ONE OF THE TWELVE

John son of Zebedee

“the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre”

Also called John the brother of James · Boanerges (with James)

VERSES THAT NAME HIM

RECORDS WITH JESUS

NAMED BESIDE HIM

SOURCES OUTSIDE SCRIPTURE on how it ends

HIS LIFE IN FOUR PARTS

How much does Scripture tell?

A fisherman’s son from Galilee; with Peter and James, one of the three Jesus took aside. Scripture gives no years for his life, so the ring is divided by how much is recorded: 22 records of what he did or what was said to him, one bead each. The last part is tradition and is drawn dashed. Choose a part to read it.

II · THE GOSPELS, IN THE HARMONY’S ORDER

With Jesus

Called from mending nets with his brother Matthew 4:21–22
At the house of Simon and Andrew Mark 1:29
Chosen as one of the Twelve and named Boanerges Mark 3:13–19
One of three allowed into Jairus’s house Mark 5:37
Sent out with the Twelve; fourth in Matthew’s list Matthew 10:1–5
On the mountain at the transfiguration Matthew 17:1–8
“We forbad him”: the man casting out devils in Jesus’ name Mark 9:38–40
Asks to call down fire on a Samaritan village Luke 9:51–56
Asks with James for the seats at Jesus’ right and left Matthew 20:20–28
Asks on the Mount of Olives when the temple will fall Mark 13:3–4
Sent with Peter to prepare the passover Luke 22:8
The beloved disciple leans on Jesus at the supper John 13:23–25
Taken further into Gethsemane Matthew 26:37
The beloved disciple given Jesus’ mother at the cross John 19:25–27
The beloved disciple outruns Peter to the tomb John 20:2–10
By the sea: “It is the Lord” John 21:1–7

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER

Where is he named?

One square for each chapter of the books that name John: 35 verses in 24 chapters. The darker the square, the more verses in it name him. Choose a chapter to read what happens there.

THE GOSPELS AND ACTS

THE LETTERS AND REVELATION

ACTS 3

4 verses name him

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

WHAT HAPPENS HERE

The lame man at the temple gate

No verse in John names him.

CHAPTER I · BEFORE THE CALL

Zebedee’s boat

Home, trade and family · 7 records

SCRIPTURE · MATTHEW 4:21

In his father’s boat

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.

Fishermen in their father’s boat on the sea of Galilee (Matt 4:21; Mark 1:19–20), “partners with Simon” (Luke 5:10).

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter, James son of Zebedee, Zebedee

WHERE

Sea of Galilee

TOLD IN 3 BOOKS

Matthew 4:21·Mark 1:19–20·Luke 5:10

CHAPTER II · WITH JESUS

The disciple at the supper

The Gospels, in the harmony’s order · 16 records

SCRIPTURE · MATTHEW 17:1–8

On the mountain at the transfiguration

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

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter, James son of Zebedee

IN THE HARMONY

§85 · The Transfiguration of Jesus on a mountain (Probably hermon) near cæsarea Philippi

TOLD IN 3 BOOKS

Matthew 17:1–8·Mark 9:2–8·Luke 9:28–36

SCRIPTURE · JOHN 13:23–25

The beloved disciple leans on Jesus at the supper

Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter

IN THE HARMONY

§146 · At the paschal meal Jesus points out Judas as the betrayer

PASSAGE

John 13:23–25

SCRIPTURE · JOHN 19:25–27

The beloved disciple given Jesus’ mother at the cross

Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

NAMED WITH HIM

Mary Magdalene, Alphaeus

IN THE HARMONY

§164 · The first three hours on the cross

PASSAGE

John 19:25–27

SCRIPTURE · JOHN 20:2–10

The beloved disciple outruns Peter to the tomb

So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter

IN THE HARMONY

§172 · Mary Magdalene and the other women report to the apostles, and Peter and John visit the empty tomb

PASSAGE

John 20:2–10

SCRIPTURE · JOHN 21:1–7

By the sea: “It is the Lord”

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, Zebedee

WHERE

Sea of Galilee

IN THE HARMONY

§180 · The appearance to seven disciples beside the sea of Galilee. The miraculous draught of fishes

PASSAGE

John 21:1–7·John 21:20–24

CHAPTER III · THE CHURCH IN ACTS

With Peter in Jerusalem

Acts and the letters · 6 records

SCRIPTURE · ACTS 3:1–11

The lame man at the temple gate

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

With Peter he goes up to the temple at the hour of prayer, where a lame man is healed (Acts 3:1–11).

