The Beloved Disciple

By Richard Lineberry

The Four Gospels present Jesus from four different viewpoints.  Matthew was specifically writing to Jews.  Mark wrote for the Roman mindset.  Luke wrote for Gentiles (particularly Greeks).  John wrote to try to attract all of them. 

If you want theology, read Paul.  If you want the heart of Christianity, read John’s writings.  Before he met Jesus, he and his brother James were fishermen with their father, Zebedee.  Simon Peter was his long term partner.  Having a tender heart, John was evidently a little hot headed whereas Jesus called him and his brother “sons of thunder” because they wanted to call fire down from heaven upon the heads of some other men who were preaching about Jesus but weren’t a part of the main 12 disciples.

John was an extra loyal disciple and the only one who followed Jesus to the crucifixion where Jesus delegated the care of his own mother to John as He was about to return to heaven.  At the last supper, John is known for leaning on Jesus’ breast as they reclined at the table, thus signifying a deep desire within John for intimacy with the Lord.  John saw something about Jesus that many of the others seemed to miss.  He saw that the heart of the Lord’s mission to earth was the Father’s love for humanity.  John proceeded to reflect this understanding in writing five books which are included in our New Testament.  History tells us that when John was very old and people would gather to hear him talk that all he would say was, “Little children, love one another.”  That’s a great summation of the Christian life.

History tells us that John outlived all the other disciples and was the only one that didn’t die a martyr’s death.  It’s no wonder that the symbol the church has used to stand for John is the eagle.  It was a long hard road to travel from bad temper to a heart of tenderness.

“He that has the Son has life.”

The Beloved Apostle, I John 5:12