Which Disciple Did Jesus Choose To Care For His Mother

Why did Jesus entrust Mary to the apostle John instead of to His brothers?

Answer When Jesus was hanging on the cross, both the apostle John and Mary, Jesus’ mother, stood nearby to observe. John 19:26–27 tells us that when Jesus saw his mother there, as well as his beloved disciple who was standing nearby, he addressed her as “Woman, here is your son,” and addressed the disciple as “Here is your mother.” It was from that point on that this disciple welcomed her into his house.” Following a straightforward reading of the passage, it is clear that Jesus instructed John to care for Mary after His death.

Mary was most obviously a widow at this stage in her life and also an elderly woman.

Why?

(John 7:5).

Jesus was entrusting Mary to John, who was a believer and was present, rather than entrusting her to His brothers, who were not believers and who were not even present at His crucifixion.

John would have certainly obeyed this command.

She probably continued to stay with John in Jerusalem until her death.

This is also confirmed by Acts 8:1 that reads, “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” John was still in the city at this time (perhaps one or two years after the resurrection) and was still there three years after the conversion of Paul (Galatians 2:9).

There is no contextual proof within Scripture itself that would point to Jesus broadening Mary’s role as “mother” of all Christians.

John took Mary into his home to care for her.

Scripture clearly teaches the importance of caring for widows and the elderly, something Jesus personally applied during His final hours of His earthly ministry.

(James 1:27). Return to:Questions about John Why did Jesus entrust Mary to the apostle John instead of to His brothers?

Why did Jesus choose John over James to take care of His mother Mary?

Regarding John 19:26-27, where John takes on the burden of caring for Jesus’ mother rather than James (as one might assume, given that James was also Mary’s son), I have a question. Is it possible that this has something to do with James’ spiritual state at the period in question? Response:According to the notes for the NIV study Bible on this passage, it is likely that none of Jesus’ brothers had accepted Him as the Messiah at this point, although as your question suggests, James would do so later, as would Jude (cf.

1Cor.9:5).

1) As the eldest brother, Jesus was responsible for the upbringing of His lone remaining father, Joseph.

Due to the fact that none of the twelve truly “got it” before Jesus was crucified and resurrected, it would not have been prudent for our Lord to entrust this responsibility to John before the cross, any more than it would have been reasonable to expect the charge and responsibility to fully register before John saw Jesus hanging there on the cross.

• We may like to have certain matters settled ahead of time, but if we are cautious and wise, we will wait patiently for the correct moment, just as our Lord has done since the beginning of the world.
• In such circumstances, some of us might prioritize our families first on our own personal priority lists (the principle of “blood being thicker than water”).
• Because John had been unemployed in the worldly sense for the last three years, he was no doubt poorer than Jesus’ brothers (as evidenced by the fact that he had been living off contributions alongside Jesus and the other twelve for the previous three years: see Lk.8:3).
• In fact, our Lord was anxious that His mother continue to live in a faith-filled atmosphere, with heredity and spiritual progress being even more important to Him than her physical life and financial stability.

For even if we see to it that they are happy, healthy, and have no financial need, if they are suffering spiritually as a result of our preoccupation with these other issues – which are far more important in God’s eyes than maintaining a healthy faith, growing in the truth, and drawing closer to Him and His Son – then we have made a very poor bargain indeed with them.

• also Jn.13:23; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).
• And the characteristics that drew our Lord’s attention to John must have been essentially spiritual in nature.
• And, of course, John lived the longest of all the apostles, writing the final book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, allegedly right before his death in the year 64-68 A.D., which is the earliest known date for his death.
• Please have a look at the following links as well: Mary, Joseph, and the town of Nazareth.
• Jesus’Siblings.

