JOHN THE SON OF ZEBEDEE The importance of the apostle John, son of Zebedee, for the growth and develop of the early Church is recognized in the Gospels and Acts as well as the apostle Paul. Five books of the New Testament are traditionally attributed to him. The book of Acts indicates that he lived and worked in Jerusalem for a while after the establishment of the Church. Early church tradition indicates that he moved to Ephesus in Asia Minor and lived and worked there for many years until his death toward the end of the first century. As we look at John in the New Testament we see that the portrait of John the son of Zebedee drawn for us in the synoptic Gospels is very different from that in the Gospel of John. For that reason, we will look at the synoptic gospels first then look at John in the fourth gospel. The Synoptic Gospels Very little is known about the early life of John the apostle. We know that he came from a fishing family. He worked with his father in a small fishing business that was located in the village of Bethsaida (Mk. 1:19-20; John 1:44). Luke mentions that James and his brother John were partners with Simon (Peter) (Lk. 5:10). When Jesus called Peter and Andrew to follow him, they left their father with the hired servants and went with Jesus (Mk. 1:20). Since Peter was from Bethsaida (John 1:44), it is often suggested that John and his brother James were also from the same village. It is not possible to know for sure if John and James were from Bethsaida or some other village along the seashore. Nothing more is known about John prior to Jesus= calling him to be his disciple. Each of the four lists of the apostles in the New Testament begins with the same four individuals, two sets of brothers. Three of the four constitute the inner circle, Peter, James, and John. Several times these three individuals accompanied Jesus without the others (Mk. 5:37; 9:2; 13:3). Notice that Peter is always listed first. John appears either third or fourth, except in Acts where he is listed second. This likely reflects the fact that John was very prominent in the early chapters of Acts and frequently worked with Peter. Matthew 10:2-4

Mark 3:16-19

Luke 3:13-16

Acts 1:13

Simon Peter Andrew James John

Simon Peter James John Andrew

Simon Peter Andrew James John

Simon Peter John James Andrew

The Inner Circle On three different occasions Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John leaving the other nine behind: the raising of Jairus= daughter, the transfiguration, and the Garden of Gethsemane. For some reason Mark specifies on all three occasions that there were only the three apostles, but Matthew (transfiguration and Gethsemane) and Luke (Jairus= daughter and transfiguration) only specify on two of the occasions. These three occasions are important because they reveal

something powerful and secret about Jesus. These three apostles evidently were very important to Jesus and he wanted especially them with him at these moments. Another interesting detail about the three of the inner circle is that only these are given nicknames within the Gospels: Peter B the Rock; James and John B Sons of Thunder. On one occasion the disciples saw an individual who was not of their own group casting out demons in the name of Jesus. John is the one who spoke on behalf of the twelve to Jesus about this (Mk. 9:38ff. & Lk. 9:49f.). John said that the disciples had tried to stop him Abecause he was not following us@ (Mk. 9:38). Jesus= response was ADo not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us@ (9:39f). This incident is consistent with the struggle the disciples were having in regard to understanding Jesus= teachings and actions. It represents a group of disciples that are very dedicated to their Rabbi and are very protective of his ministry and Aterritory.@ No one should be trying to do the same things Jesus is doing unless they are following along with the right, namely their, group. Such activity must be stopped. Jesus, however, had a very different perspective. He was comfortable with what the individual was doing, an act of kindness. If the person could do something kind in the name of Jesus, He was all for that. One does not necessarily have to be part of their specific group to be acceptable to Jesus. More important to Jesus was what the person was doing. This was obviously a lesson for John as well as the other disciples. Luke records that when Jesus was ready to go to Jerusalem, he sent ahead some messengers. When they entered a Samaritan village they would not receive him, because, Luke says, Ahis face was set toward Jerusalem@ (Lk. 9:51ff.). At that point James and John asked Jesus if he wanted them to call down fire from heaven to consume the village. Jesus rebuked the brothers for their statement and went on to another village. The animosity between the Jews and Samaritans is well known and no doubt helps us understand the background to the incident. The attitude of James and John, however, is not what Jesus had been teaching his disciples, even if directed to Samaritans. Jesus was trying to teach his disciples that even the Samaritans were their neighbor. Obviously, with Jesus= rebuke, the brothers, and likely the other disciples, were not developing the attitude that Jesus wanted them to have toward others who were not like them. The disciples= struggle to understand Jesus and his mission continues. Matthew and Mark record an incident when James and John (Matthew indicates their mother asked) asked Jesus if they could sit at his right and left hand in his kingdom (Mt.20:20ff. & Mk. 10:35ff.). In light of Jesus= response to the whole group (10:41), it appears that they were asking to be in charge of the other disciples when Jesus established his kingdom in Jerusalem. At this point in their ministry with Jesus, the disciples were still looking for an earthly kingdom, as were most Jews. They had been taught all their lives that the Messiah would come and restore the kingdom of Israel to its former glory. Now James and John want to be leaders in that kingdom. When the other ten heard their request, they were very angry with the brothers. Perhaps they wanted to ask the same question. Jesus knew that they were all thinking the same thing. They all wanted to be in charge. Within their own group issues of power, control, and authority had divided them. On another occasion they were arguing about who among them was the greatest (Mk. 9:33ff.). Now James and John seemed to be answering that question.

