30. John the Evangelist – Historical Texts
Church traditions, supported by writings like Irenaeus’s “Against Heresies,” record John’s long life and leadership in Ephesus, where he guided the early church. Specifically, Irenaeus mentions that John, the disciple of the Lord, wrote his Gospel in Ephesus. Additionally, Justin Martyr in his “Dialogue with Trypho” refers to “John, one of the Apostles of Christ” living in Ephesus. The Muratorian Canon, one of the earliest lists of New Testament books, also attributes the Gospel of John to him. Ancient Christian texts, like these, describe his teachings about Jesus’s divinity. Recent archaeological work in Ephesus has revealed early Christian meeting places from John’s era, showing where his influence took root.
