The apostle John had an impressive biblical résumé. We first learn of him when he and his brother left their nets on the Sea of Galilee to become fishers of men with Jesus of Nazareth. He helped arrange the Passover meal and service for Jesus and his fellow disciples. He was known of the high priest and moved freely among the Jewish leadership.

John faithfully remained with Jesus’ mother during her Son’s crucifixion. On the morning after Jesus’ resurrection, John ran with Peter to the empty tomb. He saw the risen Christ walking on the Tiberias shore. With his brother James and the other apostles, he helped establish the first church in Jerusalem. Later he served other churches in Ephesus and Asia Minor.

If that weren’t enough, he also wrote five books of the Bible: the Gospel and three letters that bear his name and the book of Revelation.

John moved about in a unique circle of love

John’s Gospel and his three general letters focused on love. John moved about in a unique circle of love. In his Gospel he refers to himself as that disciple whom Jesus loved.

If you want to know about the way of God, study Jesus Christ. If you want to know the love of Christ, study John.

John’s background

John was a Judean Jew who knew well the geography and customs of his homeland. His meticulous attention to numbers (John 2:6; 6:13, 19; 21:8, 11), names and details substantiates him as an eyewitness to Jesus, His teachings, and miracles (John 19:35; 21:24-25).

John’s father was Zebedee (Matthew 4:21). His mother was apparently the Salome who served Jesus in Galilee and was present at His crucifixion (compare Mark 15:40-41 and Matthew 27:56). Salome appears to have been a sister to Mary the mother of Jesus (compare John 19:25 and Mark 15:40).

If so, then John was Jesus’ cousin and likely about the same age. Since Jesus and John the Baptist were also cousins, this would also have made him a cousin to John the Baptist, whose mother, Elizabeth, was a close relative to Jesus’ mother (Luke 1:36).

John appears to have been in partnership with his brother James and his father Zebedee (Matthew 4:21), as well as with Simon Peter (Luke 5:10). They had a number of hired servants (Mark 1:19-20). He not only had his fishing business in Capernaum, he may have also had a house in Jerusalem (John 19:27). Remarkably, he was an acquaintance of the high priest in Jerusalem (John 18:15-16).

Originally John appears to have been a disciple of John the Baptist (he is apparently the unnamed disciple in John 1:35, 40). Bible history shows that after following the strong preaching of John the Baptist, he was ready to take his stand with his Savior. He was one of the first five disciples of Jesus (John 1:35-51). He was with Jesus when He performed His first recorded miracle at the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee (John 2:2-11).

Apparently after this John returned to his fishing enterprise at Capernaum. After some time had passed, Jesus called him and his brother to leave their business and follow Him (Mark 1:19-20). From this point on, John became a close friend and an eyewitness of the words and deeds of Jesus, which he wrote about in the Gospel of John.

Jesus nicknamed John a Son of Thunder (Mark 3:17). This could imply that John originally had a flaring temper.

Jesus nicknamed John a Son of Thunder (Mark 3:17). This could imply that John originally had a flaring temper. Early on, John forbade a stranger to use the name of Christ while casting out demons (Mark 9:38). On another occasion Jesus had to rebuke him for his hot-temperedness when John wanted to call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village (Luke 9:52-56). Rubbing shoulders with Jesus, hearing Him speak of godly love and watching Him practice it among those who didn’t appreciate it seemed to have transformed John into an apostle who came to exemplify the love of God.

With Peter and James, his brother, John was one of the three disciples of Jesus’ inner circle (Mark 5:37; 9:1-9; 14:33). Beyond a doubt he was recognized as the one closest to Jesus. In fact, at their last Passover together, the Bible portrays John resting on Jesus’ chest (John 13:23-25). They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. This image is priceless. John’s writings explain why: This disciple practiced the godly love he wrote about.

A case for humility

It’s interesting to observe the humility of the apostle John in the writing style he used in his Gospel. Throughout that book he wrote of himself indirectly, as though he were another person writing about him. For example, five times he wrote of himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20).

Let’s look a little more closely at two of the five times John referred to himself this way.

In John 13, at Jesus’ last Passover with His disciples, He became troubled over the fact that Judas Iscariot was soon to betray Him. Although Jesus knew that this must come to pass, it still hurt Him deeply. He told His disciples directly, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me” (verse 21).

Jesus’ statement greatly concerned His disciples. They began to look at one another in a different light, perhaps trying to figure out who might be the one of whom Christ spoke. At that point, John set the scene for what follows. He shared with us the fact that one of the apostles was leaning on Jesus’ chest and referred to that specific person as the one “whom Jesus loved” (verse 23).

As was customary at that time, Jesus and the disciples ate this meal reclining around a low table. In this relaxed atmosphere the disciple “whom Jesus loved” was sufficiently comfortable with his master to rest on Jesus’ chest. This close physical proximity substantiates John’s close relationship with Jesus.

Simon Peter motioned for John to ask to whom Jesus was referring. So John asked, “Lord, who is it?” (verses 24-25).

Jesus answered in clear enough terms: “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas Iscariot. He then told Judas, “What you do, do quickly” (verses 26- 27).

Amazingly, none of the disciples—including John—understood Jesus’ words to Judas. Some thought that He told Judas to buy necessities for the feast while others thought He instructed Judas to give some money to the poor (verses 28-29). Among other lessons in this dramatic event, John indirectly identified himself as the one “whom Jesus loved.”

John used this phrase to identify himself at another dramatic and intense moment later that same day. Even as Jesus was being crucified, He demonstrated His responsibility and great love for Mary, His mother.

