John and his brother James were fishermen who left their fish and their boats in the sea of Galilee to follow Jesus as two of his earliest disciples. The book of the Revelation was written about the vision that John saw while banished to the Greek island of Patmos on the Aegean sea. How Old Was John The Apostle When He Met Jesus? Irenaeus writes of "the church of Ephesus, founded by Paul, with John continuing with them until the times of Trajan. Carolyn S. Jerousek, "Christ and St. John the Evangelist as a Model of Medieval Mysticism,", Carolyn S. Jerousek, "Christ and St. John the Evangelist as a Model of Medieval Mysticism", This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 12:08. So, far this seems to be accurate. As for how and when the Apostle St. Peter died, it is traditionally believed that he died between 64 and 67 AD and was crucified upside down at Rome. Ac 12:117]. Tribe of Asher History, Identity & Context | Who was Asher in the Bible? Copy the n-largest files from a certain directory to the current one, Can corresponding author withdraw a paper after it has accepted without permission/acceptance of first author. For men who were not athletes, you would expect an 18 year old to outrun a 30 year old. In Byzantine art he appears old, with a long white beard and hair. (Pliny Natural History 4.6970; Tacitus Annals 4.30)[60], Some modern critical scholars have raised the possibility that John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, and John of Patmos were three separate individuals. [91], As he was traditionally identified with the beloved apostle, the evangelist, and the author of the Revelation and several Epistles, John played an extremely prominent role in art from the early Christian period onward. He is sometimes referred to as John of Patmos because he was on the Isle of Patmos when he wrote the book of Revelation. John wrote 5 books in the New Testament. The book of Acts describes John as a pillar of the early Christian Church, having worked to establish churches in Ephesus and across Asia Minor. What did Peter, James and John see on the Mount of Transfiguration? Due to their religious fervor and passion, Jesus called them "Sons of Thunder." Prophet's Sirah by Ibn Hisham, Chapter: Sending messengers of Allah's Messenger to kings, p.870, Musnad el Imam Ahmad Volume 4, Publisher: Dar al Fikr, p.72, Hadith#17225, Jadranka Prolovi, "Socrates and St. John the Apostle: the interchangable similarity of their portraits", *Carolyn S. Jerousek, "Christ and St. John the Evangelist as a Model of Medieval Mysticism", The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, List of biblical figures identified in extra-biblical sources, Saint John the Apostle, patron saint archive, "The Disciples of John and the Odes of Solomon", "John 19 Commentary William Barclay's Daily Study Bible", "John, The Apostle International Standard Bible Encyclopedia", "Fonck, Leopold. Polycarp taught Irenaeus, passing on to him stories about John. John probably knew of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but these gospels spoke of Jesus primarily in the year following the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist. Jesus answers, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? By first-century standards, he lived a rather long life. If we had a video livestream of a clock being sent to Mars, what would we see? All Rights Reserved. "The big problem with this argument [of who would die for a lie] is that it assumes precisely what we dont know. [67] John's traditional tomb is thought to be located in the former basilica of Saint John at Seluk, a small town in the vicinity of Ephesus. John was 99 years old. [55] However, most biblical scholars now contend that these were separate individuals since the text was written around 100 AD, after the death of John the Apostle,[36][56][57] although many historians have defended the identification of the Author of the Gospel of John with that of the Book of Revelation based on the similarity of the two texts. We don't know how most of the disciples died. Who was John, the Elder? The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Can I use the spell Immovable Object to create a castle which floats above the clouds? According to church tradition, their mother was Salome. They seem to have been even tempered men, but there is one story at the end of Luke 9 where they asked Jesus if He wanted them to call down fire from Heaven to consume the unbelieving Samaritans. John is known as the son of Zebedee and the brother of James. Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine. Apostles Peter, Andrew, James, and John The first group of four apostles was Jesus' inner group. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. What did Jesus do between the age of 12 and 30? Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. John and his brother St. James were among the first disciples called by Jesus. