Holier Than Thou

Who wrote the books of the Bible and when?

Gospel of John, a personal account of the life, teachings, miracles, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is believed to have been written some time between 85 and 96 A.D. by John, a fisherman and son of Zebedee, a disciple of Christ and brother of James, one of the twelve apostles, and who was exiled to the island of Patmos. John was one of Jesus' closest friends, along with James and Peter, and was recognized by Paul as one of the leaders of the early church in Jerusalem (Galations 2:9). This was one of the four gospels of the New Testament (with emphasis on the deity of Christ), which was Christ crucified for the salvation of the world and the fulfillment of many of the Old Testament prophecies.

The Gospel of John includes accounts of the following events:

The Word became flesh
John the Baptist prepares the way
Jesus chooses his disciples
Jesus performs miracles
Jesus teaches Nicodemus the Pharisee
Jesus teaches throughout Israel and Samaria
Jesus heals many
Jesus feeds the five thousand with a few loaves of bread and some fish
Jesus is the bread of life
Many disciples desert Jesus
The Pharisees challenge Jesus
Resurrection of Lazarus
Predictions of Jesus' death
Jesus washes his disciples' feet
Promise of the Holy Spirit
Prayers for Jesus, his disciples, and all believers
Betrayal by Judas and arrest of Jesus
Peter's denial of Jesus
Jesus before Annas the high priest and Pilate the Roman governor
Crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus
Jesus reinstates Peter
The whole world would not have room for the books that could be written about all that Jesus did

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' [Isaiah 54:13] Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:44-51)

1 John, a letter (or epistle) from John to friends who were believers, was written some time between 85 to 96 A.D. by John the Apostle, a disciple of Jesus. In this letter John discusses fellowship with Christ, warnings of false teachers and the antichrist, and God's love. The First Epistle of John includes:

Witness to the the Word of life, which was from the beginning
Walking in the light, who is God
Knowing Jesus by obeying him
Do not love the world
Warning of antichrists
We are called children of God
Message from the beginning is to love one another
Lay down your life for your brother
Testing every spirit to see if they are from God
Love comes from God, who is love
Loving God by obeying him
Jesus came by water and blood
Ask and you shall recieve
Those born of God do not continue in sin

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (1 John 3:16-24)

2 John, a letter (or epistle) from John to a woman (or a church described as a woman), was written some time between 85 to 96 A.D. by John the Apostle, a disciple of Jesus. In this brief letter John warns of deceivers who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ. The Second Epistle of John includes: greetings from John to "the elect lady" (or a church, possibly named Cyria); exhortation to love by being obedient to God's commands; warning not to welcome false teachers; final greetings.

Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. (2 John 7-11)

3 John, a letter (or epistle) from John to a friend named Gaius, was written some time between 85 to 96 A.D. by John the Apostle, a disciple of Jesus. In this brief letter John encourages a fellow Christian, Gaius, to support traveling evangelists and warns against those who refuse to welcome the brothers. The Third Epistle of John includes: greeting from John to Gaius and John's joy in him; exhortation to continue supporting the evangelists, even if they are strangers; warning about Diotrephes not welcoming the brothers; imitate what is good; final greetings.

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner that is worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. (3 John 5-8)