Saint John and the Close of the Apostolic Age

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Far more fitting would it be to devote all our attention to this winning aspect of his personality, if thereby we might but catch new glimpses of those heavenly features which had enravished his soul. But the never-ending attacks wherewith his works are assailed force us to forego this more agreeable plan and first seek a solid foundation for the objective matter of our present study: those inspired writings wherein he has revealed the Saviour to us in a new and striking light. Assuredly I have no intention of dis cussing such unsavory questions, much ventilated nowadays, as, for instance, Whether Jesus Himself believed that He was God,' or again, Just when did He become aware of His Messianic Mission.' Aside from the fact that the Mystery of the Incarnation must ever remain impenetrable to our puny intellects, inquiries so temerarious as these not to term them assaults upon the divine personality of the Christ would surely shock the pious instincts of my readers. This, however, is not the case with the proofs which go to establish the authenticity of the Apostolic documents. These we shall examine, beginning with those which have reference to the Fourth Gospel; then we shall pass on to the three Epistles of Saint John styled catholic finally, we shall see what claims his Apocalypse has to be treated as equally authentic.

Far more fitting would it be to devote all our attention to this winning aspect of his personality, if thereby we might but catch new glimpses of those heavenly features which had enravished his soul. But the never-ending attacks wherewith his works are assailed force us to forego this more agreeable plan and first seek a solid foundation for the objective matter of our present study: those inspired writings wherein he has revealed the Saviour to us in a new and striking light. Assuredly I have no intention of dis cussing such unsavory questions, much ventilated nowadays, as, for instance, Whether Jesus Himself believed that He was God,' or again, Just when did He become aware of His Messianic Mission.' Aside from the fact that the Mystery of the Incarnation must ever remain impenetrable to our puny intellects, inquiries so temerarious as these not to term them assaults upon the divine personality of the Christ would surely shock the pious instincts of my readers. This, however, is not the case with the proofs which go to establish the authenticity of the Apostolic documents. These we shall examine, beginning with those which have reference to the Fourth Gospel; then we shall pass on to the three Epistles of Saint John styled catholic finally, we shall see what claims his Apocalypse has to be treated as equally authentic.