724. JOH 21:7. THE APOSTLE JOHN

Joh_21:7. The Apostle John

"That disciple whom Jesus loved."’97Joh_21:7.

A full and minute history of the apostles of Jesus, is not given to us in the sacred writings. By carefully observing the details of the Scriptures, we may gather up, however, the leading events in their history. The subject of our present discourse was one of the most eminent apostles of Jesus, and one of the most remarkable men of New Testament history. May a review of his He be instructive and edifying to our souls. Observe then, in the history of John, that he is,

I. Presented to us as a fisherman.

A Galilean fisherman. Hence, one of the sons of toil’97most likely uneducated and illiterate. He had spent his youth under the care of his father, and had been trained to his employment. Far from the metropolitan city of their country, he toiled from day to day, on the lake of Galilee, as an unpretending laborious fisherman. How striking the contrast between this station, and the sublime and glorious sphere God intended that he should afterwards occupy. Up to this period he had no other prospect before him but that of continuing his usual plain occupation, and was actually employed in mending nets, when Jesus called him. No honest station or employment is degrading to man, and from no class, however low’97have not men been raised to high and exalted stations in society. In every sphere let us faithfully discharge the duties connected with them. We see him,

II. As a disciple of Jesus.

He went to work as usual on the morning of the momentous day that Christ called him. Only thinking of nets and fishing. Jesus, however, now had begun his great ministry. He had been baptized, anointed, and had passed through the temptations of the desert. He was now selecting those who should be the administrators of his kingdom, and the apostles of the world. He went not to courts, nor colleges, nor temples; but to the vessels of fishermen. He first called Peter: Mat_4:18. And then he calls John, "He called them." And how prompt, direct, unquestioning their obedience. "And they immediately left their ship and their father, and followed him." It is supposed that John now was quite a young man; perhaps about twenty or twenty-two years of age. How blessed to be a disciple; still more so, to be a "young disciple." As a disciple of Christ, he was to abandon his worldly calling, and follow Jesus,’97learning his will’97studying his character’97and doing his commands; and John was a humble, sincere, and wholehearted disciple. As a disciple of Christ’s, he was ardent, affectionate, faithful, constant and persevering. There is only one instance even of a defective spirit, when he and his brother desired that they might call for fire from heaven, to consume the Samaritans, for rejecting Christ.

Consider him,

III. As one of the elected apostles of the Redeemer.

All apostles were disciples, but all disciples not apostles. Jesus had only twelve apostles; see Mat_10:1, &c. Hence, you see John just in the same position, in which we first find him. He and James following Peter and Andrew. The apostles were to be witnesses of Christ’s teaching, miracles, and resurrection; and as such, they had to testify what they had seen. The highest office ever appointed in the church of the Redeemer. They were invested, too, with prodigious gifts and powers, and in fact, they were the prime ministers of Christ’s kingdom. Of the apostles, John was one of the chief. Three of these were more favored than the rest:’97Peter, James, and John.

They only were present at Christ’s transfiguration; Mat_9:2. At the restoring to life of the ruler’s daughter; Mar_5:23. When Christ endured his agony in the garden; Mat_26:37. But John, in connection with his devotion to Christ, was the only one of the three, who saw the pierced side of Christ; and therefore, the actual evidence of his death. Joh_19:34-35; and 1Jn_5:5-7, &c.

There was no interesting event in the life of Jesus, with which John was not personally conversant.

Consider John,

IV. As the bosom friend of the adorable Saviour.

He evidently was the most familiar of all Christ’s disciples. No title ever so illustrious as this’97"The disciple whom Jesus loved;" that is, loved preeminently and specially. See the evidences of this:’97

(1.) At the last supper he reclined on the bosom of his Lord.

(2.) He received from Christ’s dying lips, his widowed mother as the object of his kind care.

(3.) He was strikingly exempted from a violent death.

(4.) He was favored with the most illustrious revelations of the divine will, in the visions of the Apocalypse.

The reasons of this might be,’97he was the youngest disciple; or more probably, he was the most loving, and therefore the most lovable of the disciples; and yet his was not a tame effeminate character; for he and James were surnamed by Jesus’97Boanerges, i. e., Sons of Thunder. He evidently had a large generous heart, and his expanded soul was overflowing with goodness, gentleness, meekness, and love, and in these most resembled his blessed Lord. Consider John,

V. As one of the most distinguished writers of the New Testament scriptures.

1. His gospel.

Which, while it contains fewer accounts of the miracles of Christ, is more replete with his doctrines and teachings than any of the other evangelists.

2. There are also his three epistles.

Full of the most important truths. Overflowing with the treasures of the gospel; and especially teeming with the spirit of the writer’s pure and tender love.

3. There are, too, the sublime revelations of the Apocalypse.

The marvellous scenes of earth, and heaven, and hell’97the events of time’97and the array of judgment’97and the decisions of eternity. The history of the world, and consummation of the church. The conflagration of earth, and the glories of heaven. Of all books, the most marvellous and sublime, that ever God gave to man; and the conclusion of the canon of revealed truth.

Behold John,

VI. As preeminently distinguished for the highest traits of elevated piety.

His, was not merely official rank and glory; but personal spiritual holiness. Observe,

1. His consistent and persevering course of personal piety.

From a youth to a very aged man. Probably for nearly eighty years did he profess and possess genuine and growing religion. He never halted’97never turned aside. If he did desert Christ when he was arrested, he soon rallied, for he was the only man of Christ’s disciples, who stood with the illustrious band of female heroines, around the tree of the Redeemer’s execution. Yes, love took him there. Bound him there, &c.

He was afterwards persecuted; and it is said, cast into a cauldron of boiling oil’97at any rate he was banished, and became an exile in Patmos for Christ’s sake.

2. His end was specially illustrious and triumphant.

A living witness for Christ for nearly eighty years. He died in Ephesus, in the reign of Trajan, about the year of our Lord, 100. It is said, before his death, when he was too feeble to walk to the Christian assembly, he was carried to deliver his favorite exhortation’97his condensed sermon’97"Little children, love one another." Observe,’97

1. What a character for study and contemplation!

2. What an example to us.

Especially to the young. If the servant was so excellent and lovely’97how much more so the master’97the Saviour Jesus. Yes, "He is the fairest among ten thousand," &c.

3. John owed all to divine grace, which is freely offered to you.

4. We shall, doubtless, see John amongst the highest of the redeemed in heaven.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS