George Ludington Weed - A Life of St. John for the Young

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[Illustration: ST JOHN
_Domenichino Frontispiece_]

A Life of St. John

For the Young

BY

GEORGE LUDINGTON WEED

AUTHOR OF "A LIFE OF CHRIST FOR THE YOUNG," "A LIFE OF ST. PAUL FOR
THE YOUNG," "GREAT TRUTHS SIMPLY TOLD," ETC., ETC.

PHILADELPHIA

GEORGE W. JACOBS & CO

103-105 SOUTH FIFTEENTH STREET

Copyright, 1900

BY GEORGE W. JACOBS & CO

_PREFATORY NOTE_

The recorded incidents of the Life of St. John are few. Almost all those
of which we certainly know are related in the Gospels, the Acts of the
Apostles, The Epistles of St. John, and The Revelation. Some of the
traditions concerning him are in such harmony with what we do know that
we are almost ready to accept them as historic.

The known events though few, are very distinct. They are the beautiful
fragments of a great picture. The plan of this volume does not include
those which pertain to him in common with the twelve disciples. Such a
record would practically involve the story of the life of our Lord. This
is limited to those events in which his name is mentioned, or his person
otherwise indicated; to those in which he was a certain or implied
actor; to those in which we may suppose from his character and relations
he had a special interest; to those narratives whose fulness of detail
makes the impression that they are given by an eye-witness; to those in
which a deeper impression was made on him than on his fellow-disciples,
or where he showed a deeper insight than they into the teachings of the
Lord, and is a clearer interpreter; to those records which add to, or
throw light upon, those of the other three Evangelists; and especially
to those things which reveal his peculiar relation to Jesus Christ.

Another limitation of this volume is its adaptation, in language,
selection of subjects and general treatment, to young people, for whom
it is believed no life of John, at any rate of recent date, has been
prepared. It is designed especially for those between the ages of ten
and twenty, though the facts recorded may be of value to all.

The attempt is made to trace the way by which John was led to, and then
by, Christ. We first see him as a boy with Jewish surroundings, taught
to expect the Messiah, then watching for His coming, then rejoicing in
finding Him, then faithful and loving in serving Him; becoming the most
loved of His chosen ones. We see the Christ through John's eyes, and
listen to the Great Teacher with his ears. Christ and John are the
central figures in the scenes here recorded.

The full table of contents suggests the variety and scope of the topics
presented.

In the mind of the writer the interest of many of the scenes described
has been greatly deepened by memories of the paths in which he has
followed in the footsteps of the Master and His disciple.

The many quotations of words, phrases and texts--which are from the
Revised Version--are designed to direct the young to Scripture forms
with which they should become familiar; and sometimes to emphasize a
fact or truth, or to recall a former incident.

Grateful acknowledgment is made especially to the works of Farrar,
Edersheim and Stalker, for facts, and germs of thought which have been
simplified in form and language for the interest and instruction of the
young, in the hope that they may thereby be led into deeper study of one
of the noblest of human lives.
G.L.W.
_Philadelphia, July, 1900_.

~CONTENTS~

PAGE~

CHAPTER I

A HOME IN THE BLESSED LAND, BY THE SACRED SEA

A Fitting Study for the Young--The Glory of all Lands--Divisions of
Palestine--Galilee--People of Galilee--Gennesaret and its
Surroundings--Comparisons--Jewish Sayings--McCheyne--Towns, Villages and
Palaces--Fisheries--Bethsaida 19

CHAPTER II

FIVE BOYS OF BETHSAIDA--RAMBLES ABOUT HOME

Five Apostles of Jesus--Two Pair of Brothers--Salome--Brothers
Indeed--Views from a Hilltop--View of the Lake--Poetic
Description--Rambles North of the Lake--On the West--Keble's Poem--Answer
to the Poet's Question--The Sower--Object Lessons of the Great
Teacher--Mount of Beatitudes--Nature's Influence on John--Philip 24

CHAPTER III

JOHN'S ROYAL KINDRED

Salome and Mary Sisters--John and Jesus Cousins--Visit to
Bethsaida--Visit to Nazareth--A Picture of the Boy Jesus--The Picture a
Help--A Phrase to Remember--A Kinsman of John and Jesus--Education--The
Messiah 31