Jesus= initial reply to James and John individually indicated that he could not grant their request and that they would suffer for his kingdom rather than be Ain charge@ of the kingdom. As Jesus responded to the whole group, he indicated that their concept of leadership was not what he envisioned. Leadership among his followers would not be based on power, control, or authority. Rather, leadership would be the result of service. Helping others with their needs is what leadership in his kingdom is about. Again, John, along with the other disciples, indicates that he is struggling with what Jesus is doing. Expectations got in the way of his acceptance of Jesus= ideas. John had been taught to think of the Messiah and his kingdom in terms of an earthly kingdom, military strength and power. Now that the Messiah had come, things were not going as they should. This was a struggle for all the disciples, not just John. As we will see, however, John works through these confusing moments and becomes an effective leader in the early Church. Luke mentions that Jesus sent Peter and John into Jerusalem to prepare the Passover meal for them (Lk. 22:8). Clearly, Jesus would entrust such a responsibility only to his most trusted disciples. Both Peter and John were of the Ainner three@ and evidently already showing signs of leadership capabilities. This also anticipates Peter and John working together on several occasions in the book of Acts (see below). As Luke tells the story of the beginning of the Church in Jerusalem Peter is the primary leader. He is prominent in many of the stories. The other disciples are no doubt there and working with him, but Luke seems to emphasize Peter in the early chapters of Acts. Then in the second half of Acts, Luke emphasizes Paul. This is not to say that only Peter and Paul did anything. For some reason Luke wanted to emphasize these two. We might remember that Luke worked with Paul for several years and knew more about his ministry than the other apostles. In Acts 3:1ff. Peter and John went to the temple and as they went they healed a man who was lying at the Beautiful Gate. While this particular incident does not offer insight into John=s role in the leadership of the early Church, it does suggest that he was active and working along with Peter, though Luke seems to want to focus on Peter. Acts 4:1ff. records the incident of Peter and John teaching about Jesus= resurrection and being arrested because the Jewish officials were Aannoyed@ at their teachings. They were brought before the Sanhedrin and asked them in what name they were doing these things. Though Luke only records Peter speaking, the Sanhedrin was impressed by both men. Luke 4:13 says, ANow when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.@ The officials warned Peter and John not to speak anymore in the name of Jesus. Luke 4:19 says, ABut Peter and John answered them, >Whether it is right in God=s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard=.@ Peter and John then went to the other disciples and described what had happened; they prayed together for boldness and were encouraged. None of the disciples refrained from their teaching and healing activities and the Church continued to grow. Obviously, Peter and John encouraged the other disciples by providing the courage and leadership needed in moments such as this. Surely, as Luke indicates, the early disciples continued to look to Peter and John for guidance and encouragement.

