Page "John the Presbyter" Paragraph 23

* Before Eusebius there exists no statement about a second John in Asia.

Especially noteworthy in this context is Irenaeus of Lyons, himself a pupil of Polycarp of Smyrna.

In his book Adversus Haereses, which survives in a Latin version, Irenaeus mentions " Papias, the hearer of John, and a companion of Polycarp " ( Book V, chapter xxxiii ), without indicating that this was another John than " John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia.

" ( Book III, chapter i ).

In his Letter to Florinus, which survives as a fragment, Irenaeus speaks of " Polycarp having thus received from the eye-witnesses of the Word of life " and of John as " that blessed and apostolical presbyter ".