pp. S43S47. 
 
 ^Ad Axitol., ii, 22. Eusebius also informs us {H. E., iv, 24) that The- 
 ophilus has used testimonies from the Apocalypse of John, but he gives no 
 actual instances, and so we have only his opinion in the case. 
 
 'o Strom., iii, 13. 
 
144 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 iliat the external facts had heen made plain in the Gospel, 
 being urged by his friends and inspired by the Spirit, 
 composed a spiritual Gospel." " The significance of this 
 saying, as regards the content of the book, has been 
 elsewhere discussed : here we note merely the historical 
 bearing of Clement's attestation. 
 
 The comparatively recent discovery of Tatian's " Dia- 
 tessaron," a work previously known only by title and 
 repute, makes it clear that the external testimony to the 
 Fourth Gospel goes unmistakably back a generation 
 earlier than that of Irenseus. Tatian used the Fourth 
 Gospel equally with the Synoptists in the composition of 
 his book, which is probably to be dated earlier than 170, 
 and this of course implies acceptance and circulation of 
 the Gospel for several decades before it would have 
 been natural for a Christian scholar to use it on equal 
 terms with the older narratives. Strictly speaking, 
 Tatian only proves the existence of the Fourth Gospel 
 and its unopposed use in the church from about 140 
 onward; but in view of the fact that no other than 
 John the apostle is ever named as author by the Fathers, 
 the inference as to authorship from the fact of use is 
 almost irresistible, Sanday has shown that Tatian uses 
 a text of the Gospel already very corrupt, and therefore 
 derived by several successive copyings from the original 
 autograph, which strongly confirms the inference that 
 the book cannot, on this evidence from Tatian, be of later 
 origin than 140, and might have been published decades 
 earlier. 
 
 We now come to Tatian's teacher, Justin, commonly 
 surnamed Martyr. A passage occurs in his First Apology, 
 which could have been written only by one familiar with 
 John 3:3-5: " For Christ also said, ' Unless ye be born 
 again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' 
 
 " H. E., vi, 14, 7. 
 
THE PROBLEM : EXTERNAL TESTIMONY I45 
 
 But that it is impossible for those who are once born to 
 enter into the womb of those who brought them forth, 
 is evident to all." ^' Great efforts have been made to 
 escape the natural conclusion from these words. Many 
 critics have urged that the verbal deviations of Justin's 
 citation from the passage in John show that this is no 
 quotation, but may be better explained as an independent 
 reference to the same tradition that is embodied in the 
 Gospel: a common origin would explain their substantial 
 identity, while the verbal differences make the hypothesis 
 of quotation impossible. 
 
 The argument is plausible until we examine the habits 
 of the Fathers with regard to quotation, especially Jus- 
 tin's. Fortunately, we have ample materials for in- 
 vestigation. We find that of eighty-nine quotations by 
 Justin from the Septuagint, twenty-three approximate 
 verbal exactness, while thirty-three contain material varia- 
 tions from the quoted text ; eight are merely free adapta- 
 tions, and eight others are combinations of two or more 
 separate passages into one. Of seventeen passages quoted 
 more than once, scarcely one is given twice alike. Jus- 
 tin's citations from the Synoptic Gospels, which he ad- 
 mittedly had and used, are equally free. The investiga- 
 gation proves beyond reasonable doubt that this Father 
 does not attempt the exact verbal accuracy of modern 
 scholars. The hypothesis most reconcilable with all the 
 facts is, that Justin usually quoted from memory — an 
 unusually well-stored memory, that always reproduced 
 the sense of a passage, but not in most cases its exact 
 words. Dr. Ezra x'Vbbot has shown by an elaborate in- 
 vestigation that this habit of Justin's was common to 
 all the early Fathers, and even to many later writers; 
 and he has produced from the works of Christian schol- 
 ars, from Irenaeus to Jeremy Taylor, quotations of this 
 
 ^ApoL, i, 61. 
 K 
 
146 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 same passage in the Fourth Gospel, all of which show- 
 verbal inaecuracies equal to or greater than Justin's, it 
 the inaccuracy of Justin proves that he did not possess 
 and use the Fourth Gospel, by parity of reasoning it is 
 clear that this Gospel was unknown to over sixty of the 
 greatest writers in Christian history. There could not be 
 a more successful rcdiictio ad absurdum, and Doctor 
 Abbot must be acknowledged to have completely de- 
 molished this critical objection. ^^ 
 
 But we have not yet before us the sum of Justin's 
 evidence. Elsewhere he says : " I have previously shown 
 that he was the only Son of the Father of all things, his 
 Logos and his power, born of himself, and afterwards 
 made man by means of the Virgin, as we have learned 
 from the Memoirs." ^* These Memoirs, according to 
 Justin, " have been composed by the Apostles and by 
 those who have accompanied them," ^^ and are read in 
 public worship as of equal authority with the Old Testa- 
 ment prophets. Such acceptance and use require a long 
 previous history. As there is so much dispute about 
 Justin's Logos doctrine, whether he derived it from the 
 Fourth Gospel, or from a common source, the widely 
 diffused philosophic ideas of Philo, a cautious scholar will 
 hesitate to draw an inference from this doctrine regard- 
 ing the authorship of the Gospel. But in any event, it 
 can hardly be successfully maintained that Justin was 
 ignorant of this book ; and, if he knew it, its composition 
 and publication cannot be dated later than the year 130. 
 
 We are again indebted to Eusebius for a still earlier 
 testimony that is believed by many to throw valuable light 
 on the origin of the Fourth Gospel. This is something 
 that Papias says about his earlier life, in a writing now 
 
 1' " The Fourth Gospel." Essays by Ezra Abbot, Andrew P. Peabody, 
 and Bishop Lightfoot, New York, 1891, pp. 28-37. 
 ^* Dial., c, 25. 
 ^ Apol., i, 67. 
 
THE problem: external testimony 147 
 
 lost : " And again, on any occasion when a person came 
 in my way who had been a follower of the elders, I would 
 inquire about the discourses of the presbyters — what was 
 said by Andrew or Peter, or by Philip, or by Thomas or 
 James, or by John or Matthew, or any other of the 
 Lord's disciples, and what Aristion and John the Presby- 
 ter say. For I did not think that I could get so much 
 profit from the contents of books, as from the utterances 
 of a living and abiding voice." ^° Eusebius inferred from 
 these words of Papias a distinction between the John 
 who was a disciple or presbyter along with Peter and 
 James, and another John who was known as " the pres- 
 byter." It was possibly knowledge of some such fact 
 or tradition as this which led Dionysius of Alexandria 
 to conjecture that John the apostle was not the author 
 of the Apocalypse, but " some other one of those in 
 Asia, as they say there are two monuments in Ephesus, 
 each bearing the name of John." This latter circum- 
 stance Eusebius seems to attest of his own knowledge, 
 though his language is not absolutely conclusive : " This 
 shows that the statement of those is true, who say that 
 there were two persons in Asia that bore the same name, 
 and that there were two tombs in Ephesus, each of 
 which, even to the present day, is called John's. It is 
 important to notice this, for it is probable that it was the 
 second John, the presbyter, if one is not willing to admit 
 that it was the first, that saw the Revelation which is 
 ascribed by name to John." Those Fathers who found 
 difficulties in the theory of a common authorship of Gos- 
 pel and Apocalypse, with one accord ascribed the Apoca- 
 lypse to another John, but never thought of another than 
 the apostle as author of the Gospel. 
 
 As we have already noted, evidence for the authorship 
 of the Epistles is practically evidence for the Gospel also. 
 
 **f/. E., iii, 39, 4. 
 
148 THE JOIIANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Eusebius tells us that Papias " has used testimonies from 
 the former Epistle of John, and from that of Peter simi- 
 larly." ^■^ And Polycarp seems to quote i John : " For 
 whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come 
 in the flesh, is Antichrist," ^® which is so exactly the sub- 
 stance of I John 4 : 2, 3, and so nearly the form, that 
 the relationship of the two can hardly be denied. Pos- 
 sibly there are in Polycarp's letter echoes of the Gospel 
 also, as where he says, " As he has promised us, ' I will 
 raise you from the dead.' " ^^ The only record of such 
 promise by Jesus is in the sixth chapter of the Fourth 
 Gospel, where " I will raise him up at the last day " is 
 thrice repeated as a sort of refrain in verses 40, 44, 54. 
 It is certain, however, that Polycarp nowhere mentions 
 John by name, while he does mention Paul. He also 
 cites unmistakably from Paul and only doubtfully from 
 John. If Polycarp was really a disciple of the apostle, it 
 is urged, such an attitude toward his teacher is strange, 
 if not incredible. But we should remember that we have 
 only a short letter of Polycarp, and he cannot be fairly 
 expected in that to tell us all that he had ever known or 
 thought. That short letter, moreover, was addressed to 
 the Philippians, a church with which Paul had a vital 
 connection and John none at all, so far as we know. Still 
 further, Polycarp was exhorting the Philippians to sted- 
 fastness under persecution, " such as ye have seen before 
 your eyes, not only in the case of the blessed Ignatius . . . 
 but also in others . . . and in Paul himself, and the rest 
 of the apostles." -" He could not well refer to John in 
 this connection, if John was not a martyr, but had only 
 recently died at Eusebius (according to tradition). In the 
 light of these facts, can it be fairly said that Polycarp's 
 silence regarding his alleged master is inexplicable? 
 
 "H. E., iii, 39, i6. ^ " To Philippians." ch. vit. 
 
 ^^ lb., ch. V. "" " Philippians," ch. ix. 
 
THE I'KOBLKM : EXTERNAL TESTIMONY 149 
 
 But, it is still further urged, the facts have not yet 
 been fully considered : the silence is not that of Polycarp 
 alone, but of Ignatius and Justin— of all the Fathers, in 
 fact, prior to 150. For, if it be conceded that some or all 
 of these were acquainted with the Fourth Gospel, not 
 one of them mentions John as its author. The argument 
 from silence, it is said, is cumulative, and therefore very 
 weighty. To which it must be replied, that of all forms 
 of historical evidence the argument from silence is of 
 least value. Humboldt once illustrated its weakness from 
 modern literature, especially when our information is 
 fragmentary: In the archives of Barcelona there is no 
 mention of the triumphal entry of Columbus into that 
 city; in Marco Polo's Travels there is no allusion to 
 the Great Wall of China ; and in the state papers of Por- 
 tugal nothing is to be found about the voyages of Amerigo 
 Vespucci in the service of the crown. According to the 
 critics of John, we ought to reject as mythical, or at 
 least unproved, these facts. It is now a recognized prin- 
 ciple among historical students that the argument from 
 silence is never quite conclusive, and it is never even 
 strong, unless it can be shown from attendant circum- 
 stances that a writer had a powerful motive to say a 
 given thing, if he was acquainted with it and believed it 
 to be true. Then, indeed, silence may be very significant. 
 The silence of the Fathers regarding John is not at all of 
 that nature; there was then no controversy about the 
 authorship of the Gospel, and no particular reason why 
 a Father should mention the author ; hence nothing can 
 be safely inferred from mere silence. 
 
 And besides, the argument from silence in this case of 
 the Fourth Gospel is double-edged and cuts both ways. If 
 the silence of the Fathers down to about 150 about the 
 authorship of the Fourth Gospel is difficult to reconcile 
 with the theory of its previous existence and apostolic 
 
150 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 authorship, the silence of the Fathers after 150 about 
 the recent pubHcation of the Gospel and the fiction of 
 apostolic authorship would be equally inexplicable. When 
 Theophilus and Iren^Eus begin to quote the Gospel as 
 the work of John the apostle, they treat it as a book 
 well known and generally accepted. The conclusion to 
 which all the facts, therefore, unmistakably point is, that 
 the Gospel was probably published before no, and al- 
 most certainly published as the work of John the apostle. 
 
 The full significance of this unanimous acceptance of 
 the Fourth Gospel by the year 150 will be apparent when 
 we ask ourselves what possibility there would have been 
 of introducing a fourth account of the life of Jesus, 
 so different from the already accepted three, as the work 
 of an apostle, without rousing one word of controversy 
 or protest. When Melanchthon attempted to make a few 
 changes in the Augsburg Confession, he nearly disrupted 
 the Lutheran party. The second letter ascribed to Peter 
 is a sufficient example of the opposition that any ill- 
 authenticated book would receive in the second century, 
 when it claimed apostolic authority and a place in the 
 canon. If a book of small relative importance required 
 two centuries to surmount opposition and become gen- 
 erally accepted as apostolic and canonical, what chance 
 would a book of so supreme importance as the Fourth 
 Gospel have had of being slipped " unbeknownst " into 
 the official books of the Church? 
 
 It would be possible to add considerably to the bulk of 
 the patristic evidence, but hardly to its significance. At- 
 tempts have been made to show that Ignatius was familiar 
 with the Fourth Gospel. He certainly does not quote 
 from it, in the modern sense, but there are in his letters 
 phrases of a Johannine flavor, echoes of the Gospel (such 
 as "the eternal Word of God," Mag. viii) Mdiich, how- 
 ever, prove no more than that Ignatius was familiar with 
 
THE problem: extekn.vl testimony 151 
 
 the Johannine type of teaching. Such famiharity he 
 might have gained from tradition, as well as from a 
 written Gospel. There is valuable evidence also from 
 heretical sources, as well as from orthodox. Chief among 
 these is Basilides, who died not long after 130, and must 
 therefore have been living in the last two decades of the 
 first century. He is said by Hippolytus to have been a 
 disciple of that Matthias who was chosen to take the 
 place of Judas among the Twelve, Basilides is quoted by 
 Hippolytus as saying: " And here it is (says he) what is 
 said in the Gospels, ' I am the true Light that lighteth 
 every man,' " and, " Let every thing have its own ap- 
 pointed time (says he) is what the Saviour sufficiently 
 declares in these words, * My hour is not yet come.' " 
 It is hard not to see here quotations of John i : 9 and 
 2 : 4. Critics like Weizsacker, not too strongly inclined 
 to orthodoxy or traditionalism, admit that these are quo- 
 tations from the Fourth Gospel. If this view is correct, 
 the publication of the Gospel after 130 is impossible, and 
 after 120 is incredible. 
 
 IV 
 
 Even among the critics most hostile to the traditional 
 views, a great change has come about since the debate 
 over the Johannine writings began. Baur insisted that 
 the Gospel could not be dated earlier than 170. But 
 further investigation showed conclusively that the book 
 was widely current at that date, and had already been 
 made the subject of a commentary by Heracleon, which 
 implies a considerable previous history, since commen- 
 taries are not written on an unknown work, or even on 
 one recently published. So Hilgenfeld set the date back 
 to 150, with which date Keim finally agreed, after first 
 fixing on 130. The establishment of Tatian's use of the 
 Gospel now compels even the most radical critics to make 
 
152 TliE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Keim's earliest date the latest possible, and recent Ger- 
 man writers show a progressive tendency to approximate 
 the traditional ideas. Wernle, for example, accepts " the 
 fact that the writings that form the New Testament to- 
 ward the end of the second century, were already — with 
 scarcely an exception — in the possession of the ecclesias- 
 tical writers, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Papias, at the be- 
 ginning of the century." -^ And Volkmar, whom no 
 scholar will accuse of undue conservatism, says : " If be- 
 tween 125 and 155 a commentary was composed on John's 
 Gospel, such as that of which Origen has preserved con- 
 siderable extracts, -- what yet remains to be discussed ? 
 It is very certain that it is all over with the critical 
 thesis of the composition of the Fourth Gospel in the 
 middle of the second century." 
 
 There are, however, still not a few who are unwilling 
 to accept the conclusion above indicated as best in ac- 
 cord with all the facts. If the Gospel was published by 
 120, not more than twenty years after the probable death 
 of John, and accepted by the presbyters and bishops of 
 those Asiatic churches where he was best known, how can 
 his authorship be successfully questioned? The only 
 recourse would seem to be to deny the tradition of John's 
 Ephesian residence and old age. When they wrote, Baur 
 and Hilgenfeld found this Asiatic residence of the apos- 
 tle necessary to the validity of their arguments against 
 a Johannine authorship ; and so they not only accepted 
 the tradition, but maintained it. Now an Asiatic resi- 
 dence of the apostle has become an embarrassment to the 
 critics, and from Keim onward they have denied that 
 the tradition has any foundation in fact. Some will not 
 even admit that there was one John in Ephesus, while 
 
 ^ " Beginnings of Christianity," 2 : 245. 
 
 ^ Origen quotes from Heracleon's commentary about fifty times, and often 
 at considerable length. 
 
THE problem: external testimony 153 
 
 others eagerly receive the assertion of Eusebius and 
 others that two Johns dwelt there, who became confused 
 in the later traditions. A fragment recently recovered 
 from Papias declares that " John and James, his brother, 
 were killed by the Jews." -^ This statement is held to 
 be more inherently credible than the tradition of death 
 of old age at Ephesus, since it accords better with the 
 Synoptic prediction concerning both brothers, " Ye shall 
 drink the cup that I drink." -* This is an argument, of 
 course, that appeals with special force to those who hold 
 that all predictions are made after the event — all suc- 
 cessful predictions, at least. That there is a difficulty 
 just here was recognized by some of the Fathers, and 
 Origen suggests that the words of Jesus were sufficiently 
 fulfilled by the banishment of John to Patmos.-^ 
 
 Though the earlier tradition does seem to recognize 
 two Johns in Asia, it says nothing about both being in 
 Ephesus, which is a considerably later addition. And the 
 later tradition is not consistent : for example, Epiphanius 
 speaks of a presbyter of Jerusalem who survived until 
 117, who bore the name of John."® The first definite 
 statement about John the presbyter, therefore, is that he 
 was of Jerusalem, not of Ephesus. The theory of two 
 Ephesian Johns is probably nothing but a mare's nest dis- 
 covered by Dionysius and approved by Eusebius, to dis- 
 credit not the Fourth Gospel, but the Apocalypse. Euse- 
 bius makes his motive quite evident, when he quotes as 
 the oldest tradition known to him, the words of Polyc- 
 rates, bishop of Ephesus in the last decades of the second 
 century : " And moreover John, who was both a witness 
 and a teacher, who reclined on the bosom of the Lord, 
 and being a priest wore the sacerdotal plate. He also 
 
 ^"Texte und Untersuchungen," v, 2, p. 170. 
 ^ Mark xo : 39; Matt, zo : 23. 
 -' Com. in Matt., torn, xvi, 66. 
 '' De Mens., xv. 
 
154 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 sleeps at Ephesus." -^ Whatever strengthened ecclesias- 
 tical claims found ready acceptance with the first Chris- 
 tian historian. And it becomes increasingly difficult to 
 explain how an accepted tradition of an Ephesian resi- 
 dence of John the apostle could have grown up within two 
 generations of his asserted death there, if there had been 
 no foundation of fact for such a general belief. 
 
 An appropriate conclusion of this examination of the 
 external evidence would seem to be these words of the 
 late Bishop Lightf oot : " We may look forward to the 
 time when it will be held discreditable to the reputation 
 of any critic for sobriety and judgment to assign to this 
 Gospel any later date than the end of the first century, 
 or the very beginning of the second." "* 
 
 ^ H. E.. iii, 21 ; cf. v, i, 8, 13 and iii, 23. 
 28 " Biblical Essays," London, 1871, p. 11. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE JOHANNINE PROBLEM: THE INTERNAL 
 EVIDENCE 
 
 THOUGH the question of the authorship of the 
 Fourth Gospel is a purely critical problem, it is a 
 problem of the first interest, if not of the first impor- 
 tance. Apologetic literature in former generations as- 
 sumed that we have four independent witnesses of the 
 Hfe of Jesus in the Four Gospels. Critical study has 
 convinced all scholars that at most we have but two wit- 
 nesses: the Synoptists, owing to their literary interde- 
 pendence, together give but one testimony, while the 
 Fourth Gospel at least purports to give another. But 
 the slightest examination discloses the fact that the 
 Fourth Gospel differs widely from the other three. Some 
 critics therefore argue: Since John's account of the min- 
 istry and teaching of Jesus differs so widely from that 
 of the Synoptists, it cannot be true. This is a complete 
 non sequitur. One accustomed to judicial sifting of tes- 
 timony would be more likely to argue thus : John's testi- 
 mony is different from that of the Synoptists, therefore it 
 probably is true; had it been the same, the agreement 
 would have been suspicious. 
 
 The Fourth Gospel is the only one of the four that 
 claims to be written by an eye-witness. None of the 
 other writers puts forth this claim to possession of first- 
 hand knowledge; the writer of the Third Gospel, indeed, 
 frankly confesses that he did not belong to the original 
 circle of disciples and has used written sources. But the 
 
 155 
 
156 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 author of the Fourth Gospel is announced in its text, 
 not by tradition merely, to have belonged to the inner 
 circle, to have seen the works of Jesus and listened to his 
 words, and, moreover, to have been distinguished by the 
 Master's special affection. If the claim is false, we have 
 this curious paradox to justify: the New Testament 
 writing most eminent in ethical quality and spiritual in- 
 sight is precisely the one that was written by a man 
 peculiarly deficient in these qualities. And if we adopt 
 the view that the claim was made, not by the author, but 
 by his disciples or an unknown editor^ — which is probably 
 the fact — we have made the case but a shade better. For 
 while the explicit claim was probably the addition of a 
 later hand, the apostolfc authorship is implicit in the 
 whole book. On the other hand, if the claim is true, we 
 have what every Christian would most desire : a portrait 
 of our Lord and his ministry by the one who was nearest 
 to him and understood him best.^ 
 
 Every Christian therefore is vitally interested to know 
 whether the Fourth Gospel represents Jesus as he was, 
 and his words substantially as they were uttered, or 
 whether it merely presents to us what the Church of the 
 second century thought Jesus ought to have been and 
 ought to have said. Is it true, as Loisy has said, that the 
 Gospel is not a testimony to the life of Jesus on earth, 
 but to the life of Christ in the Church at the end of the 
 first century? If so, we have in this Gospel merely an 
 interesting historical document; but if it is in truth what 
 it claims to be, we have a solid foundation for our Chris- 
 tian faith. The reluctance of Christian scholars to accept 
 the new view of the Gospel is not hard to understand; 
 nevertheless, no dread of consequences must deter us 
 from seeking to know the truth and weighing the evidence 
 
 1 Marcus Dods, Introduction to the Gospel of John, " Expositor's Greek 
 Testament," Vol, I, p. 655. 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I57 
 
 fairl}-. On the other liand, we must be permitted to say 
 that there has been an apparent eagerness to discredit 
 the apostohc authorship of the Gospel, and to remand its 
 testimony to the domain of historical romance, which 
 casts more than a doubt upon the scientific impartiality 
 of many critics. 
 
 The first item of internal evidence of authorship that 
 demands attention is the already mentioned assertion 
 in the last chapter: "This is the disciple that bears 
 witness of these things, and wrote these things: and 
 we knoxv that his ivitncss is true." These words, espe- 
 cially the italicized clause, are obviously an editorial ad- 
 dition, and they occur in a chapter that is, in the opinion 
 of many scholars, a kind of appendix to the Gospel by 
 a later writer, not a part of the original book. In its 
 original text, the Gospel was almost certainly anonymous. 
 But it is more difficult to accept the theory of a later 
 authorship for the whole of the last chapter. The same 
 style and vocabulary and habits of thought are found in 
 it that we discover in the preceding chapters. The theory 
 of later composition of the final chapter also raises this 
 historical difficulty, not less serious than the literary: 
 How could such a spurious addition to the work have 
 gained unopposed acceptance? On the other hand, 21 : 
 24, together with 19 : 35, and perhaps 12 : 23 also, might 
 have been placed at any time as marginal notes on the 
 manuscript, and afterwards incorporated into the text 
 without notice or opposition. 
 
 Nor does it seem that accurate reasoning shuts us up to 
 the two alternatives proposed by some,' that these are 
 either true ascriptions of authorship or wilful misstate- 
 ments. There is a third possibility, more probable than 
 either of these, namely, that the author or authors of 
 
 ' Anqong others, by Drummond, " Character and Authorship of the Fourth 
 Gospel," London, 1904, pp. 260, 261. 
 
158 THE JOHANNIXE WRITINGS 
 
 these interpolated assertions of authorship beheved what 
 tliey said to be true, but did not really know it to be 
 true — that they inferred a Johannine authorship from the 
 character of the document and its general repute. Men 
 do not always lie when they say things contrary to fact ; 
 they often believe (on insufficient grounds, but sincerely) 
 that they speak according to fact. There is nothing to 
 prevent us from accepting this as the honest statement 
 of what was believed among Ephesian Christians early in 
 the second century. But, then, why should they have be- 
 lieved this if it were not true? Had they not fully as 
 good opportunities to learn the real fact of the case as 
 those enjoyed by the modern critic? While we may not 
 receive their statement as indisputably true, there does 
 not seem to be rational ground for rejecting it as in- 
 dubitably false. 
 
 Clearly, the verse would be printed in a modern book 
 as an editorial footnote. Johannine authorship is, there- 
 fore, a claim explicitly made for the Gospel, not by the 
 Gospel, " We know that his testimony is true " can have 
 no possible meaning other than attestation of the record 
 by those who knew the author, either personally or by 
 repute. It has been plausibly conjectured that " we " 
 were presbyters of Ephesus. All that we know is that 
 they vouch for the Gospel and its author; but who will 
 vouch for these anonymous witnesses of an otherwise 
 anonymous writing? We have only one voucher, and, 
 after all, we could hardly have a better, in the fact that 
 their testimony was accepted without question and be- 
 came the unanimous belief of the Church. Surely that is 
 a fact of no little weight. In the absence of a single 
 hint to the contrary, in all the patristic literature, it estab- 
 lishes a presumption of the correctness of the statement 
 that can be set aside only by some positive evidence to 
 the contrary. 
 
THE problem: internal evidence 159 
 
 Such evidence has been found, some think, in the Gos- 
 pel itself. The internal evidence has inclined most read- 
 ers to believe that the author was a Jev^ and a Palestinian, 
 which is so far favorable to Johannine authorship. But 
 this has been stoutly disputed. The author's frequent 
 references to " the Jews," it is said, are impossible on 
 the lips of a Jew. When it is remembered that most, if 
 not all, of these references apply to the official representa- 
 tives of the nation and their adherents — a party avowedly 
 hostile to Jesus from the first — to whom Jesus is described 
 as continually making unsuccessful appeal; and if it be 
 admitted that the author was residing among Gentiles 
 long previous to writing, and that he wrote mainly for 
 Gentile readers — it will then appear that this is exactly 
 the way in which he might be expected to speak. 
 
 Equally different conclusions have been drawn from 
 another item of the internal evidence. The Gospel is 
 remarkable for its " local color," its precision of accumu- 
 lated detail, its accurate knowledge of Jewish customs, all 
 of which are very characteristic. The Synoptics are 
 content, for example, with saying that a certain disciple 
 smote a servant of the high priest, but this Gospel says 
 explicitly that Peter struck and Malchus was injured. 
 At the anointing of Jesus at Bethany, some disciples mur- 
 mured at the waste, according to the Synoptics ; but this 
 Gospel says Judas pretended to want the ointment sold 
 and the money given to the poor, that he might get a 
 chance to embezzle it.^ The critic who is determined 
 not to be convinced says that these are marks, not of 
 truth, but of artful verisimilitude, such as a Defoe or a 
 Swift manages to give his fictions — they merely place the 
 Fourth Gospel in the class of " Robinson Crusoe " and 
 " Gulliver's Travels," as a work of fancy. Hostile criti- 
 
 s On these lifelike details, see E. F. Scott, " The Fourth Gospel, its Pur- 
 pose and Theology," Edinburgh, 1906, p. iS seq. 
 
l60 THE JOHANXIXE WRITIXGS 
 
 cism has changed its ground with reference to such mat- 
 ters as often as the exigencies of the case have required. 
 Thus a generation ago, Baur and Bretschneider contended 
 that there were such geographical inaccuracies in the 
 Fourth Gospel as to prove conclusively that it could not be 
 the work of an apostle and eye-witness — no native of 
 Palestine could have made such blunders. But later re- 
 search has so confirmed the accuracy of the Gospel that 
 this ground has been abandoned. It is now so plain that 
 the author w^as a native of Palestine and had so perfect 
 knowledge of the country, that Bacon makes this an ob- 
 jection to the Johannine authorship — this Palestinian 
 author could not have been for the better part of his 
 life a resident of Ephesus! The critics seem to have 
 borrowed a slogan from politicians, " Anything to beat 
 John." He cannot be the author of the Gospel because 
 it is inaccurate, and he cannot be the aiithor because it is 
 too accurate ! O " scientific " criticism ! What follies are 
 perpetrated in thy name ! 
 
 Not to seem to treat a grave subject with undue levity, 
 let us once for all admit that the internal evidence for 
 the Gospel does suggest certain serious difficulties to one 
 who would maintain the traditional authorship. So much 
 may be conceded by the most orthodox students, as well 
 as asserted by the most radical. The real question is, 
 How much weight is it just to assign to each of these 
 difficulties, or to all of them combined? And on the 
 answer to that question will depend one's solution of the 
 Johannine problem. 
 
 II 
 
 The prime difficulty is perhaps the diflFerence in general 
 scheme between this Gospel and the Synoptics, and the 
 new ideal of Jesus and his mission presented. From 
 the Synoptics we should hardly suspect a Judean ministry, 
 
THE problem: internal evidence i6i 
 
 l^rior to the final visit to Jerusalem;* from the Fourth 
 Gospel we should hardly suspect a Galilean ministry of 
 any length. From the Synoptics the easiest inference 
 would certainly be that the ministry extended over little 
 more than a single year; while the Fourth Gospel nar- 
 rates a ministry of over two years surely, possibly over 
 three. It may, of course, be true, as all harmonists have 
 contended, that these schemes are not essentially incon- 
 sistent, that they are in fact easily reconcilable ; but they 
 are patently different. Yet more grave is the difference 
 in conception of the mission and work of Jesus that 
 characterizes the Fourth Gospel. The Synoptics repre- 
 sent Jesus as concerned mainly with the establishment 
 of the kingdom of God. He is Saviour of the world, to 
 be sure, but salvation consists in repentance — a moral 
 right-about-face — and the doing of righteousness, that is, 
 coming into filial relation with God and fraternal relation 
 with men. God welcomes and forgives the repentant, 
 as a father treats his erring son when the wanderer 
 returns to his father's house. The Fourth Gospel repre- 
 sents the mission of Jesus as a revelation of the divine 
 glory, effecting an atonement without which forgiveness 
 and salvation would have been impossible. As a result, 
 he is able to confer abundant life, eternal life, on those 
 who trust him. This Gospel is the necessary historical 
 basis for Paul's theology, which cannot be deduced from 
 the Synoptics. 
 
 Is not at least a partial explanation of these phenomena 
 possible without denial of the historicity of the Fourth 
 Gospel? Why this surprise that the ideal of Jesus there 
 presented differs so markedly from the earlier ideal of 
 the Synoptics? Did the disciples of Jesus come to a 
 
 * Critics object that the Synoptics tell us of only one visit to Jerusalem, 
 John speaks of several. But the Synoptics imply what John tells. " O Jeru- 
 salem, Jerusalem. . . How often would I have gathered thy children," etc. 
 (Matt. 23 : 37; cf. Luke 13 : 34.) This may be called an unconscious testi- 
 mony to the historicity of the Fourth Gospel. 
 
l62 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 true and full appreciation of his character and mission 
 all at once? And if the process was a gradual one, what 
 guaranty have we that the process was finished when the 
 Synoptists wrote? If John had nothing to add to what 
 had already been said about his Master, if he had nothing 
 new to tell about Jesus, no fresh light to throw on his 
 character or teaching, why break silence at all? When- 
 ever the Synoptic Gospels were written in their present 
 form, one cannot doubt that the materials of which 
 they are composed were for the most part committed to 
 writing at an early date, while the human side of the life 
 of Jesus still remained most vivid in the recollections 
 of his disciples. The Fourth Gospel was composed a full 
 generation at least after the last of the Synoptics, when 
 there had been time for reflection upon the meaning of 
 that life, and its interpretation in terms of Christian ex- 
 perience — after the Pauline gospel had been widely pro- 
 claimed, with its strong insistence upon the divine Sonship 
 of Jesus. It was to be expected, therefore, that we 
 should have in a Johannine Gospel a very different con- 
 ception of the Christ character from that entertained by 
 the first generation of Christians — that he should be pre- 
 sented to us as the eternal Word become flesh, the revela- 
 tion of the Father that Christian experience had found 
 him to be. 
 
 As between the synoptical Jesus and the Johannine 
 Christ, which is the true historical personage? Both, is 
 the correct answer, for the alternative is artificial, not 
 real. We are not, as matter of fact, compelled to choose 
 between the Synoptics and John: surely, the Christian 
 consciousness of all the centuries has not erred in its 
 conclusion that each picture is true, while each presents 
 only one side of the truth. In other words, both together 
 are truer than either taken separately. For example, 
 the teaching of the Fourth Gospel regarding the pre- 
 
THE problem: internal evidence 163 
 
 existence of the Son, does not eontradict the Synoptists, 
 but supplements them. Preexistence is implicit in the 
 s>Tioptic idea of the divinity of the Son, as the Church 
 soon perceived when all four documents were before it. 
 Paul's teaching helped to bring this more quickly to the 
 consciousness of all Christians, but the process was in- 
 evitable, and would have been little delayed had Paul 
 never written his Epistles. 
 
 Another serious difficulty that we must consider is the 
 different material contained in the Fourth Gospel. The 
 waiter appears to have possessed and used the Synoptics, 
 but very slightly. ]\Iost of his material is strictly orig- 
 inal: the miracle at Cana, the second testimony of the 
 Baptist, the conversations with Nicodemus and the woman 
 of Samaria, the healing of the paralytic at Bethesda and 
 of the man born blind, and above all the raising of 
 Lazarus, with the teachings accompanying most of these 
 miracles — all these find not so much as a corresponding 
 hint in the first three Gospels. But one of the seven 
 miracles that he selects from the entire ministry of Jesus 
 for special narration is told in the Synoptics (the feeding 
 of the multitude), unless with some we regard the healing 
 of the nobleman's son at Cana as merely another version 
 of the synoptic story of the healing of the centurion's 
 slave at Capernaum. That seems rather too much like 
 saying that Ccesar's story of his fight with the Nervii is 
 another version of Livy's account of the battle of Cannae. 
 To be sure, the details of time and place and name are 
 quite dissimilar, but the two accounts must be different 
 versions of the same event, because each is the story 
 of a battle fought by a Roman general. By that sort of 
 reasoning, which has been too frequent in biblical criti- 
 cism, one easily proves any event to be identical with 
 any other. In like manner, hypermetropic critics who 
 can see much further into a millstone than the rest of 
 
164 THE JOHANNIXE WRITINGS 
 
 US have suggested that the story of the raisiug of Lazarus 
 grows out of Luke's story of the rich man and Lazarus, 
 and the hint of the closing words, " Neither will they 
 be persuaded if one rise from the dead." So the author 
 of the Fourth Gospel made Lazarus rise from the dead, 
 to show that " the Jews " were still unconvinced ! This 
 may strike some as a notion fitter to have emanated from 
 Bedlam than from the mind of a sober biblical scholar, 
 yet no less a critic than Schmiedel admiringly adopts it 
 from Bruno Bauer. 
 
 Another internal difBculty in this Gospel is said to 
 be that the day on which Jesus died differs from that 
 given in the Synoptics. It can hardly be denied that such 
 is the fact, though many scholars have striven desperately 
 to " reconcile " the two accounts, in the supposed inter- 
 ests of orthodoxy. But one can hardly read with un- 
 biased mind Luke 22 : 7, 13, 15, and the parallel pas- 
 sages in the other Synoptics, and avoid the conclusion 
 that Jesus ate the Passover with his disciples. On the 
 other hand, one who reads with equal impartiality John 
 13 : i; 18 : 28; and 19 : 14, 31, finds it equally dif- 
 ficult to escape the conclusion that Jesus was crucified at 
 the time when the Passover lamb was killed. Only heroic 
 exegesis will make these two accounts agree, as candor 
 will in the end compel all Christian scholars to recognize. 
 Bacon seems to state the fact fairly when he says that 
 Jesus celebrated with his disciples, not the Passover, 
 but the Kiddush, or preparation of the Passover, and that 
 the Fourth Gospel has preserved a more accurate tradi- 
 tion than the Synoptics.^ But his conclusion well illus- 
 trates what seems to be a rule of the more radical critics : 
 When the Synoptics contradict John, believe the Synop- 
 tics ; when John contradicts the Synoptics, believe John. 
 
 * B. W. Bacon, " The Fourth Gospel in Research and Debate," New York, 
 1910, p. 260. 
 
THE rRUULliM ; IXTEKXAL EVIDENCE 165 
 
 The beauty of this rule is that by its apphcation each 
 evangelist can in turn be convicted of mistakes and in- 
 accuracies. 
 
 It appears, even in the opinion of the radical critics, 
 that in this instance to differ from the Synoptics is favor- 
 able to the credibility of the Fourth Gospel. What some 
 have asserted to be a difficulty in accepting it, turns out 
 to be a point in its favor. Besides the existence of a 
 double tradition thus witnessed, reaching back to apos- 
 tolic times, the statement of the Fourth Gospel is the 
 necessary historical datum for explanation of the rise 
 and continuance of the Easter controversy of the second 
 century. It is well known that the churches of Asia 
 Minor, led by Ephesus, were quartodeciman ( f ourteenth- 
 ers), that is, they celebrated the eucharist on the four- 
 teenth of Nisan, not because Jesus instituted the ordinance 
 on that day, but because he died on that day, and there- 
 fore was the true Paschal Lamb, In this they agreed with 
 John and contradicted the Synoptics. It was on the idea 
 of the celebration that the quartodecimans differed from 
 others, quite as much as on the day : they commemorated 
 the death of Christ as the chief fact, rather than his resur- 
 rection. The Talmud is said to confirm as the true tradi- 
 tion the account of John. 
 
 Many of the " difficulties " vanish in like manner on 
 careful consideration of the author's purpose and plan, 
 which have been fully treated in a previous chapter. This 
 is not the case, however, with the omission of any ac- 
 count of the institution of the eucharist in connection 
 with the Last Supper, and the apparent association of it 
 with the miracle of feeding the multitude. It is true that 
 many exegetes have denied this connection, but uncon- 
 vincingly; to most readers of all ages, thought of the 
 eucharist has been quite irresistible when Jesus says, " He 
 that eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life," 
 
I66 THE JOilANJSfliN'E VVKITINGS 
 
 and the rest of it. Whatever explanation of this omission 
 be suggested or adopted, ignorance will never do. It is 
 impossible that any writer between lOO and 120 could 
 have been unaware that the eucharist was a firmly estab- 
 lished Christian institution, and that tradition ascribed 
 its institution to Jesus himself. Spitta makes the in- 
 genious suggestion that a leaf containing the account 
 of the supper may have dropped out of the original manu- 
 script, which is a solution rather too ingenious to be 
 acceptable. 
 
 Critics tell us often that the Gospels are not biog- 
 raphies, but belong to apologetic or polemic literature ; 
 and then in all their critical examinations and arguments 
 treat the Gospels as if they were biographical." They 
 argue, for example, that if a writer does not tell a 
 thing it is " unknown " to him. Mark knows nothing 
 of the virgin birth, because he does not speak of it ; 
 and all the Synoptics were ignorant of the preexistence 
 of Christ because they do not mention it. It cannot be 
 said too insistently that there is no rational foundation 
 for such a canon of criticism. The mere fact that a 
 writing does not contain what we think it should con- 
 tain, is no sufficient ground for accusing the author 
 of ignorance or for questioning a reputed authorship. 
 Who made us judges of what the apostles ought to say? 
 Critics often complain of modern books that they show 
 unaccountable omissions; probably no author lives who 
 has not been told many times by his critics how much 
 better they could have written his book. The author 
 did not estimate as the critic does the relative importance 
 of things. Or he may not choose to write about what 
 he does not fully understand — which is where the critic 
 usually has the advantage of him. Many hypotheses are 
 
 ^ As for example, G. B. Foster, " Finality of the Christian Religion," 
 Chicapro, 1906, p. 352. The apologetic character of the Gospels is no modern 
 discovery; it was recognized by Irenaeus, Adv. Haer., iii, ii, i. 
 
THE rRUDLliM : INTEKiNAL EVIDENCE 167 
 
 possible, other than a denial of reputed authorship, which 
 is the favorite resort of bibhcal critics in every difficuhy. 
 
 Ill 
 
 But perhaps the most serious obstacle to the acceptance 
 of Johannine authorship of the Gospel, or at any rate to 
 its historicity, is found in the discourses of Jesus.' Even 
 in form the difference of these discourses from those in 
 the Synoptics is striking, and the difference in substance 
 is greater still. In form the synoptic discourses are 
 monologues, while those of the Fourth Gospel are dia- 
 logues. As to the substance, Renan has put the matter 
 with his usual clarity, " If Jesus spoke as Matthew 
 would have us believe, he could not have spoken in the 
 manner represented by John." The majority of German 
 scholars, and an increasing number of French and En- 
 glish, agree with Renan, though some would state their 
 opinion more cautiously. 
 
 The candid scholar cannot deny that this alleged dif- 
 ference is real ; it is so marked that no reader of ordinary 
 literary perception can fail to note it. Evidently, the 
 author of the Fourth Gospel, whether John the apostle 
 or another, has used considerable freedom in reporting 
 the discourses of Jesus. Any report of a discourse by 
 another is an interpretation as well as a report: that is 
 to say, unless a discourse is taken down verbatim in 
 shorthand, a report tells the impression that the discourse 
 made on the reporter. Longhand reporting is, as any- 
 
 ■^ Some have receivecl an impresston from a cursory reading of the Gos- 
 pels that the Fourth differs from the earlier three in the lengthy of the dis- 
 courses attributed to Jesus. This is a case of hasty generalization. There 
 is a difference, but it i=; not so much in John's giving longer discourses as 
 that he reports fewer short sayings than the Synoptics. Careful study and 
 an accurate tabulation of facts shows that John reports twenty brief dis- 
 courses (of three to ten verses each) to Matthew's sixteen; while of moder- 
 ately long discourses (ten to twenty verses) he has but three to Matthew's 
 eight; and of quite long (exceeding twenty verses) but three to Matthew's 
 four. (Drummond, p. 17.) One of the remarkable things about biblical 
 criticism is that it has always known, so many things that aren't so. 
 
