Originally delivered as one of the Jowett Lectures for 1906, the contents of this booklet emerged during the first quest for the historical Jesus. Somewhat surprisingly, Burkitt discovered that historical criticism increased the historical credibility of the Synoptic Gospels in his estimation. This sixth lecture in the series turns to the Gospel of John. Burkitt begins by asking the enduring questions of authorship and historicity. The test case of the raising of Lazarus, when compared with Mark, demonstrates that John is not writing history. Since history is not the purpose of John’s Gospel, Burkitt suggests that it is the presentation of the Person of Christ that merited John’s inclusion in the canon. It is the fourth Gospel that truly emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. Bereft of the words and acts of Jesus, John, according to Burkitt, remains a viable Gospel by virtue of the very verisimilitude of the ideas of Jesus it presents. Compared with Philo, the Gnostics, and the Stoics, John shares a lot in common; however, the historical reality of the resurrection sets this Gospel apart.

Francis Crawford Burkitt (1864-1935) began his academic career as a student of mathematics. While at Cambridge University he moved to Divinity, becoming the Norrisian Professor. His interest in the text of the New Testament led him to study Syriac manuscripts and to publish widely in the field. He was a fellow of the British Academy.