Introduction
John son of Zebedee (Hebrew: Yochanan ben Zavdai—Greek: Iо̄annēs ton tou Zebedaiou) was born circa AD 6 (3766–3767 in the Hebrew calendar) in the Roman district of Gaulanitis. He was a fisherman from Bethsaida with his brother James alongside Simon Peter and Andrew. They probably all worked in the same fishing company, dealing with various Jewish and Gentile customers on the Sea of Galilee shores. John and James continued their ambitious ways when Jesus called all four men to rank among his twelve apostles. Jesus called them the "sons of thunder" (Greek: boanerges; G993, from Aramaic ben & regesh; H1123 & H7285) when they tried to gain a position in God's kingdom (see Mark 3:17; 10:35-37). John and James were also known for their zeal, especially when calling for divine wrath to incinerate the Samaritan villages that rejected Jesus (see Luke 9:54). Conversely, the Hebrew name Yochanan (H3076; "John") means "God has been gracious."
Whom Jesus Loved
John did not refer to himself in the first person when writing his gospel account. Instead, he called himself the "disciple whom Jesus loved" (13:23; 19:26; 21:7; 21:20), choosing the Greek verb agapaō (G25) to emphasize the steadfastness of this close bond. This theme may underscore that John was among the only twelve apostles to stay with Jesus during his crucifixion (see 19:26-27). John also used the verb phileō (G5368) once to suggest a brotherly connection (see 20:2). Although he may have called himself the "beloved disciple" out of humility and a desire to uplift Jesus, John also so strongly identified with him that he wrote in terms of relationship and not personal ambition. This "son of thunder" increasingly impacted God's kingdom, but not in the way he first intended. However, John learned through Jesus that true strength does not come from hierarchies and political power but compassion for God and one's neighbor—even if it means death (see 15:13). Many commentators refer to John as the "apostle of love" because agapē (G26, "preferential love") is such a significant theme in his writings. Out of love and concern for one's salvation, John finished his gospel by saying, "This is the disciple who testifies concerning these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true" (21:24).
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) painted his famous work, the Last Supper, during the Italian Renaissance. Despite the fourteen centuries between Jesus and da Vinci, many consciously or subconsciously picture the Last Supper when reading John's gospel. This problem leads many readers to misunderstand this particular verse: "One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him" (13:23). The Greek text is a little more intimate when it reads: Ēn anakeimenos heis ek tōn mathētōn autou en tō kolpō tou Iēsou hon ēgapa ho Iēsous. The New International Version (NIV) translates the noun kolpos (G2859)—which means "bosom," "lap," or "hollow"—as "next to him." In ancient times, when dining tables were low to the ground, each person would recline with their feet turned away. For John to rest in Jesus' bosom, he had to lay his head on his chest between the arms. However, for Jews, this was not a romantic gesture but of loyalty and good faith. This is why they refer to the afterlife as "Abraham's bosom" (see Luke 16:23). In context, this was John's acknowledgment that Jesus was succeeding Abraham as the way to God's kingdom. For the same reason, John was the most explicit New Testament writer when it comes to salvation: "Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved" (5:34). Moreover, John did not go out of his way to lean on Jesus as if he was a European sitting on a chair. Instead, he was a Galilean resting in the everlasting arms of Israel's long-awaited Messiah.
John the Evangelist
The New Testament includes five texts traditionally ascribed to John son of Zebedee. Modern biblical scholarship features a wide range of opinions about whether he wrote all of them or any of them. However, the earliest patristic writers were unanimous in their conviction that John wrote the fourth gospel, but only the first of the three Johannine letters; they debated the other two and Revelation (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, bk. 3, ch. 24, para. 17-18). Moreover, the anti-Marcionite prologue to John reads, "The gospel of John was revealed and given to the churches by John while still in the body, just as Papias of Hieropolis, the close disciple of John, related in the exoterics, that is, in the last five books. Indeed, he wrote down the gospel while John was dictating carefully. But the heretic Marcion, after being condemned by him because he was teaching the opposite to him, was expelled by John. But [Marcion] had brought writings or letters to [John] from the brothers who were in Pontus."
Each of the four canonical gospels reveals that John was not just one of the twelve apostles but also one of Jesus' inner circle alongside Peter and Andrew. He witnessed Jesus' entire three-year ministry before he called eight other men to join the twelve. John was with Jesus when he agonized over his passion in Gethsemane, although he fell asleep, as did Peter and Andrew (see Mark 14:37-41). Because John was the only apostle to stay with Jesus during the crucifixion, Jesus charged him to be a caring son to his mother, Mary (see 19:26-27). These experiences made John a pivotal witness to Jesus' life and teaching. In the Acts of the Apostles, John was often ministering with Peter to the Jews and Samaritans throughout the Near East (see 3:1-4:19). Although Paul of Tarsus only mentioned John once, he acknowledged him as one of the three "pillars" of the early church centered in Jerusalem—the others being James and Peter (see Gal. 2:9). His ministry still influences our current faith in this tremendous evangelistic verse, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Conclusion
John most likely spent the last three decades (c. AD 70–100) of his life in the Roman province of Asia, specifically with the Ephesian church. He finished his gospel around 90 and the three eponymous letters sometime between 85–95. John wrote his final work, Revelation, about 95 during his time as a political prisoner on the island of Patmos, which ended sometime between 96 and 98 under the emperor Nerva (c. 30–98). The evidence for Johannine authorship for each of these texts relates to the location and historical events of Ephesus and other cities of Roman Asia (modern-day Turkey). For example, all seven churches in Revelation were located on the same letter carrier route (see Rev. 1:11). The patristic witness from Irenaeus of Lyon (c. 130–201) confirms John's authorship of Revelation, which was not questioned until the third century by Dionysius of Alexandria (c. 200–265).
Early church tradition indicates that John was not martyred like the other apostles but died of natural causes. Perhaps this comes from his narrative: "Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?'" (21:23). John lived through the darkest times for the first-century church, and each of his works reflects themes such as persecution, trauma, and endurance. Key events include Nero's violence against the church (54–68), the First Jewish–Roman War (66–70), and Domitian's persecution (81–96). Because John saw the world at its worst, he could say this with the most heartfelt conviction, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20).
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD our God; King of the universe; shed upon your church the brightness of your light; that we, being illuminated by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John, may walk in the light of your truth, that we may attain to the fullness of eternal life; through Jesus the Messiah our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Bibliography
"The 'Anti-Marcionite' Prologues to the Gospels." Roger Pearse, translated for the Tertullian Project, 2006. https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/anti_marcionite_prologues.htm.
The Book of Common Prayer. Huntington Beach, CA: Anglican Liturgy Press, 2019. p. 625. http://bcp2019.anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/BCP2019.pdf.
Cruse, C. F., trans. Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History: Complete and Unabridged, New Updated Edition. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1998.
Dunn, James D. G. Christianity in the Making, Vol. 3—Neither Jew nor Greek: A Contested Identity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015.
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Keener, Craig S., and John H. Walton, eds. NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016.
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Schaff, Philip, and Henry Wace, eds. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1890. Harry Plantinga, edited for Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 1993–2020. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.viii.xxiv.html.
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