-1^ 
 
 l68 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 body knows who has had experience in doing it, a com- 
 plex psychologic process, and the result represents the 
 mental activities of the reporter as well as those of the 
 speaker. The longer the time that elapses between the 
 speech and the writing of the report, the more of the re- 
 porter's mentality is likely to become embodied in the 
 report. This may happen without impairment of the 
 substantial correctness of the report: not always the exact 
 words of the speaker, but always his vital meaning, will 
 be conveyed by a good reporter. 
 
 So, when certain critics assure us that the contrasts 
 between the synoptic discourses and those of the Fourth 
 Gospel are too great to be explained away,^ one may 
 reply : *' Nobody is at all interested to explain them away. 
 The question is. How are they best to be accounted for ? " 
 If John or another is the composer of these discourses, 
 and so is to be accounted a poet or religious romancer, 
 and not a recorder of historical fact, we have this aston- 
 ishing phenomenon : The author of the most profound 
 and eloquent religious teaching in the history of the 
 world was not Jesus, and men have been altogether astray 
 in hailing him as the Great Teacher of mankind , for here 
 was a disciple who was greater than his Master. Is that 
 credible? Is not almost any other hypothesis more 
 credible than that? Is not the solution proffered by the 
 great exegete, Meyer, much preferable? Aleyer says: 
 " The manifestation of Jesus as the divine-human life 
 was intrinsically too rich, grand, and manifold not to be 
 represented variously, according to the varying individ- 
 ualities by which its rays were caught, and according to 
 the more or less ideal points of view from which those 
 rays were reflected." 
 
 But while we fully admit and even insist upon all facts 
 
 8 H. L. Jackson, " The Fourth Gospel and Some Recent German Criti- 
 cism," p. i6i. 
 
THE PROJiLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I69 
 
 disclosed by most thorough exegetical and literary study 
 of the Gospel, we may be allowed also to enter protest 
 against exaggeration of fact and erroneous conclusion 
 from fact. Those critics have gone too far who have 
 declared that a Jesus who could teach as in the Synop- 
 tics, and at the same time as in John, is " a psychologic 
 impossibility " — if due regard is had, that is to say, to 
 differences of mentality between the reporters. The con- 
 trast is no greater, to say the least, than that between 
 the style of Daniel Webster's public orations, revised 
 by himself and so representing his style at what he at 
 least believed to be its best, and the conversations re- 
 ported by his friend Harvey. As has often been pointed 
 out, the contrast is no greater than between the dis- 
 courses of Socrates as reported by Xenophon in his 
 " Memorabilia " and those in the " Dialogues " of Plato. 
 Each reporter has put a large part of his own personality 
 into his account of the philosopher's teachings, but un- 
 derneath either we may perceive the true Socrates, and 
 from both together we get a better portrait of the man 
 than either would be taken separately. Xenophon, like 
 the Synoptists, has probably kept closer to the exact 
 words of his master, while ' Plato, like the Fourth Gos- 
 pel, has better interpreted his profounder teachings. 
 
 Critics have been without due warrant of fact when 
 they have urged that the writer of the Gospel makes 
 John, Nicodemus, the blind man, Pilate, and Jesus all 
 speak in the same manner, namely, the author's. Those 
 scholars have shown better literary discernment who 
 have praised, as one of the striking characteristics of the 
 Gospel, the clear discrimination of these personalities 
 from each other and their vivid individualization. And 
 
 * The fact that there is a large recognizahle personal element in the 
 Synoptics, as^ well as in the Fourth Gospel, and the early recognition of thi-^ 
 fact by tlie Church, we may safely infer from the ancient titles of the honks: 
 {eiiayyiXiov) Kara Toi' Mapicor, etc. — not the Good News pure and simple, but 
 the ideal of the Good News presented by Mark or Matthew or Luke. 
 
I/O THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 there is more difference between the discourses and the 
 narrative than many critics have been able or wilHng 
 to see. Further still, the contrast between the synoptic 
 discourses and these is not so violent as many critics 
 have represented. Lest these be taken as mere un- 
 founded assertions, here are a few pertinent facts : The 
 author puts into the mouth of Jesus one hundred and 
 forty-five words never used elsewhere in the Gospel, and 
 thirty-eight of these are used in the synoptic accounts 
 of the words of Jesus. Godet has prefixed to his Com- 
 mentary a list of twenty-eight sayings in the Fourth 
 Gospel that are identical, or nearly so, with others in 
 the Synoptists. Any reader may discover for himself 
 passages here and there in the first three Gospels that 
 are quite in the style of the Fourth; as: 
 
 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; 
 And no one knows the Son save the Father; 
 Nor does any know the Father save the Son, 
 And he to whomsoever the Son wills to reveal him.'" 
 
 These are strikingly like words in the Fourth Gospel: 
 
 The Father loves the Son, 
 
 And has given all things into his hand. 
 
 Not that any man has seen the Father, 
 
 Save he who is from God, 
 
 He has seen the Father." 
 
 And we do find in the Fourth Gospel's discourses that 
 same Hebraistic construction of sentences, that entire 
 absence of the true period, that rhythmic parallelism 
 and antithesis which are characteristic of the synoptic 
 reports, because they are the characteristics of all He- 
 brew poetry. The adequate translation and editing of 
 
 "Matt. II : 27; Luke 10 : 22. 
 
 11 John 1 : 35; 6 : 46. 1 
 from Mattnew, or lice versa 
 
 John 3 : 35; 6 : 46. The critics should now insist that John copied 
 "he 
 
THE I'KOiiLEM : IMEKXAL EVIDENCE 17I 
 
 the four Gospels causes a total disappearance of the 
 greater part of their apparent unlikeness in their ordinary 
 English dress. Let the reader turn to the second part 
 of this work, where an attempt has been made at such 
 editing of the discourses of the Fourth Gospel, and judge 
 this matter for himself. 
 
 All critics agree with tradition in at least one important 
 matter : that the author of the Fourth Gospel was farthest 
 in time of composition from the time in which the 
 discourses were delivered. This does not exclude the 
 hypothesis that he may have made notes, at the time or 
 soon afterward, from which his fuller report was after- 
 ward elaborated. As already pointed out, we might 
 reasonably expect that this interval, with its opportunities 
 for frequent meditation on the meaning of his Mas- 
 ter's words, and the light thrown upon them by a whole 
 generation of Christian experience, would afTect the 
 manner of reporting the discourses. But there is an- 
 other consideration, to which sufficient weight has not 
 always been attached: Jesus spoke in Aramaic, and the 
 earliest report of his words was, according to Papias, 
 made by Matthew in that language. All the reports that 
 we now have, therefore, are translations from Aramaic 
 into Greek — made we know not when or by whom, in 
 the case of the Synoptics. If we accept the view that 
 the Synoptics give us variant readings of a common 
 source for the discourses, nothing hinders our regarding 
 the discourses of the Fourth Gospel as an independent 
 version. The turning of the Aramaic words of Jesus 
 into Greek by dififerent persons must be expected to 
 show considerable variations of style, since no translator 
 can help infusing something of himself into his author, 
 and some make a paraphrase rather than a literal render- 
 ing of their author's words. It : ^ recorded of the great 
 English scholar Bentley that after reading Pope's transla- 
 
172 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 tion of the Iliad he said, " A very pretty poem, ]\Ir. Pope, 
 but you must not call it Homer." Any one who can read 
 the Iliad in the original must feel the justice of this criti- 
 cism: and yet he must also admit that Pope has turned 
 into English the substance of the Iliad. 
 
 Another explanation of these differences of style has 
 been either overlooked or underestimated by many critics : 
 While the Synoptists present the kingdom as the main 
 theme of discourse, the Fourth Gospel presents the King. 
 It is the character of Jesus as the Messiah, Son of God, 
 that the writer keeps ever before us. And he represents 
 Jesus as making appeal again and again in this character 
 to the hostile " Jews," the officials and leaders and teach- 
 ers of the nation. Hence, while in the Synoptics Jesus is 
 didactic, ever instructing his disciples, or those in the 
 main favorable to him, in the Fourth Gospel he is 
 nearly always polemic or apologetic, because he is speak- 
 ing to those who are either doubtful about his claims 
 or openly hostile to them. Hence, while there is scope 
 for great variety of discourse in the Synoptics, there is 
 practically only one theme for all the discourses of the 
 Fourth Gospel. 
 
 It must be admitted that the differences we have been 
 discussing shatter into bits the once generally maintained 
 theory of verbal inspiration, and the consequent infallible 
 authority of the last syllable of the Gospels. We must 
 have a new method of study. The old style of gram- 
 matical exegesis, insisting that to fix definitely the mean- 
 ing of every preposition and particle was of utmost im- 
 portance, since these expressed the mind of Christ, has 
 become unthinkable. A more broad and rational inter- 
 pretation is demanded by the revised idea of inspiration 
 that the facts absolutely compel. But all this affords 
 no ground for questioning the historicity of the Fourth 
 Gospel. A human element in the Scriptures is now as 
 
THE problem: ixternal evidence 173 
 
 clearly allowed by orthodox theologians as insisted on by 
 radicals. If the human element is larger in the Fourth 
 Gospel than in the Synoptics, as may be justly inferred 
 from the facts, the orthodox need not be alarmed by the 
 conclusion, for the radical is wrong to make this a reason 
 for declining to receive the Gospel's testimony. There 
 is no good reason assignable why " John " may not be 
 regarded as trustworthy as Plato. 
 
 But if the radical critics often claim too much, so do 
 the orthodox. It is not fair to argue, as Godet and 
 others have urged, that for " John " to compose, to in- 
 vent, as some say, the discourses attributed to Jesus, is 
 a theory that involves psychological absurdity and moral 
 impossibility. That theory may present a psychological 
 problem, but it is not insoluble. If the author regarded 
 his Gospel, as some critics would have us regard it, as an 
 ideal portrait of Jesus, a historical romance or poem, 
 the difficulty is eliminated. To put into the mouth of 
 Jesus words that he never uttered is precisely what 
 Alilton has done on a large scale in " Paradise Regained," 
 and nobody supposes that any serious psychological or 
 ethical difficulties are involved in his work. A great 
 deal of pious twaddle, to speak plainly, has been put forth 
 by defenders of the Fourth Gospel. The real question 
 to decide is, Shall we accept the Gospel as, on the whole, 
 a faithful representation of Jesus and his teaching, as 
 seen and understood by his most spiritual-minded dis- 
 ciple ? or, Shall we regard the Gospel as a romantic poem, 
 a religious epic, of which Jesus is the hero, written prob- 
 ably by a man who had no personal acquaintance with 
 him? 
 
 John 20 : 31 is the rock on which the poetical romance 
 theory strikes and breaks into pieces : " These things 
 are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Mes- 
 siah the Son of God ; and that believing you may have 
 
174 '^'HE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 life in his name." The writer was at least a man of in-. 
 telligence; how could he have expected to win converts 
 to Jesus by a work that was mainly or quite fictitious? 
 Milton hoped to interest and please and possibly to in- 
 struct men by his " Paradise Regained," but surely he 
 never expected to persuade men to believe it. His pur- 
 pose was purely literary; the author of the Gospel an- 
 nounces a purpose purely religious. The internal evi- 
 dence will not sustain the theory of romance or epic. 
 The writer's purpose is witnessed not only by his words, 
 but by his spirit throughout ; he is in too deadly earnest 
 for fiction. He impresses us as one who, whether he 
 rightly understood his Master or not, whether he ac- 
 curately remembers the words of Jesus or not, honestly 
 gives us the character and teaching of his Lord as he 
 comprehended both. 
 
 On the whole, we may conclude that the diflferences 
 between the Synoptics and the Fourth Gospel — real dif- 
 ferences, though often exaggerated, and as often inde- 
 fensibly denied — make the acceptance of the book by the 
 Church inexplicable, except on the ground that at the 
 time of its publication all Christians felt certain of its 
 authorship and historicity. From this point of view the 
 differences, instead of weakening confidence in the authen- 
 ticity of the Gospel, actually strengthen the evidence in 
 its favor. Those who originally accepted it were much 
 influenced, no doubt, as we should be, by the essential 
 character of the book. The Fourth Gospel is a work 
 of genius ; it combines in an extraordinary way deep 
 spiritual insight with fine literary art. Its ideas are few, 
 but they are of great importance ; they have been deeply 
 meditated and are set forth with clearness and force. 
 The author was both thinker and poet ; but though the 
 form is often mystical and symbolic, the content is never 
 doubtful. 
 
THE PRORLExM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I75 
 
 It is notable that one of the late German critics, and 
 not the least scholarly, defends the essential authenticity 
 and historicity of the Gospel. Wendt maintains that the 
 discourses existed first, and are from the hand of John 
 the apostle. These were combined with a historical nar- 
 rative by a later writer, very much as most scholars now 
 believe the First Gospel to have been composed. Wendt 
 would ascribe to the awkwardness of this unknown 
 editor-author the curious displacement of discourses that 
 is undeniable in the present text of the Gospel, for which 
 we feel impelled to find some sort of explanation and 
 rectification. He concludes his study with the statement 
 that the discourses " may be taken as utterances of the 
 historic Jesus, such as the synoptic sources reveal him," 
 and that " the Fourth Gospel, as we have it, was not 
 written by the apostle John, but contains the Memoirs of 
 John." ^- But the weight of opinion is against this twin- 
 authorship, and the general view of the book is better 
 presented by Holtzmann : " All attempts to draw a clearly 
 distinguishable line of demarcation, whether it be between 
 earlier and later strata, or between genuine and not 
 genuine, historical and unhistorical elements, must always 
 be wrecked against the solid and compact unity that the 
 work presents, both in regard to language and in regard 
 to matter." Keim was so impressed by this quality of 
 the book that he called it " the seamless coat." All of 
 Wendt's ingenuity, therefore, fails to convince us of the 
 composite nature of the Gospel, and his theory of the pre- 
 existence of the discourses stands or falls with that. 
 
 The valuable contribution made by Wendt to the litera- 
 ture of the subject is his vindication of the historical 
 value of the Gospel. He confirms what has already been 
 said above: "When the discourses of one man are pre- 
 
 "H. H. Wendt, "The Gospel of Saint John," Edinburgh, 1902, p. 188 
 Seq. 
 
176 TflE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 served tlirougli the aiediuni of another who possesses a 
 strong individuality, and, in consequence, an individual 
 style of thought and speech, it is possible for the second 
 to assimilate the manner of discourse to his own, while 
 the matter, the real meaning of the original, is correctly 
 reproduced." ^^' Instead, therefore, of finding absolute 
 contrariety between the two types of discourse attributed 
 to Jesus, Wendt finds essential affinity. He takes issue 
 with that large body of critics who have been assuring 
 us that the value of the Fourth Gospel is not in its his- 
 torical verity, but its vividness as a personal impres- 
 sion: the truth of it is not objective, but subjective; not 
 historical, but psychological — we learn from it not what 
 Jesus actually was, but how Jesus impressed himself upon 
 one of his disciples. Very plausible at first sight, but 
 after a little it occurs to one to ask. How did John or 
 some one get this vivid impression from something non- 
 existent? Is it not truer to psychology as well as to 
 history to hold with Wendt that Jesus made upon John 
 the impression recorded in the Gospel because he was 
 that kind of man and teacher? In other words. Can we 
 have a portrait of Jesus that is psychologically true and 
 at the same time historically false ? 
 
 An attempt has been made to avoid the difficulties that 
 are conceived to beset both the traditional hypothesis and 
 the extreme critical theories. Weizsacker and Schurer 
 may be named among those scholars who have thus tried 
 to find a middle-of-the-road solution. Matthew Arnold 
 has stated this mediating theory with his usual felicity 
 of phrase ^* : 
 
 " In his old age Saint John at Ephesus has ' logia,' 
 sayings of the Lord, and has incidents in the Lord's story 
 
 '* Wendt, pp. 206, 2:3. 
 
 " " God and the Bible," pp. 256, 257. 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I// 
 
 which have not been published in any of the written ac- 
 counts that were beginning at that time to be handed 
 about. The elders of Ephesus, whom tradition afterward 
 makes into apostles, fellows of Saint John, move him 
 to bestow this treasure upon the world. He gives his 
 materials, and the presbytery of Ephesus provides a 
 redaction for them and publishes them. The redaction 
 with its unity of tone, its flowingness and connectedness, 
 is by one single hand : the hand of a man of literary 
 talent, a Greek Christian, whom the Church of Ephesus 
 found proper for such a task. A theological lecturer, 
 perhaps, as in the Fourth Gospel he so often shows him- 
 self, a theological lecturer, an earlier and nameless Origen, 
 who in this one short composition produced a work out- 
 weighing all the folios of all the Fathers, but was content 
 that his name should be written in the Book of Life." 
 
 \"ery modest of this gifted unknown, to be sure, but 
 could a man capable of such literary achievement hide his 
 light under a bushel so completely ? Not to mention that 
 no great work of literary art, ancient or modern, was ever 
 produced by this method. Though a plausible hypothesis 
 at first blush, this would not be entertained for a moment 
 in the case of a literary masterpiece outside of the Bible. 
 And the Fourth Gospel is a literary masterpiece. The 
 writer was the greatest spiritual genius, as Mr. Arnold 
 recognizes, of early Christianity, especially if he com- 
 posed the discourses of Jesus instead of reporting them, 
 and it required hardly less genius to appreciate and repro- 
 duce than to compose. Only a great soul and a great 
 intellect were equal to this task, and together these con- 
 stituted the author of this book one of the most remark- 
 able men of his time, or of all times. Yet most of the 
 critical theories require us to believe that the man capable 
 of producing this incomparable work was some obscure, 
 
 M 
 
1/8 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 anonymous personage, who made so little impression 
 upon his age that his personality was at once forgotten, 
 and perhaps even his name. The utter futility of such 
 explanations of the origin of the Gospel has been well 
 satirized by Ebrard, who says that the critical theories 
 reduce themselves to this formula : " At that time it came 
 to pass — that nothing came to pass." 
 
 Denial of the Johannine authorship appears on exam- 
 ination to involve difficulties as great as any suggested by 
 the traditional theory. It requires quite as great an effort 
 of faith, not to say credulity, to accept the new version 
 of origin as to hold fast to the old. Even the most 
 plausible of the critical theories escapes the most serious 
 of these difficulties only by maintaining a virtual Johan- 
 nine origin of the Gospel. But if the material of the book 
 is Johannine, and only the final form was given to it by 
 somebody else, what has the critic left that is worth con- 
 tending for ? Why invent a ** redactor " to replace the 
 traditional John, if, after all, the substance of the book 
 is his ? 
 
 It is not pretended that this discussion of difficulties 
 and objections is even approximately exhaustive. There 
 is the less necessity of examining in detail many of the 
 objections that have been raised, in that the later critics 
 have so often confuted the earlier, and a large number 
 of once urged " difficulties " are admitted to be no longer 
 difficult. Better knowledge has disposed of some, and 
 better reasoning of others. To discuss details like these 
 would only be to obscure what Is perfectly clear. For the 
 real difficulties have been sufficiently considered, and 
 found to be less serious than they are often asserted to be. 
 
 To sum up our conclusion thus far: There is nothing 
 in either the external or the internal testimony now 
 available to us regarding the authorship and historicity 
 of the Fourth Gospel that is irreconcilable with the uni- 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I79 
 
 versal opinion in the Church, from Irenseus onward, that 
 this book is the work of John the apostle. The evidence 
 cannot be said either to prove or to disprove this author- 
 ship beyond a reasonable doubt, but the doubt seems to 
 be little greater than in the case of the Gospels of 
 Mark and Luke. Criticism has not disproved a Johannine 
 authorship of the Fourth Gospel, but rather tends to 
 establish the credibility of the tradition that uniformly 
 connects with this book the name of the disciple whom 
 Jesus loved. 
 
 IV 
 
 So far as it goes, probably no more sensible conclusion 
 is possible than that of Professor Jiilicher, of Marburg, 
 who pronounces the Apocalypse to be " the work of a 
 Christian of about the year 95, who in many places in- 
 serted older apocalyptic fragments, more or less ade- 
 quately harmonized with the context." ^^ This is better 
 in accord with the testimony of the book itself than the 
 theory of Von Soden, who believes that a Christian writer 
 adopted bodily an older Jewish apocalypse, and adapted it 
 to his purposes. The first seven chapters are mostly 
 new matter contributed by this Christian author: the 
 Jewish apocalypse begins with chapter 8 and extends to 
 22 : 5, the Christian appending a conclusion of his own. 
 The Jewish writing was probably composed between May 
 and August, A. D. 70, during the impending fall of Jeru- 
 salem. Twenty years afterward Christians found them- 
 selves in a similar predicament under Domitian, and the 
 stress of persecution produced the Apocalypse.^'' Pro- 
 fessor Bacon is confident that the Apocalypse has a Pales- 
 tinian origin, excepting the introductory letters to the 
 
 ^'A. Julicher, "Introduction to the New Testament," New York, 1904. 
 p. 290. 
 
 ^*H. Von Soden, "Early Christian Literature," New York, 1906, p. 346. 
 
l80 THE JOIIANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 seven churches, and that the ascription of the book to 
 John of Ephesus as author is a literary fiction.^' 
 
 One admires, at a respectful distance, the unabashed 
 audacity of such guesses. They do great credit to the 
 mental agility of their authors. But when they are labeled 
 " scientific criticism " and put forth as the last word of 
 serious biblical scholarship, it becomes a duty to point 
 out that they are nothing more than the baseless fabric 
 of a vision. If out of the most admired disorder of 
 " critical " theories we must choose one as the least im- 
 probable, that of Julicher will serve. It has the merit of 
 resolving at once most of the fancied difficulties, and all 
 the real, that have been found in the style and vocabulary 
 of the book. The use of a number of sources, selected 
 fragments of which were translated from Aramaic into 
 what the author supposed was Greek, will explain the 
 occasional characteristics of literary patchwork observ- 
 able, while the deeper and unmistakable indications of a 
 single directing intelligence throughout are not ignored, 
 as they are in Bousset's remark : " It seems to be settled 
 that the Apocalypse can no longer be regarded as a 
 literary unity." ^^ On the contrary, if anything is settled 
 about the Apocalypse, it is that it possesses a unity like 
 that of a holograph. 
 
 But this conclusion as to unity is entirely non-committal 
 as to the further inquiries. Who was this Christian writer? 
 and, if we accept the assertion of the text that his name 
 was John, Was he the apostle or some other John? Pro- 
 fessor Bacon declares it to be " an axiom of criticism . . . 
 that the author of the Revelation is a totally different 
 individual from the author of the ' Johannine ' Gospel and 
 Epistles." ^^ If one pursues studies in biblical criticism 
 
 "Bacon, "Fourth Gospel," pp. 180-182. 
 ^8 Encyclopedia Biblka, art. " Apocalypse." 
 "Bacon, "Fourth Gospel," p. 178. 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE 151 
 
 only a little way, he will encounter many such " axioms," 
 and will discover for himself a very important difference 
 between an axiom of criticism and an axiom of mathe- 
 matics : the latter is accepted by all men of normal reason- 
 ing powers, while the former is accepted only by those 
 who happen to agree with the critic. Professor Harnack, 
 for example, a scholar whose attainments and conclusions 
 Professor Bacon would probably admit to be entitled to 
 equal weight with his own, is so little of the opinion that 
 we have here an axiom of criticism that he regards John 
 the presbyter as the probable author of all the Johannine 
 writings.-" However, he stands sole among German 
 scholars in this conclusion, it is true ; still, while his 
 authority settles nothing, nothing that he disputes can 
 well be called " axiomatic " in criticism. 
 
 It is again on differences of style that the modern 
 " chorizantes " chiefly depend to make out their case. 
 There are real differences of style between the Apocalypse 
 and the Fourth Gospel. Those who maintain a single 
 authorship must admit them. We have already had 
 occasion to note the most serious of these differences. 
 The Greek of the Apocalypse is very bad, almost the 
 worst conceivable, while the Greek of the Gospel is good, 
 though not so good as that of the Gospel of Luke or the 
 Epistle to the Hebrews. It is the Greek of a Hebrew, 
 and one of the chief differences between the Greek lan- 
 guage and the Hebrew is the richness of the former 
 in particles and its consequent ability to express nice 
 shades of thought and to wxave sentences together in 
 close texture. As we have already seen, after the He- 
 brew fashion, the Fourth Gospel almost ignores particles. 
 The result of this idiosyncrasy of the writer is that we 
 find obscurity in the Fourth Gospel where a Greek writer 
 
 20 A. Harnack, " Chronologie dcr altchristlichcr Litteratur," pp. 67s, note, 
 677, 680, note 3. 
 
l82 THE JOJIANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 would have made himself perfectly understood. This is 
 the easiest of the Gospels to translate and the hardest 
 to interpret. But when we turn to the Apocalypse, we 
 find the same habits of thought and language, only inten- 
 sified. There is hardly a sentence that does not contain 
 words, phrases, ideas derived from Hebrew prophecy, 
 especially from Isaiah and Ezekiel. The mentality of the 
 two books is the same : the literary habits are of the same 
 type, the only difference being that the Gospel approxi- 
 mates more nearly correct Greek. There is surely some- 
 thing in the suggestion that has often been made: that 
 if we concede an interval of a decade or more between the 
 composition of the two books, a writer of Hebrew birth 
 who in the meantime lived among Greek-speaking people 
 might easily have acquired the additional skill in use of 
 the language that the Gospel displays over the Apocalypse. 
 And impartial criticism, while it recognizes these dif- 
 ferences of style, and grants them their due weight, will 
 also be careful to grant them no more than their due 
 weight. It will take into account as well the resemblances 
 of style and vocabulary that careful study discloses. 
 Many commentators and critics have given partial lists of 
 words and phrases, amounting to one hundred or more, 
 that are common to the Johannine writings, many of 
 which are characteristic words. But in the Excursus fol- 
 lowing this chapter will be found what is believed to be 
 the first complete analysis of the Johannine vocabulary; 
 and at any rate, there will be found the only satisfactory 
 basis for deductions concerning the style of the various 
 books, so far as style and vocabulary are identical. It will 
 be apparent to any one who examines these lists with care 
 that many assertions concerning the differences of vo- 
 cabulary are invalidated by the facts. A large part of the 
 critical objections to a common authorship dissolves at 
 once into thin air. Even the partial evidence previously 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE 1 83 
 
 set forth has constrained some critics to propose the 
 hypothesis that the author of the Gospel studied the 
 Apocalypse, which is conceded to be the earlier work, 
 with the intent to produce the impression of a common 
 authorship. The " chorizantes " must feel themselves 
 hard pressed, to have recourse to so clumsy a hypothesis. 
 Even Professor Bacon seems inclined to the theory that 
 all the Johannine writings should be viewed as the 
 product, not of one man, but of one school. A common 
 authorship is therefore now virtually admitted, and the 
 only question remaining open is this : Were the three 
 writings produced by a single individual, or by several 
 individuals of the Ephesian school? 
 
 The answer to this question will depend, as it has long 
 depended, chiefly on the personal equation. Criticism is 
 not an exact science. Critical judgments are based upon 
 facts that may be scientifically tested, but the judgments 
 are subjective impressions made by the facts, and will 
 differ as the mentality of critics differs. Style makes its 
 appeal to the esthetic faculty, and the appeal is not pre- 
 cisely the same in any two individuals. Hence arguments 
 based on alleged qualities of style are peculiarly falla- 
 cious. They are essentially uncertain and deceptive in 
 their premises: which are often intermixed with ques- 
 tion-begging premises from other sources ; and incor- 
 rect deductions are frequently drawn from premises 
 themselves valid. In addition to these sources of error, 
 the individual often trusts unduly to his own perceptions, 
 and persistently ignores a large body of well-established 
 literary fact. 
 
 For example, the differences of style in the Johannine 
 writings, if we allow for argument's sake the worst 
 that has been said, are no greater than exist in writings 
 that we absolutely know to have proceeded from one 
 mind. Such differences of style have often been produced 
 
184 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 by conscious effort. The many cases of successful parody 
 constitute irrefutable proof of this: nearly all the great 
 poets and prose-writers have been made objects of imita- 
 tion, and, so far as their style is concerned, with convinc- 
 ing skill. More important for our purpose is the fact that 
 without conscious effort, writers have often changed their 
 style almost totally; so that books by them, treating dif- 
 ferent subjects, or composed at different periods of their 
 lives, not infrequently seem so utterly diverse in style 
 that only positive testimony would convince one of iden- 
 tity of authorship. Yet we have just such positive testi- 
 mony in cases by the score. 
 
 So numerous are these cases that one hardly knows 
 where to begin or end in citing instances. Notwithstand- 
 ing the indisputable documentary proof that the same 
 William Shakespeare wrote the poems and sonnets and 
 plays, these works are so unlike in style and mentality 
 that many critics refuse to accept the documentary proof. 
 This unlikeness is all that gives plausibility to the 
 Baconian theory. The literary critic of A. D. 3000, if 
 he lights upon the " Life of Napoleon," the romance of 
 " Ivanhoe," and the " Lady of the Lake," will have no 
 difficulty in persuading himself from the internal evidence 
 that one and the same Walter Scott could never have 
 written all three books. Had we not abundant external 
 evidence, might we not find it incredible that the robust 
 grandeur of " Hyperion," the cameolike perfection of 
 the " Ode to a Grecian Urn," and the puerilities of 
 " Endymion " proceed from one poet, and that all three 
 were composed within a decade? Can the Goethe of 
 " Wilhelm Meister " and the Goethe of " Faust " be the 
 same individual? Did the same Dante compose those 
 " sugared sonnets " and the " Inferno " ? And so on, and 
 so on, through all ages and all literatures, ad libitum, al- 
 most ad infinitum, and quite certainly ad nauseam. Style 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE 185 
 
 is as deadly a weapon in the hands of the rash critic as 
 the gun that isn't loaded has proved to be in the hands of 
 a fool. 
 
 Style is limited to choice and arrangement of words. 
 It discloses mental habits. But it is not the only clue to 
 a writer's mentality. Some years ago, in a famous trial 
 of a socially prominent man for the alleged crime of 
 murder, the fate of the accused turned on the question 
 whether he wrote certain documents. Experts contended 
 that it is impossible for a man effectually to disguise his 
 handwriting; the trained eye can identify all that the 
 same hand wrote. This is said to be due to the fact that 
 each man has his own physical habits in writing, of 
 which he is unconscious, from which therefore he can 
 never entirely escape by any conscious effort. Certain 
 of these habits will persist through all attempts at dis- 
 guise, and thus his identity will be conclusively estab- 
 lished. In like manner, certain mental habits persist 
 throughout every writer's literary activity, and are to be 
 accepted as indubitable proofs of identity. 
 
 Have we not all noticed in public speakers to whom we 
 have frequently listened certain oratorical devices by 
 which we should have been able to recognize them under 
 whatsoever conditions? Preachers are peculiarly liable 
 to fall into such habits, such as always dividing a dis- 
 course into three heads, and of these habits they are 
 totally unconscious, yet such characteristic methods con- 
 stitute evidence of identity that would be convincing to 
 critical listeners. The use of peculiar turns of expression, 
 of pet phrases, of favorite words, is another familiar 
 habit of speakers and writers that would often serve as 
 an infallible test of identity. More or less, every writer 
 and speaker is the unconscious victim of habits that con- 
 tinually betray his personality, and as he is the last 
 person to become aware of them, they persist through all 
 
l86 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 his mental product, and would make him known under 
 every attempted disguise. 
 
 Some of these habits relate only to expression, to the 
 words with which thought is clothed. When they are not 
 too pronounced, they give to style that quality that we 
 call " manner " — an agreeable flavor of originality, or at 
 least of individuality, just sufficing for zest. When such 
 habits become too pronounced we call them " manner- 
 ism " ; the flavor of individuality is now so strong as to 
 become offensive, or nearly so. 
 
 But other habits relate to literary form, rather than 
 to mere expression; and analysis of literary form leads 
 us into deeper recesses of the mind than study of literary 
 expression. In the study of any piece of literature, struc- 
 ture is usually more significant than style. Structure is 
 fundamental; style is superficial. Historical criticism 
 has committed many gross errors by neglecting a prin- 
 ciple that should have been so obvious. Nothing is 
 more remarkable in the great range of critical studies 
 of the Johannine writings than the almost complete 
 neglect of their structure. Attention has been con- 
 centrated on the surface phenomena of words, to the 
 utter ignoring of those underlying habits of thought that 
 are more trustworthy indicia of identity. Criticism can- 
 not claim to have spoken a really decisive word, not to 
 say the last word, on any ancient composition, until it has 
 gone below the shallows of diction and sentence-building, 
 and taken more account of structural peculiarities, which 
 rest on basic elements of personality. 
 
 In our previous studies we have carefully examined 
 the structure of the Johannine writings, and the facts 
 have been adequately set forth, but there has been little 
 attempt as yet to estimate the value or significance of 
 these facts. It will be remembered that we discovered 
 the Gospel and Apocalypse to be the most artificial books 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE 187 
 
 in the New Testament — '' artificial " in the good sense, 
 implying careful plan, distinct structural peculiarities. If 
 now we reexamine these studies and sum up their results, 
 we shall find that there is a remarkable similarity in the 
 structure of the writings. They are not only most arti- 
 ficial, but artificial in the same way. The striking simi- 
 larities discovered by our study are real, not imaginary, 
 and cannot be accidental. Together they constitute evi- 
 dence of a cogent character that these writings are prod- 
 ucts, not merely of one school, but of a single mind. 
 
 These similarities are two : likeness of general plan and 
 likeness of literary form. 
 
 Of these the likeness of literary form is the less char- 
 acteristic and individual, and therefore the less convincing, 
 but still very significant. Both the Apocalypse and the 
 Fourth Gospel are largely in the form of Hebrew poetry, 
 and a notable part of the Epistle is cast in the same 
 literary mold. In the Gospel, the words of Jesus are uni- 
 formly poetic, while the narrative portions are plain prose. 
 The contents of the Apocalypse are not so easily classi- 
 fied. Some of the visions are mainly poetic, while the 
 remaining parts are the baldest of prose, and prose pas- 
 sages are throughout interspersed with poetic in an ap- 
 parently purposeless manner. Critical study may yet 
 succeed in making an analysis of the text that will be 
 generally accepted; and in this case many of these varia- 
 tions may find a perfectly natural explanation, as coming 
 from dififerent sources. 
 
 But the poetic form is not unique in the Johannine 
 writings. The discourses of Jesus in the Synoptics are 
 also mainly in the form of Hebrew verse, and this seems 
 to be unimpeachable testimony to the fact that the ulti- 
 mate choice of this form was not made by Matthew or 
 Luke or " John," but by Jesus himself. He cast his dis- 
 courses in this form, not only because he was by nature 
 
l88 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 poet as well as teacher, but because he had good reason 
 to believe this form to be most impressive to hearers and 
 most easily retained in memory. Everybody knows how 
 much easier it is to commit to memory and retain verse 
 than prose. That the author of the Fourth Gospel gives 
 us the discourses in this form, instead of in prose, is a 
 circumstance at least favorable to the theory that he was 
 an intimate disciple of Jesus and well acquainted with the 
 Master's method. Whoever he was, this author was the 
 one early Christian writer -^ who shares with the com- 
 piler of the discourses in the Synoptics — Matthew, if 
 we accept the tradition of Papias — this tendency to 
 adopt the poetic form. But Matthew is clearly out of 
 the question as author of the Apocalypse, to say nothing 
 of the Fourth Gospel. Here we have, therefore, a kind 
 of evidence that points unmistakably to a single author- 
 ship of the Johannine writings, and this author probably 
 an original disciple. So far literary criticism agrees well 
 with tradition. 
 
 In similarity of plan we find evidence of a more positive 
 and convincing nature. Comparison of the Johannine 
 writings shows more than similarity of structure ; it, in 
 fact, establishes identity. One characteristic feature runs 
 throughout these structures: a continuous thinking in 
 sevens. It is not beyond the theory of chances that 
 several New Testament writers should make some kind 
 of use of this symbolic number; indeed, every one of 
 them might make considerable use of the number seven, 
 and the facts could still be rationally referred to their 
 common stock of Hebrew ideas. But when an author 
 makes this number seven the key to the formal structure 
 of his book, as Dante makes the number three the key 
 
 ^We of course exclude Mark and Luke, as well as the author of the 
 present " Matthew," because the poetic passages in these Gospels are clearly 
 not the composition of the writers, but copied from their sources, mainly 
 the Aramaic Logia of Matthew, 
 
THE PROBLEM I INTERNAL EVIDENCE 189 
 
 to the structure of the Divine Comedy, we are forced to 
 look for an explanation to the personality of the author. 
 If a hitherto unknown Italian poem of the fourteenth 
 century should be discovered, and should prove to be 
 constructed on the number three, Dante would undoubt- 
 edly be first thought of as the probable author, and this 
 structural form might well be the decisive factor in 
 determining the authorship. That two writers of the 
 same country and the same generation should have the 
 same habit of mind, and should independently choose this 
 structural form, is so improbable as to be practically 
 unthinkable. 
 
 This conclusion holds in the case of the Johannine 
 writings. Their structural identity connotes mental char- 
 acteristics in their author far more impressive than those 
 mental characteristics that result in choice of words and 
 constructions. In other words, plan counts for more 
 than style in determining authorship. Identity of plan 
 therefore overrides differences of style when we come 
 to final judgment regarding the authorship of any writ- 
 ing or series of writings. And this is especially the case 
 when, in a given series, we find certain writings that 
 have an identical plan, while no other document in the 
 series shows a tendency toward the same mental habit. 
 Thinking in sevens is not only characteristic of the 
 Johannine writings, but peculiar to these writings among 
 the entire early Christian literature. For while the sym- 
 bolism of seven is known and employed in nearly all this 
 literature, it does not extend to plan and structure in any 
 other work. No other writing of Christian antiquity even 
 suggests this sevenfold treatment of its material. 
 
 We have, therefore, in the Johannine writings such 
 marked structural phenomena as constitute proof of 
 unity of authorship more weighty than could be furnished 
 by any similarities of style; and conversely, no dissimi- 
 
190 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 larities of style could be held to offset this proof. But 
 the evidence of authorship afforded by the style of these 
 writings is indecisive in itself; there are as many and 
 as great similarities as dissimilarities, and the latter may 
 be plausibly accounted for on several grounds. Of these 
 three writings, possessing these common structural traits, 
 the only writings in a large collection that so possess them, 
 two are generally conceded to be from the same writer. 
 The conclusion is almost irresistible that the third must 
 proceed from the same mind. 
 
 It may be objected by one who has read thus far, that 
 the sum total of what has been said fails to prove the 
 Johannine authorship of the Fourth Gospel, and still 
 more signally fails to prove a single authorship of Gospel 
 and Apocalypse. But once more let it be said, This 
 literary study of these writings is not intended to " prove " 
 anything; it is an attempt to understand those writings 
 better, including the question of their authorship. It is 
 a search for truth, not the defense of a thesis. We are 
 not required to reach a definite conclusion regarding 
 any of the questions raised, unless the evidence compels 
 such a conclusion. But, moreover, it should also be 
 recognized that nobody is under obligation to " prove " 
 the Johannine authorship. It is for those who doubt 
 John's authorship of the writings attributed to him to 
 disprove it. For we have the same evidence for his 
 authorship that we have for the authorship of Plato's 
 Dialogues or Caesar's Commentaries, namely, the unbroken 
 tradition of antiquity. Such traditions may be erroneous, 
 but they can be set aside only by good evidence. If the 
 evidence, such as we have, is on the whole more favor- 
 able to the Johannine authorship than unfavorable, can 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE lyl 
 
 it be said that the hostile critics have made out their 
 case? After three centuries of study and discussion, 
 some of the ablest critics maintain a single authorship, 
 while others concede a virtual Johannine authorship of 
 the Gospel. In the face of such facts, it would seem 
 futile for the more radical critics to claim that they have 
 disproved the traditional theory. A sober scholar, who 
 weighs well the evidence and the meaning of words, will 
 be slow to assert that the presumption of right and 
 authority always attaching to undisputed tradition has 
 been seriously weakened. 
 
 Our inquiry has solidly established the following facts 
 and conclusions : 
 
 1. Each of the Johannine books — Apocalypse, Gos- 
 pel, and Epistle — is the product of a single mind. No 
 hypothesis of a composite authorship is admissible. 
 
 2. The Gospel and Epistle are original works, in- 
 corporating no previous sources. 
 
 3. The Apocalypse probably incorporates considerable 
 portions of previously existing apocalypses of Jewish 
 origin, freely adapted to the new Christian uses. 
 
 4. Large parts of each writing are in the form of He- 
 brew poetry, a fact that points toward a common origin. 
 
 5. The three writings have a large common vocabulary 
 of words and phrases, a fact that gives emphatic sup- 
 port to the hypothesis of common authorship. 
 
 6. The differences of vocabulary are amply accounted 
 for by (a) the brevity of the writings; (b) their dif- 
 ferences of theme and aim; (c) the use of documents, as 
 indicated above (3). 
 
 7. The difficulties presented by " John's " report of the 
 discourses of Jesus have largely disappeared, to such 
 an extent that at least one learned German critic now ac- 
 cepts them as the Memoirs of the apostle John and the 
 genuine nucleus of the Gospel. 
 
192 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 8. Each of the three writings was evidently composed 
 by a Jew, to whom Greek had never become a natural 
 medium of expression. But the differences between the 
 Apocalypse and the other writings in the use of Greek 
 are no greater than might easily occur in the writings of 
 any Hellenist, if an interval of a decade or more between 
 them be assumed. 
 
 9. Each book shows the same attitude of mind toward 
 Jesus, his mission, and the character of his " salvation." 
 
 10. The structure of each book is determined by the 
 number seven. This is of deepest significance, in view 
 of the fact that it is true of no other early Christian 
 writing, canonical or uncanonical. 
 
 11. So many of the above ten conclusions have been 
 accepted as to lead an increasing number of critics either 
 to pronounce in favor of a single authorship or to con- 
 clude that the three writings emanated from an Ephesian 
 school, of which the apostle John was the founder. 
 
 12. The tendency of recent criticism is to the con- 
 clusion that the Johannine writings must be studied as 
 one tissue. 
 
 So far as the writer can learn, the conclusions num- 
 bered 4 and 10 have never before been urged in a critical 
 treatise on the Johannine writings; and those numbered 
 5 and 6 have never before been adequately established. 
 
