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Biographical Study
John (Son of Zebedee)
NBST 515
Introduction
John, the son of Zebedee is considered to be an integral person who has
contributed significantly and shaped Christianity. The biographical study on John has
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been carried out in order to understand his contribution to Christianity. Numerous
aspects of his life have been presented here in the study. It will help to understand
how a normal fisherman was able to become a key disciple of the Christ. With the
passage of time, John made the sincere attempt to strengthen the concept of church
and Christianity where he went. His life, work and various other elements have been
captured here which can shed light on his significant role in the Christianity context
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.
The study would ultimately help to understand why John is considered to be a real
saint in all the Christian traditions. In order to gain an insight into John’s life and
how he added value to the concept of Christianity and the Church, his biography has
been critically studied and presented.
Some of the most crucial chapters of John’s life that have been captured in
the study include the historical facts relating to John, his life with Jesus Christ, the
major contributions that John has made in his life, the importance of John in the
Christianity context and the role that John played in Jesus’ ministry
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. By highlighting
these aspects of John’s life, it would be easier to understand how he lea a selfless
life in order to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. The biographical study will answer
the question relating to why John and his brother James are known to be the inner
nucleus of the disciples of the Christ.
Historical facts of John
The historical facts of John are obscure to a certain degree. But the details
that are known about him highlight the fact that he played a vital role to shape the
concept of Church and made a significant contribution to Christianity. Before he
1
"Saint John The Apostle | Biography, Facts, Writings, & Death". Encyclopedia Britannica, Last modified 2018.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-the-Apostle.
2
"Saint John The Apostle | Biography, Facts, Writings, & Death". Encyclopedia Britannica, Last modified 2018.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-the-Apostle.
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became one of the prominent disciples of the Christ, he was a fisherman in Galilee.
His father was Zebedee and his mother was Salome. As per some sources, his
mother was the sister of Jesus Christ’s mother, Mary. He had a home in Jerusalem
and just shortly after the region was destructed in the 70 A.D, he moved to Ephesus.
In the new setting, John pastured a church. According to the book of Revelation, he
established an effective communication with the other churches. There he counselled
and advised people who ultimately stated believing in Jesus Christ, the son of God
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.
John is one of the 12 Apostles in the New Testament who is the son of
Zebedee. In the initial life, he was a fisherman. Later on, he played a crucial role in
order to strengthen the concept of church in ‘Christianity’. His contribution to
Christianity has been immense. In fact, in the later times, he was called upon to be a
disciple of Jesus Christ. He played a primary role to strengthen the concept of church
in Jerusalem
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. He along with his brother James was one of the very first disciples of
Jesus Christ. During his entire life, John has written the book of John, the ‘First’,
‘Second’ and ‘Third’ book of John and the book of Revelation. During the later
stage of his life, he is said to have repeatedly stated the phrase “Little children, love
one another”. He wanted to spread the message of the Lord that encourages human
beings to be good to one another
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. He was a true disciple of Jesus Christ who
wanted who spread to spread his ultimate commandment that encouraged people to
love each other.
John’s life with Jesus
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"History Of John The Disciple Of Jesus". Allaboutjesuschrist.Org, Last modified 2018.
https://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/history-of-john-the-disciple-of-jesus-faq.htm
4
"Saint John The Apostle | Biography, Facts, Writings, & Death". Encyclopedia Britannica, Last modified 2018.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-the-Apostle
5
"History Of John The Disciple Of Jesus". Allaboutjesuschrist.Org, Last modified 2018.
https://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/history-of-john-the-disciple-of-jesus-faq.htm
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The ‘Apostle’ John has the distinction of being known as one of the most
beloved friends and disciples of Jesus Christ. After having a connection with Jesus,
he became a vital part of Christ’s inner circle. John and his brother James got the
nickname “Sons of thunder” or “Boanerges” because on a certain occasion when the
Samaritan villagers rejected the Christ and his words, the brothers asked if they
should destroy the village by calling down fire from the heaven. After having a
strong association with Jesus, he emphasized on the fact that Jesus is the ultimate
Christ, the Son of God
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. According to him, Jesus had been sent by the Father so that
he could remove and take away the sins that existed in the world. John has used
numerous symbolic titles for Jesus Christ, such as the vine, the Lamb of God and
resurrection to highlight his divine power. In John’s words, he was the disciple whom
Jesus loved dearly.
John, the son of Zebedee was one of the very first disciples of Jesus Christ.
He acted as an elder in the Church and played a key role to spread the message that
had been written in the gospel. In fact, he has also been credited with writing the
Gospel of John, the letters 1 John, 2 John and 3 John. Along with these things he
has also written the book of Revelation. John’s presence in the life of Jesus Christ
was immense. This is evident from the fact that he was present with the Christ even
when other important members were absent at the time. aa Paul has stated that John
was one of the major pillars of the church in Jerusalem. He helped the people to
understand the value of the Church and how it could bring them closer to the Lord.