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter

WHERE

Jerusalem

PASSAGE

Acts 3:1–11

SCRIPTURE · ACTS 8:14–25

Sent to Samaria

And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

The apostles send Peter and John to Samaria; they pray for the believers, then preach “in many villages of the Samaritans” on the way back (Acts 8:14–25).

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter

WHERE

Samaria

PASSAGE

Acts 8:14–25

SCRIPTURE · REVELATION 1:9

Patmos

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The writer of Revelation calls himself John and says he “was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:9). Whether he is this John is disputed.

WHERE

Patmos

PASSAGE

Revelation 1:9

CHAPTER IV · AFTER SCRIPTURE

After Scripture

Tradition, by who said it and when · 11 sources

SCRIPTURE FIRST

What Scripture says of his end

Jesus told James and John, “Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of” (Mark 10:39).

Scripture Mark 10:35–39

Of the beloved disciple a saying went round “that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die” (John 21:23).

Scripture John 21:20–23

Revelation’s John was on Patmos “for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:9).

Scripture Revelation 1:9

Scripture does not record his death. Acts last shows him in Samaria (Acts 8:14–25) and then names him only as James’s brother (Acts 12:2).

From the text Acts 8:14–25·Acts 12:2

THEN TRADITION · 11 SOURCES, EARLIEST FIRST

c. 180 Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.1.1 Early church
c. 180 Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.3.4 Early church
c. 180 Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3 Early church
c. 190 Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, letter to Victor of Rome, quoted by Eusebius (3.31.3; 5.24.3) Early church
c. 200 Tertullian, Prescription against Heretics 36 Later tradition
c. 200 Clement of Alexandria, Who is the Rich Man that shall be Saved?, quoted by Eusebius (3.23.6–19) Early church
3rd c. Origen, as reported by Eusebius (3.1.1) Early church
c. 325 Eusebius, Church History 3.18.1 and 3.20.11 Early church
c. 325 Eusebius, Church History 3.39.6, on Papias Early church
392 Jerome, Lives of Illustrious Men 9 Early church
early 2nd c. Philip of Side (5th century) and George Hamartolus (9th century), each citing Papias Later tradition

Each is labelled with who said it and when; none is blended into Scripture.

THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM

Who was with him?

Every record of John in Scripture, in story order (the Gospels in the order of Robertson's harmony, then Acts and the letters). A person counts as "with him" only where a verse of that record names them both. 19 people in all.

named in the passage from first to last mention Point at a column to see what happens; click it to keep it (click again to let go); choose a name to follow that person.

I · BEFORE THE CALL

In his father’s boat

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.

NAMED WITH HIM HERE

Peter Luke 5:10
James son of Zebedee Matthew 4:21
Zebedee Matthew 4:21

SIDE BY SIDE

One moment, several accounts

4 moments of his story told by more than one book, each in its own words in the King James Version. His names are marked; switch on "only here" to underline the words that just one account has.

IN THE BOAT WITH ZEBEDEE

Matthew

Matthew 4:21–22

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.

4:22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

LEAVING THE HIRED SERVANTS

Mark

Mark 1:19–20

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.

1:20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

SIMON’S PARTNERS

Luke

Luke 5:10–11

5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

PERHAPS THE UNNAMED DISCIPLE

John

John 1:37–40

1:37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

1:38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

1:39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

1:40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

NEAR AND FAR

Where was he?

6 places named in his story, with what happened there and how far each lies from Jerusalem. Tradition's places are dashed, with who placed him there and when. Choose a card or a pin.

Scroll to zoom · drag to move · the map stays on his places Land outline: the Atlas (Natural Earth)

OPEN QUESTIONS

What readers still ask

9 questions the reviewed sources leave open for John, with the answers given and who gives them, and 4 things Scripture does not say, in italic. Choose one.

VIEWS, WITH WHO HOLDS THEM · THIS PAGE

How did John die?

Of old age at Ephesus

Irenaeus (about 180); Polycrates of Ephesus (about 190); Jerome (392)

Irenaeus has him at Ephesus “until the times of Trajan”; Polycrates says he “sleeps at Ephesus”; Jerome says he died “worn out by old age”.

Early church Irenaeus, 1885·Eusebius, 1890·Jerome, 1892

Killed, like his brother

Papias’s second book, as reported by Philip of Side (5th century) and George Hamartolus (9th century)

George Hamartolus says Papias wrote that John “was killed by the Jews, and thereby evidently fulfilled, together with his brother, Christ’s prophecy concerning them”. Lightfoot and Harmer (1891) print the first report with a question mark on its attribution to Philip of Side.

Later tradition Mark 10:39 J. B. Lightfoot and J. R. Harmer (eds. and trs.), 1891

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