This Apostle was John (v. 27), the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” (Rev. 1:19) and three epistles, all of which books are a part of the New Testament.
John was the younger brother of James. They were two sons of Zebedee and Salome, whose home was in Bethsaida, in Galilee. The father was a fisherman. He seems to have been well to do, because he had “hired servants” in his employ (27) He is said to have remained in Jerusalem till the death of Mary, about the year 48 A.D.
According to Gal. 2:3-9, Paul and Barnabas, while in Jerusalem, were given the “right hands of fellowship” by James, Cephas (Peter) and John, with the understanding that they were to labor among the Gentiles, while the older apostles would continue their labor among the Jews. This took place probably about the year A.D. 52. The leadership of the church, at that time centered in Jerusalem. When Paul left Ephesus, about the year A.D. 65, John succeeded him. Tertullian (Adv. Haer.) relates that John, during the reign of Domitian, was taken to Rome and thrown into a cask of oil, but that he was miraculously saved from death and exiled to Patmos. Domitian died in the year A.D. 65, and the exile must have taken place before that year. On the accession of Emperor Nerva he was liberated, and returned to Ephesus. The last years of John, as far as recorded history goes, are lost in obscurity, but all agree that he lived for many years. It was not till the end of the first century, possibly, that this majestic figure—as it were—fades out of the picture.
These events and dates are all important. As is well known, the great Roman hierarchy claims that the government of the church, by the appointment of the Apostle Peter, was established in Rome. Their list of popes contains no less than four names—Linus, Anacletus, Clement I and Evaristus—all representing alleged successors of the Apostle Peter during the last half of the first century, while the Apostle John, whom even the Apostle Paul recognized as one of the three “pillars” of the church (Gal. 2:3-9), was still active. The claim is incredible on the face of it.