The life that John spent with Jesus added value for both of them. He was
believed to be highly loyal to Jesus Christ. His love for Jesus had no bounds and
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"Meet The Apostle John: Author Of 5 Books Of The Bible". Thoughtco, Last modified 2018.
https://www.thoughtco.com/disciple-jesus-loved-john-the-apostle-701065
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this is evident from the fact that he was the only one of the twelve apostles who
was present with Jesus Christ at the cross. In order to spread the words of the
Christ, after the “Day of the Pentecost” John had teamed up with Peter in Jerusalem
and courageously preached the gospel. Due to this act, he had to suffer beatings as
well as imprisonment. The life of John underwent a significant transformation after
his association with Jesus Christ. Initially, he was a quick-tempered individual who
was known as the Son of Thunder. But with the passage of time, John gained the
reputation of being a highly compassionate apostle who represented love and
affection. John had the privilege of experiencing Jesus’ love in a direct way He used
this firsthand love of the Christ and preach the same in the gospel and the letters.
There were a number of occasions when John was not able to comprehend
Jesus way of forgiving. This is evident from the fact that he asked for Christ’s
permission to call down the fire so that he could destroy the villagers of Samaritan
who were the nonbelievers of Jesus Christ. But the love and association with the
Christ transformed John for the better. With the passage of time he became mellowed
down and he was full of love and compassion. The transformation that John
experienced was only due to his exposure to the Christ. Thus John’s life with Jesus
was extremely unique and enriching as he was able to understand the actual meaning
of love, forgiveness and compassion.
The major contributions of John
The concept of Christianity and the Church has come a long way with the
passage of time. One of the reasons for the consistent popularity of ‘Church’ and
‘Christianity’ goes to John, the son of Zebedee. In Jerusalem, he played a vital role
to share the message of Christ and advising people about various things. Due to the
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immense contribution that has been made by John, he had earned the name of Jesus’
friend, and the foundation of the early Church. Jesus had called upon twelve disciples
who could come and help him in the time of need. John was able to stand out and
be much more than a mere disciple
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. The contribution of John was so high that some
attempts were made on his life and he was given poison. But he was ultimately
spared by God for being a true disciple of Jesus Christ. John, the apostles was
highly loved by the Christ because he was able to understand the real meaning of
the message that Jesus Christ represented in the world
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. aa After the Resurrection of
the Lord took place, he was among the very first disciples who had seen the empty
tomb. As per the Gospel of John, he was also able to understand the actual meaning
of the resurrection. Even when Jesus Christ appeared at the “Lake of Genesareth”,
John was the very first disciple who was present and was able to identify Jesus
Christ, his Master standing on the shore. John was having an authoritative position in
the church after the Resurrection took place. This is evident from the fact that he
visited Samaria along with Peter so that he could lay his hands on the new converts
from the location
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.
Apostle John has been regarded to be one of the major figures who are
responsible to shape Christianity and the concept of Church. He followed Jesus
wholeheartedly and believed that God or the Christ represented love and nothing else.
According to the bishop of Ephesus, Polycrates, John was not just a priest who was
seen wearing the “sacerdotal plate” but he was also a teacher as well as a martyr.
7
"The Twelve Apostles Of Jesus Christ". News.Mak.Ac.Ug, Last modified 2018.
https://news.mak.ac.ug/documents/Makfiles/ppt/25May11/apostles%20lent%2009.pdf
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"The Twelve Apostles Of Jesus Christ". News.Mak.Ac.Ug, Last modified 2018.
https://news.mak.ac.ug/documents/Makfiles/ppt/25May11/apostles%20lent%2009.pdf
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"Saint John The Apostle | Biography, Facts, Writings, & Death". Encyclopedia Britannica, Last modified 2018.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-the-Apostle.
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During his life, John wrote the Gospel and the letters in the Ephesus location. He
wrote the Book of Revelation in the Patmos location.
After coming in contact with Jesus Christ, John’s outlook towards life changed
for the better. He started advising and counselling people about the relevance of the
Church and Christianity in their lives. John’s actions showed that he was extremely
sincere towards Jesus Christ and he genuinely believed in his words. According to
Tertullian, a North-African theologian from the 2nd century, John had been thrown
into boiling oil but he came out of it unscratched. This instance not only sheds light
on John’s martyrdom but it also highlights the valuable contribution that he had made
for Christianity and the Lord. The phrase that John repeated frequently – “Little
children, love one another” shows his love for the Christ and the belief that he had
in his message. John had been a faithful disciple of Jesus due to which the Lord
called and asked him for the permanent discipleship. He acted as the subordinate
disciple during the ministry of Jesus Christ
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.
