Beloved disciple John

  • Fishing partner of Peter and Andrew
  • Born son of Zebedee and Salome
  • Brother of James (Sons of Thunder)
  • Adoptive son to Jesus’ mother Mary
  • Disciple who saw, heard, touched
  • Beloved, dearest friend of Jesus
  • Wrote Gospel, 3 epistles, Revelation

 

1 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. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.

 

Firsthand testimony

One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. (John 19:34-35)

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. (John 21:24)

Firsthand testimony

We have heard… seen with our eyes… looked at… hands touched… we have seen it … We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard. (1 John 1:1-3)

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14)

 

The life appeared

That which was from the beginning… this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared… we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. (1:1-2)

 

Word of life

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)

 

Only begotten God

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the only begotten  from the Father, full of grace and truth… No one has ever seen God. The only begotten God, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:14-18)

 

I am the life

As the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself… The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life… I came that they may have life and have it abundantly… I am... the life. (John 5:26; 6:63; 10:10; 11:25; 14:6)

 

The life appeared

  • Eternal God: from the beginning, Word of life, the life
  • Human flesh: heard, seen, touched
  • God incarnate: The life appeared… the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

 

Joyous fellowship

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. We write this to make our joy complete. (1 John 1:3-4)

 

The life appeared

  • Through eyewitness John, the Spirit of truth gives sure knowledge of Jesus.
  • Through disciple John, the Spirit of life shares eternal life by faith in Jesus.
  • Through beloved John, the Spirit of love guides us into a joyous and growing fellowship with Jesus.

Last modified: Tuesday, July 25, 2023, 1:58 PM