CHAPTER IV

THE GREAT EXPECTATION IN JOHN'S DAY

Prophecy Concerning the Messiah--Jewish Mistakes--Roman Conquest--Judas
of Galilee--The Five Bethsaidan Boys--John and Peter 35

CHAPTER V

EARLY INFLUENCES ON CHARACTER

Special Influences on the Five--Scripture Students--Rabbi Like Simeon,
or a Teacher--Prophetess Like Anna--Home Teaching--From the Five to
Two--Salome and Her Sons--Review--Boyhood
Traits--Imperfections--Perfection 39

CHAPTER VI

FIRST VISIT IN JERUSALEM

Jewish Boy at Twelve--Interest in the First Pilgrimage--John's
Journey--The Jordan Ford--City, Temple and Altar--John and Saul--Silent
Years--Parental Thoughts Concerning John 44

CHAPTER VII

JOHN'S VIEW OF THE COMING MESSIAH

John's Old Testament Studies--First Gospel Promise--Promises to
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--Promise to David--Mary and Immanuel--Names and
Titles of the Messiah--John's Misreading of the Old Testament--Christ's
Sufferings 48

CHAPTER VIII

JESUS THE HIDDEN MESSIAH

The Infancy of Jesus Forgotten--Our Ignorance of Christ's
Childhood--The Boy in the Temple--The Carpenter's Silent Years 53

CHAPTER IX

"THE PROPHET OF THE MOST HIGH"

Elizabeth and Her John--A Father's Prophecy--The Prophet in the
Wilderness--Young Men of Galilee--The Hermit--His Galilean
Disciples--His Public Ministry--His Hearers--His Preaching--St. John the
Baptist--St. John of Galilee 57

CHAPTER X

THE MESSIAH FOUND

"Jesus from Galilee to Jordan"--Baptism of Jesus--Temptation--"Behold
the Lamb of God"--Andrew and John with the Baptist--Our First Knowledge
of John of Galilee--Parting of the Baptist and Jesus--The Two St. Johns
and Jesus--Following Jesus in the Way--Blessed Invitation
Accepted--Precious Memories--Change of Discipleship--Silence of
John--Disciples at Emmaus--Brothers Brought to Jesus--Memorials of
Andrew--John's Memories of His First Day with
Jesus--Philip--Nathanael--Jesus' First Disciples--John the Nearest
to Him 63

CHAPTER XI

JOHN A WEDDING GUEST

Invited Guests to a Marriage Feast--Words of Mary and Jesus Concerning
Wine--Three Commands of Jesus--First Miracle--Belshazzar's
Feast--Believing Disciples--Believing Samaritans--What John Might Have
Written--First Miracle, for Innocent Joy--John and Mary at the
Feast--Mary's Thoughts of John and Her Sons--Her Thoughts of Jesus 72

CHAPTER XII

JOHN AND NICODEMUS

Reasons for a Night Visit to Jesus--John's Possible Abode in
Jerusalem--Nicodemus Goes Thither--His Conversation With Jesus--Seven
Great Truths--Golden Text of the Bible--Golden Truth of John--Tradition
of Nicodemus 79

CHAPTER XIII

ST. JOHN AND THE SAMARITANESS

John's Record--With the Master--Valley and Well--A Personal
Privilege--John With Jesus at the Well--Memories of the
Region--Abraham--Thoughts of the Future--A Samaritaness--Strange
Request--Living Water--Greater than Jacob--Difference in Waters--Woman's
Request--Jesus a Prophet--Place and Spirit of True Worship--"Messiah
Cometh"--John an Earnest Listener--Jesus' Revelation of Himself--Changed
Name for the Well--Wonder of the Disciples--The Samaritaness a Gospel
Messenger--Unknown Meat--John's Watchful Eye--His Story of the Well--A
Memorable Hour for Him 84

CHAPTER XIV

THE CHOSEN ONE OF THE CHOSEN THREE OF THE CHOSEN TWELVE

Two Pair of Brothers Mending Nets--Call of Four Disciples--Fishers of
Men--A Partner in Fishing--Followers of Him--True Brothers--Family
Ties--The Twelve Chosen--First Disciples, First Apostles--The Inner
Circles--Peter and John--John--Aaron's Breastplate--Apostolic Stones 92

