| John the Apostle |
St. John the Apostle by Hans Memling |
The Divine, Apostle of Charity, Beloved
Apostle
Evangelist |
| Born |
c. 6 AD, Galilee, in the
Holy Land[1] |
| Died |
c. 101, Ephesus, Asia
Minor |
| Venerated in |
All Christianity |
| Feast |
December 27 (Western Christianity)
May 8 (Eastern Christianity) |
| Attributes |
book, a serpent in a chalice, cauldron, eagle |
| Patronage |
authors, burns, poisoning, theologians, publishers, booksellers, editors, friendships, and painters |
 Saints Portal |
John the Apostle (Greek Ιωάννης, see names of John) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Christian tradition identifies him with the authors of several New
Testament works, including the Gospel of John.
Identifications
-
At different times John the Apostle has been identified as the author of all or most of the New Testament works attributed to
a writer named John. Some modern scholars[citation needed] distinguish at least three different authors. The creator of the Gospel of
John and the First Epistle of John is known as John the Evangelist, John the Theologian or John the Divine. The Second and Third Epistle of John had the same
author, who calls himself the presbyter; he has been identified with the enigmatic
John the Presbyter. The Book of
Revelation was written by John of Patmos. Most evangelical Christians continue to
hold that all New Testament "John" books were written by John the son of Zebedee. The apocryphal 2nd century Gnostic text called Secret Book of John was also attributed to John though not by the established orthodox Christian
traditions. The Gospel of John contains references to the "disciple whom Jesus
loved". Traditionally this was taken as a self reference by the author, and therefore a reference to John the Apostle.
In the Bible
John the Apostle was the son of Zebedee, and the brother of James. One tradition gives his mother's name as Salome.
They originally were fishermen and fished with their father in the Lake of Genesareth. He
was first a disciple of John the Baptist and later one of the twelve disciples of
Jesus. He is revered as a saint by most of Christianity. The
Roman Catholic Church commemorates him on December
27. He is also remembered in the liturgy on January 3. The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates him on September 26,
and also remembers him on May 8, on which date Christians used to draw forth from his grave fine
ashes which were believed to be effective for healing the sick.
John had a prominent position in the Apostolic body. Peter, James and John were the only witnesses of the raising of
Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37), of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1) and of the Agony in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37). Only he and Peter were sent into the city to make the preparation for the final
Passover meal (the Last Supper) (Luke 22:8). At the meal
itself, his place was next to Jesus on whose chest he leaned (John 13:23, 25). According to the general interpretation, John was
also that "other disciple" who with Peter followed Jesus after the arrest into the palace of the high-priest (John 18:15). John
alone remained near Jesus at the foot of the cross on Calvary with Jesus’ mother, Mary, and the
pious women and took Mary into his care as the last legacy of Jesus (John 19:25-27). After the Resurrection, John with Peter was the first of the disciples to run towards the grave and he
was the first to believe that Jesus had truly risen (John 20:2-10). John was accustomed to indicate himself in writing without
giving his name as: "the disciple whom Jesus loved". After Jesus’ Ascension
and the descent of the Holy Spirit, John took, together with Peter, a prominent part in the
founding and guidance of the church. He is with Peter at the healing of the lame man in the Temple (Acts 3:1 seq.). With Peter he
is also thrown into prison (Acts 4:3). He is also with Peter visiting the newly converted in Samaria (Acts 8:14).
There is no positive information concerning the duration of this activity in Judea.
Apparently, John in common with the other Apostles remained some 12 years in this first field of labour, until the persecution of
Herod Agrippa I led to the scattering of the Apostles through the various provinces of the Roman Empire (cf. Acts 12:1-17). It
does not appear improbable that John then went for the first time to Asia Minor and exercised his Apostolic office in various
provinces there. In any case a messianic community was already in existence at Ephesus before Paul's first labours there (cf.
"the brethren", Acts 18:27, in addition to Priscilla and Aquila) and it is easy to connect a sojourn of John in these provinces
with the fact that the Holy Spirit did not permit Paul on his second missionary journey to proclaim the Gospel in Asia, Mysia and
Bithynia (Acts 16:6 sq.). Such a sojourn by John in Asia in this first period was neither long nor uninterrupted. He returned
with the other disciples to Jerusalem for the Apostolic Council (about A.D. 51). Paul in opposing his enemies in Galatia names
John explicitly along with Peter and James the Just as a "pillar of the Church" and refers to the recognition that his Apostolic
preaching of a gospel free from the law received from these three, the most prominent men of the messianic community at Jerusalem
(Galatians 2:9).