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. "[66], It is traditionally believed that John was the youngest of the apostles and survived them. As the last living person who was directly instructed during Jesus' earthly ministry, John lived a long life and died close to 100 A.D. His symbol as an evangelist is an eagle. (Acts 15:14; 2 Peter 1:1). Another theory concerning John's death is associated with a second-century bishop named Papias of Hierapolis. But the apocryphal Acts that tell their stories are indeed highly apocryphal. How Did The Apostle John Die? | Jack Wellman Among such offenses were the practices of magic and astrology. John the Apostle is known for being the fisherman son of Zebedee and, along with his brother James, one of the first of Jesus's disciples. Officially, the apostles grave is at Ephesus. Stacy is currently an associate professor for a baccalaureate nursing program at a local university; additionally, she teaches clinicals and runs the simulation lab. When the Apostle Paul died, he was 59 years old. John, the beloved disciple (elder son of Zebedee, brother of James, both James and John we also called "Sons of Thunder" or "Boanerges"), died of extreme old age in Ephesus. [50][51][52][53] As The New Oxford Annotated Bible (2018) has put it, "Scholars generally agree that the Gospels were written forty to sixty years after the death of Jesus. [92] This symbol is interpreted as a reference to a legend from the Acts of John,[96] in which John was challenged to drink a cup of poison to demonstrate the power of his faith (the poison being symbolized by the serpent). [27] Tradition identifies this disciple as John. [22], John the Apostle is traditionally believed to be one of two disciples (the other being Andrew) recounted in John 1:3539, who upon hearing the Baptist point out Jesus as the "Lamb of God," followed Jesus and spent the day with him. Read them in the archive below. Tradition says that this was after John had been sentenced to death by martyrdom. [36] Some scholars place the Gospel of John somewhere between AD 65 and 85;[37][pageneeded] John Robinson proposes an initial edition by 5055 and then a final edition by 65 due to narrative similarities with Paul. John, Apostle and Evangelist is remembered in the Church of England with a Festival on 27 December. The brothers at one point even argued over who could sit at the right hand of the throne once they were all in Heaven together. The reality is [that] we simply do not have reliable information about what happened to Jesus' disciples after he died. Until the 19th century, the authorship of the Gospel of John had been attributed to the Apostle John. What we have are legends, about some of the apostles chiefly Peter, Paul, Thomas, Andrew, and John. [12][14][15] Regardless of whether or not John the Apostle wrote any of the Johannine works, most scholars agree that all three epistles were written by the same author and that the epistles did not have the same author as the Book of Revelation, although there is widespread disagreement among scholars as to whether the author of the epistles was different from that of the gospel. It is safe to say they were all between the ages of 13 and 30 at the time they followed Jesus, John possibly the youngest and Peter perhaps one of the oldest since he was already married. John the Apostle: Facts & Biography - Study.com His message was that Gods judgment on the world was imminent and that, to prepare for this judgment, the people should repent their sins, be baptized, and produce appropriate fruits of repentance. John was the son of Zebedee, a Galilean fisherman, and Salome. How did the Twelve Apostles die? - Where did the Apostles die? [Acts 4:3] He went with Peter to visit the newly converted believers in Samaria. The period of early Christianity during the lifetimes of the apostles is called the Apostolic Age. Scholars have debated the authorship of Johannine literature (the Gospel of John, Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation) since at least the third century, but especially since the Enlightenment. At the end of the 2nd century, Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, claims that Johns tomb is at Ephesus, identifies him with the beloved disciple, and adds that he was a priest, wearing the sacerdotal plate, both martyr and teacher. That John died in Ephesus is also stated by St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon circa 180 ce, who says John wrote his Gospel and letters at Ephesus and Revelation at Ptmos. See John the Apostle facts, such as information about his travels with Jesus. Eternal Insecurity Once I Was Saved, But Now Am Lost? Jesus had told Peter to feed his sheep. [76] The traditional liturgical color is white. J ohn the Apostle was one of the 12 disciples of Christ. Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible: Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources: including the Revised New Testament and the Revised Psalms. In the end, this is speculation, and we simply cannot know how old the apostles were. