Which came first: the naming of our church as St. John’s, or the naming of the road in front of us, East John Street? Sometime during the coming year, I suspect our beloved congregation president and village historian, Anna Jaeger, will reveal the answer as part of our 150th-anniversary celebration.
That question naturally begs another: After which “John” is our congregation named? Traditionally, St. John is associated with one of Jesus’ closest disciples — the “beloved” (much like our congregation president!) — long credited as the author of the Fourth Gospel, the Letters of John, and the Book of Revelation.
Modern scholarship, however, sees things differently. The Gospel’s author is commonly called John the Evangelist. The writer of Revelation is John of Patmos. The three epistles are often attributed to John the Elder. In other words, early Christians revered several teachers named John, and their identities were not necessarily the same person.
In fact, the New Testament mentions multiple figures named John, including:
- John the Apostle, son of Zebedee and brother of James, the pair Jesus nicknamed “Sons of Thunder.”
- A different John, the father of Simon Peter (“son of John”).
- John Mark, companion of Paul and Barnabas and traditionally associated with the Gospel of Mark.
- John of the high-priestly family, noted in the Acts of the Apostles.
- And of course, John the Baptist, the fiery forerunner of Jesus, who preached repentance and baptized in the Jordan.
Over the next two Sundays at St. John’s, here along East John Street, our Scripture lessons turn our attention to John the Baptist, preparing us to “make straight the way of the Lord” as Advent unfolds.
Join us for worship on Sunday, December 7, at 9:30 AM.All are welcome… even if you happen to be a Johnny-come-lately!
Blessings,
Pastor Marc
