John 21 - Introduction

John 21. The Appendix. It is pure dogmatism to assert that after the solemn ending of ch. 20 the author could not have added to his work. But 21 is clearly an appendix, added after the completion of the gospel. [88] There is no trace of the circulation of the gospel without it, unless we so regard the present ending of Mk., which may be based on 20 but shows no knowledge of 21. There is an apparent allusion to its content, though not necessarily to its text, in 1 Peter 1:8. Our safest guide as to date is 23. A date soon after the death of the last survivor of the eye-witnesses of the ministry is almost required by these circumstances. If the content of the Appendix is fatal to the view that the son of Zebedee is the author of the gospel, it is also almost irreconcilable with the hypothesis of his martyrdom at an early date.

[88] [For another view, see J. M. Thompson in Exp., Aug. John 19:15. A. J. G.]

The relation of this chapter to Luke 5 is also difficult to determine. The net was not rent seems a clear reference to a narrative similar to that of Lk. But it is very likely that the Lucan account has been influenced in details by the tradition of the event recorded here. This chapter shows no trace of dependence on the language of Lk.