• Joel, Book of
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • words found at Joel 2:32 to both Jews and non-Jews who call upon Jehovah in faith.—Rom. 10:12, 13.

      OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

      I. Jehovah’s word about a severe insect plague (1:1-14)

      A. A plague so great as to be talked about for generations to come (1:1-4)

      1. Drunkards to wake up, howl and weep because devastation by numberless “nation” strips land bare, cutting off supply of sweet wine (1:5-8)

      2. Wheat, barley, vine and trees affected to such an extent that grain offering and drink offering cease at Jehovah’s house, causing priests to mourn (1:9-12)

      B. Priests urged to put on sackcloth, sanctify time of fasting, assemble older men to Jehovah’s house and cry to Him for aid (1:13, 14)

      II. “The day of Jehovah is near” (1:15-20)

      A. Jehovah’s day marked by invasion of “his military force,” a numerous and mighty people resembling horses; ‘ahead of it a fire devours and behind it a flame consumes’ (2:1-11)

      B. Call for all to come back to Jehovah with complete hearts, as he is gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and will answer prayer of his repentant people (2:12-19)

      1. Jehovah to disperse “northerner” in their behalf (2:20)

      2. To bless his repentant people with abundant crops, make compensation for injury done by great military force of insects and afterward to pour out his spirit on every sort of flesh (2:21-29)

      C. Portents in heavens and on earth to precede coming of Jehovah’s day (2:30, 31)

      D. Those calling on Jehovah’s name to escape his fear-inspiring day (2:32)

      III. When captives of Judah and Jerusalem restored, nations to be judged for violence done to them (3:1-3)

      A. For selling Judeans, Tyre, Sidon and Philistia to have sons and daughters sold into hands of Judeans who, in turn, will sell them to men of Sheba (3:4-8)

      B. Nations to prepare for war and come down to low plain of Jehoshaphat, there to experience winepress treatment (3:9-15)

      1. Jehovah to protect his people when executing judgment upon nations (3:16)

      2. Judgment resulting in his people coming to know him as their God and Jerusalem becoming a holy place with no strangers passing through (3:17)

      C. Egypt to become a desolate waste and Edom a wilderness, but the land of Judah to produce abundantly and to be inhabited for time indefinite, the blood of its inhabitants being considered innocent by Jehovah (3:18-21)

      See the book “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial,” pp. 146-148.

  • Jogbehah
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • JOGBEHAH

      (Jogʹbe·hah) [perhaps, height].

      One of the fortified cities with stone flock pens that was built or rebuilt by the Gadites before their crossing the Jordan to assist in the conquest of Canaan. (Num. 32:34-36) At a later period Judge Gideon’s forces passed Jogbehah prior to their surprise attack on the Midianite camp at Karkor. (Judg. 8:10, 11) Modern geographers usually place Jogbehah at Khirbet el-Ajbeihat, situated about 3,470 feet (c. 1,058 meters) above sea level and some six miles (c. 10 kilometers) NW of modern Amman (Rabbah).

  • Johanan
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • JOHANAN

      (Jo·haʹnan) [contracted form of Jehohanan, “Jehovah has been gracious”].

      The English name John stems from this Hebrew name.

      1. An ambidextrous mighty Benjamite, one of the skilled warriors who joined David at Ziklag.—1 Chron. 12:1-4.

      2. A Gadite officer, one of eleven exceptional fighters who came to David’s side in the wilderness.—1 Chron. 12:8, 12-15.

      3. A high priest. It was likely his son Azariah who was high priest when King Uzziah acted presumptuously.—1 Chron. 6:9, 10; 2 Chron. 26:19, 20.

      4. Firstborn son of King Josiah. (1 Chron. 3:15) Since he is nowhere mentioned in connection with succession to the throne of Judah, as are his three younger brothers, he must have died before his father’s death.—2 Ki. 23:30, 34; 24:17; Jer. 22:11; see JOSIAH No. 1.

      5. One of the chiefs of the military forces remaining in Judah after the general deportation to Babylon in the summer of 607 B.C.E. This son of Kareah readily supported the appointment of Gedaliah, and, on learning of Ishmael’s plot to assassinate the governor, asked Gedaliah for permission to kill Ishmael secretly but was denied it. (Jer. 40:7, 8, 13-16) Gedaliah was assassinated, Johanan led the forces to avenge him, and persons whom Ishmael had taken captive were recovered, but the assassin himself escaped to Ammon. (Jer. 41:11-16) Fearing reprisals from the Babylonians, Johanan and the others asked the prophet Jeremiah what they should do, but, rather than follow Jehovah’s advice to remain in the land, they fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them.—Jer. 42:1–43:7; 2 Ki. 25:23-26.

      6. Son of Hakkatan and head of the 110 males of the paternal house of Azgad who returned with him to Jerusalem, accompanying Ezra in 468 B.C.E.—Ezra 8:1, 12.

