A Life of St. John for the Young

by George Ludington Weed

These words revived in the disciples the hope which had died in them when Jesus died upon the cross. So, with yet mistaken ideas, they asked, "Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" John and the rest of the Bethsaidan band, who had heard the Baptist say that the kingdom of God was at hand, hoped that "at this time" it would appear. But, as when Jesus gave no direct answer to the two pairs of brothers on Olivet concerning the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, or to Peter's question concerning John's future, so now He avoided a direct answer to this last question. He reminded them of something more important for them than knowledge of the future: that was their own duty,—not to reign, but to be witnesses for Him, first in Jerusalem, then throughout Judæa, then in Samaria, then "unto the uttermost parts of the earth." Yet this could not be until they had "received power after that the Holy Ghost had come upon them." This was promised them: they did not clearly understand what was meant: they were waiting to see.

"He led them out until they were over against Bethany,"—well-remembered Bethany. From there Jesus had made His triumphal entry into the City of the Great King: from there He would make a more glorious entry into the New Jerusalem. John was not His herald now. He, with the other ten, was "led" by Him to witness His departure.

As He ascended Olivet the last time, did He not give a parting glance down the slope into the village below, His eye resting on the home of those He loved, made radiant for us by the search-light thrown upon it by the loved disciple at His side? In thought did He not say, "Lazarus, Martha, Mary, farewell."

The lifted hands, the parting blessing, the luminous cloud, and the vanishing form—such is the brief story of the Ascension.

"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into Heaven?" The questioners were two angels. Without waiting for answer, they gave promise of Jesus' return. "Then returned the disciples unto Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet." Whither bound? We are told, "They went up into the upper chamber." No longer simply "A large upper room" to which Jesus had told Peter and John they would be guided. Were they not now the guide of the nine thither, to the place where they had six weeks before "prepared" for the Passover? Did not the goodman of the house give the Disciples a second welcome, and offer it to them as a temporary place for the Christian Church? So it would appear, for again we are told, "they were there abiding." Once more Luke gives their names, in the Acts as he did in his Gospel. All except Judas answered, in that upper room, to the roll call of the company scattered from Gethsemane, but reunited in a closer union. In each of Luke's lists he begins with the Bethsaidan band. But he does not preserve the same order. In the latter he begins, not with the two pairs of brothers as such—Peter and Andrew, James and John,—but with the Apostles whom Christ had drawn into His inner circle, Peter, John and James, naming first the two who were already becoming the acknowledged leaders of the Christian band. In that list we find the name of Andrew recorded the last time in Holy Writ.

But the eleven were not alone: others resorted thither for the same purpose. What was that purpose? and who were some of them? This is the answer:—"These all with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren."

It is here, for the last time, that we read of Mary, in the Gospels. In what better place could we bid her farewell than in the room consecrated by the presence of her Son. How we rejoice with her that in that place the longing of her heart must have been satisfied as she joined "with one accord in prayer ... with His brethren"—her sons who during His life had not believed on Him. What a welcome to that room did they receive from John, their adopted brother! May we not indulge the thought that among "the women" were her own daughters; and that we hear her joyfully asking the once carping question of the Jews concerning "the carpenter's son," but with changed meaning, saying, "His sisters, are they not all with us?" If so "His Mother called Mary," "and His brethren," "and His sisters," and John the adopted son and brother, were at last a blessed family indeed. Mary on her knees with her children around her, rejoicing in God her Saviour, of whom she had sung in the infancy of her Son—that certainly is a fitting scene to be the last in which we behold the Mother of Jesus.

"When the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place." They were united in feeling, purpose and devotion, in the "one place," the home of the early Church.

The hour had come for the fulfilment of the promise of their Lord, for which they were to tarry in Jerusalem and wait. There was a great miracle,—a sound from Heaven as of the rushing of a mighty wind which filled the house. Flame-like tongues, having the appearance of fire rested on the heads of the disciples, who were "all filled with the Holy Ghost." He gave them utterance as they spoke in languages they had not known before. Crowds of foreigners in the city "were confounded because that every man heard them speaking in his own language."

On the morning of that day the Church numbered one hundred and twenty. "There were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls."