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John the Apostle: the story on HearLore | HearLore
John the Apostle
John the Apostle was born into a family of Jewish fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, the younger son of Zebedee and Salome, and the brother of James the Great. He was one of the first disciples called by Jesus, following the Baptist's declaration that Jesus was the Lamb of God, and he spent the day with him before officially joining the inner circle. Jesus gave him and his brother the nickname Boanerges, meaning sons of thunder, a title that reflected their fiery temperaments. In one instance, the brothers wanted to call down heavenly fire upon an unhospitable Samaritan town, but Jesus rebuked them for their harshness. John was also the disciple who reported to Jesus that they had forbidden a non-disciple from casting out demons in Jesus' name, prompting Jesus to state that he who is not against us is on our side. This early period established John as a man of intense passion and deep loyalty, traits that would define his entire ministry.
The Beloved Disciple
In the Gospel of John, the phrase the disciple whom Jesus loved appears six times, yet the text never explicitly names him, leading to centuries of debate about his identity. Tradition identifies this figure as John the Apostle, the son of Zebedee, who reclined beside Jesus at the Last Supper and asked who would betray him. At the crucifixion, Jesus entrusted his mother Mary to the care of this beloved disciple, a final legacy that bound them together in a profound bond of love and responsibility. After the resurrection, it was the beloved disciple who ran to the empty tomb first, though Peter entered before him, and he was the only apostle to remain near Jesus at the foot of the cross. This intimate connection with Jesus is the foundation of the Gospel of John, which claims to be based on the written testimony of this disciple, distinguishing it from the Synoptic Gospels written decades earlier.
The Pillar of the Church
After the ascension of Jesus, John, along with Peter and James the Just, formed the three pillars of the early church, recognized by Paul as the most prominent men of the messianic community in Jerusalem. John and Peter were the only two apostles who ran to the empty tomb after Mary Magdalene bore witness to the resurrection, and they were the only ones who went to visit the newly converted believers in Samaria. He remained in Judea and the surrounding area while other disciples returned to Jerusalem for the Apostolic Council, where he played a key role in the founding and guidance of the church. John was with Peter at the healing of the lame man at Solomon's Porch in the Temple and was thrown into prison with Peter, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to the mission despite persecution. His presence at the council and his partnership with Peter underscored his authority and influence in the nascent Christian movement.
Common questions
Who was John the Apostle and what was his family background?
John the Apostle was the younger son of Zebedee and Salome, born into a family of Jewish fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. He was the brother of James the Great and one of the first disciples called by Jesus.
When did John the Apostle die and where was he buried?
John the Apostle died of natural causes at Ephesus sometime after AD 98 during the reign of Trajan. His tomb is thought to be located in the former Basilica of St. John at Selçuk, though his body was never found.
Why was John the Apostle banished to the island of Patmos?
Roman authorities banished John the Apostle to the Greek island of Patmos during the persecutions under Emperor Domitian. He wrote the Book of Revelation while on the island for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
What is the significance of the chalice and serpent associated with John the Apostle?
The chalice with a serpent emerging from it symbolizes a legend from the Acts of John in which John was challenged to drink a cup of poison to demonstrate the power of his faith. This event is said to have occurred in Rome before his exile to Patmos.
How does John the Apostle differ from other apostles regarding his death?
John the Apostle is traditionally believed to be the only apostle who did not die as a martyr but died of natural causes at Ephesus. He is also the only apostle to leave no bodily relics, leading to the belief that his body was assumed into heaven.
John was banished by the Roman authorities to the Greek island of Patmos, where, according to tradition, he wrote the Book of Revelation during the persecutions under Emperor Domitian. The author of Revelation identifies himself as John, and early church fathers like Justin Martyr equated this John with the Apostle, though modern scholars often argue they were separate individuals due to the different styles and dates of the texts. Revelation 1:9 states that the author was on the island for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ, and it is believed that John received the vision contained in Revelation while on Patmos. Some traditions claim that John was plunged into boiling oil in Rome and suffered nothing from it, leading to his exile, and that all in the audience of the Colosseum were converted to Christianity upon witnessing this miracle. This event, whether historical or legendary, highlights the enduring power of John's faith and the miraculous nature of his survival.
The Elder and the Theologian
In his later years, John trained Polycarp, who later became Bishop of Smyrna, and through Polycarp, John's message was passed to future generations, including Irenaeus. John is traditionally believed to have lived to old age, dying of natural causes at Ephesus sometime after AD 98, during the reign of Trajan, thus becoming the only apostle who did not die as a martyr. An alternative account, ascribed by later Christian writers to the early second-century bishop Papias of Hierapolis, claims that he was slain by the Jews, though most scholars doubt the reliability of this tradition. John's tomb is thought to be located in the former Basilica of St. John at Selçuk, a small town in the vicinity of Ephesus, and his body was never found, leading to the belief that his body was assumed into heaven. This unique status as the only apostle to die of natural causes and the only one to leave no bodily relics set him apart from his peers and cemented his legacy as a figure of enduring spiritual significance.
The Art of the Apostle
John played an extremely prominent role in art from the early Christian period onward, traditionally depicted either as an aged man with a white or gray beard or alternatively as a beardless youth. One of his familiar attributes is the chalice, often with a serpent emerging from it, symbolizing a legend from the Acts of John in which John was challenged to drink a cup of poison to demonstrate the power of his faith. Other common attributes include a book or scroll, in reference to the writings traditionally attributed to him, and an eagle, which is argued to symbolize the high-soaring, inspirational quality of these writings. In Medieval and through to Renaissance works of painting, sculpture and literature, Saint John is often presented in an androgynous or feminized manner, which helped to make him more relatable to women and served as a crucial figure with whom to identify for male believers who sought to cultivate an attitude of affective piety.
The Legacy of the Beloved
The feast day of Saint John in the Roman Catholic Church, which calls him Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, is on the 27th of December, and in the Eastern Orthodox Church, he is commemorated on multiple days throughout the Church year. John is considered to have been the youngest of the apostles and survived all of them, and his legacy is preserved in the three epistles attributed to him and the Book of Revelation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that John did not die but was allowed to remain on the earth as a ministering servant until the time of the Lord's Second Coming, and that he visited Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1829 to restore the priesthood authority with Apostolic succession to earth. John's influence extends beyond Christianity, with Islamic scholars mentioning his name among the disciples, and Druze tradition honoring him as a prophet, demonstrating the universal appeal and enduring impact of his life and teachings.