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. All rights reserved. [91], The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches that John the Apostle is the same person as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, and the Beloved Disciple. Early Church tradition tells us that St. John was the last Apostle to die, perhaps around A.D. 95 or so. Born | c. 6 AD, Galilee, in the Holy Land [1] ! His brother was James, who was another of the Twelve Apostles. John never referred to himself in. Tertullian, the 2nd-century North African theologian, reports that John was plunged into boiling oil from which he miraculously escaped unscathed. The Apostle John was born in and grew up in Galilee, and was the son of a fisherman named Zebedee and his wife, Salome. Three of the islands in the Sporades were places where political offenders were banished. Followers of the gospel of Jesus and disciples of John, termed the Johannites, carried on the legacy of John the Apostle after his death. [78], Until 1960, another feast day which appeared in the General Roman Calendar is that of "Saint John Before the Latin Gate" on 6 May, celebrating a tradition recounted by Jerome that St John was brought to Rome during the reign of the Emperor Domitian, and was thrown in a vat of boiling oil, from which he was miraculously preserved unharmed. Prophecy with political implications, like that expressed by John in the book of Revelation, would have been perceived as a threat to Roman political power and order. Required fields are marked *. [54] The early 2nd century writer, Justin Martyr, was the first to equate the author of Revelation with John the Apostle. How old was the Apostle John when he wrote Revelation? Who Was John the Apostle? The Beginner's Guide - OverviewBible [97] Historians have related such portrayals to the circumstances of the believers for whom they were intended. Pergamon Altar of Zeus Facts & Purpose | Where was the Altar of Zeus? He was instrumental in the conversion of St. Paul. This Octave was abolished by Pope Pius XII in 1955. Folder's list view has different sized fonts in different folders. [94] One of John's familiar attributes is the chalice, often with a serpent emerging from it. The bishops of Asia Minor supposedly requested him to write his gospel to deal with the heresy of the Ebionites, who asserted that Christ did not exist before Mary. In the Gospel According to Mark he is always mentioned after James and was no doubt the younger brother. Amazingly, he died of old age. According to Tertullian (in The Prescription of Heretics) John was banished (presumably to Patmos) after being plunged into boiling oil in Rome and suffering nothing from it. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Canadian of Polish descent travel to Poland with Canadian passport, What are the arguments for/against anonymous authorship of the Gospels. His brother James was another of the Twelve Apostles. When John was aged, he trained Polycarp who later became Bishop of Smyrna. John the Apostle met Jesus in Galilee, where Jesus went to preach the gospel. Is there any indication of an age limit back then? A teenager along with women would be less threatened being present at the crucifixion. We can surmise that to John, the message was what mattered, not who got the credit. The original community was under the leadership of Apollos (1 Corinthians 1:12). [31], Church tradition has held that John is the author of the Gospel of John and four other books of the New Testament the three Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation. John was known as an apostle, author, and the only apostle who was not killed by martyrdom, though not from lack of trying. The Church Fathers identify him as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder and the Beloved Disciple, and testify that he outlived the remaining apostles and that he was the only one to die of natural causes. These Acts are also the source of the notion that John became a disciple as a very young man. The theologian Tertullian reported that John was plunged into boiling oil but miraculously escaped unscathed. "Authors, Books, and Readers in the Ancient World", "De Viris Illustribus (On Illustrious Men) Chapter 9 & 18", "Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian", "Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian", "Synaxis of the Holy, Glorious and All-Praised Twelve Apostles", "The Synoptic Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles: Telling the Christian Story", Eastern Orthodox icon and Synaxarion of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist (May 8), Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_the_Apostle&oldid=1152634727, Articles containing Imperial Aramaic (700-300 BCE)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2021, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from March 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Book, a serpent in a chalice, cauldron, eagle. [24] A Gospel story relates how the brothers wanted to call down heavenly fire on an unhospitable Samaritan town, but Jesus rebuked them. Often asked: How Old Was John The Apostle When He Died? [64] According to tradition, after the Assumption of Mary, John went to Ephesus. It is safe to say they were all between the ages of 13 and 30 at the time they followed Jesus, John possibly the youngest and Peter perhaps one of the oldest since he was already married. If John was in his 90s when he died, he would have 30 years old when he was with Jesus. We get the vast majority of our information about John