Putting our trust in our Lord, our loving Savior Jesus Christ, who always knows when the proper moment is for all of our deliverances. Bob L. Ichthys’s Residence

Why Jesus Entrusted Mary to Disciple John Instead of to His Brothers

Rev. Margaret Minnicks is a Bible teacher who has been ordained. She publishes a lot of articles that are Bible lessons in disguise. Image courtesy of Commons.wikimedia.org: Jesus on the crucifixion, conversing to Mary, His mother, and John, His devoted disciple Unless people are familiar with the historical context of Jesus’ life and mission, they will find it unusual that, when He was dying on the cross, Jesus committed His mother to His disciple John rather than to His own family. As well as His pupil, He entrusted Him to His mother.

As recorded in John 19:26–27, “When Jesus saw his mother there, as well as the disciple whom he adored standing close, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother,'” It was from that point on that this disciple welcomed her into his house.”

Jesus’ Family

Both Jesus’ devoted disciple John and His mother Mary were crucified with Him. On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, no other members of his family were present at the cross. Joseph, Jesus’ biological father, had already passed away by the time Jesus died at the age of 33, according to the Bible. As a result, Mary was a widow who was also quite old. As a result, she required the services of a dependable caregiver. Even while Jesus was still alive and preaching the gospel, His own family turned their backs on him.

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, his family eventually came to recognize Him as the savior of the universe.

Mary’s Other Children

James, Joseph (Joses), Judas (Jude), and Simon were Jesus’ brothers, and an unknown number of sisters were also related to him (Matthew 12:46;13:55,56,Luke 8:19,andMark 3:31). Jesus also had sisters, who are not mentioned or numbered in the Bible, but who were close to him (Matthew 13:56). Because of the plural word, we know there were at least two sisters in the family. Jesus’ brothers were not Christians, and they did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah while He was still on the earth. That is one of the primary reasons Jesus did not pick any of them to care for His mother after His death was announced.

According to Galatians 1:19, they are depicted as praying with the disciples.

What they were missing out on when they might have been playing basketball with Jesus, who never missed a shot throughout his life!

What a treat it would have been if they had been swimming when Jesus rose to his feet and walked on water.

Reason John Was Selected

There were various reasons why Jesus handed Mary to John. John, on the other hand, was a believer, although his brothers and sisters were not. First and foremost, John had walked and worked beside Jesus for three years, but Jesus’ family had not. Jesus was well aware of who John was and what he held to be true. Jesus’ brothers and sisters did not have the same kind of relationship with Him as He had. Third, when Jesus glanced down from the cross, he saw His mother standing by John, which was the final straw.

Because Jesus was the eldest of Mary’s children, he was the one who was in charge of looking for her needs.

Jesus picked John, and the disciple welcomed Mary into his house to care for her in accordance with Jesus’ instructions.

As a result, Jesus could put his faith in him since He was aware of what He had taught John.

He had not imparted any knowledge to His brothers and sisters since they did not spend enough time with Him. They were unfamiliar with the earthly Jesus. After His resurrection, they were able to get to know Him better.

How Long Did Mary Stay with John?

On the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), it is reported that Mary was one of the one hundred and twenty people (Acts 1:15) who were baptized in the Holy Spirit. That was the last time Mary was mentioned in the Bible, despite the fact that she most likely continued to live with John in Jerusalem until her death, which occurred within two years after the resurrection. In accordance with Galatians 2:9, John remained in Jerusalem for a period of three years following Paul’s conversion. After that, John departed Jerusalem and went on to serve in various places across the world.

• The apocryphal Book of Revelation was also written by the disciple.
• James is a comprehensive epistle consisting of merely five powerful chapters that provide practical instruction for believers in a variety of situations.
• As a matter of fact, Jesus encourages them to “count it all joy” (James1:2-3).
• Within the confines of that one chapter, Jude exhorts believers to “contend firmly for the faith which was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3).

Why did Jesus leave Mary in John’s care?

