It is made a question how the sons of Zebedee, James, and John, did drink the cup of martyrdom, seeing Scripture relates that James only was beheaded by Herod, while John ended his life by a peaceful death. [Acts 12:2] But when we read in ecclesiastical history that John himself was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil with intent to martyr him, and that he was banished to the isle of Patmos, we shall see that he lacked not the will for martyrdom, and that John had drunk the cup of confession, the which also the Three Children in the fiery furnace did drink of, albeit the persecutor did not shed their blood.
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).