 EXCURSUS TO CHAPTER VII 
 
 GREEK WORDS USED ONLY IN THE GOSPEL 
 
 Note. Words marked with a prefixed asterisk are used 
 nowhere else in the New Testament; a prefixed dagger 
 means that the word is used only once elsewhere. 
 
 'Axadoc; (3), djjiUa) (2), dyco (13), dfiovi^ofxai (l), ddskf^ 
 (6), dderico (i), aijcaX6(: (i), ahia (3), dxavBat (i), dx6.)>dtvoz 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I93 
 
 (l), dxoTJ (i), d?M<f(o (2), dXsxziop (2), *d)j£ua) (l), *dXla- 
 loQz-j (l), 8.)loiiat{i), dXX6rpco<: (2), dlo:j (i), d/uaprioXd^ (4), 
 d^j/6c(2), dva^i^.e;ra> (4), di^dxeipai(4),dvaxu7:rw(2), *duafidp- 
 rrjTO^ (i), dua~c7:T(o (5), dvaavpicpco (i), dvarpiitio (i), 
 dva-^iopiu) (i), dvkpyopat (i), ^'dvdpaxcd (i), dvcarT^pc (8), 
 dvW (l), duzUco (4), ^dvrlr^pa (i), dv<w (3), dvwdev (5), 
 5;rac (i), dTtscdst; (l), dTioxaluTTxa) (l), dTtoxoizroj (2), dTio- 
 x/>r(Trc (2), dTioXoo) (5), d7:oauudya)YO(; (3), *dpa<foc (l), 
 dpiarda) (2), d^ozi^y (2), d/vroc (24), dp^espsut; (20), dp^itpc- 
 xhvo^ (3), d/>;fG> (2), dptoiia (i), dadiueca (2), dadtveco (9), 
 dTcpd^o) (i), abqdvco (i), ^auzoifcopoz, (i), ^aiov[\), jSaTTzc^a) 
 (13), ^dnzo) (2), ^aadcxo^ (2), /3^//a (i), j^cj^pcoaxw (i), 
 ^laa(pTjp£(o (i), /9oda> (i), ^oaxo) (2), ^ooXvjopac (2), 
 /?ou;o//«r(i), /3oDc(2), ^payioiv (i), /9/>apC (i), /?^^//a (l), 
 ^pibaiz. (4), ya!^0(pfAdxcou {i), ydzcov (i), yspi^o) (2), 7-£ver;y 
 (i), y-i^owv (i), ys'jopcu (2), yeiopydi; (i), pjpdaxco (i), *yXoa- 
 aoxopov (2), Yucopt^co (2), y'vwtrroc (2), yoyyu^co (4), yoyyua- 
 poc (i), T-oveTc (6), ;'/>d/i/^a (2), ypappazvj<i (i), T'iOaf'?' (12), 
 dcupovi^opcu (i), *daxp6oj (l), daxzuXot: (4), *dedid(t) (i), 
 dtxoTiivzs. (i), ^£/?o; (l), di-j^opac (l), o-JTtozs (i), dcadidiopc 
 (i), *8ca^c6uu'jpc (3), dujjioviu) (3), dcdxom^ (3), diapspc^M 
 (i), dcaaxop-ni^oj (i), dtaoTtopd (i), dcazpi^co (2), dcddaxaXo^ 
 (8), dczydpco (i), dcspy^opac (3), dixzoov (4), ^oxiw (8), ^o-^.oc 
 (l), dooXt'ju) (i), ^f«>/>ed (i), l^oc (i), SfW^-w (i), £?ra (3), 
 ixdi^opac (i), ixXiyopac (5), hpdaaoi (3), *kxvvj(o (i), 
 ixzecpco (i), iXdaacov (i), iXazzoco (i), iXauvco (i), iXeuOepda) 
 (2), iXqpa{i), kXx'jo) (5), i;j/>jv^<Tr/ (i), sATTf (f'o; ( I ), ip^abo) 
 (4), ipl^XsTtco (2), ip^pipdopai (2), kpnipnXrjpc (i), ip(pauc^aj 
 (2), *ivzarW(i), ivza(pid^oj (i), ivza<pia(Tp6^ (i), iuziXXopai 
 (5), ivzuXiaaco (i), il'd^-w (i), i^eazcu (2), i^£rd(^a) (i), i^^j/i- 
 0//6U (i), *iqu7tvc^a) (i), lo/>r3y' (17), ^irrdpazo^ (i), i~aupiou 
 (5), in-££ (2), *s.z£vduz7j<: (i), iTzepwzdco (2), irux£cpac (2), 
 iruXiyopajc. (i), Iruphay (i), iruzpir^o} (i), ^iniy^pio) (2), 
 i7:oupdv(0<; (i), kppr^veuw (3), Itrco (i), hspoq (i), ezoipo^; 
 (l), £i^o-va> (i), ei^^c (3), e^/'V"^ (l), ^X'^^C (I), C^;-oc (i). 
 N 
 
194 '^IIE JOIIANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 f^rjTTjaeQ (l), ^(opvjfii (2), ^coorrodco (3), ^Xixia (2), rjlo^ (2), 
 dapasco (i), dtpfJiaiuonac (3), ^i^'x;y (i), dp^jaxco (2), dpipjua 
 (2), dprjusu) (i), dufdzrip (i), dupwpoz (3), ^L>tt» (i), cdopai 
 (3), r^£ (15), f'd'foc (15), ^oov (ii), f;^ac (i), IpauapoQ (i), 
 «<70c (l), /;f^uc (3), xadacpco (i), xadapcopo^ (2), *xairocys. 
 (l), xdzsT (i), xdxdvoz (6), xaxaJQ (i), za/oc (7), xaXaJz (4), 
 zav (4), xazdyvupc (3), ^xaxaypdipco (i), xoxdxztpat. (2), zara- 
 z^O£vw (2), *xarax'jTiTCD (i), xaralapfidvto (5), xarahcTTco (i), 
 xatayopca (i), xar^o (2), *xscpca (i), xsppa (i), *xtpp.aTc<TT^(; 
 (i), ■fxTjTTo:; (3), x}Aapa (2), *xXTJpa (4), xXrjpOQ (i), z^/vw (i), 
 xoiUa (2), xotpdopux (2), *xolpr^atCi (l), xoxxoz (i), xo)lu^ta- 
 zr^Z (l), ^foArroc (2), xoXopL^irjdpa (3), ^-y.op(p6Ttpov (i), 
 xpd^^axoc, (4), xpa'jyd^o) (6), *xpcdcuo:; (2), xpuTtzo^ (3), 
 xuxXoco (l), xuTTTco (2), xftiyt/3y (3), Mdpa (i), j-^.a;?>fa (2), 
 Xavpda (i), Xivrcop (2), hjafj'; (3), Xcdd^to (5), Xocdopsco (i), 
 ^uzoc (2), Xoniio (2), >'>t;7r--j' (4), fiadr^rrjc, (78), pabofiac (i), 
 paxpdv (i), iidXXov (4), p.aarqbio (i), pdyopat (i), pedtp- 
 p-qvzbopai (i), //i^er (2), //iv (8), phxoi (5), ^pzabio 
 (i), /^£<Tr6c (3), ps.ra^aiva) (3), //sral^u (i), perprf/jc: (i), 
 /i-yxirr (2), //.;^7ror£ (i), //3^'r^ (3), */^rV//a (i), /^a/>6i; (9), 
 ■^pcadcoTOQ (2), pvTjp^^ov (16), potytia (i), p'jpov (4), 
 mo^oc (l), i^ioc (i), fj^s^iw (i), v;-r:y';0 (i), v/-rw (13), 
 
 VO£Ct» (l), fvo/i;^ (l), V6//0C (14), fv!J(7<7W (l), 'oOTffko} (l), 
 
 bdoTZopia (i), *0(^<:t> (l), ■\dd6vcov (4), OiVa (5), oixodopico 
 (l), orzoc (4), o7/iar (l), 6xr<:*> (2), f^/^o^ (S). o/iwf (l), 
 *dudp:op (l), ovoc (l), o'l^oc (3), Sttwc (i), dpdpo^: (l), 
 bpifavbz (i), o<T//;^ (i), baxkov (i), oy (3), ohoknoxt (i), 
 ohbk-co (3), *ouxouv (i), ov;^£ (7), *b<pdpiov (5), 3^''/a (2), 
 ^TZfuddpcov {i), Tzacd'tax-fj (l), ;ra7'c (l), rrdvxoxs (7), Tcapaylv- 
 opm (2), Ttapadidcopc (15), Ttapaxbrrxo) (2), napaXo.p^dvio 
 (3), napapudiopat (2), Tzapaaxeorj (3), Ttapioxr^pc (2), t''^«/>o^- 
 ///« (4), Ttdaya (10), *r,tvQzpbc, (i), nevxaxcaxiXcoc (i), 
 nevx^xbvxa (2), TrijOay (8), *7tepc8iopac (i), TTspdaxrjpc (i), 
 TTspiffffeuM (2), Tiepcaxepd (3), Tzspixipvo) (l), TrepixWy^p: (i), 
 Ttepixopij (2), t;r;^^6c (5), rcmpdaxo) (i), nXeUou (5), ;r^ix(t; (i), 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I95 
 
 7t?.£upd (4), 7r^6o(: (2), Txl-jpr^:; (i), ■Klrjpwfxa (i), Tih^aiov (i), 
 TtXoidpiou (4), Tzoiprju (6), iioDAxt^ (i), -KoXuvcpoQ (i), rtopeu- 
 opai (17), yTo<Trc (l), TTore (l), ^Tzbrtpov (i), nprnxoypiov (4), 
 Ttpdaaco (2), tt^o/v (3), ;r/>6 (9), ^npo^aztxoz (l), ^Tcpo^dreov 
 (2), *~poaficzeu) (i), 1[7vpoaac-r^^ (i), Ttpoaepyopac (i), 
 *r,oo<Txyt';yr;^C (l), ^Tzpoaifdyiou (i), Ttpoafipo) (2), TipOTSpo^ 
 (3), 7rpoTps]^co (i), Ttpocpaacz (l), 7r/>o>£' (2), ^npcjca (i), 
 ;r,owrov (8), ^nzuapai^i), -z'jio (i), novddvopac (i), 7:upeT6<; 
 (l), TTcoAo^ (i), Tzcopoio (l), pdrccGpa (2), */jiw (l), |0;^//a (12), 
 ad^^azov (14), axavoaXi^ay (2), ^axeXo^ (3), * axrjVOTZTjjia (i), 
 axhjpoc, (i), aooddpcov (2), OTtecpa (2), aTizipu) (2), aitoyjoi; 
 (i), azwjpo^ (i), OToa (2), azpaxtcozfj:; (6), aop<pkpo) (3), 
 auvsdpcov (i), *auv£casp-/^opac (2), auvkpyopat (2), *auvpLa- 
 QtiZTi^ (i), auvazaopouj (i), aovzeXeoj (l), auvzidr^pc (l), 
 ^aovf^pdopm (i), o-^iC,oi (2), ayjapa (3), f<T^orv:'ov (i), 
 CTw^w (6), zapdaao) (6), zdytiov (2), zeXeuzdw (l), Z£pa<: 
 (l), *Z£zapza7o^ (i), "^zzzpaprjuoc; (i), zipdco (6), zoXpdco 
 (i), rors (10), zpoTis^a (i), zpcdxovza (2), fzpcaxomoi (i), 
 r/>/c (i), r^o/rov (3), r/)o^;^' (i), •r/>f«i^ft> (5), ru;roc (2), o^-^^^'c 
 (6), *6<5^/a (3), bTzavzdco (4), UTidvzTjaa; (i), <!);:£/> with ace. 
 (i), 67:7jpsz-/j<: {g), u7tvo(; (i), utto with ace. (i), dTrodecf/ua 
 (l), imodr^pa (i), bTZOiupvrjaxoi (i), \uaaco7ZO(; (i), bazzpkco 
 (l), uazepov (i), hipavzbz (i), 6^'ow (5), (favtpco^ (i), '^ipavbc, 
 (l), ^aDAoc(2), ^3y;/£ (4), ^j7oc (6), ^o^oiw (i), ^ippayiUcov 
 (i), *xapai (2), ytcpcov (i), ytipcov (i), ^f^rcov (2), *yoXdo) 
 (i), /w>^6c (i), ;iffii/>a(3), ;fw,oiw (3), ;^w^orov (i), 7^<>/>/c (6), 
 ([''jyoi; {i), *(/)ojpcou (4), (Lv (26), *aj<7avvct (i), cwtrre (i), 
 cozdpcov (i), a»r/ov (i), (JofsXico (2). 
 
 WORDS USED IN THE APOCALYPSE ONLY 
 
 "A^uaffo^ (7), «^;yc (4), (i(5aict> (10), doixr^pa (i), a^w (3), 
 deroc (3), djy'.o (2), a/viw (i), alayyvq (i), aiypaXcoaia (2), 
 dxadapzoi: (4), ^dxpd^to (i), dxpazo:; (i), dxpci; (2), dXX.aXou- 
 (d (4), 5^y<T^c (l), a^-^a (3), *dpsduazo^ (i), ^dpcopou (i), 
 
ICJO THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 dfjiajfto^ (l), di'dr.aoaiQ (2), dvaizmm (2), dvaxoXij (3), 
 dixapYfj (i), aKcaroi; (i), dnodcdco/jic (3), dyioxaXu^iei; (i), 
 dzofipo) (2), dzo-^copi^opLm (i), d/?7-6c (i), dpyupo!; (i), 
 dpcdpso) (i), *dpxoi; (i), a/>;ia (i), dp\>iov (27), dt/><7£v 
 (2), dpymoc, (2), d<Tr;^jO (14), darpaTZ-q (4), da'j(7^poau)>i^ (i), 
 wjhfCT^c, (l), difucpeo) (2), a;f^or (11), d(pt\^do^ (2), /36t^oc 
 (l), ^aaai'iCio (5), ^aaaviaiibz. (5), ^aacXvjo) (7), ^aailcaaa 
 (i), ^^dxpayoc, (l), ^deXuYpo. (3), ^dzXoaaopac (i), ^ijpuXXoi; 
 (l), *l^cfiXapidtoi^ (4), /3£y3/oc (2), ^or^deco (i), ^oppd^ (i), 
 ^or/>yc (i), /5,«£X^'> (i), /?/>ovr3^ (9), ^uaacuo^ (5), ;'a(Tr;y/) (i), 
 y-i/zfu (7), ^ivoc (i), j-^^yzuc (2), ^-vwyu^y (3), ^o//oc (2), ;'6vu 
 (l), Yprj-jfopso) (3), yopvovfjz (l), ;'a>v/a (2), ddxpuov (2), 
 ds:?.6:; (l), deczueco (i), ^iza (9), oiudpou (4), 0£(7>T6r;jc (i), 
 *dcdd-/jpa(T)), dcadrjXT] (i), oioxovca^i), dcaupji; (i), dca<fdecpct) 
 (2), dcxaiiopa{2), ocTiXoo^ {2), *dc7T?.6co (1), dc^ (l), oiazopoi; 
 (2), ^opdxcov (12), openavov (7), duvapc<: (12), doap-j (i), 
 dcodixaro^ (i), ocopou (i), ^iyypuo (i), ar^c (8), docoX6duTO(; 
 (2), ecdcoXoXdrpTji: (2), erxoar (6), ec'^oiv (10), Ixarov (4), 
 ixorxico (2), kxxXr^aca (20), l/^a^ov (2), iXeeci^oi; (i), ^iXtifdvrc- 
 voz (l), kXiaao) (l), £^.zoc (2), kXXr^uixf/ (i), £//ift> (i), spitopoi; 
 (4), epifol^o;: (l), ivaro^ (i), kudixaro^ (17), iv^uo (3), 
 ^kvdcoprjGtz (i), *k^ax6<Tcoi (2), i^a?M(fco (3), k^rjxoura (3), 
 s^codsv (2), i7riYpd<pct) (i), sTicdopeio (i), £7rra (46), ipr^pboi 
 (3), l^^ov (i), iffcodev (2), euayyiXcou (i), euayysXi^opae (2), 
 euXoyca (3), eucppacuco (3), euyapiaria (2), euwuupot: (i), 
 £;^^;o6c (2), *C£<Tr6c (2), *^7jXs6a) (l), C^r^C (i), C^VJ^ (2), 
 Ca5ov (20), :^;roc (13), ^//ftroc (3), *^pciopop (i), l9ay/za (i), 
 daupaar6(: (2), decov{6), *d£uod-/j(: (i), OepiXcoi; (3), deparreia 
 (i), di^pcov(^S), ^/>6voc (46), ^u^voc(i), dup6<; {10), duacaari^- 
 pcou (38), ^Cfi^a? (2), ra<T7r^c (4), *r7r7r^;f6c (i), f^'^^^c (16), 
 *?^0fc (2), ca^opor (9), xdXapo<: (3), xdpcvoq (2), fxa;rv6c (12), 
 *xarddspa{i), xaTaxata){i), xaraTTcvco (i), *xaTa^pay'cC,o) (l), 
 ^xaxrifLop (i), xarocxko (13), xaroixr^x-qpiov (i), xaupaziQo) 
 (2), xivzpov (l), xtpapcxo:; (l), *x£pduvupi (2), j^oac (9). 
 xr^puaaco (i), xc^cozbi; {\), jxiddpa (3), jxiOapc^w (i), *xr^a- 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I97 
 
 p(fj36^ (2), xcuito (2), *X(Uvd/i(o/xo]j[i), x/£jc(4), *xUfifJia{i), 
 xXrjpouoiiico (i), xXr^zo^ (i), xXtvT] (l), xoci^ov (i), xhxxivo^i (4), 
 xoDAofiai {\\ *xolX6pcov (i), x6;itw (2), xoafisw (2), xpdroc, 
 (2), xpanyri (i), x/^f^jy (i), x^ooyo) (l), *xpuaxak)'if^to (i), 
 xpuar alloc. (2), xrijvoc (l), zW^^ (3), ;<rf'<Trc (i), xr/^/ia (2), 
 \xii^tpvqx-fic (l), *xuxk6dzv (3), xo»x/(X» (3), tw/>?«xoc (i), 
 xtiwv (i), laimpdt; (5), larpvjco (2), ^leoxo^uaacpoi; (i), 
 Aswxoc (15), -^'Swv (6), t-^'^J^f^C (4)» t^«^«^oc (i), *>^;/3a- 
 vo>roc (2), .^//9^voc (l), Icppyj (6), A;//6c (2), pJvou (l), 
 linapo^ (i), ;>oot6c (8), -^y/v/a (7), ;.y;fvoc (3), paxpodev (3), 
 papyap'izr^Z (S), *pdpfxapo<: (i), *papTupeou (l), *pdpTU<: 
 (5), *paadoiia.c (i), paaroz (i), f/^-'r^'^^'^i^ (2), /-«i>^«C (2), 
 ;/i^ (2), pzaoupdvr^fia (3), fxeravoea) (12), [xstpeo} (5), 
 *peTC07rov (8), t//^xoc (2), //;^y (6), /i^yrs (2), //jVvy//r (2), 
 /iv:^//a (i), ■\noluvu} (2), poayoti (i), *pouacx6(: (i), *pijxd- 
 opac (i), *p'jIcvo^ (i), //yAoc (i), puaxijpcov (4), vauti^z (i), 
 V£^% (7), *U£<pp6;: (i), v^<Toc (3), voroc (l), vouc (2), 
 f^uA^voc (i), l^u/^ov (7), oyoooc(2), oo£ (7), 6oo:!»c (i), o/zou- 
 ;£/iv;y (3), ofoc (l), (3>^:Voc (4), *olovdo(: (i), o/ivyw (i), 
 bpota)pa(i), dq'j(:{y), oTtcadeu (^4), f o^oao-^c (3), *(^P/^'^/^<J'-{l), 
 *6pvtov (3), badxcQ (i), otr^oc (2), o;)a;' (9), *oupd (5), o5c (8), 
 ofzlov (i), noude'ja) (i), 1[7TavTOxpdT(op (9), rcapddscaoi; (i), 
 ^ndpdalc^ (l), naptp^olij (i), Ttapdivo^ (i), Trda-^co (i), 
 Trardffffct) (2), Tzareco (3), Tzzipaapbq, (i), ^mltxif^opat (i), 
 *7tsp7tTO(: (4), Ttevdio) (3), t'"r£v^oc (4), nspt^dllo) (12), 
 7iepc^d)wupac {2), ^TtEpcppaho) (i), *7tizopac {^), 7iirpa{2), 
 ■\7tixpalvc0 (3), rdarzia (3), t;rAd[roc (2), TT/^iw (i), 71^5^717 
 (16), ttA^'v (i), *'7tl^aa(i) (i), nlovatoi; (4), Trlouzio} (5), 
 Tzlouzoi; (2), Tiluvio (2), 7ivzupaztxo>c, (l), *7todi^p7j(; (i), 
 -fTTolepia) (6), rrolspoi; (9), fTrovoc (3), Ttopveuo) (5), 7r6/>v;5) 
 (5), 7:6pvo<; (2), *nop(pDpa (i), *7iozapo(p6p7jzo<i (i), zozc^m 
 (i), Tzpoamyfj (3), Ttpoawnov (9), Ttpoiprjzda (7), fTToo^ijr^c 
 (l), *7Tpcocvd(: (2), Tzpcozozoxo^ (i), Tczep'j^ (2), TZTcopa (3), 
 ■Kzofz'ta (i), TzuXibv (11), *rt'jpcvoz. (i), Tzopbopat (2), *~uppb<; 
 
198 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 (2), pdidooi: (4), pauzi^co (i), fjidvj (l), pt^a (2), popcfaia 
 (6), ^poTia'ivouac (i), * pUTiapeoofiac (i), fpUTtapoi; (i), adxxo^ 
 (2), adXneY^ (6), aaXTTc^co (10), aalmaxr^z (i), ^adinpupoq, (i), 
 *adpdcov (2), ^aapdovoz (i), aztopbc, (7), o-£:'w (i), at}yjvr^ 
 (4), *a£pLidaXe<: (i), arjpiaba) (i), t^^'r^? (0» t^^'^^V^oc (4)* 
 *aidrjpo(; (i), *acpa6z (i), axdvdaXov (i), (^r^v;^ (3), axopncoQ 
 (3), axozi^ofiac (^i), axozoopLac {2), ^afiapdydivo^ (^i^, *apdp- 
 ayboz (i), tro^ja (4), aza<pu)c^ (i), azT^pi^co (i), <rro^.:y (5), 
 azpdzeupa (4}, *azprjVcdco (2), *<Tzprjuo<; (i), azuXo^ (2), 
 aup^ouXebo) (i), auvdooXo:^ (3), aui^xoci^coueoj (i), auvxocuiovo^ 
 (i), a(p6dpa{i), trfpayii; (13), fra^aOTw^ooc (i), *za)Mvzcato(; 
 (l), ra;fOC (2), reTpc (6), zizapzot; (7), *r£r^y(^^a;poc (l), 
 r£;(;v;y (i), Z£x^iz7j<: (i), rr/i^of (6), *zifuozrj<: (i), *r6cov(i), 
 *zo7Td^eov (i), zpsifo) (2), *zpiiivoq, (i), fzpuydo) (2), 
 *baxivdivo<; (i), *udxivdo^ (l), *i;aA'i>oc (3), *5a-^oc (2), 
 ^eroc (i), bnopovfj (7), Vif'Y^XoQ (2), u^^'oc (i), -\(fappaxia{2), 
 *ipdppaxov (i), *ipappaxbc, (2), (fdeipo) (l), *(pcdX.7j (12), 
 S^'^og (3), ^ovs^c (2), ^ovoc (i), ^y;.;^ (21), ^^;iov (i), 
 ■fifioaz-jp (i), *-)(^dXayx (4), yjri}.v^z (i), ydXxtoz (i), ^yahcq- 
 dcbv (i), *ya.Xxo}'t^m^ov (2), yaXxoi; (i), ydpaypa (7), ;f^/>a 
 (i), ;fr;^a'c(i8), txf'>^fo^ (9), tZ"'^^(0. V''«/>oc(i), tz>''«>/>oc 
 (3), *prvr| (2), t^o^C (i), //>yff£Oc (15), ;f,oyrT/ov (5), *;^^>y<76- 
 ^;^oc (i), *ypuaonpaaoc. (i), X/^^^''^ (4). *XP'-Kybco (2), 
 t^£u^^'c(2), t^;y^^'C«>(0' Wfo-'CO. t^''^Z;^oc (3), *i2(3), 
 ^'0;^ (4), (hd'tvco (i). 
 
 WORDS FOUND IN THE EPISTLE ONLY 
 
 ^ AyaTtfjzo:: (6), otj-voc (l), dyyeXia (2), alayyvopLac (i), 
 aiZ7]p.a{i\ dXa'^ovla (i), dvopia [i), dvz'iypcazo^ {4), ^ioq 
 (2), diduoca (i), ooxcpd^to (i), £yl;r£C (i), eTzayyeXJa (i), 
 iTrayysXXo) (l), ■^pezspoz (2), xadapi^o) (2), xazaytvdxTxto 
 (2), xo^ywv/a (4), t;c6>^.a<Trc (i), vs.avtaxoQ (2), *j;/;oy (i), o^sv 
 (i), TzaXacbq, (2), Tzapouaco. (i), Tztido) (i), TTi^c^v^y (i), Tzozandc 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE I99 
 
 (i), azJAyyyo^j (i), xfAvlov (7), (favepba (i), yaprj (i), 
 '^KMy.a (3), iPrpMifdco (i). 
 
 WORDS COMMON TO THE THREE WRITINGS 
 
 ^Ayandco {GlJ, E27, A4), d'fa~-j (g8, EI 8, A2), (X^^oc (g6, 
 EI, A25), dds?.(f6(; (G14, EI 5, A5), oI/2a (g6, E4, A19), auov 
 (GI3, EI, AI4), auovco:: (gi/, e6, Ai), dxauco (059, EI4 
 A46), dlr^dcvo^ (g9, e4, aid), a/l/a (gi02, E15, A14) 
 d.)lTJ)MV (G15, e6, A2), duapTia (gi8, EI7, A3), «v (029, 
 E5, A2), dudfJcoTTO^ (g59, EI, A25), aTzo (G40, EI 9, A37) 
 djioazi/jM (g28, E3, A3), dousofLM (04, E3, A2), a^or^ (gi2 
 EI, A2), dp-j^ (g8, E31, A3), d(flr^fju (G14, e2, A3), ydp (g66, 
 E3, A17), ycuo/iac (G53, ei, A37), ycvcoaxo) (G56, E24, A4) 
 Ypdipco (g22, E13, A29), o^(i(Gi5, e2, A17), didi3oXo(; (g^ 
 E4, A5), dtddaxco (gig, e3, a 2), did cope (075, E7, a 5 7) 
 dixaco:; (03, E5, A5), dr/.acoauvrj (g2, E3, A2), ouuapac (G36 
 E2, aid), eav (G41, e2I, A5), £«v ^3^ (gi8, ei, A4), tc p-q 
 G15, e2, a8), eIoov (G36, E2, A56), olda (g82, E15, A 12) 
 sVn'v (G169, E73, A3 2), tlaiv (G14, e5, A25), tcvox (g3, ei 
 A2), ^/i£v, v^v, -/y^av, (098, e6, a 12,) laopat (g6, e2, A13) 
 e£;rov (G207, E4, a6), zlz (g88, E9, A79), ere (035, ei, A23) 
 kx {G167, E34, A38), ipTipoadsu (g5, ei, A3), ev (G223, £79^ 
 A58), hzolj (gi I, EI4, A2), iucorcioy (gi, ei, A31), i^epyopai 
 (030, E2, A14), £^a> (G13, EI, A2), iTTc witli dative (07 
 ei, A15), imdupta (gi, e3, ai), £/>^ov (027, E3, A2i) 
 Ipyopai (G158, E4, A34), layazo^ (g8, E2, a6), £J^w (G85 
 E26, A99), ^doi (G16, EI, A13), 'Coyq (g37, E13, A17) 
 ■/j (gi2, ei, A 5), Yipipa (G31, EI, A2i), ddvavoz (g8, e6 
 A19), dklqpa (gii, e2, ai), ^£oc (g8i, e6i, A97), decopico 
 (022, EI, A2), Tva (G128, EI 8, A32), Iva pij (gi8, e2, aii) 
 xaevo:; (g2, ei, a8), xaXeo) (g2, ei, A7), xapdia (g7, E4, A3) 
 xa-d with ace. (g8, ei, a6), xtcpae (gj, ei, A2), xoapo:: 
 (076, e22, A3), x/)/<Trc (gii, ei, A4), Xap^d.vo) (046, E3, 
 A23), Xiyco (G264, E49, A95), ;>oj'oc (G40, e6, a 18), X'ju) 
 
20O THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 (g6, e2, a6), fiapTopiu) (033, e6, A4), [lapzopta (G14, e6, 
 A9), fisvco (039, E22, Ai), ;«erfii with gen. (041, E/, A39), 
 pLTj (g49, EI 5, A12), /i;o-i^t) (oil, E5, A3), povoc; (09, e2, 
 ai), vcxdu) (gi, e6, A15), opococ; (g2, ei, a2i), bpoXoyeu) 
 (04, E5, ai), ovo;/a (g25, e3, A36), bpdio (G30, e/, a;), 
 o(TTi^(Gy, E2, A9), orav (G17, EI, A9), or^ (G263, E75, a6o), 
 oy (G267, E48, A55), oude (G14, E3, A 10), oudec:: (G54, E2, 
 A12), ouxizi (a3, G12), ou;rfe> (G13, ei, A2), ootox; (G15, E2, 
 A/), dipdaXpoz (G17, E3, A 10), ;r<i^.;v (G45, ei, A2), ;rac 
 (065, E27, A 5 4), TtazT^p (G137, EI 4, A 5), T.zptr.azkco (G17, 
 E4, A5), TicazoQ (gi, EI, a8), 7c?Mvdu) (g2, e2, a8), TzXrjpoio 
 (015, EI, A2), Ttvvjpa (g23, ei2, ai8), ;ro.'£w (G104, E12, 
 A29), tzoVjq (G36, E2, a 1 4), TcovTjpoz (g3, e6, ai), not) (G19, 
 EI, ai), Ttpoi; with ace. (G98, e8, a6), Tzpwzo^ (py, ei, A17), 
 TTftic (g20, e2, ai), adp^ (gi3j E2, a6), anippa (03, El, Ai), 
 rixvov (g3, e5, A3), zr^peo) (gi8, E7, All), zidr^pc (gi8, E2, 
 A3), zpe7(: (g4, e2, aii), uocop (G23, E3, ai8), yfoc (056, 
 E22, A7), brcdyco (G32, El, a6), (paivo) (g2, ei, A4), (pavspbo) 
 (g9, e9, A2), (fo^eoaac (g5, ei, a6), ^o^9oc (03, E3, A3), fcbQ 
 (g24, e5, A3), /£f> (gi 5, EI, A 1 6), ypBia (G4, e2, A3), ^f^eyi^oc 
 (gi, e2, A3), ^uy^ (gio, E2, A7), wpa (g26, e2, a 10), a;c 
 
 (GI3, E2, A70). 
 
 WORDS FOUND IN THE APOCALYPSE AND IN EITHER 
 OF THE OTHERS 
 
 ''AyaXXcdo) (ai, G2), d.yyzlo(; {hd'J, G4), kyid^o) (ai, 04), 
 dyopd^co (a6, G3), aipco (g26, A2), dxoXoodeto (a6, G19), 
 ct/ii^oc (a 1 8, G34), dpi^v (a 8, 026), d.p7t5Xo(: (a 2, 03), 
 dvaj^acpo) (A13, G16), dvayivaxTxco (ai, Gi), dvdazaait: (a 2, 
 04), di^epoi; (A3, Gl), dv:^/) (ai, g8), dvolyo) (A26, Gll), 
 <?f;oc (a7, gi), *d7idpTt (ai, G2), dnkpyopat (a8, G2i), 
 dnodvTjaxo) (a6, G27), dnoxplvopat (ai, G78), dTzoxzeivw 
 (a 1 5, GI2), aTzoXXupi (a I, gig), dyTo^rro^oc (A3, gi), dncoXeca 
 (a 2, gi), dptdp6(: (a 10, gi), dpTcd^o) (ai, G4), dp-^wv (ai, 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE 201 
 
 G7), abXij (ai, G3), /?a^:^c (ai, gi), ^dXlco (a28, gi8), 
 ^aadda (a9, g5), j^aadeOt; (a 19, G16), ^aard^w (A3, G5), 
 fiei3Acov (A23, G2), ^Xaaipr^fua (a 5, Gi), j^/Jrrco (ai6, G16), 
 ^-a/ioc (a2, g3), yeuudco (eio, gi8), yrj (a82, gii), yloiaaa 
 (a8, ei), yupjoi; (A3, gi), y-w;^ (a 19, G22), datnovcov 
 (A3, g6), ^e? (a8, gig), ozcxwjco (a8, g/), deiTivov (a2, G3), 
 dha-o^ (a2, gi), 0£?^oc (a9, G2), ^£^i/)o (a 2, gi), ^eDre (ai, 
 G2), dsurepo:: (a 1 3, G4), <5£ft> (a2, G4), drji^dptov (a2, g2), 
 dcftxoatoe (G2, A2), dcdayij (A3, G3), bupdco (A3, g6), duoxio 
 (ai, G2), <?6ca (A17, G18), doH^io (a2, G22), ooi)>?.oc (AI4, 
 Gii), 5yo (a9, G13), dcodexa (a2I, g6), dajpedv (a2, gi), 
 i^oopo^ (a5, gi), ^hPpacari (a2, G5), ^^-pc (a2, on), iytc/HU 
 (ai, GI3), £^voc (a23, GS), er oy (ai, G2), tioioXov (a I, El), 
 er/zj (aio, G54), e? (a8, G26), dpr^vri (a2, g6), daspyopac 
 (a5, G15), "ixaazoz (a/, G4), Ix^dlloi (a I, g6), ixs? (a 5, 
 G22), ixsWeu (ai,G2), ixxevzico (ai, gi), ixhxro^ (ai, gi), 
 ixTcopeuopoi (a8, G2), Ixro^ (a5, 02), ixyio) (A9, gi), c^.«:V/ 
 (a I, gi), kUxyo) (a I, G3), ihodepo:: (A3, G2), e/ioc (ai, 
 G37), £? (a2, 03), ivca'jzo:; (ai, G3), iursuOeu (AI, 05), 
 iTzdvoj (a2, G2), iqouaia (a2I, g8), £-r (with gen., A59, 
 09; with ace, A74, G2i), Im^d/la) (ai, G2), irzcnCTZza) 
 (ai, g8), i7Tc<Jzpe(f(o (a2, gi), irrczcdrjpc (ai, G3), ipaoudo) 
 (ai, G2), ipyd^opLoi (a I, 07), iprjpiot: (a2, G5), i/>t5 (a5, g6), 
 J(T^/a> (a6, G15), err (a2, g8), kzoipd^co (a 7, g2), Iroc (a6, 
 G3), eudeo)^ (a I, G3), tupiaxco (a 13, GI9), tbyapiazeco (ai, 
 03), eiwc (conj., AI, G5 ; prep., ai, g6), C'jr^<^«' (ai, G34), 
 ■^;?<:u (a6, G4), 6d)Maaa (a26, G9), daupd^co (A4, g6), ^i-^vW (a6, 
 G23), deparcvjio (a2, gi), depc^co (a3, 04), depcapoi; (ai, G2), 
 ^/J.^Y'rc (a5, G2), ^/>/<^ (a2, G2), ^u/>a (a4, g7), cdou (a26, G4), 
 
 ;£ry£!3c (A3, Gl), IpdziOV (Ay, g6), "aZT^pt (A2I, GI9), fV^VW 
 (ai, gi), xdyd) (a5, G31), xadapoz (A5, 04), xdOr^pac (a4, 
 G4), xadi^io (a3, G3), xmpbci (a5, G3), zajw (a5, G2), /ftxoc 
 (a2, G2), xapTio^ (a2, 09), xardt (with gen., A3, Gi), xaza- 
 jdaciico (aio, GI7), xaza^olij (a2, Gi), xazsaOuo (A5, Gl), 
 xazr^yopico (ai, G3), x£<pa?.ij (ai8, 05), x>^.a/a» (a6, g8), Z/^.c/w 
 
202 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 (a6, G2), xXsTCZTji; (A2, G4), XOTTcdtO (aI, 03), ZO/TOC (a2, gi), 
 
 xpd^oj (a 1 1, G4), xparsco (a8, gi), z/>//za (A3, Gl), ;f/)rW (aq, 
 G19), xp'jTZTo) (a3, g3), xuxlvjo) (ai, gi), Kupco^ (a2I, G53), 
 i^.a^ew (ai2, G59), laixKac, (a2, gi), /aoc (A9, G3), /If'^oc (a8, 
 G7), ^otift) (ai, G i), lioxdpioc, {h.'j, G2), fiavdaviti (a i, G2), fidvi^a 
 (ai, g2), fidj^acpa (gi, A3), //i^-ac (a8o, G5), [xedixo (a2, gi), 
 //iy'i/lfo (A13, GI 2), //ijooc (a4, G3), //i<70c (a8, gj), ptezd (with 
 ace, All, G16), fjthpov (a2, gi), ou p.-^ (A17, G17), prjodi; 
 (a2, ei), p'JTTjp (ai, gio), pcxpoQ (aio, g2), pcpuTjaxofiac (ai, 
 G3), luaQbz (a2, gi), pvTjpovtuo) (A3, G3), pLOtyeinn (ai, gi), 
 va/ (A3, G3), vaoc (a 16, G3), v£;f/>oc (a 13, g8), vw/z^^y (A4, 
 gi), vupifioQ (a I, G4), vy? (a8, g6), ^T^paivoi (a2, gi), 606c 
 (a2, G4), orvoc (a8, g7), 67oc (a5, g6), optouoi; (a2, G3), 
 omW (a3, g7), ottou (aS, G30), d/v^;^' (a6, gi), o)ooc (a8, 
 G5), o<TOC (a7, gio), ore (ai2, g2i), ouxiu (a3, G12), o5v 
 (a6, gioi), obpavoQ (A52, G2o), oyre (a 16, G9), d'^rc (a5, 
 Gi), oyXo;; (a4, G20), d^rc (ai, G2), Tiaiui (ai, gi), Tcapd 
 (with gen., A2, G25 ; with dat, ai, G9), "^napdxkqroq, (ai, 
 
 04), Ttdptipt (a I, G2), TZUvdo) (a I, Gl), TtUpd^O) (A3, G2), 
 
 TzkpTioi (a5, G32), Trivrs (A3, G5), 7r£/)£ (with ace, ai, gi), 
 ^'yr'? (a5> G3), 7r-^pc (ai, gi), Tr^a^w (ai, g8), rdvco (a3, 
 gii), Tt'inxo} (a22, g3), mW^c (A4, ei), Tthilov (a2, g8), 
 ;rvefy (ai, G2), tzoQzv (a2, G13), nocpoxvoi (a4, gi), ;roToc 
 (at, G4), Ttoh:; (a26, g8), Tzopvda (Ay, gi), Tiopfupeoq (a2, 
 G2), nozaiio^ (a 8, gi), Trdre (ai, G2), Tiozrjptov (a4, gi), 
 ;ro:;C (ai i, G14), Trpea^uzepo^ (ai2, gi), Tzpo^azov (ai, G19), 
 ;r/?dc (with dat, Ai, G3), izpoaxuvio) (a24, G12), TtpoiprjZEooi 
 (a2, gi), 7tpO(p-^z7](; (a8, G14), nzoiyoc, (a2, G4), ;ry/) (a27, 
 Gi), TtcoXeco (ai, G2), arjptlov {jcj, G17), tr^z-oc (a2, gi), 
 axvjoq, (a3, gi), axrjvoo) (a4, gi), a7Trj)Mcov (ai, gi), azddiov 
 (a2, gi), azaupoto (ai, GIO), Gzs(favoQ (a8, gi), azr^doQ 
 (a I, G2), (Tr;yxa> (a I, G2), <7rd/i« (a2I, gi), azpiipco (ai, G4), 
 <Tyziy (a I, G2), aovdyco (a6, G7), auvajcDX^ (a2, G2), auvzpc^a) 
 (ai, gi,) (Tup(o(Ai, gi), acpd^co (a8, ei), a(ppaYt^(o (a8, G2), 
 <Tw/za (ai, g6), amzrjpia (a3, gi), ra;fu (a6, gi), ri (ai, G3), 
 
THE PROBLEM : INTERNAL EVIDENCE 203 
 
 Te/J(o (a8, G2), T£?.o^ (a3, gi), zaaaapdxovza (a6, GI), zeaaa- 
 />£C (A27, G2), zixzo) (a5, gi), zcfiT^ (a6, gi), ro/TOc (a8, 
 
 GI7), ZfJS^O) (at, G2), ZfJCZU^ (A22, gi), ZOfXoi; (AI, GI6), tiyTO 
 
 (with gen., A2, gi), utioxolzco (a4, gi), ^^i/^to (a2, G17), y^et^^-w 
 (a4, G3), ^^/liw (a2, G13), *<forui$, (ai, gi), (fpeap (a4, G2), 
 ifulaxT^ (a3, gi), (fcDveco (ai, G13), yjwv^y (A52, Gi 5), cpcozi^w 
 (a3, Gi)» X'^^'/"^ (^2, G9), j^a^ofc (a2, G3), ^Olapioz (a2, gi), 
 Xoprd^o) (a I, GI), X«/^roc (a 2, G i), X/>ovoc (A4, G5), 
 (peudopac (ai, ei), Traeudonpofjzrj^ (A3, Ei), w(5e (a6, G5), 
 wantp (a I, G2). 
 
 WORDS FOUND IN THE GOSPEL AND EPISTLE, BUT NOT 
 IN THE apocalypse 
 
 \iYViC,u) (gi. El), ddcxla (gi, E2), alzico (gi I, e5), dXrjdeca 
 (g2 5, e9), dXyjdT^z (gi 5, e2), dk/jdio; (g/, ei), dpapzdvto (04, 
 Eio), dvayyillo} (g5, ei), dvQpoiriOxzbvoz. (gi, e2), dizayfkDM 
 (gi, E3), anzopm (gi, ei), dpeazo:: (gi, ei), £f (G31, E5), 
 £V/^£v (g4, e8), iari (G17, E2), J (gi8, E31), .^o-^ (gi6, e2), 
 dsdopai (g6, e3), xado)^ (03 1, E9), /^jyoi (G2, E2), povoytvrj:: 
 (g4, ei), /zovoc (g5, e2), vov (g29, E4), d(pti)M (g2, E3), 
 Tiacoiov (g3, E4), napdyoj (gi, e2), 7Tapp-/;ma (g9, E4), ;r£/^£ 
 (with gen., G67, E9), ruaztuco (095, E9), nwizoze (G4, ei), 
 ■\axozia (G9, e5), <Tx6roc (gi, ei), <Twr3y/? (gi, ei), zeXecoco 
 (g5, E4), zuifXoa} (gi, ei), 5;r£^ (with gen., G13, e2), 
 (p'Adaao) (03, ei), ;(ajO(i (09, ei), (ptuazric, (gi, E5). 
 
