The Writer of FIVE Books in the Bible: St. John the Apostle, disciple, Theologian, and Evangelist.

St. John the Apostle:
Family Background:
St. John’s father was Zebedee, a fisherman, and his mother was Salome. His brother James (called him “James the Elder” to differentiate him from the other James) was also one of our Lord Jesus Christ's twelve disciples. John and James were known as the “Sons of Thunder” because of their passionate personalities.
Salome, their mothers, was the cousin of St. Mary, the mother of God and a follower of Jesus and even witnessed His crucifixion. She, along with other women, helped the preparation of our Lord Jesus Christ’s body for burial.
Early Life and Calling:
The name John means: ‘Jehovah is tender’, St. John grew up by the Sea of Galilee, working as a fisherman with his family. One day, while fixing their nets, he and his brother James were called by the Lord Jesus Christ to follow Him. They left everything behind and followed the Lord.
St. John was likely the youngest of the Lord’s twelve disciples, possibly in his early 20s. His youthful energy made him open to learning from our Lord Jesus Christ. it seems that he was from a family who were relatively rich. He was known to the high priest at the time of Jesus Christ. He was one of St John the Baptist disciples and was celibate (not married). He witnessed the last Supper with the rest of the disciples on Thursday before the Crucifixion and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (50 days after the Resurrection of the Lord).
Special Relationship with Christ:
St. John was one of three disciples (with Peter and James) chosen to witness important events, such as:
• The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1)
• Raising Jairus’s Daughter (Mark 5:37)
• Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37)
Important Roles and Titles:
The Writer of FIVE Books in the Bible:
The Gospel of John: This Gospel is known for its emphasis on our Lord Jesus Christ's divinity and love. It provides a unique perspective on the life and teachings of Christ compared to the other Gospels.
o Symbolism of the Eagle: The eagle is associated with his gospel, symbolizing his ability to soar to spiritual heights and his keen discernment.
Three Epistles: These Epistle or letters, 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John, focus on themes like love, faith, and the importance of living a righteous life.
The Book of Revelation: This apocalyptic book provides revelation of the future, including the second coming of Christ and the final judgment.
Some of St. John’s titles are:
The Evangelist and Theologian: He is one of the four Evangelists and he is Known as “The Theologian” because he provided us with a good understanding of the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in his writings.
The Beloved Disciple: John often referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23), expressing his close friendship with Jesus.
The Apostle of Love: He was extremely gentle and his gospel, Epistles, and the book of Revelation all revolve around 'love'.
The Revelator: Also known as John of Patmos and the Elder
The son of Zebedee: The Lord named John and his brother 'Boanerges' which means the 'sons of thunder' (Mark 3:17).
The Elder: He called himself “the Elder” in his Epistles, this means he was too old when he wrote them.
Witness to Crucifixion and Caretaker of St. Mary:
St. John was the only disciple to remain with the Lord Jesus Christ during the crucifixion. Our Lord Jesus Christ entrusted him to take care of His mother, St. Mary, from that moment onward “…..Woman behold your son!, then He said to the disciple, “Behold you mother!”… “ (John 19:26-27).
Close Friendship with Peter:
St. John and St. Peter were close friends and worked together as key leaders in the early church. They were the first two disciples went to the tomb early on the third day after the crucifixion of the Lord, after they heard from Mary that the body of Jesus Christ was not in the tomb.
St. John preached with St. Peter in Jerusalem and Judea. He was with St. Peter when he healed the crippled man from birth who was at the gate of the temple called Beautiful, because of this miracle the Jews seized St. John and St. Peter and brought them before the Sanhedrin for questioning.
Later Life and Exile to Patmos:
After the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, St. John continued to spread the Gospel in Asia Minor, especially in Ephesus. Under the Roman Emperor Domitian’s persecution, John was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he received visions recorded in the Book of Revelation.
St. John lived a long life and was the only one among the Twelve Apostles to die of natural causes. When he was well advanced in age, people carried him to the church on a litter to teach them. He told them one sentence “My children, love one another”. He departed on the fourth day of the blessed month of Tobe, (January 12) of the year 100 A.D.
The blessing of his prayers be with us all.