John of Capernaum, the disciple
Not to be confused with John the Scribe.
Scribe[1] from Capernaum or the nearby surroundings. He listens to Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount and decides to feed the crowd coming down for the Sabbath in Capernaum. Master of the healed leper whom he was feeding[2], he decides to Follow Jesus and becomes a disciple.
However, he withdraws after the discourse on the Bread of Life[3], before becoming involved in the plot of Chuza to make Jesus a king.[4]"I do not reproach you, for I know that it is not you who want this, spontaneously. It is the Snare, it is the Adversary who works."Later he is found as a witness of the resurrection of Lazarus[5], where he is listed among those favorable to Jesus.
Character and appearance[edit | edit source]
Imposing appearance, noble aspect."He is truly a just man," says someone."Yes. I do not know how he can be a friend of others," comments another.
"Tight, like a newborn full of scruples and rules, but he is not bad."
Apostolic journey[edit | edit source]
Although part of the group of Disciples, he is not chosen among the seventy-two sent on mission because of his role as a scribe:"I have kept some of them for a sake of prudence, not out of contempt for them. They will stay with Me, and soon I will send them as I send the first seventy-two."[6]
John the scribe says:"Should I then destroy what I own, by neglecting my own?
- No. God has given you Goods. Use them for Justice and use them justly. That is to say, use them to provide for your Family's needs, it is a duty; treat servants humanely, that is charity; benefit the poor, provide for the needs of poor Disciples. Thus the riches will not be an obstacle but a help to you."[7]
His name[edit | edit source]
Yohanân means "the Eternal has given Grace, has been favorable." Historical reference: a fairly common name among characters of the Old Testament without any one standing out particularly.
Where is he talked about in the work?[edit | edit source]
GRM 175 GRM 176GRM 275 GRM 276 GRM 277 GRM 278 GRM 279 GRM 281
GRM 347 GRM 348 GRM 349 GRM 350 GRM 352 GRM 353 GRM 354
GRM 548
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
Note: Quotations from the work of Maria Valtorta on this page currently use machine-translated text and will gradually be replaced by the official English translation. Until then, the official translation may be consulted through the reference link provided with each quotation.
- ↑ There are two John scribes (GRM 464) in Jesus' entourage: John the Scribe, seen at the multiplication of the loaves, and the other—this one described here—feeds the people as they come down from the Mount of Beatitudes (GRM 548). There could therefore be confusion between the different biographies.
- ↑ GRM 175
- ↑ GRM 354
- ↑ GRM 464
- ↑ GRM 548
- ↑ GRM 278
- ↑ GRM 276