Bible character overview - John

Written by: My Store Admin

June 3, 2024

Time to read 5 min

Introduction:

Welcome to an insightful character overview of John. Here you'll learn about who John was, what he did, and his strengths and weaknesses. Also, we have provided questions related to the story of John to provoke thought. They can also be used for personal/small-group studies.

Who was John from the Bible?

Key facts

When: roughly around 10 B.C to 90 A.D
Where: Galilee
Name meaning: ‘God is gracious'

Glimpse: John was a man full of love and revelation. He was one of, if not the closest disciple to Jesus and is described as 'the one whom Jesus loved'. John witnessed the fullness of the ministry of Jesus on earth and received great revelation about the end of the world.

The call

In Matthew 4:21, we see John and his brother James preparing their nets when Jesus calls them, saying, "Come, follow me," to which they leave everything and follow Him. John became part of the inner circle that was closest to Jesus (including Peter and James) and was described as a pillar of the church by Paul in Galatians 2:8-9: "For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Cephas, and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me."

Questions

→ Do the disciples inspire you to live a life for Jesus?

→ Would you describe your relationship with God as 'close'? If not, why not?

" Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him."

Matthew 4:21-22

The one whom Jesus loved

As part of the inner group, John witnessed many events that even many of the disciples did not get the privilege of witnessing. For example, the transfiguration of Jesus is described in Matthew 17, where Jesus leads these three up a mountain before transforming into his glorified self before their very eyes. Another instance is when Jesus took just these three to pray in the garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26, where Jesus is betrayed by Judas and taken away by Roman soldiers.

He is also believed to be the man named "the one whom Jesus loved" and is described as the apostle of love. We also see in John 20:2-9 that John was a quick sprinter. When Mary Magdalene came back to the disciples to tell them about Jesus’s tomb, Peter ran to the tomb along with John, who ran quicker and got there first.

Questions

→ Why do you believe John was given the privilege of being in the inner circle?

→ What does John's reaction to Mary show you about his character and also his relationship with Jesus?

" Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.''

John 20:3-4

Sons of thunder

John was also named one of the two “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus, along with his brother James. This was likely due to their temperament, as seen in Luke 9:51-56:

“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.”

John went on to write five books of the Bible: John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation. It is assumed that John was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he received the revelation contained in the book of Revelation.

Questions

→ How does God use our character and/or abilities to bring glory to Himself?

→ What stands out to you in John's story?

“ And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.”

Revelation 1:17

Strengths:

Love: John was full of love and compassion, even being given the responsibility to take care of Jesus' mother
Revelation: John wrote 5 books in total including the prophetic book of Revelation which in itself contains revelation that can only be understood by the Holy Spirit
Closeness: John was very close to Jesus and therefore would have been one of the most impacted by Him and his ministry.

Weaknesses:

Temperament: As a 'son of thunder' John was a little hot-headed. We only see one negative incident relating to this

Conclusion

John was wise in knowing that the best place to be was near Jesus. John's love for Jesus was great and this is evident in what he did, how he acted, and even what he was entrusted with. As our love for Jesus grows, our lives are changed and we see the fruit and characteristics of the Holy Spirit more than ever in our lives. We must devote ourselves to God and see Him move within our lives.

''For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life''

John 3:16

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The Author: OluKoye Williams

Koye Williams is the creator of the international game biblebumps. His mission is to see the people of the Bible brought to life in a new and exciting way whilst also providing opportunities to spend quality time with the family.

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