Christian living Quote by Bart D. Ehrman
““Whoever wrote the Gospel of John (we’ll continue to call him John, though we don’t know who he really was) must have been a Christian living sixty years or so after Jesus, in a different part of the world, in a different cultural context, speaking a different language—Greek rather than Aramaic—and with a completely different level of education .. The author of John is speaking for himself and he is speaking for Jesus. These are not Jesus’s words; they are John’s words placed on Jesus’s lips.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The New Testament: A Historical Introduction” (2020)
He argues the Gospel of John reflects the author’s own words, not Jesus’s.
In simple terms: John’s Gospel is author’s interpretation.
Key Takeaway
Critically evaluate biblical authorship.
Themes
theology
history
authorship
Mood
scholarly
critical
Type
academic
theological
When to use this quote
- academic study
- faith discussions
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
scriptural analysis
historical criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does authorship affect your faith?
- What evidence supports this claim?
A Different Perspective
May challenge believers’ traditional views.
