The Love of Jesus

One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born"  (Matthew 26:23-24; Mark 14:20-21; Luke 22:21-22; John 13:23-26).
 
Almost all New Testament scholars believe the disciple whom Jesus loved is John, the brother of James and son of Zebedee. He was reclining in the position of highest honor, on the Lord’s right side with his head on Jesus’ chest. He was the youngest of the disciples, most likely in his late teens or early 20s. Why is he so designated, the one whom Jesus loved? Didn’t Jesus love them all? Yes, He did (John 13:1).

First, John was not so designated because of any personal characteristics or merit. The love of Jesus is wrapped up in His grace. Jesus loved them all, though they were all diamonds in the rough. “Under the law of works John would have been as surely condemned as any of us, and there was nothing legally deserving in John. Grace made him to differ, just as truly as grace separates the vilest sinner from among the ungodly” (Charles Spurgeon).

Second, the name is not the result of egotism or arrogance. No one else called John by this name or title, and no one rebuked him for it. But in calling himself by this name he is not lifting himself above the others. He is simply telling the truth of the Lord’s love for him, as the Lord loved the others as well.

Third, name changes and ‘nicknames’ indicate a change in character and nature. Jacob became Israel, Simon Peter became Cephas, Saul became Paul, John became the disciple whom Jesus loved. John chose to hide his identity (John: ‘Jehovah is a gracious giver’) behind the veil of Jesus’ gracious love. His given name would always define the grace of God, but his ‘nickname’ would define the very nature of God in that gracious gift. His identity as the disciple whom Jesus loved would therefore be in contrast to Peter - the one who denied Jesus, Judas - the one who betrayed Jesus, or Thomas - the one who doubted.

Finally, God is love (1 John 4:8) and His love is His highest and greatest attribute revealed to man, His greatest gift to man. (1 John 4:10) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (Ephesians 2:4-7) But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. John simply wants us never to forget this, and that His love is given to all who are His disciples, as was John. Amen. 

Pastor