- JOEZER Jehovah is his help, one of the Korhites who became part of
David’s body-guard (1 Chronicles 12:6). - JOHANAN whom Jehovah graciously bestows. (1.) One of the Gadite
heroes who joined David in the desert of Judah (1 Chronicles 12:12).
(2.) The oldest of King Josiah’s sons (1 Chronicles 3:15).
(3.) Son of Careah, one of the Jewish chiefs who rallied round Gedaliah,
whom Nebuchadnezzar had made governor in Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:23;
Jeremiah 40:8). He warned Gedaliah of the plans of Ishmael against him, a
warning which was unheeded (Jeremiah 40:13, 16). He afterwards pursued
the murderer of the governor, and rescued the captives (41:8, 13, 15, 16).
He and his associates subsequently fled to Tahpanhes in Egypt (43:2, 4,
5), taking Jeremiah with them. “The flight of Gedaliah’s community to
Egypt extinguished the last remaining spark of life in the Jewish state. The
work of the ten centuries since Joshua crossed the Jordan had been
undone.”
- JOHN (1.) One who, with Annas and Caiaphas, sat in judgment on the
apostles Peter and John (Acts 4:6). He was of the kindred of the high
priest; otherwise unknown.
(2.) The Hebrew name of Mark (q.v.). He is designated by this name in the
acts of the Apostles (12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:37).
(3.) THE APOSTLE, brother of James the “Greater” (Matthew 4:21; 10:2;
Mark 1:19; 3:17; 10:35). He was one, probably the younger, of the sons of
Zebedee (Matthew 4:21) and Salome (Matthew 27:56; comp. Mark
15:40), and was born at Bethsaida. His father was apparently a man of
some wealth (comp. Mark 1:20; Luke 5:3; John 19:27). He was doubtless
trained in all that constituted the ordinary education of Jewish youth.
When he grew up he followed the occupation of a fisherman on the Lake of
Galilee. When John the Baptist began his ministry in the wilderness of
Judea, John, with many others, gathered round him, and was deeply
influenced by his teaching. There he heard the announcement, “Behold the
Lamb of God,” and forthwith, on the invitation of Jesus, became a disciple
and ranked among his followers (John 1:36, 37) for a time. He and his
brother then returned to their former avocation, for how long is uncertain.
Jesus again called them (Matthew 4: 21; Luke 5:1-11), and now they left
all and permanently attached themselves to the company of his disciples.