THIS other son of Zebedee and of “thunder,” whenever any description
of the apostles has been given, has been by most religious writers
generally characterized as a mild, amiable person, and is thus figured
in strong contrast with the bold and often bitter spirit of Peter. The
circumstance that he is described as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,”
has doubtless done much to cause the almost universal impression which
has prevailed, as to the meekness of his disposition. But this is
certainly without just reason; for there is no ground for supposing
that any peculiar softness was essential to the formation of the
character for which the Redeemer could feel a strong affection. On the
contrary, the almost universal behavior of the apostolic band, seems to
show that the natural characteristics which he marked as betraying in
them the deeper qualities that would best fit them for his service, and
qualify them as the sharers of his intimate instruction and affection,
were more decidedly of the stern and fiery order, than of the meek
and gentle. Nor is there any circumstance recorded of John, whether
authentic or fabulous, that can justify the supposition that he was an
exception to these general, natural characteristics of the apostles;
but instances sufficiently numerous are given in the gospels, to make
it clear, that he was not altogether the soft and gentle creature, that
has been commonly presented as his true image.
It has been commonly supposed that he was the youngest of all the
apostles; nor is there any reason to disbelieve an opinion harmonizing,
as this does, with all that is recorded of him in the New Testament, as
well as with the undivided voices of all tradition. That he was younger
than James, may be reasonably concluded from the circumstance that he
is always mentioned after him, though his importance in the history
of the foundation of the Christian faith might seem to justify an
inversion of this order; and in the life of James, it has already been
represented as probable, that he too must have been quite young, being
the son of a father who was still so much in the freshness of his vigor,
as to endure the toils of a peculiarly laborious and dangerous business.
On this point, also, the opinion even of tradition is entitled to
some respect, on the ground taken by an author quoted in the life of
Peter,――that though we consider tradition as a notorious liar, yet
we may give some attention to its reports, because even a liar may
sometimes speak the truth, where he has no object in deceiving us.
_The youngest of the disciples._――All that can be said on this
opinion is, that it is possible, and if the testimony of the
Fathers were worth the slightest consideration on any historical
question concerning the apostles, it might be called even
probable; but no early writer alludes to his age at all, till
Jerome, who very decidedly calls John, “the youngest of all
the apostles.” Several later Fathers make the same assertion,
but the voice of antiquity has already been shown to be worth
very little, when it is not heard within three centuries of the
events on which it offers its testimony. But at any rate the
assertion of John’s juniority is not improbable.
A great deal of violent discussion has been lavished on the
almost equally important question, whether John was ever married.
The earliest established testimony on this point is that of
Tertullian, who numbers John among those who had restrained
themselves from matrimony for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.
Testimony as late as the third century, however, on an opinion
which favored monastic views, is worth nothing. But on the
strength of this, many Fathers have made great use of John, as
an instance of celibacy, accordant with monastic principles.
Epiphanius, Jerome and Augustin allude frequently to the
circumstance, the latter Father in particular insisting that
John was engaged to be married when he was called, but gave up
the lady, to follow Jesus. Some ingenious modern theologians
have even improved upon this so far as to maintain that the
marriage of Cana in Galilee was that of John, but that he
immediately left his wife after the miracle. (See Lampe,
Prolegomena, I. i. 13, notes.)