      7. Grandson of Eliashib, the high priest contemporary with Nehemiah. (Neh. 3:1; 12:22, 23) His being called Jonathan in Nehemiah 12:11 is probably due to a scribal error, as the names “Johanan” and “Jonathan” are very similar in Hebrew. Johanan is mentioned in a letter found among the Elephantine Papyri, where he is addressed as high priest.—See DARIUS No. 3; Antiquities of the Jews, Book XI, chap. VII, par. 1.

      8. A descendant of Zerubbabel; he and his six brothers were the last generation of David’s descendants mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures.—1 Chron. 3:1, 5, 10, 19, 24.

  • John
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • JOHN

      [Jehovah has been gracious].

      1. John the Baptist, son of Zechariah and Elizabeth; the forerunner of Jesus. Both of John’s parents were of the priestly house of Aaron. Zechariah was a priest of the division of Abijah.—Luke 1:5, 6.

      MIRACULOUS BIRTH

      In the year 3 B.C.E., during the assigned time of service of the division of Abijah, it became Zechariah’s turn to enjoy the rare privilege of offering incense in the sanctuary. As he stood before the altar of incense the angel Gabriel appeared with the announcement that he would have a son, who was to be called John. This son would be a lifetime Nazirite, as was Samson. He was to be great before Jehovah, to go before Him “to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people.” John’s birth would be by a miracle of God, since Zechariah and Elizabeth were both of advanced age.—Luke 1:7-17.

      When Elizabeth was six months pregnant she was visited by her relative Mary, then pregnant by holy spirit. As soon as she heard her relative’s greeting, Elizabeth’s unborn child leaped in her womb, and, filled with holy spirit, she acknowledged the child to be born to Mary as her “Lord.”—Luke 1:26, 36, 39-45.

      At the birth of Elizabeth’s child the neighbors and relatives wanted to call it by its father’s name, but Elizabeth said: “No, indeed! but he shall be called John.” Then its father was asked what he wanted the child to be called. As the angel had said, Zechariah had been unable to speak from the time of Gabriel’s announcement to him, so he wrote on a tablet: “John is its name.” Then Zechariah’s mouth was opened so that he began to speak. At this all recognized that the hand of Jehovah was with the child.—Luke 1:18-20, 57-66.

      BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY

      The early years of his life John spent in the hill country of Judea, where his parents lived. He “went on growing and getting strong in spirit, and he continued in the deserts until the day of showing himself openly to Israel.” (Luke 1:39, 80) According to Luke, John began his ministry in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. John would be then about thirty years old. Though there is no record that John engaged in priestly service at the temple, this was the age for priests to enter into full duty. (Num. 4:2, 3) Tiberius began to rule as Roman emperor on August 19, 14 C.E.; his fifteenth year would run from August 19, 28 C.E., to August 18, 29 C.E. Since Jesus (also at the age of about thirty) presented himself for baptism in the autumn, John, six months older, must have begun his ministry in the spring of 29 C.E.—Luke 3:1-3, 23.

      John began his preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying: “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” (Matt. 3:1, 2) He wore clothing of camel’s hair and a leather girdle around his loins, similar to the dress of the prophet Elijah. John’s food consisted of insect locusts and wild honey. (2 Ki. 1:8; Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6) He was a teacher, and was, accordingly, called “Rabbi” by his disciples.—John 3:26.

      PURPOSE OF HIS WORK

      John preached baptism for forgiveness of sins for those repenting, confining his baptism to Jews and proselytes to the Jews’ religion. (Mark 1:1-5; Acts 13:24) John’s being sent was a manifestation of God’s loving-kindness toward the Jews. They were in covenant relationship with Jehovah, but were guilty of sins committed against the Law covenant. John brought to their attention that they had broken the covenant, and urged honest-hearted ones to repentance. Their water baptism symbolized this repentance. Then they were in line to recognize the Messiah. (Acts 19:4) All sorts of persons came to John to be baptized, including harlots and tax collectors. (Matt. 21:32) There also came to the baptism Pharisees and Sadducees, against whom John directed a scathing message of the judgment that was near at hand. He did not spare them, calling them “offspring of vipers” and pointing out that their reliance on fleshly descent from Abraham was of no value.—Matt. 3:7-12.

      John taught those coming to him to share things, not to commit extortion, to be satisfied with their provisions and to harass no one. (Luke 3:10-14) He also taught his baptized followers how to pray to God. (Luke 11:1) At this time “the people were in expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John: ‘May he perhaps be the Christ?’” John denied that he was, and declared that the one to follow him would be far greater. (Luke 3:15-17) When priests and Levites came to him in Bethany across the Jordan, asking if he was Elijah, or The Prophet, he confessed that he was not.—John 1:19-28.

