Drawing on the insights of ancient literary theory and practice, this book seeks to unlock the age-old puzzle of the relationship of John's gospel to the other gospels and to the early Christian church. Applying a new method to an old problem, Brodie uses a form of source analysis that takesaccount of the practices of ancient writers to reveal John as someone who deliberately rendered the earlier gospels into a new language. The deeply theological, and at the same time more down-to-earth voice characteristic of John is revealed to be not that of a marginal community ("the Johanninecommunity") but of an independent prophetic presence within the mainstream church.