Paul Minear
wrote an article, “The Original Functions of John 21,” JBL 102 (1983):85-98 that argued John 21 is original to the Gospel.
In her summary of the article, Jane S. Webster wrote:
Paul Minear points out that there is no
manuscript evidence to suggest that chapters 1-20 circulated without chapter
21. Nor are there significant grammatical or lexical differences between chapters
1-20 and 21. On the basis of this evidence, Minear proposes that the concluding
statement in 20:30-31 applies only to the preceding chapter (i.e., chapter 20)
and not to the entire Gospel. Thus, the “signs” mentioned in 20:30 refer, not
necessarily to the miracles in John 1-12, but to the “signs” of Jesus’
resurrection found in Jon 20: the empty tomb seen first by Mary (20:1-2), and
then by Peter and the beloved disciple (20:3-10); the appearance of Jesus to
Mary (20:11-18), then to the ten disciples behind the locked doors (20:19-23),
and then again to the disciples with Thomas (20:24-29). Therefore, he argues,
John 20:30-31 does not conclude the Gospel, only chapter 20. Minear provides
other reasons for including John 21 in the Gospel. Narrative strands connect
chapter 21 in significant ways to the first 20 chapters of the Gospel. For
example, chapter 21 finishes the stories of Nathanael (1:45-51; 21:2), Peter,
and the beloved disciple. It also continues themes that are developed
throughout the Gospel, such as discipleship, the dualism of light and dark, and
martyrdom. The three denials of Peter in John 18 are balanced by the three question
of Jesus to Peter—“Do you love me?”—in John 21:15-17. Minear concludes that
John 21 is an integrated part of the Gospel as a whole and an interpretation of
the chapter should reflect this unity. Serge Besobrasoff rightly confirm that
John 21 cannot be understood unless it is read in the context of the whole
Gospel, drawing on themes introduced elsewhere (e.g., 10:1-18; 13:31; 17:1;
12:33; 18:32) (S. Besobrasoff, “John 21,” NTS
3 [1956-1957]:132-6). (Jane S. Webster, Ingesting
Jesus: Eating and Drinking in the Gospel of John [Academia Biblica 6;
Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003], 134-35)