      While he performed no miracles as did Elijah (John 10:40-42), yet John came with the spirit and power of Elijah. He performed a powerful work in ‘turning the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient ones to the practical wisdom of righteous ones.’ He fulfilled the purpose for which he was sent, “to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people.” Indeed, ‘many of the sons of Israel he turned back to Jehovah their God.’ (Luke 1:16, 17) He went before Jehovah’s representative, Jesus Christ.

      JOHN INTRODUCES “THE LAMB OF GOD”

      In the autumn of 29 C.E. Jesus came to John to be baptized. John at first objected, knowing his own sinfulness and the righteousness of Jesus. But Jesus insisted. God had promised John a sign so that he could identify the Son of God. (Matt. 3:13; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21; John 1:33) When Jesus was baptized the sign was fulfilled: John saw God’s spirit coming down upon Jesus and heard God’s own voice declaring Jesus to be His Son. Evidently no others were present at Jesus’ baptism.—Matt. 3:16, 17; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:32-34; 5:31, 37.

      For about forty days after his baptism, Jesus was in the wilderness. On His return, John pointed Jesus out to his disciples as “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) The following day Andrew and another disciple, probably John the son of Zebedee, were introduced to the Son of God. (John 1:35-40) Thus John the Baptist, as a faithful “doorkeeper” to the “sheepfold,” began to turn his disciples over to the “fine shepherd.”—John 10:1-3, 11.

      While Jesus’ disciples did baptizing in Judean country John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim. (John 3:22-24) When a report came to John that Jesus was making many disciples, John did not become jealous, but replied: “This joy of mine has been made full. That one must go on increasing, but I must go on decreasing.”—John 3:26-30.

      CLOSING DAYS OF HIS MINISTRY

      This statement of John’s proved to be true. After a year or more of active ministry, John was forcibly taken out of the field. He was thrown into prison by Herod Antipas because John had reproved Antipas for his adulterous relationship with Herodias, whom he had taken away from his brother Philip. Antipas, nominally a Jewish proselyte accountable to the Law, was afraid of John, knowing him to be a righteous man.—Mark 6:17-20; Luke 3:19, 20.

      When John was in prison he heard of Jesus’ resurrecting a widow’s son at Nain, and of other powerful works. Desiring verification from Jesus himself, he sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus: “Are you the Coming One, or are we to expect a different one?” Jesus did not answer directly; but before John’s disciples he healed many persons, even casting out demons; then he told the disciples to report that the blind, deaf and lame were being healed, and so forth, and the good news was being preached. Thus, not by mere words, but by the testimony of Jesus’ works, John was comforted and reassured that Jesus was truly the Messiah (Christ). (Matt. 11:2-6; Luke 7:18-23) After John’s messengers had left, Jesus revealed to the crowds that John was more than a prophet; in fact, he was the one of whom Jehovah’s prophet Malachi had written. He also applied the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3 to John, as John’s father Zechariah had previously done.—Mal. 3:1; Matt. 11:7-10; Luke 1:67, 76; 7:24-27.

      Jesus Christ also explained to his disciples that John’s coming was a fulfillment of the prophecy at Malachi 4:5, 6, that God would send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah. Nevertheless, great as John was (“Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist”), he would not be one of the “bride” class who will share with Christ in his heavenly kingdom rule (Rev. 21:9-11; 22:3-5), for “a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.” (Matt. 11:11-15; 17:10-13; Luke 7:28-30) Jesus also, by inference, defended John against the charge that John had a demon.—Matt. 11:16-19; Luke 7:31-35.

      Some time after this occasion, Herodias carried out her grudge against John. During Herod’s birthday celebration the daughter of Herodias delighted Herod with her dancing, upon which Herod swore to her that he would give her whatever she asked. Influenced by her mother, she asked for the head of John. Herod, out of regard for his oath and for those present, granted her request. John was beheaded in prison and his head delivered on a platter to the girl, who brought it to her mother. John’s disciples later came and removed John’s body and buried him, reporting the matter to Jesus.—Matt. 14:1-12; Mark 6:21-29.

      After John’s death Herod heard of Jesus’ ministry of preaching, healing and casting out demons. He was frightened, fearing that Jesus was actually John who had been raised from the dead. Thereafter he greatly desired to see Jesus, not to hear his preaching, but because he was not sure of this conclusion.—Matt. 14:1, 2; Mark 6:14-16; Luke 9:7-9.

      JOHN’S BAPTISM ENDS

      John’s baptism continued until Pentecost day, 33 C.E., when the holy spirit was poured out. From that time baptism “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit” was preached. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:21, 38) Those who thereafter were baptized in John’s baptism had to be rebaptized in the name of the Lord Jesus in order to become receivers of holy spirit.—Acts 19:1-7.

