John, Apostle and Evangelist

The remembrance of John goes back to the fourth century in the Eastern Church.  John was one of Zebedee’s sons and one of the twelve disciples.  He along with his brother James, and Peter and Andrew were fisherman until Jesus called them to follow him.

John, together with his brother and Peter were the three who witnessed Jesus’ Transfiguration.  When Jesus and the disciples were turned away from a Samaritan village, the sons of Zebedee suggested they would call down a bit of fire and brimstone upon the village.  Jesus response showed that His reign was about service to others.  John is credited with writing the fourth gospel; three letters and the vision he shared in the book of Revelation.

John’s version of the Christmas story (John 1) speaks of the Word becoming flesh and living among us.  Jesus is the light of God shining in the darkness.  He was the Beloved disciple emphasizing Christ’s love for the world. John was the only disciple to die a natural death.  According to tradition he was banished to the island of Patmos by the Roman emperor Domitian.  He died at Ephesus around 100 A.D.  There were Christians who either knew John or one of his students well into the second century.