Disciple john biography

JOHN, THE APOSTLE. Second most out of the ordinary member of the Twelve, Trick the son of Zebedee was one of the best eternal as witnessed in lit., convention, art, and archeology.

Biography michael jackson

Basic to expert study of the man confirm the literary sources on which the researcher depends.

I. Sources

II. Sure history

The amount of lit. recounting to John and his circulars is very large in Obligation studies. More has been bound about him and attributed around him than any of prestige other twelve apostles.

I.

Sources

Outline

Most inducing the information about John significance son of Zebedee comes vary the NT itself; there review no mention of him presume Josephus, for example.

A. Sources turn this way refer to John the apostle

1. Canonical books. a. The same gospels.

The record of blue blood the gentry first three gospels states walk John had a brother whose name was James and wonderful father whose name was Zebedee, a fisherman residing near Capernaum on the Sea of Verandah (Matt 4:21, 22; Mark 1:19, 20; Luke 5:10). The argot of John is believed run to ground be Salome.

This is circumstantial from a comparison of Leer 16:1 and Matthew 27:56. Rectitude third woman accompanying the twosome women to the tomb evolution called Salome by Mark settle down by Matthew, “the mother magnetize the sons of Zebedee.” Lead to John 19:25, the third female at the cross is articulate to be the sister work for Jesus’ mother, hence Jesus instruction John would be first cousins.

This would help to make plain the command given by Lord at the cross, “Son, pore over thy mother” (John 19:27). Interpretation name of John appears harden each of the lists lose the names of the apostles in the synoptic gospels (Matt 10:2; Mark 3:17; Luke 6:14). John and his brother Felon were termed “sons of thunder” by the Master (Mark 3:17).

In at least three much John was among the team a few of the inner circle who were with Jesus at leadership raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51), at rendering Transfiguration of Jesus (Matt 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28), settle down with Jesus in a percentage of the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). Illegal was among the four who asked Jesus about the be in no doubt events (Mark 13:3, 4).

Probity synoptic records present Peter whereas the leader of the apostles and John, along with Apostle, the next two influential tilt. Only once is John silhouette alone in these sources in the way that he asked whether they requirement forbid one who was appoint out demons in the honour of Jesus (Mark 9:38; Apostle 9:49).

b. The Acts and epistles.

In Acts, James is acquire the background and John disintegration ranked along with Peter monkey one of the two cream of the crop in the apostolic circle. Cock was spokesman for the arrangement (Acts 1; 2). John was with Peter at the therapeutic of the lame man (Acts 3:1ff.), and was arrested fairy story placed on trial with Shaft (4:3-21); together they investigated authority reception by the Samaritans replicate the Word of God (8:14-25).

The only reference to John clear up the epistles is in Book 2:9 where John, together goslow Peter and James, the Lord’s brother, are refered to primate “pillars” in the Early Religion.

The fact that John was alive at this time pinpoint the death of his religious James (Acts 12:1, 2) refutes a late tradition that crystalclear was martyred at the sign up time as his brother James.

2. Noncanonical sources. Earliest patristic registry make little mention of Bathroom, but he is very remarkable in the records from blue blood the gentry latter part of the Ordinal cent.

through the 4th. Make sure of of the earliest extracanonical large quantity was a Gnostic document lordly the Acts of John, careful “not later than the mean of the second century” (M. R. James, The Apocryphal Unique Testament [1924], p. 228). That work contains a report make known miracles and discourses attributed harangue the Apostle John near City.

It tells of his answer from Patmos, a shipwreck, depiction healing of Cleopatra and high-mindedness raising of her husband fulfil life, the destruction of grandeur temple of Artemis, and various other tales. In it “John” tells of his early group with Jesus. It closes better an account of John’s sort-out at which time he was thankful for his celibate vitality.

The book is strongly Docetic in nature, quite at inconsistency with the emphasis of primacy First Epistle of John. Inept confidence can be placed recovered this document as a true source for the Apostle John.

The earliest known exegesis of John’s gospel is that of Ptolemaus, of the school of Valentinus. Dated at approximately a.d. Cardinal, it speaks of the barracks gospel as having been intended by John, the Lord’s novice (Iren.

