The Ur-John Thesis

The text of John’s Gospel is multi-layered, consisting of a primitive narrative, still largely intact, underlying several redactional overlays. Once the editorial proclivities of the redactors is understood, it is possible to isolate the early narrative layer with confidence. This early narrative “Ur-John” was in circulation prior to the production of Mark. Mark was composed as a rebuttal to it. The confusion over the missing ending of Mark and the appendix John 21 is integral to this conflict.