CHAPTER XV

JOHN IN THE HOME OF JAIRUS

A Father's Cry--Reason for Hope--Sad Message--Strength of Faith--"Fear
Not"--Curious Crowd--The Twelve and the Three--Jealousy--Ambition--A
Coming Change--John One of Three--"Tahtha Cumi"--A Lesson for John--A
Future Scene--Influence of a Secret 97

CHAPTER XVI

JOHN A BEHOLDER OF CHRIST'S GLORY

Family Prayer--Sayings of Men Concerning Jesus--Saying of Peter--A
Great Need--Christ's Prophecy of His Death--Apart by Themselves--Not
Tabor, but Hermon--Thoughts of the Nine and of the Three--Heavy with
Sleep--Answers to Two Prayers of Jesus--Transfigured--Moses and
Elijah--Moses' Shining Face--The Lord's Shining Figure--The Shechinah--A
Strange Proposal--Voice from the Clouds--Touch and Word of
Jesus--Descent from Hermon--A Great Secret--Peter's Memory of the
Transfiguration--John's Record--Greater than John the Baptist or
Moses--Moses and the Shechinah--Ungranted Request, but Answered
Prayer--Hermon, a Mount of Prayer 101

CHAPTER XVII

ST. JOHN'S IMPERFECTIONS

Four Reasons for Recording Failings--Jealousy and Pride--Intolerant
Spirit--Two Questions, What? and Who?--First and Last--An Object
Lesson--The Child-Spirit--Startled Disciples--John's Confession--Lesson
Not Learned--Hospitality--Samaritan Hatred--Hospitality
Refused--Indignant Brothers--A Story of Elijah--Fiery Spirit of James
and John--Rebuked by Jesus--Ambitious Brothers--Mother's Request--Sons'
Request--Sorrowing Lord's Reply and Thoughts--Two Thrones--Though
Imperfect, a Grand Character 111

CHAPTER XVIII

JOHN AND THE FAMILY OF BETHANY

John's View of a Family Group--His Relation to It--A Sad Message and
the Reply--The Lord's Delay and Concealed Purpose--A Possible Thought of
John's--John and Thomas--"Our Friend"--"Sleepeth"--John an
Eye-witness--Mary and Jesus--"Jesus Wept"--Mourning Disciple--Glorified
Father and Son--Jesus with Martha at the Tomb--Repeated Command,
"Arise"--The Release from the Tomb--John a Companion in Joy--John's
Memory of Mary--Lazarus' Tomb and Jesus' Cross--A
Tradition of Lazarus
120

CHAPTER XIX

JOHN'S MEMORIAL OF MARY

A Scene in Bethany--An Unfinished Picture--John with Manuscripts of
Matthew and Mark--A Great Event not Understood--A Joyful Meeting--A
Supper in Honor--A Fitting Place--Omitted Names--An Unnamed Woman
Named--Mary's Cruse--Interested Witnesses--An Unusual Anointing--An
Unwoven Towel--Odor of the Ointment--Judas the Grumbler--Jesus' Defence
of Mary--A Prophecy--John the Preserver of Mary's Name--Prophecy
Fulfilled--Judas and Mary--Judas and the Chief Priests--A Group of
Three--A Sublime Action--A Group of Four 128

CHAPTER XX

JOHN A HERALD OF THE KING

The Messiah-King--The Prophetic Colt--The Lord's Need--The Lord's
Heralds--Hosannas--Disciples' Thoughts--Changed Earthly Scenes--Lamb on
Earth and in Heaven--A Prophecy Recalled--Twice a Herald 138

CHAPTER XXI

WITH THE MASTER ON OLIVET

The Lord in His Temple--His Farewell to It--Admiring Disciples--Sad
Prophecy--The Two Pair of Brothers on Olivet--A Sacred Memory--The Poet
Milman's View from Olivet--Unanswered Question--The Coming Fall of
Jerusalem--The Poet Heber's Lament Over Jerusalem 142

