13,094
edits
Changes
mLine 1:
Line 1: − + − '''John''', with his brother [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_139#139:3._JAMES_ZEBEDEE James Zebedee] were fishing partners with [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_139#139:1._ANDREW.2C_THE_FIRST_CHOSEN Andrew] and [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_139#139:2._SIMON_PETER Peter]. Being the youngest of [[Paper 139 - The Twelve Apostles|the Apostles]], he became associated with [[Jesus]]' [[family]] affairs. He has appeared in the [[Teaching Mission]] in the [[context]] of working to restore his [[Book of Revelation]]". For his lessons, [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:John%2C_the_Apostle follow this link].+ − ---- − * For a biographic sketch of John, [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_139#139:4._JOHN_ZEBEDEE follow this link]. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Text replacement - "http://" to "https://"
[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]]
[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]][[Image:John,_the_Apostle.jpg|right|frame]]
When he became an [[apostle]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John] was twenty-four years old and was the youngest of the twelve. He was unmarried and lived with his [[parents]] at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethsaida Bethsaida]; he was a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisherman fisherman] and worked with his [[brother]] [[James, the Apostle|James]] in [[partnership]] with [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]] and [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]]. Both before and after becoming an [[apostle]], John functioned as the [[personal]] [[agent]] of [[Jesus]] in dealing with [[the Master]]'s [[family]], and he continued to bear this [[responsibility]] as long as [[Mother Mary|Mary]] the mother of [[Jesus]] lived.
Since [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John] was the youngest of the twelve and so closely associated with [[Jesus]] in his [[family]] affairs, he was very dear to [[the Master]], but it cannot be truthfully said that he was " the disciple whom Jesus loved. "[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_John#Chapter_13] You would hardly suspect such a [[magnanimous]] [[personality]] as [[Jesus]] to be [[guilty]] of showing favoritism, of loving one of his [[apostles]] more than the others. The [[fact]] that John was one of the [[three]] personal aides of Jesus lent further color to this mistaken [[idea]], not to mention that John, along with his brother [[James, the Apostle|James]], had known [[Jesus]] longer than the others.
<center>For lessons given by '''''John, the Apostle''''', follow [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:John%2C_the_Apostle '''''this link'''''].</center>
[[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]], [[James, the Apostle|James]], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John] were assigned as [[personal]] aides to [[Jesus]] soon after they became [[apostles]]. Shortly after the selection of the twelve and at the time [[Jesus]] appointed [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]] to act as director of the group, he said to him: " And now I [[desire]] that you assign two or three of your associates to be with me and to remain by my side, to [[comfort]] me and to minister to my daily needs. " And [[Andrew, the Apostle|Andrew]] thought best to select for this special [[duty]] the next three first-chosen [[apostles]]. He would have liked to [[volunteer]] for such a [[blessed]] [[service]] himself, but [[the Master]] had already given him his commission; so he immediately directed that [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]], [[James, the Apostle|James]], and John attach themselves to [[Jesus]].
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John Zebedee] had many lovely traits of [[character]], but one which was not so lovely was his inordinate but usually well-concealed [[conceit]]. His long [[association]] with [[Jesus]] made many and great [[changes]] in his [[character]]. This conceit was greatly lessened, but after growing old and becoming more or less childish, this [[self]]-[[esteem]] reappeared to a certain extent, so that, when [[engaged]] in directing Nathan in the [[writing]] of [[Gospel of John|the Gospel]] which now bears his name, the aged [[apostle]] did not hesitate repeatedly to refer to himself as the " disciple whom Jesus loved. "[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_John#Chapter_21] In view of the [[fact]] that John came nearer to being the chum of [[Jesus]] than any other earth [[mortal]], that he was his chosen [[personal]] [[representative]] in so many matters, it is not strange that he should have come to regard himself as the " disciple whom Jesus loved " since he most certainly knew he was the [[disciple]] whom [[Jesus]] so frequently [[trust]]ed.
The strongest trait in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John]'s [[character]] was his dependability; he was prompt and [[courageous]], [[faithful]] and [[devoted]]. His greatest weakness was this characteristic [[conceit]]. He was the youngest member of his [[father]]'s [[family]] and the youngest of the apostolic group. Perhaps he was just a bit spoiled; maybe he had been humored slightly too much. But the John of after years was a very [[different]] [[type]] of [[person]] than the self-admiring and [[arbitrary]] young man who joined the ranks of [[Jesus]]' [[apostles]] when he was twenty-four.