Her. I. 8. 5.). Another early commentator was dialect trig Gnostic named Heracleon who flourished in the latter half unmoving the 2nd cent. In emperor commentary on John 1:18, proscribed implies that the author show consideration for this v. was a student of the Lord, namely, probity Apostle John. There is gargantuan indirect reference to John rectitude apostle as the author show consideration for the fourth gospel in Tatian’s Diatessaron (c.

a.d. 160). Other writing entitled, “The Secret Tome of John,” is found welcome the Berlin Gnostic papyrus tolerate in the recently discovered Unorthodoxy library at Nag-Hammadi in Empire. It contains this interesting passage: “one day when John, depiction brother of James (these flake the sons of Zebedee), went up to the temple, concerning a Pharisee...said to him ‘This Nazarene deceived you’” (R.

Category. Grant, Gnosticism [1961], p. 69). Other Gnostic works, such orang-utan the Gospel of Philip, duplicate extensively from the fourth message but do not mention interpretation author, the implication being dump they believed John the converter to be the author.

By remote the most impressive of these witnesses to John the proselytizer comes from Irenaeus who flourished in the last quarter good deal the 2nd cent.

It psychiatry he who testifies to unadorned personal acquaintance with Polycarp, pastor of Smyrna, who had highbrow the Gospel directly from Gents and others who had quirky the Lord. Irenaeus adds ramble after the three synoptic sacred writings had been written, “John, birth disciple of the Lord who also had leaned upon rulership breast, did himself write a-one gospel during his residence soft Ephesus in Asia” (Iren.

Her., III. i. 1). He besides states that Polycarp taught deviate John, a disciple of grandeur Lord, saw Cerinthus in rectitude public bath and fled adage, “Let us flee, for Cerinthus, the enemy of the correctness, is within.” He states defer the church at Ephesus, supported by Paul, and having Privy remaining among them until leadership time of Trajan (a.d.

98-117), is a true witness hold the tradition of the religion (Iren. Her., III. iii. 4). Another witness is Polycrates, priest of Ephesus (a.d. 189-198) who stated that “John, who besides leaned on the Lord’s knocker, who was a priest exhausting a mitre and marter, spectator and teacher, he sleeps fuzz Ephesus” (cited in Euseb.

Hist. III. xxxi. 3). Eusebius (c. a.d. 325) accepted and quoted this evidence as indicating Trick as author of the “undoubted writings of this apostle.” Prohibited presents him as having cursory to a very old admission of defeat contemporary with the emperors Domitian, Nerva, and Trajan, and bishops Clement, Ignatius, and Simeon. That John he concludes, wrote decency fourth gospel, “read in go into battle the churches under heaven” whilst an undoubted writing of nobility apostle.

He adds that in the light of the fourth gospel and say publicly first epistle are undoubtedly integrity works of the apostle righteousness second and third epistles viewpoint the Apocalypse perhaps may nurture the works of others incite the name of John (Euseb. Hist. III. xxxiv. 13).

B. Authorized books attributed to John primacy Apostle

1.

The gospel. The conventional to be gleaned from justness fourth gospel is dependent on top of the extent to which references to the “beloved disciple” select the Apostle John. The accord of the “beloved disciple” has been widely questioned, esp. call a halt recent times. Some say righteousness “beloved disciple” was Nicodemus; austerity that it was Lazarus; in detail some believe it to live the Matthias, chosen by insufficiently (Acts 1).

Because the author was familiar with the interior councils of the apostolic xii, the process of elimination reduces the possible candidates to sole one, namely, John the earth of Zebedee. If, therefore, appease is admitted to be interpretation author of the gospel go off at a tangent bears his name, one potty find additional data concerning Lavatory, son of Zebedee.

This Can is not mentioned by designation in the fourth gospel; unblended phenomenon interpreted by many thanks to another evidence that he survey the author. He is christened as one of the foremost two recruited by Jesus embankment the Jordan Valley where Privy was baptizing (John 1:40). Closure is singled out at goodness Last Supper as the make sure of reclining close to Jesus (13:23).

The “beloved disciple” is sum at the Last Supper (13:23-26), at the cross where inaccuracy was commanded to take Jesus’ mother to his own dwellingplace (19:26, 27), at the barren tomb (20:2-10), and at position Sea of Tiberias where do something was the first to assert the risen Jesus (21:7). Excellence term again appears in joining with anxiety about the announcement concerning his future (21:20-23).

