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THE

JOURNAL

OF

SACRED LITERATURE.

No. III.-JULY, 1848.

AN

INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN." By Professor A. THOLUCK, D.D.

Translated from the German by the Rev. F. W. GOTCH, M.A., of Trinity College, Dublin.

I. Life of John the Evangelist.

THE Evangelist was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman of Galilee, and of Salome. He was probably born at Bethsaida, a fishing village on the sea of Galilee ( a, locus ad piscatum aptus), which was also the native place of Peter, Andrew, and Philip. This appears from his intimate acquaintance with them, and from his being associated with them (Matt. iv. 18. 21; John i. 40). The parents of John were probably not poor. Zebedee had hired labourers (owτaí) in his service (Mark i. 20); and Salome was one of the women who ministered to the subsistence of Jesus (Matt. xxvii. 56), and who brought spices to embalm him (Luke xxiii. 55); at his death the Redeemer charged John to take Mary to his own home (εis rà dix). That Zebedee was in a condition of comfort and respectability may perhaps also be inferred from the

a Dr. Tholuck is too well known in this country to need to be introduced to our readers by any prefatory remarks. His Commentary on John first appeared in 1827, and has passed through six editions; the last, which has been revised throughout, and from which the present article is translated, was published in 1844. Almost contemporaneously with its publication Dr. Tholuck furnished the articles on the different Gospels to the Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature, and the readers of the

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the fact that John was known to the high-priest (John xviii. 15). Under these circumstances we may readily suppose that the Evangelist had received some degree of instruction. In Acts iv. 13 he is, indeed, classed with the unlearned (idirai), but the Pharisees reckoned as such all who were not devoted to the rabbinical studies of the law, who were not Don, disciples of the Rabbins. Probably, even from an early period he had an inclination for the things of God. His mother Salome appears to have been a pious woman, so closely did she afterwards attach herself to Jesus; she had also probably occupied herself with hopes relating to the Messiah, as we may judge from Matt. xx. 20; and from the same narrative it appears that she cherished a very strong affection for her children. Such a mother might easily have awakened in her children a pious disposition, which in the case of John would be fostered by his mode of life as a fisherman. In this employment he must often have watched on the water through the still night, and that, too, in a delightful country, resembling the neighbourhood of the lake of Locarno.b

When John the Baptist appeared and proclaimed everywhere the near approach of the kingdom of God, it was natural that the youthful John, prompted by pious desire, should attach himself to this herald of Christ. There is a tradition in Theophylact that the son of Zebedee was a nephew of the father of the Baptist. The Baptist described in prophetic vision the sublime destination of Jesus; he pointed from himself as the forerunner, to Him who was the true light of the world. His obedient disciples turned to Jesus, and amongst these was John, who, together with Andrew, immediately on their first interview was so attracted that he

article on 'John' will notice that it is to a very great extent an abridgment of the more extended Introduction now presented to them. The Commentary has been translated in America from an early edition, and we believe has been there extensively circulated. The Introduction, however, since that period, has been almost entirely re-written and greatly enlarged, so as to meet the present requirements of German theology in respect to this evangelist. Most English readers unacquainted with German theology will, we imagine, be astonished and probably shocked at the coolness with which these critics decide against the authenticity and credibility o this or that portion of the New Testament writings; and some may, perhaps, doubt whether there is any advantage in bringing such views before the English public, even when the objections are set forth, as they are here, only for the purpose of meeting and answering them. In reply to such a possible scruple, we would simply remind our readers, that German views are disseminated in this country, and will continue to be so, and that it is needful therefore that we should be prepared to oppose them if they are false and injurious. One of the best and most available ways of doing this is to become acquainted, by means of such articles as the present, both with the objections furnished by the negative criticism' of our continental neighbours, and with the answers which pious men engaged in the strife are able to present to them.

b See Seetzen, in Winer's Real-Lex. s. v. Genezareth; Clarke, in Raumer's Palæstina, 2nd edit. p. 58.

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