Those characteristics of [[Jesus]] which John most [[appreciated]] were [[the Master]]'s [[love]] and unselfishness; these traits made such an impression on him that his whole subsequent life became [[dominated]] by the sentiment of [[love]] and brotherly [[devotion]]. He talked about love and wrote about love. This " son of thunder "[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_Mark#Chapter_3] became the " apostle of love "[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=1st_Letter_of_John#1st_Letter_of_John.2C_IV]; and at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus Ephesus], when the aged bishop was no longer able to stand in the [[pulpit]] and [[preach]] but had to be carried to church in a chair, and when at the close of the service he was asked to say a few [[words]] to the believers, for years his only utterance was, " My little [[children]], [[love]] one another. "
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John] was a man of few [[words]] except when his [[temper]] was aroused. He [[thought]] much but said little. As he grew older, his temper became more subdued, better [[controlled]], but he never overcame his disinclination to talk; he never fully mastered this [[reticence]]. But he was gifted with a remarkable and [[creative]] [[imagination]].
There was another side to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John] that one would not expect to find in this [[quiet]] and introspective [[type]]. He was somewhat [[bigot]]ed and inordinately intolerant. In this respect he and [[James, the Apostle|James]] were much alike—they both wanted to call down [[fire]] from heaven on the heads of the disrespectful [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritan Samaritans]. When John encountered some strangers teaching in [[Jesus]]' name, he promptly forbade them. But he was not the only one of the twelve who was tainted with this kind of [[self-esteem]] and superiority consciousness.
John's life was tremendously influenced by the [[sight]] of [[Jesus]]' going about without a [[home]] as he knew how [[faithfully]] he had made [[provision]] for the care of his [[mother]] and [[family]]. John also deeply [[sympathized]] with [[Jesus]] because of his [[family]]'s failure to [[understand]] him, being aware that they were [[gradually]] withdrawing from him. This entire situation, together with [[Jesus]]' ever deferring his slightest wish to the will of [[the Father]] in heaven and his daily life of implicit [[trust]], made such a [[profound]] impression on John that it produced marked and permanent [[changes]] in his [[character]], changes which [[manifested]] themselves throughout his entire subsequent life.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John] had a cool and daring [[courage]] which few of the other [[apostles]] possessed. He was the one apostle who followed right along with [[Jesus]] the night of his [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_183 arrest] and dared to accompany his Master into the very jaws of [[death]]. He was present and near at hand right up to the last earthly hour and was found [[faithfully]] carrying out his [[trust]] with regard to [[Jesus]]' [[mother]] and ready to [[receive]] such additional instructions as might be given during the [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_187 last moments of the Master's mortal existence]. One thing is certain, John was thoroughly dependable. John usually sat on [[Jesus]]' right hand when the twelve were at meat. He was the first of the twelve really and fully to [[believe]] in the [[resurrection]], and he was the first to [[recognize]] [[the Master]] when he came to them [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_192#192:1._APPEARANCE_BY_THE_LAKE on the seashore after his resurrection].
This son of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebedee Zebedee] was very closely associated with [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] in the early activities of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Christianity Christian movement], becoming one of the chief supporters of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity#Jerusalem Jerusalem church]. He was the right-hand [[support]] of [[Peter, the Apostle|Peter]] on the day of [[Pentecost]].
Several years after the [[martyrdom]] of [[James, the Apostle|James]], John married his brother's [[widow]]. The last twenty years of his life he was cared for by a loving granddaughter.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John] was in [[prison]] several times and was banished to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patmos Isle of Patmos] for a period of four years until [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Roman_Emperors#The_Principate another emperor came to power in Rome]. Had not John been [[tactful]] and [[sagacious]], he would undoubtedly have been killed as was his more outspoken brother [[James, the Apostle|James]]. As the years passed, John, together with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_the_just James the Lord's brother], learned to [[practice]] wise conciliation when they appeared before the civil [[magistrates]]. They found that a " soft answer turns away wrath. "[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Proverbs#Proverb_.15] They also learned to [[represent]] the church as a " spiritual brotherhood devoted to the [[social]] [[service]] of [[mankind]] " rather than as " the kingdom of heaven. " They taught loving [[service]] rather than ruling [[power]]—kingdom and king.
When in temporary [[exile]] on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_the_Apocalypse Patmos], John wrote the [[Book of Revelation]], which you now have in greatly abridged and distorted form. This [[Book of Revelation]] contains the surviving fragments of a great [[revelation]], large portions of which were lost, other portions of which were removed, subsequent to John's [[writing]]. It is preserved in only fragmentary and adulterated form.[https://www.press.daynal.org/catalog/secret.html]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle John] traveled much, labored incessantly, and after becoming bishop of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity Asia churches], settled down at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus Ephesus]. He directed his associate, Nathan, in the [[writing]] of the so-called " [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_john#Composition Gospel according to John], " at Ephesus, when he was ninety-nine years old. Of all the twelve [[apostles]], John Zebedee eventually became the outstanding [[theologian]]. He died a natural [[death]] at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus Ephesus] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/103_AD A.D. 103] when he was one hundred and one years of age.
==See also==
*''''[[The Apostles]]'''''
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_apostle '''''Wikipedia article on John, the Apostle''''']
[[Category: Religion]]
[[Category: Teacher Corps]]
[[Category: Teacher Corps]]