CHAPTER XXII

JOHN A PROVIDER OF THE PASSOVER

The Betrayer--A Lamb and a Place--Not Judas, but Peter and John--A
Secret Sign--The Goodman of the House--A New Friendship--Upper
Room--"Furnished"--"Prepared"--Paschal Lamb--Child Memories--John and
the Baptist--Temple Worship--Obeying Silver Trumpets--Slaying of the
Lamb--Chant and Response--Lamb and Lamps--Alone with Jesus--Jerusalem
Chamber--John and the Upper Room 148

CHAPTER XXIII

JOHN'S MEMORIES OF THE UPPER ROOM

The Open Door of the Upper Room--Door Ajar--Revelation by John--Two
Statements by Luke--Cause of Contention--John's Relation to the
Quarrel--Sittings at the Table--John and Judas Beside Jesus--Two Things
About Jesus--Grieved Spirit--Bethany Recalled--A Great Contrast--Love
and Reproof--Lesson Ended--A Sacred Relic--A Guest an Enemy--Troubled
Spirit--"Verily, Verily"--Looking and Doubting--John's Gaze--"Is It
I?"--Peter and the Great Secret--Jesus' Hint of the Great
Secret--Meaning of the Sop--Judas and Satan--Departure of Judas--"It Was
Night"--A New Name--A New Command--Farewell Words and Prayer and
Song--Closed Door to be Opened Again 154

CHAPTER XXIV

ST. JOHN WITH JESUS IN GETHSEMANE

An Eye-witness--Departure from the Upper
Room--Kidron--Gethsemane--Olive Trees--John's Memories--Garden
Owner--Charge to the Nine--Mt. Moriah--Final Charge--A
Prophecy--Companions in Glory and Sorrow--A Sad Change--John Beside
Jesus--Sorrowful Soul--Charge to the Three--Jesus Alone--Jesus Seen and
Heard--Garden Angel--Agonizing Prayer--Sleeping Disciples--Midnight
Scene--Sleeping for Sorrow--Awakening Call--Flesh and Spirit--Repeated
Prayer--Victory--"Arise"--Path of Prayer--Gathered Band--Lighted
Way--Empty Upper Room--John's Contrasted Memories--Betrayal
Sign--Warning Cry--Unshrinking Purpose--The Meeting--Traitor's
Kiss--Marred Visage--Repeated Question and Answer--Two Bands--One
Request--Peter's Sword--Changed Voice--A Captive and Legions of
Angels--The Fleeing Disciples 163

CHAPTER XXV

JOHN IN THE HIGH PRIEST'S PALACE

Flight of the Nine--Captive Lord--Peter and John Following--The
Palace--Disciple Within and Disciple Without--Peter Brought In--The
First Denial--John's Watch of Peter--Peter's Tears--His
Restlessness--His Sin and John's Silence--Three Turning and
Looking--John's Pity for Peter--John and Pilate--Christ a King--"What is
Truth?"--The Mocked King--"Behold the Man"--"Behold your King"--John the
Faithful Watcher and Comforter 176

CHAPTER XXVI

JOHN THE LONE DISCIPLE AT THE CROSS

Following the Cross--Jesus Bearing the Cross--Wearing the Thorny
Crown--Great Multitude Following--"Daughters of
Jerusalem"--Calvary--John's Memories--Group of Four Enemies--Seamless
Coat--Casting Lots--Jesus and the Gamblers--Three Marys and Salome--John
their Companion--A Contrast--Other Apostles--John and Salome--A Mother's
Love--Mary's Thoughts--Sword of Anguish--Comfort in Sorrow--Lonely
Future--Loyal Son--New Relation--Mary's Return from the Cross--Why John
Her Guardian--A Poet's Words to John--In the New Home 184

CHAPTER XXVII

JOHN THE LONE DISCIPLE AT THE CROSS--CONTINUED

"I Thirst"--"It Is Finished"--The Bowed Head--The Women and John--His
Anxious Thoughts Relieved--Pierced Side--Two Prophecies--Prayer in
Song--Joseph of Arimathaea--Nicodemus--Two Secret Friends of Jesus--Two
Gardens--The Stone Closing the Tomb--Two Mourners at the Tomb--John's
Thoughts on Leaving the Tomb 195

