We met on a railway platform in India. The man introduced himself as Charles Victor. His initiation of a conversation with a stranger wasn’t unusual. Westerners stick out a bit in India. Without any more information, Laurie and I knew immediately that he was probably a Christian. In India, born-again Christians often change their names to Western ones, sometimes biblical ones. We’ve met Benjamins, Josephs, and Johns. Victor is a good name for one who was made victorious in Jesus, wouldn’t you agree?
At the time Charles was supervising a group of poor Pentecostal pastors. He honored me by giving me the opportunity to speak to them. When I say poor, don’t think American poor, folks who have a TV, a fridge, a washer/dryer combo, and food stamps. Think living in tiny broken-down homes with no indoor toilet.
However, what happened at that meeting is another story for another time.
Recently, Charles posted on Facebook an article about the Apostle John. He stated that in the gospel which John wrote, he referred to himself as “the disciple Jesus loved” five times: John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, and 21:7, 20. Here is the first time:
“One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking” (John 13:23–24).1
Charles drew attention to the fact that John defined himself solely on his relationship with Jesus, refusing even to identify himself by name in his gospel narrative.
It’s difficult to understand the notoriety that must have accompanied Jesus’ original disciples. There were the only original disciples and always would be. Are the names of Jesus’ disciples important or significant? Well, their names are written on the foundations of the heavenly city.
“And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:14).
Three of Jesus’ disciples were closer than the other nine: Peter, James, and John. Two of those three, James and John, were brothers and real firebrands. Jesus gave them the name Boanerges, which means “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17).
An appropriate title. They once wanted to wipe out an entire village. When a Samaritan village refused hospitality to Jesus as he traveled to Jerusalem, James and John said:
“‘Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village” (Luke 9:54–56).
Thus, not only were they “sons of thunder,” it also appears they had elevated opinions of themselves, as well.
However, when John wrote his gospel decades later, around 70 A.D., he had become, not a son of thunder, but the disciple whom Jesus had changed. He had learned humility.
Pride is sinful and defiles us, Jesus said.
“For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness” (Mark 7:21–22).
Thus, John was making a point when he made himself almost invisible when he wrote his narrative about his Lord and Savior. He didn’t want to identify himself as a son of thunder or even by his name. He only wanted to be known as one who had a relationship with Jesus, one whom He loved. He knew there is no other name that should be exalted except Jesus.
“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:8–11).
Amen. Lord, help us to follow John’s example of humility and glorify You alone.
1All Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (2016). Crossway Bibles.
Gif courtesy Bing images.
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