[Who Sits at God's Left Hand?]
Part 1 of this series discusses John life from his birth to just before Jesus' last Passover in 30 A.D. Part 3 delineates the events in his ministry from the ascension to his own death as the last living apostle.
Part 1 of Timeline - Part 3 of Timeline
Tuesday, April 4
Setting Up the Last Passover
Jesus sends Peter and John into Jerusalem to help set up the last Passover he will partake with them and the other disciples (Luke 22:7 - 13).
[What Is the Meaning of Passover?]
Tuesday, April 4
After Sunset
Marking the Betrayer
During the last Passover, after Jesus states that one of his disciples will betray him, John (called "the one who Jesus loved" in John 13:23) leans on the Lord's breast and asks him who it is. Jesus gives the sop to Judas Iscariot signaling he is the betrayer (13:21 - 27).
Tuesday, April 4, 30 A.D.
After Sunset
Awaiting Arrest
Jesus, after his last Passover has completed, leads the disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane to await his arrest. He then commands nine of the disciples to sit near the garden's entrance and wait for him to finish praying. He then takes James, Peter and John further into the garden where he tells them to keep watch. He then goes a short distant to pray to the Father.
And He took Peter and James and John with Him; and He began to be deeply troubled and heavy-hearted. And He said to them, "My soul is filled with anguish, even to death; remain here and watch."
Then He went forward a little, dropped to the ground and prayed, that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. (Mark 14:33 - 35, HBFV throughout).
Wednesday, April 5
About 2 a.m.
Scattering then Spying
All of Jesus' disciples scatter when he is arrested. Two of them, however, John, who refers to himself merely as "the other disciple" (John 18:15), and Peter, come back to follow those who arrest Jesus. They are led to the High Priest's house where John, because he is known to the priest, is allowed entrance in the courtyard. He then has Peter let into the courtyard (verses 15 - 16).
[Why Was Jesus' Trial Illegal?]
Wednesday, April 5
Noon to 3 p.m.
Woman Behold Your Son!
[Why Didn't Jesus Drink Wine with Gall?]
John, referring to himself as "the disciple whom He (Jesus) loved" (John 19:26 - 27), is the only one of the twelve disciples to personally witness Jesus' crucifixion. As he stands there with Jesus' mother, Mary Magdalene and others, the Lord commends the care of his mother to John.
When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved (John) standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son."
Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother." And from that time, the disciple took her into his own home (John 19:26 - 27).
Sunday, April 9
Early Morning
An Empty Tomb!
John, outrunning Peter, runs to Jesus' tomb when they are told that the stone sealing his tomb was moved from the entrance. He becomes the first person to look inside Jesus' tomb and notice that only his grave clothes were left in it. Peter then enters the tomb after which John follows (John 20:1 - 8).
April 17 to May 17
On the Shore of Galilee
John and six other disciples go fishing on Lake Galilee a short time after Jesus' resurrection. He is the first one to recognize and alert the others that the Lord had miraculous appeared on the shore!
Then Jesus said to them (the disciples on the lake), "Children, do you have any food?" They answered Him, "No."
And He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the ship, and you shall find some." Then they cast the net, but they did not have the strength to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Then that disciple whom Jesus loved (John) said to Peter, "It is the Lord." (John 21:5 - 7).
The disciples then eat a meal with Jesus, after which Peter's love for Christ is affirmed (John 21:15 - 17). After Peter learns he will die a martyr's death, he asks what was God's will for John. The Lord's response, with a twinge of rebuke, is the following.
But when Peter turned, he saw the disciple whom Jesus loved (John) following . . .
Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, what shall happen to this one?" Jesus said to him, "If I desire that he remain alive until I come, what is it to you? You follow Me." (John 21:20 - 22).
John's gospel makes it abundantly clear that the Lord's statement did not mean that the apostle would not die (John 21:23).
One interpretation of Jesus' answer is that it was meant to convey that it was none of Peter's business what was God's will for another person. Another interpretation is that it meant that John would live long enough to have the Lord's return revealed to him. This is exactly what happened when, on Patmos, he saw visions which were the basis of the book of Revelation (Revelation 1:1, 10).
[Location of the Mount of Olives]
[Why Did Jesus Delay His Ascension?]
Thursday, May 18, 30 A.D.
Ascending to the Father
Jesus, at the Mount of Olives, meets with John and the other disciples one last time. He gives them what is called the Great Commission and commands them to wait in Jerusalem for the power of God's Holy Spirit to come upon them.
And while they were assembled with Him, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to "await the promise of the Father, which," He said, "you have heard of Me."
"For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit after not many days." (Acts 1:4 - 5, see also Matthew 28:18 - 20, Mark 16:15 - 18).