The Apostle John

The Apostle John as a Prominent Disciple and New Testament Author

The Apostle we're going to be looking at this Sunday is the Apostle John. John is one of the most prominent disciples of Christ. He wrote five New Testament books, including the Gospel of John, the Epistles of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John, and finally the book of Revelation.

John, in his Gospel, refers to himself as what? The disciple whom Jesus loved. And he is often referred to that way in history. People have called him the Apostle of Love. Unfortunately, though, during the Renaissance era, starting with Leonardo da Vinci, he painted the Apostle John in his famous work, The Last Supper.

He painted John intentionally to look like a woman. And even now, if you search the Apostle John online, all sorts of images appear of feminine-looking men, and probably women. And that's just the way they depict him.

Rejecting the Renaissance Image of John

So I'll say it again based on 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Not only did Jesus not have long hair, John didn't look like that either. Okay, so John was not like that. He was not effeminate as they portray him in Hollywood and pop culture.

Far from it. John was a fisherman. He had a bit of a temper. And as I shared last time, him and his brother James got a nickname from Jesus. And what was that nickname? Sons of Thunder. So I don't know where this comes from, but that's sort of how history is.

They try to distort the image of who Jesus was and who his apostles were. We also have the idea of the stained-glass apostles. You know, this idea that they walked around with a halo above their head.

You know, that's not true. They were average, ordinary people just like us. The difference is they were chosen. And their time with Jesus and the filling of the Holy Spirit, that is what turned them into the great men that they were.

John at the Cross and the Tradition of His Longevity

But John was unique in a few ways. Being so close to Jesus, that has to be the most significant thing. Along with the fact that he was the only disciple to not forsake Christ as he stood with the women at the cross while Jesus suffered and died.

All the other disciples, you remember, were in hiding. But John was there. And perhaps it's for that reason that Jesus allowed John to live longer than any other disciple. There was even a rumor among the Twelve that John would never die.

And he would live until the Lord returned. Of course, that was not the case. Because John, likely being the youngest apostle, he lived, we believe, at least until the year 95 A .D. where, according to tradition, he was the only apostle who died of natural causes.

Revelation 22 and the Closing Words of Scripture

But before he went home to be with the Lord, he wrote the final words of Scripture in Revelation 22. John ends the Bible with these words. He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming quickly, speaking of the Lord.

Or this is Jesus saying, I am coming quickly. And John replies, Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. And the Bible ends. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Amen.