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{{See also|Mystery:Unsolved_Gospel_Mysteries}}

{{See also|Mystery:Unsolved_Gospel_Mysteries}}

[[John the Apostle]] was probably a [[Samaritan]], or different from the other disciples in another ethnic or fundamental way, in light of the following 26 reasons:

[[John the Apostle]] was probably a [[Samaritan]], or different from the other disciples in another ethnic or fundamental way, in light of the following 26 reasons:

*Samaritans did not celebrate [[Passover]] with a meal but with a sacrifice (of a lamb),<ref>https://www.chosenpeople.com/modern-samaritans-and-the-ancient-passover-sacrifice/</ref> and the [[Last Supper]] is uniquely described in the [[Gospel of John]] as not being a Passover meal.

#Samaritans did not celebrate [[Passover]] with a meal but with a sacrifice (of a lamb),<ref>https://www.chosenpeople.com/modern-samaritans-and-the-ancient-passover-sacrifice/</ref> and the [[Last Supper]] is uniquely described in the [[Gospel of John]] as not being a Passover meal.

*Only the [[Gospel of John]] refers to the "Passover of the Jews,"<ref>{{bibleref|John|2|13}} ([[ESV]])</ref> which is how a Samaritan might have distinguished it from their different Passover; all the other [[Gospels]] refer to only the "Passover";

#Only the [[Gospel of John]] refers to the "Passover of the Jews,"<ref>{{bibleref|John|2|13}} ([[ESV]])</ref> which is how a Samaritan might have distinguished it from their different Passover; all the other [[Gospels]] refer to only the "Passover";

*John's mother made a request of [[Jesus]] that would have been [[blasphemous]] among Jewish people then, and thus she was probably not Jewish. ''See'' {{bibleref|Matthew|20|20-21}};

#John's mother made a request of [[Jesus]] that would have been [[blasphemous]] among Jewish people then, and thus she was probably not Jewish. ''See'' {{bibleref|Matthew|20|20-21}};

*John is the only [[Gospel]] author who never used the term "[[Gentile]]s", as Samaritans would not because they were half-Gentile and thus it was not a distinguishing term for them, while the other Gospel authors (and [[Peter]] and [[Paul]]) repeatedly used that term;

#John is the only [[Gospel]] author who never used the term "[[Gentile]]s", as Samaritans would not because they were half-Gentile and thus it was not a distinguishing term for them, while the other Gospel authors (and [[Peter]] and [[Paul]]) repeatedly used that term;

*John's father's name, translated as "Zebedee", appears nowhere in the [[Old Testament]] and is most common today in [[Nigeria]], [[Africa]], which is half [[Muslim]] and half [[Christian]];

#John's father's name, translated as "Zebedee", appears nowhere in the [[Old Testament]] and is most common today in [[Nigeria]], [[Africa]], which is half [[Muslim]] and half [[Christian]];

*John's unique description of [[Jesus]] as possibly coming from the [[Samaritans]];

#John's unique description of [[Jesus]] as possibly coming from the [[Samaritans]];

*John's sympathy towards Samaritans, including describing how Jesus first disclosed his divinity to a Samaritan woman at a well (which everyone else omitted);

#John's sympathy towards Samaritans, including describing how Jesus first disclosed his divinity to a Samaritan woman at a well (which everyone else omitted);

*the [[Apostles]] sent the young [[John]] (along with [[Peter]]) to [[evangelize]] Samaria after the [[Resurrection]], see {{bibleref|Acts|8|14}};

#the [[Apostles]] sent the young [[John]] (along with [[Peter]]) to [[evangelize]] Samaria after the [[Resurrection]], see {{bibleref|Acts|8|14}};

*John's repeated references -- 10 times more than any other [[Gospel]] -- to "the Jews," meaning the Jewish people in and around [[Jerusalem]], was how Samaritans would have referred to their rivals;

#John's repeated references -- 10 times more than any other [[Gospel]] -- to "the Jews," meaning the Jewish people in and around [[Jerusalem]], was how Samaritans would have referred to their rivals;

*only the [[Gospel of John]] contains a derogatory reference, as Samaritans would have felt, about the Jewish region of [[Nazareth]]: “Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' [[Philip]] said to him, 'Come and see.'” {{bibleref|John|1|46}}

#only the [[Gospel of John]] contains a derogatory reference, as Samaritans would have felt, about the Jewish region of [[Nazareth]]: “Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' [[Philip]] said to him, 'Come and see.'” {{bibleref|John|1|46}}

*the [[Gospel of John]] emphasized the concept of the sacrificial lamb -- the "Paschal Lamb" -- which is a central part of [[Passover]] for [[Samaritan]]s but not for [[Masoretic Jews]].<ref>https://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/features-on-jewish-world/the-samaritan-paschal-sacrifice/2020/04/01/</ref>