PART II 
 
 A NEW TRANSLATION OF THE 
 JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Arranged in Modern Literary Form 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 NO book written in a foreign tongue has been 
 translated into English so many times as the 
 New Testament ; yet the New Testament has never been 
 translated into English. This paradox will appear to be 
 amply justified if we ask ourselves, What constitutes a 
 translation? The translator's material is a composition 
 in another language than his vernacular, and often in an 
 unfamiliar literary form : and his task is to reproduce 
 that book in his mother tongue and in the literary forms 
 of his people and time, in such manner as will best 
 convey to his readers the best of the original. Something 
 of the flavor of any piece of literature is certain to 
 evaporate in the process — this is regrettable but in- 
 evitable — yet Emerson was right in saying that the best 
 in any author is capable of being conveyed through the 
 medium of a translation. 
 
 Translations are imperfect and unsatisfactory for one 
 of three reasons: first, the translator has failed to appre- 
 hend the meaning of his original; or, second, he has 
 not successfully transferred the meaning of his author 
 into the idiom of his own language; or, third, he has not 
 chosen a literary form that makes the spirit of the 
 original easily comprehended. In the first case his ver- 
 sion is defective in scholarship; in the second, it is lack- 
 ing in accuracy, or charm, or both ; in the third, it seems 
 unnecessarily strange and unfamiliar. 
 
 The translations of the New Testament most widely 
 current have failed not merely in one of these particulars, 
 but in all three. If any exception can be allowed, it is 
 that the American Standard Version is satisfactory in the 
 
 207 
 
2o8 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 single particular of adequate scholarship ; yet even in that, 
 there has occasionally been shown a lack of courage to 
 adopt the reading or rendering that scholarship demands, 
 and it fails grievously in the other two particulars. It 
 progresses a good distance beyond the archaism of the 
 King James Version, but falls at least as far short of the 
 idiom of our own day. The " Twentieth Century New 
 Testament," Weymouth's " Modern Speech New Testa- 
 ment," and Mofifat's " New Translation of the New Tes- 
 tament " are all praiseworthy attempts at a version in 
 idiomatic English; but the idiom too often lacks the 
 dignity desirable in a version of the New Testament. 
 Religious sensibilities should not be unnecessarily shocked 
 by the use of too familiar words or colloquial phrases. 
 The English of cultivated men and women of our day 
 should be the standard: neither stilted nor slangy; but 
 correct, simple, and dignified, without stiffness. 
 
 As for literary form, no translator has had the full 
 courage of his convictions. None has ventured even to 
 cast aside altogether the absurd chapter and verse divi- 
 sions, and print the New Testament in an English 
 " dress," as if it were a book issued for the first time 
 under the supervision of a competent editor. It was a 
 step in the right direction when these arbitrary divisions, 
 that often cut a paragraph in half, and sometimes a 
 sentence, were banished to the margin ; but they ought to 
 be wholly banished from a version intended to be read. 
 Students of the Bible can easily keep one copy (which 
 may be a very cheap one) for verifying references; and 
 there is undeniable usefulness in such a copy for pur- 
 poses of study. But in a version to be read, the whole 
 intent of which is to bring the sacred writings as close 
 as possible to the comprehension and appreciation of one 
 who cannot for himself read the original, these barriers 
 should be removed. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 209 
 
 It was a further step forward when the text was 
 printed in paragraphs, more as modern books are printed ; 
 but this was only partial conformity to modern literary 
 methods. A good part of the Gospels is in the form of 
 conversation or dialogue, and should be printed as such 
 matter appears in modern books. That is to say, each 
 remark should be printed by itself in a separate para- 
 graph; and spoken words should be distinguished from 
 narrative or comment by quotation-marks. The New 
 Testament abounds in quotations from the Old, which 
 should be distinguished from the main text either by 
 quotation-marks or by being printed in different type. 
 Many of these quotations from the Old Testament are 
 Hebrew poetry, and ought to be printed as such, fol- 
 lowing the Hebrew " parallelism." Not only so, but 
 large parts of several books of the New Testament are 
 themselves composed in the form of Hebrew poetry, and 
 should be printed accordingly. This is especially true of 
 the Johannine writings, and of the discourses of Jesus 
 in the Synoptic Gospels. A translation of Homer printed 
 as ordinary English prose is no greater failure to represent 
 adequately the spirit and form of the Iliad than the print- 
 ing of the Apocalypse as plain prose fails to convey to 
 the English reader the merits of that remarkable com- 
 position. It may of course be maintained that the ideal 
 implied in these criticisms is an impossible one; but the 
 retort is obvious and forceful: nobody has a right to 
 say that until at least one translator has tried and 
 egregiously failed. 
 
 When we have banished from our New Testament text 
 the inept traditional divisions, and resolved to print prose 
 as prose, and poetry as poetry, we have made a good 
 beginning ; but much will remain to be done. The liter- 
 ary art of the Apostolic age did not demand many things 
 that are absolutely requisite in the " dress " of a book 
 o 
 
2IO THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 to-day. A translator has not performed his full duty, 
 therefore, until he has given the text such literary form 
 as the author himself would choose were he now living 
 and able to supervise the publication of his work. The 
 objection to chapters and verses is not that they are 
 of comparatively modern origin, but that they are not 
 modern enough. They are faulty, not as divisions of 
 the text, but as wrong divisions. The men who made 
 them were quite right in attempting to edit the text 
 for their time; they botched their work because they did 
 not know how to edit, even for their own day, much less 
 for ours. 
 
 In a word, of all Satan's masterpieces for hindering 
 the understanding of the word of God by men until now, 
 translations have been chief. By inspiring men to trans- 
 late and print the Bible in archaic and unfamiliar idiom, 
 and put it into literary forms that would make repulsive 
 to readers any of the great works of the world's litera- 
 ture, the adversary of souls has done his best to make 
 the most fresh and vigorous and life-giving book in all 
 the world seem the dullest and most corpselike. That 
 the New Testament has continued to be read and ad- 
 mired, and even to some extent understood, and has given 
 life and hope and comfort to generations, is complete 
 demonstration of its divine origin. Any book of purely 
 human origin would have perished long ago under such 
 treatment. The Italians are right: traduttori, traditori — 
 translators are traitors — they betray those whom they 
 profess to befriend. 
 
 What may be called the distinctive feature of this ver- 
 sion of the Johannine writings, therefore, is the attempt 
 at once to be faithful to the original, and to adhere 
 strictly to the English of our own day — ^the English ac- 
 tually spoken and written by cultured people. This in- 
 volves : 
 
A NEW translation: apocalypse 211 
 
 1. The choice of English idioms, EngHsh construction, 
 English arrangement of the words of a sentence, rather 
 than Greek. A literal translation is often a mistrans- 
 lation. It also involves recognition of the differences, 
 well recognized in our literary conventions, between the 
 vocabulary and order of poetry and prose. 
 
 2. The choice of words and phrases that are homely 
 and familiar, together with turns of phrase that are 
 neither flippant nor slangy. Colloquial English may also 
 be good English. 
 
 And while (to borrow a phrase from Luther) the 
 cardinal principle of translation has been to make the 
 apostle speak English, there are some minor effects aimed 
 at that are also believed to be distinctive, such as : 
 
 1. To observe, wherever the English idiom permits, as 
 it generally does, the distinctions of the Greek tenses, 
 especially the imperfect. 
 
 2. To make the distinction between " shall " and 
 " will," and " should " and " would," that is recognized 
 by the best English usage. 
 
 3. To preserve more accurately the distinction between 
 " that " in restrictive clauses, and " who " or " which " 
 in coordinate clauses. 
 
 4. To make clear the distinction between the simple 
 and emphatic negative, and convey the force of [i^ in in- 
 terrogative sentences. 
 
 5. To render better the peculiar meaning of certain 
 Greek particles, as bk and dbv. 
 
 6. To make the emphatic words of the original similarly 
 emphatic in the version. Often this can be done by the 
 arrangement of words in the sentence. Sometimes re- 
 sort must be had to italics for emphasis. This is oftenest 
 necessary in the case of emphatic pronouns. Words in- 
 serted in order to complete the sense are not italicized, 
 but are placed within square brackets. 
 
212 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 It is believed that these things may be done not only 
 without pedantry, but with distinct enhancement of the 
 naturalness and vivacity of the narrative. It is for others 
 to say whether the experiment is successful. 
 
 It remains to note one other distinctive feature of this 
 version, quite independent of mere translation, namely, 
 the unique arrangement of the text. No competent liter- 
 ary critic can study the Fourth Gospel without being con- 
 vinced that it is a literary whole, the work (in its present 
 form, at least) of one mind, animated by a single definite 
 purpose. But study of the text has led the translator 
 to the conclusion that something has befallen this Gospel 
 which has not happened to any other book in the New 
 Testament. There has been an extraordinary transposi- 
 tion of considerable portions of the text, resulting in con- 
 fusion that a hasty mind might pronounce hopeless. 
 
 To begin with the clearest case : the story of the woman 
 taken in adultery. There is now practical unanimity of 
 opinion that this does not belong in its present place ; and 
 there is no other place in the Gospel where it can be 
 confidently said to belong. Nevertheless, it bears most 
 convincing internal evidence of being a genuine part of 
 apostolic tradition, and may have been part of the orig- 
 inal text of this Gospel. In the absence of further knowl- 
 edge, the only course consistent with literary honesty 
 is to print it as an appendix to the Gospel — a fragment 
 of uncertain origin, but certifying to itself as true. 
 
 Is it not almost as plain, if not quite, that the passage 
 7 : 19-24 does not belong in its present position, but 
 directly after 5 : 47? It is obviously a continuation 
 of the discourse in chapter 5, and would be as pertinent 
 there as it is absurd where it now stands. 
 
 Again, 8 : 21-30 is the evident and logical sequence 
 of the discourse ending with 7 : 36. Let any reader turn 
 at once from the passage last named to 8 : 21, and he 
 
A NEW translation: apocalyi'se 213 
 
 will have no doubt regarding the close connection of the 
 two passages. 
 
 It is almost equally evident that 8 : 12-20 belongs, 
 not where it now stands, but after chapter 9. It is per- 
 tinent as a conclusion of the discourse delivered to the 
 Jews after the sign of the man born blind; it seems the 
 fitting climax to that discourse, and explains the spiritual 
 significance of the miracle. Where it now stands it is 
 disconnected from anything that could have suggested it, 
 and thus becomes comparatively meaningless. 
 
 Again, the discourse on the Good Shepherd is so con- 
 fused as seriously to mar its significance. It should be 
 rearranged and read in the following order: 10 : 22-29; 
 1-18; 30-39. And the verses 19-21 in this chapter clearly 
 belong in the chapter preceding — say after verse 41. 
 
 But it is in the last discourse of our Lord to his dis- 
 ciples that the text has suffered worst. Here it has been 
 so badly jumbled that to restore it to its original order 
 solely from internal evidence (unfortunately our only re- 
 source at present) is an exceedingly delicate and per- 
 plexing task. At the very beginning of the discourse, our 
 difficulties also begin. For 13 : 34, 35 surely does not 
 belong in its present position, where it is a distinct and 
 incredible interruption of the thought. We cannot doubt 
 that verse 36 was intended by the writer to follow im- 
 mediately after verse 33. Verses 34 and 35 evidently 
 belong in connection with that part of the address con- 
 tained in 15 : 9-17. The brief passage 15 : 26, 27 has 
 also been misplaced and belongs with 14 : 15-18 and 
 16 : 12-15, which have also become separated. Then too, 
 it is plain that 16 : 12-15, instead of being where it now 
 is, should stand very near the close of the discourse. 
 And where is that close? Where can it possibly be but 
 at 14 : 30, 31? It is incredible that Jesus said, "Arise, 
 and let us be going from this place," and then continued 
 
214 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 with the further converse of chapters 15 and 16. This 
 difficulty has always been felt, and various ingenious 
 attempts have been made to surmount it; but we must 
 have courage to draw the conclusion that we should 
 certainly draw from such facts in any other book than 
 the New Testament. 
 
 Besides the difficulties already suggested, which would 
 be removed by the rearrangement proposed and adopted 
 in this translation, there are certain absurdities in the 
 received text that disappear when the text is so rear- 
 ranged. For example, Jesus says in 16 : 5, " And now 
 I am going to Him that sent me, and none of you asks 
 me, 'Where are you going?'" Whereas in 13 : 36, 
 Peter has already asked him that precise question. But 
 if the order of these two passages is reversed, the ab- 
 surdity vanishes. The same is true of the passage 13 : 
 31-38, so obviously out of place where it now stands. 
 Jesus makes a digression in his discourse about the com- 
 ing of the Comforter to speak of his death, and to pre- 
 dict the denial of Peter. In so doing he has shocked 
 his disciples, and in chapter 14 he soothes them and 
 speaks again " with large, divine, and comfortable words." 
 
 To delay no longer regarding processes, but come at 
 once to results : This last discourse should, on its own in- 
 ternal evidence, be arranged in the following order: 15 : 
 1-8; 13 : 34, 35; 15 : 9-25; 16 : i-ii ; 16 : 16-33; 13 : 
 31 to 14 : 24; 15 : 26, 27; 14 : 25-29; 16 : 12-15; 14 : 
 30, 31. Alternate arrangements of a few of the verses 
 are possible, with perhaps equally good consecution of 
 thought; and between such possible arrangements there 
 is no means now in our possession of deciding which is 
 that of the original autograph. But this at least may 
 be said with some confidence: it would hardly be pos- 
 sible to make a worse arrangement than that of our com- 
 mon printed text by taking the various paragraphs of the 
 
A NEW translation: apocalypse 215 
 
 discourse, shuffling them together, and placing them at 
 random. Indeed, something very like that is, in all prob- 
 ability, what once happened to the text — by accident, of 
 course, not from design. 
 
 Spitta was the first to propose a plausible hypothesis 
 in explanation of the observed facts. He suggested that 
 the Fourth Gospel was originally written on papyrus 
 sheets containing about eighteen lines each, or eight 
 hundred Greek letters. These sheets became accidentally 
 misplaced in the making of an early copy of the auto- 
 graph — the copy that became the original of all existing 
 texts and versions. It is a fact that nearly all of the 
 misplaced passages are either about eight hundred letters 
 long in the Greek text, or multiples of that number. If 
 what Spitta supposed did actually happen, it would have 
 given us approximately the result we have before us.^ 
 
 Some will no doubt object to this handling of the text 
 as arbitrary and irreverent; but this translation is in no 
 great danger of falling into the hands of those not 
 intelligent enough to perceive that the method is really 
 both rational and reverent. The received text, indeed, 
 might be called arbitrary, if it were not far more likely 
 accidental. True reverence for the Bible compels the 
 Christian scholar to do his utmost to restore the text 
 to the condition of the original autographs. This is the 
 end of all textual study ; and the more fully one believes 
 in the inspiration of the Bible, the more he is bound 
 to leave nothing undone to arrive at the original text. 
 
 Some passages in the Johannine writings are generally 
 
 ^ Bacon (loc. cit., p. 498) ur^es that the theory of accident is excluded 
 almost at once (a) by the magrnitude of the phenomena, (b) the paucity of 
 remaining traces in the manuscripts and versions, and (c) the evidences of 
 the context; and so he would lay all the blame on that convenient scape- 
 goat, the " redactor." But to this it may be replied: (a) There is no limit 
 to possible displacements through accidental confusion of leaves of the 
 autograph; (b) and these would leave no fares in Fathers and versions, if 
 it occurred ex hypothesi before any existinj; MS. was written; and (c) the 
 objection entirely disappears if a logical and connected order of the existing 
 text can be found. 
 
2l6 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 conceded to be interpolations, and others are explana- 
 tory remarks, both of which would be printed in a 
 modern book as foot-notes. The translator has, there- 
 fore, so placed them ; and his own notes, which he has 
 tried to make as few as possible, are distinguished by 
 an appended " Tr." 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 THE APOCALYPSE 
 
 PROLOGUE 
 
 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST^ 
 
 Which God gave him to show his slaves 
 
 What things must soon come to pass; 
 
 And he sent and made known through his angel 
 
 To his slave 
 
 JOHN; 
 
 Who testified to the word of God 
 
 And the testimony of Jesus Christ 
 
 How extraordinary things he saw. 
 
 Happy the reader, and they that hear the words of the 
 prophecy, and lay to heart the things that have been writ- 
 ten in it, for 
 
 THE CRISIS IS AT HAND. 
 
 ^ Revelation i : 1-3 corresponds almost exactly to the title-page of a 
 modem book, and is so printed here. — Tr. 
 
 217 
 
2l8 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 I 
 
 THE VISION OF THE SON OF MAN 
 
 John to the Seven Churches that are in Asia : 
 
 Grace to you, and peace from him that is and was and 
 is coming, and from the Seven Spirits that are before 
 his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, 
 the first-born of the dead and the Ruler of the kingdoms 
 of the earth. 
 
 To him who loved us 
 
 And freed us from our sins by his blood, 
 
 And made us a kingdom, priests to God and his Father — 
 
 To him be honor and power unto the ages, Amen. 
 
 Behold, he is coming among the clouds, 
 
 And every eye will see him. 
 
 Even they that pierced him. 
 
 And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. 
 
 By all means so let it be. 
 
 " I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, 
 " Who is and who was and who will come, the Ruler 
 of all." 
 
 I, John, your brother and partaker with you in the 
 distress and kingdom and endurance in Jesus, was in the 
 island called Patmos, because of the word of God and 
 the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's 
 day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 
 saying, 
 
 " Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven 
 churches: Ephesus and Smyrna and Pergamos and 
 Thyatira and Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicea." 
 
A NEW translation: apocalypse 219 
 
 And I turned to see the voice that was talking with me, 
 
 And having turned I saw seven golden lamps, 
 
 And in the midst of the lamps One like a son of man, 
 
 Clothed in a long robe 
 
 And girt about the breast with a golden girdle. 
 
 Now his head and his hair were white as white wool, [or] 
 
 as snow, 
 And his eyes like a flame of fire. 
 And his legs - \Vere like burnished bronze, as if glowing 
 
 in a furnace. 
 And his voice like a voice of many waters; 
 And he had in his right hand seven stars ; 
 And from his mouth there went forth a sharp two-edged 
 
 sword, 
 And his face appeared like the sun shining in his power. 
 And when I saw him, I fell before his feet like one dead. 
 And he put his right hand on me, saying, 
 
 " Do not fear. 
 
 I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. 
 
 And I was dead, yet see ! I am alive for age after age, 
 
 And I have the keys of death and Hades. 
 
 Write, therefore, what you see, 
 
 And what are the things about to take place after these. 
 
 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw on my right 
 
 hand and the seven golden lamps [is this] : 
 The seven stars are the Angels of the seven churches, 
 And the seven lamps are seven churches. 
 
 1 
 
 " Write to the Angel of the church in Ephesus : 
 
 ' These things says he that holds the seven stars in his 
 
 right hand, 
 He that walks in the midst of the seven golden lamps : 
 
 - n-dSes, a Hebraism. — Tr, 
 
220 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 I know your works, and your labor and endurance, 
 
 And that you cannot tolerate evil men; 
 
 And you made trial of those that call themselves apostles, 
 
 but are not, and found them liars ; 
 And you have endurance and bore for my Name's sake, 
 
 and have not become weary. 
 But I have this against you, 
 You gave up your first love. 
 Remember then whence you have fallen, 
 And turn about and do your first works ; 
 Otherwise, I am coming to you. 
 And I shall remove your lamp-stand from its place 
 Unless you turn about. But you have this [to your 
 
 credit], 
 That you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also 
 
 hate. 
 
 ' Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the 
 
 churches. 
 To him that is victor — I shall give him to eat of the tree 
 
 of life. 
 Which is in the Paradise of God.' 
 
 2 
 
 " Write also to the Angel of the church in Smyrna : 
 
 ' These things says the First and the Last, 
 Who was dead and lives : 
 
 I know your suffering and poverty 
 (Yet you are rich), 
 
 And the blasphemy of those that call themselves Jews 
 Yet are not, but a S5magogue of Satan. 
 Do not fear what you are about to suffer : 
 Lo, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that 
 you may be tested, 
 
A NEW translation: apocalypse 221 
 
 And you will suffer persecution ten days.^ 
 Be faithful till death, and I shall give you the crown of 
 life. 
 
 ' Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the 
 
 churches. 
 He that is victor will not be hurt by the second death.' 
 
 3 
 " Write also to the Angel of the church in Pergamos : 
 
 * These things says he that has the sharp two-edged 
 
 sword : 
 
 I know where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is. 
 And you hold fast my Name and did not deny my faith — 
 Even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who 
 
 was killed among you where Satan dwells. 
 But I have a few things against you. 
 Because you have there those that hold the teaching of 
 
 Balaam, 
 Who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the 
 
 sons of Israel,^ 
 To eat food offered to idols and to commit fornication. 
 Likewise you have those that hold in like manner the 
 
 teaching of the Nicolaitans. 
 Turn about, then ; 
 
 Otherwise, I am coming quickly to you, 
 And shall make war with the sword of my mouth. 
 
 * Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the 
 
 churches. 
 To him that is victor I shall give of the hidden manna ; 
 
 3 Symbolical for a short time, that would soon pass away. — Tr. 
 * Num. 25 : 1-3. — Tr, 
 
222 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And I shall give him a white stone,^ 
 And upon that stone a new name written, 
 Which no one knows save he that receives it* 
 
 4 
 " Write also to the Angel of the church in Thyatira : 
 
 ' These things says the Son of God, 
 Who has eyes like a flame of fire and legs like burnished 
 bronze : 
 
 I know your works, 
 
 And your love and faith and service and endurance, 
 
 And that your last works are greater than your first. 
 
 But I have this against you. 
 
 That you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a 
 
 prophetess. 
 And teaches and deceives my slaves into fornication and 
 
 eating food offered to idols. 
 And I gave her time to turn about. 
 
 Yet she is not willing to turn away from her fornication. 
 Lo, I throw her upon a bed [of illness] 
 And those who have committed adultery with her into 
 
 great suffering, 
 Unless they turn away from her works. 
 And her children I shall certainly put to death, 
 And all the churches will recognize that I am he that 
 
 searches heart and soul ; 
 And I shall give to each of you according to your works. 
 Now I say to the rest in Thyatira, 
 All that do not hold this teaching, 
 That did not know what they call the " profundities " ' 
 
 of Satan, 
 
 ^ Probably the stone of acquittal, according to Greek custom. A man on 
 acquittal was called 6 riKjjo-a?. — Tr. 
 
 " A Gnostic word. — Tr. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 223 
 
 I do not lay any burden on you. 
 Only, keep what you have till I come. 
 
 ' And he that is victor and perseveres in my vyorks to the 
 
 end — ' 
 I shall give him authority over the nations. 
 And he will shepherd them with an iron staff, as earthen 
 
 vessels are shattered, 
 As I also have received from my Father; 
 And I shall give him the Morning Star. 
 Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the 
 
 churches.' 
 
 5 
 "Write also to the Angel of the church in Sardis: 
 ' These things says he that has the seven Spirits of God 
 
 and the seven stars : 
 
 I know your works. 
 
 That you are in name alive but [really] are dead. 
 
 Become watchful, and make strong what remains. 
 
 Which is on the point of perishing ; 
 
 For I have not found your works completed before God. 
 
 Remember then how you have received and heard. 
 
 And obey and turn again. 
 
 Unless you watch, then, I shall come as a thief 
 
 And you will by no means know at what hour I shall 
 
 come to you. 
 Yet you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile 
 
 their garments, 
 And they will walk with me in white, because they are 
 
 worthy. 
 
 ' He that is victor will likewise be clothed in white gar- 
 ments, 
 
 And I shall by no means blot out his name from the book 
 of life. 
 
224 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And I shall acknowledge his name before my Father and 
 
 before his angels. 
 Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the 
 
 churches.' 
 
 " Write also to the Angel of the church in Philadelphia : 
 
 ' These things says the Holy, the True, 
 He that has the key of David, 
 He that opens and no* one shuts. 
 And shuts and no one opens: 
 
 I know your works 
 
 (See, I have set a door opened before you, which no one 
 
 can close,) 
 Because you have a little strength and obeyed my word 
 
 and did not deny my Name. 
 Lo, I give those of the synagogue of Satan who call 
 
 themselves Jews yet are not, but lie — 
 Lo, I shall cause them to come and do homage before 
 
 your feet, 
 And know that I loved you. 
 
 Because you kept in mind the account of my endurance, 
 I also shall keep you from the hour of testing 
 That is about to come upon the whole world to test those 
 
 that dwell on the earth. 
 I am coming quickly ; 
 Hold fast what you have, that no one take your crown. 
 
 ' He that is victor — I shall make him a pillar in the temple 
 
 of my God, 
 And he will by no means go out again ; 
 And I shall write upon him the name of my God, 
 And the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 225 
 
 Which comes down out of heaven from my God, 
 And my new Name. 
 
 Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the 
 churches.' 
 
 7 
 
 " Write also to the Angel of the church in Laodicea : 
 
 ' These things says the Amen, 
 
 The Faithful and True Witness, 
 
 The Beginning of the Creation of God : 
 
 I know your works, 
 
 That you are neither cold nor hot — 
 
 Would that you were cold or hot ! 
 
 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, 
 
 I am about to vomit you forth from my mouth. 
 
 For you are saying, " I am rich, and have become 
 
 wealthy, and have need of nothing," 
 And do not know that you are wretched and pitiable and 
 
 beggared and blind and naked. 
 I counsel you to buy of me gold refined by fire. 
 That you may become rich ; 
 And white garments to clothe yourself. 
 So that the shame of your nakedness may not be made 
 
 evident ; 
 And eye-salve to anoint your eyes, 
 In order that you may see. 
 As many as I love I rebuke and chastise; 
 Be zealous, therefore, and turn about. 
 See, I am standing at the door and knocking ; 
 If any one hear my voice and open the door, 
 I shall come in to him and sup with him and he with me. 
 
 * He that is victor — I shall grant him to sit with me in 
 my throne, 
 p 
 
226 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 As I also have conquered and sat down with my Father 
 
 in his throne. 
 Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the 
 
 churches.' " 
 
 II 
 
 THE VISION OF THE SEVEN SEALS 
 
 After this I looked, and lo, a door opened in heaven, 
 and the voice (the first voice, as of a trumpet, that I 
 heard talking with me) saying, 
 
 " Come up here, and I will show you what must happen 
 hereafter." 
 
 Immediately I was in the Spirit, 
 
 And lo, a throne was set in the heaven. 
 
 And upon the throne one sitting; 
 
 And he that sat was in appearance like a jasper-stone and 
 a sardius; 
 
 And there was a rainbow encircling the throne, in appear- 
 ance like an emerald. 
 
 And encircling the throne were twenty-four thrones, 
 
 And upon the thrones twenty-four elders sitting, 
 
 Clothed in white garments, and upon their heads golden 
 crowns. 
 
 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and voices 
 and thunders. 
 
 And seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, 
 
 Which are the Seven Spirits of God. 
 
 And before the throne was a transparent sea, like crystal. 
 
 And in the midst of the throne and encircling the throne 
 were four Living Creatures, 
 
 Full of eyes, before and behind. 
 
 And the first Living Creature is like a lion. 
 
 And the second like a bull. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 22/ 
 
 And the third had the face of a man, 
 
 And the fourth was hke an eagle flying. 
 
 And the four Living Creatures, each having seven wings, 
 
 are full of eyes, within and without. 
 And they rest not, day or night, saying, 
 
 " Holy, Holy, Holy, 
 
 Lord God, the Ruler of all, 
 
 Who was and who is and who is coming." 
 
 And whenever the Living Creatures give glory and honor 
 
 and thanksgiving to him that sits on the throne, 
 To him that lives unto the ages of the ages. 
 The twenty-four elders fall before him that sits on the 
 
 throne 
 And do homage to him that lives to the ages of the ages. 
 And cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 
 
 " Worthy art thou, our Lord and God, 
 
 To receive glory and honor and power ; 
 
 Since thou didst create all things. 
 
 And because of thy will they were and were created." 
 
 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the 
 throne a roll written inside and out, sealed up with seven 
 seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a 
 great voice, 
 
 " Who is worthy to open the roll and break its seals ? " 
 
 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth 
 was able to open the roll or look in it. And I wept much 
 because no one was found worthy to open the roll or look 
 in it. And one of the elders said to me, 
 
 " Do not weep; see, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the 
 Root of David, has prevailed to open the roll and its 
 seven seals." 
 
228 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And I saw in the midst of the throne and the four 
 Living Creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a 
 Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven 
 eyes (which are the Seven Spirits of God, sent forth into 
 all the earth). And he came and took the roll from the 
 right hand of him that sat on the throne. And when he 
 took the roll, the four Living Creatures and the twenty- 
 four elders fell before the Lamb, each having a harp and 
 golden bowls filled with incense (which are the prayers 
 of the saints), and they sing a new song, saying, 
 
 " Worthy art thou to take the roll 
 
 And to open its seals ; 
 
 Because thou wast slain 
 
 And didst purchase for God with thy blood 
 
 Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 
 
 And made them a kingdom and priests to our God, 
 
 And they are reigning upon the earth." 
 
 And I looked and heard a voice of many angels encircling 
 the throne, and of the Living Creatures and the elders 
 (and their number was ten thousand times ten thoucand 
 and thousands of thousands), saying in a great voice, 
 
 " Worthy is the Lamb that was slain 
 
 To receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength 
 
 And honor and glory and blessing." 
 
 And I heard every created thing that is in heaven or 
 on earth or underneath the earth or on the sea, and all 
 things in them, saying, 
 
 " To him that sits on the throne 
 And to the Lamb, 
 Be blessing and honor 
 And glory and power, 
 Unto the ages of the ages." 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 229 
 
 And the four Living Creatures kept saying " Amen." 
 And the twenty-four elders fell and did homage. 
 
 And I looked when the Lamb opened one of the seven 
 seals, and I heard one of the four Living Creatures saying 
 like a voice of thunder, " Come." 
 
 And I looked, and lo, a white horse, and he that sat 
 on him had a bow, and a crown was given him, and 
 he came forth conquering and to conquer. 
 
 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second 
 Living Creature say, " Come." 
 
 And another horse came forth, red, and to him that 
 sat on him was given power to take peace from the earth, 
 so that men should slay each other, and a great sword 
 was given him. 
 
 And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third 
 Living Creature say, " Come." 
 
 And I looked, and lo, a black horse, and he that sat 
 on it had a balance in his hand. And I heard what 
 seemed like a voice in the midst of the four Living Crea- 
 tures saying, 
 
 " A quart of wheat for a shilling, 
 
 And three quarts of barley for a shilling. 
 
 And do not hurt the oil and wine." 
 
 4 
 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the 
 voice of the fourth Living Creature saying, " Come." 
 
230 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And I looked, and lo, a gray horse, and he that sat on 
 him was named Death, and Hades followed with him. 
 And authority was given him over a fourth part of the 
 earth, to slay with the sword and famine and death, even 
 by the wild beasts of the earth. 
 
 5 
 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw beneath the 
 altar the souls of those who had been slain because of 
 the word of God and the testimony that they had given. 
 And they cried out with a great voice, saying, 
 
 " Till when, O Master, holy and true, 
 Wilt thou not judge and avenge our blood 
 Upon all that are living on the earth? " 
 
 And a white robe was given to each of them, and they 
 were told to wait a short time, until the number of their 
 fellow slaves and brothers, who were also about to be 
 killed Hke themselves, should be complete. 
 
 And I looked when he opened the sixth seal. 
 
 And there was a great earthquake, 
 
 And the sun became black, like sackcloth of hair. 
 
 And the full moon became like blood. 
 
 And the stars of heaven fell to earth. 
 
 Like a fig tree casting its unripe figs when shaken by a 
 
 great wind. 
 And the heaven was opened, like a scroll rolled up, 
 And every mountain and island was removed from its 
 
 place. 
 
 And the kings of the earth, and the great men and the 
 captains and the rich and the strong, and every slave 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 23I 
 
 and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and rocks of 
 the mountains. And they say to the rocks and the moun- 
 tains, 
 
 " Fall upon us, and hide us 
 
 From the face of him that sits on the throne. 
 
 And from the wrath of the Lamb ; 
 
 For the great Day of their Wrath has come. 
 
 And who is able to stand ? " 
 
 After this, I saw four angels standing on the four 
 corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the 
 earth, in order that no wind should blow on the earth or 
 on the sea or on any tree. 
 
 And I saw another angel coming up from the rising 
 of the sun, having a seal of the living God. And he cried 
 with a great voice to the four angels to whom power 
 was given to harm the earth and sea, saying, " Do not 
 harm the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have 
 sealed the slaves of God upon their foreheads." 
 
 And I heard the number of the sealed : a hundred and 
 forty-four thousand M'ere sealed, from every tribe of 
 sons of Israel : 
 
 Sealed from, the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Zebulon, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand. 
 Sealed from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand. 
 
232 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 After these things I looked. 
 
 And lo, a great multitude, whom no one could count. 
 Out of every nation and tribe and people and tongue, 
 Standing before the throne and before the Lamb, 
 Clothed in white robes, and palms in tlieir hands. 
 And they cry with a great voice, saying, 
 
 " Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, 
 And to the Lamb." 
 
 And all the angels stood encircling the throne and the 
 elders and the four Living Creatures; and they fell be- 
 fore the throne upon their faces and did homage to 
 God, saying, 
 
 " Amen : blessing and glory and wisdom 
 
 And thanksgiving and honor and power and strength 
 
 Be to our God, 
 
 Unto the ages of the ages. Amen." 
 
 And one of the elders spoke to me, saying, " Who are 
 these clothed in white robes, and whence have they 
 come ? " And I said to him, " Sir, you know." And he 
 said, 
 
 " These are they who have come out of the Great Per- 
 secution ; 
 
 And they washed their robes 
 
 And made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 
 
 Therefore they are before the throne of God, 
 
 And serve him day and night in his temple ; 
 
 And he that sits on the throne will spread his tent over 
 them. 
 
 They hunger no more, 
 
 Nor thirst any more, 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 22iZ 
 
 Nor does the sun fall on them, 
 
 Nor any heat; 
 
 Because the Lamb in the midst of* the throne will 
 
 shepherd them, 
 And will lead them to fountains of waters of life, 
 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." 
 
 7 
 
 And when he opened the seventh seal, silence reigned 
 in heaven about half an hour.' 
 
 Ill 
 
 THE VISION OF THE SEVEN TRUMPETS 
 
 And I saw the seven angels that stand before God, 
 and seven trumpets were given them. 
 
 And another angel came and stood before the altar, 
 having a golden censer. And much incense was given 
 him, to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the 
 golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the 
 incense went up with the prayers of the saints, from the 
 hand of the angel before God. And the angel took the 
 censer and filled it from the fire of the altar and cast it 
 on the earth, and thunders and voices and lightnings 
 and an earthquake followed. And the seven angels that 
 had the seven trumpets made themselves ready to blow 
 their trumpets. 
 
 And the first blew his trumpet. 
 
 And there followed hail and fire mingled with blood. 
 
 And it fell on the earth. 
 
 ^ According to Fouard, this means " that a silence, an unspeakable peace, 
 shall succeed the world's troubles." — Tr. 
 
234 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And a third part of the earth was burned up, 
 And a third of the trees was burned up, 
 And all green grass was burned up. 
 
 And the second angel blew his trumpet, 
 
 And something like a great volcano was cast into the 
 
 sea; 
 And a third of the sea became blood, 
 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died. 
 And a third of the vessels were destroyed. 
 
 3 
 
 And the third angel blew his trumpet, 
 
 And a great star, burning like a torch, fell from heaven 
 
 And it fell on a third of the rivers and on the fountains 
 
 of waters. 
 And the name of the star is Wormwood,* 
 And a third of the waters became wormwood, 
 And many men died in consequence of the waters, for 
 
 they were embittered. 
 
 4 
 
 And the fourth angel blew his trumpet. 
 
 And a third of the sun was smitten, 
 
 And a third of the moon and a third of the stars, 
 
 In order that a third of them might be darkened 
 
 And the day might not be lighted for a third of it, 
 
 And the night likewise. 
 
 And I looked, and I heard a single eagle flying in mid- 
 heaven, saying with a loud voice, 
 
 * Worrrfwood is used by the prophets as a symbol of divine chastisements; 
 Jer. 9 : 15; Amos s : 7. — Tr. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 235 
 
 " Woe, Woe, Woe, 
 To those that dwell on the earth, 
 In consequence of the remaining voices of the trumpet, 
 Of the three angels who are about to blow their 
 trumpets." 
 
 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet. 
 
 And I saw a star fallen out of heaven upon the earth ; 
 
 And the key of the pit of the abyss was given him. 
 
 And he opened the pit of the abyss. 
 
 And a smoke went up from the pit like the smoke of a 
 
 great furnace ; 
 And the sun and air were darkened by the smoke of the 
 
 pit. 
 And locusts came out of the smoke upon the earth, 
 And power like that of scorpions was given them on 
 
 earth. 
 Yet they were commanded not to injure the grass of the 
 
 earth, 
 Nor any green thing, nor any tree. 
 But only such men as did not have God's seal on their 
 
 foreheads. 
 And they were given power, not to kill them, but to tor- 
 ture them for five months. 
 And their torture was like the torture of a scorpion when 
 
 it stings a man. 
 And in those days men will seek death and will by no 
 
 means find it. 
 And will long to die, yet death will flee from them. 
 And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared 
 
 for battle, 
 And they had on their heads something like crowns of 
 
 gold, 
 And their faces were like men's faces. 
 
236 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And they had hair like women's hair, 
 
 And their teeth were hke hons'. 
 
 And they had breastplates like iron breastplates, 
 
 And the sound of their wings was like the sound of 
 
 chariots drawn by many horses, rushing into battle. 
 And they have tails like scorpions, and stings. 
 And their power to torture men for five months is in their 
 
 tails. 
 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss ; 
 His name in Hebrew is Abaddon,^ 
 And in Greek he is called Apollyon. 
 
 The first Woe has passed ; 
 
 Lo, there are yet two Woes to follow ! 
 
 And the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a 
 single voice from the horns of the altar of gold that is 
 before God, saying to the sixth angel, who had the 
 trumpet, 
 
 " Set free the four angels who are bound by the great 
 river Euphrates." ^° 
 
 And the four angels, who had been made ready for the 
 hour and day and month and year, were set free to slay 
 a third of mankind. And the number of bands of horse- 
 men was twice ten thousand times ten thousand — I heard 
 their number. 
 
 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those sitting 
 
 on them: 
 They had fiery breastplates, dark-red and sulphurous; 
 And the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, 
 
 B Abaddon in Hebrew tradition (Talmud) is the chief of seven destroying 
 angels. — Tr. 
 
 w As who should say, " at the end of the world," restrained there till the 
 hour of God's wrath should come. — Tr. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 237 
 
 And fire and smoke and brimstone were going out of their 
 
 mouth. 
 By these three plagues a third of mankind were killed, 
 In consequence of the fire and smoke and brimstone that 
 
 went out of their mouths. 
 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their 
 
 tails ; 
 For their tails were like serpents, and with them they do 
 
 injury. 
 
 And the rest of mankind, who were not slain by these 
 plagues, did not turn away from the works of their hands, 
 so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and 
 silver and bronze and stone and wood, that can neither 
 see nor hear nor walk about. And they did not turn 
 away from their murders nor their sorceries nor their 
 licentiousness nor their thefts. 
 
 And I saw another strong angel coming down from 
 
 heaven, 
 Clothed in a cloud, and the rainbow on his head, 
 And his face like the sun and his legs like pillars of fire. 
 And he had in his hand a small roll opened. 
 And he set his right foot on the sea and his left upon 
 
 the land. 
 And cried with a great voice, as a lion roars. 
 And when he cried the seven thunders uttered their own 
 
 voices. 
 And when the seven thunders spoke I was about to write ; 
 And I heard a voice out of heaven saying, 
 
 " Seal up the things that the seven thunders spoke, 
 And do not write them." 
 
 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and earth, 
 Lifted his right hand to heaven and swore 
 
238 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 By him who lives to the ages of the ages, 
 
 Who created the heaven and all things in it, 
 
 And the land and all that is in it, 
 
 And the sea and all that is in it, 
 
 That there will be no more delay. 
 
 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when 
 
 he is about to sound. 
 The hidden purpose of God will be accomplished, 
 As he gave glad tidings to his slaves, the prophets. 
 
 And the voice that I heard out of heaven again spoke 
 to me and said, " Come and take the roll that is opened 
 in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and 
 land." And I went away to the angel asking him to 
 give me the small roll. And he says to me, 
 
 " Take it and eat it ; 
 
 It will make your soul bitter, 
 
 But in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." 
 
 And I took the little roll from the hand of the angel and 
 ate it up; and it was sweet as honey in my mouth, yet 
 when I had eaten it my soul was embittered. And they 
 say to me, 
 
 " You must speak again as a prophet. 
 Concerning many people and nations and tongues and 
 kings." 
 
 And a rod was given me, like a staff, and some one said, 
 " Come and measure the temple of God and the altar 
 and those that worship there. And leave out the court 
 that is outside the temple, and do not measure it, because 
 it was given to the nations and they will tread down the 
 holy city forty-two months. And I will give to my two 
 witnesses, and they will prophesy a thousand two hun- 
 dred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 239 
 
 These two witnesses are symbolized by the two oUve 
 trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord 
 of the earth. And if any one wishes to injure them, fire 
 goes forth out of their mouth and devours their enemies ; 
 and if any one shall wish to injure them it is fitting that 
 he should be slain thus. These have authority to shut 
 heaven, so that it may not rain during the days of their 
 prophecy; and they have authority over the waters, to 
 turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every 
 sort of plague, as often as they may wish. 
 
