So far, you've probably noticed that John is passionate for the faith and loves to be close to Jesus. And you've probably noticed that Jesus includes John in the inner circle of disciples, giving him additional responsibilities. Let's see what else we can learn from the Bible about the apostle John.
It is thought that John is the disciple who instead of referring to himself by name would refer to himself in a third person way--"another disciple," "that disciple," "the other disciple," "the disciple whom He loved (He meaning Jesus)," and "the disciple whom Jesus loved." When I was younger I used to think that maybe John might have been an arrogant sort who thought that Jesus loved him more than He loved the other disciples. However, when I read these passages now, it seems to me that he was trying to fade into the background and not draw attention to himself. He wanted people to focus their attention on Christ, not on him. It was his way of showing humility. As you read some of the passages below, this terminology will be used. Assume that they are referring to John.
Read John 13:23-26. With whom does John have a close relationship?
Read John 18:15-16. What would this indicate about John and/or his family?
Read John 19:25-27. With whom does Jesus entrust the care of His mother? What does this tell us about John?
Read John 20:2-10. What do we learn about John?
Read John 21:1-7. Who is the first to recognize Jesus? What does this tell us about John?
Read Acts 1:12-14. This scene takes place after Jesus' ascension, when He returned to heaven. What do we learn about John?
Read Acts 3:1-11, 4:8-13, 17-20, 8:14-15. Where is John, and what is he doing? What do we learn about John?
Read Acts 12:1-2. What happened to John's brother?
Read Galatians 2:1 and 7-10. Where do Paul, Barnabas, and Titus go? Who recognized that those three had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, the Gentiles? What are these three men called? In the NASB version, they are called "pillars." What do pillars do? So, what do you think the relationship of these three men to the church in Jerusalem is? What do we learn about John?
Read Revelation 1:1-2, 9-11, 19; 22:8. What is given to John? Who gave it to him? Where is John at this time? Why is he there? What words does he use to describe the conditions around him at this time? What is John told to do? What do we learn about John and his relationship with God from these verses?
Think about what we've learned about John from the Bible in this blog and the last. What words would you use to describe his character? How would you describe his relationship with the Lord?
What do you see the Lord calling John to do with his life?
The next time you read through 1 John, think about the man who wrote it. Do you see these character traits displayed in this letter?
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