The loyalty and strong belief that John had towards Jesus and his words
helped him to earn the name of a ‘classic servant of the Christ’. In spite of the fact
that he has his share of human failings and sins John started to enjoy the affinity
relating to the ‘kindred minds’ with Jesus Christ. It ultimately led to him being
called as the ‘beloved disciple of Jesus’ by many members of the group. He
understood the latent meaning of the words that came out of Jesus Christ. With the
passage of time, his relationship with the Christ grew even stronger and he laid his
head on the chest of the Christ to enquire about his betrayer
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. By being connected
with Jesus, John was able to strengthen his spiritual grace and character. He was a
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"John The Apostle". Allaboutjesuschrist.Org, Last modified 2018. https://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/john-the-apostle-faq.htm
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"John The Apostle". Allaboutjesuschrist.Org, Last modified 2018. https://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/john-the-apostle-faq.htm
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great and inspiring apostle leader who contributed to the preaching of the Pentecost
sermon. He also accompanied Peter when they helped the lame man to recover. Due
to his dedication and loyalty towards the Lord, he had to serve time along with
Peter. He was sent along with Peter by the other apostles to examine and investigate
the Samaritan revival. This shows that the other apostles trusted him with their lives
and had full faith in him.
Ultimately John used his skills as an author who showed his grace in
Christological teaching. He showed tremendous leadership in the Church context and
acted as the core pillar of the Church. His major contribution to the Lord’s work has
come in form of the five books that he has personally written by dedicating his
effort, time and energy
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. Thus the contributions that have been made by John shed
light on his dedication and pure love towards Jesus Christ and his ultimate message
to mankind.
Importance of John in the Christianity context
John, the beloved discipline of Jesus Christ has made an immense contribution
the Christianity. His objective was to help people understand how love can bridge the
gap between them and Christ. After acting as the disciple of Jesus, he dedicated his
entire life to spread the message of the Lord that revolved around love and
compassion. By coming in contact with Jesus, his foresight changed and there was a
dynamic change in his spiritual being. John used his knowledge and experience with
the Christ to spread the perspective of love. His teachings encourage Christians to
follow the path of fairness and love that is given high emphasis by the Lord. He has
asked the people to include Christ in every aspect of their life. According to John,
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"Saint John The Apostle | Biography, Facts, Writings, & Death". Encyclopedia Britannica, Last modified 2018.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-the-Apostle
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being a Christian does not mean that an individual has to only believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. In reality, an actual Christian is one who is able to receive
Christ in their lives
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.
Some of the major teachings by John that inspire Christians include reading,
studying and loving the word that has been presented by the Lord to be the actual
Christians, the need to have an active and sincere prayer life, the active involvement
in the local Church, learning the joy that one gets by serving and helping others, and
sharing the teachings of Jesus Christ. John has stated how the words of Christ can
help individuals to go on the right path and spread the message of love. John’s work
has been extremely vital to shape people’s faith in the concept of Church and
Christianity
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. In his writings, he has presented numerous miracles that the Lord has
made in order to help mankind. For instance, in John’s Gospel, he has highlighted a
total of seven miracles that Jesus Christ has performed. He has used his writings for
the purpose of showcasing how the word of Jesus can help people to spread the
concept of love.
The dedication and sincerity in John are evident from the fact that in his
books and letters he has encouraged the readers to put their faith in the Christ. Jesus
has been presented as the Messiah who can save the entire world and eliminate the
sins that exist in it. In John’s Gospel, the term ‘believe’ plays a key role. This is
because the words of the Lord have been presented in a simple way so that people
can lay their trust and faith on the Christ. John has dedicated his life to spread the
law of the Lord and expand the concept of love among mankind. Thus John’s
contribution has been of paramount importance as they have shaped the concept of
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"Start: The Bible For New Believers". Static1.Squarespace.Com, Last modified 2018.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56b268caab48de758e6c50a3/t/57b617f9e3df2897e522faae/1471551482210/start-believers-guide.pdf
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"Start: The Bible For New Believers". Static1.Squarespace.Com, Last modified 2018.
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Christianity and the Church
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. He has adopted a sincere approach to highlight how
following the path that has been presented by the Christ can help individuals to lead
a life that is free from sins and negative elements. Due to the unfaltering belief of
John in Jesus’ words and laws, John’s contribution to Christianity cannot be negated.
