John the Apostle


A brief digression from both Church calender and even the theme of this blog (such as it has one) to tell this “tale that is not a tale”:

Listen to a tale which is not just a tale but a true account of John the apostle, handed down and carefully remembered. When the tyrant was dead, and John had moved from Patmos to Ephesus, he used to go when asked to the neighboring districts of the Gentile peoples, sometimes to appoint bishops, sometimes to organize whole churches, sometimes to ordain one person of those pointed out by the Spirit. So it happened that he arrived at a city not far off, named by some as Smyrna, and after settling various problems of the brethren, he finally looked at the bishop already appointed, and indicating a youngster he had noticed of excellent physique, attractive appearance, and ardent spirit, he said: “I leave this young an in your keeping, with all earnestness, in the presence of the Church and Christ as my witness.” When the Bishop accepted him and promised everything, John addressed the same appeal and adjuration a second time.

He then returned to Ephesus, and the cleric took home the youngster entrusted to his care, brought him up, kept him in his company, looked after him, and finally gave him the grace of baptism. After this he relaxed his constant care and watchfulness, having put on him the seal of the Lord as the perfect protection. But the youngster snatched at freedom to soon and was led sadly astray by others of his own age who were idle, dissolute, and evil-livers. First they led him on by expensive entertainments; then they took him with them when they went out at night to commit robbery; then they urged him to take part in even greater crimes. Little by little he fell into their ways; and like a hard-mouthed powerful horse he dashed off the straight road, and taking the bit between his teeth rushed down the precipice more violently because of his immense vitality. Completely renouncing God’s salvation, he was no longer satisfied with petty offences, but, as his life was already in ruins, he decided to commit a major crime and share the same fate as the others. He took these same young renegades and formed them into a gang of bandits of which his was the master mind, surpassing them all in violence, cruelty, and bloodthirstiness.

Time went by and, some necessity having arisen, John was asked to pay another visit. When he had dealt with the business for which he had come, he said: “Come now, bishop, pay me back the deposit which Christ and I left in your keeping, in the presence of the Church over which you preside as my witness.” At first the bishop was taken aback, thinking he was being dunned for money he had never received. He could neither comply with a demand for what he did not possess, nor refuse to comply with John’s request. But when John said: “It is the young man I am asking for, and the soul of our brother,” the old man sighed deeply and shed a tear.

“He is dead.”

“How did he die?”

“He is dead to God: he turned out wicked and profligate, in short, a bandit; and now, instead of the Church, he has taken to the mountain with an armed gang of men like himself.”

The Apostle rent his garment, groaned aloud, and beat his head. “A fine guardian,” he cried, “I left of our brother’s soul! However, let me have a horse immediately, and someone to show me the way.” He galloped off from the church, then and there, just as he was. When he arrived at the place, and was seized by the bandits’ sentry-group, he made no attempt to escape or ask for mercy, but shouted: “This is what I have come for: take me to your leader.” For the time being the young man waited, armed as he was; but as John approached he recognized him, and filled with shame, he turned to flee. But John ran after him as hard as he could, forgetting his years and calling out: “Why do you run away from me child – from your own father, unarmed and very old? Be sorry for me, child, not afraid of me. You still have hopes of life. I will account to Christ for you. If needs be, I will gladly suffer your death, as the Lord suffered for us; to save you I will give my own life. Stop! Believe! Christ sent me.”

When he heard this, the young man stopped and stood with his eyes on the ground; then he threw down his weapons; then he trembled and began to weep bitterly. When the old man came up he flung his arms around him, pleading for himself with groans as best he could, and baptized a second time with his tears, but keeping his right hand out of sight. But John solemnly pledged that he had found pardon from him from the Savior: he prayed, knelt down, and kissed that very hand as being cleansed by his repentance. Then he brought him back to the church, interceded for him with many prayers, shared with him in the ordeal of continuous fasting, brought his mind under control with all the enchanting power of his words, and did not leave him, we are told, till he had restored him to the Church, giving a perfect example of true repentance and a perfect proof of regeneration, the trophy of a visible resurrection.

-from The Rich Man Who Finds Salvation – Clement of Alexandria (c. 2nd century)