 And when they have finished their testimony, the 
 Beast that comes up from the abyss will make war upon 
 them, and will conquer them and will kill them. And 
 their corpses will be upon the streets of the Great City.^^ 
 And some of the people and tribes and tongues and 
 nations look on their corpses three days and a half, and 
 do not let their corpses be put in a tomb. And they that 
 dwell on the earth rejoice over them and make merry 
 and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets 
 tortured those that dwell on the earth. And after the 
 three days and a half a breath of life from God came 
 into them and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell 
 upon those who beheld them. And in that hour there 
 was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. And 
 seven thousand people were killed in that earthquake ; 
 and the rest became afraid, and gave glory to the God of 
 heaven. 
 
 The second Woe has passed ; 
 
 Lo, the third Woe is coming quickly. 
 
 And the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and great 
 voices followed in heaven, saying, 
 
 ^ Whose spiritual name is Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also 
 crucified. 
 
i^d THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 " The kingdom of the world has become 
 The kingdom of our Lord, and his Anointed, 
 And he will reign to the ages of the ages." 
 
 And the twenty- four elders, who sit on their thrones 
 before God, fell on their faces and did homage to God, 
 
 saying, 
 
 " We give thanks to thee, Lord God, Ruler of all. 
 
 Who art and who wast, 
 
 Because thou hast taken thy great power and didst 
 
 reign. 
 And the nations were enraged, 
 And thy wrath came. 
 And the time of the dead to be judged, 
 And to give the reward to thy slaves, 
 To the prophets and the saints and those who fear thy 
 
 name. 
 The small and the great ; 
 And to destroy those that destroy the earth." 
 
 IV 
 
 THE VISION OF THE KINGDOM 
 
 And God's temple (the one in heaven) was opened. 
 
 And the ark of his covenant was seen in heaven ; 
 
 And lightnings followed, and voices and thunders 
 
 And an earthquake and a great hail-storm. 
 
 And a great sign was seen in heaven, 
 
 AAVoman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her 
 
 feet. 
 And a crown of twelve stars on her head. 
 And she was pregnant, and cried out in the agony of 
 
 childbirth. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 24I 
 
 And another sign was seen in heaven ; 
 
 And lo, a great fiery Dragon, with seven heads and ten 
 
 horns, 
 And seven diadems upon the heads. 
 And his tail drags a third of the stars of heaven, and 
 
 casts them on the earth. 
 And the Dragon stood before the Woman as she was 
 
 about to bring forth. 
 In order that when she brought forth he might devour 
 
 her child. 
 And she brought forth a son, a man-child, 
 Who is about to shepherd the nations with a rod of iron ; 
 And her child was caught uj) to God and to his throne. 
 But the Woman fled into the wilderness, 
 Where she had a place prepared by God, 
 That they may nourish her there a thousand two hundred 
 
 and sixty days. 
 
 And a battle took place in heaven, Michael and his 
 angels fighting with the Dragon ; and the Dragon and his 
 angels fought, but he did not conquer, nor was a place 
 longer found for them in heaven. And the great Dragon 
 was cast down — the Old Serpent, who is called Devil 
 and Satan, who deceives the whole habitable earth; he 
 was cast down on the earth, and his angels were cast 
 down along with him. And I heard a great voice in 
 heaven saying, 
 
 " Now has become the salvation 
 And the power and the kingdom of our God, 
 And the authority of his Anointed ; 
 For the accuser of our brothers is cast down — 
 And they conquered him because of the blood of the 
 Lamb, 
 
 Q 
 
242 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And because of the word of their testimony; 
 And they loved not their life, even to death. 
 
 " Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and they that dwell in 
 
 them ; 
 Woe to the earth and the sea ! 
 
 For the Devil has gone down to you in great wrath, 
 Knowing that he has [only] a little time." 
 
 3 
 
 And when the Dragon saw that he was cast down 
 to earth, he persectitecrThe Woman that brought forth 
 the man-child. And the two wings of the great eagle 
 were given to the Woman that she might fly into the 
 wilderness to her place, where she is nourished from the 
 Serpent's face, for a time and times and half a time. 
 And the Serpent poured water from his mouth like a river 
 after the Woman, that she might be swept away by 
 the river. And the earth gave aid to the Woman; and 
 the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river that 
 the Dragon poured out of his mouth. And the Dragon 
 was angry at the Woman, and went away to make war 
 on the rest of her children — those who keep the command- 
 ments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. 
 
 4 
 And he stood on the sand of the sea; and I saw a 
 Beast coming up out of the sea, with ten horns and 
 seven heads, and seven diadems on his heads. And the 
 Beast that I saw was like a leopard, but his feet were 
 like a bear's and his mouth was like a lion's mouth ; and 
 the Dragon gave him his power and his throne and great 
 authority. And [I saw] one of his heads, [and it ap- 
 peared] as if smitten unto death; and its death-stroke 
 
A NEW translation: apocalypse 243 
 
 was healed, and the whole world wondered over the 
 Beast. And they did homage to the Dragon, because he 
 gave authority to the Beast, saying, 
 
 " Who is like the Beast, 
 
 And who can make war on him ? " 
 
 And a mouth was given him that spoke great things and 
 blasphemies. And authority was given him to work 
 forty-two months. And he opened his mouth in blas- 
 phemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his 
 Tabernacle, those who tabernacle in heaven. And [au- 
 thority] was given him to make war on the saints and 
 conquer them; and authority was given him over every 
 tribe and people and tongue and nation. And all that 
 dwell on the earth will do homage to him — [every one] 
 whose name was not written in the Book of Life of the 
 Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. 
 
 If any one has an ear, let him hear. 
 
 If any one is for captivity, to captivity he goes ; 
 
 If any one shall kill with the sword, with the sword he 
 
 must be killed. 
 Here is the endurance and the trust of the saints. 
 
 5 
 
 And I saw another Beast coming up out of the earth. 
 
 And he had two horns like a lamb 
 
 But he was a destroyer like the Dragon. 
 
 And he exercises all the authority of the first Beast 
 before his face, and makes the earth and those dwelling 
 in it pay homage to the first Beast, whose death-stroke 
 was healed. And he does great signs, so that he even 
 makes fire come down from heaven in the sight of men. 
 
244 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And he deceives those that dwell on the earth, because 
 of the signs that he is given power to do before the 
 Beast, telling those that dwell on the earth to make an 
 image to the Beast that had the sword-stroke, yet lived. 
 And power was given him to give breath to the Beast's 
 image, that the Beast's image should both talk and should 
 cause as many as did not pay homage to the image and 
 the Beast to be killed. And all, the small and the great, 
 the rich and the beggared, the freemen and the slaves, 
 he causes to be branded on their right hands, or on 
 their foreheads, so that no one should buy or sell unless 
 he has the brand, the Beast's name or the number [in- 
 dicated by the letters] of his name. 
 
 Here is wisdom. 
 
 Let him that has an understanding reckon the 
 
 Beast's number. 
 For it is a man's number, 
 And its number is 666. 
 
 And I looked, and lo, the Lamb standing on the mount 
 Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand 
 that had his name and his Father's name written on 
 their foreheads. And I heard a sound out of heaven like 
 the sound of many waters and like the sound of many 
 thunders. And the sound that I heard [was] like harpers 
 harping with their harps. And they sing [what seems] 
 like a new song before the throne and before the four 
 Living Creatures and the elders; and no one can learn 
 the song, except the one hundred and forty-four thousand, 
 who had been purchased from the earth. 
 
 These are they that have not defiled themselves with 
 women, for they are virgins. These are they that follow 
 the Lamb, wheresoever he goes. These were purchased 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 245 
 
 from men, as first-fruits to God and to the Lamb. And 
 no lie was found in their mouth — they are spotless. 
 
 And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, who 
 had eternal glad tidings to proclaim to those that dwell on 
 the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and 
 people, saying in a great voice, 
 
 *' Fear God and give him glory, 
 
 For the hour of his judgment has come. 
 
 And pay homage to him that made the heaven, 
 
 And the earth and sea and fountains of waters." 
 
 Then a second angel followed, saying, 
 
 " Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great, 
 Who of the wine of her licentious frenzy has made all 
 the nations drink." 
 
 Then a third angel followed, saying in a great voice, 
 
 " If any one does homage to the Beast and his image. 
 And receives a brand on his forehead or in his hand, 
 He also will drink of the wine of God's wrath 
 That has been poured unmixed in the cup of his wrath, 
 And will be tormented with fire and brimstone 
 Before angels and saints and before the Lamb." 
 
 And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and 
 
 ever. 
 And they have no rest day or night — 
 Those that bow down to the Beast and his image, 
 Or any one that receives the brand of his name. 
 Here is the endurance of the saints, 
 Who keep the commandments of God and the faith of 
 
 Jesus. 
 
 And I heard a voice out of heaven, saying, " Write, 
 
246 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 ' Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, 
 From henceforth, Yea, says the Spirit. 
 That they may rest from their labors, 
 For their works follow with them.' " 
 
 7 
 
 And I looked, and lo, a white cloud 
 
 And one that sat on the cloud like a son of man, 
 
 Having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a 
 
 sharp sickle. 
 And another angel came forth out of the temple 
 Crying with a great voice to him that sat on the cloud, 
 
 " Send your sickle and harvest, 
 For the time to harvest has come, 
 For the harvest of the earth is ripe." 
 
 And he that sat on the cloud threw his sickle on the 
 
 earth. 
 And the earth was harvested. 
 
 And another angel came forth out of the temple, 
 And he also had a sharp sickle. 
 And another angel came forth from the altar, 
 The one that has authority over the fire. 
 And he called with a great voice to the angel that had 
 the sharp sickle, saying, 
 
 " Send your sharp sickle 
 
 And gather the [clusters of the] vine of the earth, 
 
 For its grapes are fully ripe." 
 
 And the angel threw his sickle on the earth 
 And gathered the clusters of the vine of the earth, 
 And threw them into the great wine-press of God's 
 wrath. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 247 
 
 And the wine-press was trodden outside the city, 
 And blood came forth from the wine-press up to the 
 
 horses' bridles, 
 As far as a thousand six hundred furlongs. 
 
 THE VISION OF THE SEVEN BOWLS 
 
 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and wonderful : 
 seven angels, that had seven plagues, the last, because in 
 them God's wrath was accomplished. 
 
 And I saw [what appeared] like a crystal sea mingled 
 with fire, and those who were victors over the Beast and 
 the image and the number of his name were standing by 
 the crystal sea, having harps of God. And they sing the 
 song of Moses, the slave of God, and the song of the 
 Lamb, saying, 
 
 " Great and wonderful are thy works, O Lord God, 
 
 Ruler of all ; 
 Righteous and true are thy ways, O King of the nations. 
 Who will not fear thee, O Lord, 
 And glorify thy name? 
 For thou only art holy ; 
 For all the nations will come and prostrate themselves 
 
 before thee, 
 Because thy righteous acts are made evident." 
 
 And after these things I saw, and the temple of the 
 tabernacle of the testimony was opened in heaven. And 
 the seven angels came forth out of the temple (they that 
 have the seven plagues) clothed in clean white linen, 
 and girt about the breasts with golden girdles. And one 
 of the four Living Creatures gave to the angels seven 
 
248 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives for 
 age after age. And the temple was filled with smoke 
 from the glory of God and from his power; and no one 
 could enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the 
 angels were accomplished. And I heard a great voice out 
 of the temple saying to the seven angels, 
 
 " Go, and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of 
 God's wrath." 
 
 I 
 And the first went and poured out his bowl on the 
 earth, and a foul and virulent ulcer fell upon the men 
 that have the brand of the Beast, and those that bow 
 down to his image. 
 
 2 
 
 And the second poured out his bowl on the sea, and 
 it turned to blood, as of a dead man, and every living 
 being that was in the sea died. 
 
 3 
 
 And the third poured out his bowl on the rivers and 
 fountains of waters, and they turned to blood. And I 
 heard the angel of the waters saying, 
 
 " Righteous art thou, who art, and who wast, the Holy 
 
 One, 
 Because thou hast inflicted this judgment ; 
 For they have poured out blood of saints and prophets, 
 And thou hast given them blood to drink. 
 They are worthy." 
 
 And I heard one saying from the altar, 
 
 " Yea, Lord God, Ruler of all, 
 
 True and righteous are thy judgments." 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION I APOCALYPSE 249 
 
 4 
 
 And the fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, 
 
 And power was given it to scorch men with fire. 
 
 And men were scorched with a great scorching, 
 
 And they blasphemed the name of God, 
 
 Who has authority over these plagues ; 
 
 Yet they did not turn about and give him honor. 
 
 5 
 
 And the fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of 
 
 the Beast, 
 And his kingdom became darkened. 
 And men gnawed their tongues for pain, 
 Yet they did not turn from their deeds. 
 
 And the sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, 
 the Euphrates, and its water was dried up, in order that 
 the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be 
 made ready. And I saw three impure spirits like frogs 
 come out of the Dragon's mouth and the Beast's mouth 
 and the false prophet's mouth; for they are spirits of 
 demons, working signs, that go forth to the kings of the 
 habitable earth, to gather them for the battle of the great 
 day of God, Ruler of all. 
 
 Lo, I come like a thief. 
 
 Happy he that watches and keeps his garments, 
 That he may not walk naked while [men] gase on his 
 shame}^ 
 
 '^ One is half inclined for once to agree with those critics who blame the 
 " redactor '' for everything they cannot explain. This poetic fragment is 
 evidently out of place, since it is a violent interruption of a narrative pas- 
 sage, and it is quite uncertain where it does belong — possibly among the 
 words of Jesus, in the Epilogue. But, in that case, how did it ever get 
 here ? — Tr. 
 
250 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And they gathered them to the place whose Hebrew name 
 is Har-Magedon. 
 
 7 
 
 And the seventh poured out his bowl on the air, and a 
 great voice came out of the temple, from the throne, say- 
 ing, " It is done." And lightnings and voices and thunders 
 followed, and a great earthquake, such as has not oc- 
 curred since man was on the earth, so great an earth- 
 quake ! And the great city was divided into three parts, 
 and the cities of the nations fell, and Babylon the Great 
 was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the 
 wine of the fierceness of his wrath; and every island 
 fled, and mountains were not found ; and a great hail, like 
 a talent [in weight] comes down out of heaven on men. 
 And men blasphemed God for the plague of hail, because 
 the plague of it is exceedingly great. 
 
 And one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls 
 came and spoke to me, saying, 
 
 " Hither ! I will show you the judgment of the great 
 Harlot that sits on many waters, with whom the kings 
 of the earth have committed fornication, and those that 
 inhabit the earth have been made drunk with the wine of 
 her harlotry." 
 
 And he carried me away in the spirit to a wilderness, 
 and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, with seven 
 heads and ten horns, covered with blasphemous names. 
 And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and 
 girt with gold and precious stone and pearls, and had a 
 golden cup in her hand filled with abominable things 
 and the impurities of her harlotry. And a name was 
 written on her forehead — a mystery — 
 
 BABYLON THE GREAT, 
 
 THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS 
 
 AND ABOMINABLE THINGS OF THE EARTH. 
 
A NEW translation: apocalypse 251 
 
 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the 
 saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, and I won- 
 dered when I saw her, with a great wonder. And the 
 angel said to me, 
 
 " Why did you wonder? I will show you the mystery 
 of the woman and of the beast that carries her — the one 
 that has seven heads and ten horns. The beast that you 
 saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the 
 abyss and go to destruction. And those that dwell on 
 the earth will wonder — [those] whose names are not 
 written in the roll of life from the foundation of the 
 world — when they see the beast that he was and is not 
 and will come. 
 
 " Here is the mind that has wisdom : The seven heads 
 are seven hills on which the woman sits; and they are 
 seven kings — five have fallen, one is, the other has not 
 yet come; and when he comes he must remain a short 
 time. And the beast that was and is not is himself also 
 an eighth, though he is one of the seven and goes to 
 destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten 
 kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but receive 
 authority as kings for one hour along with the beast. 
 These have one mind, and they give their power and 
 authority to the beast. 
 
 " These will make war on the Lamb, 
 
 And the Lamb will conquer them, 
 
 Because he is Lord of Lords 
 
 And King of Kings, 
 
 And those with him are called and chosen and faithful. 
 
 " The waters that you saw," he says to me, " on which 
 the Harlot sits, are people and crowds and nations and 
 tongues. And the ten horns that you saw and the beast — 
 these will hate the Harlot and will make her deserted and 
 
252 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 naked, and will eat her flesh, and will burn her up with 
 fire. For God put it into their hearts to execute his 
 purpose, even to execute a single purpose, and to give 
 the kingdom to the beast, until God's words shall be ac- 
 complished. And the woman whom you saw is the 
 great city, that has a kingdom over all the kingdoms of 
 the earth." 
 
 After these things I saw another angel coming down 
 out of heaven, having great authority ; and the earth was 
 illumined with his splendor. And he cried out in a 
 mighty voice, saying, 
 
 " Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great, 
 
 And become a dwelling-place of demons. 
 
 And a prison of every foul spirit, 
 
 And a prison of every foul and hateful bird. 
 
 Because by the wine of her licentious frenzy all the 
 
 nations have fallen, 
 And the kings of the earth have committed fornication 
 
 with her, 
 And the merchants of the earth have become rich by 
 
 the power of her luxury." 
 
 And I heard another voice, saying, 
 
 " Come out of her, my people, that ye have no fellow- 
 ship with her sins, 
 
 And that ye receive not of her plagues ; 
 
 Because her sins clave together to the very heaven, 
 
 And God has remembered her iniquities. 
 
 Recompense her as she recompensed you, 
 
 And repay her in double measure according to her 
 deeds ; 
 
 In the cup that she mixed, mix a double portion for 
 her; 
 
 By as much as she glorified herself and lived in luxury, 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 253 
 
 By SO much give her torment and mourning; 
 For in her heart she says, ' A queen I sit, 
 And am no widow, and shall by no means see mourn- 
 ing.' 
 Therefore in a single day her plagues will come, 
 Death and mourning and famine, 
 And she will be burned up in the fire. 
 Because mighty is the Lord God who judged her. 
 
 " And weep and wail with her shall the kings of the 
 
 earth, 
 They that committed fornication with her and lived in 
 
 luxury, 
 When they see the smoke of her burning; 
 Standing afar through fear of her torment, saying, 
 
 *Woe, woe, the great city, 
 
 Babylon, the mighty city. 
 
 For in a single hour thy judgment has come! ' 
 
 " And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over 
 
 her, 
 Because no one buys their merchandise any longer, 
 Merchandise of gold and silver and precious stone and 
 
 pearls, 
 And fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet. 
 And all citron- wood and vessels of ivory and of rare 
 
 wood and brass and iron and marble, 
 And cinnamon and amomon and odors and myrrh and 
 
 frankincense, 
 And wine and oil and fine flour and wheat. 
 And cattle and sheep and horses and chariots. 
 And bodies and souls of men. 
 And the ripe fruit of thy soul's desire departed from 
 
 thee. 
 
254 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And they will no longer find them at all. 
 The dealers in these things, who became rich from her, 
 Will stand afar through fear of her torment, weeping 
 and wailing, saying, 
 
 * Woe, woe, the great city, 
 
 She that was clothed in fine linen and purple and 
 scarlet, 
 
 And was gilded with gold and precious stone and 
 pearl. 
 
 For in a single hour so great riches are made deso- 
 late!'" 
 
 And every ship's captain, and every one that sails to 
 any place, and sailors and as many as labor on the sea, 
 stooa afar and cried out when they saw the smoke of her 
 burning, saying, 
 
 " What city is like the great city ? " 
 
 And they threw dust on their heads and cried out weep- 
 ing and mourning, saying, 
 
 " Woe, woe, the great city, 
 
 In which all that have the ships in the sea became rich 
 
 by her costliness. 
 For in a single hour she is made desolate ! " 
 
 Rejoice over her, O heaven, 
 
 And ye saints and prophets and apostles, 
 
 For God has judged your judgment on her. 
 
 And a single mighty angel took a stone like a great 
 millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, 
 
 " Thus, with violence, will Babylon the great city be 
 
 thrown down, 
 And will be found no more at all. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 255 
 
 And sound of harps and musicians and flute-players 
 
 and trumpeters will be heard in thee no more at all. 
 And no craftsman of whatever craft will longer be 
 
 found in thee. 
 And sound of mill will no longer be heard at all ; 
 And light of lamp will by no means be seen in thee 
 
 any more. 
 And voice of bridegroom and bride will no longer 
 
 be heard in thee, 
 For thy merchants were the greatest of the earth, 
 For by thy sorcery all the nations were led astray." 
 [And in her was found blood of prophets and saints, 
 And of all that have been slain on the earth.] ^^ 
 
 VI 
 
 THE VISION OF JUDGMENT 
 
 After these things I heard [what sounded] like a 
 great voice of a numerous throng in heaven, saying, 
 
 " Hallelujah ! 
 
 Salvation and glory and power are our God's, 
 
 Because true and righteous are his judgments. 
 
 For he judged the great Harlot 
 
 Who corrupted the earth with her harlotry. 
 
 And avenged the blood of his slaves at her hand." 
 
 And a second time they said, 
 
 "Hallelujah! 
 
 And her smoke goes up for age after age." 
 
 ** The lines in brackets appear to be either an interpolation by a later 
 hand, or an afterthought of the author, clumsily worked into his completed 
 MS.— 7V. 
 
256 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And the twenty-four elders and the four Living 
 Creatures also did homage to God who sat on the throne, 
 saying, 
 
 "Amen, Hallelujah!" 
 
 And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, 
 
 " Praise our God, all his slaves, 
 
 Those that fear him, small and great." 
 
 And I heard [what sounded] like a voice of a numerous 
 throng, or like the sound of many waters, or like the 
 sound of mighty thunders, saying, 
 
 "Hallelujah! 
 
 Because the Lord our God, Ruler of all, has become 
 
 King! 
 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, 
 For the marriage of the Lamb has come 
 And his Wife has made herself ready. 
 And it was given her to be clothed in fine linen, white, 
 
 clean. 
 For the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints." 
 
 And he says to me, " Write : 
 
 ' Happy are they that are invited to the marriage supper 
 of the Lamb.' " 
 
 And he says to me, 
 
 " These are true words of God." 
 
 And I fell before his feet to do homage to him, but he 
 says to me, 
 
 " Beware ! Not so ! 
 
 I am fellow servant of you 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 257 
 
 And your brothers that have the testimony of Jesus. 
 
 Do homage to God ; 
 
 For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 
 
 2 
 
 And I saw heaven opened, 
 
 And lo, a white horse 
 
 And he that sat on him, called Faithful and True; 
 
 And he judges and wages war in righteousness. 
 
 And his eyes are a flame of fire. 
 
 And many diadems are on his head. 
 
 He has a name written that none but himself knows. 
 
 And he is clothed in a cloak dipped in blood, 
 
 And the name by which he is called is, the word of 
 
 GOD. 
 
 And the armies that are in heaven follow him, on white 
 
 horses, 
 Clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 
 And a sharp sword goes out of his mouth, that with 
 
 it he may smite the nations, 
 And he will himself shepherd them with an iron stafif, 
 And he himself treads the wine-press of the fierce 
 
 wrath of God, the Ruler of all. 
 And he has his name written on his cloak and on his 
 
 thigh, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 
 
 3 
 
 And I saw a single angel standing in the sun. 
 
 And he called with a great voice. 
 
 Saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven : 
 
 " Hither ! Be gathered together unto the great feast of 
 
 God, 
 To eat the flesh of kings and flesh of captains and flesh 
 of mighty men, 
 B 
 
258 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And flesh of horses and of those that sit on them, 
 And flesh of all, both freemen and slaves, and small 
 and great." 
 
 4 
 
 And I saw the Beast and the kings of the earth and their 
 armies gathered together to wage war on him that sat 
 on the horse and on his army. And the Beast was seized, 
 and along with him the false prophet who did the signs 
 before him, with which he led astray those that received 
 the Beast's brand and those that prostrated themselves 
 before his image. The two were cast alive into the Lake 
 of Fire that burns with brimstone. And the rest were 
 killed by the sword of him that sits on the horse — 
 the sword that went forth out of his mouth. And all the 
 birds were filled with their flesh. 
 
 5 
 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, hav- 
 ing the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 
 And he laid hold of the Dragon, the ancient Serpent, 
 who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thou- 
 sand years; and cast him into the abyss and closed it 
 and sealed it over him, that he should lead the nations 
 astray no longer, until the thousand years are completed. 
 After this he must be released for a short time. 
 
 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and authority 
 to judge was given them. And [I saw] the souls of 
 those that had been beheaded because of the testimony 
 of Jesus and the word of God, and whosoever did 
 not pay homage to the Beast nor his image; and they 
 lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 259 
 
 rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years were 
 completed. 
 
 This is the first Resurrection. 
 
 Happy and holy he that has part in the first Resurrec- 
 tion ! 
 Over these the Second Death has no power. 
 But they will be priests of God and of Christ 
 And will reign with him for a thousand years. 
 
 And when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be 
 released from his prison. And he will go forth to lead 
 astray the nations that are in the four corners of the 
 earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for 
 the war, whose number is as the sand of the sea. And 
 they went up on the breadth of the earth, and encircled 
 the camp of the saints and the beloved city; and fire 
 came down out of heaven and devoured them. And the 
 Devil who led them astray was cast into the Lake of 
 Fire and Brimstone, where the Beast and the false 
 prophet were also. And they will be tortured day and 
 night for age after age. 
 
 7 
 And I saw a great white throne 
 And him that sat on it, 
 
 From whose face the earth and the heaven fled 
 And no place was found for them. 
 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing 
 
 before the throne. 
 And books were opened. 
 And another book was opened which is [the Book] 
 
 of Life. 
 And the dead were judged out of the things that had 
 
 been written in the books. 
 
26o THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 According to their deeds. 
 
 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, 
 
 And Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in 
 
 them ; 
 And each one was judged according to his deeds. 
 And Death and Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire. 
 This is the Second Death — the Lake of Fire. 
 And if any one was found not written in the Book of 
 
 Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire. 
 
 VII 
 THE VISION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 
 
 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. 
 
 For the first heaven and the first earth passed away, 
 
 And the sea is no more. 
 
 And I saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down 
 
 out of heaven from God, 
 Made ready like a bride adorned for her husband. 
 And I heard a great voice from the throne saying, 
 
 " Lo, the Tabernacle of God is with men. 
 
 And he will tent with them, and they will be his people, 
 
 And God himself will be with them. 
 
 And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 
 
 And Death will be no more, 
 
 Neither will mourning nor crying nor pain be any more. 
 
 Because the first things are passed away." 
 
 And he that sat on the throne said, 
 
 " Behold, I make all things new." 
 
 And he said, 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 261 
 
 " Write, because these things are trustworthy and 
 true." 
 
 And he added : 
 
 " They have come to pass. 
 
 I am the Alpha and the Omega, 
 
 The Beginning and the End. 
 
 To him that thirsts I will freely give of the fountain 
 
 of the Water of Life. 
 He that is victor will inherit these things. 
 And I will be to him God, and he will be a son to me. 
 But as for the cowards and unbelieving and defiled, 
 And murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and 
 
 idolaters and all liars, 
 Their part will be in the Lake that burns with fire and 
 
 brimstone, 
 "VMiich is the Second Death." 
 
 And there came to me one of the seven angels that had 
 the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, and 
 talked with me, saying, " Come hither, I will show you 
 the bride, the Lamb's wife." And he brought me in the 
 spirit to a mountain, great and high, and he showed me 
 the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven 
 from God, having the glory of God^ — ^her brightness 
 was like that of a very precious stone, like a jasper-stone, 
 transparent as crystal. The City had a wall, great and 
 high, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, 
 and names written on them — the names of the twelve 
 tribes of the sons of Israel. On the east were three 
 gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south 
 three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall 
 of the City had twelve foundation-stones, and on them 
 the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 
 
 And he that talked with me had a golden reed as a 
 
262 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 measure, to measure the City and its gates and its wall. 
 And the City lies square, and its length is equal to its 
 breadth. And he measured the City with the reed, twelve 
 thousand furlongs. The length and breadth and height 
 of it are equal. And he measured its wall, two hundred 
 and sixteen feet, man's measure, which is [the same as] 
 an angel's. And the material of its wall is jasper, and 
 the City is pure gold, like pure glass. The foundations of 
 the City's wall are adorned with every precious stone. 
 The first foundation-stone was jasper, the second sap- 
 phire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth 
 sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the 
 eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysophrase, the 
 eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve 
 gates were twelve pearls, each several gate was of a 
 single pearl. And the City's street was pure gold, like 
 transparent glass. 
 
 And I saw no Temple in it, 
 
 For the Lord God, the Ruler of all, is its Temple, and 
 
 the Lamb. 
 And the City has no need of the sun. 
 Nor of the moon to light it. 
 
 For God's glory lighted it and the Lamb is its lamp. 
 And the nations will walk by its light, 
 And the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 
 And its gates will not be shut at all by day 
 (For there is no night there). 
 And they will bring the glory and the honor of the 
 
 nations into it. 
 And there will by no means come into it anything 
 
 common, 
 Or that which works defilement and lying, 
 Only those that are written in the Lamb's Book of 
 
 Life. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 263 
 
 And he showed me a river of Water of Life, bright as 
 crystal, going forth from the throne of God and the 
 Lamb. In the midst of its street, and on each side of 
 the river, was a Tree of Life, bearing twelve fruits, yield- 
 ing its fruit every month. 
 
 And the leaves of the Tree are for the healing of the 
 
 nations, 
 And there will no longer be any curse. 
 And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, 
 And his slaves will serve him and will see his face. 
 And his name will be in their foreheads. 
 And there will be no more night ; 
 And they will need no lamplight or sunlight. 
 Because the Lord God lights them. 
 And they will reign for age after age. 
 
 EPILOGUE 
 
 And he said to me, " These words are worthy of trust 
 and true; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the 
 prophets, has sent his angel to tell to his slaves the 
 things that must soon come to pass. And behold I am 
 coming quickly; happy is he that attends to the words 
 of the prophecy of this book." 
 
 And I, John, am he that heard and saw these things. 
 And when I heard and saw, I fell down to do homage at 
 the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And 
 he says to me, 
 
 " Beware ! Not so ! 
 
 I am fellow slave of you and your brothers the 
 
 prophets, 
 And of those that attend carefully to the words of this 
 
 book; 
 Do homage to God." 
 
264 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And he added : 
 
 " Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book ; 
 
 For the crisis is at hand. 
 
 He that is unrighteous, let him be unrighteous still, 
 
 And he that is vile, let him still be vile, 
 
 And he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still. 
 
 And he that is holy, let him be made holy still." 
 
 (Jesus speaks.) 
 
 " See, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me. 
 
 To give each one according to his work. 
 
 I am the Alpha and the Omega, 
 
 The First and the Last, 
 
 The Beginning and the End. 
 
 Happy those that zvash their robes 
 
 So that theirs ivill he the right to the Tree of Life, 
 
 And they may enter in by the gates into the City. 
 
 Without are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and 
 
 murderers and idolaters. 
 And every one that loves and practices lying. 
 
 I, Jesus, have sent my angel 
 To testify to you these things in the churches. 
 I am the root and offspring of David, 
 The bright, the morning star. 
 
 And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come; 
 
 And let him that hears say, Come; 
 
 And let him that thirsts come; 
 
 Let him that zuills take freely the Water of Life." 
 
 I testify to every one that hears the words of the 
 
 prophecy of this book, 
 If any one shall add to them, 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : APOCALYPSE 265 
 
 God will add to him the plagues written in this book. 
 And if any one shall take away from the words of the 
 
 book of this prophecy, 
 God will take away his part from the Tree of Life 
 And out of the Holy City, which are written in this 
 
 book. 
 
 He that testifies to these things says, 
 
 " Yea, I am coming quickly." 
 So be it ; come, Lord Jesus ! 
 
 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN 
 
 PROLOGUE 
 
 In the beginning was the Word, 
 
 And the Word was with God, 
 
 And the Word was God. 
 
 He was in the beginning with God. 
 
 All things were made through him, 
 
 And apart from him not one created thing came into 
 
 being.^ 
 In him was Life, 
 
 And the Life was the Light of men. 
 And the Light shines in the darkness, 
 And the darkness did not comprehend it. 
 
 There was once a man sent from God, his name John. 
 
 He came for testimony, 
 
 To testify concerning the Light, 
 
 That all might believe through him. 
 
 He was not the Light, 
 
 But came to testify concerning the Light. 
 
 The true Light, that lights every man, was coming into 
 
 the world. 
 He was in the world. 
 And the world was made through him. 
 And the world did not know him. 
 Unto his own he came, 
 
 ^ Origen gives an interesting variation from this text: "And apart from 
 him not one thing was made. That which was made was Life in him," 
 etc.— Tr. 
 
 266 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 267 
 
 And his own did not receive him : 
 
 But to as many as did receive him, he gave power to 
 
 become children of God — 
 Those who beheve on his name. 
 
 Who were born, not of blood, 
 
 Nor of the will of the flesh, 
 
 Nor of the will of man. 
 
 But of God. 
 
 And the Word became flesh and tented among us, 
 Full of grace and truth ; 
 And we beheld his glory — 
 Glory as of an Only-begotten from the Father. 
 John testifies concerning him and cries, saying, 
 " This was he of whom I said, 
 
 * He that comes after me has been placed before me. 
 Because he was First.' " 
 For out of his fulness we all received. 
 And grace succeeding grace. 
 For the law was given through Moses ; 
 Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 
 No one has ever seen God ; 
 
 God only-begotten, he that is in the bosom of the Father, 
 he declared him. 
 
268 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 I. THE WITNESS OF THE EARLY MINISTRY 
 
 I. The Testimony of John and His Disciples 
 
 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent 
 priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, " Who 
 are you ? " 
 
 And he confessed and did not deny; and he con- 
 fessed, " I am not the Christ." 
 
 And they asked him, " What then? Are you EHjah? " 
 
 " I am not," he says. 
 
 " Are you the prophet ? " 
 
 And he repHed, " No." 
 
 Then they say to him, " Who are you — that we may 
 give some answer to those that sent us — what do you say 
 concerning yourself ? " 
 
 " I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness," he said, 
 "Make straight the Lord's zvay, as Isaiah the prophet 
 said." 
 
 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. And they 
 asked him, " Why then do you immerse, if you are not 
 the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 
 
 John answered them, " I immerse in water. In the 
 midst of you stands one whom you do not perceive — he 
 that comes after me — whose shoe-strings I am not worthy 
 to untie." 
 
 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, 
 where John was immersing. 
 
 On the next day he sees Jesus coming to him, and says, 
 " Behold God's Lamb, who takes away the sin of the 
 world ! This is the one of whom I said, ' After me comes 
 a man who has been placed before me, because he was 
 First.' And I did not recognize him, but that he might 
 be made known to Israel — for this I came immersing in 
 water." 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION: GOSPEL 269 
 
 And John testified, saying, ' 1 have beheld the Spirit 
 descending as a dove out of heaven, and it remained upon 
 him. And I did not recognize him, but the One who sent 
 me to immerse in water said to me, ' Upon whomsoever 
 you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining upon 
 him, this is he who immerses in the Holy Spirit.' And I 
 have seen and testified that this is God's Son." 
 
 On the next day John was again standing, and two of 
 his disciples. And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he 
 says, '' Behold God's Lamb." And the two disciples 
 heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 
 
 And Jesus turning and beholding them following says 
 to them, " What are you seeking? " 
 
 They said to him, " Rabbi (which in our language 
 means Teacher), where are you staying? " 
 
 " Come and you will see," he replies. 
 
 So they came and saw where he was staying, and they 
 stayed with him that day, for it was about four o'clock. 
 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two 
 who heard this from John and followed him. He finds 
 first his own brother Simon, and says to him, 
 
 "We have found the Messiah" (which in our lan- 
 guage is the Christ, or the Anointed). 
 
 He brought him to Jesus. And looking on him, Jesus 
 said, 
 
 " You are Simon, the son of John ; you will be called 
 Kephas " (which means Peter, a Rock). 
 
 On the next day Jesus - wished to go forth into Galilee, 
 and he finds Philip and says to him, 
 
 " Follow me." 
 
 Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, 
 
 " We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law, 
 
 2 The verb " wished " has no subject expressed in the Greek, a fact that 
 leads Bacon to suggest an editorial excision after verse 42 of a further 
 account of the calling of the sons of Zebedee. The translation given above 
 solves the difficulty in a manner open to much less objection. — Tr. 
 
270 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 and the prophets: Jesus, son of Joseph, who is from 
 Nazareth." 
 
 And Nathanael said to him, " Can anything good come 
 out of Nazareth ? " 
 
 " Come and see," replies Philip. 
 
 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and says concern- 
 ing him, " Here is certainly an Israelite in whom there 
 is no deceit." 
 
 '* How do you know about me ? " asks Nathanael. 
 
 " Before Philip called you," Jesus replied to him, 
 " when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 
 
 " Teacher," answered Nathanael, " you are God's Son, 
 you are Israel's king." 
 
 Jesus said in reply, " Do you trust because I said to 
 you, ' I saw you beneath the fig tree ? ' You will see 
 greater things than these." And he added, " In very 
 truth I say to you, You will see heaven opened, and 
 God's angels ascending and descending upon the Son of 
 man." 
 
 2. The First Sign at Cana 
 
 And two days later there was a wedding at Cana of 
 Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus 
 also, with his disciples, was invited to the wedding. And 
 when wine failed, the mother of Jesus says to him, 
 " They have no wine." 
 
 But Jesus says to her, " Madam, what have you to do 
 with me? My time has not yet come." 
 
 His mother says to the servants, " Do whatever he 
 tells you." 
 
 Now there were standing there six stone water-jars, in 
 accordance with the Jews' custom of purifying, holding 
 twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus says to them, 
 
 " Fill the water- jars with water." 
 
 And they filled them clear up. And he says to them. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATIOiNT : GOSPEL 2/1 
 
 " Draw now, and carry to the toastmaster." 
 
 And they carried it. Now when the toastmaster tasted 
 the water that had become wine and did not know where 
 it had come from (but the servants who drew the water 
 knew), he calls the bridegroom and says to him, 
 
 " Every man first puts on the good wine, and the 
 worse when they have drunk freely; you have kept the 
 good wine until now." 
 
 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, 
 and made his glory evident, and his disciples believed on 
 him. After this he went down to Capernaum, he and his 
 mother and his brothers and his disciples; and they did 
 not stay there many days. 
 
 3. Jesus Testifies to Himself in the Temple 
 
 And the Jews' passover was near, and Jesus went up 
 to Jerusalem. And he found in the Temple those who 
 were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the brokers 
 sitting there. And he made a whip of small cords and 
 drove all forth out of the Temple, both the sheep and 
 the oxen ; and poured out the brokers' money and over- 
 turned the tables. And to those who were selling the 
 doves he said, 
 
 " Take these things away : do not make my Father's 
 house a house of trade." 
 
 His disciples remembered that it is written, 
 
 Zeal for thy house zvill dci'our me. 
 
 The Jews thereupon asked him, " What sign do you 
 show us, seeing that you do these things ? " 
 
 " Destroy this temple," Jesus answered, " and in three 
 days I will raise it up." 
 
 Then the Jews said, " This Temple was forty-six years 
 in building, and will you raise it up in three days? " 
 
 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 
 
272 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples 
 remembered that he said this; and they beheved the 
 Scripture and the word that Jesus spoke. 
 
 4. The Testimony of Jesus to Nicodemus 
 
 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, during 
 the feast many believed on his Name, beholding the signs 
 that he continued to do. But Jesus was not trusting him- 
 self to them, because he knew all men ; and because he 
 had no need that any one should testify concerning man, 
 for he himself knew what was in man. But there was a 
 man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus by name, a ruler of the 
 Jews. This man came to him by night and said to him, 
 
 " Teacher, we know that you have come from God as 
 an instructor, for no one can do these signs that you 
 are doing unless God is with him." 
 
 Jesus replied to him: 
 
 " In very truth I say to you, 
 
 Unless one is born from above 
 
 He cannot see the kingdom of God." 
 
 " How can a man be born when he is old? " Nicode- 
 mus says to him ; " He cannot enter a second time into 
 his mother's womb and be born, can he?" 
 
 Jesus answered: 
 
 " In very truth I say to you, 
 
 Unless one is born of water and Spirit, 
 
 He cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
 
 That which has been born of the flesh is flesh. 
 
 And that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. 
 
 Do not wonder that I told you, 
 
 ' You must be born from above.' 
 
 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear its voice, 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 273 
 
 Yet do not know whence it comes and whither it is 
 
 going; 
 So is every one that has been born of the Spirit." 
 
 "How can these things be?" asked Nicodemus, 
 
 " Are you Israel's teacher, and do not understand these 
 
 ings ? " repHed Jesus. 
 
 " In very truth I tell you 
 
 What we know we are speaking 
 
 And what we have seen we are testifying, 
 
 And you do not receive our testimony. 
 
 If I told you the things upon earth and you do not be- 
 lieve, 
 
 How will you believe if I shall tell you the things that 
 take place in heaven? 
 
 And no one has ascended into heaven, 
 
 Save he that descended out of heaven — 
 
 The Son of man. 
 
 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder- 
 ness, 
 
 So must the Son of man be lifted up. 
 
 That every one who trusts in him may have eternal 
 life. 
 
 For God so loved the world that he gave his only- 
 begotten Son, 
 
 That every one who trusts in him may not perish but 
 have eternal life. 
 
 For God did not send his Son into the world to con- 
 demn the world, 
 
 But that the world might be delivered through him. 
 
 He that trusts in him is not condemned, 
 
 But he that does not trust has already been condemned, 
 
 Because he has not trusted in the Name of the only- 
 begotten Son of God. 
 s 
 
274 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Now this is the sentence : 
 That the Light has come into the world 
 And men preferred the darkness to the Light, 
 For their deeds were evil. 
 For every one that practises evil hates the light 
 And does not come to the light, 
 Lest his deeds should be exposed; 
 But he that does what truth requires comes to the light, 
 In order that it may be made known that his conduct 
 has been according to God's will. 
 
 " He that comes from above is above all. 
 
 He that is from the earth is from the earth and speaks 
 
 from the earth. 
 He that comes from heaven is above all ; 
 He testifies what he has seen and heard, 
 And no one receives his testimony. 
 He that receives his testimony has set his seal 
 That God is truthful. 
 
