Latest read – “The Secret Identity of the Beloved Disciple”

Is actually a re-read of a book by the title of “The Secret Identity of the Beloved Disciple.” It is about the identity of the author, or at least the source of the fourth Gospel, the Gospel of John. It was written in 1992 by Joseph A. Grassi , and I probably first read it about ten years ago.

I took more time reading the second time around – it’s only 127 pages – and it is a very good book. It does not require any great knowledge of the bible or the New Testament.

The authority behind the fourth Gospel is the mysterious figure of the “Beloved Disciple” and nowhere in the Gospel is he referred to as John. This was a hypothesis offered in later centuries, partially to put the fourth Gospel in the apostolic tradition.

Grassi builds a painstaking case, as he ID’s the “Beloved Disciple” not by name, but rather by his background. The 14 short chapters have titles like “The Role and Community of the Beloved Disciple, The Mother of Jesus and the Beloved Disciple, Disciple of Love and Model of Relationships (this chapter also a fascinating analysis of the role of Mary Magdelene), A Mystical and Creative Genius”.

While coming up with a reasonable case for the Beloved Disciple’s background – and of course that is all it is, a reasonable case, it cannot be proved – Grassi of course is also touching on the importance of the fourth Gospel.

It’s really a fine, fine, short book, which unfortunately is very difficult to get Amazon.com Used and New The Secret Identity of the Beloved Disciple Joseph A. I give it four stars out of five (I am a very tough marker). The original cost was labeled $7.95, and I suspect I got the book off a discount table for only a couple of bucks!