John the Apostle

==References to John in the New Testament==
[[File:Toros Roslin Manrankar.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Armenian illuminated manuscripts|Armenian]] icon of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, 13th century by the Armenian manuscript illuminator [[Toros Roslin]]]]
John the Apostle was the son of Zebedee and the younger brother of [[James the Great]]. According to church tradition, their mother was [[Salome (disciple)|Salome]].<ref>by comparing {{Bibleref2|Matthew|27:56|NKJV}} to {{Bibleverse|Mark|15:40|NKJV}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Also according to some traditions, Salome was the sister of [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mary, Jesus' mother]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Topical Bible: Salome|url=https://biblehub.com/topical/s/salome.htm|access-date=7 August 2020|website=biblehub.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=John 19 Commentary – William Barclay's Daily Study Bible|url=https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/john-19.html|access-date=7 August 2020|website=StudyLight.org}}</ref> making Salome Jesus' aunt, and her sons John the Apostle and James were Jesus' cousins.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Disciples of Our Saviour.|url=https://biblehub.com/library/pamphilius/church_history/chapter_xii_the_disciples_of_our.htm|access-date=7 August 2020|website=biblehub.com}}</ref>

John the Apostle is traditionally believed to be one of two disciples (the other being [[Andrew the Apostle|Andrew]]) recounted in {{bibleref2|John|1:35–39|NKJV}}, who upon hearing the Baptist point out Jesus as the "Lamb of God", followed Jesus and spent the day with him, thus becoming the first two disciples called by Jesus. On this basis some traditions believe that John was first a disciple of [[John the Baptist]], even though he is not named in this episode.<ref>{{Cite web|title=John, The Apostle – International Standard Bible Encyclopedia|url=https://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/john-the-apostle.html|access-date=23 July 2020|website=Bible Study Tools}}</ref>

According to the [[Synoptic Gospels]] (Matt 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11), Zebedee and his sons fished in the [[Sea of Galilee]]. Jesus then called [[Saint Peter|Peter]], [[Saint Andrew|Andrew]] and the two sons of Zebedee to follow him. James and John are listed among the Twelve Apostles. Jesus referred to the pair as "Boanerges" (translated "sons of thunder").<ref name="foley">{{Cite web|url=https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-john-the-apostle/|title=Saint John the Apostle|first=Franciscan|last=Media|date=27 December 2015|access-date=12 April 2019|archive-date=17 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117140834/https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-john-the-apostle/|url-status=dead}}</ref> A Gospel story relates how the brothers wanted to call down heavenly fire on an unhospitable [[Samaritan]] town, but Jesus rebuked them.<ref>{{bibleverse|Lk|9:51-56}}</ref> John was also the disciple who reported to Jesus that they had 'forbidden' a non-disciple from [[Exorcism|casting out demons]] in Jesus' name, prompting Jesus to state that 'he who is not against us is on our side'.<ref>{{bibleref2|Luke|9:49–50|NKJV}} NKJV</ref>

John is traditionally believed to have lived on for more than fifty years after the martyrdom of his brother James, who became the first Apostle to die a [[Christian martyr|martyr's death]] in AD 44.

===Position among the apostles===
[[File:Albrecht Dürer - The Four Holy Men (John the Evangelist and Peter) - WGA7025.jpg|thumb|130px|left|''John the Evangelist and Peter'' by [[Albrecht Dürer]] (1526)]]

John is always mentioned in the [[Apostles in the New Testament#Lists of the Twelve Apostles in the New Testament|group of the first four apostles]] in the [[Gospel]]s and in the [[Book of Acts]], listed either second,<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|1:13}}</ref> third<ref>{{bibleverse|Mark|3:13-19}}</ref> or fourth.<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|10:2-4}}</ref><ref>{{bibleverse|Lk|6:14-16}}</ref>

John, along with his brother James and [[Saint Peter|Peter]], formed an informal [[triumvirate]] among the [[Twelve Apostles]] in the Gospels. Jesus allowed them to be the only apostles present at three particular occasions during his public ministry, the [[Raising of Jairus' daughter]],<ref>{{bibleverse|Mark|5:37}}</ref> [[Transfiguration of Jesus]]<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|17:1}}</ref> and [[Agony in the Garden|Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|26:37}}</ref>

Jesus sent only Peter and John into the city to make the preparation for the final [[Passover]] meal (the [[Last Supper]]).<ref>{{bibleverse|Lk|22:8}}</ref><ref>While Luke states that this is the Passover ({{bibleverse|Lk|22:7–9}}) the Gospel of John specifically states that the Passover meal occurs on the following day ({{bibleverse|Jn|18:28}})</ref>

Many traditions identify the "[[disciple whom Jesus loved]]" in the Gospel of John as the Apostle John, but this identification is debated. At the meal itself, the "disciple whom Jesus loved" sat next to Jesus. It was customary to recline on couches at meals, and this disciple leaned on Jesus.<ref name="butler">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/JOHNEVAN.HTM|title=St John The Evangelist|website=www.ewtn.com}}</ref> Tradition identifies this disciple as John.<ref name="bibleverse|Jn|13:23–25">{{bibleverse|Jn|13:23–25}}</ref>

