Authorship of John's Gospel

John the Elder:

John2 & John3 begin with 'the elder'.

Papias: John the Elder and John the Apostle are two different people.

Would have been alive (& relatively young) when the Gospel was written.

Lack of evidence, other than 'the elder'.

John the Apostle:

Smalley & Wescott believe the author to be John the Aspotle.

Wescott: He was an eye-witness (info only known by a few people, specific info, etc.).

Wescott: He was a Palestinian Jew (The Prolouge is written in the style of an old Hebrew poem, would have known Jewish/Palestinian traditions et the time).

Brown & Smalley believe the author to be John the Apostle, but not of the Prolougue.

Grew up in Galilee, so knew the area well.

Criticisms: Was a fisherman,…