Reception of the Fourth Gospel in the second century

Abstract

Reception of the Fourth Gospel in the Second Century addresses the questions related to the earliest communities to receive and use the Gospel of John from 100 to 200 CE. The thesis begins by journeying through the traditional and New School positions on Christian history and presenting the issues each have in the face of criticism. Following this, a more specific look at both the earliest proto-orthodox readership of the Gospel of John serves to lead into a discussion of the early gnostic commentaries on the Gospel. Finally, the last discussion is on the relationship between heretical and proto-orthodox readers in the 2nd century under the influence of 1 John 2:19-20. The relationship between heretical and orthodox readers are evaluated in light of the material from 1 John, which provides a more believable timeline for the reception of John amongst the diverse groups using in the 2nd century.