 For he whom God sent speaks God's words, 
 For he does not give the Spirit by measure. 
 The Father loves the Son 
 And has given all things into his hand. 
 He that trusts in the Son has eternal life ; 
 He that does not trust in the Son will not see life, 
 But God's wrath rests on him." 
 
 5. John's Second Testimony 
 
 After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the 
 region of Judea, and there he continued to stay with them 
 and immerse. And John was also immersing in ^non, 
 near Salim, because there were many streams there ; and 
 they continued to come and be immersed, for John was 
 not yet cast into prison. Then a controversy rose on the 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 2/5 
 
 part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification, 
 and they came to John and said to him, 
 
 " Teacher, he who was with you on the other side of 
 the Jordan, to whom you have testified — behold, he is 
 immersing, and all are coming to him." 
 
 John replied, " A man can receive nothing unless it has 
 been given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me 
 witness that I said, ' I am not the Christ, but am sent 
 before him.' The bridegroom is the one who has the 
 bride, but the bridegroom's friend who stands and hears 
 him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. 
 Therefore this joy of mine has been made complete. He 
 must increase, but I must decrease." 
 
 6. Testimony of the Samaritan Woman 
 
 When therefore the Master knew that the Pharisees 
 neard, ' Jesus is making and immersing more disciples 
 than John ' — though Jesus himself was not accustomed to 
 immerse, but his disciples — he left Judea and went away 
 again into Galilee. Now it was necessary that he should 
 pass through Samaria ; so he comes to a town of Samaria 
 called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son 
 Joseph. And Jacob's fountain was there. So Jesus, 
 wearied with the journey, was consequently sitting by the 
 fountain's side. It was about noon. A woman of Sa- 
 maria comes to draw water. Jesus says to her, 
 
 " Give me a drink " — for his disciples had gone away 
 into the town to buy food. 
 
 " How is it," says the Samaritan woman to him, 
 " that you, who are a Jew, ask a drink of me, a Samaritan 
 woman ? " ^ 
 
 " H you recognized God's gift," Jesus answered, " and 
 who it is that says to you, * Give me a drink,' you would 
 
 - For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. 
 
2^^ THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 have asked him and he would have given you living 
 water." 
 
 She says to him, " Sir, you have no bucket and the 
 well is deep ; whence have you the living water ? You are 
 not greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, 
 and himself drank of it, and his sons and flocks? " 
 
 Jesus answered : 
 
 " Every one that drinks of this water will thirst again ; 
 But whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give 
 
 him will never thirst. 
 But the water that I shall give him will become in him 
 
 a fountain of water. 
 Springing up unto eternal life." 
 
 " Sir," says the woman to him, " give me this water, 
 that I may not thirst, nor come all the way here to draw." 
 
 He says to her, " Go, call your husband and come here." 
 
 " I have no husband," the woman replied. 
 
 " You said well, ' I Have no husband,' " Jesus says to 
 her, " for you have had five husbands, and he whom you 
 now have is not your husband — in this you have spoken 
 truly." 
 
 " Sir," the woman says to him, " I perceive that you are 
 a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and 
 you say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought 
 to worship." 
 
 " Trust me, madam," says Jesus to her, " a time is 
 coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem 
 will you worship the Father. 
 
 " You worship you know not what. 
 We know what we worship. 
 Because deliverance is from the Jews. 
 But a time is coming, and is now here, 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 277 
 
 When the real worshipers will worship the Father in 
 
 spirit and truth; 
 For the Father is seeking such also as his worshipers. 
 God is Spirit, 
 And they that worship him must worship in spirit and 
 
 in truth." 
 
 The woman says to him, " I know that Messiah is com- 
 ing (he who is called Christ) ; when he shall come he will 
 tell us all things." 
 
 " I that am talking to you am he," Jesus replies. 
 
 And at this moment his disciples came and began to 
 wonder that he was talking with a woman; however, 
 no one said, " What are you trying to do ? " or, " Why 
 are you talking with her ? " 
 
 The woman then left her water-jar and went away 
 into the city, and says to the men, 
 
 " Come, see a man who told me all the things that I 
 ever did. Can this be the Christ ? " 
 
 They went forth out of the city and were coming to 
 him. In the meantime his disciples began to entreat him, 
 saying, " Teacher, eat." 
 
 But he said to them, " I have food to eat that you do 
 not know." 
 
 So the disciples said to one another, " Has any one 
 brought him anything to eat? " 
 
 Jesus says to them : 
 
 " My food is to do the will of him that sent me 
 
 And to finish his work. 
 
 Do you not say, 
 
 ' There are yet four months 
 
 And then comes the harvest ? ' 
 
 Lo, I say to you, Lift up your eyes and see the fields 
 
 That they are already white for harvest. 
 
278 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 The reaper receives wages 
 
 And gathers fruit unto eternal life, 
 
 That sower and reaper may rejoice together. 
 
 For thus the saying is true, 
 
 ' One sows and another reaps.' 
 
 I sent you to reap that on which you had not toiled. 
 
 Others have toiled and you have entered into their toil." 
 
 And out of that city many of the Samaritans trusted in 
 him, because of the word of the woman who testified, 
 " He told me all the things that I ever did." So when 
 the Samaritans came to him they began to entreat him 
 to stay among them, and he stayed there two days. And 
 many more trusted because of his word, and they said 
 to the woman, 
 
 " We are no longer believing because of your talk ; 
 for we ourselves have heard and know that this is cer- 
 tainly the deliverer of the world." 
 
 7. The Second Sign at Cana 
 
 Now after the two days he went away from that place 
 into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet 
 has no honor in his own native place. So when he came 
 into Galilee, the Galileans received him favorably, having 
 seen all things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast; for 
 they also went to the feast. 
 
 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee, where he 
 made the water wine. And there was a certain royal 
 officer, whose son was ill at Capernaum. When he heard 
 that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went 
 away to him and begged him to come down and heal his 
 son; for he was at the point of death. Jesus therefore 
 said to him, 
 
 " Unless you see signs and wonders you will not be- 
 lieve." 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 279 
 
 " Sir," the officer says to him, " come down before my 
 little boy dies." 
 
 Jesus says to him, " Go, your son lives." 
 
 And the man had confidence in the word that Jesus 
 spoke to him, and turned to go. And while he was now 
 returning, his slaves met him, saying that his son is 
 living. So he began to inquire of them the time when he 
 became better. And they said to him, 
 
 " Yesterday at one o'clock the fever left him." 
 
 Then the father knew that it was at the very hour 
 when Jesus said, " Your son lives." And he trusted and 
 his entire household. This again, a second sign, Jesus did 
 when he came out of Judea into Galilee. 
 
280 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 II. THE WITNESS TO THE JEWISH NATION, AND ITS 
 REJECTION 
 
 I. The Sign at the Pool of Bethesda 
 
 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and 
 Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem 
 by the sheep-gate a pool, called in Hebrew Bethesda, 
 which has five porches. In these a great number of in- 
 valids were accustomed to lie — blind, lame, withered. 
 And there was a certain man there who had been thirty- 
 eight years in his infirmity. Jesus seeing him lying, and 
 knowing that he had already been a long time there, says 
 to him, 
 
 " Do you wish to be made well ? " 
 
 " Sir," the invalid answered him, " I have no man to 
 put me into the pool when the water is stirred, but while 
 I am coming another goes down before me." 
 
 Jesus says to him, " Rise, take up your pallet, and 
 walk." 
 
 And immediately the man became well, and took tip 
 his pallet, and began to walk. Now it was a sabbath 
 on that day ; so the Jews began to say to the man that had 
 been healed, 
 
 " It is a sabbath ; you have no right to carry the pallet." 
 
 He replied, " He that made me well said to me, ' Take 
 up your pallet, and walk.' " 
 
 " Who is the man," they asked him, " that said to 
 you, * Take up your pallet, and walk ' ? " 
 
 Now he that was healed did not recognize who it was, 
 for Jesus withdrew, since there was a crowd in the place. 
 Afterward Jesus found him in the Temple, and said to 
 him, 
 
 " See, you have become well ; sin no longer, lest some- 
 thing worse come upon you." 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 28l 
 
 The man went away and told the Jews that it was 
 Jesus who made him well. And on account of this the 
 Jews began to persecute Jesus, because he was doing 
 these things on a sabbath. But Jesus answered them, 
 " My Father is working until now, and I am working." 
 So on account of this the Jews kept trying the more to 
 kill him, because he was not only setting men free on 
 the sabbath, but was even calling God his own Father, 
 making himself equal to God. So Jesus replied to them : 
 
 " In very truth I say to you. 
 
 The Son can do nothing of himself, 
 
 Save what he sees the Father doing. 
 
 For whatsoever things He does, these the Son also does 
 
 in like manner. 
 For the Father loves the Son, 
 
 And shows him everything that he himself is doing ; 
 And he will show him greater works than these, 
 In order that you may wonder. 
 For, just as the Father raises up the dead and makes 
 
 them alive, 
 So also the Son makes alive whom he wills. 
 For the Father does not even judge anybody, 
 But has given judgment entirely to the Son, 
 In order that all may honor the Son 
 Just as they honor the Father. 
 He that does not honor the Son 
 Does not honor the Father that sent him. 
 
 " In very truth I say to you, 
 
 He that hears my message and trusts him who sent me, 
 
 Has eternal life; 
 
 And he will not come to judgment, 
 
 But has passed out of death into life. 
 
 In very truth I tell you. 
 
282 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 A time is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear 
 the voice of God's Son, 
 
 And they that hear will live. 
 
 For, just as the Father has life in himself, 
 
 So also he gave to the Son to have life in himself. 
 
 And he gave him authority to pronounce judgment, 
 
 Because he is Son of man. 
 
 Do not wonder at this. 
 
 For a time is coming when all who are in the tombs 
 will hear his voice 
 
 And they will come forth ; 
 
 Those who have done good to resurrection of life, 
 
 Those who have practised evil to resurrection of con- 
 demnation. 
 
 " I can do nothing of myself ; 
 
 As I hear I judge, and my judgment is just ; 
 
 Because I am not seeking my will, but the will of him 
 that sent me. 
 
 If I testify concerning myself, my testimony is not 
 trustworthy. 
 
 There is another who testifies concerning me. 
 
 And I know that the testimony that he bears concern- 
 ing me is trustworthy. 
 
 You have sent to John, and he has testified to the 
 truth, 
 
 Yet I do not receive testimony from man. 
 
 But I say these things that you may be delivered. 
 
 He was the burning and shining lamp. 
 
 And you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 
 
 But I have a greater testimony than John's, 
 
 For the works the Father has given me to finish — 
 
 The very works I am doing — 
 
 Testify concerning me that the Father has sent me 
 forth ; 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 283 
 
 And the Father that sent me has himself testified con- 
 cerning me. 
 
 You have neither heard his voice at any time, 
 
 Nor have you seen his form. 
 
 And you have not his word remaining in you, 
 
 Because you do not trust him whom he sent forth. 
 
 You search the sacred writings, 
 
 Because you suppose that you have eternal life in 
 them ; 
 
 And these are they that testify concerning me. 
 
 Yet you are not willing to come to me that you may 
 have life. 
 
 I do not receive honor from men, 
 
 But I know that you do not have the love of God in 
 yourselves. 
 
 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not re- 
 ceive me ; 
 
 If another come in his own name, you will receive him. 
 
 How can you trust, when you receive honor from one 
 another, 
 
 And do not seek the honor that comes from the only 
 God? 
 
 " Do not suppose that I shall accuse you to the Father. 
 There is one that accuses you, Moses, on whom you 
 
 have set your hope. 
 For if you were accustomed to trust Moses, you would 
 
 be trusting me. 
 For he wrote concerning me. 
 But if you do not trust his writings, how will you 
 
 trust my words ? " 
 
 The Jews were therefore wondering, saying, 
 " How does this uneducated fellow know how to 
 read?" 
 
284 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Jesus answered : 
 
 " My teaching is not mine, 
 
 But that of him who sent me. 
 
 If any one wills to do his will, 
 
 He will know concerning the teaching, 
 
 Whether it is of God or I speak from myself. 
 
 He that speaks from himself seeks his own honor, 
 
 But the man that seeks the honor of the one that sent 
 
 him, 
 He is truthful, and there is no deceit in him. 
 
 " Did not Moses give you the law ? And not one of you 
 observes the law ! Why do you try to kill me ? " 
 
 " You have a demon," the people answered. " Who is 
 trying to kill you ? " 
 
 " I did one work and you all wonder," Jesus replied. 
 " On this account Moses has given you circumcision — 
 not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers — and on a 
 sabbath you circumcise a man. If a man receives circum- 
 cision on a sabbath that the law of Moses be not violated, 
 are you angry at me because I made an entire man well 
 on a sabbath ? Do not judge according to appearance, but 
 pronounce just judgment." 
 
 2. The Sign of the Loaves and Fishes 
 
 After this Jesus went away across the lake of Galilee, 
 or Tiberias ; and a great number of people followed him, 
 because they were obsei"ving the signs that he continued 
 to do on the sick. But Jesus went up into the mountain 
 and was sitting there with his disciples. Now the Jewish 
 feast of the passover was near. So Jesus, lifting up his 
 eyes and beholding that a great crowd is coming to him, 
 says to Philip, 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 285 
 
 " Where are we to buy bread that these may eat ? " 
 
 Now he was saying this to test him, for he himself 
 knew what he was about to do. 
 
 " Thirty dollars' worth of bread," Philip answered him, 
 " is not enough for each of them to have a morsel." 
 
 One of his disciples — Andrew, the brother of Simon 
 Peter — says to him, " There is a lad here, who has five 
 barley loaves and two small fish, but what are these among 
 so many? " 
 
 " Make the men recline," says Jesus. 
 
 Now there was a great deal of grass in the place, so 
 the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Jesus 
 then took the loaves, and after giving thanks he dis- 
 tributed to those who reclined ; in like manner also of the 
 fish, as much as they wished. And when they were 
 satisfied, he says to his disciples, 
 
 " Gather together the pieces remaining over, that noth- 
 ing be wasted." 
 
 So they gathered them together, and filled twelve 
 baskets with pieces from the live barley loaves, that 
 exceeded the needs of those who had eaten. So the men, 
 seeing what a sign he did, began to say, 
 
 " This is certainly the prophet that is coming into the 
 world." 
 
 So Jesus, knowing that they were about to come and 
 seize him, to make him king, went back again into the 
 mountain, quite alone. And when evening came, his dis- 
 ciples went down to the lake, and embarking in a boat 
 were going across the lake to Capernaum. And darkness 
 had already fallen and Jesus had not yet come to them, 
 and as a strong wind was blowing the sea began to rise. 
 So when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty 
 furlongs, they beheld Jesus walking upon the lake and 
 drawing near to the boat, and they were frightened. But 
 he says to them, 
 
286 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 " It is I, do not be frightened." 
 
 So they became willing to take him into the boat, and 
 at once the boat arrived at the shore to which they were 
 going. 
 
 On the next day the crowd that stood on the other 
 side of the lake saw that there was only one boat there, 
 and that Jesus did not go with his disciples into the 
 boat, but his disciples went away by themselves. Boats 
 came, however, from Tiberias, near the place where they 
 ate bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the 
 crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, 
 they themselves embarked in boats and came to Caper- 
 naum, looking for Jesus. And when they found him 
 on the other side of the lake, they said to him, 
 
 " Teacher, when did you arrive here ? " 
 
 Jesus replied : 
 
 " In very truth I say to you. 
 
 You are looking for me, not because you saw signs, 
 
 But because you ate of the loaves and were satisfied. 
 
 Work not for the food that perishes. 
 
 But for the food that endures to eternal life. 
 
 Which the Son of man will give you. 
 
 For on him the Father — God — ^lias set his seal." 
 
 So they said to him, " What are we to do to work 
 God's works ? " 
 
 " This is God's work," Jesus answered, " to trust him 
 whom he sent." 
 
 "What sign then are you doing?" they next asked, 
 "that we may know and trust you? What are you 
 working? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilder- 
 ness, as it is written, * Bread out of heaven he gave them 
 to eat.' " 
 
 So Jesus said to them : 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 287 
 
 " In very truth I tell you, 
 
 Moses did not give you bread out of heaven, 
 
 But my Father gives you the real bread out of heaven. 
 
 For God's bread is that which comes down out of 
 
 heaven 
 And gives life to the world." 
 
 " Sir," they said to him, " give us always this bread." 
 Jesus replied : 
 
 " I am the Bread of Life ; 
 He that comes to me will by no means hunger, 
 And he that puts his trust in me will never thirst. 
 But as I told you, you have even seen me and yet do 
 
 not trust. 
 Every one that the P'ather gives me will come to me. 
 And him that comes to me I will by no means reject. 
 Because I have come down from heaven, not to do my 
 
 own will. 
 But the will of him that sent me. 
 Now this is the will of him that sent me : 
 That of all that he has given me I shall lose none, 
 But I shall raise them up at the last day. 
 For this is my Father's will, 
 That every one who beholds the Son and puts his trust 
 
 in him, shall have eternal life, 
 And I will raise him up at the last day." 
 
 Upon this the Jews began to grumble about him, be- 
 cause he said, " I am the bread that came down out of 
 heaven." And they began to say, 
 
 " Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and 
 mother we know ? How now does he say, ' I have come 
 down out of heaven? ' " 
 
 Jesus answered: 
 
288 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 " Do not grumble among yourselves. 
 
 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me 
 
 draw him, 
 And I will raise him up at the last day. 
 It is written in the prophets, 
 And they will all be taught by God. 
 Every one who has heard from the Father and learned 
 
 is coming to me. 
 Not that any one has seen the Father, save him who 
 
 is from God — 
 He has seen the Father. 
 In very truth I tell you, 
 He that trusts has eternal life. 
 I am the Bread of life. 
 
 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and died. 
 This is the bread that comes down out of heaven, 
 That one may eat of it and not die. 
 I am the living Bread that came down out of heaven. 
 If any one eats of this bread he will live forever; 
 Yes, and my flesh is the bread that I will give for the 
 
 sake of the world's life." 
 
 The Jews then began to contend among themselves, say- 
 ing, " How can this man give us his flesh to eat ? " 
 Jesus said to them: 
 
 " In very truth I tell you, 
 
 Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man 
 
 And drink his blood. 
 
 You have no life in yourselves. 
 
 He that feeds upon my flesh 
 
 And drinks my blood 
 
 Has eternal life. 
 
 And I will raise him up at the last day. 
 
 For my flesh is real food 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION I GOSPEL 289 
 
 And my blood is real drink. 
 
 He that feeds upon my flesh and drinks my blood 
 
 Continues in me and I in him. 
 
 Just as the living Father sent me forth, 
 
 And I live because of the Father, 
 
 So he that feeds upon me — 
 
 He also will live because of me. 
 
 This is the bread that came down from heaven; 
 
 Not as the fathers ate and died — 
 
 He that feeds upon this bread will live forever." 
 
 He said these things while teaching in the synagogue 
 in Capernaum. So, many of his disciples when they 
 heard, said, 
 
 " This teaching is intolerable ! Who can listen to 
 him ! " 
 
 Now Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were 
 complaining about him, said to them, 
 
 " Does this make you displeased ? What would you 
 think if you were to behold the Son of man going 
 back where he was before? It is the Spirit that makes 
 alive, the flesh is worth nothing. The words that I 
 have spoken to you are spirit and life, yet there are 
 some of you that do not trust me." 
 
 For Jesus was aware from the beginning who they 
 were that did not trust, and who it was that would de- 
 liver him up. And he went on to say, 
 
 " On this account I have said to you, * No one can 
 come to me unless it be given him from the Father.' " 
 
 In consequence of this many of his disciples went 
 back and no longer continued to walk with him. So Jesus 
 said to the Twelve, 
 
 " You do not also wish to go, do you ? " 
 
 ''Sir, to what leader shall we go?" answered Simon 
 Peter. " You have words of eternal life. And we have 
 T 
 
290 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 trusted you, and know that you are the Holy One 
 of God." 
 
 " Did I not choose you, the Twelve," Jesus replied, 
 " and one of you is a devil ? " 
 
 Now he was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, 
 for it was he that was destined to deliver him up, one of 
 the Twelve ! 
 
 3. Testimony of Jesus to Himself at the Feast of 
 Tabernacles 
 
 And after these things Jesus continued to go about 
 Galilee; for he did not wish to go about Judea, because 
 the Jews kept trying to kill him. Now the feast of the 
 Jews was near, the feast of making booths. So his 
 brothers said to him, 
 
 " Go away from here and go to Judea, that your dis- 
 ciples [there] may behold your works that you are doing. 
 For no one does anything in secret if he seeks to be pub- 
 licly recognized. If you are doing these things, make 
 yourself known to the world." 
 
 For even his own brothers had no confidence in him. 
 Jesus says to them, 
 
 " My appointed time has not yet arrived, but your 
 time is always at hand. The world cannot hate you, but 
 me it hates because I testify concerning it that its deeds 
 are evil. You go up to the feast; I am not yet going 
 up to this feast, because my appointed time has not yet 
 been completed." 
 
 Having said these things to them he remained in 
 Galilee. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, 
 then he also went up, not openly, but as it were in 
 secret. Now the Jews were looking for him at the 
 feast, and saying, " Where is that man ? " And there was 
 much discussion about him among the common people. 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 291 
 
 Some were saying, " He is a good man." Others were 
 saying, " No, for he is leading the people astray ! " No 
 one, however, was talking publicly about him for fear 
 of the Jews. 
 
 Now when it was already the middle of the feast, 
 Jesus went up into the Temple and began to teach. 
 Some therefore of the Jerusalem people began to say, 
 
 " Is not this the one they are trying to kill ? And see, 
 he is talking publicly and they are saying nothing to him ! 
 Is it possible the rulers have really come to know that this 
 is the Christ? Yet we know where this man is from, 
 but when the Christ comes no one will know where he is 
 from." 
 
 So Jesus spoke with a loud voice, teaching in the Tem- 
 ple and saying: 
 
 " You both know me, and you know where I am from ; 
 And I have not come from myself. 
 But he that sent me is worthy of trust. 
 You do not know him, but I know him. 
 Because I am from him, and he sent me forth." 
 
 So they were trying to arrest him, yet no one laid a 
 hand on him, because his appointed time had not yet 
 come. But many of the people put their trust in him, and 
 some were saying, 
 
 " When the Christ shall come, will he do more signs 
 than this man has done? " 
 
 The Pharisees heard the people debating thus about 
 him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers 
 to arrest him. Then said Jesus to them : 
 
 " I am with you a little while longer. 
 And then I am going to him that sent me. 
 You will look for me. 
 And will not be able to come where I am." 
 
292 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 So the Jews said to one another, " Where is this man 
 about to go, that we shall not find him? He is not go- 
 ing to the Dispersion among the Greeks, is he? What is 
 this saying that he spoke, ' You will look for me and 
 will not find me,' and ' You will not be able to come 
 where I am ' ? " 
 
 So he said to them again: 
 
 " I am going away. 
 
 And you will look for me, 1 
 
 And you will die in your sins ; 
 
 You will not be able to come where I am going." 
 
 " Can it be he will kill himself ? " the Jews therefore 
 were saying, " because he says, ' You will not be able 
 to come where I am going.' " 
 
 He continued : 
 
 " You are from beneath, 
 
 I am from above. 
 
 You are of this world, 
 
 I am not of this world. 
 
 So I told you, ' You will die in your sins ' ; 
 
 For if you do not believe that I am [the Christ] 
 
 You will die in your sins." 
 
 " Who are you ? " they then said to him. 
 Jesus said to them: 
 
 " What I am saying to you from the beginning. 
 
 I have many things to say and judge concerning you, 
 
 But he that sent me is truthful, 
 
 And I tell the world what I have heard from him." 
 
 They did not know that he was speaking to them of 
 the Father. So Jesus said to them : 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 293 
 
 " When you shall lift up the Son of man, 
 
 Then you will know that I am he, 
 
 And that I do nothing on my own authority. 
 
 But say just what the Father taught me. 
 
 And he that sent me is with me. 
 
 He has not left me alone, 
 
 Because I always do what pleases him." 
 
 And while he spoke these things many put their trust 
 in him. 
 
 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Phar- 
 isees, and the latter said to them, 
 
 " Why did you not bring him ? " 
 
 " No man ever talked like this," the officers replied. 
 
 "Are you also led astray?" answered the Pharisees. 
 " Has any one of the rulers confidence in him, or of the 
 Pharisees? But these common people, who do not know 
 the Law, are under a curse." 
 
 Nicodemus, one of their number, says to them, " Does 
 our law judge the man, unless it first hear from him and 
 know what he is doing? " 
 
 " You also are of Galilee, are you ? " they answered. 
 " Search and see, that [the] Prophet does not come out 
 of Galilee." 
 
 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus 
 stood and spoke with a loud voice, saying: 
 
 " If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. 
 As the Scripture said, rivers of living water will flow 
 from the heart of him that trusts in me." 
 
 Now he said this concerning the Spirit which those 
 that trusted in him were about to receive. For the Spirit 
 had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet exalted. 
 So some of the people hearing these words, were say- 
 
294 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 ing, " This is certainly the prophet." Others were saying, 
 " This is the Christ." But some were saying, " Does 
 the Christ then come out of GaHlee? Has not the Scrip- 
 ture said that the Christ comes of the seed of David, 
 and from the village of Bethlehem, where David was?" 
 So a division came about among the people on account of 
 him. And some of them were wishing to arrest him, but 
 no one laid hands on him. 
 
 Then Jesus went on to speak to those Jews that had 
 trusted in him : 
 
 "If you continue in my teaching, 
 You are really my disciples, 
 And you will know the truth, 
 And the truth will make you free." 
 
 " We are descendants of Abraham," they replied to 
 him, ' and have never been in slavery to any one. How 
 do you say, ' You will become freemen ' ? " 
 
 Jesus answered them: 
 
 " In very truth I say to you. 
 
 Every one that commits sin is a slave. 
 
 Now the slave does not always remain m the house. 
 
 But the son remains always. 
 
 So if the Son sets you free, you will be freemen in- 
 deed! 
 
 I know that you are descendants of Abraham, 
 
 But you are trying to kill me 
 
 Because my teaching has no place in you. 
 
 I speak what I have seen with the Father, 
 
 And you too do what you have heard from your 
 father." 
 
 " Our father is Abraham," they answered. 
 Jesus says: 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 295 
 
 "If you were Abraham's children. 
 You would do Abraham's works. 
 But as it is, you are trying to kill me, 
 A man who has told you the truth, 
 Which I heard from God. 
 Abraham did not do this. 
 You do the works of your father." 
 
 " We were not born of adultery," they said; " We have 
 one Father, God." 
 Jesus said to them: 
 
 " If God were your Father, you would love me. 
 
 For I came forth from God and am here; 
 
 For I have not come from myself at all. 
 
 But he sent me forth. 
 
 Why do you not understand my mode of speech? 
 
 Because you cannot yield obedience to my teaching. 
 
 You are of your father, the devil, 
 
 And you will do your father's desires. 
 
 He was a murderer from the first, 
 
 And does not stand in the realm of truth, 
 
 Because truth is not in him. 
 
 When he speaks a lie, he speaks his own, 
 
 Because he is a liar and the father of lying.* 
 
 But because I speak the truth you do not trust me. 
 
 Who of you convicts me of sin? 
 
 If I speak truth why do you not trust me? 
 
 He that is of God hears God's words. 
 
 You do not hear for this reason : 
 
 You are not of God." 
 
 The Jews replied to him, " Do we not say well that you 
 are a Samaritan and have a demon ? " 
 
 * This may also be rendered: "When one speaks falsehood, he spealcs 
 from that which belongs to him, because his father is also a liar." — Tr. 
 
296 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Jesus answered: 
 
 " I have not a demon, 
 But I honor my Father 
 And you dishonor me. 
 Yet I do not seek my honor; 
 There is One that seeks it, and he is judge. 
 In very truth I say to you, 
 
 If any one obeys my teaching he will never behold 
 death." 
 
 " Now we know that you have a demon," the Jews 
 said to him ; " Abraham died, and the prophets, and you 
 say, ' If any one obeys my teaching he will never taste 
 death.' You are not greater than our father Abraham, 
 who died, are you? And the prophets died — Whom 
 are you making yourself ? " 
 
 Jesus replied : 
 
 " If I shall honor myself, 
 
 My honor is nothing. 
 
 It is my Father that honors me. 
 
 Of whom you say that he is your God; 
 
 And you do not know him, 
 
 But I know him. 
 
 And if I say that I do not know him 
 
 I shall be like you — a liar. 
 
 But I do know him and obey his teaching. 
 
 Abraham, your father, rejoiced to see my day. 
 
 And he saw and was glad." 
 
 Then said the Jews to him, " You are not yet fifty years 
 old, and have you seen Abraham ? " 
 Jesus said to them: 
 
 " In very truth I tell you. 
 Before Abraham was born, I am." 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 29/ 
 
 Then they took stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid 
 and went away from the Temple. 
 
 4. The Sign of the Man Born Blind, and the 
 Discourse Following 
 
 And passing along he saw a man blind from birth. 
 And his disciples asked him, 
 
 " Teacher, who sinned, this man or his parents, that 
 he should be born blind ? " 
 
 Jesus replied: 
 
 ** Neither this man nor his parents sinned, 
 
 But [he was born blind] that the works of God might 
 
 be made evident in him. 
 We must do the works of him that sent me while it is 
 
 day; 
 Night is coming, when no one can work. 
 When I am in the world I am the world's light." 
 
 Saying this, he spat on the ground and made clay of 
 the spittle, and put the clay on the man's eyes and said to 
 him, 
 
 " Go wash in the pool of Siloam " (which means 
 IMessenger). So he went away and washed and came 
 seeing. Thereupon the neighbors and those who had 
 formerly known him by sight as a beggar, began to say, 
 
 " Is not this the man who sits and begs ? " 
 
 " This is the man ! " said some. 
 
 " No ! " said others, " but he is like him." 
 
 " I am the man," he said. 
 
 So they went on to say to him, " Then how were your 
 eyes opened? " 
 
 " The man called Jesus," he replied, " made clay and 
 anointed my eyes and said to me, * Go to Siloam and 
 wash.' So I went away and washed and received sight." 
 
298 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 " Where is he ? " they asked. 
 
 " I do not know," he said. 
 
 They bring him — the man formerly bHnd — to the Phar- 
 isees. Now it was a sabbath on the day when Jesus made 
 the clay and opened his eyes. So the Pharisees also 
 asked him again how he received his sight, and he said to 
 them, 
 
 " He put clay on my eyes, and I washed and I see." 
 
 " This man is not from God," some of the Pharisees 
 then began to say, " because he does not observe the 
 Sabbath." 
 
 " How can a sinful man do such signs ? " others were 
 saying. And there was division among them. So they 
 say again to the blind man, 
 
 " What do you say about him ? For he opened your 
 eyes." 
 
 " He is a prophet," said he. 
 
 Yet the Jews did not believe about him, that he had 
 been blind and received sight, until they called the parents 
 of him that had received sight. And they asked them, 
 
 " Is this your son, who you say was born blind? 
 Then how does he now see ? " 
 
 " We know that this is our son," replied his parents, 
 " and that he was born blind ; but how he now sees we 
 do not know. Ask him, he is of age, he will speak for 
 himself." 
 
 His parents said this because they were afraid of the 
 Jews, for already the Jews had agreed that if any one 
 should acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ, he should 
 be expelled from the synagogue. Consequently his 
 parents said, " He is of age, question him." 
 
 So they called a second time the man who had been 
 blind, and said to him, 
 
 " Give praise to God ; we know that this man is 
 wicked.'* 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 299 
 
 " I do not know whether he is a wicked man or not," 
 he repHed ; " one thing I do know : though I was blind, 
 I see now.'' 
 
 " What did he do to you?" they said; ''how did he 
 open your eyes ? " 
 
 " I told you once, and you did not listen," he answered ; 
 "why do you wish to hear it again? You do not also 
 wish to become his disciples, do you?" 
 
 And they heaped abuse on him and said, " You are his 
 disciple, but we are Moses's disciples. We know that 
 God has spoken to Moses, but we do not know where 
 this man comes from." 
 
 " Why, here is a marvelous thing," the man answered, 
 " that you do not know where he comes from, and he 
 opened my eyes ! We know that God does not hear 
 wicked men, but if one is a worshiper of God and does 
 his will, he hears him. Since the world began, no one 
 ever heard of one's opening the eyes of one born 
 blind. If this man was not from God, he could do 
 nothing." 
 
 " You were wholly born in sins," they replied, " and 
 are you teaching usF " And they expelled him. 
 
 Jesus heard that they had expelled him, and found him 
 and said, 
 
 "Do you put your trust in the Son of man?" 
 
 " And who is he, sir," he replied, " that I may trust 
 in him? " 
 
 " You have both seen him," said Jesus, " and it is he 
 that is talking with you." 
 
 " I trust, sir," he said and bowed low before him. 
 
 And Jesus said : 
 
 " I came into tTiis world for its condemnation. 
 That those who do not see may see, 
 And those who do see may become blind." 
 
300 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 The Pharisees who were with him heard this and said 
 to him, " We are not Wind too, are we ? " 
 Jesus said to them: 
 
 " If you were blind, you would have no sin; 
 But as it is you say, ' We see,' 
 And so your sin remains." 
 
 Division again took place among the Jews in conse- 
 quence of these teachings; and many of them were saying, 
 
 " He has a demon and is crazy ; why do you listen to 
 him?" 
 
 " These are not the teachings of a demoniac," others 
 were saying; " a demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, 
 can he ? " 
 
 So Jesus spoke to them again, saying : 
 
 " I am the Light of the world ; 
 
 He that follows me will not walk at all in the dark 
 
 But will have the light of life." 
 
 The Pharisees therefore said to him, " You testify in 
 your own behalf ; your testimony is not trustworthy." 
 Jesus answered : 
 
 " Even if I do testify in my own behalf, 
 
 My testimony is trustworthy, 
 
 Because I know where I came from and where I am 
 
 going. 
 But you do not know where I came from or where I 
 
 am going. 
 You judge according to the flesh, 
 I judge no one. 
 
 Yet even if I judge, my judgment is trustworthy. 
 Because I am not alone, 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 3OI 
 
 But I and he that sent me [judge]. 
 And in your law it is also written. 
 The testimony of tzvo men is trustzvorthy. 
 I am he that testifies concerning myself, 
 And the Father that sent me also testifies concern- 
 ing me." 
 
 " Where is your Father? " they therefore said to him. 
 Jesus replied : 
 
 " You know neither me nor my Father. 
 
 If you were acquainted with me, 
 
 You would be acquainted with my Father also." 
 
 He said these things in the Treasury, while teaching in 
 the Temple; and no one arrested him, because his ap- 
 pointed time had not yet come. 
 
 5. Jesus Again Testifies to Himself in the Temple 
 
 The feast of Dedication occurred soon after this in 
 Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the 
 Temple, in Solomon's porch. So the Jews came about 
 him, and began to say to him, 
 
 " How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If 
 you are the Christ tell us frankly." 
 
 Jesus answered : 
 
 " I told you and you do not believe me. 
 
 The works that I am doing in my Father's name — 
 
 These testify in my behalf ; yet you do not believe me, 
 
 Because you are not of my sheep. 
 
 My sheep know my voice. 
 
 And I know them, and they follow me, 
 
 And I give them eternal life, 
 
 And they will not be lost, no, never ! 
 
302 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And no one will snatch them out of my hand. 
 
 My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, 
 
 And no one can snatch them out of my Father's hands. 
 
 " In very truth I say to you, 
 
 He that does not enter through the door into the sheep- 
 fold, 
 
 But climbs up some other way — 
 
 That man is a thief and robber ; 
 
 But he that enters through the door is shepherd of the 
 sheep. 
 
 The doorkeeper opens to him 
 
 And the sheep obey his voice, 
 
 And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them 
 out. 
 
 When he has brought out all his own sheep. 
 
 He walks in front of them, and the sheep follow him. 
 
 Because they recognize his voice. 
 
 But they will not follow a stranger at all, 
 
 But will run away from him. 
 
 Because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." 
 
 This allegory Jesus spoke to them, but they did not un- 
 derstand what he said to them. So Jesus spoke again : 
 
 " In very truth I say to you, 
 I am the Door of the sheep. 
 All that came before me are thieves and robbers, 
 But the sheep did not obey them. 
 I am the Door ; 
 
 If any one enter through me he will be kept safe. 
 And will go in and out and find pasture. 
 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; 
 I came that they may have life and may have it abun- 
 dantly. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION: GOSPEL 303 
 
 " I am the Good Shepherd ; 
 
 The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sake of 
 
 the sheep. 
 He that is a hired man and not the shepherd, 
 Who does not own the sheep, 
 Sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and runs 
 
 away — 
 And the wolf makes them his prey and scatters them — 
 Because he is a hired man and cares nothing for the 
 
 sheep. 
 
 " I am the Good Shepherd, 
 
 And I know my own and my own know me, 
 
 Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, 
 
 And I lay down my life for the sake of the sheep. 
 
 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold ; 
 
 I must lead them also, and they will obey my voice, 
 
 And they will become one flock [with] one shepherd. 
 
 The Father loves me for this reason : 
 
 That T lay down my life to receive it again. 
 
 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own 
 
 accord. 
 I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to 
 
 receive it again. 
 I received this command from my Father. 
 My Father and I are one." 
 
 The Jews again took up stones to stone him. Jesus said 
 to them, 
 
 " I have shown you many good works from the Father ; 
 For which of them are you stoning me ? " 
 
 " We are not stoning you for a good work," the Jews 
 answered him, " but for blasphemy, because you, though 
 only a man, are representing yourself to be God." 
 
304 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Jesus answered them: 
 
 " Is it not written in your Law, 
 
 / said, You are gods? 
 
 If God called them gods to whom the word of God 
 
 came — 
 And the Scripture cannot be annulled — 
 Do you say ' You blaspheme ' of him whom the Father 
 
 loved and sent forth into the world, 
 Because I said, ' I am God's Son ' ? * 
 
 If I am not doing my Father's works, do not believe 
 
 me; 
 But if I am doing them, even if you will not believe 
 
 me, believe the works, 
 In order that you may know and understand that the 
 
 Father is in me, 
 'And I am in the Father." 
 
 So again they were attempting to arrest him, but he 
 went forth out of their hands. And he went away again 
 across the Jordan, to the place where John was at first im- 
 mersing, and remained there. And many came to him and 
 were saying, 
 
 " John indeed did no sign, but everything that John 
 said about this man was true." 
 
 And many there put their trust in him. 
 
 6. The Sign of the Raising of Lazarus and What 
 Followed 
 
 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the 
 village of Mary and her sister Martha.^ So the sisters 
 sent a messenger to him saying, 
 
 " Sir, behold he whom you love is ill." 
 
 ' Now it was the Mary that anointed the Lord with pomade, and wiped off 
 his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 305 
 
 Now Jesus hearing this said, " This illness is not unto 
 death, but for God's honor, that God's Son may be 
 honored through it.'' 
 
 Now Jesus loved Alartha and her sister and Lazarus. 
 So when he heard that he was ill, he still remained where 
 he was for two days; then after this he says to his 
 disciples, '' Let us go into Judea again." 
 
 " Teacher," his disciples say to him, " the Jews were 
 just now trying to stone you, and are you going there 
 again?" 
 
 Jesus repHed: 
 
 " Are there not twelve hours in the day ? 
 
 If any one goes about in the daytime, he does not 
 
 stumble. 
 Because he sees this world's light. 
 But if any one goes about in the night he stumbles, 
 Because the light is not in him." 
 
 He said these things, and afterward told them, 
 
 " Lazarus, our friend, has fallen asleep, but I am going 
 to wake him up." 
 
 " Sir, if he has fallen asleep he will get well," said the 
 disciples to him. 
 
 Now Jesus had spoken concerning his death, but they 
 supposed that he was talking about taking rest in sleep. 
 So then Jesus said plainly to them, 
 
 " Lazarus is dead ; and I am glad for your sakes that 
 I was not there, in order that you may believe. Come 
 now, let us go to him." 
 
 Then said Thomas (called the Twin) to his fellow dis- 
 ciples, " Let us go too, to die with him." 
 
 Jesus then came and found that Lazarus had already 
 been four days in the tomb. Now Bethany was near 
 
 Jerusalem, about two miles away. Accordingly, many of 
 u 
 
306 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 the Jews had come to Martha and ]\Iary, to console them 
 about their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus 
 was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary remained sit- 
 ting in the house. Then Martha said to Jesus, 
 
 " Sir, if you had been here, my brother would not have 
 died. Even now I know that whatever you ask God, God 
 will give you." 
 
 " Your brother will rise again," Jesus says to her. 
 
 " I know," says Martha, " that he will rise in the resur- 
 rection -at the last day." 
 
 " I am the resurrection and the life," Jesus said to her; 
 " he that puts his trust in me, though he were dead, will 
 live, and every one that lives and trusts in me will not die, 
 no, never! Do you believe this? " 
 
 " Yes, sir," she says to him, " I have believed that you 
 are the Christ, God's Son, he who was to come into the 
 world." 
 
 And having said this she went away and called her sis- 
 ter Mary, saying privately, 
 
 " The Teacher is here and is asking for you." 
 
 So when she heard this she rose quickly and went to 
 meet him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, 
 but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 
 Then the Jews who were with her in the house and con- 
 soling her, seeing Mary rise up quickly and go out, fol- 
 lowed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb 
 to weep there. So Mary, when she came where Jesus 
 was and saw him, fell at his feet saying to him, 
 
 " Sir, if you had been here, my brother would not have 
 died." 
 
 Then Jesus, when he saw her weeping, and the Jews 
 accompanying her weeping, became very indignant in 
 spirit and was much distressed, and said, 
 
 " Where have you laid him? " 
 
 " Come and see, sir," they say to him. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATIOX: GOSPEL 307 
 
 Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, 
 
 " See, how he used to love him ! " 
 
 " Could not this man," said some of them, " who 
 opened the eyes of the blind man have caused this man 
 also not to die ? " 
 
 So Jesus, again very indignant within himself, comes 
 to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying 
 upon it. Jesus says, 
 
 " Take away the stone." 
 
 The sister of him that had died, Alartha, said, 
 
 " Sir, by now the odor is offensive, for he has been 
 four days in the tomb," 
 
 " Did I not tell you," says Jesus to her, " that if you 
 would trust me you should see God's glory ? " 
 
 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his 
 eyes and said, 
 
 " Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me, but I 
 knew that thou always hearest me ; yet because of the 
 people standing about I said this, that they might believe 
 that thou hast sent me forth." 
 
