The Twelve: St. John

St. John

Meaning of the name: St. John had a Hebrew name Johanan, meaning “YHWH is gracious.” The name often appears in the list of priest before and after the Babylonian exile (Nehemiah 12:21-22 [cp. 12:10-11]). The Jews had a custom to keep the names within the family (cp. Luke 1:57-64). The fact of his potential priestly lineage will be important later.

Also, he and his brother James (Jacob) had a “title” sons of thunder. It can mean of their temperaments or ambitions (see later). It also can refer to the power of the voice, or a reverence for the LORD – for Psalm 29:3 describes Thunder as the voice of the LORD over waters. See also Exodus 19:19, 1 Samuel 7:10, and Revelation 11:19 – all of these places talk about thunder as a sign of God's presence.

Life story: He is a part of every major story with Jesus which made him one of the three pillars of the Church. Similarly to our lesson about St. Peter, we will pick just a handful stories that might paint a picture with large brush strokes.

He participated in a great catch – Luke 5, that's where Simon (Peter) asked Jesus to step out of his boat in the middle of the lake, remember? Here John and James are simply called partners of Peter (Luke 5:10). Reading the Gospel of Mark, we know that the brothers had a company with their father (Mark 1:19-20). This company was quite an enterprise – James and John don't leave the father managing the company single handedly, they had a number of hired workers. This shows John (and James) as good friends (toward Peter) and responsible sons.

John witnessed all of Jesus' miracles (even more than we know about – see John 20:30-31 and 21:25). Healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31), Jairus's daughter (Matthew 9:18-26), Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8). Yet, there are single events that speak of him only. It is he, who points our that there is a man who was casting out demons with the name of Jesus without following Him (Mark 9:38-41). Jesus answers him: “For the one who is not against us is for us” and John accepts it. This shows him as a very open-minded person who is ready to receive a help from an usual source without compromising his faith.

John plays a significant role during Jesus's trial and crucifixion. When Jesus is arrested, he goes to the house of the High Priest (John 18:15-16). The question “why?” is interesting but not important – he probably wanted to follow his Rabbi till the end – note that he is the only of the disciples mentioned by the Cross. What is even more valuable is the question “how?” How a “simple and uneducated fisherman” could go through the guards (believe me guards were there). One of the most plausible answers is he was from priestly family. His father had his shift done at the Temple according to the schedule, that's why John “was known to the High Priest” (cp. 1:8-9). That would explain the fact that he came to the tomb first but didn't get in, while Peter did (John 20:4-9, cp. Leviticus 21:1).

During Crucifixion, John was standing by the Cross. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple, He addresses both her and him by the word “behold,” bounding them together as mother-son relationship. John writes that from that hour the disciple took her into his own home (John 19:26-27). Why Jesus needed someone outside of the immediate family take care of His mother? He had four brothers and at least two sisters (Mark 6:3). None of them followed Him to the Cross, meaning they didn't not witnessed the essential moment of His ministry. Even if we assume that they [later] believed in Him as the Messiah, they were absent when He was dying and the mother was grieving at the son's loss. John was there and would be able to minister to her in the future like no one else could've – for they went through this experience of losing Jesus together.

After the resurrection and ascension he served in Jerusalem (partnering up with Peter, Acts 3:1), then [according to Church tradition] went to Ephesus, at the end being exiled to Patmos. There he writes his Book of Revelation. Technically, the book should be called by the first line – the revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1). John has no claim of importance in the book – he was brought, taught, and got the explanations.

Speaking of his sacred literature heritage, he was a prolific writer. Out of 27 books of the New Testament he wrote 5: Gospel, 1-2-3 Letters of John, and the Book of Revelation. He has a very unique style. Composing his version of the Gospel, out all the available material he carefully selects what we need to have faith (John 20:30-31). For sure, being an eyewitness of many more healing events, miracles and times of teaching, he gives us the words that give and strengthen the faith.

Traditions: His memory is celebrated on December 27 – the third day of Christmas. As we celebrate the blessed Birth of the Messiah, we follow it with commemoration of the first martyr – St. Stephen (December 26), immediately pointing out the reason for the birth of Christ. And then we remember the blessed apostle, who wrote so much about the love of God toward us in Jesus.

Prayer: Merciful Lord, cast the bright beams of Your light upon Your Church that we, being instructed in the doctrine of Your blessed apostle and evangelist John, may come to the light of everlasting life; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.