Bible Discussion Thread

Joe...Joseph died and his brother Cleophas marries Mary according to Levirate marriage. Jesus, the first born, transfers His inheritance to John Mark to take care of His mother after His death. John Mark takes care of Mary when Cleophas dies. Acts 12:12 ...he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark ...

Please read John 19 vs 26 - the disciple standing by whom he loved This disciple is John, the brother of James both of whom were of the 12 apostles. No where in the scriptures is John Mark referred to as the disciple whom Jesus loved.

John Mark was a traveling companion of Paul and Barnabas; in fact it is generally thought that John Mark was related to Barnabas (as a cousin or nephew). Paul and Barnabas has a very big disagreement over John Mark causing them to part ways at Pamphylia.

John Mark was related to the high priest. ( Acts 4:6) John Mark followed Jesus to the high priest's house and was allowed to go in with Jesus into the high priest's house. ( John 18:15) John Mark was wealthy and had a house in Jerusalem where the disciples met ( Acts 12:12) and where Jesus celebrated Passover and that is why John Mark sat at the head of the table next to Jesus. ( John 13:23) John Mark is given the responsibility to take care of Mary. ( John 19:27)

Remember James and John, the sons of Zebedee, are always mentioned together.

Ann - I respectfully hold a totally different view believing that John, the apostle, is the person referred to - not John Mark. Neither of us is likely to change the others view, but I feel sure we can agree on Jesus Christ as our Savior.

All the references to "the disciple whom Jesus loved" are in the book of John. While the Gospel of John does not specifically identify its author, and "the disciple whom Jesus loved" is nowhere explicitly named in Scripture, early Christians universally recognized John, the apostle, as the author of the Gospel and "the disciple whom Jesus loved." This is consistent with internal evidence in the Gospel of John

John and brother, James were called to be disciples of Christ while they were fishing with their father, Zebedee. They immediately left to become members of Jesus' original group of the twelve.

James, John, and Peter seemed to be the most intimate of Jesus' apostles accompanying Jesus on special occasions. Matthew 17:1 says, ... and led them up a high mountain by themselves. Because of their favored relationship with Jesus, James and John sought special position in what they erroneously assumed to be Jesus earthly kingdom in Mark 10:37-38: "They replied, 'Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.'

James eventually died as a martyr for Christ and John died a natural death after living in exile on the Isle of Patmos.

One of the most reflective statements of the closeness between Jesus and John was in the last moments of Jesus' life when Jesus asked Jesus asked John to care for his mother after His death. John 19:26-27

John, as an apostle of Jesus, not only wrote his eye-witness account of experiences with Christ which were recorded in his gospel, but also wrote the books of 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and the book of Revelation.

No where in the Word of God does it say that John was "exiled" to Patmos. Hebrews through The Revelation were written early, not later, to the 12 tribes scattered to prepare them for The Tribulation.

3 John is written to Gaius, the same Gaius that Paul baptized and traveled with ( 1 Cor 1:14), and also mentions Demetrius, the same Demetrius, the silversmith that Paul dealt with in Ephesus. ( Acts 19:24)

Whoever wrote 3 John knew Gaius and Demetrius personally, he saw them face to face!

Remember that John Mark traveled with Paul throughout Asia, and in 2 Tim 4:11 Paul tells Timothy to take Mark and bring him with thee for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

It makes sense that John Mark would write The Revelation to the 7 churches of Asia that John Mark visited, not the Apostle John who never left Israel.

You have to understand what was going on in those days.

James, Cephas and John and the rest of the apostles knew their ministry was to Israel (circumcision), and Paul knew his ministry was to the Gentiles (uncircumcision) Gal 2:9. They even shook hands on it!

No where in the Word of God does it say that the 12 apostles left Israel.

The "disciple" whom Jesus loved followed Jesus, was at the last Passover at the head of the table next to Jesus, went with Jesus into the high priest's house because he was akin, was at the cross, became the son of Mary, was at the tomb, had a home in Jerusalem where the apostles stayed, knew Peter intimately, knew Paul, Barnabus, Timothy, Gaius, Demetrius and many more in Asia.

I think the right choice for the writer of John, 123 John and The Revelation has to be John Mark.

We can' go by church "tradition" to figure these things out. The Word of God tells us who these people are.