from the pages of the four gospels. We know that he was born in AD 5 and died in AC 64. Vol. Saint James | Biography, Apostle, Death, & Facts | Britannica What position John held in the controversy concerning the admission of the Gentiles to the church is not known; the evidence is insufficient for a theory that the Johannine school was anti-Paulinei.e., opposed to granting Gentiles membership in the church. Peter the Apostle in the Bible | Story, Facts & Death, Difference Between a Disciple & an Apostle. David Peach has been in full time missions work with the Deaf since 1994. [88] It also teaches that in 1829, along with the resurrected Peter and the resurrected James, John visited Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and restored the priesthood authority with Apostolic succession to earth,[89] though some ex-Latter-Day Saints claim that previous editions of latter-day scripture contradict this claim of priesthood authority and Apostolic Succession. succeed. As for how and when the Apostle St. Peter died, it is traditionally believed that he died between 64 and 67 AD and was crucified upside down at Rome. John was the disciple who reported to Jesus that they had 'forbidden' a non-disciple from casting out demons in Jesus' name, prompting Jesus to state that 'he who is not against us is on our side'. John is named as the beloved disciple, as well as the one whom Jesus loved, in the New Testament of the Bible. 1400s, John the Apostle and St Francis by El Greco, c. 1600-1614, Martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist by Master of the Winkler Epitaph, St. John the Evangelist in meditation by Simone Cantarini (1612-1648), Bologna, Saint John and the Poisoned Cup by El Greco, c. 1610-1614. According to extrabiblical church tradition, Timothy remained in Ephesus for the rest of his life, until he was martyred for his faith. Mark, Matthew and Luke do not mention any one of the twelve disciples having witnessed the crucifixion. 90 100), is applicable. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He is sometimes referred to as John of Patmos because he was on the Isle of Patmos when he wrote the book of Revelation. In 5e D&D and Grim Hollow, how does the Specter transformation affect a human PC in regards to the 'undead' characteristics and spells? Create your account. The book itself says it was written by the apostle John. So involved was he, that he was named as a pillar of the early Christian Church in Jerusalem. New York: Catholic Book Pub., 1992. James and John were called Boanerges, or sons of thunder, by Jesus, perhaps because of some character trait such as the zeal exemplified in Mark 9:38 and Luke 9:54, when John and James wanted to call down fire from heaven to punish the Samaritan towns that did not accept Jesus. Does a password policy with a restriction of repeated characters increase security? All of his books were written later in life and after all the other books in the Bible were recorded. John the Apostle Biography - The Famous People John the Apostle[10] (Ancient Greek: ; Latin: Ioannes[11] c.6 AD c.100 AD; Ge'ez: ;) or Saint John the Beloved was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. His occupation was as a fisherman before he and his brother became disciples of Christ. Authorship. The traditions of most Christian denominations have held that John the Apostle is the author of several books of the New Testament. John is often affiliated with his brother and father, being called John, son of Zebedee, and John, brother of James at different points throughout history. The Apostle John, his brother James, and Peter were the only three invited with Jesus to the mountain where the Transfiguration would occur. John was one of the three who went to the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus to pray before the crucifixion, though they were unable to stay awake for Jesus despite him asking them three times. Bacon, Martin Hengel and Henry Barclay Swete, maintain that these references to Papias are credible. The phrase "the disciple whom Jesus loved as a brother" ( , ho mathts hon gap ho Isous), or in John 20:2; "whom Jesus loved as a friend" ( , hon ephilei ho Isous), is used six times in the Gospel of John,[29] but in no other New Testament accounts of Jesus. Yet he emerged unharmed from the experience. [73][74], The feast day of Saint John in the Roman Catholic Church, which calls him "Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist", and in the Anglican Communion and Lutheran Calendars, which call him "Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist", is on 27 December. However, it is speculated that John was approximately 90 years old when he died, near the year 100 AD. [45][48][49], Mainstream Bible scholars assert that all four gospels from the New Testament are fundamentally anonymous and most of mainstream scholars agree that these gospels have not been written by eyewitnesses. 236 lessons. Since the end of the first century, the Beloved Disciple has been commonly identified with John the Evangelist. While some details of John's life are debated, it is generally agreed that John spent his last days in Ephesus after establishing a church there.
