John 21: Was it Added Later?

In Johannine Gospel scholarship, it is almost axiomatic among scholars that chapter 21 is a later addition by redactors, and wasn't part of the original work.

Michael Barber, over at his excellent blog, Singing in the Reign, has posted probably the best take I've ever seen on chapter 21 being part of the original work.

As Barber explains, whether or not the last chapter is part of the original work is crucial to the question of authorship of the Fourth Gospel - because it's almost as accepted in the scholarly community that John the Apostle didn't write it.

As Barber puts it:

...the question of authorship of the Fourth Gospel really depends on how one views the final chapter. Is John 21--the chapter where, arguably, we learn the most about the "beloved disciple"--a later addition to the book or was it originally part of the Gospel?

Check out the whole article here.