The seer of Revelation names himself only 'John — your brother, and companion in the affliction' (1:9). Tradition from the second century (Justin Martyr, Irenaeus) identifies him with the apostle, son of Zebedee, author of the Gospel; but the question is ancient — Dionysius of Alexandria (3rd century) already argued from style that the Gospel's smooth Greek and Revelation's wild, Hebrew-boned Greek cannot come from one hand, and proposed a second John, 'John of Patmos.' The book claims only the name; the church kept it either way. Reported, not settled.