In addition to her husband, it is thought that Mary had sons and daughters. So why did Jesus leave her in the care of John, telling him that “she is your mother?” According to John 19:26-27, “When Jesus saw his mother there, as well as the disciple whom He loved standing close, He said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” “From that point on, this disciple welcomed her into his house.”

John will take care of Mary

At that point in time, it’s likely that none of Jesus’ brothers believed in Him, which is why he put his mother in the care of John rather than one of his siblings. In later years, his brothers James (Galatians 1:19) and Jude (Jude 1:1) would come to recognize Him as Savior, and it is likely that his other brothers would do the same (1 Corinthians 9:5). However, it is likely that John was the guy who was spiritually closest to Jesus and Mary at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. John was the disciple whom Jesus admired and adored (John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).

The aunt of Jesus

Having said that, it is quite likely that Jesus and John were distant cousins. As a result, Jesus continued to entrust his mother to a relative, although one who was less close to him than his own siblings. At the time when Jesus was hanging on the cross, numerous ladies were present. Mary Magdalene, another Mary, and a lady named Salome are all mentioned in Mark 15:40. John 19:25 tells the story of a woman who was Jesus’ mother’s sister, and therefore Jesus’ aunt, who stood by the crucifixion.

As a result, this Salome appears to have been an aunt of Jesus’ and the mother of John and James, who were Zebedee’s sons, according to the evidence (Matthew 4:21).

It is a noteworthy detail that the ladies who stood at the cross, including John’s mother Salome, are recorded in John 19:25. One verse later, in the presence of John’s mother and Jesus’ aunt, Jesus handed his mother to John’s care, marking the beginning of the end of the story.

John’s spiritual maturity

Given the fact that he had been (largely) unemployed for the previous three years, John had to have been in dire financial straits. After all, he had been following in the footsteps of Christ. Nonetheless, he must have had sufficient resources to provide for Mary. Jesus must have placed a higher value on John’s spiritual growth than he did on his temporal wealth. In this instance, Jesus’ gesture of surrendering his mother to John’s care provides us with further insight into his tremendous love and concern for others, even when He was suffering in excruciating torment.

Thank you toGospelImages for creating the artwork.

Why Jesus chose John, not His brothers to care for Mary.

Even while we do not know the exact response to this inquiry, which occurred in John 19:26-27, practically all scholars agree that the reason Jesus selected John to care for His mother after his death, rather than his brothers, was because they were not Christians. They didn’t believe in who He was or why He came to Earth, and they were right to be skeptical (see: Jn 7:3-5). Although some of His brothers were first skeptical of the Resurrection, they eventually became believers. James and Jude are even credited with writing books in the Bible.) Furthermore, it appears that none of Jesus’ family members, with the exception of Mary, were there when He was crucified.

In the book of John, John is referred to as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” on several occasions (see:Q:370.).

For anyone who might be wondering whether Jesus had siblings, I address this topic here.

Answers

Why did Jesus ask John to take care of Mary at his crucifixion instead of his siblings?

John 19:27ESV – John 19:27ESV – 27 Then he turned to the disciple and said, “Look, here’s your mother!” That same hour, the disciple picked her up and carried her to his own house. Question posed on March 16, 2014: ClarifyShareReport Reynaldo Giron, Sr. is a retired businessman. The responses from the community are arranged according to how many people voted for them. The greater the number of votes, the higher the position of an answer on the list. Personally, I try to avoid making wild guesses or making assumptions.

1. I disagree.
2. As a result, I advocate sticking with what we already know about Scripture.
3. According to the Bible, Jesus handed Mary to John.
4. John was a close buddy of Jesus’ and one of his closest associates.
5. That’s all we have to go on.
6. It’s possible that his siblings were not present.
7. Perhaps they were present, and Jesus did have trust in them, but he wanted to be absolutely certain, so he asked his closest buddy to double-check just to be certain.

We can make all kinds of educated assumptions, but we must keep in mind that they are just that: educated guesses.

Responses received on March 18, 2014: 9.

