I’m letting you know about a short and free ebook for subscribers to this website. It’s a non-fiction ebook that covers the fascinating life of John as shown in the Bible. And it’s free. If you are a subscriber, you’ve already been sent a link to download it.

background on the free ebook

As you know, I’ve been writing a series of Christian historical novels based on the later life of the Apostle John. I’ve learned a lot about him and the times in which he lived, so I put together some of this research, about eighteen pages long, for my loyal subscribers. It’s called, John’s Journey With Jesus.

Click on this link (Mailing List) to subscribe and we’ll then send you a link to the new free ebook.

So many books…

One of my subscribers emailed because he was confused. He’s reading my new Christian historical novel, The Last Disciple: Crisis in Jerusalem, so he wondered if this new ebook was related.

They certainly are related in that both are based on the life of John. But this new ebook,John’s Journey With Jesus, is eighteen pages of Biblical passages, images, commentary, and details on the epic life of the first and the last disciple.

My Christian novel is a fictional tale of the life of John, but it’s 232 pages long. And it goes beyond what we know from the Bible. For the Biblical story of John ends in chapter eight of the Book of Acts. Yet he lived another sixty years or so. The Last Disciple novels seek to fill in the blank space of that sixty-year gap in time.

Go here to learn more about The Last Disciple: My New Book Is Out! It’s on Amazon now. Book two in that series is scheduled to be on Amazon in May. The second book will be called: The Last Disciple: Escape to Antioch.

I hope this clears up any confusion.

Here’s a peek at what’s in John’s Journey With Jesus:

What Does the Bible Tell Us About John?

We can learn quite a bit from the Bible about the Apostle John and his experiences and accomplishments. He was a:

• Fisherman with his father and brother
• Disciple of John the Baptist
• Witness to the baptism of Jesus
• Disciple of Jesus Christ
• Witness of the Transfiguration
• Witness of the Crucifixion
• Visitor to the empty tomb on Resurrection Sunday
• Witness to the Ascension
• Guardian of Mary, the mother of Jesus
• Writer of five books in the Bible:
  • The Gospel of John
  • The Letters of John
  • The Book of Revelation

That’s an impressive list. Out of the twelve disciples, John seemed closest to Jesus. Do we know why Jesus felt so comfortable with John? The answer is: maybe. The Bible hints that Jesus and John were disciples, but it is not spelled out out.

was John a cousin of jesus?

Perhaps one reason John was closest to Jesus is the possiblity that he was a cousin of Christ. If so, this would have been through his mother, Salome. She is mentioned in the Bible by name or reference as the mother of James and John or as the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

In John 19 she seems to be referred to as the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus. However, there is ambiguity as to whom John meant.

This passage is from the point of view of Jesus, who is on the Cross. He sees his mother and her sister. Along with them are two other women, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. But where oh where is Salome, the mother of John and James, in this passage?

John 19:25-27 NIV

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” John 19:25-27 NIV

As the author, would John have omitted a reference to his mother in this description? We know Salome was at the Crucifixion because the Gospel of Mark confirms it. So was Salome the one whom John designated as the sister of Mary?

If you want to learn more, just download the free ebook, John’s Journey With Jesus.

Subscribers already received a link to download the ebook. If you lost the email or whatever, just send me an email at: kurt@kurtbrouwer.com.

Not a subscriber? Go here to get started. Subscribing is free.

Yours in Christ, Kurt