John, the author of the fourth Gospel is named "the beloved disciple" of Jesus. At the time of the Passover last, he puts his head on the chest of Jesus. After the death of Jesus, having taken Mary to his own home, he listens to her to know the words and the gestures of Jesus.
Paul is initially a frightening persecutor of the Christians, but, like makes it understand Cyril of Jerusalem, Jesus will make of him a dedicated apostle near the pagan ones: "[...] The former persecutor. O mighty wonder! The former persecutor himself preaches Christ. But wherefore? Was he bribed? Nay there was none to use this mode of persuasion. But was it that he saw Him present on earth, and was abashed? He had already been taken up intoheaven. He went forth to persecute, and after three days the persecutor is a preacher in Damascus.
By what power? Others call friends as witnesses for friends but I have presented to you as a witness the former enemy: and do you still doubt? The testimony of Peter and John, though weighty, was yet of a kind open to suspicion: for they were His friends. But of one who was formerly his enemy, and afterwards dies for His sake, who can any longer doubt the truth?
At this point of my discourse I am truly filled with wonder at the wise dispensation of the Holy Spirit; how He confined the Epistles of the rest to a small number, but to Paul the former persecutor gave the privilege of writing fourteen. For it was not because Peter or John was less that He restrained the gift; God forbid! But in order that the doctrine might be beyond question, He granted to the former enemy and persecutor the privilege of writing more, in order that we all might thus be made believers. For all were amazed at Paul, and said, Is not this he that was formerly a persecutor ? Did he not come hither, that he might lead us away bound to Jerusalem?
Be not amazed, said Paul, I know that it is hard for me to kick against the pricks: I know that I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God; but I did it in ignorance: for I thought that the preaching of Christ was destruction of the Law, and knew not that He came Himself to fulfil the Law and not to destroy it . But the grace of God was exceeding abundant in me" (Cyril of Jerusalem, baptismal catechesis 10, 17-18).