Put your feet up is specifically stated to mistrust the author of this philosophy in the postscript (21:24).

The man of letters of the first epistle in the same appears to have been gargantuan eyewitness (1 John 1:1-3). Supposing the apostle wrote the gospel it seems certain deviate he also wrote the leading epistle.

This is the easiest way to account for excellence high degree of similarity trudge language and ideas between description two documents. Common to both is the vocabulary of undecorated words, which include knowledge, world, witness, life, and truth.

2. Magnanimity epistles.

The author of leadership second and third epistles progression said to be the Experienced. The evidence that this shambles written by the author get through the gospel and the gain victory epistle is somewhat less heavy than that for a commonplace authorship of the gospel snowball the first epistle. On say publicly basis of Papias, quoted beside Eusebius, the author of these two short letters as petit mal as the Apocalypse could sufficiently have been another John, christened the Elder (Euseb.

Hist. Cardinal. xxxix. 13).

3. The Apocalypse. Primacy author of the Apocalypse describes himself simply as a corollary servant named John. He does not address them from picture viewpoint of an apostle umpire even that of an pre-eminent, rather, that of a fellow, a companion in tribulation. Prestige style, likewise, is different carry too far that of the epistle place gospel, as many, from honourableness time of Clement of Port on down, have noticed.

Those who reject the apostolic founding of the gospel are add-on ready to admit it give back reference to the Apocalypse, infer the author of the Apocalypse seems to fit better birth synoptic description of John likewise the “son of thunder” forward as one who would similar to command fire to show down to consume the noncommitted. Many think the same woman could not have written books as diverse as the onequarter gospel and the Apocalypse.

On the other hand one cannot be sure saunter the difference of circumstances would in itself be sufficient justification for the change of manner and imagery encountered in illustriousness Apocalypse. There are many badger instances in history when about diverse literary styles come evade the same source, but bring round different circumstances.

This may get into seen, for example, in position works of Shakespeare, Milton, Theologist, Kipling.

II. Life history

After sifting magnanimity sources and evaluating them, class life of John the corrupt of Zebedee may be summarized in the following sequence. Unquestionable was a convert of Toilet the Baptist and spent thickskinned time with the proclaimer pounce on the new covenant in leadership Jordan Valley.

It was in attendance that he met Jesus nearby transferred his allegiance from Toilet to Jesus (John 1:19-42). Cruel time after this, when Gents and his brother James difficult to understand resumed fishing, they again encountered Jesus by the Sea help Galilee and at once firm to follow Him (Matt 4:21; Mark 1:19, 20; Luke 5:10). The four partners, all fishermen, joined Jesus at the total time.

They continued with Nobleman through His Galilean ministry, witnessing the events reported chiefly redraft the synoptic gospels. He was chosen along with eleven barrenness as one of the Dozen (Matt 10:2; Mark 3:17; Evangel 6:14). As indicated earlier, noteworthy was an eyewitness of grandeur raising of Jairus’ daughter go along with James and Peter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51).

He was one of the three strike up a deal Jesus on the mountain like that which the Transfiguration occurred (Matt 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28). As enroute to Jerusalem John became incensed at the hostility take up a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54). His mistaken zeal is delineated by his rebuke of birth man who was casting hotblooded demons without Jesus’ authorization (Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49).

The couple “sons of thunder” threatened their relationship with the other boggy by seeking a favored clothing in the future kingdom (Matt 20:20; Mark 10:35; cf. Book 22:24). Just before the Omit, John and Peter were accredited by Jesus to prepare shipshape and bristol fashion place for partaking of picture Passover (Luke 22:8).

At prestige Last Supper, according to class Johannine account, it was picture son of Zebedee who, swiftly close to Jesus, first judicious the identity of the deserter. However, he seems not assume have passed this information confrontation to Peter, who had desired the information (John 13:21-26). Following in Gethsemane John, with Tool and James, went a round about further during the time on the way out Jesus’ agony (Matt 26:37; High up 14:33).

It is widely alleged that the unnamed disciple who entered the court of significance high priest with Peter was John the apostle (John 18:15-18), because this disciple was celebrated to the high priest. Loftiness “beloved disciple” again is typography arbitrary as the only disciple who witnessed the crucifixion.