John is mentioned only one other time in Acts, again with Peter. After the persecution following Stephen=s death many of the disciples scattered throughout the region. Philip, one of the seven chosen in Acts 6 to help with the daily distribution of food to the widows, went to the area of Samaria and began teaching about Jesus there. Luke says that Awhen the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them@ (Acts 8:14). The two apostles no doubt went to see this ministry among the Samaritans. This was the first time that anyone had taken the message of Jesus to people other than fellow Jews. This was perhaps difficult for the apostles to accept, so they needed to Acheck it out.@ As they were visiting with the Samaritans they prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit. No doubt they were impressed with Philip=s ministry among the Samaritans, but also remembered Jesus= interest in the Samaritans. Again we find Peter and John working together. These evidently were the two leading apostles and needed to endorse the mission to the Samaritans. The prominence of John is clear. Acts 8:25 indicates that as the two returned to Jerusalem they proclaimed the good news of Jesus to Amany villages of the Samaritans.@ This is a very different attitude toward the Samaritans than John expressed when he and his brother James wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritan village that would not welcome Jesus (Lk. 9:51ff.). It is also very different from the attitude of all the apostles when they returned to the well near Sychar and were shocked to find Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman (John 4). Obviously, these two apostles had grown in their understanding of who is acceptable to the Lord. As the story in Acts progresses, it is clear that Peter and John have laid the foundation for the expansion of the Church among new ethnic groups. Though the road was not easy (see the reference to Peter in Galatians 2), it was a road that they had earlier followed Jesus down and only now were realizing the significance of that road. Later, in his Gospel, John indicates the importance of the Samaritans to Jesus= ministry in a powerful telling of the encounter between Jesus and the woman of Samaria in chapter 4. The way John tells the story, it is clear that he has now realized the significance of sharing the message of Jesus with ethnic groups other than his fellow Jews. The book of Acts indicates that John had become one of the two most important leaders in the early Church. His ministry with Peter provided much encouragement and leadership during crucial moments. Paul called James (brother of Jesus), Cephas (Peter), and John Aacknowledged pillars@ of the Church (Gal. 2:9). By this time James the brother of Jesus had become a leader in the Jerusalem church. Acts 15 records an important meeting in Jerusalem regarding the acceptance of the Gentiles into the Church. Paul and Barnabas came down from Antioch to visit with the Apostles and elders of the Jerusalem church. Peter and James spoke, along with Paul, but no reference is made to John. Some have speculated that John had already died, but more likely John had already by this time (49 AD) moved on to other areas. We know from early Church history that John lived and worked in the city of Ephesus for many years. In fact, the book of Revelation was written from the island of Patmos, just off the coast of Ephesus. The portrait we get of John as we read the synoptic gospels is that of a man who was struggling along with the other apostles to understand the message and goals of Jesus their teacher. John specifically is described as being impetuous, ambitious, intolerant, ego-centric, and

racially prejudiced. Through the years, though, he mellowed and matured and was acknowledged as a leader in the Church and helped in the mission to the Samaritans and became a pillar of the Church. As we will see in the Gospel of John nothing is said directly about John. There is an individual identified as the disciple whom Jesus loved, sometimes called the beloved disciple, which appears to be John. This individual works closely with Jesus and in the last chapter is with Jesus and Peter and is said to be the one testifying to what had been written. As we work through the Gospel of John, try to see where John would have been exposed to ideas and new experiences that could have contributed to his growth and maturity in later years.

