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John, the apostle
JOHN THE APOSTLE.
Contents:
Early Life
Introduction to Jesus
As Apostle
Friendship for Peter
History of Acts
After His Departure from Jerusalem
Writings
JOHN THE APOSTLE (jon; Gk. ’Io4anne4s; from Heb. Yôh[a4na4n, “Jehovah is gracious”). The son of Zebedee, a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, (Mark 1:19-20; Luke 5:10), and Salome (Matthew 27:56; cf. Mark 15:40). We have no information respecting the religious character or personal participation of Zebedee in the events of the gospel history, but John’s mother was one of the women who followed Jesus even to His crucifixion.
Early Life. John was probably the younger brother of James (Matthew 4:21). The mention of the “hired servants” (Mark 1:20); of the “private means” of those women who supported Jesus, which probably included Simone, John’s mother (Luke 8:3); of “his own household” (John 19:27), and of his acquaintance with Caiaphas the high priest (John 18:15) implies a position of at least considerable influence and means. His mother, who manifested an earnest desire for the welfare of her sons (Matthew 20:20), probably instructed him in religious things. His trade of fisherman was adapted to holy meditation, since it frequently required him to pass whole nights in stillness upon the water.
Introduction to Jesus. The incident recorded in John 1:35-39 would seem to indicate that John had first become a disciple of John the Baptist. His mention of Andrew only by name is consistent with his usual manner of naming himself as “the other disciple,” the disciple “whom Jesus loved.” John was probably among the disciples who followed their new Teacher to Galilee (John 1:43), were with Him at the marriage feast of Cana (John 2:2), journeyed with Him to Capernaum and thence to Jerusalem (John 2:12, 23), and came back through Samaria (John 4:5). He then returned to his former occupation.
As Apostle. At last the time came when the disciples were to enter into closer relation to Jesus and become His apostles. John, with his brother James, Simon, and Andrew, were called at the same time to be “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17-20; Luke 5:10). John, with Peter and James, was distinguished above the other apostles, entering more fully into the Master’s feelings and plans, and receiving in return His confidence and love. Mention is made of John at the restoration of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31); at the ordination of the twelve apostles (Mark 3:17), where he and his brother received the surname Boanerges (“sons of thunder”) from Jesus; at the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:35-37; Luke 8:51); at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28); rebuking one who cast out devils in the Lord’s name because he was not one of their company (Luke 9:49); seeking to call down fire from heaven upon a village of the Samaritans (Luke 9:54); joining with his mother and James in asking for the highest places in the kingdom of the Master (Matthew 20:20-28; Mark 10:35-45); with Jesus upon the Mount of Olives when He foretold the destruction of Jerusalem (Mark 13:3); sent by the Master to prepare, with Peter, the Passover (Luke 22:8); asking Jesus, at the Last Supper, who would betray Him (John 13:23-26); with Peter and James in Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-33). When the betrayal occurred, Peter and John followed from a distance and, through the personal acquaintance between the latter and Caiaphas, gained admittance into the palace (John 18:15-16). John was the only disciple present at the crucifixion and was appointed by Jesus to care for Mary (John 19:26-27).
Friendship for Peter. Notwithstanding the denial of Peter, he and John continued to be friends and are afterward often mentioned together. To them Mary Magdalene first ran with the news of the empty tomb (John 20:2). They were the first to reach the tomb and look inside (John 20:4-8). For at least eight days they remained in Jerusalem (John 20:26), after which they returned to the Sea of Galilee, pursuing their old trade (John 21:1). John was the first to recognize the risen Lord; Peter was the first to plunge into the water and swim toward the shore where Jesus stood (John 21:7). Peter’s affection and anxiety for John are shown in his question, “Lord, and what about this man?” (John 21:21).
History of Acts. The same union continues in Scripture between Peter and John. Together they witnessed the ascension and shared in the election of Matthias and the baptism at Pentecost. Together they entered the Temple as worshipers (Acts 3:1), were imprisoned, and protested against the threats of the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:3-21). They were also sent together to preach to the Samaritans (Acts 8:14). John and the rest of the apostles remained at their post despite the persecution of Saul (cf. Acts 8:1). He did not meet Paul when the latter came back to Jerusalem as a convert (Galatians 1:19); but this, of course, does not make the inference necessary that he had left Jerusalem. During the persecution under Herod Agrippa he lost his brother, James, by martyrdom (Acts 12:2), while his friend Peter sought safety in flight (Acts 12:18-19). Fifteen years after Paul’s first visit he was still at Jerusalem (Conybeare and Howson, Life and Epistles of Paul). He was one of the “pillars” of the church and took part in settling the controversy between the Jewish and Gentile Christians (Acts 15:6-13; Galatians 2:9). We have only the slightest trace of the work of the apostle during this period.
After His Departure from Jerusalem. John probably remained in Judea till the death of Mary released him from his promise. When this took place we can only speculate. There are no signs of his being at Jerusalem at the time of Paul’s last visit (Acts 21). “Assuming the authorship of the epistles and Revelation to be his, the facts which the New Testament writings assert or imply are: 1. That, having come to Ephesus, some persecution drove him to Patmos (Rev. 1:9). 2. That the seven churches in Asia Minor were the special objects of his affectionate solicitude (Rev. 1:11); that in his work he had to encounter men who denied the truth on which his faith rested (1 John 4:1; 2 John 7), and others who disputed his authority (3 John 9-10).” If we add to this that he must have outlived all, or nearly all, of those who had been the friends and companions of even his maturer years; that this lingering age gave strength to an old impression that his Lord had promised him immortality (John 21:23); that, as if remembering the actual words that had been thus perverted, the longing of his soul gathered itself up in the cry, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20), we have stated all that has any claim to the character of historical truth. Tradition tells us that he was shipwrecked off Ephesus and arrived there in time to check the progress of the heresies that sprang up after Paul’s departure; that in the persecution under Domitian he was taken to Rome and that the boiling oil into which he was thrown had no power to hurt him; that, returning to Ephesus, he attested to the truth of the first three gospels, writing the fourth to supply what was wanting; that he introduced the Jewish mode of celebrating the Easter feast; and that, when all capacity to work and teach was gone—when there was no strength even to stand—he directed himself to be carried to the assemblage of believers, and simply said, with a feeble voice, “Little children, love one another.”
Writings. The following books of the NT are generally accepted as having been written by the apostle John: the gospel, the three epistles bearing his name, and the Revelation.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: J. M. MacDonald, The Life and Writings of St. John (1877); J. H. Bernard, The Gospel According to St. John, International Critical Commentary (1929), 1:34-78; W. H. G. Thomas, The Apostle John: Studies in His Life and Writings (1953); W. Barclay, The Master’s Men (1959), pp. 28-39; P. J. Gloag, The Life of St. John (1950); C. J. Barber, Searching for Identity (1975), pp. 13-22; J. D. Jones, The Apostles of Christ (1982), pp. 69-86.
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RESPONSE SHEET 197
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Q1. Give a brief biography of John, the apostle.
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