After the arrest of Jesus in the [[Gethsemane|Garden of Gethsemane]], only Peter and the "other disciple" (according to tradition, John) followed him into the palace of the [[Caiaphas|high-priest]].<ref name=butler/> The "beloved disciple" alone, among the Apostles, remained near Jesus at the foot of the cross on [[Calvary]] alongside [[myrrhbearers]] and numerous other women. Following the instruction of Jesus from the Cross, the beloved disciple took [[Mary, the mother of Jesus]], into his care as the last legacy of Jesus.<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|19:25–27}}</ref> Peter and John were also the only two apostles who ran to the empty tomb after [[Mary Magdalene]] bore witness to the [[resurrection of Jesus]].<ref name="bibleverse|Jn|20:1–10">{{bibleverse|Jn|20:1–10}}</ref>

After Jesus' [[Ascension of Jesus Christ|Ascension]] and the descent of the [[Holy Spirit]] at [[Pentecost]], John, together with Peter, took a prominent part in the founding and guidance of the church. He was with Peter at the healing of the lame man at [[Solomon's Porch]] in the Temple<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|3:1||Acts 3:1 ''et seq.''}}</ref> and he was also thrown into prison with Peter.<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|4:3}}</ref> Later, only Peter and John went to visit the newly converted believers in [[Samaria]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|8:14}}</ref>

While he remained in Judea and the surrounding area, the other disciples returned to Jerusalem for the [[Apostolic Council]] ({{circa|48–50 AD}}). Paul, in opposing his enemies in Galatia, explicitly recalled that John, along with Peter and [[James the Just]], were collectively recognized as the three ''[[Early Christianity#Jerusalem church|Pillars of the Church]].'' He also referred to the recognition that his Apostolic preaching of a [[Abrogation of Old Covenant laws|gospel free from Jewish Law]] was received from these three, the most prominent men of the messianic community at [[Early centers of Christianity#Jerusalem|Jerusalem]].<ref name="cathenc1">{{cite web|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08492a.htm |title=Fonck, Leopold. "St. John the Evangelist." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 6 Feb. 2013 |publisher=Newadvent.org |date=1 October 1910 |access-date=3 May 2013}}</ref>

===The disciple whom Jesus loved===
{{main|Disciple whom Jesus loved}}
[[File:Johannesminne BNM.jpg|thumb|upright|Jesus and the Beloved Disciple]]

The phrase "the disciple whom Jesus loved as a brother" ({{lang|el|ὁ μαθητὴς ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς}}, {{transliteration|el|ho mathētēs hon ēgapā ho Iēsous}}), or in [[John 20:2]]; "whom Jesus loved as a friend" ({{lang|el|ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ Ἰησοῦς}}, {{transliteration|el|hon ephilei ho Iēsous}}), is used six times in the [[Gospel of John]],<ref>{{bibleref2|John|13:23}}, {{bibleref2-nb|John|19:26}}, [[John 20:2|20:2]], {{bibleref2-nb|John|21:7}}, {{bibleref2-nb|John|21:20}}, {{bibleref2-nb|John|21:24}}</ref> but in no other New Testament accounts of Jesus. {{bibleref2|John|21:24}} claims that the Gospel of John is based on the written testimony of this disciple.

The disciple whom Jesus loved is specifically referred to six times in the Gospel of John:

* It is this disciple who, while reclining beside Jesus at the [[Last Supper]], asks Jesus, after being requested by [[Saint Peter|Peter]] to do so, who it is that will betray him.<ref name="bibleverse|Jn|13:23–25"/>
* Later at the [[Crucifixion of Jesus|crucifixion]], Jesus tells his [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|mother]], "Woman, here is your son", and to the Beloved Disciple he says, "Here is your mother."<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|19:26–27}}</ref>
* When [[Mary Magdalene]] discovers the empty tomb, she runs to tell the Beloved Disciple and Peter. The two men rush to the empty tomb and the Beloved Disciple is the first to reach the empty tomb. However, Peter is the first to enter.<ref name="bibleverse|Jn|20:1–10"/>
* In [[John 21]], the last chapter of the [[Gospel of John]], the Beloved Disciple is one of seven fishermen involved in the [[miraculous catch of fish|miraculous catch of 153 fish]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Jn|21:1–25}}</ref><ref>James D. G. Dunn and John William Rogerson, ''Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003, p. 1210, {{ISBN|0-8028-3711-5}}.</ref>
* Also in the book's final chapter, after Jesus hints to Peter how Peter will die, Peter sees the Beloved Disciple following them and asks, "What about him?" Jesus answers, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!"<ref>{{bibleverse|John|21:20–23}}</ref>
* Again in the Gospel's last chapter, it states that the very book itself is based on the written testimony of the disciple whom Jesus loved.<ref>{{bibleverse|John|21:24}}</ref>

None of the other Gospels includes anyone in the parallel scenes that could be directly understood as the Beloved Disciple. For example, in {{Bibleverse|Luke|24:12|KJV}}, Peter alone runs to the tomb. Mark, Matthew and Luke do not mention any one of the twelve disciples having witnessed the crucifixion.

There are also two references to an unnamed "other disciple" in {{Bibleref2|John|1:35–40|NKJV}} and {{Bibleref2|John|18:15–16|NKJV}}, which may be to the same person based on the wording in [[John 20:2]].<ref name="brown">Brown, Raymond E. 1970. "The Gospel According to John (xiii–xxi)". New York: Doubleday & Co. Pages 922, 955</ref>