Could the Gospel of John really contain anti-Gnostic sentiments? As we have seen in previous entries, many scholars throughout history have thought so. But others have argued against this idea. Before we enter into an in-depth analysis of John’s relationship with Christian or Hermetic Gnosticism, it will be helpful to first deal with several possible objections to this proposal.
Potential objections we will be addressing in this entry are as follows:
1) Trinitarian objections on the basis of an ambiguous or “balanced” Johannine Christology;
2) objections on the basis of a presumed lack of polemical clarity;
3) objections of the basis of a perceived lack of interest in historical polemic in the other Gospels;
4) objections on the basis of later Gnostic infatuation with GJohn;
5) objections on the basis of a presumed lack of doctrinal clarity in the first century;
6) Trinitarian objections on the basis of alleged inefficiency of potential anti-Gnostic statements;
7) objections based on the satisfaction provided by Jewish evidence.
H&J Part 05:
Kegan Chandler, PhD 
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