John 20 & 21

Many have understood John 20:30 and 31 to be a conclusion, that is, the end of the Gospel of John. And to their credit, it sure does sound like it. Given the view that it could be a "conclusion", what does that say about John 21? Well, many have concluded, among other things, that John 21 is a later addition to John's Gospel, namely, by "John 2". This "John 2" is seen as the second author of John's Gospel.

Moreover, some scholars feel that John 21: 24 gives evidence for such a conclusion.


(John 21:24) . . .This is the disciple [presumably, John] that bears witness about these things and that wrote these things, and we know that the witness he gives is true.

Some scholars reason, if only 1 other wrote John, why does verse 24 say "we" know that the witness he gives is true? Well, here, they find evidence that someone else, that is, other than John, probably wrote John 21. 

More conservative scholars suggest that John 21 as an appendage by John. By that they mean that perhaps John forgot to include this information so he added it at the end, sort of like a Post Script [P. S.] at the end of a letter.