Most scholars agree the Gospel of John was written after AD 90 , typically placing its composition between AD 90 and AD 110 . As the last of the four canonical gospels, it was written decades after the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] Because this was the final gospel written, the author was able to reflect upon the earlier Christian writings, providing a distinct, more theological look at the divinity of Jesus Christ. [ 1 , 2 ] The Gospel of John is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle (the son of Zebedee and one of Jesus's twelve disciples). However, the book itself is technically anonymous, and modern scholars are divided on whether John wrote the text directly, or if it was composed by his followers as a written record of his eyewitness testimony. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]