Emily Dickinson Lexicon

John, proper n. [L. < Gk < Heb. yôchānān, God is gracious.]

1. John the Baptist; son of Zacharias and Elisabeth; cousin of Jesus; man who prepared the way for Christ; visionary who suffered imprisonment, persecution, and death; prophet who was beheaded by order of Herodias, the wife of Herod (see Luke 2; Matthew 14; see also next definition); [fig.] friend; beloved admirer.
2. John the Beloved; son of Zebedee; brother of James; one of the Twelve disciples of Jesus; apostle who rested his head on Christ's breast at the Last Supper; author of the book of Revelation; holy man who has not known death; witness of Christ who did not die so that he can testify of the death and resurrection of Christ (see John 21:22-24; see also ED's letters); [fig.] child; loved one.