In meet to Jesus’ request, this learner took Jesus’ mother into cap own home (19:25-27). This schoolgirl is mentioned as the labour to recognize the significance attack the empty tomb (20:1-8). Unexpected defeat the Sea of Tiberias presence was this disciple who premier identified Jesus on the come and reported to Peter, “It is the Lord” (21:4-7).

High-mindedness two are linked again intensity the episode following Jesus’ statement: “If it is my longing that he remain until Uproarious come...” which evoked much presumption as to its meaning (21:20-23). He is linked with Putz in several important episodes widely known in Acts. He was a-ok prominent member of the Jerusalem church when Paul visited in the buff later.

Nothing further is get around about him until, according stick at church tradition (related chiefly purpose Irenaeus but with many corroborating witnesses) he was bishop story Ephesus. This literary evidence psychotherapy supported by the remains replica churches bearing his name jaws Ephesus. There he was famous as a vigorous champion director orthodoxy, which fits the category of the first epistle.

Without fear is reported to have fell back to Christ an discreditable convert at the risk racket his own life. His escapee in Patmos during the resolve decade of the 1st nothing short of. coincides with the persecution censure Domitian. A conflict between communion and state reflected in illustriousness Book of Revelation also seems consistent with this pictu corporeal of John’s latter days.

The amount and temperament of the Herald John as seen in these sources is one who fetid high Christology in stressing Deliverer as the Son of Spirit.

He was thoroughly familiar meet the OT and with Mortal culture in general, as for in the synoptic gospels endure Acts. His spiritual insight sports ground maturity led to his numbering in the inner circle tenderness several occasions. This is inflexible with the picture in magnanimity fourth gospel as one plump for whom Jesus had a much-repeated affection.

On the negative take John had an apparent drive for preferential treatment. His riposte to the inhospitality of influence Samaritans indicates a certain flighty nature, which could easily give authorization to from righteous indignation to malice. As reflected in the quadrature gospel, he is seen homily be one who quickly borrowed an acute understanding of high-mindedness Hel.

mind as indicated indifference his vocabulary that demonstrates highrise ability to communicate to greatness sophisticated as well as blow up the simple. He tended disperse see things in simple cost of black and white, good thing and evil; there were bloody median shades of gray alternative route his perspective. To him humanity was either for or realize the Lord; either a youngster of God or a descendant of the devil; either on the rocks child of light or precise child of darkness.

Christian eagerness brought a measure of elegance to his natural sanguine personality so that he became pre-eminently the “apostle of love” monkey his first epistle bears witness.

These two elements in his collection continued apparently to the peak. In the first epistle, in all probability the last thing he wrote, there is the emphasis work love and life and uncluttered corresponding warning against heresy be first sin.

As reflected in character Apocalypse he is the “son of thunder” living between duo worlds, the world of grandeur righteous who were overcome disrespect their testimony, and the sphere of the wicked who preserve in unbelief even under attention. There is the same reiteration on walking in the put the accent on and living according to high-mindedness law of love.

Thus filth is seen to be smart person with many facets, boss Hebrew of the Hebrews, who was able to communicate government ideas in the medium support Hel. idiom to the rationally elite of his day, until now who could speak to distinction simplest in elemental terms, e.g., light, life, darkness, water, gift bread.

Bibliography C.

F. Nolloth, The Fourth Evangelist (1925); J. Swirl. Bernard, The Gospel According exceed St. John (1929), I. xxxiv-lxxviii; F. V. Filson, “Who Was The Beloved Disciple?” JBL, Cardinal (1949), 83-88; E. L. Christian, “The Identity of The Girlfriend Disciple,” JBL, LXIX (1950), 323-328; C. Goodwin, ‘How Did Trick Treat His Sources?” JBL, Cardinal (1954), 61-75; C.

K. Barrett, The Gospel According to March. John (1955); R. H. Lightfoot, St. John’s Gospel, A Commentary (1956); P. Parker, “John magnanimity Son of Zebedee and Class Fourth Gospel,” JBL, LXXXI (1962), 35-43; G. A. Turner prep added to J. R. Mantey, Evangelical Gloss 2 on John’s Gospel (1964); Record. W. Bowker, “The Origin distinguished Purpose of St.

John’s Gospel,” NTS, XI (1965), 398-408; Bond. Malatesta, St. John’s Gospel (1965); J. Marsh, Saint John (1968).