by Patricia Skinner

Created on: January 29, 2009

Study of the Bible is the way of getting to know our Heavenly Father. The Bible is his word to us, just as an earthly father would write us a letter, so to has our Heavenly Father.

By reading his word, and complying with his commands (or requests) we find satisfaction is knowing that we are pleasing to him and we can find contentment and peace in life.

With reference to the Apostle John to study his writings gives us insight to how he felt about his God.

It would seem that his family was fairly well off. His father Zebedee employed hired men in his fishing business. His mother Salome was among the women who accompanied and ministered to Jesus when he was in Galilee (Matt. 27 v 55 & 56) and she took part in bringing spices to prepare Jesus' body for burial. (Mr 16:1) It also appears that John had a house of his own. (Joh 19:26, 27)

He is generally thought to be the disciple of John the Baptizer that was with Andrew when John announced to them: "See, the Lamb of God!" His ready acceptance of Jesus as the Christ reveals that he had a knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. (Joh 1:35, 36, 40-42) While it is never stated that his father Zebedee became a disciple of either John the Baptizer or of Christ, it appears that he offered no resistance to his two sons' becoming full-time preachers with Jesus.

When he and the Apostle Peter were brought before the Jewish rulers, they were viewed as "unlettered and ordinary." This did not mean, however, that they had no education or were unable to read and write, but meant that they had not received their training at the rabbinic schools. It is stated, rather, that "they began to recognize about them that they used to be with Jesus." (Ac 4:13.)

John was one of the three most intimately associated with Jesus. Along with Peter, James, Jesus took them to the mountain of transfiguration. Of the apostles only these three were allowed to enter into the house of Jairus with Jesus and they were privileged to be the ones taken by Jesus farther than the others into the garden of Gethsemane on the night of his betrayal, although at that time they did not realize the full significance of the occasion, having fallen asleep three times and to be awakened by Jesus. John was the one who occupied the position next to Jesus at his last Passover and the institution of the Lord's Evening Meal. He was the disciple who, at Jesus' death, received the honor of being entrusted with the care of Jesus' mother. (Joh 21:7, 20; 19:26, 27.)

In his Gospel you will

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