CHAPTER XXVIII

JOHN AT THE TOMB

John and Mary Magdalene--Mary's Mistaken Inference--Her Report to Peter
and John--Their Hastening Toward the Tomb--John Alone at the
Tomb--Silent Witnesses--Peter's Entry and Discovery--John Within the
Tomb--The Rolled Napkin--Seeing and Believing--Lingering in the
Tomb--The Return from the Tomb--Weeping Mary--Silence of Angels--Mary
and the Angels--Jesus Unknown to Mary--"Mary" and "Rabboni"--John's Two
Records of Mary--Day of Days--Evening Benedictions--Pierced Side--Close
of John's Gospel 204

CHAPTER XXIX

"WHAT SHALL THIS MAN DO?"

An Added Chapter--Old Scenes Revived--Following Peter--Stranger on the
Shore--John and Peter--John's Remembrance of the Miracle--"Fire of
Coals"--Reverent Guests--"Lovest Thou Me?"--"Feed My Lambs and
Sheep"--An Interested Listener--A Prophecy--John Following
Peter--Question and Answer--Mistake Corrected by John--Partial Answer to
Peter's Questions--A Former Hour Recalled 212

CHAPTER XXX

ST. JOHN A PILLAR-APOSTLE IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

On a Mount in Galilee--The Great Commission--Waiting for the Promised
Comforter--Words of the Baptist Recalled--A Revived Hope and a
Question--Jesus' Reply--The Ascension--Angels' Question--"The Upper
Chamber"--Luke's Lists of the Apostles--The Lord's Mother, Brethren and
Sisters--The Day of Pentecost--A Great Miracle--Pentecostal Gifts to
John--Evening Prayer--Beautiful Gate--Lame man--A Gift Better than
Alms--John Twice a Prisoner--Prison Angel--Preaching of Philip--John
Sent to Samaria--John and the Samaritaness--His Changed Spirit--Death of
James--The Pillar Apostles 219

CHAPTER XXXI

LAST DAYS

Last Record--Meeting of Paul and John--Years of Silence--Leaving
Jerusalem--New Home in Ephesus--City and Temple--Paul and John--Churches
of Asia Minor--John in Patmos--Solitude--The Lord's Day--Aid to
Meditation--Calm and Turmoil--A Voice and a Command--A Contrast--"As One
Dead"--The Eagle--John's Three Kinds of Writings--The Revelation--John's
Gospel--His First Epistle--The Apostle of Love--His Second Epistle--The
Apostle of Childhood--"Little Children, Love one
Another"--John's Death 231

CHAPTER XXXII

A RETROSPECT

Boyhood--The Disciple--What John Saw--What He Heard--What He Made
Known--John a Reflector of Christ--Alone in History--Our Glimpses of
Him--In Everlasting Remembrance on Earth--With His Lord in Heaven 241

CHAPTER XXXIII

LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS OF ST. JOHN

St. John and the Robber-Chief--St. John and the Partridge--"Little
Children, Love One Another"--Miraculous Preservation from Death--The
Empty Grave--The Heaving Grave 251

~LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS~

St. John _Domenichino._ _Frontispiece_

Map of the Land Where St. John Lived 19

Sea of Galilee _Old Engraving_ 20

Site of Bethsaida _From Photograph_ 22

Calm on Galilee _From Photograph_ 26

Virgin, Infant Jesus and St. John
(Madonna della Sedia) _Raphael_ 32

Christ and St. John _Winterstein_ 35

Simeon and Anna in the Temple _Old Engraving_ 39

The Boy John _Andrea del Sarto_ 41

Jerusalem _Old Engraving_ 43

Joshua's Host Crossing the Jordan _Old Engraving_ 45

The Prophet Isaiah _Sargent_ 55

The Boy Jesus in the Temple _H. Hofmann_ 58

A Street Scene in Nazareth _From Photograph_ 60

Visit of Mary to Elisabeth _Old Engraving_ 62

The Wilderness of Judea _From Photograph_ 64

Traditional Place of Christ's Baptism _From Photograph_ 67

The Baptism of Jesus _Old Engraving_ 68

The First Disciples _Ittenbach_ 83

The Marriage at Cana _Old Engraving_ 85

Belshazzar's Feast _Old Engraving_ 87

The Hill of Samaria _Old Engraving_ 90

Jacob's Well _From Photograph_ 92

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes _Old Engraving_ 94

Raising the Daughter of Jairus _H. Hofmann_ 99

The Transfiguration _Old Engraving_ 106

Moses on Mt. Pisgah _Artist Unknown_ 109

Bethany _Old Engraving_ 120

Resurrection of Lazarus _Old Engraving_ 126

Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. _Gustave Dore_ 133

Christ and St. John _Ary Scheffer_ 140

The Last Supper _Benjamin West_ 156

In Gethsemane _Gustave Dore_ 163

The Valley of Jehoshaphat _Old Engraving_ 165

Christ Before Caiaphas _Old Engraving_ 167

Christ Before Pilate (Ecce Homo) _H. Hofmann_ 170

Christ Bearing His Cross _H. Hofmann_ 185

The Virgin and St. John at the Cross _Old Engraving_ 192

The Descent from the Cross _Rubens_ 195

In the Sepulchre _H. Hofmann_ 199

Jesus Appearing to Mary Magdalene
(Easter Morning) _B. Plockhorst_ 202

The Descent of the Spirit _Old Engraving_ 206

St. Peter and St. John at the Beautiful Gate _Old Engraving_ 211

Ephesus _From Photograph_ 227

The Isle of Patmos _Old Engraving_ 231

Smyrna _Old Engraving_ 234

Pergamos and the Ruins of the
Church of St. John _Old Engraving_ 242

Ruins of Laodicea _Old Engraving_ 246

[Illustration: MAP OF THE LAND WHERE ST. JOHN LIVED]

A Life of St. John

_CHAPTER I_

_A Home in the Blest Land, by the Sacred Sea_

"Blest land of Judaea! Thrice hallowed in song,
Where the holiest of memories pilgrim like throng,
In the shade of thy palms, by the shores of thy sea,
On the hills of the beauty, my heart is with thee."
--_Whittier_.

A Galilean boy, a fisherman, a follower of Jesus, one of the twelve
Apostles, one of the favored three, the beloved one, the Apostle of
love, the Apostle of childhood, the one of all men who gave to mankind
the clearest view of Jesus Christ--such was St John.

For young people he is a fitting study. To aid such is the purpose of
this volume.

Let us first glance at the land where he lived, surrounded by influences
that directed his life, and moulded his character.

Palestine was called by God Himself "The Glory of All Lands." He made it
the home of His people the Jews, who long waited for the promised time
when it should have greater glory by becoming the home of the Messiah,
the Son of God. Before He was born the Jews were conquered by the
Romans, and governed by them instead of the Jewish judges and kings. The
country was divided into three parts. The southern was called Judaea; the
middle, Samaria; and the northern, Galilee, which was the most beautiful
part. It contained the hills of Galilee, and the plain and sea of
Gennesaret, hallowed by the presence of Jesus, and what He there did.

At the time of which we write, two thousand years ago, Galilee was not
inhabited wholly or chiefly by Jews. Other peoples, called Gentiles,
were mixed with the Jewish race which continued to cultivate the land,
and to tend the vineyards and olive-yards, and to dwell in the
fisherman's huts and moor their boats on the sandy beach. Some Jews were
artisans, working at their trades in the smaller towns. But there were
vast crowds of foreigners whose life was a great contrast to that of the
Jews. Their customs were those of the nations to which they belonged.
They spoke their own languages. They worshiped their own false gods.
Their amusements were such as they were accustomed to in their distant
homes. This was especially true of the Romans who had theatres, chariot
races, and gladiatorial combats, by the peaceful waters of Galilee.

[Illustration: SEA OF GALILEE _Old Engraving_ Page 21]

There were also Greeks who had sought new homes far from their native
land. Many Arabians came from the deserts on swift horses, in roving
bands in search of plunder. They wore brightly-colored dresses, and
flashing swords and lances, carrying terror wherever they went. Egyptian
travelers came with camels loaded with spices and balm. The bazaars were
crowded with merchandise from India, Persia and Arabia. Long caravans
from Damascus passed through Galilee, with goods for the markets of
Tiberius on Lake Gennesaret, and the more distant cities of Jerusalem,
Caesarea and Alexandria.

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