John – A vital part of Jesus’ ministry
Apostle John is one of the key members of Jesus Chris’s ministry. The
ministry of Jesus came into existence so that the preaching of the truth could be
possible. In order to spread the message of the Lord, a total of twelve disciples were
selected who could help him in the path of the truth. John’s role was of critical
importance to assist Jesus Christ in his mission relating to the truth. He helped Jesus
to help people in the healing process. John established his ministry so that he could
preach the ultimate truth relating to the kingdom of God. John understood the
message that was sent by the Christ in the ministry. He used his position as a
disciple to spread the message of truthfulness and love to far and wide reasons so
that the message of Christianity could be expanded to different parts. John played an
active role in the ministry of Jesus Christ so that people could get closer to the lord
and walk in the path of love and honesty
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. In the ministry, the relevance of prayer
came to the surface. People could use prayer as a major source of medium to
connect with the Lord. John also tried to spread the significance of prayer so that the
Christians could establish a long-lasting association with the Lord. His objective was
to make people believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ which could help them to
grow and develop their spiritual character.
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"Start: The Bible For New Believers". Static1.Squarespace.Com, Last modified 2018.
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"Ligonier Ministries". Ligonier Ministries, Last modified 2018. https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/purpose-jesus-
ministry/
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John succeeded to be a key group which was made up of three of the
disciples of the Christ in Jesus ministry. As he was a part of the ministry of Jesus,
he had the opportunity to experience a series of events that in the ministry. In spite
of his high degree of loyalty and dedication towards the lord, John along with the
other core disciples of Jesus namely Peter and James did not succeed to safeguard
Jesus Christ at the Garden of Gethsemane. This was a major drawback for him. But
he was the only disciple of Jesus Christ who stood by him at the ‘Cross’. As per
the Book of Acts John possessed vital leadership qualities
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. He was able to exhibit
and exercise his influential and inspiring leadership power while being a part of
Jesus’ ministry. According to Justin Martyr, John was one of the key apostles of the
Lord who was a major eye-witness of the ministry of Jesus.
The presence of John in the military played a vital role as the experience and
association brought him coder to the Lord. He was able to understand the actual
meaning of the words that were spoken by him. He used the exposure to present the
key teachings of the Lord so that Christians from all around the globe could
understand the words of Jesus. The role of the ministry as critical as it helped John
to change his outlook towards spiritualism and love. The entire experience in Jesus’
ministry helped John to shape his spiritual journey in his life and become closer to
the Lord. John was able to recognize the wisdom that Jesus Christ possessed and he
understood the fact that he was the ultimate Son of God
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. John used his experience
in the ministry to write the books and letters so that the words and laws of Jesus
could be captured and presented to people. He used the learning in the ministry to
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"John The Apostle - New World Encyclopedia". Newworldencyclopedia.Org, Last modified 2018.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/John_the_Apostle
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"Remembering The Life And Ministry Of St. John". Christian Heritage Fellowship, Inc., Last modified 2018.
https://christianheritagefellowship.com/remembering-the-life-and-ministry-of-st-john/.
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influence the people to believe in Jesus Christ. He showed his dedication towards
Lord until his last breath.
Conclusion
The biographical study sheds life on the life of John, the son of Zebedee and
how he helped to spread the words of the Lord. In the initial part of his life he was
a fisherman but once he became a disciple of the Christ, his approach towards life
significantly changed. Various aspects of his life have been captured in the study
which shows the significance of his character. The findings of the study show that
John was a real disciple of Jesus Christ who sincerely believed in the teachings of
the Lord. Throughout his life, he has been involved in various activities to help
spread the message of love among the fellow human beings. He used his knowledge
and experience with the Lord to encourage people to have faith in the concept of the
Church and Christianity. The transformation in his character from a quick-witted
individual to a person with love and compassion makes his character extremely
relatable for people. All the work that has been done by John shows his sincere
dedication and love for Jesus Christ and his teachings. In spite of facing hurdles
while following the path that was laid down by Chris, he never faltered. This shows
his immense faith and belief in the Son of God. John’s humble background and his
status as the ‘beloved disciple’ of the Christ is highly inspiring for one and all. It
indicates that people can make transformational changes in their lives by following
the words of the Lord in a sincere and dedicated manner. John has been established
his unique identity as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Due to this, he is considered to be
as a key pillar of the concept of church. He was a key part of the ministry of Jesus
Christ who was able to understand the message that Jesus was trying to share about
truth and love.
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The transition that has taken place in John, the son of Zebedee sheds light on
his character and dedication towards Jesus Christ. He was one of the few disciples of
the Lord who understand the crux of his message and tried to follow his words
about ‘love’ wholeheartedly. aa Even in the later stage of his life John was sharing the
message on love so that the coming generations could remember the teachings of
Jesus Christ. The biographical study throws light on various aspects of John’s life.
He has been shown as an individual, as a disciple and a believer of the Lord. The
books and letters that have been written by him act as the main guidelines for the
Christians to follow Christianity and the church concept. The miracles that have been
done by the Christ have been presented by John that helps people to realize his
power.
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