Revelation: Who is the Author? | April 12, 2023

I don’t know about you, but when I’m reading a letter or book, I have many questions about who wrote it. In order to give me greater insight and clarity into their words, it helps me to know some details about who they are.

Most scholars agree that the author of Revelation is John, the disciple and apostle of Jesus. He also wrote the gospel of John and 1, 2, & 3 John. But who was he? What can we learn about him from Scripture before we read Revelation? Take note of what you learn about John from the following passages:

Matthew 10:2 ESV

² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 

John 13:23 ESV

²³ One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, 

Mark 3:16-17 ESV

⁶ He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), ¹⁷ and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”);

Mark 10: 35-39 ESV

³⁵ And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” ³⁶ And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” ³⁷ And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” ³⁸ Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” ³⁹ And they said to him, “We are able.”

Luke 9:53-55 ESV

⁵³ But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them.

Matthew 17:1-3 ESV

17 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. ³ And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

John 19:25-27 ESV

But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother’s sister [Salome*], Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ So Jesus, seeing His mother, and the disciple whom He loved (esteemed) standing near, said to His mother, “[Dear] woman, look, [here is] your son!” ²⁷ Then He said to the disciple (John), “Look! [here is] your mother [protect and provide for her]!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

*The mother of the apostles John and James, the sons of Zebedee.

John 20:1-4 ESV

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³ So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. ⁴ Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

I love all these details! Don’t you? 

• The son of Zebedee and brother of James the disciple
• The disciple whom Jesus loved (John calls himself this. Interesting.)
• One of the “sons of Thunder” meaning confident, passionate, zealous, arrogant possibly?
• Part of Jesus’ inner circle who witnesses the transfiguration
• The caretaker of Jesus’ mother Mary after Jesus dies
• The son of Salome who was Jesus’ mother’s sister, making him Jesus’ cousin
• He was faster than Peter at running. This is my absolute favorite detail. John not only referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved but also tells us he was faster than Peter which makes me laugh. I can appreciate an author with a great sense of humor. It makes him relatable and likable. 

Lord, thank You for choosing John to be the disciple whom You loved who could run fast, who had the confidence and courage to follow You until the end, who was an eyewitness author of Your Words we now read and live by.