JD Abshire is a fictional character created by JD Abshire.

The day of the Jewish feast of Tabernacles had arrived, and his brothers and sisters persuaded him to travel to Judea so that his disciples might witness his miracles firsthand.

Given the nature of Christ’s family, it would seem reasonable that his brothers and sisters were aware of the danger he was in.

“For neither his father nor his mother believed in him,” says verse 5.

It’s possible that they were attempting to get rid of the “perfect” sibling who had never sinned or done anything wrong and was their mother’s favorite son.

Christ frequently used the phrase “my time” to allude to the day of his crucifixion and subsequent glory.

According to Matthew 10:34, the Lord said “Do not believe that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” “For I have come to set a man at odds with his father, and the daughter at odds with her mother, and the daughter in law at odds with her mother in law,” says v.

• “And a man’s adversaries will be those who are members of his own home,” says v.
• It is possible that the Lord’s own brothers and sisters were his adversaries.
• Having confidence in John’s ability to treat his mother with dignity and compassion, the Lord gave his beloved mother to him.
• Can you image the discussions Mary and John had about the Lord when they were together?
• Their coming together was almost probably a result of the Lord’s precise plan.
• James rose to become a prominent figure in the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17;15:13;21:18; Galatians 1:19; 2:9,12 and the epistle of James) 0 answers received on March 17, 2014 Vote for it, share it, and report it.
• Yes, Jesus did have additional brothers, according to what the Bible says, and I believe this is correct.

In fact, whomever does the will of my heavenly Father, who is also my brother and sister and mother, is considered to be one of my brothers and sisters.

1 answer received on March 19, 2014 Vote for it, share it, and report it.

Jesus’ male siblings had not yet come to the conclusion that he was the Messiah.

However, he could not leave her in the care of a non-believer.

as a result, he requested the assistance of the apostle present, who was most likely his dear buddy.

Randolph Batcho is a minister (Part time) According to the text of John 19:25-26, only Mary, Jesus’ mother, His mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and John, Jesus’ disciple were there at the foot of the cross at that time.

“After that, they all abandoned Him and fled.” 14:50 in the Gospel of Mark Please recall that when the LORD was in the synagogue speaking and His mother, brothers, and sisters stood up, and when they informed Him of their presence, He responded with the question “Which of my sisters is my mother, and who of my brothers is my brother?” “Look, here’s my mother and my brothers!” He exclaimed as He extended His hand toward His disciples.

• Anyone who does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother,” says the Savior.
• GOD employs people who are accessible, and if we are available, GOD will make use of our talents and abilities.
• 0 replies on March 20, 2014 Vote for it, share it, and report it.
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• The apparent reality is that Mary was the only kid she ever had.
• John 19:26-27 (KJV) After seeing his mother and the disciple whom he adored standing nearby, Jesus addressed her as “Woman, here is your son,” and the disciple as “Dear disciple, here is your mother.” She was welcomed into the home of this disciple from that point forward.
• She takes on the role of our mother, and we take on the role of her children.

Joseph was a widower who was only engaged to Mary but never married her.

10 answers received on March 17th, 2014.

Chris Eleam is a writer and musician from the United Kingdom.

Because there is no mention of Jesus’ foster father, Joseph, from that point on, it is likely that he died at that time, and Jesus’ siblings had not yet shown trust in him and were thus not following him.

0 replies on March 21, 2014 Vote for it, share it, and report it.

My interpretation is that Mary was widowed, that her parents were gone as well as having no living brothers, since one of them would have traditionally been responsible for caring for her, as her other children may have been minors at the time.

0 answers received on June 3, 2015 Vote for it, share it, and report it.

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Why did Jesus entrust His mother Mary to John’s care?

