Course Name: [ The Book of 1 John ] Lesson One: [ Twelve Things You Need To Know about the Apostle John ] 1. John s hometown was Bethsaida, Galilee. He was the son of Zebedee. 2. John was in the fishing business with his father, brother and friends, Peter and Andrew. Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV) As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 Come, follow Me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. 20 At once they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. Luke 5:8-11 (NIV) When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus knees and said, Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, Don t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people. 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him. 3. Before John became a disciple of Jesus, he was a disciple of John the Baptist. John 1:35-42 (NIV) The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, Look, the Lamb of God 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, What do you want? They said, Rabbi (which means Teacher ), where are You staying? 39 Come, He replied, and you will see. So they July 2, 2014
went and saw where He was staying, and they spent that day with Him. It was about four in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, We have found the Messiah (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas (which, when translated, is Peter). 4. John s initial decision to become a disciple of Jesus was followed by: A call to become one of Jesus twelve full-time students. Matthew 4:21, 22 (NIV) Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. An appointment as one of Jesus apostles. Luke 6:12-16 (NIV) One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom He named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. 5. John became a part of Jesus inner circle of disciples/apostles Peter, James and John. Mark 5:35-37 (NIV) While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. Your daughter is dead, they said. Why bother the teacher anymore? 36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, Don t be afraid; just believe. 37 He did not let anyone follow Him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. Luke 9:28-30 (NIV) About eight days after Jesus said this, He took Peter, John and James with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 12 Things You Need To Know about the Apostle John // Page 2
Matthew 26:36-38 (NIV) Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, Sit here while I go over there and pray. 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then He said to them, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me. 6. Jesus identified, addressed and corrected weaknesses in John s character. Mark 3:17 (NIV) James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means sons of thunder ). Luke 9:51-55 (NIV) As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them? 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 7. John was deeply loyal to Jesus. John 13:21-25 (NIV) After He had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray Me. 22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them He meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to Him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, Ask Him which one He means. 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked Him, Lord, who is it? John 18:15, 16 (NIV) Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. John 19:25-27 (NIV) Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to her, Woman, here is your son, 27 and to the disciple, Here is your mother. From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. John 20:1-3 (NIV) Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, They 12 Things You Need To Know about the Apostle John // Page 3
have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don t know where they have put Him 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 8. John was a key apostolic leader in the early church. Acts 3:1 (NIV) One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. Acts 4:1-4 (NIV) The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. Acts 4:13 (NIV) When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 9. John was used by God to pen five New Testament books the Gospel of John; 1, 2 and 3 John; Revelation. He never mentioned his name in any of these writings. He used phrases about himself that described his relationship with Jesus. He penned these books during the later part of his life. 10. John outlived all the other original apostles. John 21:18-24 (NIV) Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go. 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then He said to him, Follow Me 20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, Lord, who is going to betray you? ) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, Lord, what about him? 22 Jesus answered, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me. 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; He only said, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? 24 This is the 12 Things You Need To Know about the Apostle John // Page 4
disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 11. At the end of his life, John became an overseer of churches in Asia Minor (Turkey). His ministry base was the church at Ephesus. 12. John was a highly respected apostle, elder, bishop, overseer and teacher of the early church. He was very intentional in his writings making clear the divinity of Jesus Christ, the accurate nature of Jesus Christ, and the incredible love of Jesus Christ for people. His writings were important in helping the early church address theological and philosophical heresies such as Gnosticism and Docetism. John 20:30, 31 (NIV) Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. 1 John 1:1-3 (NIV) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 12 Things You Need To Know about the Apostle John // Page 5