Twenty-seven authors from a variety of backgrounds contribute essays concerning the distance, historically and theologically, between the historical Jesus and the Gospel of John. Part One discusses issues related to the historical and ideological context in which the Fourth Gospel was produced. Part Two explores the possibility of oral and written sources that the Fourth Evangelist may have utilized. Part Three compares the Fourth Gospel with early non-canonical literature to identify various ways in which Jesus traditions were appropriated by early Christians. Contributors include: Gail R. O'Day, David Rensberger, Gary Burge, Jeff Staley, Arthur Dewey, Craig Blomberg, Graham Twelftree, Chrys C. Caragounis, John Perry, Walter Wink, Mark Matson, Paul Anderson, Sara Winter, Johannes Beutler, Roy Felton, John Miles Foley, R. Alan Culpepper, Christopher Tuckett, Edwin Broadhead, April DeConick, Alan Kirk, Catrin Williams, Stephen Patterson, Richard Bauckham, and John Ashton.