Q.Does the fact that Jesus was dying and gave his mother to John imply that Joseph was no longer alive? Mary is entrusted to the care of John by Jesus. Chapel Nosso Senhor dos Passos of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia in Porto Alegre, Brazil, dedicated to Our Lord of the Passos. Yes, most interpreters assume that Joseph had died and that Jesus, as the eldest son in the family, had been responsible for caring for his mother and was now asking John to take on this obligation. There are two things we may learn from this: (1) Even in the midst of his greatest agony, Jesus was concerned about others rather than himself.

• Jesus had at least four brothers who he might have asked to take on this job, but he chose to delegate it to a “brother” in the kingdom instead of his own.
• B: Pilate denies the Jewish leaders’ request to change the inscription on the cross.
• D: Jesus entrusts Mary into the care of John.
• B: Pilate grants the Jewish leaders’ request to break the legs of the crucified prisoners.
• A: Jesus is escorted away from the site of his execution.
• The fact that a story of the crucifixion does not place Jesus’ real death at its heart, however, strikes me as odd, as well.
• It’s possible that he’s concentrating his attention on the consequences of Jesus’ death.

Because of Jesus’ death, believers in him become members of a new family, which they recognize as their actual family.” Following that, I pose the following question in the guide: “Are there any other followers of Jesus who are ‘just like family’ to you?” “What is it that brings you two together?” What are your thoughts?

Dr.

Smith is an ordained clergyman, author, and biblical scholar who lives in the United States.

He worked as a consulting editor for the International Bible Society (now Biblica) on The Books of the Bible, an edition of the New International Version (NIV) that presents the biblical books according to their natural literary outlines, rather than chapters and verses, as opposed to the traditional chapter and verse format.

He also worked as a consultant for Tyndale House on the Immerse Bible, a version of the New Living Translation (NLT) that presents the Scriptures in their natural literary forms, without the use of chapters and verses or section titles, as well as other projects.

He received his Ph.D. in the History of Christian Life and Thought, with a minor concentration in Biblical Studies, from Boston College, which is affiliated with Andover Newton Theological School. View all of Christopher R Smith’s blog entries.

Jesus Cares for His Mother and the Beloved Disciple (19:25-27) – IVP New Testament Commentary Series

New International Version (NIV) International Version of the Pronunciation (IVP) Series of New Testament Commentaries – Jesus is concerned about His Mother as well as the Beloved Disciple (19:25-27) Jesus is concerned about His Mother as well as the Beloved Disciple (19:25-27) Another different group at the cross (men. de,vv. 24-25), namely those who are there out of love for Jesus, is now brought to the attention of John the apostle. It was not uncommon for friends and family to be present beside the one who was crucified, or for opponents to gather to jeer at his or her execution (cf.t.

• Gittin7; 48c; 39;b.
• Mark informs us that there were a large number of ladies present (15:41), whereas John only mentions a small group of women near the cross.
• Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome are three of the women named by Mark as being present: “Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome” (15:40).
• Salome, in turn, is further associated with the mother of Zebedee’s sons, as described in Matthew’s narrative of the life of Zebedee (27:56).
• As Raymond Brown (1994:2:1017) notes, this identification is “dubious,” and the texts themselves confess that they cannot be positive because, as Mark points out, there were a large number of women there.
• The fact that neither Jesus’ mother nor his aunt are mentioned is also noteworthy; this is a quality they share with the Beloved Disciple as well (cf.
• Jesus concentrates on his mother and the Beloved Disciple with the presence of these supporters nearby him (vv.

Jesus says to his mother, “Woman, behold your son,” and to the Beloved Disciple, “Behold your mother.” Similar language was used in connection with betrothal (Tobit 7:12) and thus seems to signal some change of relationship.

27).

27).

(see comments on 2:1-11 and 13:23).

Koester 1995:214-19).

Koester 1995:214-19).

20:17; Newbigin 1982:255).

20:17; Newbigin 1982:255).

Many have understood Jesus’ mother to be a symbol of Eve, the mother of the living, or a symbol of the church (cf.

(cf.