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing near by, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:25-27, New International Version).

Jesus entrusted the care of His own mother to His beloved friend and follower, John. This, too, shows the closeness and trust the two shared.

This incident is also telling in another way. As Jesus was being put to death by the Roman authorities, John proved fearless in the face of potential accusations that he was one of Jesus’ disciples. John ran the risk of being incarcerated, scourged and crucified for being an accomplice to His Master. Yet He was not afraid to be seen supporting Jesus in the hour of His greatest need. His presence at Jesus’ feet in His great hour of trial at once validates Jesus’ love for John and John’s reverential love for Jesus. The godly love that both had for one another reassured Jesus that He could count on John to take good care of His mother from that hour on.

John understood godly love

John lived his life with godly love. He also wrote expressively about this special and unique love.

John’s Gospel is filled with many of Jesus’ discourses and conversations. John in particular wrote more about what Jesus said than what He did.

John’s three letters overflow with statements that help us understand how God’s kind of love contrasts to the human version. Let’s notice two examples of this.

John’s three letters overflow with statements that help us understand how God’s kind of love contrasts to the human version.

In his first epistle, John gives us a direct definition of godly love: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). John knew the source of godly love, understood it and practiced it. He realized that God communicated His love through the laws He gave us by which we are to live.

Jesus Himself said that God’s law could be summarized in two great commandments: Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). John similarly summarized God’s very nature and character when he wrote, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16, emphasis added throughout).

John focused on the most important virtue and gift of God: godly love. There is a difference between God’s love and human love. The Greek verb for God’s kind of love, agapao, means a deliberately applied outgoing concern for others. Human love, phileo in the Greek, means a fondness or affection for another person. John focused on and taught about godly love as the most important virtue a human being can exhibit.

John also contrasted godly love with human love in 1 John 4:18-21: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.

“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

John knew that it was contradictory to say that we love God yet hate our brother. He knew that we humans can distort the meaning of “love” to make it mean just about anything we want it to mean. But God’s love isn’t like that. Godly love always puts care and concern for the other person first.

John clearly understood godly love. He knew it because Jesus had taught it to him and the other disciples. John had watched Jesus live by it and apply it for 3 1/2 years. John knew where godly love came from, its ingredients, and how it must be expressed among mankind. He believed and practiced it with all his heart.

John on Patmos

John’s Gospel is filled with significant events and details from Christ’s life. His record is more personal than that of the other three Gospels, and so gives us a more complete picture of Jesus’ life and teachings. John, being so close to the Son of God, had many opportunities few others had. When we read the Gospel of John from this perspective, it becomes an intimate narrative.

In the 90s, John was still teaching God’s love throughout Asia Minor though getting up in age. During the Christian persecutions under Emperor Domitian (81-96), he was banished to the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea.

Christ permitted the Apostle John to be exiled on Patmos for a great purpose. Now, some 65 years beyond His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus revealed to John the dark days that lay ahead—not just during his times, but especially in the troubling and tumultuous latter days.

Responding to Jesus’ command to “write” (Revelation 1:11, 19), John recorded the great prophetic events that would transpire from his time to the return of Jesus Christ.

John gives us a loving perspective of what Jesus Christ expected of him and of us. Twice in the first chapter John uses a phrase that depicts the responsibilities of Jesus’ disciples, especially in the face of persecution.

In verse 2 he writes that he bears “witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to all things that he saw.” He repeats this instructive thought a few verses later: “I, John, ...was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (verse 9).

Notice that John speaks of “the word of God” and “the testimony of Jesus Christ.” The word of God encompasses God’s instruction, recorded for us in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The testimony of Jesus Christ can be defined as that which Christians live and teach from Jesus’ life, instructions and example.

John was faithful to Christ in all these things despite the threat of persecution and death. He proved his faith and love in traumatic times, in spite of the fact that he apparently was now in his 90s. At one point John heard a loud voice in heaven commend all Christians who overcame Satan: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb [Jesus’ shed blood] and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11).

John’s ordeal on the island of Patmos, where Christ revealed to him what we know as the book of Revelation, was a miraculous event. Without this book, the people of God could not understand the time of the end. John’s understanding and commitment to God’s love and His beloved friend and Savior Jesus Christ made it possible.

The apostle of godly love

Few men really knew Jesus of Nazareth as well as John did. A mutual understanding and respect for the unselfish love of God bound their relationship. Jesus had special love for John, perhaps because John had such an abiding reverence for the godly love exhibited by His Master. Beyond this special relationship, some of John’s personal traits may well have made him an easy person to love.

We’ve learned that, early in the life of John, Jesus nicknamed him a Son of Thunder. John’s writings, however, reveal a completely different man. John changed his outlook as he followed in the footsteps of his Master, listening and heeding His teachings about godly love. He was highly regarded by Jesus and the other apostles and even more surprising, apparently by the sometimes-contrary high priest. This speaks volumes of John’s character.

John was known for his humility. This apostle of godly love shunned the approbation of human recognition by writing of himself indirectly, as though he were someone else were writing about him. Godly love is at once humble and outgoing. John didn’t seek fame at others’ expense. Instead he served with humility.

John understood and taught godly love. He knew that God’s instructions, summarized in the Ten Commandments, are an expression of love from God to mankind, then from mankind to God and human beings to other human beings. Godly love is the greatest gift God can give to mankind, and the greatest we can return to Him and share with others. John lived the love of God.

John was truly an apostle of godly love. He learned about godly love from God, who Himself is love (1 John 4:8). John taught the truth and worth of godly love and left us an outstanding example to follow.