Preliminaries about the book of John

The book of John was written by the Apostle John (not John the Baptist). He was one of the sons of Zebedee and Salome and was born at Bethsaida. His father was apparently a man of some wealth. He was doubtlessly trained in all that constituted the ordinary education of Jewish youth. When he grew up he followed the occupation of a fisherman on the lake of Galilee. When John the Baptist began his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, John with many others, gathered round him and were deeply influenced by his teaching.

There John heard the announcement, "Behold the Lamb of God," and forthwith on the invitation of Jesus, became a disciple and ranked among his followers for a time. He and his brother then returned to their former avocation, for how long is uncertain.

Jesus again called them and now they left all and permanently attached themselves to the company of His disciples. He became one of the innermost circle. He was the disciple whom Jesus loved. In zeal and intensity of character he was a "Boanerges" (Mark 3:17) Jesus called them "sons of thunder." At the betrayal he and Peter follow Christ afar off. At the trial he follows Christ into the council chamber and thence to the praetorium (judgement hall of the governor's palace) and to the place of crucifixion. To him and Peter, Mary first conveys tidings of the resurrection and they are the first to go to see what her strange words mean.

After the resurrection he and Peter again return to the sea of Galilee, where the Lord reveals himself to them. Peter and John were frequently found together. John remained apparently in Jerusalem as the leader of the church there. His subsequent history is unrecorded. He was not there, however, at the time of Paul's last visit. He appears to have retired to Ephesus, but at what time is unknown. The seven churches of Asia were the objects of his special care. He suffered under persecution and was banished to Patmos Island; whence he again returned to Ephesus, where he died, probably about A.D 98.