Quite often it has been assumed that the disciple is given into the care of the mother, which has contributed to the development of views regarding Mary’s role in the lives of Christians, who are symbolized by the Beloved Disciple.

Ridderbos 1997:611-15).

Ridderbos 1997:611-15).

Here at the very end we see Jesus still exercising love and care (cf.

(cf.

This loving concern is the glory that his death itself reveals most powerfully, since love is the laying down of one’s life (cf.

(cf.

In the course of his ministry Jesus was forming a new community around himself, and in the farewell discourse (13:31—17:26) he described how that community is to share in his own relation with the Father and to participate in the divine life, which is characterized by love.

This community is the fruit of his death, for it will be the locus of the divine life on earth.

The life of the community derives from Jesus’ own giving of himself, and in turn such self-giving is to typify the community itself.

Such love is only really possible when sin has been taken away, since the essence of sin is a false self-love that prevents one from sharing in the life of God, which is love. IVP New Testament Commentaries are made available by the generosity ofInterVarsity Press.

Why Did Jesus Tell His Mother, “Behold Your Son”?

JOHN 19:25-2725 (JOHN 19:25-2725) Now there stood alongside the crucifixion of JesusHis mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene, all of whom had come to witness the death of Jesus. 26 Jesus, on the other hand, when he saw His mother and the disciple whom He adored standing by Him said to His mother: “Woman, look at your son.” 27 When He was finished, He turned to the disciple and said, “Behold your mother.” And it was at that point that the disciple took her to his own house for the first time.

• “”The disciple whom Jesus loved,” which is John the gospel writer, who was standing beside her, is mentioned in John 19:26.
• It so happened that his mother was John’s aunt and that John was His mother’s nephew.
• What evidence do we have to support this?
• Following this, the women who were present at the cross are mentioned in the same context as in John 19, but with somewhat different information: “among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.” (Matthew 27.) (Matthew 27:56).

In Matthew 27:56, the two other women are referred to as (A)”Mary the mother of James and Joses” and (B)”mother of Zebedee’s sons,” while in John 19:25, they are referred to as (1)”His mother’s sister” and (2)”Mary the wife of Clopas.” When someone refers to her as the “Mother of Zebedee’s boys,” she is referring to her as the wife of Zebedee, which implies she cannot be referred to as “the wife of Clopas.” This indicates that (1) “his mother’s sister” was not (2) “the mother of Zebedee’s sons,” and (2) “the mother of Zebedee” was not (1) “his mother’s sister.” It’s possible that this is why she felt free to approach Jesus and ask for particular favors: “As a result, the mother of Zebedee’s boys approached Him with her sons, kneeling before Him and pleading with Him for anything.

1. And He asked her, “What do you wish?” He replied.
2. So, what was Jesus getting at when He ordered John to “behold your mother” (John 19:27), exactly?
3. What type of physical condition must Mary have been in at this point in time?
4. What exactly did John do after that?
5. “And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home,” according to the Bible.

Why would Jesus send her to John’s house if she already had boys of her own? As a result of Mary’s decision to remain in the company of John after His resurrection, her sadness will be transformed into joy far sooner than she would otherwise have been.

Why Is John the “Disciple Whom Jesus Loved”?

There appear to be several instances of nicknames and name changes in both the Old and New Testaments. The “Sons of Thunder” include Simon and Peter, Esau and Edom, and others. Almost everyone who follows Jesus appears to be given a loving nickname, which is occasionally given by Jesus himself. However, in the fourth Gospel, we come upon something quite different. ‘The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved,’ says the author of the Gospel of John, referring to himself by an unusual moniker. The “Beloved Disciple” is a title used by John in different translations to refer to himself.

“Did John actually believe that?” In my situation, as is often the case, subsequent research later in life invalidated my primary school frame of reference.

What Does John’s Nickname Mean?

