The Apostle and Evangelist St. John, called the Theologian, was the son of Salome and Zebedee, a fisherman of Galilee. Zebedee possessed rather vast holdings, workers and was a member of some importance in the Jewish community, having access to the high priest. John's mother Salome is mentioned in the ranks of women who served God with their possessions.
John was at first the pupil of St. John the Baptist.
Listening to his witness of Christ as the Lamb of God, taking upon himself the
sins of the world, he, together with Andrew the First Called followed the
Saviour. Being a constant pupil of the Lord, he and his brother James were
called by the Lord Himself at a later time after a successful catch of fish in
the sea of Galilee. Together with Peter and his brother James, John was deigned
worthy to become close to the Lord, being with Him during the most important
and triumphant times of His earthly life. Thus, he was worthy to be in
attendance at the resurrection of the daughter of Nair, to see Christ's transfiguration
on the mount, to hear the discourse on the signs of His second coming and was a
witness to His prayer at Gethsemane. At the Last Supper he was so close to the
Lord that in his own words, he lay his head at Christ's bosom, whence emanated
his name "bosom-friend," which has become a nick-name for someone who
is especially close.
Through humility, not calling himself by name,
nevertheless speaking of himself in the Gospel, refers to himself as the
disciple "whom Jesus loved." This love of him by the Lord, showed
itself when the Lord was on the cross he entrusted His Most Holy Mother to him
saying: "Behold your mother."
Zealously loving the Lord, John was filled with
indignation at those who were hostile to the Lord or who estranged themselves
from Him. While traveling through Sumeria he prohibited those who did not walk
with Christ to be exorcised in the name of Jesus Christ and asked the Lord's
permission to consume with fire certain residents of a Sumerian town for not
accepting Him. For this he and his brother James were called by the Lord
"sons of thunder" (Boanerges). Feeling the love of Christ toward
himself, but as yet not enlightened with grace by the Holy Ghost, he decides to
ask for himself and his brother James a place close to the Lord in His coming
Kingdom and learns of the impending sufferings for both of them.
After the Lord's Resurrection, we often perceive
Apostle John together with Apostle Peter, similarly with whom he is considered
a pillar of the Church and often sojourning to Jerusalem. True to the Lord's
directive he cared for the Holy Virgin Mary as a most devoted son and only
after her Blessed Dormition did he begin to preach in other lands.
During Apostle John's ministry, one notices the
singularity that he chose for himself a specific province and directed all the
energy of his soul to eradicate paganism therein and strengthen the holy faith.
As example of his specific cares were the seven Churches of Asia Minor - in
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Theatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodician.
Preeminently he lived in Ephesus.
During the time of Emperor Domitian (81-96), Apostle
John, as the sole surviving Apostle, was summoned to Rome and by the decree of
this persecutor of the Church was thrown into boiling oil, but the power of God
saved him unscathed just as it saved the three lads from the fiery oven. Then
Domitian sent him to the desert island of Patmos. Here John wrote the
Apocalypse or Revelations of the fate of the Church and the world.
After the death of Domitian, Apostle John returned to
Ephesus from exile. The Bishops and presbyters of the Ephesian Church showed
him three Gospels written by the Apostles Matthew, Mark and Luke. Having
approved these Gospels, Apostle John deemed it necessary to supplement that
which was lacking and which he knew well, being the last of the living
eyewitnesses. This was of great importance, since toward the end of the first
century there appeared in the Christian world several active gnostic sects
which abased and even denied the Divine merit of the Lord Saviour. It was
imperative to protect the faithful from that pedagogy.
In his Gospel, Apostle John explains the sermons of
the Saviour narrated in Judea. These sermons directed toward the learned
scribes were more difficult to understand and most likely due to this fact were
not contained in the first three Gospels which were designated for the newly
converted pagans. In beginning to formulate the Gospel, Apostle John designated
a fasting period for the Church of Ephesus and withdrew with his disciple
Prochorus onto the mountain where he wrote the Gospels bearing his name.
From ancient times the Gospel according to John were
called enspirited, in it in comparison with the other three they preeminently
contain the sermons of the Lord regarding the deepest truths on faith - on the
embodiment of the Son of God, on the Maker, on the redemption of mankind, on
spiritual rebirth, on the grace of the Holy Ghost and on Communion. From the
first words of the Gospel, John elevates the thoughts of the faithful on the
height of the godly emanation of the Son of God from the Father: "In the
beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God"
(John 1:1). Apostle John expresses the aim of his Gospel thus: .".these
are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and
that believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:31).
Besides the Gospel and the Apocalypse, Apostle John
wrote three epistles which were incorporated into the make-up of the New
Testament books as Ecumenical (i.e. universal epistles). The main thought in
his epistles was - Christians must learn to love: "Let us love one
another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is of God and Knows God...
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8).
"...love has been perfected among us in this:
that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we
in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,
because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in
love. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says I love God but
hates his brother, he is a liar; for he does not love his brother whom he has
seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have
from Him; that he who loves God must love his brother also" (1 John
4:17-21).
Regarding the subsequent ministry of Apostle John,
tradition has preserved some wonderful information showing to what extent his
heart was filled with love. While visiting one of the Asia Minor Churches, John
noticed among his listeners a youth distinguishing himself with unusual gifts
and entrusted him to a Bishops as a special ward. Later on this youth became
close with unsavory friends, became debauched and the leader of a gfang of
bandits. John, hearing of this from the bishop went into the mountains where
the bandits were ravaging, he was seized and brought before the chief.
On seeing the Apostle, the youth became embarrased and
began to run away. John pursued him and with touching words of love encouraged
him and himself brought him to Church, shared with him the labors of repentance
and did not rest until he totally reconciled him with the Church. During the
last years of his life the Apostle preached only one precept: "children,
love one another" His disciples asked : "Why do you repeat
yourself?" Apostle John answered: "This is the most important
commandment. If you will fulfil it, then you will fulfil all of Christ's
commandment."
This love would turn into a fiery fervour when the
Apostle met false-prophets who corrupted the faithful and deprived them of
eternal salvation. In one of the public houses he met the false prophet
Cerinthus who disclaimed the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Let us
depart quickly" said the Apostle to his disciple "I fear this
building might collapse around us."
St. John the Theologian died a natural death (the only
one of the Apostles to do so), being around 105 years of age, during the time
of Emperor Trajan. The circumstances of the Apostles death appeared to be
unusual and even puzzling. Upon the insistence of Apostle John, he was buried
alive. On the following day, when the tomb was unearthed it turned out to be
empty. This event somewhat affirmed the belief in the conjecture of some
Christians that Apostle John will not die but will live until the Second coming
of Christ and that he will unmask the Antichrist. The reason for such a surmise
was served by the words said by the Saviour not long before his Ascention. To
the question of Apostle Peter as to what will become with Apostle John, the
Lord answered, "If I will that he remain until I come (the second time)
what is that to you? You follow Me " Apostle John makes a notation
regarding this in his Gospel: " This saying went out among the brethren
that this disciple would not die" (John 21:22-23).
Troparion Tone 2
Apostle beloved of Christ our God,/ hasten to deliver
a defenseless people./ He Who allowed thee to recline on His breast/ receives
thee bowing in prayer, O John the Theologian./ Implore Him to dispel heathen
persistence/ and to grant us peace and mercy.
Kontakion Tone 2
Who can tell of thy mighty works, O beloved Saint?/
Thou didst pour forth miracles./ Thou art a source of healing and dost
intercede for our souls/ as Theologian and friend of Christ.
Website of the Serbian Orthodox Church
5/21/2021
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