The Age of John, the Beloved Disciple, When He Followed Jesus

One of the many questions that have puzzled scholars and followers of Christianity is the age of John the Beloved when he first followed Jesus. No specific age is mentioned in the Bible regarding the apostles or John the Beloved.

Apollozan's Personal History

The essay How old was John the one that Jesus loved... by Apollozan provides some interesting insights into both the personal history and the reputation of John the Beloved. Apollozan mentions that Mary Magdalene, who was John's sister, was an adolescent born in 17 A.D. Furthermore, it is noted that John might have been as old as Richard Carpenter, which is around 30 to 35 years old, suggesting he was older than his sister when Jesus first called him to follow him.

John's Reputation and Misconceptions

It is fascinating to hear that John often lied about his age, suggesting an older man than he appeared. He once claimed to be 30 years old, while he was actually 42 years old. John's vanity is also evident from his dislike of the name "John the Apostle," insisting others called him "Johnny-Down-the-DJ-from Judea." Moreover, John hated the attribution of the Book of Revelation to him, famously stating in the city of Patmos: "Man, I never took acid!"

Historical Context and Theories

Despite the lack of direct mention in the Gospels, many traditional interpretations imply that John was a young man. The Gospel references to him as the brother of James imply that he was in his late teens, possibly around the age of 18-22. Some theories further suggest that he was one of the youngest apostles.

Apollozan mentions that, according to a respected tradition, John lived to a good old age, spending his final years in Ephesus around the end of the 1st century. This tradition has led to the general assumption that John must have been very young when called by Jesus, and consequently, the common perception that he was the youngest of the apostles. However, these are speculative in nature and not definitively proven.

Mathematical Speculations and Cultural Context

To provide a more exact timeframe, Apollozan offers some numerical speculation. If John died around 100 CE and lived to be around 90 years old, he might have been born around 10 CE. Considering that Jesus was born around 4 BCE and called disciples at age 30, and taking into account that the start of his ministry was in 27 CE, John would have been approximately 17 years old when he first followed Jesus.

In the cultural context of that time, adulthood began at age 12 or 13. Young men were expected to take on religious or professional roles, such as aspiring to be a rabbi. John's entrance into the Gospel narrative suggests that he was already of working age. This cultural context supports the belief that other disciples of Jesus were likely in similar age groups, making it plausible for John to be in his late teens when he joined Jesus.

Conclusion: While we cannot definitively know the exact age of John, the beloved disciple, various historical and cultural factors suggest that he was probably in his late teens when he began his journey with Jesus. The ambiguity in age for the apostles, with John likely not the youngest among them, reflects the rich tapestry of the biblical narrative and the mysteries it leaves for future interpretation.