ST. JOHN. ST. JOHN was a Galilean, the son of Zebedee and Salome, younger brother to St. James, together with whom he was brought up in the trade of fishing. St. Jerome' makes him remarkable upon the account of his nobility, whereby he became acquainted with the high-priest, and resolutely ventured himself amongst the Jews at our Saviour's trial, prevailed to introduce Peter into the hall, was the only apostle that attended our Lord at his crucifixion, and afterwards durst own his mother, and keep her at his own house. But the nobility of his family, and especially that it should be such as to procure him so much respect from persons of the highest rank and quality, seems not reconcilable with the meanness of his father's trade, and the privacy of his fortunes. And for his acquaintance with the high-priest, I should rather put it upon 1 Propter generis nobilitatem notus erat pontifici, et Judæorum insidias non timebat, in tantum ut Petrum introduceret in Atrium, et staret solus apostolorum ante crucem, matremque salvatoris in sua reciperet."-Hieron. Epitaph. Marcel. p. 119, tom. i. some other account, especially if it be true what Nicephorus relates, that he had lately sold his estate, left by his father in Galilee, to Annas the high-priest, and had therewith purchased a fair house at Jerusalem, about mount Sion, whence he became acquainted with him.' Before his coming to Christ, he seems for some time to have been disciple to John the Baptist, being probably that other disciple that was with Andrew, when they left the Baptist to follow our Saviour, so particularly does he relate all circumstances of that transaction, though modestly, as in other parts of his gospel, concealing his own name. He was at the same time with his brother called by our Lord both to the discipleship and apostolate; by far the youngest of all the apostles, as the ancients generally affirm, and his great age seems to evince, living near seventy years after our Saviour's suffering. 2. There is not much said concerning him in the sacred story, more than what is recorded of him in conjunction with his brother James, which we have already remarked in his life. He was peculiarly dear to his Lord and master, being 'the disciple whom Jesus loved; that is, treated with more freedom and familiarity than the rest. And indeed he was not only one of the three whom our Saviour made partakers of the private passages of his life, but had some instances of a more particular kindness and favour conferred upon him. Witness his lying in our Saviour's bosom at the paschal supper; it being the custom of those times to lie along at meals upon couches, so that the second lay with 1 H. Eccl. lib. i. c. 28, p. 104, vid, lib. ii. c. 3, p. 135, ubi hæreditatem hanc Caiphæ venditam fuisse dicit. his head in the bosom of him that was before him; this honourable place was not given to any of the aged, but reserved for our apostle: nay, when Peter was desirous to know which of them our Saviour meant, when he told them that one of them should betray him, and durst not himself propound the question, he made use of St. John (whose familiarity with him might best warrant such an inquiry) to ask our Lord; who thereupon made them understand, it was Judas whom he designed by the traitor. This favour our apostle endeavoured in some measure to answer by returns of particular kindness and constancy to our Saviour, staying with him when the rest deserted him. Indeed, upon our Lord's first apprehension he fled after the other apostles, it not being without some probabilities of reason, that the ancients conceive him to have been that 'young man' that followed after Christ, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; whom when the officers laid hold upon, he left the linen cloth, and fled naked from them.' This in all likelihood was that garment that he had cast about him at supper, (for they had peculiar vestments for that purpose,) and being extremely affected with the treason, and our Lord's approaching passion, had forgot to put on his other garments, but followed him into the garden in the same habit wherewith he arose from the table; it being then night, and so less liable to be taken notice of either by himself or others. But though he fled at present, to avoid that sudden violence that was offered to him, yet he soon recovered himself, and returned back to seek his master, confidently 1 Mark xiv. 51. entered into the high-priest's hall, and followed our Lord through the several passages of his trial, and at last waited upon him (and for any thing we know, was the only apostle that did so) at his execution, owning him, as well as being owned by him, in the midst of arms and guards, and in the thickest crowds of his most inveterate enemies. Here it was that our Lord, by his last will and testament made upon the cross, appointed him guardian of his own mother, the blessed virgin: When he saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he said unto his mother, woman, behold thy son ;' see, here is one that shall supply my place, and be to thee instead of a son, to love and honour thee, to provide and take care for thee: ' and to the disciple he said, behold thy mother;' she whom thou shalt henceforth deal with, treat and observe with that duty and honourable regard, which the relation of an indulgent mother challenges from a pious and obedient son: whereupon 'he took her into his own house,' her husband, Joseph, being some time since dead, and made her a principal part of his charge and care. And cer 6 1 tainly the holy Jesus could not have given a more honourable testimony of his particular respect and kindness to St. John, than to commit his own mother, whom of all earthly relations he held most dear and valuable, to his trust and care, and to substitute him to supply that duty which he himself paid her while he was here below. 3. At the first news of our Lord's return from the dead, he, accompanied with Peter, presently hasted to the sepulchre. Indeed, there seems to have been 1 John xix. 26, 27. a mutual intimacy between these two apostles more than the rest. It was to Peter that St. John gave the notice of Christ's appearing, when he came to them at the sea of Tiberias in the habit of a stranger; and it was for John that Peter was so solicitously inquisitive to know what should become of him. After Christ's ascension, we find these two going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, and miraculously healing the poor impotent cripple; both preaching to the people, and both apprehended together by the priests and Sadducees, and thrown into prison, and the next day brought forth to plead their cause before the Sanhedrim. These were the two chosen by the apostles to send down to Samaria, to settle and confirm the plantations which Philip had made in those parts, where they confounded and baffled Simon the magician, and set him in a hopeful way to repentance. To these St. Paul addressed himself, as those that seemed to be pillars among the rest, who accordingly 'gave him the right-hand of fellowship;' and confirmed his mission to the Gentiles. 4. In the division of provinces which the apostles made among themselves, Asia fell to his share ;1 though he did not presently enter upon his charge, otherwise we must needs have heard of him in the account which St. Luke gives of St. Paul's several journeys into and residence in those parts. Probable therefore it is, that he dwelt still in his own house at Jerusalem, at least till the death of the blessed virgin, (and this is plainly asserted by Nicephorus from the account of those historians 2 1 Euseb. lib. iii. c. 1, p. 71. |