This Article: (9 Pages)
- 1. John in the gospels
- 2. John's links to the Judean ruling... elite
- 3. The standard of learning in the... years C.E.
- 4. The beauty of John's letters
- 5. John, son of David and Aaron
- 6. John's letters
- 7. John's great issue – his... letters & The Great Lie
- 8. John himself
- 9. John's summary: The word made flesh
4) The beauty of John's letters
Such is John's proficiency and simplicity in his use of Greek, that his letters are used as primers to teach Biblical Greek for beginners! It is just possible that the simplicity of the Greek may be due to it being John's second language, but, it is well known that simplicity of that order is actually a result of great thought and skill.
A comparison with Matthew, Mark and Luke's gospel records to that of John, shows John uses a level of language and structure that lifts his above the others.
A comparison of the writing of Paul shows something more interesting. Paul was the learned scholar brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and formally trained in argument in the Law. He was precisely what Annas and the leaders of Jerusalem knew John was not. Paul, when he was converted, gave up the possibility of being a great leader amongst the Sanhedrin. Paul was liable to produce convoluted thought that covered deep insights into the law, bounding from one analogy to another. Paul is, quite simply, a brilliant scholar. Peter recognises this,
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2Peter 3:15-16)
John by contrast uses simple powerful ideas in language any child may understand, to make profound though provoking comment. Paul was clever, and he had every advantage that learning could give him, but John was a genius.
Genius does not need to be taught, rather they find opportunity and learn. It is well known that Albert Einstein's IQ was not extra-ordinarily high, and Isaac Newton struggled at school. Both were self taught ('unlearned') and did their best work in a short period of time where they could focus on ideas they had been thinking on for years. Their best work came from time spent outside academia. For Newton time at home due to the plague and for Einstein while at the patent office.
In the record we have all the clues that show that John was a learner and sought intellect. John was a witness of John the Baptist's ministry. Though a Galilean fisherman, he must have had enough slack time to spend quite a bit of time by the Jordan down near Jerusalem nearly 100km away from his home, in an era where the transport was mostly by foot. In addition, John turns up to the Jordan in the company of Priests and Levites and the record shows he is known by sight by the high priest, Annas and listens in on deliberations of the chief priests and Pharisees (John 11:47). John shows in his record that he knows exactly what the Judean leadership is thinking. John knows the people of intellect. John listened to Jesus so that only through his gospel do we have Jesus' detailed arguments with the leaders of his day.
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There are many misconceptions of what Anti-Christ means due to mis-information, and sensationalism. It is not hard to confirm what the Bible actually says.
