As you read through John’s gospel you will come across a disciple known as the disciple whom Jesus loved (13:23, 19:26, and so on), and perhaps wonder what that’s all about. It’s almost unanimously understood that this is referring to John, the gospel writer himself.

We might think that seems like a prideful statement, but this is how John understands himself. He is loved by Jesus. He has no shame in writing like that, but is calmly confident that His Lord’s love extends even to Him. This is why he can boldly record the failures of himself among the disciples and has no reservations in writing about it. In many instances, the disciples fail to understand Jesus, and he among them. They fail to trust Jesus, John included. They are sad and doubting after Jesus’ own death, forgetting that Jesus promised the resurrection. Yet, still John writes that he is beloved by Jesus in spite of his failings. Jesus even entrusts His own mother, Mary, to John showing that He loved John even enough to entrust to Him the care of His mom.

This is something that doesn’t just apply to John but to the other disciples too. Jesus loved all of them. He even loved Judas, who would betray Him into the hands of sinners. He also loved Peter who would deny Him three times. This helps us identify ourselves with John and the other disciples to know that in spite of our failings, we are beloved by Jesus, and that Jesus desires to draw us close to Him. He even gives us gifts, duties, or responsibilities, as caring for Mary was given to John, to show us that He loves us enough to entrust us important tasks.

While it may sound strange to our ears, we know that John, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote these things for our benefit. As it says in John 20:31, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

In Christ,
Pastor Lewis