John the Apostle

The Apostle John (Greek Ἰωάννης υἱὸς (or ὁ ) τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου, latin John Zebedee ) was according to the testimony of the New Testament a disciple of Jesus Christ and is identified in Christian tradition with the " beloved disciple " of Jesus from the Gospel of John. He is also traditionally known as author of the fourth gospel.

Biblical Foundations

The Apostle

After the common testimony of the four canonical Gospels, John was one of the twelve apostles, Jesus had chosen and was, together with Simon Peter and James the inner circle of disciples, which according to the testimony of the Book of Acts and the Apostle Paul in the early church continued to play a special role.

John is presented in the Gospels as the son of Zebedee, and a brother of James the Elder. John and James should have been Gennesaret of professional fishermen on the lake be ( Mk 1:19-21 EU). They got out of the Aramaic Jesus surnamed Boanerges, which the Gospel of Mark as sons of thunder translated ( Mk 3.17 EU). The Christian tradition, according to the name of the mother of the sons of Zebedee Salome should have gelautet. This goes back to an interpretation of Mt 27:56 EU, where instead of the mentioned in Mark 15:40 EU "Salome" from the " mother of the sons of Zebedee " is mentioned.

The earliest mention is found in John incurred by 50 Galatians in which Paul refers to the esteem in which John as one of the three " pillars" of the early church or the Jerusalem church enjoy (Gal. 2.9 EU).

The " beloved disciple "

( Jn 19:26 EU; Jn Jn 13,23 21,20 EU EU) In John's Gospel is always spoken of a unnamed disciples with the phrase " the one whom Jesus loved ." Therefore, this disciple has obtained the designation beloved disciple in the Christian tradition. According to the closing words of the Gospel (Jn 21,24 EU), it involves the evangelists. The Gospel - as well as the rest of the New Testament literature - waived but on a clear identification of this person with one of the apostles. Therefore, an identity of the evangelist with the apostle is controversial.

Church tradition and historical research

In the historical-critical exegesis of the Apostle John the Evangelist and the Gospel of John are usually as two different persons identified which also differ in addition by the author of the Book of Revelation.

In contrast, the early church tradition recognizes here the same person who had stopped by Rev 1:9-11 EU on the island of Patmos and died only in extreme old age in Asia Minor as a bishop.

Justin Martyr reported mid-2nd century of " John, one of the apostles " as a witness, the " with us " - have lived - that is, in Ephesus. There is no indication of a Martyr's death as it is handed down for all other out of the circle of the Twelve in legends of saints. A native of Asia Minor, Irenaeus of Lyons, who lived in the late 2nd century, speaks in many places of the apostle John. According to Irenaeus, the apostle is also the author of the Gospel of John, which had arisen in Ephesus. John was there until the reign of Trajan - he officiated 98-117 - lived. According to a statement by the church historian Eusebius of Caesarea in the third / fourth Century he was reportedly buried in Ephesus at the side of the Apostle Philip. For the apostle John as the author of John's Gospel allusions in John 19.35 and John 21.24 EU EU were used. Also the fact that it is mentioned in all the other three Gospels John several times by name, but in John's Gospel never, is an indication. The historical- critical exegesis, however, assumes a longer history of the gospel, which excludes the apostle as the sole author of the canonical version of the gospel.

Symbols and iconography

The symbol of the Evangelist John as the eagle. In the visual arts John is represented as disciples usually the only one from among the apostles beardless, because he must have been still very young during the ministry of Jesus when he died according to the traditional view only under Emperor Trajan. In the iconography is his attribute in the rule of the chalice with snake ( see Table Iconographic Holy attributes). Rare martyrdom is presented, in which he (like Vitus ) is cast into a cauldron of boiling oil sitting. In this tradition, the name of the Roman church of San Giovanni in Oleo goes back. Such artistic representations, there are about by Albrecht Dürer in the cycle " The Apocalypse " and Hans Fries "St. John in the oil boiler ".

Remembrance

• In the Catholic, Anglican and many Protestant churches to celebrate his commemoration on December 27. The day of remembrance in many German Protestant churches is officially " day of the apostle and evangelist John." The Gospel of the Day on this day is Jn 21.20-24 EU, the liturgical feast of color is white. From the Middle Ages to the early 19th century was also thought on May 6, the apostle John. The 780 was first mentioned hard on May 6th, initially only years the memory of the dedication of a St. John's Church outside the Porta Latina in Rome, was set later with the " martyrdom " of John in relationship.
• In the Orthodox Church, where John has been dubbed " the theologian " ( speaking of God ), his observances are celebrated on 8 October and 15 May.

Terms and Patrozinien

• Patrozinien of John, see: St. John, St. John, St. John's - and other places
• St. John the Evangelist Church, St. John's Abbey, St. John's Cemetery - specifically to sacred places