Gospel of John - The Beloved Disciple? The apostle John is never mentioned by name in the Gospel of John. The name John is reserved for John the Baptist. The apostle John is referred to in 21:2 when seven of the apostles are said to be fishing when Jesus approached them. Only three of the seven are named (Peter, Thomas, and Nathanael) then Athe sons of Zebedee@ are listed along with two other apostles. There is an individual described as Athe disciple whom Jesus loved,@ or in similar fashion. This disciple appears several times in the Gospel of John, but not until 13:23. Traditionally, this Abeloved disciple@ has been identified with the apostle John and as the author of the book. The beloved disciple appears at the Last Supper, at the cross (Jesus asked him to take care of his mother), at the empty tomb, and at the seashore when Jesus ate with some of his disciples. Then the closing section of John 21 refers to the beloved disciple as a witness to what had been written. With all of these references, except for the cross and the closing statement in ch. 21, Peter is present (just as in the synoptic gospels and Acts, Peter and John are often together). The first reference to the beloved disciple is during the last meal that Jesus had with his disciples. He is said to have been reclining next to Jesus (13:21ff.). The usual custom during meals was to recline around a short table or a cloth spread out on the floor. They would not have been sitting around a table as we do. The position next to the host was usually seen as a position of honor. Peter was close enough, perhaps next, to the beloved disciple so he could get the beloved disciple to ask Jesus who would be the one that Jesus mentioned that would betray him. The interesting thing about this is the beloved disciple was closer to Jesus than Peter. Whether we should assign any significance to this or not is not clear. The prominence of the beloved disciple, however, is clear. Whether he indicated Jesus= response to the others or not is unclear. The beloved disciple is the only male disciple mentioned at the cross. Some of the women disciples of Jesus were there. In one of the most touching scenes of the gospels, Jesus asked the beloved disciple to take care of his mother. Obviously, such a request would indicate the close friendship of the two. Jesus trusted the beloved disciple enough to ask him to take his own mother into his home and care for her. The book of Acts indicates that Jesus= brothers were a part of the disciples, but at this point they were still not believers so Jesus wants this disciple whom he loved to care for her.

The next clear reference to the beloved disciple is Mary Magdalene=s declaration of the empty tomb. Mary ran and told Peter and the beloved disciple AThey have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him@ (20:2). Both disciples ran to the tomb. Arriving first, the beloved disciple looked in but did not enter until Peter arrived and went into the tomb. The author says, AThen the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed@ (20:8). What he believed is not made clear. The following statement suggests all that is meant is that he believed Mary=s report that the tomb was empty Afor as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead@ (20:10). When the disciples were fishing after the resurrection and Jesus came to see them, it was the beloved disciple who first recognized Jesus standing on the shore (21:7). Once they reached the shore and had eaten breakfast, Jesus and Peter engaged in conversation that included references to the beloved disciple. Peter asked about the beloved disciple. Jesus= response evidently caused some rumors to circulate later. The response was, AIf it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!@ (21:21f.) Then it is said, ASo the rumor spread in the community that his disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, >If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?=@ (21:23f.) It is important to the author to clear up this rumor. It is also important to the author that the beloved disciple be known as Athe disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them@ (21:24). There are a couple of other individuals in John that are traditionally identified as the beloved disciple, though the reference is not explicit. When Jesus was taken to the courtyard after his arrest, there was a disciple identified as Athe other disciple@ who was known to the high priest and was responsible for getting Peter into the courtyard past the guard (John 18:15). The identification of this disciple with the beloved disciple is based on later tradition that somehow John the apostle was an acquaintance of the high priest through his father=s fishing business. This is very difficult to prove. The identification of the beloved disciple with this disciple is very intriguing, but ultimately unknowable. John 19:35 mentions a disciple who is giving his testimony that what he saw is true. This is very similar to the statement in 21:24 and is likely the same disciple affirming the truth of his testimony. AHe who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.@ All these references to the beloved disciple, the close proximity with Peter and the nonmention of John himself suggests that the beloved disciple is in fact John the son of Zebedee. Frank Wheeler, York College

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