With his self-given label, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” it appears that John is attempting to boost his ego by associating himself with the Savior. As previously stated, Jesus had an inner circle of three disciples to whom he demonstrated his transfiguration (Matthew 17), with John being one of them. In fact, Jesus instructs John to look after his mother while Jesus is being crucified with him. So, did John use this name as a flex in order to get what he wanted? Scholars, on the other hand, disagree.

1. The title was more than likely a magnificent title with a connotation that did not translate into our own society, as William Barclay explains in this passage from his book.
2. More information about this will be provided in the next section.
3. After all, on the night that he was deceived, he bathed the feet of everyone in the house.
4. As indicated in the Answers in Genesis page, it’s possible that John uses this name to remind readers of the immense love that they, too, have experienced.
5. Because John does not offer an explanation for the name, we are unable to determine its true significance.

However, it is possible that John chooses this moniker to serve as a reminder to himself and others of Jesus’ compassionate mission on earth and the disciples’ call to carry the message of that love to every country across the world. The image is courtesy of Getty Images/Javier Art Photography.

Why Did John Call Himself “The Disciple Who Jesus Loved”?

As we discussed in the preceding section, we don’t know the specific reasons for which John would choose to bequest himself such a name. After all, he isn’t referred to by this name in any other Gospel story. This suggests that John solely used this as a way to refer to himself. We can rule out egotism because John did not choose this name in order to bring attention to himself. Instead, it appears that the inverse is more likely. John wanted to remain nameless for his own reasons. Those who read the Gospel and were eyewitnesses to the events would have recognized John’s identity based on a number of crucial facts that he highlights.

However, John appears to be attempting to deflect attention away from himself in the narrative by removing his name and substituting a nickname for it, which is a characteristic: someone who is loved by Jesus.

He discovers truth, his own identity, and his own purpose as a result of God’s love.

There aren’t many alternative explanations for why John chose this nickname for himself, according to the academic community.

The Importance of Nicknames in the Bible

Nowadays, we may refer to our spouse, individuals with whom we participate in sports leagues, and even coworkers by their nicknames. However, throughout the period of the Old and New Testaments, nicknames had a considerably more profound significance to them. According toVincent Ketchie’s essay, names and nicknames in the Bible frequently reflect a person’s purpose or identity via their use. People who changed someone’s name or gave them a nickname held a certain level of power and influence over the individual who had changed his or her name.

As a result, when someone adopts a new name or nickname (such as Paul or John), they are emphasizing a crucial aspect of their mission.

such as changing his surname to Paul.

Why Should We Care About This?

After all, why should it matter what John refers to himself as in his Gospel account? Indeed, didn’t he come up with the moniker on purpose in order to avoid calling attention to himself? There are a variety of reasons why we should be concerned about nicknames, and this one in particular. First and foremost, John reminds us of the transformational power of God’s love in our lives. We may all identify with the disciple whom Jesus adored and refer to ourselves as such. Because he has a job. He cares for us in an extraordinary and unwavering way.

Second, we should be aware of the immense power that names possess.

The number of names for God is endless: Elohim, El Shaddai, Yahweh, and so on.

If someone is given a nickname or another name in the Bible, they typically gain a new function, a new instrumental component of their character, in the same and lesser fashion.

What a difference a nickname can make in our understanding of a person.

This also demonstrates how important it is to consider the context of texts.

However, by putting the emphasis on Jesus rather than himself, he demonstrates remarkable humility.

In addition to being a multi-published author, Bolinger is also a graduate of the professional writing program at Taylor University.

As a writer and editor, she has worked for a number of different publishing firms as well as periodicals, newspapers, and literary agencies, and she has worked with writers such as Jerry B.

Her modern-day Daniel trilogy, published by IlluminateYA, is now available.

She is also a co-author of the Dear Heroduology, which was published by INtense Publications and is available for purchase online. Her inspirational adult novel Picture Imperfect, which will be released in November of 2021, will also be released. You may learn more about her by visiting her website.