Naravist

Person in the New Testament

John the Apostle

John son of Zebedee: called from the nets, one of the three, beside Peter in Acts

Portrait of John the Apostle. An AI-generated artistic interpretation, not a historical likeness.

Portrait: an AI-generated artistic interpretation, not evidence of how John the Apostle looked.

Who John the Apostle is

John is introduced as the brother of James and a son of Zebedee, found in a ship with their father mending nets when Jesus calls them, and Luke adds that the two were partners with Simon. He is named in every list of the twelve. Mark records that Jesus gave the brothers a second name and explains it as the sons of thunder. He is one of three taken in where a girl is raised, one of three led up the mountain where Jesus is transfigured, one of four who ask privately on the mount of Olives, and one of those taken aside at Gethsemane. He speaks in his own voice to report that they forbade a man casting out devils, and with James he asks for the two seats beside Jesus in his glory, which leaves the other ten displeased. With James he also asks whether to call fire on a Samaritan village that will not receive Jesus, and is rebuked. In Luke he is sent with Peter to prepare the passover. In Acts he appears beside Peter at the temple gate, before the council and on the journey down to Samaria. Herod kills his brother James. Galatians names a John with James and Cephas among those who seemed to be pillars, without saying which John.

Cited passages: Matthew 4:21, Matthew 4:22, Luke 5:10, Matthew 10:2, Luke 6:14, Mark 3:17, Mark 5:37, Mark 9:2, Mark 13:3, Mark 14:33, Mark 9:38, Mark 10:35, Mark 10:37, Mark 10:41, Luke 9:54, Luke 9:55, Luke 22:8, Acts 1:13, Acts 3:1, Acts 4:19, Acts 8:14, Acts 12:2, Galatians 2:9

Historical setting

What the texts establish about this John is a family and a set of scenes. He is "John his brother", the brother of "James the son of Zebedee", and his father Zebedee has a ship and hired servants. A woman called "the mother of Zebedee’s children" appears twice in Matthew and is never named; Mark lists Salome among the women at the cross but does not say she is that woman, and the texts do not join the two. Three limits should be stated plainly. First, the Gospel of John never gives this man a name: it mentions "the sons of Zebedee" once and otherwise speaks of an unnamed disciple, "the disciple whom Jesus loved", and says of him only "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things". The texts do not identify that disciple as the son of Zebedee. Second, Revelation names its writer John, "I John, who also am your brother", and never calls him an apostle or a son of Zebedee. Third, the record stops early: Acts reports that Herod "killed James the brother of John with the sword" and says nothing further about John's own end. The only outside description of the pair comes at their hearing, where the council "perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men", and Galatians names a John among "James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars" without saying which John, though Acts pairs Peter and John at Jerusalem. No date, birthplace or later history is given anywhere.

Cited passages: Matthew 4:21, Mark 1:20, Matthew 20:20, Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40, John 21:2, John 13:23, John 21:24, Revelation 1:9, Revelation 22:8, Acts 12:2, Acts 4:13, Galatians 2:9, Acts 8:14

How the story is told

The Gospels almost always place him second, as "James and John", and Luke reverses the pair once at the mountain, "Peter and John and James". He is more often present than speaking. At the raising of the girl, at the transfiguration and at Gethsemane he is one of a small group admitted and reported no words. Where he does speak, the texts keep the reply that corrects him: "we forbad him, because he followeth not us" is answered with "Forbid him not", and the request to call down fire is answered with a rebuke and the words "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of". The request for the two seats is told differently in two books. Mark has the brothers ask directly, "Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand", while Matthew has the mother ask on their behalf; both books then record the ten reacting against the two brothers. In Acts the pattern changes again, since he appears in scene after scene beside Peter, stands with Peter at the gate, is held by the healed man, is arrested with him, and is quoted only in a plural answer, "we can not but speak the things which we have seen and heard".

Cited passages: Matthew 4:21, Luke 9:28, Mark 5:37, Mark 9:2, Mark 14:33, Mark 9:38, Mark 9:39, Luke 9:54, Luke 9:55, Mark 10:37, Matthew 20:20, Matthew 20:24, Mark 10:41, Acts 3:4, Acts 3:11, Acts 4:3, Acts 4:20

Story moments

  1. Called from the nets (Matthew 4:21). Jesus sees James and John mending nets with Zebedee their father and calls them.
  2. Named sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). Mark says Jesus surnamed the two brothers Boanerges and gives the meaning.
  3. Let in at the raising (Mark 5:37). Only Peter, James and John are allowed to follow into the house.
  4. The request for two seats (Mark 10:37). The brothers ask to sit on the right and left hand in his glory.
  5. Fire on a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54). James and John ask whether to call down fire on a village that will not receive him.
  6. Answering the council (Acts 4:19). Peter and John reply to the order not to speak in the name of Jesus.
  7. A John among the pillars (Galatians 2:9). Paul lists James, Cephas and John as those who seemed to be pillars, without saying which John.

Key passages

Matthew 4:21

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

Matthew 10:2

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Matthew 17:1

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Mark 1:19

And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

Mark 1:29

And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Mark 3:17

And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

King James Version. 35 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

He is admitted to scenes almost no one else sees and is quoted only a handful of times, usually to be corrected. What would you make of a record that keeps someone so close to the centre and gives them so few words?

Books John the Apostle appears in

Related people

Names and references are adapted from STEPBible TIPNR. A person listed with a verse is named or indexed there; it does not mean they wrote or spoke it.