Of the other New Testament writings, it is only from the three Letters of John and the book of Revelation that anything
further is learned about John. Both the Letters and Revelation presuppose that John belonged to the multitude of personal
eyewitnesses of the life and work of Jesus (cf. especially 1 John 1:1-5; 4:14), that he had lived for a long time in Asia Minor,
was thoroughly acquainted with the conditions existing in the various messianic communities there, and that he had a position of
authority recognized by all messianic communities as leader of this part of the church. Moreover, Revelation says that its author
was on the island of Patmos "for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus", when he was honoured with the heavenly vision
contained in Revelation (Revelation 1:9).
The Gospel of John is considered important because it is a direct eyewitness account of the life and words of Jesus, and it
contains direct quotes from Jesus. For example: John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I
proceeded forth and came from God; neither am I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye
cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he
is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I
say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of
God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we no well that thou are a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I
have not a devil: but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
John is traditionally held to be the author of five books of the New Testament, including the Gospel of John. However, almost all Jewish critical scholars place the writing of the final
edition of John at some time in the late first or early second century. See Authorship of the Johannine works.
Catholic/Orthodox tradition says that he and the Virgin Mary moved to Ephesus,
where both eventually died. Many Evangelical and other scholars question this, especially
due to the advanced age which Mary would have reached by this time. Some believe,
however, that there is support for the idea that John did go to Ephesus and from there wrote the
three epistles tradition attributed to him. John was allegedly banished by the Roman authorities to the Greek island of Patmos, where some believe that he wrote the Book of Revelation. According to Tertullian (in The Prescription of Heretics) John was banished
(presumably to Patmos) after being plunged into boiling oil in Rome and suffering nothing from it. Some believe his tomb is
located at Selçuk, a small town in the vicinity of Ephesus.
When John was old he trained Polycarp, later Bishop of Smyrna. This was important because
Polycarp was able to carry John's message to another age.
In art, John as the presumed author of the Gospel is often depicted with an eagle, which symbolizes the height he rose to in
the first chapter of his gospel.
John in Mormonism
According to Mormonism, John did not die, but was allowed to "tarry" until the
Second Coming. This belief is interpreted from John 21:21-23 which reads: [21] Peter
seeing him (John) saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? [22] Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I
come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. [23] Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not
die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, 'If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?'
Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 28:6-7 reads "... ye have desired the thing which John, my
beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me. Therefore, more blessed are ye,
for ye shall never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until
all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the powers of heaven."
(This refers to the Three Nephites. The words "more blessed are ye" was spoken in
reference to other Nephites, not John himself) Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery claimed to have been visited by the resurrected Peter and James and the tarrying John, in
[the] July of 1829, at which time the priesthood authority was restored to mankind.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 7 was the answer received by the prophet Joseph
Smith as to whether John, the beloved disciple, had tarried in the flesh or had died. The revelation is a translated version of
the record made on parchment by John and hidden up by himself. This reads: [1] AND the Lord said unto me: John, my beloved, what
desirest thou? For if you shall ask what you will, it shall be granted unto you. [2] And I said unto him: Lord, give unto me
power over death, that I may live and bring souls unto thee. [3] And the Lord said unto me: Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
because thou desirest this thou shalt tarry until I come in my glory, and shalt prophesy before nations, kindreds, tongues and
people. [4] And for this cause the Lord said unto Peter: If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? For he
desired of me that he might bring souls unto me, but thou desiredst that thou mightest speedily come unto me in my kingdom. [5] I
say unto thee, Peter, this was a good desire; but my beloved has desired that he might do more, or a greater work yet among men
than what he has before done. [6] Yea, he has undertaken a greater work; therefore I will make him as flaming fire and a
ministering angel; he shall minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation who dwell on the earth. [7] And I will make thee
to minister for him and for thy brother James; and unto you three I will give this power and the keys of this ministry until I
come. [8] Verily I say unto you, ye shall both have according to your desires, for ye both joy in that which ye have desired.
References
External links
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