#the [[Gospel of John]] emphasized the concept of the sacrificial lamb -- the "Paschal Lamb" -- which is a central part of [[Passover]] for [[Samaritan]]s but not for [[Masoretic Jews]].<ref>https://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/features-on-jewish-world/the-samaritan-paschal-sacrifice/2020/04/01/</ref>

*the [[Gospel of John]] contains only 27 quotations and allusions to books of the [[Old Testament]] -- and some of those, such as {{bibleref|John|12|38-41}}, appear to be later-added [[Editorial Comments in the Gospel of John]] -- which is a total far less than "Matthew (124), Mark (70), and Luke (109),"<ref>https://rsc.byu.edu/prophets-prophecies-old-testament/use-old-testament-new-testament-gospels</ref> and the Samaritans recognized only the [[Pentateuch]] in the Old Testament;

#the [[Gospel of John]] contains only 27 quotations and allusions to books of the [[Old Testament]] -- and some of those, such as {{bibleref|John|12|38-41}}, appear to be later-added [[Editorial Comments in the Gospel of John]] -- which is a total far less than "Matthew (124), Mark (70), and Luke (109),"<ref>https://rsc.byu.edu/prophets-prophecies-old-testament/use-old-testament-new-testament-gospels</ref> and the Samaritans recognized only the [[Pentateuch]] in the Old Testament;

*Samaritans rejected "the prophets," and only four times does the [[Gospel of John]] refer to "the prophets" -- far less than the [[Gospel of Matthew]] and [[Gospel of Luke]] do -- and 2 of [[John]]'s references are quoting "the Jews," a third is quoting someone other than [[Jesus]], and the fourth is one of the [[Editorial Comments in the Gospel of John]] which is grammatically suspect: "It is written in [should be "by" or worded better] the Prophets ...."

#Samaritans rejected "the prophets," and only four times does the [[Gospel of John]] refer to "the prophets" -- far less than the [[Gospel of Matthew]] and [[Gospel of Luke]] do -- and 2 of [[John]]'s references are quoting "the Jews," a third is quoting someone other than [[Jesus]], and the fourth is one of the [[Editorial Comments in the Gospel of John]] which is grammatically suspect: "It is written in [should be "by" or worded better] the Prophets ...."

*among the few references by the [[Gospel of John]] to the [[Old Testament]], many are [[Editorial Comments in the Gospel of John]] which may have been added later;

#among the few references by the [[Gospel of John]] to the [[Old Testament]], many are [[Editorial Comments in the Gospel of John]] which may have been added later;

*the universality of the [[Gospel of John]], as in {{bible ref|John|3|16}};

#the universality of the [[Gospel of John]], as in {{bible ref|John|3|16}};

*his harsh language against [[Jewish]] leaders, whom Samaritans already disliked;

#his harsh language against [[Jewish]] leaders, whom Samaritans already disliked;

*John refers far less than the other [[Gospels]] to a "synagogue" (which Samaritans viewed differently, refraining from building any new ones since [[Moses]]), and John's [[Book of Revelation]] refers to "synagogues of [[Satan]]" which implies a Samaritan influence. See {{bibleref|Rev|2|9}} and {{bibleref|Rev|3|9}}.<ref>This wording by John also suggests an ethnic difference: “Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret” (John 18:20).</ref>

#John refers far less than the other [[Gospels]] to a "synagogue" (which Samaritans viewed differently, refraining from building any new ones since [[Moses]]), and John's [[Book of Revelation]] refers to "synagogues of [[Satan]]" which implies a Samaritan influence. See {{bibleref|Rev|2|9}} and {{bibleref|Rev|3|9}}.<ref>This wording by John also suggests an ethnic difference: “Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret” (John 18:20).</ref>

*the thriving "Johannine community" in the late 1st and 2nd century [[A.D.]] had ideological similarities to [[Samaritan]] views, and probably included many Samaritans;

#the thriving "Johannine community" in the late 1st and 2nd century [[A.D.]] had ideological similarities to [[Samaritan]] views, and probably included many Samaritans;

*the mysterious disappearance of most Samaritans, who perhaps converted to [[Christianity]] on the strength of [[John]]'s teachings to them;

#the mysterious disappearance of most Samaritans, who perhaps converted to [[Christianity]] on the strength of [[John]]'s teachings to them;

*John had [[John_the_Apostle#Healthy_Rivalry_with_Peter.3F|a rivalry]] with [[Peter]], suggesting they may have had different ethnicities;  

