Page 13 - LOTN Spring Issue 52 2023

EDUCATION AND FORMATION

things, and who has written these things, and we know that
his testimony is true” (20:24). Further assurance is offered to
us in the First Letter of John that the author is to be trusted:
“That which was from the beginning, which we have
heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked
upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the
word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen
it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which
was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that
which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so
that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our
fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus ChriSt
And we are writing these things so that our joy may be
complete (1Jn 1-4).
The three Synoptic Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark and Tomb of St John the Apostle, in St John's Basilica, Ephesus, near
Luke, mention how John was sometimes singled out, modern day Selçuk, Türkiye
along with his brother James and Peter; Jesus allows only
these three to go with him into the house of Jairus, where mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his
he raises up the little girl (Mk 5:37); and he asks them to own home” (Jn 19:26-7).
accompany him up the mountain where he is transfigured John here stands also for the Church and all believers.
in their presence— why? Perhaps because he is relying A scene not painted so often is John leading his adopted
on these three to strengthen their brethren after the mother away from the Cross. Our picture here was painted
Crucifixion. Luke writes that Jesus sent Peter and John to in the 19th century by William Dyce of Aberdeen, and now
make preparations for the Passover. Later, Matthew, Mark in Tate Britain. He depicts John and Mary, united in sorrow,
and Luke all write of how Jesus, on the eve of his Passion, hands clasped, with the crown of thorns encircling the
takes Peter, James and John with him into the Garden of place where their arms are linked, pointing to the new close
Gethsemane, presumably to support him in his time of trial connection between them: they both loved Jesus and are
and/or to witness to his acceptance of his destiny. both stunned by their loss. (A preliminary sketch without
Why did Jesus have a soft spot for John, recognised the crown is in Aberdeen Council’s emuseum.) We see the
obviously by John himself, and possibly by tomb in the background where Jesus has just been laid, with
the other Apostles? It is accepted that John the women praying outside and Joseph of
was young, younger than James, perhaps Arimathea and Nicodemus walking away.
the youngest of the Apostles, and a very Why did Jesus have What happened next? There are many
enthusiastic follower. Jesus nicknamed a soft spot for John, popular legends about the rest of John’s
John and his brother “Boanerges, that is, recognised obviously life. It was widely believed that he moved
with Mary to Ephesus where today one
Sons of Thunder”, quite possibly because by John himself, and
of their youthful impulsiveness, displayed possibly by the other can still visit Mary’s home and John’s
tomb, where once a basilica stood over
when John wanted Jesus to call down fire Apostles? it. He is believed to be the only apostle to
upon a Samaritan town for rejecting their die a natural death. The Golden Legend in
Lord. It was likely also that Jesus already the Middle Ages repeated a story, told by
had plans for John. the early Church Father Tertullian (2/3c),
The disciple Jesus loved is the one Peter prompts at the of how John was taken prisoner by Emperor Domitian for
Last Supper to ask Jesus which of them is to betray him. In refusing to stop preaching Christianity and was thrust into
the morning after the Resurrection, it is John who runs with a vat of boiling oil in the Coliseum—which he survived,
Peter to the tomb after being informed by Mary Magdalene whereupon the watching crowd all converted! — and then
that it is empty. John, being younger and fitter, arrives banished to the island of Patmos. There he is reputed to
there first but deferentially waits for Peter to come puffing have received the vision which he wrote down as the Book
up. After Peter has entered, he goes in too and he saw and of the Apocalypse. Eventually, he returned to Ephesus
believed. Perhaps the best-known story about the Beloved where he spent his last years preaching the Gospel of Christ
Disciple is that he is the only Apostle who doesn’t run away and the superabundant love of God. Why do you always
but waits at the foot of the Cross with the mother of Jesus, a talk to us about love, Father? asked his parishioners. He
scene painted many times and depicted in the Rood at our replied—Because there is nothing other than love.
cathedral, when Jesus entrusts his mother to this faithful “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God,
disciple: and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he Anyone who does not love does not know God, because
loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, God is love” (1Jn 4:7-8).
behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your
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