      2. Father of the apostle Simon Peter. At John 1:42 and 21:15-17 he is called John, according to the Sinaitic Manuscript, the Vatican Manuscript No. 1209 and the “Old Latin” Version, but is referred to as “Jona” in the Alexandrine Manuscript, the Vulgate, the Syriac Peshitta Version and the Sinaitic (palimpsest) codex. Jesus calls him Jonah at Matthew 16:17.

      3. John Mark. One of Jesus’ disciples and the writer of “The Good News According to Mark.” He is often called “Mark the Evangelist.” Mark was his surname. The home of his mother Mary in Jerusalem was a gathering place for the disciples. (Acts 12:12) He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on Paul’s first missionary tour. (Acts 12:25; 13:5) He left them at Perga in Pamphylia and returned to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:13) On this account Paul later refused to take Mark along on his next tour, so Barnabas went in another direction, taking Mark with him. (Acts 15:36-41) Mark, however, evidently proved later that he was a reliable and diligent worker, for Paul wrote to Timothy from Rome, where he was imprisoned: “Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministering.”—2 Tim. 4:11.

      4. A Jewish ruler (possibly a relative of the chief priest Annas) who shared with Annas and Caiaphas in having the apostles Peter and John arrested and brought before them. Though they had proof of Peter’s miracle in healing a lame man, they commanded Peter and John to stop their preaching and further threatened them. But having no ground on which to take action against the apostles and being afraid of the people, they released them.—Acts 3:1-8; 4:5-22.

      5. The apostle John, son of Zebedee and Salome (compare Matthew 27:55, 56; Mark 15:40) and brother of the apostle James, likely James’ younger brother, as James is usually named first where both are mentioned. (Matt. 10:2; Mark 3:14, 16, 17; Luke 6:14; 8:51; 9:28; Acts 1:13) Zebedee married Salome of the house of David, evidently the natural sister of Mary the mother of Jesus.

      BACKGROUND

      John’s family seems to have been fairly well situated. His father Zebedee employed hired men in his fishing business, in which he was partner with Simon. (Mark 1:19, 20; Luke 5:9, 10) Zebedee’s wife Salome was among the women who accompanied and ministered to Jesus when he was in Galilee (compare Matthew 27:55, 56; Mark 15:40, 41), and she took part in bringing spices to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. (Mark 16:1) John evidently had a house of his own.—John 19:26, 27.

      Zebedee and Salome were faithful Hebrews, and the evidence indicates that they raised John in the teaching of the Scriptures. He is generally understood to be the disciple of John the Baptist that was with Andrew when John announced to them: “See, the Lamb of God!” His ready acceptance of Jesus as the Christ reveals that he had a knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. (John 1:35, 36, 40-42) While it is never stated that Zebedee became a disciple of either John the Baptist, or Christ, it appears that he offered no resistance to his two sons’ becoming full-time preachers with Jesus.

      When John, along with Peter, was brought before the Jewish rulers, they were viewed as “unlettered and ordinary.” This did not mean, however, that they had no education or were unable to read and write, but that they had not received their training at the rabbinical schools. It is stated, rather, that “they began to recognize about them that they used to be with Jesus.”—Acts 4:13.

      BECOMES CHRIST’S DISCIPLE

      After being introduced to Jesus Christ in the fall of 29 C.E., John undoubtedly followed Jesus into Galilee and was an eyewitness to His first miracle at Cana. (John 2:1-11) He may have accompanied Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, and again on his return through Samaria to Galilee; for the vividness of his account seems to stamp it as that of an eyewitness to the events described. However, the record does not so state. (Chaps. 2-5) Nevertheless, John did not leave his fishing business for some time after becoming acquainted with Jesus. In the following year, as Jesus walked alongside the Sea of Galilee James and John were in the boat with their father Zebedee repairing their nets. He called them to the full-time work of being “fishers of men,” and the account by Luke informs us: “So they brought the boats back to land, and abandoned everything and followed him.” (Matt. 4:18-22; Luke 5:10, 11; Mark 1:19, 20) Later they were selected to be apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.—Matt. 10:2-4.

      John was one of the three most intimately associated with Jesus. Peter, James and John were taken to the mountain of transfiguration. (Matt. 17:1, 2; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28, 29) They only of the apostles were allowed to enter the house of Jairus with Jesus. (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51) They were privileged to be the ones taken by Jesus farther than the others into the garden of Gethsemane on the night of his betrayal, although at that time even they did not realize the full significance of the occasion, falling asleep three times and being awakened by Jesus. (Matt. 26:37, 40-45; Mark 14:33, 37-41) John occupied the position next to Jesus at his last Passover and the institution of the Lord’s Evening Meal. (John 13:23) He was the disciple who, at Jesus’ death, received the signal honor of being entrusted with the care of Jesus’ mother.—John 21:7, 20; 19:26, 27.