 And having said this, he called in a loud voice, 
 
 " Lazarus, come forth." 
 
 He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot 
 with swathings; and his face had been bound up with a 
 handkerchief. Jesus says to them, 
 
 " Release him and let him go." 
 
 Then many of the Jews who came to ]Mary and beheld 
 what he did, put their trust in him, but certain of them 
 went away to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus did. 
 So the chief priests and Pharisees assembled a Sanhedrin 
 and began to say, 
 
 " What are we to do, seeing that this man is doing so 
 many signs? If we let him alone so, all will trust in him, 
 and the Romans will come and take away from us both 
 our power and our [existence as a] nation." 
 
308 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 But a certain one of their number, Caiaphas, being high 
 priest that year, said to them, 
 
 " You do not understand the matter at all, nor consider 
 that it is better for you that one man should die in behalf 
 of the people than the whole nation should perish." 
 
 Now he did not say this of his own accord, but since he 
 was high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus was 
 about to die in behalf of the nation, and not in behalf 
 of the nation alone, but that he might assemble in one 
 [body] God's widely scattered children. So from that 
 day they determined to kill him. Jesus therefore no 
 longer continued to go about among the Jews, but went 
 away from there into the region near the wilderness, to 
 a town called Ephraim, and he stayed there awhile with 
 his disciples. 
 
 7. The Crowning Testimony of Jesus to Himself — 
 He Publicly Assumes the Title of Messiah 
 
 Now the Jews' passover was at hand, and many went 
 up out of the country to Jerusalem before the passover, 
 to purify themselves. So they were looking for Jesus 
 and saying to one another as they stood in the Temple, 
 
 " What do you think ? that he will not come to the 
 feast at all ? " 
 
 Now the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders 
 that if any one knew where he was, he should make it 
 known, in order that they might arrest him. Accordingly, 
 six da3's before the passover Jesus came to Bethany, 
 where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. 
 So they made him a supper there and Martha was serv- 
 ing, but Lazarus was one of those who reclined at table 
 with him. Then Mary, taking a pound of pomade of 
 pure spikenard, very costly, anointed the feet of Jesus 
 and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 309 
 
 filled with the odor of the pomade. Judas Iscariot, one 
 of his disciples, the one who was about to deliver him 
 up, says, 
 
 *' Why was not this pomade sold for forty-five dollars, 
 and the money given to the poor ? " 
 
 Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, 
 but because he was a thief, and as he had the purse, 
 used to pilfer what was put in it. 
 
 " Let her alone," said Jesus then, " that she may keep 
 it until the day of my burial ; for the poor you have 
 always with you, but me you have not always." 
 
 Now the great multitude of the Jews knew that he 
 was there, and they came, not on account of Jesus alone, 
 but also to see Lazarus whom he raised from the dead. 
 So the chief priests determined to kill Lazarus also, be- 
 cause on his account many of the Jews left them and were 
 trusting in Jesus. 
 
 On the following day the great crowd that had come to 
 the feast, hearing that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem, 
 took palm-branches and went out to meet him. And 
 they shouted repeatedly, 
 
 God save him! 
 
 Blessed is he that is coming in Jehovah's name. 
 
 And Israel's King! 
 
 So Jesus, having found an ass, sat upon it, as it is written 
 
 Do not fear, Zion's daughter, 
 See, your King is coming 
 Seated on an ass's colt! 
 
 His disciples did not understand these things at first, 
 but when Jesus was exalted, then they remembered that 
 these things had been written about him and that they 
 
310 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 did these things to him. Then the crowd that was with 
 him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised 
 him from the dead, continued to testify. Therefore 
 the crowd went to meet him, because they heard that 
 he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said among 
 themselves, 
 
 " You see that you are efTecting nothing ! See, all the 
 world has gone ofif after him." 
 
 Now there were certain Greeks among those who were 
 going up to worship during the feast. So these came 
 to Philip (the one from Bethsaida in Gahlee) and began 
 to question him, saying, 
 
 " Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 
 
 Philip comes and tells Andrew; Andrew and Philip 
 come and tell Jesus, But Jesus replies to them : 
 
 " The time has come for the Son of man to be honored. 
 
 In very truth I say to you, 
 
 Unless the kernel of wheat fall into the ground and 
 
 die, it remains single ; 
 But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 
 He that loves his life loses it. 
 And he that hates his life in this world will preserve 
 
 it unto eternal life. 
 If any one serve me, let him follow me. 
 And where I am there my servant also will be. 
 If any one serve me, my Father will honor him. 
 Now my soul has been made anxious, and what shall 
 
 I say? 
 ' Father, deliver me from this hour? ' 
 But for this I came to this hour. 
 I will say, ' Father, honor thy name.' " 
 
 Then a voice came out of heaven, " I have both honored 
 
 it and will honor it again." 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 311 
 
 The crowd that stood by and heard began to say 
 there had been a thunderclap. Others were saying, 
 " An angel has spoken to him." 
 Jesus said : 
 
 " This voice has not come for my sake, but for yours. 
 Now this world's condemnation is taking place, 
 Now this world's ruler will be driven out. 
 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will win to 
 myself all men." 
 
 Now in saying this he was signifying by what sort of 
 death he was destined to die. 
 
 " We have heard out of the Law," the crowd answered 
 him, " that the Christ continues forever, and how do 
 you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who 
 is this Son of man? " 
 
 Jesus replied: 
 
 " The light is among you a little while longer ; 
 
 Walk while you have the light. 
 
 That the darkness may not overtake you. 
 
 And Ke that walks in the darkness does not know 
 
 where he is going. 
 While you have the light, trust in the light. 
 That you may become sons of the light." 
 
 Jesus said these things, and went away and hid himself 
 from them. But though he had given such proofs of 
 his mission in their presence, they were not trusting in 
 him, that the saying of the prophet Isaiah might be ful- 
 filled, when he said, 
 
 Jehovah, who has believed our preaching, 
 And the arm of Jehovah, to zuhom has it been made 
 bare? 
 
312 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 They could not believe for this reason, as Isaiah again 
 says, 
 
 He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; 
 That they should not see with their eyes, and under- 
 stand with their heart, 
 And turn, and I should heal them. 
 
 Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke of 
 him. Nevertheless, many of the rulers trusted in him, 
 yet on account of the Pharisees they were not confess- 
 ing, lest they should be expelled from the synagogues, 
 for they loved men's honor more than God's. But Jesus 
 had proclaimed publicly : 
 
 " He that trusts me does not merely trust me. 
 
 But him that sent me. 
 
 And he that beholds me beholds him that sent me. 
 
 I have come as Light into this world, 
 
 That no one that trusts in me should remain in the 
 
 darkness. 
 And if any one hears my teaching and does not cherish 
 
 it, I do not judge him, 
 For I did not come to judge the world, but to deliver 
 
 the world. 
 He that rejects me and does not receive my teaching, 
 
 has one that judges him — 
 The instruction that I have given, that will judge 
 
 him in the last day. 
 Because I have not taught on my own authority. 
 But the Father that sent me himself charged me what 
 
 to say and teach. 
 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. 
 So I teach exactly what the Father has told me." 
 
A NEW TR^\NSLATION : GOSPEL 3I3 
 
 III. SIGNS AND TESTIAIONIES OF THE LAST DAYS 
 
 I. The Last Supper 
 
 Now before the feast of the passover Jesus knew that 
 the time had come for him to depart out of this world 
 to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the 
 world, he loved them to the end. And since the devil 
 had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot [the plan] 
 to deliver him up, and he knew that the Father had 
 given all things into his hands, while they were eating 
 supper he rose from the table and, laying aside his tunic, 
 he took a towel and tied it about himself. Then he 
 poured water into the basin, and began to wash the 
 disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that 
 was tied about him. So he came to Simon Peter, and the 
 latter says to him, 
 
 " Master, are you going to wash my feet ? " 
 
 " What I am doing," Jesus replied to him, " you do not 
 understand at present, but you will learn later." 
 
 " You shall not wash my feet, no, never ! " Peter says 
 to him. 
 
 " Unless I wash you," Jesus answered him, " you have 
 no fellowship with me." 
 
 " Not my feet alone. Master, but hands and head also ! " 
 said Peter. 
 
 " He that has bathed," says Jesus to him, " needs to 
 wash his feet only ; then he is entirely clean. And you 
 are clean, but not all." 
 
 For he knew the one who was to deliver him up ; there- 
 fore he said, " You are not all clean." So when he had 
 washed their feet, and put on his tunic and reclined again, 
 he said to them: 
 
 " Do you understand what I have done to you ? 
 You call me ' The Teacher ' and ' The Master' 
 
314 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And you speak properly, for I am these. 
 
 If I then, the Teacher and Master, have washed your 
 
 feet, 
 You also ought to wash each others' feet; 
 For I have given you an example, 
 That you may do just as I have done to you. 
 In very truth I tell you, 
 A slave is not greater than his master, 
 Nor is a messenger greater than he that sends him. 
 If you know these things, happy are you if you do 
 
 them. 
 I am not speaking about all of you — 
 I know whom I have chosen — 
 But this is to fulfil the Scripture, 
 He that eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me. 
 I tell you this now, before it takes place. 
 In order that when it takes place you may believe that 
 
 I am [the Christ]. 
 In very truth I tell you, 
 
 He that receives any one that I send receives me. 
 And he that receives me receives him that sent me." 
 
 When he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and 
 testified and said, " In very truth I tell )'^ou, that one of 
 you will deliver me up." 
 
 The disciples looked at each other, wondering of whom 
 he was speaking. There was reclining next to Jesus one 
 of his disciples whom Jesus loved ; so Simon Peter nods 
 to him and says, 
 
 " Ask who it is that he is talking about." 
 
 He, leaning back consequently upon Jesus' breast, says 
 to him, " Master, who is it ? " 
 
 " It is he for whom I shall dip the morsel of bread 
 and give it to him,' replied Jesus. So, dipping the 
 morsel, he takes it and gives it to Judas Iscariot. And 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 315 
 
 then, after receiving the morsel, Satan entered into him. 
 So Jesus says to him, 
 
 *' Do quickly what you are going to do." 
 Now none of those at table understood why he said 
 this to him ; for some supposed that, since Judas had the 
 purse, Jesus was saying to him, " Buy what things we 
 need for the feast," or, " Give something to the poor." 
 When he received the morsel therefore, he went out at 
 once, and it was night. 
 
 2. Last Discourses — Union With Christ 
 So when he had gone out, Jesus says : 
 
 " I am the true Vine, 
 
 And my Father is the gardener. 
 
 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear 
 
 fruit, 
 And he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, 
 That it may bear more fruit. 
 Yoti are already cleansed by pruning, because of the 
 
 word I have spoken to you; 
 Continue in me and I will continue in you. 
 Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless 
 
 it continues in the vine, 
 So neither can you unless you continue in me. 
 I am the vine, you are the branches. 
 He that continues in me and I in him — he will bear 
 
 much fruit, 
 Because apart from me you can do nothing. 
 Unless one continue in me, he is cast forth like the 
 
 branch and is withered ; 
 And they gather them and throw them into the fire, 
 
 and they are burned. 
 If you continue in me and my teaching continues in 
 
 you, 
 
3l6 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 You may ask what you will and it will come to pass 
 
 for you. 
 My Father is honored in this: that you bear much 
 
 fruit 
 And become my disciples. 
 
 " I give you a new commandment : Love each other. 
 
 As I have loved you, so also love each other. 
 
 By this all will know that you are my disciples, 
 
 If you have love for each other. 
 
 Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved 
 
 you— 
 Continue in my love ! 
 If you obey my commandments you will continue in 
 
 my love, 
 Just as I have obeyed my Father's commandments and 
 
 continue in his love. 
 I have told you these things that my joy may be in you 
 And your joy be made complete. 
 
 " This is my commandment : Love each other, just as I 
 
 have loved you. 
 No one has greater love than this : 
 That one lay down his life for his friends. 
 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 
 I no longer call you ' slaves,' 
 
 For the slave does not know what his master does ; 
 But I have called you friends. 
 Because I have made known to you all that I have heard 
 
 from my Father. 
 You did not choose me, but I chose you 
 And appointed you to go and bear fruit; 
 And your fruit remains. 
 In order that the Father may give you whatever you 
 
 ask in my name. 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 317^ 
 
 " I am commanding you this : to love each other. 
 
 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me 
 
 before you. 
 If you were of the world, the world would continue to 
 
 love its own; 
 But because you are not of the world, but I have 
 
 chosen you out of the world — 
 For this the world hates you ! 
 Remember my former saying, ' The slave is not greater 
 
 than his master.' 
 If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also; 
 If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours also. 
 But they will do all this to you on account of my 
 
 Name, 
 Because they do not know him that sent me. 
 
 " If I had not come and spoken to them, they would 
 
 have no sin ; 
 But as it is, they have no excuse for their sin. 
 He that hates me hates my Father also. 
 If I had not done among them works such as no one 
 
 else has done, they would have no sin ; 
 But as it is, they have both seen and hated both me and 
 
 my Father. 
 But they have done this in fulfilment of the saying 
 
 written in their law. 
 They hated me without just cause. 
 
 3. The Coming of the Helper 
 
 " I have said these things to you that you may not fall 
 
 away. 
 They will expel you from the synagogues, 
 Yes, a time is coming when every one that kills you 
 
 will suppose that he is doing God a service. 
 
3l8 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And they will do these things because they have not 
 
 known the Father nor me. 
 But I have already told you this 
 In order that, when the time comes, you may remember 
 
 the things I told you ; 
 But I did not tell you this at first, 
 Because I was still with you. 
 But now I am going to him that sent me, 
 And none of you asks me, ' Where are you going? ' 
 But grief has filled your hearts because I have told 
 
 you this. 
 Yet I tell you the truth — it is for your good that I 
 
 go away. 
 For if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to 
 
 you at all; 
 But if I depart I will send him to you. 
 And when he has come he will bring conviction to the 
 
 world 
 As to sin and righteousness and judgment : 
 As to sin, indeed, because they do not trust in me ; 
 And as to righteousness, because I am going to the 
 
 Father and you will no longer behold me ; 
 As to judgment, because the ruler of this world has 
 
 been judged. 
 
 " After a little while you will no longer behold me. 
 And again after a little while you will see me." 
 
 So some of his disciples said to one another, *' What is 
 this that he is saying to us? * After a little while you will 
 not see me.' And, ' Because I am going to the Father.' 
 What is this that he is saying about ' a little while ' ? " 
 they continued ; " we do not understand what he is talk- 
 ing about." 
 
 Jesus knew that they were wishing to question him, 
 and said to them : 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION: GOSPEL 3I9 
 
 " Are you inquiring of one another about this, 
 
 * After a little while you will not behold me, 
 
 And again after a little while you will see me ' ? 
 
 In very truth I say to you, 
 
 You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; 
 
 You will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 
 
 When the woman brings forth her child she grieves, 
 
 Because her time [of suffering] has come ; 
 
 But when the child is born, she no longer remembers 
 her distress, 
 
 Because of her joy that a man has been born into the 
 world. 
 
 And so you are grieving now, to be sure, 
 
 But I shall see you again, and your hearts will re- 
 joice, 
 
 And no one will take from you your joy. 
 
 And in that day you will ask me nothing. 
 
 Of a truth I tell you, if you ask the Father anything 
 
 He will give it you in my Name. 
 
 Hitherto you have asked nothing in my Name; 
 
 Ask and you will receive. 
 
 That your joy may be made complete. 
 
 I have said these things to you in figurative language ; 
 
 A time is coming when I shall no longer speak figura- 
 tively to you. 
 
 But shall tell you plainly about the Father. 
 
 In that day you will ask in my Name, 
 
 And I do not tell you that I shall ask the Father in 
 your behalf. 
 
 For the Father himself loves you, because you have 
 loved me 
 
 And believed that I came forth from the Father. 
 
 I came forth from the Father and I have come into the 
 world ; 
 
 Again I leave the world and depart to the Father." 
 
320 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 " See now," his disciples say, " you are talking plainly 
 and are not speaking figuratively. Now we know that 
 you know all things, and do not need that any one should 
 question you. By this we believe that you came forth 
 from God." 
 
 Jesus answered them : 
 
 " Do you believe at this time ? 
 
 Lo, a time is coming, and has come, for you to be 
 
 scattered, each to his own, and leave me alone ; 
 Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 
 I have said these things to you that you may have peace 
 
 in me. 
 In the world you will have trouble, but be of good 
 
 courage ! 
 I have conquered the world. 
 
 " Now is the Son of man exalted, 
 
 And God is exalted in him ; 
 
 And God will exalt him in his own being, 
 
 And will exalt him at once. 
 
 Children, I am with you only a little while longer ; 
 
 You will look for me, and, as I said to the Jews, 
 
 ' Where I am going you cannot come,' 
 
 I say it now to you also." 
 
 Simon Peter says to him, " Master, where are you 
 going?" 
 
 " Where I am going you will not be able to follow me 
 now," replied Jesus, " but you will follow later." 
 
 " Master," says Peter to him, " why cannot I follow 
 you at present? I will lay down my life for you." 
 
 " You will lay down your life for me? " replies Jesus ; 
 " in very truth I tell you the cock will by no means crow 
 until you have three times disowned me. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION: GOSPEL 321 
 
 " Let not your hearts be troubled ; 
 
 Trust in God, trust in me also. 
 
 In my Father's house are many apartments ; 
 
 If it were not so I would have told you, 
 
 For I am departing to make ready a place for you. 
 
 And if I depart and make ready a place for you, 
 
 I shall come again and receive you to myself. 
 
 That you may be where I am. 
 
 And you do not know the way I am going." 
 
 Thomas says to him, " Master, we do not know where 
 you are going; how can we know the way?" 
 Jesus says to him, 
 
 " I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; 
 No one comes to the Father except through me. 
 If you knew me you would know my Father also ; 
 From this time you know him and have seen him." 
 
 " Master," says Philip to him, " show us the Father, 
 and it will content us." 
 Jesus says to him, 
 
 " Have I been so long a time with you, 
 
 And yet have you not recognized me, Philip? 
 
 He that has seen me has seen the Father ; 
 
 Why are you saying, ' Show us the Father ? ' 
 
 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the 
 
 Father in me ? 
 The words that I speak to you I do not say on my 
 
 own authority, 
 But the Father, dwelling in me, is doing his works. 
 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father 
 
 in me. 
 Or else believe me on account of the works themselves. 
 In very truth I tell you, 
 V 
 
322 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 He that trusts in me will also do the works that I am 
 
 doing, 
 And he will do greater works than these, 
 Because I am going to the Father. 
 And I shall do whatsoever you ask in my Name, 
 In order that the Father may be honored in the Son. 
 If you ask anything in my Name, I shall do it. 
 
 "If you love me, obey my commandments ; 
 
 And I shall ask the Father and he will give you another 
 
 Helper, 
 To be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. 
 Whom the world cannot receive 
 Because it does not behold him or know him. 
 You know him, because he continues among you and 
 
 in you. 
 I shall not leave you orphans, 
 I am coming to you. 
 
 After a little while the world beholds me no longer, 
 But you behold me ; 
 Because I live, you also will live. 
 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, 
 And you in me and I in you. 
 He that has my commandments and obeys them is he 
 
 that loves me ; 
 And he that loves me will be loved by my Father, 
 And I shall love him and reveal myself to him." 
 
 Judas (not Iscariot) says to him, " Master, what has 
 happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us and 
 not to the world ? " 
 
 Jesus replied: 
 
 " If any one love me, he will obey my teaching. 
 And my Father will love him. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 323 
 
 And we shall come to him and make our dwelling with 
 
 him. 
 He that does not love me will not obey my teaching ; 
 And the teaching that you hear is not mine, but that 
 
 of the Father that sent me. 
 
 " When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you 
 
 from the Father — 
 The Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father — 
 He will testify concerning me. 
 And you are also to bear testimony, 
 Because you have been with me from the beginning. 
 
 " i have said these things to you while remaining with 
 
 you; 
 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will 
 
 send in my name — 
 He will teach you all things 
 And put you in remembrance of all that I have said 
 
 to you, 
 I leave peace with you, 
 I give you my peace; 
 
 I do not give to you as the world gives — 
 Let not your hearts be distressed nor fearful! 
 You heard what I said to you, 
 * I am going away and I am coming to you.' 
 If you loved me you would rejoice that I am departing 
 
 to the Father, 
 Because the Father is greater than I. 
 And now I have told you before it takes place, 
 That when it takes place you may believe. 
 
 " I still have much to say to you. 
 
 But you cannot endure it at present. 
 
 But when he shall come, the Spirit of truth. 
 
324 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 He will guide you into all the truth; 
 
 For he will not speak on his own authority, 
 
 But he will speak what he hears, 
 
 And will tell you what will come to pass. 
 
 He will honor me 
 
 Because he will receive what belongs to me and tell it 
 
 to you. 
 All that the Father has is mine; 
 Therefore 1 said, ' He will receive what belongs to me 
 
 and tell it to you.' 
 
 " I shall no longer talk much with you. 
 
 For the ruler of this world is coming, and he has 
 
 nothing [that pertains to him] in me ; 
 But [he comes] that the world may know that I love 
 
 the Father, 
 And am doing just what the Father has commanded. 
 Arise, let us go from this place." 
 
 4. Jesus Prays for His Disciples 
 
 Jesus spoke these things, and lifting his eyes to heaven 
 said: 
 
 " Father, the hour has come : 
 
 Exalt thy Son, that the Son may exalt thee. 
 
 Just as thou gavest him authority over all mankind. 
 
 In order that he should give eternal life to every one 
 
 that thou gavest him. 
 Now this is eternal life: to know the only real God, 
 And him whom thou hast sent forth, Jesus [the] Christ. 
 I exalted thee on the earth, 
 I finished the work thou gavest me to do. 
 And now exalt thou me. Father, with thyself. 
 In the honor that I had with thee before the world 
 was. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 325 
 
 " I made known thy name to the men whom thou gavest 
 
 me out of the world. 
 They were thine, and thou gavest them to me, 
 And they have obeyed thy teaching. 
 They have understood now that all things that thou 
 
 gavest me are from thee ; 
 Because I have given them the words that thou gavest 
 
 me, 
 And they received them and really understood that 1 
 
 came forth from thee, 
 And believed that thou didst send me forth. 
 I intercede for them ; 
 I do not intercede for the world, 
 But for those whom thou hast given me, because they 
 
 are thine — 
 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine — 
 And I have been exalted in them. 
 
 " And I am no longer in the world, 
 
 Yet these are in the world, 
 
 And I am coming to thee. 
 
 Holy Father, keep in my Name these whom thou hast 
 
 given me. 
 That they may be one just as we are. 
 When I was with them I continued to keep them in thy 
 
 Name which thou hast given me, 
 And I guarded them, 
 And not one of them was destroyed save the son of 
 
 destruction. 
 That what was written might be accomplished. 
 And now I am coming to thee. 
 And I say these things in the world, 
 That they may have my joy made complete in them. 
 I have given them thy teaching 
 And the world hated them. 
 
326 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Because they are not of the world, 
 
 Just as I am not of the world. 
 
 I do not ask thee to take them out of the world, 
 
 But to keep them from the evil one. 
 
 They are not of the world, 
 
 Just as I am not of the world. 
 
 Consecrate them by the truth — 
 
 Thy teaching is truth. 
 
 Just as thou didst send me forth into the world, 
 
 I also have sent them forth into the world. 
 
 And for their sakes I consecrate myself. 
 
 That they also may be consecrated. 
 
 " I do not intercede for these only, 
 
 But also for those that trust in me through their teach- 
 ing, 
 
 That all may be one — 
 
 That, just as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee. 
 
 They also may be in us. 
 
 In order that the world may believe that thou didst 
 send me forth. 
 
 And I have given them the honor thou hast given me. 
 
 In order that they may be one, just as we are one, 
 
 I in them and thou in me, 
 
 That they may be completely united, 
 
 That the world may know that thou didst send me forth 
 
 And didst love them just as thou didst love me. 
 
 " Father, I desire that those whom thou hast given me 
 
 should be with me where I am. 
 To behold my honor that thou hast given me, 
 Because thou didst love me before the founding of the 
 
 world. 
 Righteous Father, though the world did not know thee, 
 
 I knew thee. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 327 
 
 And these know that thou didst send me forth ; 
 
 And I made known thy name to them, 
 
 And will make it known, 
 
 That the love with which thou didst love me may be 
 
 in them, 
 And I in them." 
 
 5. The Arrest and Trial 
 
 Having said this, Jesus went out with his disciples 
 across the stream called Kedron, where there was a 
 garden which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas 
 also, who delivered him up, was acquainted with the place, 
 for Jesus often met with his disciples there. So Judas, 
 having received the Temple guard and ofHcers from the 
 chief priests and Pharisees, comes there with torches 
 and lanterns and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all 
 things that were coming upon him, came forth and says 
 to them, 
 
 " For whom are you looking? " 
 
 " Jesus, the Nazarene," they replied. 
 
 " I am he," says he. 
 
 Now Judas also, the traitor, stood with them. So 
 when he said to them, " I am he," they went backward 
 and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, 
 
 " For whom are you looking? " 
 
 " Jesus, the Nazarene," they replied. 
 
 " I told you that I am he," said Jesus ; " so, if you are 
 looking for me, let these go away " — that the saying might 
 be accomplished, " I did not lose one of those whom thou 
 hast given me." 
 
 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck 
 the high priest's slave and cut ofif his right ear. Now the 
 slave's name was Malchus. Then Jesus said to Peter, 
 
 " Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink 
 the cup my Father has given me ? " 
 
328 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 So the guard and the captain and the officers of the 
 Jews seized Jesus and bound him, and led him to Annas 
 first, for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high 
 priest that year. The high priest therefore asked Jesus 
 about his disciples and his teaching. 
 
 " I have spoken openly to the world," replied Jesus ; 
 " I always taught in the synagogues and the Temple. 
 Why do you ask me ? Ask those who listened to me what 
 I said to them — lo, they know what I said." 
 
 When he had said this, one of the officers that stood by 
 gave Jesus a blow with his stafif, saying, 
 
 " Do you answer the high priest in that style? " 
 
 " If I spoke ill," Jesus replied, " testify concerning the 
 offense, but if well, why do you strike me? " 
 
 Annas then sent him away to Caiaphas, the high priest. 
 And it was Caiaphas who gave counsel to the Jews that 
 it was better for them that one man should die in behalf 
 of the people. And Simon Peter and another disciple 
 followed Jesus. Now that disciple was known to the 
 high priest, and went in with Jesus to the high priest's 
 court, but Peter stood outside, by the door. So the other 
 disciple who was known to the high priest came out and 
 spoke to the portress, and brought Peter in. Then the 
 maid who kept the door said, 
 
 " Are you not also one of this man's disciples ? " 
 
 " I am not," he said. 
 
 Now the slaves and officers having made a charcoal 
 fire (for it was cold) were standing there and warming 
 themselves, and Peter also stood with them and warmed 
 himself. So they said to him, 
 
 " Are not you also one of his disciples ? " 
 
 He denied it and said, " I am not." 
 
 One of the high priest's slaves, a relative of the one 
 whose ear Peter cut off, says, 
 
 " Did I not see you in the garden with him ? " 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 329 
 
 So Peter denied it again ; and at once the cock crowed. 
 
 Then they lead Jesus from Caiaphas to the Pretorium. 
 Now it was early, and they themselves did not enter the 
 Pretorium, that they should not be defiled, but might 
 cat the passover. So Pilate came out to them and said, 
 
 " What charge do you bring against this man ? " 
 
 " If he were not a criminal," they replied, " we should 
 not have delivered him to you." 
 
 " Take him yourselves," Pilate said to them, " and 
 judge him according to your law." 
 
 " We have no right to put any one to death [during 
 the feast]," the Jews said to him, that the saying of 
 Jesus might be fulfilled, when he signified by what sort of 
 death he was about to die. 
 
 So Pilate entered the Pretorium again and spoke to 
 Jesus and said to him, 
 
 " Are you the king of the Jews? " 
 
 " Do you ask this of your own accord ? " answered 
 Jesus, " or did others tell you about me ? " 
 
 " I am no Jew, am I ? " replied Pilate. *' Your nation 
 and the chief priests delivered you to me. What did 
 you do ? " 
 
 " My kingdom is not of this world," replied Jesus. 
 " If my kingdom were of this world, my subjects would 
 fight that I should not be delivered up by the Jews; but 
 as it is, my kingdom is not from this place." 
 
 " In any case you are a king, are you not ? " said 
 Pilate to him. 
 
 " I am what you say, a king," Jesus replied. " I have 
 been born for this, and for this I have come into the 
 world — to testify to the truth ; every one that is of the 
 truth hears my voice." 
 
 " What is truth ? " says Pilate to him. 
 
 And having said this, he went out to the Jews and 
 says to them, 
 
330 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 " I find no crime in him; but you have a custom that I 
 release to you one prisoner at the passover — do you 
 wish that I release to you the king of the Jews? " 
 
 Then they shouted again, saying, '' Not this man, but 
 Barabbas." (Now Barabbas was a brigand.) 
 
 So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And 
 the soldiers twisted together a crown from some thorny 
 plants and put it on his head, and threw about him 
 a purple cloak; and they kept coming to him and 
 saying, 
 
 " Hurrah for the king of the Jews ! " And they gave 
 him blows with rods. 
 
 And Pilate came out again and said to them, 
 " See, I bring him out to you, that you may know chat I 
 find no crime in him." 
 
 So Jesus came forth, wearing the thorny crown and 
 the purple cloak. And he says to them, 
 
 " Behold the man." 
 
 So when the chief priests and the officers saw him, they 
 shouted, 
 
 " Crucify, crucify him." 
 
 " Take him yourselves and crucify him," says Pilate, 
 " for I find no crime in him." 
 
 " We have a law," replied the Jews, " and according to 
 that law he ought to die, because he pretended that he 
 is God's Son." 
 
 So when Pilate heard this saying he was more alarmed, 
 and entered the Pretorium again and said to Jesus, 
 
 " Where are you from ? " but Jesus gave him no reply. 
 
 "Do you not talk to me?" says Pilate to him; "do 
 you not know that I have authority to release you and 
 have authority to crucify you? " 
 
 " You would have no authority at all over me," replied 
 Jesus, " if it were not given you from above ; for this 
 reason, he that delivered me up to you has greater sin," 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 331 
 
 In consequence of this, Pilate tried again and again to 
 release him, but the Jews shouted, 
 
 " If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend; 
 every one who proclaims himself a king declares him- 
 self against Caesar." 
 
 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus 
 without, and sat upon the bema, in a place called " The 
 Pavement of Mosaics " (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). Now ii 
 was the day of preparation for the passover, about noon. 
 And he says to the Jews, 
 
 " Behold your king! " 
 
 So they shouted, " Kill him ! Kill him ! Crucify him ! " 
 
 " Shall I crucify your king?" says Pilate to them. 
 
 " We have no king but Caesar," replied the chief priests. 
 
 So then he delivered him up to them to be crucified. 
 
 6. The Crucifixion and Death 
 
 Then they took Jesus, and bearing the cross for him- 
 self, he went forth to the place called The Skull (in 
 Hebrew, Golgotha) where they crucified him, and with 
 him two others, [one] on either side and Jesus in the 
 middle. And Pilate wrote a title and placed it on the 
 cross; and it was written, Jesus, the Nazarexe, the 
 King of the Jews. Now many of the Jews read this 
 title, because the place where Jesus was crucified was 
 near the city and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and 
 Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said repeatedly 
 to Pilate, 
 
 " Do not write, ' The king of the Jews,' but that he said, 
 ' I am king of the Jews.' " 
 
 " What I have written I have written," replied Pilate. 
 
 Now the soldiers, when they crucified Jesus, took his 
 clothes and made four portions, a portion for each soldier, 
 and the tunic. And the tunic was seamless, woven from 
 
332 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 top to bottom in one piece. So they said to each other, 
 " Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall 
 be " — that the Scripture might be f ulfilled^ 
 
 They shared my clothes among themselves 
 And for my tunic they cast lots. 
 
 These things indeed the soldiers did; but there were 
 standing by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother's 
 sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary of Magdala. 
 Now Jesus, seeing his mother, and the disciple whom he 
 loved standing by, says to his mother, " Madam, see, 
 your son!" Then he says to the disciple, "See, your 
 mother ! " And from that hour the disciple took her to 
 his own home. 
 
 After this Jesus (knowing that now all has been 
 finished) that the Scripture might be fulfilled, says, " I 
 am thirsty." A bowl was standing there full of sour 
 wine; so they put a sponge full of the wine on [a stalk 
 of] hyssop and raised it to his mouth. Now when he 
 had taken the wine, Jesus said, " It is finished," and 
 bowing his head he gave up his spirit. 
 
 Now since it was the Preparation, the Jews asked 
 Pilate that their ^ legs might be broken and the bodies be 
 removed, in order that they might not remain upon the 
 cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a great day). 
 So the soldiers came, and they broke the legs of the 
 first, and of the other who was crucified with him; but 
 when they came to Jesus, as they saw that he was already 
 dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers 
 pierced his side with a spear, and water and blood came 
 out. And he who saw has testified — and his testimony 
 is trustworthy, and he knows that he is speaking truth — 
 in order that you also may believe. For this took place 
 
 • /. e., of the crucified, not of the Tews. The confusion of pronouns is in the orig- 
 inal, and unavoidable without paraphrase or reconstructipn of the sentence, — TV. 
 
A NEW translation: gospel 333 
 
 in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, A bone of 
 him will not be crushed. And again another passage says, 
 They zvill look on him zvhom they pierced. 
 
 Xovv after these things, Joseph of Arimathea — who 
 was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the 
 Jews — asked Pilate that he might remove the body of 
 Jesus. And Pilate gave him leave. So he came and 
 removed his body. And Nicodemus also came (he who 
 came to him at the first by night) bringing a roll of myrrh 
 and aloes weighing about a hundred pounds. So they 
 took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with 
 the spices, as is the custom of the Jews to bury. Now 
 there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, 
 and in that garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever 
 been laid. There then, because of the Preparation of the 
 Jews, since the tomb was near, they laid Jesus. 
 
 7. The Resurrection 
 
 Now on the first day of the week Mary of Magdala 
 comes to the tomb very early, while it is yet dark, and 
 sees the stone removed from the tomb. So she runs and 
 comes to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom 
 Jesus loved, and says to them, 
 
 " They have removed the Master from the tomb, and 
 we do not know where they have laid him." 
 
 So Peter and the other disciple went out and were 
 going to the tomb. And the two began running together, 
 and the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came 
 first to the tomb; and stooping down he sees the linen 
 cloths lying — however, he did not go in. Then Simon 
 Peter also comes, following him, and he went into the 
 tomb; and he sees the linen cloths lying, and the kerchief 
 that was upon his head, not lying with the cloths, but 
 rolled up in a place by itself. So then the other disciple 
 
334 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 went in — he who came first to the tomb — and he saw and 
 beHeved. For they did not yet understand the Scripture 
 which says that he must rise from the dead. The dis- 
 ciples then returned to their homes. 
 
 But Mary was standing by the tomb, outside, weeping. 
 Now while she was weeping she stooped down into the 
 tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at 
 the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus 
 was formerly lying. And they say to her, 
 
 " Madam, why are you weeping ? " 
 
 " They have removed my Master," she says to them, 
 " and I do not know where they have laid him." 
 
 When she had said this, she turned around and saw 
 Jesus standing [there], but did not recognize him as 
 Jesus. Jesus says to her, 
 
 " Madam, why are you weeping? For whom are you 
 looking ? " 
 
 She, thinking that he is the gardener, says to him, 
 " Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you 
 have put him and I will remove him." 
 
 " Mary ! " says Jesus. 
 
 Turning, she says to him, " Rabboni " (which means 
 Teacher). 
 
 " Do not touch me," says Jesus to her, " for I have not 
 yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and 
 tell them, ' I am ascending to my Father and your 
 Father, and to my God and your God.' " 
 
 Mary of Magdala comes announcing to the disciples, 
 " I have seen the Master," and that he had said these 
 things to her. 
 
 Now when it was evening of that first day of the 
 week, and the doors where the disciples were had been 
 shut because of fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood 
 in the midst and said to them, 
 
 " Peace be to you." 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION: GOSPEL 335 
 
 And having said this, he showed them his hands and 
 side. So the disciples rejoiced at seeing the Master. 
 So he said to them again, 
 
 " Peace be to you. Just as the Father sent me I also 
 am sending you." 
 
 And when he had said this he breathed upon them and 
 said, 
 
 " Receive the Holy Spirit. 
 If you forgive the sins of any, 
 They have been forgiven ; 
 If you retain the sins of any, 
 They have been retained." 
 
 Now Thomas — one of the Twelve, the one called the 
 Twin — was not with them when Jesus came. So the 
 other disciples said to him repeatedly, 
 
 " We have seen the Master," 
 
 But he said to them, " Unless I see in his hands the 
 mark of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will 
 not believe at all." 
 
 And a week later his disciples were within and Thomas 
 with them. Although the doors had been shut, Jesus came 
 and stood in the midst and said, 
 
 " Peace be to you." 
 
 Then he says to Thomas, " Put your finger here and see 
 my hands, and take your hand and thrust it into my side, 
 and do not become faithless but believing." 
 
 " My Master and my God," replied Thomas to him. 
 
 " Because you have seen me you have believed," says 
 Jesus to him ; " happy those that do not see, yet believe." 
 
 Now to be sure, while with his disciples, Jesus did 
 many other signs also that are not written in this book ; 
 but these have been written that you may believe Jesus 
 to be the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you 
 may have life in his name. 
 
336 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 EPILOGUE 
 
 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the 
 disciples by the Lake of Tiberias; and he showed him- 
 self thus : 
 
 Simon Peter and Thomas (called the Twin), and 
 Nathanael (of Cana in Galilee), and the sons of Zebedee, 
 and two other disciples were together. Simon says to 
 them, 
 
 " I am going fishing." 
 
 " We too are coming with you," they say. 
 
 They went out and embarked in the boat, and caught 
 nothing that night. But while it was still very early, 
 Jesus stood on the beach — however, the disciples did not 
 recognize Jesus. 
 
 " Children, you have nothing to eat, have you ? " Jesus 
 says to them. 
 
 " No," they answered him. 
 
 " Cast the net on the right side of the boat," he says to 
 them, "and you will find [some]." 
 
 So they cast, and were no longer able to draw the net, 
 on account of the number of fish. So that disciple whom 
 Jesus loved says to Peter, 
 
 " It is the Master." 
 
 Simon Peter then, hearing that it is the Master, put 
 on his blouse (for he had on his underclothes only), and 
 threw himself into the lake ; but the other disciples came 
 in the little boat (for they were not far from the shore, 
 only about a hundred yards), drawing the net full of fish. 
 So when they had disembarked on the shore, they see 
 a charcoal fire made there, and fish lying on it, and 
 bread. 
 
 " Bring [here] some of the fish that you have just 
 caught," says Jesus to them. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 337 
 
 So Simon Peter went aboard and drew the net to the 
 
 shore, full of large fish. There were one hundred and 
 fift3'-three, and although there were so many the net was 
 not torn. 
 
 " Come here and breakfast," says Jesus to them. 
 
 None of the disciples was venturing to ask him, " Who 
 are you ? " since they knew it was the Master. Jesus 
 comes and takes the bread and gives it to them, and the 
 fish in the same way. In this way Jesus was now a 
 third time shown to the disciples after he was raised from 
 the dead. 
 
 So when they had breakfasted, Jesus says to Simon 
 Peter, 
 
 " Simon, son of John, do you love me more than 
 these?" 
 
 *' Yes, Master," he says to him, " you know that I am 
 your friend." 
 
 " Pasture my lambs," he says to him. 
 
 He says to him, a second time, 
 
 " Simon, son of John, do you love me? " 
 
 " Yes, Master," says Peter, " you know that I am your 
 friend." 
 
 " Shepherd my sheep," he says to him. 
 
 He says to him the third time, 
 
 "Simon, son of John, are you my friend?" 
 
 Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, 
 " Are you my friend ? " and said to him, 
 
 " Master, you know all things, you perceive that I am 
 your friend." 
 
 " Pasture my little sheep," says Jesus to him. " In 
 very truth I tell you, when you were young you used 
 to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but 
 when you grow old you will stretch out your hands and 
 another will gird you and lead you where you do not 
 wish." 
 w 
 
338 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 In saying this he indicated by what sort of death 
 Peter would honor God. And having said this, he added, 
 
 " Follow me." 
 
 Peter, turning around, sees the disciple whom Jesus 
 loved following — the one that leaned back on Jesus' breast 
 at the supper and said, " Master, who is it that will de- 
 liver you up ? " So when he saw him, Peter says to Jesus, 
 
 " Master, what about him ? " 
 
 " If I will that he remain until I come," says Jesus to 
 him, " what is that to you? Do you follow me." 
 
 So there went out this report among the brothers, that 
 that disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to 
 him that he would not die, but, " If I will that he remain 
 till I come, what is that to you ? " ^ 
 
 Now there were many other things also that Jesus did, 
 so that if they were written in detail I suppose that even 
 the world itself would not hold the books that would 
 be written. 
 
 ^This is the disciple who testifies concerning these things, and we know 
 that his testimony is trustworthy. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : GOSPEL 339 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 And each one went to his own home, but Jesus went 
 to the Mount of OHves. And early in the morning he 
 came into the Temple; and all the people came to him, 
 and he sat down and taught them. Now the scribes 
 and Pharisees bring a woman who had been caught in 
 adultery, and placing her in the midst, they say to him, 
 
 " Master, this woman was caught in the very act 
 of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us 
 to stone such women. Now what do you say ? " 
 
 They were saying this to test him, in order to have 
 a charge to bring against him. But Jesus stooped down, 
 and wrote on the ground with his finger. And as they 
 continued to question him, he raised himself up and said 
 to them, 
 
 " Let the man among you that is without sin throw the 
 first stone." 
 
 And again he stooped down, and wrote upon the 
 ground. So when they heard that, one by one they went 
 out, beginning with the eldest, and he was left alone with 
 the woman still in the midst of the court. So Jesus 
 raised himself up and said to her, 
 
 " Madam, where are they ? Did no one condemn you ? " 
 
 " No one, Master," said she. 
 
 " Neither do I condemn you," said Jesus, " go, and 
 from this time sin no longer." 
 
