John

John was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and the younger brother of James. He worked as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee until Jesus called him to become a fisher of men. John left his nets immediately to follow Christ, beginning a journey that would transform him from an ambitious, hot-tempered young man into the apostle of love.

John was part of Jesus' inner circle along with Peter and James, witnessing events the other disciples didn't see. He was present at the Transfiguration when Jesus' glory was revealed, at the raising of Jairus's daughter, and in the Garden of Gethsemane during Jesus' agony. This privileged position gave John unique insights into Jesus' character and mission that would shape his later writings.

Early in his ministry with Jesus, John demonstrated characteristics that earned him and his brother the nickname 'Sons of Thunder.' When a Samaritan village rejected Jesus, John and James asked if they should call down fire from heaven to destroy it. When they saw someone casting out demons in Jesus' name, John tried to stop him because he wasn't part of their group. John and James also asked Jesus for the highest positions in His kingdom, showing their ambition and lack of understanding.

Yet Jesus patiently transformed John's character. At the Last Supper, John reclined next to Jesus, positioned to lean back against Him—an intimacy reflected in John's repeated identification of himself as 'the disciple whom Jesus loved.' This wasn't arrogance but wonder at being loved by Christ. John's Gospel emphasizes love more than any other, revealing how deeply Christ's love had penetrated his heart.

John was the only disciple who stayed at the cross. There, Jesus entrusted His mother Mary to John's care, and John took her into his home. On resurrection morning, John ran with Peter to the empty tomb. When he saw the grave clothes, he believed. Later, fishing on the Sea of Galilee, John was the first to recognize the risen Jesus on the shore, telling Peter, 'It is the Lord!'

After Pentecost, John and Peter ministered together in Jerusalem. They healed a lame beggar at the temple gate, were imprisoned for preaching about Jesus, and boldly testified before the Sanhedrin. John also traveled to Samaria with Peter to pray that new believers would receive the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts calls them 'unschooled, ordinary men' whom others recognized as having been with Jesus.

John likely wrote his Gospel later in life, around 85-90 AD, supplementing the other Gospels with unique material emphasizing Jesus' deity and love. He wrote three letters addressing truth, love, and discernment in the Christian community. Exiled to the island of Patmos for his testimony about Jesus, John received the visions recorded in Revelation, unveiling Christ's final victory and the new heaven and earth. According to tradition, John was the only apostle to die of natural causes, living to approximately age 94. His legacy of emphasizing God's love and truth continues to shape Christianity. His transformation from a 'son of thunder' to the apostle who wrote 'God is love' demonstrates the transforming power of walking with Christ.