#John had [[John_the_Apostle#Healthy_Rivalry_with_Peter.3F|a rivalry]] with [[Peter]], suggesting they may have had different ethnicities;  

*John was ostracized by other [[Apostles]]: despite being the one [[Jesus]] loved, John is barely mentioned in the lengthy [[Gospel of Matthew]], is not mentioned at all by [[Peter]] or [[Paul]] in their extensive letters,<ref>Paul does mention a "John" once in his [[Epistle to the Galatians]].</ref> and John had to live out his life isolated on the island of [[Patmos]];<ref>https://www.greeka.com/dodecanese/patmos/history/</ref>

#John was ostracized by other [[Apostles]]: despite being the one [[Jesus]] loved, John is barely mentioned in the lengthy [[Gospel of Matthew]], is not mentioned at all by [[Peter]] or [[Paul]] in their extensive letters,<ref>Paul does mention a "John" once in his [[Epistle to the Galatians]].</ref> and John had to live out his life isolated on the island of [[Patmos]];<ref>https://www.greeka.com/dodecanese/patmos/history/</ref>

*the lack of [[parable]]s in the [[Gospel of John]], which was a teaching style used 11 times in [[Old Testament]] books not recognized by [[Samaritan]]s and also in the Greco-Roman world of which Samaritans were not a part;<ref>https://www.markedbyteachers.com/gcse/religious-studies-philosophy-and-ethics/the-genre-of-parable-did-not-originate-with-jesus-they-already-appeared-in-the-greco-roman-world.html#:~:text=%2DRoman%20world.%20%2D-,The%20genre%20of%20Parable%20did%20not%20originate%20with%20Jesus%20they,in%20the%20Greco%2DRoman%20world.&text=The%20word%20parable%20comes%20from,%2C%20a%20comparison%2C%20or%20analogy.</ref>

#the lack of [[parable]]s in the [[Gospel of John]], which was a teaching style used 11 times in [[Old Testament]] books not recognized by [[Samaritan]]s and also in the Greco-Roman world of which Samaritans were not a part;<ref>https://www.markedbyteachers.com/gcse/religious-studies-philosophy-and-ethics/the-genre-of-parable-did-not-originate-with-jesus-they-already-appeared-in-the-greco-roman-world.html#:~:text=%2DRoman%20world.%20%2D-,The%20genre%20of%20Parable%20did%20not%20originate%20with%20Jesus%20they,in%20the%20Greco%2DRoman%20world.&text=The%20word%20parable%20comes%20from,%2C%20a%20comparison%2C%20or%20analogy.</ref>

*the [[Gospel of John]] has more references to "life" than all the other [[Gospels]] combined, and the Samaritan version of the [[Book of Exodus]] is more [[pro-life]] than the Jewish Masoretic translation;<ref>https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/abortion-in-judaism</ref>

#the [[Gospel of John]] has more references to "life" than all the other [[Gospels]] combined, and the Samaritan version of the [[Book of Exodus]] is more [[pro-life]] than the Jewish Masoretic translation;<ref>https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/abortion-in-judaism</ref>

*John prominently includes multiple quotations of [[Thomas the Apostle]], such as the famous "doubting Thomas" passage at {{bibleref|John|20|24-29}}, while [[Matthew]] omits all this from [[Gospel of Matthew|his Gospel]], and subsequently Thomas (a name never mentioned in the [[Old Testament]]) [[evangelism|evangelized]] [[India]], all of which implies an ethnic difference between John and the Jewish Matthew;

#John prominently includes multiple quotations of [[Thomas the Apostle]], such as the famous "doubting Thomas" passage at {{bibleref|John|20|24-29}}, while [[Matthew]] omits all this from [[Gospel of Matthew|his Gospel]], and subsequently Thomas (a name never mentioned in the [[Old Testament]]) [[evangelism|evangelized]] [[India]], all of which implies an ethnic difference between John and the Jewish Matthew;

*John is the only [[Gospels|Gospel]] author who begins each day at midnight as Romans did, rather than the Hebrew method of beginning each day at sunset; and  

#John is the only [[Gospels|Gospel]] author who begins each day at midnight as Romans did, rather than the Hebrew method of beginning each day at sunset; and  

*the name "John" is [[Aramaic]] rather than [[Hebrew]]: no one in the entire [[Old Testament]] has the name "John".<ref>"Yochanan" is the Aramaic origin of John's name.</ref> Likewise for the name of his brother, "James".

#the name "John" is [[Aramaic]] rather than [[Hebrew]]: no one in the entire [[Old Testament]] has the name "John".<ref>"Yochanan" is the Aramaic origin of John's name.</ref> Likewise for the name of his brother, "James".

== References ==

== References ==

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