Bible Snack #77

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world (1 John 4:14).
 
John is speaking as someone who was there, a reporter on the scene, but he was not distant. Jesus loved John, specially, because they were so closely related. John was the son of Salome and Zebedee. Salome was Mary’s sister. John and Jesus were probably the same age. They grew up together, and loved each other as best cousins. When Jesus entered His ministry, John immediately followed him, as did his brother and his mother. Peter was the first of the disciples to have the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah Israel had been waiting for. I’m sure John came into that revelation shortly after that, even though it is difficult for relatives to accept great changes in other members of their family.
 
Tradition has it that John became so holy, that when the Romans tried to kill him by boiling him in oil, he was not burned or blistered, he did not drown, and the effort failed completely. John did see Jesus as the Savior of the world. His life’s work was to testify to that fact, hence the Gospel of John is so different from the other three because it is written from the heart about a man he loved and followed. The book of 1 John contains the entire Gospel, that which Jesus came to preach and teach: there are two laws to follow, the law of love and the law of faith. With those we enter into heaven with John, the beloved!