Great NT Profiles Part 6
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MARY, MARTHA AND LAZARUS
Introduction
Ø Related Scriptures:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, 1-3 John, Revelation
Depicted in the synoptic Gospels as members of the inner circle of the Twelve, along with Peter and sometimes Andrew, they appear often to misunderstand Jesus.
The Names
• “John” means “God has been gracious” (see 1 Chron. 26:3; Ezra 10:6); the name is popular, and its bearers include John the Baptist, Peter’s father (John 1:43; 21:15–17), John Mark, and John the relative of Annas (Acts 4:6).
• “James” is the Hellenized version of Iakob, or Jacob.
• “Zebedee” means “Gift of God.”
The Call Narrative (Mark 1:19-20)
• Because Peter, Andrew, and Nathaniel were from Bethsaida (John 1:44), perhaps James and John were also from there. Eighth-century pilgrims were shown Zebedee’s house in Bethsaida.
• If Peter and Andrew had followed the Baptist, perhaps John and James did, as well. According to Luke 5:10, John and James were Peter’s partners.
Motherly Request (Matthew 20:20-21)
• Church tradition variously names the wife Mary or Salome; she is regarded as a first cousin of Jesus’ mother
• Asking Jesus if he and John can sit on either side of Jesus’ throne in heaven, and unwittingly promising to follow Jesus into martyrdom (Mark 10:35–40)
Sons of Thunder (Mark 3:17)
• They are given the name Boanerges by Jesus. It remains unclear what Boanerges indicates in Aramaic: Sons of Commotion, of Anger, of Earthquake, or of Thunder?
• When Jesus is rejected hospitality by a Samaritan village, “his disciples James and John saw it” and said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?” (Luke 9:51–56; see 2 Kings 1:10–12).
The Inner Circle
• On three occasions in Mark’s Gospel - the healing of Jairus’s daughter, the Transfiguration, and the night in Gethsemane - John and James, with Peter, form an inner circle.
Role in Acts
• John initially appears with Peter in leadership roles (see, for example, Acts 4:13–22), and the two bestow the Holy Spirit upon the Samaritans (Acts 8:14–25).
• “Herod the king [Agrippa I] laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also” (Acts 12:1–3).
James
• Since the name of James is placed before John’s in all three listings of the apostles in the Gospels, it is quite likely that James was John’s older brother.
• His mention with the other apostles in the Upper Room (Acts 1:13) indicates that he had an important role on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14), in the foundational apostolic teaching (Acts 2L42) and the defense before the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:29).
• The final mention of James is his death at the hands of King Herod Agrippa (acts 12:1-2).
Legendary Development
• James is the only disciple whose martyrdom is recorded in the Bible (Acts 12:2).
• Tradition claims James was a missionary to Spain and that his body was buried there, but since his death took place in Jerusalem very early in the history of the church, there are numerous challenges with this tradition.
• Nonetheless, the Camino de Santiago—a pilgrimage to the church where James is allegedly buried—was one of the most popular Christian pilgrimages for centuries, and Santiago de Compostela (the shrine dedicated to Saint James) is still a destination for more than 300,000 people every year.
John the Beloved
• He was almost certainly the one referred to in John’s Gospel as the “disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23).
The Writings of John
• He is traditionally associated with the authorship of five writings (Gospel of John, 1-2-3 John, Revelation)
Legendary Development
• By the fourth century, John models perpetual virginity
• Like Jesus, John heals and performs resuscitations; insects obey him; women leave their husbands and fiancés to follow his Gospel.
• Tertullian cites a legend claiming that before his banishment, John was immersed in boiling oil in Rome. The Church of San Giovanni in Olio marks the location.
• According to the Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine (c. 1260), John received four privileges: virginity, the revelation of Jesus’ divinity and of the eschaton, the keeping of the “mother of God” (so John 19), and the love of Christ.
• Legend develops that he died in Ephesus (two graves claimed authenticity, one of which is under the ruins of the Basilica of St. John [second to third century]).
For Reflection
• Why would Jesus set up an “inner circle” of Peter, James, and John rather than treat all the Twelve as equals?
• Does your love for God ever resemble John’s early character – aggressive, quick to point a finger at others, concerned about your place in the pecking order?
