Who's Your Favorite Apostle?
Knowing Your Apostles — Part 1
As previously announced, this is a fun, lighthearted series intended not necessarily to teach, but to spark conversation. Consider this an open invitation to share what you know, like, dislike, or simply find interesting about any of the apostles. This is a judgment-free zone, so feel free to share your thoughts and opinions.
The First Question
The first question of this installment is: Who’s your favorite apostle, or which one would you most likely hang out with?
My Answer: Apostle John
Bar none, the Apostle John is my favorite apostle—and the one I’d most want to hang out with.
A Few Biographical Facts
He was a fisherman, alongside his brother James and their father Zebedee (Matthew 4:21–22; Mark 1:19–20). Scripture never explicitly states they were twins, though it could be assumed from their close association.
He was one of only 2 apostles—alongside his brother James—whose mother is directly featured in the Gospel narrative—specifically in her request that her sons sit at Jesus’ right and left in His kingdom (Matthew 20:20–23).
In addition to the Gospel of John, he wrote 1, 2, and 3 John, as well as the Book of Revelation.
He also referred to himself euphemistically as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; John 19:26; John 21:20).
Why Apostle John
The Gospel of John is my favorite Gospel for several reasons.
First, it gives us the clearest and most comprehensive evidence of Jesus’s divinity. John chapters 14–17 especially contain some of the clearest distinctions within the Trinity or Godhead because Jesus Himself makes those distinctions explicit. I frankly cannot understand how anyone can read and understand those chapters and still teach or believe the Oneness or Modalist doctrine that says Jesus is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct persons who share the same divine essence.
It also contains some of the most well-known verses in all of Scripture, such as:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” — John 3:16 (NKJV)
And:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” — John 14:6 (NKJV)
The Gospel’s Unique Focus
While the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke primarily emphasize Jesus’s teachings, parables, and public ministry, John gives us another window into Christ through some of His longest, deepest, most intense, and most intimate conversations.
Conversations like John 6, where Jesus teaches about being the Bread of Life, or John 5, where He lays out the fourfold witness that testifies to who He is.
The Apostle John also records more of Jesus’s public prayers than the other Gospel writers, including Christ’s longest recorded prayer in John 17.
And of course, the Gospel of John gives us some of the most beloved and unforgettable stories in Scripture: the wedding at Cana in Galilee (John 2), the woman caught in adultery (John 8), and the death and resurrection of Lazarus (John 11).
Attention to People
The other Gospels mainly focus on the more prominent figures within Jesus’s inner circle—Peter, John himself, and his brother James. But John’s Gospel also gives us meaningful insight into more peripheral figures like Thomas Didymus, Philip, Nathanael, and the sisters Martha and Mary.
I think that reflects a certain perceptiveness—an attentiveness to other people that is necessary for any meaningful relationship. Nobody wants to be around someone who is self-absorbed.
Transformation: Sons of Thunder to Apostle of Love
Jesus nicknamed John and his brother James “Boanerges,” meaning “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17), for wanting to call down fire from heaven upon the Samaritan villages (Luke 9:54). Yet this same John eventually became known as the apostle of love because of how profoundly he wrote about love in 1 John.
I think that transformation beautifully highlights the power of the Gospel—that a man who once wanted to destroy people would later write:
“Whoever hates his brother is a murderer…” — 1 John 3:15 (NKJV)
In his second epistle, John also displays a warmth, tenderness, and pastoral affection that most people would want in any close relationship.
These—and many more—are why John is my favorite apostle and the one I’d most like to hang out with.
Your Turn
Who’s yours?
Your answer doesn’t have to be as long as mine—it could be as simple as one reason or one thing you admire about a particular apostle. Feel free to share in the comments.
Next Episode Preview
In the next part, I want us to weigh in on the dispute between Barnabas and Paul. Whose side are you on, or who do you think was right? Stay tuned.