Jesus manifests Himself to the Magdalene, to the ten disciples, most of
whom had deserted Him, and to Thomas who doubted. Thomas is convinced
of the Divinity of Jesus, the writer states that this Gospel was
written "that ye might believe."

Epilogue: xxi.--The manifestation of Jesus by the sea of Galilee, the
solemn charge to Peter. The editors of the Gospel assert that the
author was the beloved disciple.

(John xxi. 24 was probably written by the Ephesian presbyters who knew
St. John. The rest of the chapter is evidently by the apostle himself,
although, it may have been added at a time later than the rest of the
Gospel, which seems to come to an end with the impressive words in xx.
31. The most contradictory hypotheses have been broached by writers
who have denied the authenticity of ch. xxi. Some have held that it
was added in order to exalt St. John, the apostle of Asia Minor, over
St. Peter, the patron of Rome. Others have held that it was added to
exalt St. Peter. Those who deny the authenticity of the whole Gospel
are compelled to regard ch. xxi. 24 as deliberate false witness.)

_St. John's Oral Teaching._--It seems that before St. John wrote his
Gospel, he had adapted it to oral teaching. This is shown by the
arrangement of facts in combinations of 3, possibly suggested by the 3
manifestations of the Word recorded in the Introduction. There are 3
Passovers recorded, 3 feasts besides the Passovers, 3 journeys to
Judaea, 3 discourses on the last day of Tabernacles before the address
to believing Jews (viii. 31), 3 sayings from the Cross. If we regard
ch. xxi. as added later by St. John, we find in the rest of the Gospel
3 miracles in Judaea, 3 in Galilee, and 3 appearances of the risen Lord.

[1] _Apostolic Age of the Church_, vol. ii. p. 211. (English
translation.)

[2] Dr. James Moffat, _Introduction to the Literature of the New
Testament_, p. 601.

[3] Eusebius, _H. E._ v. 20. It is worth noting that Dr. Moffat, _op.
cit._ p. 609, admits that "if Irenaeus is correct, his testimony to
John the Apostle is of first-rate importance." So he adds, "he must be
held to have mistaken what Polykarp said, and to have confused John the
Presbyter with John the Apostle."

[4] See Edersheim, _Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah_, vol. ii. p.
494.

[5] The difficulties which arise from the difference between the
history of our Lord's ministry as given by St. John, and by the
Synoptists, have