CHAPTER III 
 THE FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN 
 
 Prefatory Note. — This writing has certain peculiar- 
 ities that are not without difficulty for the translator. 
 Not only does the author use certain words, simple in 
 themselves, in subtle and esoteric meanings that are dif- 
 ficult to convey (such words as ^ !^ioTJ, -^ dX^dua, ro fwc), 
 but he is fond of phrases whose meaning cannot be ade- 
 quately conveyed to the English reader except by para- 
 phrase, like ix TOO dsou, ix r^c dXrjdeca!;. The translator 
 must therefore assume and be granted more freedom 
 than in the historical books, if he is to make the sense 
 of the original reasonably clear. Otherwise, the English 
 text must be accompanied by a commentary — in which 
 case it can be called a translation only by courtesy. But 
 while he thus shuns Scylla, he must take care not to fall 
 into Charybdis — in other words, to make a paraphrase, 
 not a translation. 
 
 PROLOGUE 
 
 What existed from the beginning we are declaring, 
 What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, 
 What we have looked upon and our hands have 
 
 handled — 
 Concerning the Word [who is the source] of Life, 
 And the Life was made visible. 
 And we have seen it, and are testifying and declaring to 
 
 you the Eternal Life, 
 Which was with the Father 
 And was made visible to us. 
 340 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : EPISTLES 34 1 
 
 To you also we are declaring what we have seen and 
 
 heard, 
 In order that you too may have fellowship with us. 
 And moreover, our fellowship is with the Father 
 And with his Son Jesus Christ. 
 And we are writing these things 
 That your joy may be made complete. 
 
 I. The Message 
 
 And this is the Message that we have heard from him 
 
 and are declaring to you : 
 " God is Light, and there is no darkness at all in him." 
 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and are 
 
 walking in the darkness. 
 We lie and are not doing what the truth requires. 
 But if we are walking in the Light, as He is in the 
 
 Light, 
 We have fellowship with each other, 
 And the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all 
 
 sin. 
 
 2. Sin and Its Forgiveness 
 
 If we say that we have no sin within us 
 
 We are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 
 
 If we confess our sins, 
 
 God is faithful and righteous, 
 
 So that he will forgive us our sins and purify us from 
 
 all unrighteousness. 
 If we say " We have not sinned," 
 We are making him a liar, 
 And his teaching is not in us. 
 
 My little children, I am writing these things to you 
 That you may not sin [at all] ; 
 Yet if any one has sinned, 
 
342 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, 
 
 who is righteous. 
 And he is an expiatory offering for our sins, 
 And not for ours alone, but for the whole world also. 
 
 3. Obedience the Test 
 
 And we perceive that we have come to knowledge of 
 him by this test : Are we obeying his commandments ? He 
 that says, " I have learned to know him," and is not obey- 
 ing his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in 
 him. But whoever obeys his teaching, certainly God's 
 love has been made perfect in him. We recognize that 
 we are in union with him by this test : he that professes 
 to be united with him ought himself also to live just the 
 kind of life that he lived. 
 
 4. A Commandment, Old and New 
 
 Dear friends, I am writing no new commandment to 
 
 you, 
 But an old commandment that you have continued to 
 
 possess from the first. 
 The old commandment is the Message that you heard. 
 Yet I am writing you a new commandment, 
 Which is [seen to be] true in what he is and what you 
 
 are; 
 Because the darkness is passing away 
 And the genuine Light is already shining. 
 He that professes to be in the Light, 
 Yet hates his brother. 
 Is in the darkness up to this time. 
 He that loves his brother remains in the Light, 
 And there is no occasion of stumbling in him. 
 But he that hates his brother is in the darkness, 
 And is walking in the dark. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : EPISTLES 343 
 
 And does not know where he is going, 
 Because the darkness has bhnded his eyes. 
 
 5. The Three Ages 
 
 I am writing to you, httle children, 
 
 Because your sins have been forgiven for his name's 
 sake. 
 I am writing to you, fathers. 
 
 Because you have come to know him who existed 
 from tlie beginning. 
 I am writing to you, young men. 
 
 Because you have conquered the Evil One. 
 
 I have written to you, little ones. 
 
 Because you have come to know the Father. 
 I have written to you, fathers. 
 
 Because you have come to know him who existed 
 from the beginning. 
 I have written to you, young men, 
 
 Because you are strong, 
 
 And God's Message remains in you. 
 
 And you have conquered the Evil One. 
 
 6. Love of the World 
 
 Do not love the world. 
 Nor the things that pertain to the world. 
 If any one love the world, 
 The Father's love is not in him. 
 Because everything that pertains to the world — 
 The desire of the flesh 
 And the desire of the eyes 
 And the vainglory of life — 
 
 Had its source, not from the Father, but from the 
 world. 
 
344 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And the world is passing away, together with its de- 
 sires, 
 But he that does God's will continues forever. 
 
 7. Antichrist 
 
 Little children, the last days are here, and as you have 
 heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many Anti- 
 christs have arisen ; whence we perceive that the last days 
 are here. They went out from us, but they did not 
 belong to us — for if they had belonged to us, they would 
 have continued with us — but [they went out] in order 
 that it might be made clear that none of them belonged 
 to us. And you have an anointing from the Holy One. 
 You all know — I have not written to you because you do 
 not know the truth, but because you do know it, and 
 because no lie has its origin in the truth. 
 
 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is 
 the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he that rejects the 
 Father and the Son. No one that rejects the Son has 
 even the Father. As for you, let what you heard from 
 the first continue in you. If what you heard from the 
 first does continue in you, and you continue in the Son, 
 you will continue in the Father also. And this is the 
 promise that he himself made us — the Life Eternal. 
 
 I have written these things to you concerning those 
 that are leading you astray. And as to you — the gift 
 of the Spirit that you received from him remains in 
 you and you have no need that any one teach you, but as 
 his gift of the Spirit teaches you about everything, and 
 is true, not false, and just as it taught you, remain united 
 to him. And now, little children, remain united in him, 
 in order that, if he appear, we may have confidence, and 
 may not in shame shrink from. him at his coming. If 
 you know that he is righteous, you recognize that every 
 one whose conduct is right has been given life by him. 
 
a new translation : epistles 345 
 
 8. The Character of God's Children 
 
 See what sort of love the Father has given us 
 
 That we should be called children of God, 
 
 And such we are. 
 
 On account of this the world does not recognize us, 
 
 Because it has not come to know him. 
 
 Dear friends, we are children of God now, 
 
 And it is not yet made clear what we shall be. 
 
 We know that if he appear we shall be like him. 
 
 Because we shall see him just as he is. 
 
 And every one that has this hope resting on Him, 
 
 makes himself pure, 
 Even as he is pure. 
 
 Every one that is committing sin is also committing 
 violation of law, for sin is the violation of law. And 
 you know that he appeared to take away sins, and there 
 is no sin in him. No one that continues in union with 
 him lives in sin ; no one that lives in sin has seen him or 
 come to know him. Little children, let no one lead you 
 astray: He that continues in right conduct is righteous, 
 even as he is righteous ; he that continues to commit 
 sin is of the devil, because the devil lives in sin [as he 
 has] from the first. The Son of God appeared for this 
 purpose : to destroy the devil's works. 
 
 No one that has been given life from God continues 
 to commit sin, because His vital power remains in him 
 and he cannot continue to sin, because he has been given 
 life from God. By this test it is evident who God's chil- 
 dren are, and who are the devil's children : every one that 
 does not live in righteousness is not [a child] of God, 
 nor is he that does not love his brother. Because this 
 is the Message that you heard from the first, that we 
 should love each other. [Be] not like Cain, who was 
 [a child] of the Evil One, and murdered his brother. 
 
346 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 And for what reason did he murder him? Because his 
 deeds were wicked, and his brother's were righteous. 
 
 9. Love the Badge of the New Life 
 
 Do not wonder, brothers, if the world hates you. We 
 know that we have passed over from death to Hfe, because 
 we love our brothers. He that does not love remains in 
 death. Every one that hates his brother is a murderer, 
 and we know that no murderer has eternal life con- 
 tinuing in him. We recognize love by this test: He 
 laid down his life for our sake ; and we ought to lay 
 down our lives for the sake of our brothers. But who- 
 ever has the world's resources and beholds his brother in 
 need, yet shuts his heart against him — how does the love 
 of God remain as an active power in him? Little children, 
 let us not indulge in mere talk about love, but let our love 
 be practical and genuine. By this we shall learn that 
 we draw our being from the Truth, and shall assure 
 our heart before him, as to anything for which our con- 
 science condemns us; because God is greater than our 
 conscience and knows all things. Dear friends, if the 
 conscience does not condemn, we have confidence toward 
 God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, be- 
 cause we obey his commandments and do the things that 
 are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, 
 that we trust in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and 
 love each other, even as he gave us commandment. And 
 he that obeys his commandments continues in mutual 
 fellowship with him. 
 
 10. The Test of the Spirit 
 
 And by this we recognize that he dwells in us, from 
 the Spirit that he gave us. Dear friends, do not trust 
 every spirit, but test the spirits and see if they come 
 
A NEW translation: epistles 347 
 
 from God, because many false prophets have gone forth 
 into the world. You may recognize the Spirit of God 
 by this test: every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus 
 Christ has come in the flesh comes from God, and every 
 spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not come 
 from God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist; you 
 have heard that it is coming, and in fact it is already 
 in the world. You are of God, little children, and you 
 have conquered them, because he that is in you is greater 
 than he that is in the world. They are of earthly origin. 
 On this account they are talking as earthly origin prompts, 
 and the world is listening to them. But we derive our 
 life from God. He that knows the character of God hears 
 us; one who does not derive his life from God does not 
 hear us. From this test we recognize the spirit of truth 
 and the spirit of deceit. 
 
 II. God Is Love 
 
 Dear friends, let us love each other, because love has 
 its source in God, and every one that loves has received 
 life from God and knows the character of God. He that 
 does not love has not learned the nature of God, because 
 God is love. God's love was made evident in our case 
 by this : God sent forth into the world his Son, the Only- 
 Begotten, in order that we may live through him. We can 
 see the true nature of love in this: we have not loved 
 God [of ourselves], but he himself loved us and sent 
 forth his Son as a sacrificial oflfering for our sins. Dear 
 friends, if God loved us like that, we also are bound 
 to love each other. No one has ever looked upon God. 
 If we love each other, God dwells in us, and his love 
 has been made perfect in us. We recognize that we con- 
 tinue in mutual fellowship with him by this: he has 
 given us of his Spirit. And we have beheld and are 
 
348 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 testifying that the Father sent forth the Son as Deliverer 
 of the world. Whoever shall acknowledge that Jesus 
 is God's Son, God dwells in him in mutual fellow- 
 ship. And we have come to know and have put our trust 
 in the love that God has in our case. God is love, and 
 he that dwells in love dwells in mutual fellowship with 
 God. Our mutual love has been made perfect to this 
 end: that we may have confidence in the day of judg- 
 ment; because what he is we are also in this world. 
 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, 
 because fear carries with it the idea of punishment, and 
 he that fears has not been made perfect in love. We 
 love because he first loved us. If any one say, " I love 
 God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he that 
 does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot 
 love God whom he has not seen. And we have this 
 commandment from him, " He that loves God shall love 
 his brother also." 
 
 12. Faith Is the Victory 
 
 Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ has 
 received life from God, and every one who loves him 
 that gave life loves him that received it from him. We 
 recognize that we love the children of God by this test: 
 we love God and are doing as he commands. For this 
 is the love of God, to obey continually his commandments ; 
 and his commandments are not burdensome, because 
 every one that has received life from God is conquering 
 the world. And this is the victory that has been gained 
 over the world — our faith. Who is he that is conquering 
 the world, if not he who believes that Jesus is God's Son? 
 
 13. The Three Witnesses 
 
 This is he that became known through water and 
 blood, Jesus Christ; not in the water only, but in the 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : EPISTLES 349 
 
 water and the blood. x\nd the Spirit is he that is 
 testifying, because the Spirit is Truth. For there are 
 three that are testifying: the Spirit, the water, and the 
 blood, and the three are for the one [truth]. If we do 
 not receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God 
 is greater — for this is the testimony that God has given 
 concerning his Son. He that puts his trust in God's 
 Son has the testimony within himself ; he that does 
 not trust God has made him a liar, because he has not 
 accepted the testimony that God has given concerning his 
 Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us Eternal 
 Life, and this Life consists in union with his Son. He 
 that has the Son has the Life, and he that does not have 
 God's Son does not have the Life. I have written these 
 things to you, that you may know that you have Eternal 
 Life — those of you who trust in the name of God's Son. 
 
 14. Prayer 
 
 And this is the confidence that we have with regard 
 to him; if we ask anything according to his will he 
 hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever 
 we ask, we know that we have the things that we have 
 asked of him. If any one see his brother sinning a sin 
 that does not involve loss of spiritual life, he will pray 
 and will give him life — in the case of such as do not 
 sin to the destruction of their spiritual life. There is 
 a sin that results in complete loss of spiritual life; I 
 do not say that one will pray in behalf of that. Every 
 form of wrong-doing is sin, and there is a sin that does 
 not result in loss of spiritual life. 
 
 EPILOGUE 
 
 We know that every one who has received life from 
 God does not continue in sin. 
 
350 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 But he that has been given life by God obeys him, 
 
 And the Evil One does not lay hold of him. 
 
 We know that our being is from God, 
 
 And the entire world is in the domain of the Evil One. 
 
 And we know that the Son of God has come and has 
 
 given us power of discrimination, 
 That we may recognize the true God, and may be in 
 
 fellowship with the true God, 
 Because we are in fellowship with his Son, Jesus 
 
 Christ. 
 He is the true God and Eternal Life. 
 
 Little children, guard yourselves from false objects 
 of devotion. 
 
A NEW translation: epistles 351 
 
 THE SECOND EPISTLE OF JOHN 
 The Elder to the excellent Lady and her children: 
 
 Whom I love in the Truth, 
 
 And not I alone, but all that know the Truth, 
 
 Because of the Truth that dwells in us 
 
 And will be with us forever. 
 
 Grace, mercy, peace will be with us, from God the 
 
 Father, 
 And from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in 
 
 truth and love. 
 
 It is a great joy to have found some of your children 
 walking in the Truth, just as we received command 
 from the Father. 
 
 And now I beseech you, Lady, 
 
 Not as writing you a new command. 
 
 But that which we had from the beginning. 
 
 That we love one another. 
 
 And this is love, 
 
 That we walk according to his command. 
 This is the command, 
 
 Even as you heard from the beginning, 
 That you should walk in it. 
 Because many impostors have gone forth into the 
 world 
 Who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in 
 the flesh. 
 
 Look to yourselves, that you do not lose what you 
 have wrought. 
 But receive a full wage. 
 
352 THE JOHANNINE WRITINGS 
 
 Every one that presses forward and abides not in the 
 
 Teaching of the Christ, has not God ; 
 He that abides in the Teaching, has both the Father 
 
 and the Son. 
 If any one comes to you and brings not this Teaching, 
 Do not receive him into the house, 
 And speak him no greeting ; 
 For he that greets him shares in his evil deeds. 
 
 Having many things to write you, I would not with 
 paper and ink, but hope to come to you and talk lip to 
 lip, that your joy may be made complete. 
 
 The children of your excellent sister salute you. 
 
A NEW TRANSLATION : EPISTLES 35j 
 
 THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN 
 
 The Elder to Gaius, the beloved, whom I love in Truth. 
 
 Dear friend : In all things I pray that you may prosper 
 and may have your health, just as your soul prospers. 
 For it was a great joy when brothers came and testified 
 to your [fidelity to the] Truth, even as you walk in Truth. 
 Greater joy I have not than this: to hear that my chil- 
 dren are walking in Truth. 
 
 Dear friend, you act loyally in whatever you do for the 
 brothers, and to strangers as well, who testified before 
 the church to your love : whom you will do well to speed 
 on their way in a manner worthy of God. For on behalf 
 of the Name they went forth, receiving nothing from 
 the heathen. So we ought to show hospitality to such, 
 that we may become fellow workers with the Truth. 
 
 I wrote something to the church, but D'iotrephes, who 
 loves to be first among them, does not welcome us. 
 Therefore, if I come, I will recall the deeds that he does, 
 babbling against us with wicked words ; and not con- 
 tent with this, not only himself does not welcome the 
 brothers, but hinders those that are willing and expels 
 them from the church. 
 
 Dear friend, imitate not evil but good. 
 
 He that does good is of God ; 
 
 He that does evil has not seen God. 
 
 To Demetrius testimony has been borne by all and by 
 the Truth itself; and we also testify, and you know that 
 our testimony is true. 
 
 I had much to write you, but will not write with ink 
 and pen ; I hope soon to see you and then we shall talk 
 lip to lip. 
 
 Peace be to you ! The friends salute you. Salute the 
 friends by name. 
 
 X 
 
INDEX 
 
 Abbot, Ezra, on Justin's quotations, 
 
 145- 
 Advocate. (See " Comforter.") 
 Alogi, the, and the Fourth Gospel, 
 
 137. 
 Andrew, disciple of Jesus, 82, 143, 
 
 269 seq. 
 Angel: of the small roll, 32, 2ij. 
 
 of glad tidings, 245. 
 
 of the harvest, 246. 
 
 of Babylon's fall, 252. 
 
 of the sun, 257. 
 
 of the abyss, 258. 
 Angels: of the churches, 26. 
 
 of the trumpets, 30 seq., 233. 
 
 of the bowls, 247 seq., 250, 261. 
 Antichrist: (in Apocalypse), 36, 242. 
 
 (in Epistle), 114 seq., 121, 122, 
 344- 
 Apocalypse: common estimate of, 3, 
 4- 
 
 a dramatic poem, s. 6, 187. 
 
 and Greek tragedy, 6. 
 
 date of, 7, 20 seq., 33. 
 
 key to interpretation of, 8. 
 
 significance of, 9 seq. 
 
 Ramsay on, 10, 11. 
 
 high estimate of, 8, 12. 
 
 resemblance to Jewish apocalypses, 
 II. 
 
 critical theories of, 13 seq., 23, 
 
 133. 179. 
 literary unity of, 14 seq., 16. 
 Hebraisms of, 17 seq. 
 " sevens " of, 19. 
 illegitimate inferences about, 20. 
 vocabulary of, 22. 
 how to be interpreted, 24. 
 prophecy, not prediction, 40. 
 its representation of heaven, 47- 
 
 49, 258 seq. 
 the Fathers on, 138-142. 
 modern critics on, 179-181. 
 
 Apocalypses, Jewish, 11, 16. 
 Aramaic, translations from, into 
 
 Greek, 180. 
 Armageddon, 42, 248. 
 Arnold, Matthew, on Fourth Gospel, 
 
 176, 177. 
 Axiom of criticism, 134, 180. 
 
 " Babylon," symbol of Rome, 40, 
 
 245, 252, 253, 255. 
 Bacon, Professor: on Fourth Gospel, 
 160. 
 
 On " John's " passover date, 164. 
 
 on the Apocalypse, 179. 
 
 on Johannine writings, 183. 
 
 on text of Fourth Gospel, 213, 
 267. 
 Basilides, and Fourth Gospel, 151. 
 Baur: on Epistle of John, 102. 
 
 on Fourth Gospel, 133, 134, 151. 
 
 on Asiatic residence of John, 152. 
 Beast: (first), symbolism of the, 36, 
 37> 239, 242-249, 258. 
 
 (second), 243. 
 Bengel, on the soul's progress, 125. 
 Bentley, on Pope's Homer, 171, 172. 
 Bethany, supper at, 93, 159, 308. 
 Bethesda, lame man healed at, 87, 
 
 163, 280 seq. 
 Bible: literary study of, 5. 
 
 inspiration of, 3, 4, 10, 172. 
 Blind man, healing of, 91, 297 seQ. 
 Booths, feast of, 89, 290 seq. 
 Bousset, on the Apocalypse, 180. 
 Bowls, vision of the seven, 39-42. 
 Bread of Life, Jesus is, 88, 287. 
 
 Cxsar, Julius: battle of, with the 
 Nervii, 163. 
 
 commentaries of, 68, 190. 
 Cana: first sign at, 83, 163, 270 seq. 
 
 second sign at, 86, 278 seq. 
 Canon: our private, 3. 
 
 355 
 
356 
 
 INDEX 
 
 the Apocalypse in the, 8. 
 Muratorian, 143. 
 Cannae, battle of, 163. 
 Capernaum: ministry of Jesus at, 
 83, 284 seq. 
 discourse at, 88, 287 seq. 
 Cerinthus, and Fourth Gospel, 137, 
 
 139- 
 " Chorizantes," the modern, 182, 
 
 183. 
 Churches, the seven, letters to, 25 
 seq., 218 seq. 
 angels of, 26. 
 Clement of Alexandria, on purpose 
 
 of Fourth Gospel, 61, 143, 144. 
 Columbus, and archives of Barce- 
 lona, 149- 
 Comforter, coming of, 96, 317 seq. 
 Commandment, the new, 95, no, 
 
 316, 342. 
 Criticism: qualifications for, 52-55. 
 unjustifiable canon of, 166. 
 "axioms" of, 134, 180. 
 largely subjective, 183. 
 
 Dante: different styles of, 184. 
 symbolism of three in writings 
 of, 188. 
 Day of Judgment, 43, 259. 
 Death, the second, 258. 
 " Diatessaron ": Tatian's, 144, 151. 
 
 Sanday on, 144. 
 Dionysius of Alexandria on Apoca- 
 lypse, 139, i47i 153- 
 Divine Comedy, structure of, 189. 
 Docetism, 103, 121. 
 Dods, Marcus, cited, 156. 
 Domitian, Emperor, 21, 22, 37, 138, 
 
 179. 
 Dragon: symbolism of, 36, 241, 242, 
 243. 249, 258. 
 cast into abyss, 43, 258. 
 Drummond, J., cited, 61, 157. 
 
 Easter, controversy about, 165. 
 Ebrard, on critical theories, 178. 
 Editor, a modern literary workman, 
 
 14. (See " Redactor.") 
 Ephesus: presbyters of, 158. 
 
 John's residence in, 160. 
 
 leads quartodecimans, 165. 
 
 letter to church of, 219 seq. 
 
 Eusebius: on Fourth Gospel, 58, 
 137. 
 on two Johns, 153. 
 Exegesis: defined, 4. 
 
 new etyle of, required, 172. 
 Ezekiel, influence of, on Apocalypse, 
 182. 
 
 Faith. (See " Trust.") 
 
 Feeding multitude, miracle of, 166, 
 
 282 seq. 
 Fire, Lake of, 258, 259. 
 Florinus, Polycarp's letter to, 142. 
 Fourth Gospel. (See " Gospel.") 
 
 " Glory," 93, 96, 267, 271. 
 God is Light, 104, 341. 
 Gog and Magog, 45, 259. 
 Godet on discourses of Jesus, 170. 
 Goethe, different styles of, 184. 
 Gospel, Fourth: literary study of, 
 50. 
 Logos doctrine of, 55, 266. 
 the gospel of the Incarnation, 56, 
 
 121, 267. 
 purpose of, 58, 62. 
 Eusebius' " supplementary " the- 
 ory of, 58-61. 
 Clement of Alexandria on, 61, 143, 
 
 144. 
 Luther on, 62, 79. 
 analysis of, 63, 64. 
 unity of, 67, 68 seq., 175. 
 poetic element of, 67, 68, 187. 
 characteristic words of, 68-75. 
 paucity of particles in, 76, 181. 
 not biography, but evangel, 77, 
 
 166. 
 peculiar quality of, 78, 79, 174, i77- 
 content of, 80 seq. 
 epilogue to, 98. 
 Baur on, 133, 134, iSi- 
 " scientific criticism of, 135 seQ., 
 
 152, 175 seq. 
 tradition about, 137 seq., 179. ' 
 authorship of, a question of criti- 
 cism, not dogmatics, 155 seq. 
 Palestinian color of, 159. 
 "the Jews" in, 71, 83, 91-93. 
 159, 164, 172, 271, 281, 288, 291, 
 292, 296, 298, 303, 30s, 306, 328, 
 331. 
 
INDEX 
 
 357 
 
 and the Easter controversy, 164, 
 
 165. 
 discourses of Jesus in, 167, 270 
 
 seq., 275 seq., 281 seq., 286 seq., 
 
 291 seq., 299 seq., 301 seq., 313 
 
 seq. 
 and Messianic character of Jesus, 
 
 172 seq. 
 large human element in, 173. 
 portrait of Jesus in, 172 seq. 
 rearrangement of text of, 212 seq. 
 Grant, General, " two tunes " of, 
 
 Si- 
 Greek: Apocalypse written in bad, 
 
 17, 18. 
 of Apocalypse and Gospel, 181. 
 
 Habits, persistence of, 185. 
 
 Hades, 228, 258. 
 
 Hackett, Horatio B., on i John, 99. 
 
 Harlot (symbol of Rome), 250, 255. 
 
 Har-Magedon. (See " Armaged- 
 don.") 
 
 Harnack: on Gospel of Luke, 134. 
 on Johannine writings, 181. 
 
 Heaven, John's picture of, 47-49, 
 260 seq. 
 
 Helper. (See " Comforter.") 
 
 Hilgenfeld, on date of Fourth Gos- 
 pel, 151, 152. 
 
 Holtzmann, on unity of Fourth 
 Gospel, 67, 175. 
 
 Homer: Pope's translation of, 172. 
 prose versioti of, 209. 
 
 Humboldt, and the argument from 
 silence, 149. 
 
 Ignatius: and Polycarp, 148. 
 
 and Fourth Gospel, 150. 
 Iliad, Pope's translation of, 172. 
 Incarnation: fact of, 103, 267. 
 
 gospel of, 121. 
 Inspiration: Apocalypse claims, 3. 
 
 effect of, 4, 10. 
 
 verbal, 172. 
 Isaiah, influence of, on Apocalypse, 
 182. 
 
 Jackson, H. L., cited, 168. 
 James, disciple of Jesus, 82. 
 Jerusalem: destruction of, 33. 
 vision of the New, 45-49, 261 seq. 
 
 Jesus: Lion of the Tribe of Judah, 
 
 28, 327. 
 conquering King, 43. 
 preexistent Logos, 55, 56, 163, 266. 
 incarnation of, 56, 57, 267. 
 John testifies to, 81, 268, 275. 
 first disciples of, 82, 269. 
 first " sign " of, at Cana, 83, 270. 
 second " sign " of, at Cana, 86, 
 
 276. 
 cleanses the Temple, 83, 271. 
 conversation of, with Nicodemus, 
 
 84, 272 seq. 
 and the Samaritan woman, 85, 
 
 275 seq. 
 heals lame man, 87, 280. 
 discourse of, at Capernaum, 88, 
 
 286 seq. 
 at feast of Booths, 89, 290 seq. 
 heals man born blind, 91, 297. 
 allegories of Good Shepherd and 
 
 Door by, 91, 301 seq. 
 goes to Perea, 91, 304. 
 raises Lazarus, 92, 307. 
 enters into Jerusalem, 94, 309. 
 washes disciples' feet, 95, 313. 
 last discourses of, 95, 96, 316 seq. 
 prayer of, 97, 324. 
 anointed at Bethany, 159, 308. 
 how a Saviour, 161. 
 discourses of, in Synoptics and 
 
 Fourth Gospel, 167 seq., 209. 
 Meyer on character of, 168. 
 spoke in Aramaic, 171. 
 poetic form of teachings of, 187. 
 " Jews," the. (See " Gospel, 
 
 Fourth.") 
 Jews, campaign of Titus against, 31. 
 " John." (See " Gospel, Fourth.") 
 John (Apostle) : personality of, 77, 
 
 174, 177- 
 traditions about, 141, 143, 146, 
 
 147, 153, IS4- 
 author of Fourth Gospel, 157, and 
 
 Chapters VI and VII generally, 
 a Palestinian, 159. 
 John (the Baptist), 80, 83, 268, 274. 
 John, First Epistle of: and Wisdom 
 
 literature, 99. 
 critical estimate of, 99, 102. 
 prologue of, 103. 
 content of, 104 seq. 
 
358 
 
 INDEX 
 
 teaching of, on sin, 105-108, 117, 
 130. 
 
 poetic element in, iii. 
 
 evidence for, 148. 
 John, Second Epistle of, 132, 353. 
 John, Third Epistle of, 132, 355. 
 Johannine writings: common author- 
 ship of, 140, 190, 191. 
 
 Harnack on, 181. 
 
 Bacon on, 183. 
 
 structure of, 186 seq. 
 
 final conclusions regarding, 191 
 seq. 
 John (Presbyter) : traditions about, 
 147 seq. 
 
 Harnack on, 181. 
 Judgment: vision of, 42-45, 253 seq. 
 
 and hearing, 88. 
 
 Day of, 43, 258 seq. 
 Judas, treachery of, 89, 93, 95. ii4. 
 
 290, 314. 327. 
 Jiilicher: on partition theories, 15. 
 
 on Apocalypse, 179. 
 Justin Martyr: on Apocalypse, 138. 
 
 and Fourth Gospel, 144 seq. 
 
 Keats, different styles of, 184. 
 Keim: on unity of Fourth Gospel, 
 
 175- 
 on date of Fourth Gospel, 151, 
 
 152. 
 Kiddiish, Jesus celebrates, 164. 
 Kingdom, vision of, 34. 
 
 Lamb (Jesus), 28, 227, 228, 229, 
 
 231, 232, 233, 244, 247, 251, 
 
 256, 262. 
 Lange, S. G., on i John, 102. 
 Laodicea, letter to church of, 225. 
 Last Supper, not mentioned in 
 
 Fourth Gospel, 165. 
 Lazarus, raising of, 65, 92, 163. 
 
 Schmiedel on, 164. 
 Life: Jesus the source of, 56, 85, 87, 
 
 266, 276, 281, 306, 346. 
 Book of, 147- 
 of the Christian, 116 seq. 
 Light, Jesus is the, 56, 73, 91. 2^(>> 
 
 274, 300. 
 Living creatures, 28, 226, 229, 232, 
 
 242, 256. 
 Livy, story of Canna: by, 163. 
 
 Logos: in Philo and "John," 55. 
 257- 
 doctrine of, 103, 146, 162. 
 Loisy on Fourth Gospel, 156. 
 Love: obedience the test of, 108 seq. 
 the badge of the new life, 118 
 
 seq., 123, 348. 
 of the world, 113, 345. 
 the character of God, 123, 349. 
 the new commandment, 316. 
 Lucian, satires of, 38. 
 Luke, Gospel of: on Perean minis- 
 try of Jesus, 92. 
 Ramsay and Harnack on, 17, 133, 
 
 134- 
 not by an eye-witness, 155. 
 Luther, on the Fourth Gospel, 62, 79. 
 
 Magnificat, the, 6. 
 
 Malchus, 159. 
 
 Marcion and the Fourth Gospel, 
 137- 
 
 Marco Polo, travels of, 149. 
 
 Marriage of the Lamb, 256. 
 
 Matthew, Papias on, 188. 
 
 Melanchthon and the Augsburg 
 Confession, 150. 
 
 Messiah: Jesus as, in Fourth Gos- 
 pel, 172, 173, 269, 275, 294, 306, 
 309. 311- 
 teaching concerning the, 81, 83, 
 
 85, 89- 
 
 Jewish idea! of, 90, 92. 
 Meyer, on discourses of " John," 
 
 168. 
 Michael, the angel, 241. 
 Millennium, 43-45, 259. 
 Milton, John: on the Apocalypse, 5. 
 
 " Paradise Lost " of, cited, 10. 
 
 on poetic style, 68. 
 
 " Paradise Regained " of, cited, 
 
 173. 174- 
 Montanists and the Apocalypse, 138. 
 Moses: testified of Jesus, 88, 281. 
 
 song of, 247. 
 Muratori, canon of, 143. 
 Music and literature, 51, 52. 
 
 Nathanael, disciple, 82. 
 Nero, emperor, 21, 36, 37, 38, 39. 41- 
 Nicodemus, conversation of, with 
 Jesus, 163, 169. 
 
INDEX 
 
 359 
 
 Nicolaitans, heresy of, 218, 221. 
 Nunc Diinittis, 7. 
 Numbers, symbolism of: 
 
 three, 64, 65, 66. 
 
 seven, 19, 20, 35, 64, 65, 188. 
 
 ten, 35, 66. 
 
 twelve, 29, 47. 
 
 one thousand, 43. 
 
 " 666," 39- 
 
 Origen, quotation of Heracleon by, 
 152. 
 
 Palestine and Fourth Gospel, 159, 
 
 160. 
 Papias: on the two Johns, 147. 
 on death of apostle John, 153. 
 on Logia of Matthew, 171, 188. 
 Parthians, irruptions of, 21, 29, 32, 
 
 229. 
 Partition theories of Apocalypse, 13, 
 
 23, 179. 
 Passover, double tradition concern- 
 ing, 163, 164. 
 Patmos, John banished to, 25, 31, 
 
 153. 
 Paul, apostle: letters of, 16, 40. 
 affinities of, with " John," 57, 69, 
 on preexistence of Jesus, 89. 
 Pergamos, letter to church of, 219 
 
 seq. 
 Peter: strikes Malchus, 159, 325. 
 denies Christ, 328. 
 commission of Jesus to, 339. 
 Peter, Second Epistle of, 150. 
 Pfleiderer, on unity of Fourth Gos- 
 pel, 67. 
 Philadelphia, letter to church of, 
 
 222 seq. 
 Philo: relations of " John " to, 55. 
 
 Logos doctrine of, 146. 
 Pilate, 169, 331 seq. 
 Poetry: characteristics of Hebrew, 6. 
 literary form of, 7, 209. 
 in Fourth Gospel, 67, 68. 
 features of Oriental, 26, 46. 
 Polycarp: and Irenaeus, 141, 142. 
 
 letter of, to the Philippians, 148. 
 Plato pictures Socrates, 169, 173, 
 
 190. 
 Prayer: of Jesus, 97, 324- 
 in I John, 130, 351. 
 
 Quartodecimans, 165. 
 
 Ramsay, Sir William: on the Apoca- 
 lypse, 10, II. 
 
 defends Luke, 17, 133 
 Redactor, a useless hypothesis, 14, 
 
 178, 215, 249. 
 Renan: on Armageddon, 42. 
 
 life of Jesus by, 54. 
 
 on discourses of Jesus, 167. 
 Reporting, psychology of, 167, 168. 
 Resurrection: the First, 257. 
 
 Jesus is the, 306. 
 Roll (book) : 28, 227, 228, 264, 265. 
 
 a small, 32, 237, 238. 
 
 of Life, 243, 259, 260, 262. 
 Rome: fall of, predicted, 7, 21, 31, 
 34. 41. 245, 252-255. 
 
 fire in, 21. 
 
 pestilence in, 31. 
 
 persecutes the saints, 35. 
 
 imperial cult of, 36-38, 242-244. 
 
 called " Babylon," 40, 245, 250, 
 252. 
 
 the Harlot, 41. 
 
 song of downfall of, 41, 252 seq. 
 
 Salmond, S. D. F., on i John, 99. 
 Samaria, woman of, 163, 275 seq. 
 Sanday, William, on Tatian's " Dia- 
 
 tessaron," 144. 
 Sanhedrin, 89, 90. 
 Santorin, eruption of, 31. 
 Sardis, letter to church of, 221 seq. 
 Schmiedel: N. T. critic, 135. 
 on raising of Lazarus, 164. 
 Scholarship, relation of, to criticism, 
 
 50-5S- 
 Schiirer on Fourth Gospel, 176. 
 Scott, Sir Walter, different styles of, 
 
 184. 
 Seals, vision of the seven, 26-29, 
 
 226-233. 
 Seven, symbolism of, 19, 20, 35, 64, 
 
 6s, 188. 
 Seven " I ams," 66. 
 Shakespeare, different styles of, 184. 
 Simon, becomes disciple of Jesus, 
 
 82, 269. (See " Peter.") 
 Smyrna, letter to church of, 218 seq. 
 Socrates, report of, by Xenophon 
 
 and Plato, 169. 
 
36o 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Solecisms, the, of the Apocalypse, 
 
 17, 18. 
 Spirit of God: test of, 120 seq., 348. 
 
 conceived as " seven," 25, 226. 
 Spitta, on text of Fourth Gospel, 
 
 213- 
 
 Style: relation of, to vocabulary, 50, 
 75- 
 
 erroneous ideas of, 75. 
 
 of Fourth Gospel, 168 seq., 181. 
 
 appeals to esthetic faculties, 183. 
 
 differences of, in same author, 184. 
 
 nature of, 182, 185. 
 
 mannerism in, 186. 
 Swete, H. B., quoted, 33. 
 Sychar, Jesus at, 85, 277, 278. 
 Synoptics, and Fourth Gospel, 161- 
 167, 174. 
 
 TaliHud, said to confirm Fourth Gos- 
 pel, 165. 
 Tatian, " Diatessaron " of, and the 
 
 Fourth Gospel, 144, 151. 
 Ten, symbolism of, 33. 
 " Testimony," Johannine idea of, 
 
 72, 128. 
 Theophilus of Antioch, 143. 
 Thomas, " the doubter," 97, 335. 
 Thyatira, letter to church of, 222 
 
 seq. 
 Titus, campaign of, against the Jews, 
 
 31- 
 Trajan, emperor, and the apostle 
 
 John, 141. 
 Translations, imperfections of, 207 
 
 seq. 
 Tree of Life, symbolism of, 47, 263. 
 Trumpets, vision of the Seven, 30- 
 
 34; 237-240. 
 Trust (" faith ") : defined, 72. 
 refusal of " the Jews " to, 8793. 
 victory of, 126 seq., 350. 
 Truth, Jesus is, 56, 267, 321. 
 Twelve, symbolism of, 29, 47. 
 Two Johns or one, 139 seq., 146 seq., 
 
 153, 153, 191. 192. 
 
 Vespucci, Amerigo, 149. 
 Vine, allegory of, 95, 315 
 
 Vision: of the Son of Man, the, 24- 
 26; 216-226. 
 of the Seven Seals, 26-29, 226- 
 
 233. 
 of the Seven Trumpets, 30-34, 233- 
 
 240. 
 of the kingdom, 34-39, 240-247. 
 of the Seven Bowls, 39-42, 247- 
 
 255. 
 of judgment, 42-45, 255-260. 
 of the New Jerusalem, 45-49, 260- 
 263. 
 Vocabulary: not same as style, 50, 
 75. 
 of Apocalypse, 22, 
 of Fourth Gospel, 68-75. 
 of all Johannine writings, 182, 192 
 seq. 
 Volkmar on date of Fourth Gospel, 
 
 152. 
 Volter, analysis of the Apocalypse 
 
 by, 13, 14, 16. 
 Von Soden on the Apocalypse, 179. 
 
 Water of Life, Jesus is, 85, 90, 261, 
 
 264, 276. 
 river of, 263. 
 Webster, Daniel, orations and con- 
 versations of, 169. 
 Weizsacker and Fourth Gospel, 151, 
 
 176. 
 Wendt on Fourth Gospel, 17s, 
 
 176. 
 Wernle on date of Fourth Gospel, 
 
 153. 
 Westcott, Bishop, on 1 John, 99. 
 Witnesses: the three (Epistle), 127, 
 
 350. 
 the two (Apocalypse), 33, 239. 
 Woman: and child, symbolism ofi 
 
 35, 240 seq. 
 harlot, 250, 255. 
 Words not literature, 50. 
 World, love of the, 113. 
 
 Xenophon, picture of Socrates by, 
 169. 
 
 Zion, Mount, 244. 
 
INDEX II 
 
 GREEK WORDS IN THE TEXT 
 
 ayaTraw, ayajrrj, 68. 
 
 Jiyye\ot, 22, 26. 
 
 aSliceii', 22. 
 
 aivtlv, 18. 
 
 atuiv, aiioj'ioj, 22, 70. 
 
 dAii0eta, 69, 34O. 
 
 aAAa, 77. 
 
 oji^v, 69. 
 
 dfTiXeyofievo, 138. 
 
 oira^, 74, 
 
 direicpiffT), 76. 
 
 opa, 76. 
 
 dpvi'ov, 22. 
 
 apcrev^ I7. 
 
 j3a<rtX6i;w, jSao-iAeus, /SaciAeia, 22. 
 /SpovT^, 22. 
 
 yiviaa'Kei.v, 69. 
 
 6€, 76, 211. 
 5i6a<r»ceii', 18. 
 Sii/x^c, 74. 
 So^a^ Jo^a^u>, 69. 
 Suvofiiv, 70. 
 
 tWev, 76. 
 
 t'vToAds, 74. 
 
 efwTriov, 22. 
 
 ei-i, 18. 
 
 epyov, 70. 
 
 tvayycAi^w, evayycAt'a, 75, 
 
 ^oiri, 340. 
 
 flaAo(r(To, 22. 
 flovaros, 71. 
 Opdi'os, 23. 
 
 iSoii, iSe, 74. 
 tva, 77, 
 'lovSaioi, 71. 
 iTTiros, 23. 
 
 Ka9api.^ii>, 105. 
 (coi, 76. 
 KOiXta, 32. 
 Koafiot, 71. 
 Kpi'i'to, (cpiVis, 71. 
 Kvpioy, 74. 
 
 KanPivio^ 72. 
 A^ywv, 76. 
 \dyo9, 72, 74. 
 
 liapTvpio), /AopTupio, 23, 72, 129. 
 fieyas, 23, 74. 
 Me", 76. 
 f"7, II. 
 **!»', 76. 
 
 ^{((leAi), 23. 
 ftKao), 23. 
 
 6/i.oAoyoupiei'a, 137. 
 ocopia, 17, 72. 
 ovv, 76, 211. 
 
 OTl, 77. 
 
 ovpavot, 23. 
 
 1 Exclusive of the analysis of vocabulary, pp. 192, sef. 
 
 361 
 
362 
 
 jraj'TOKpoTwp, 23. 
 vrfiv^v, 74. 
 Trepi^aXXu, 23. 
 ntptnartiv, 74. 
 jri<rTcu<i), ttiVtis, 72, 
 wfeOfio, 73. 
 woSes, 18, 217. 
 irpoi()T)T€u<<j, 33. 
 trip, 23. 
 
 <^<ip?. 73- 
 
 INDEX 
 
 (TKOTOS, 73. 
 
 ffSifia^ 73. 
 
 TJjpew, 74, 127. 
 TOt, 76. 
 Tore, 74, 77. 
 
 (^ai/epdw, 74. 
 (f>a»'i7, 23. 
 *"«. 73. 340- 
 
 iio'Te, 77. 
 

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