The Beloved Disciple

Introduction

And I even like it more up tempo. Catch your breath now. That’s the way you need to sing right before the sermon. And it sounds like we meant it, which that’s a good thing too. As I told you this morning, we are looking at the Gospel of John today, as we’ll be teaching that in an auditorium class in the next quarter. This is your preview. I could have done this next week, but we have singing next Lord’s Day evening, so I wanted to preach these two sermons this week, and our class will begin in two weeks on the Gospel of John. Would you begin turning to John the 13th chapter? We’re going to commence there. I meant to say this morning, but it works just as well this evening.

Thank you to Woody for praying for me this morning, and that I be blessed in speech. I hope that today’s lessons will both be blessed in speech. And I really like the way he worded that. And that’s blessed if we hear his words and we do them. Certainly. Thank you, Woody, for that. And it’s good to see your father-in-law here tonight. Ernie, we missed you this morning. And that knee, we’re just not done praying about that yet, are we? But it’s more progress needs to be made. John 13, let’s read 21 through 25. Jesus is troubled in his spirit. And he says, Truly I say to you that one of you will betray me. The disciples began looking at one another at a loss to know of which one he was speaking.

There was reclining on Jesus’ breast, one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore gestured to him and said to him, Tell us who it is of whom he is speaking. He leaned back thus on Jesus’ breast, said to him, Lord, who is it? And of course, from that, Judas is identified by a very brief prophecy that Jesus makes. But what I want to talk to you about tonight is the identity of that disciple to whom Peter inquires to get the information that he sought about the one who would betray him. Who is the disciple whom Jesus loved? In this context in John 13, this is just before his betrayal, later that night in the Garden of Gethsemane, he would be betrayed. At this point in the Gospel of John, we are reaching the final hours of Jesus’ life, and now a five-chapter discussion with his apostles.

1. External Tradition Says John

Well, actually, four chapters. The fifth chapter 17, is a lengthy prayer recorded by Jesus before he goes out to be betrayed as he prays in the garden, and you’re familiar, most of you, with those parts of the story. Who is this disciple who was leaning on Jesus’ breast, whom Jesus loved? If you ask 99.9% of Christians, the answer that is readily given is that’s John the Apostle. It’s what I’ve heard since the time that I was a very little boy. And I might say about that answer fits quite nicely with external tradition. Now, young people, what that is other sources outside the Bible, old, ancient sources from the first, second, third, and fourth century, that we rely on to gain additional information.

Sometimes reliable, sometimes not, but often helpful information about the Bible. And one of those individuals who lived at the end of the first century, who was an associate to some degree of John was Polycarp. Irenaeus knew Polycarp later, and in the second century, he identifies John as the disciple of the Lord who also leaned upon his breast and had himself published a gospel during his residence in Ephesus in Asia. So, because of Irenaeus information from Polycarp, external tradition corroborates John as the disciple whom Jesus loved. Later on down the line, and by the way, the later it goes on down the line, the least trustworthy it is. But Eusebius in the fourth century says Matthew and John wrote Gospels bearing their name. And other church fathers, as we call them, Clement of Alexandria, Origin, Tertullian, and others, also corroborate the same.

2. The Internal Evidence: What the Scriptures Tell Us

But let’s look at what the Bible has to say. Let’s look at the internal evidence and see what the scriptures are telling us. To my knowledge, only the Gospel of John mentions a disciple that Jesus loved, distinguishing him from other disciples. And here’s the interesting thing. That passage we just read, over halfway in John’s account, and again we’re calling it John’s account, over halfway in John’s account, we have the very first reference to the disciple whom Jesus loved. When I was first introduced to what I am delivering to you tonight, back in 1987, some of you were not even born. I don’t even have the original publication from which these thoughts come. I have tried valiantly to search for it. I’ve had other preachers try to help me search for it, and we have not been able to locate it.

But what shocked me, as I recall, is that here we go all the way through the Gospel of John, not until the very end of the story, we have the very first reference to the disciple whom Jesus loved. Now, if John is indeed the disciple whom Jesus loved, we might be further helped by a list of the apostles that we see in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, right? Because he might be identified early on as Peter, James, John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. No list. There’s no list in John’s account. So that doesn’t help us. The next reference for sure to the beloved disciple is at the foot of the cross. Remember, Jesus’ seven statements at the cross, and one pertained to his mother, Mary, and also at the foot of the cross, the only male that we know was there, was this beloved disciple.

And he says, Woman, behold thy son, and son, behold thy mother. And so he entrusts the care of his mother Mary, not to one of his living brothers in the flesh, James, who was one of his brothers, perhaps Judas, who is Jude, the author of the book of Jude, I don’t think they were there. They’re not mentioned as being present at his crucifixion. But this disciple was, and he entrusted his mother’s care. Also, the next reference to the beloved disciple, there’s not that many, in John chapter 20, has to do with the announcement of the resurrection. And Peter and the beloved disciple run to the tomb. And it seems that I think it says the beloved disciple ran faster, but he hesitated when he came to the tomb, and Peter, of course, rushed right on in.

And that’s the next reference. In John 21, if you’re flipping through the text, in John 21, several of the disciples are in the boat. And it says in verse 2, they are Simon, Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, and the sons of Zebedee, that would be James and John, and two other of his disciples. And then Jesus appears. They did not know it was him at first, but it says in verse 7, that disciple, therefore, whom Jesus loved. So he has to be one of those seven disciples mentioned in verse 2. That disciple, therefore, whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord. And so we have him announcing that it is the Lord that has come. And then finally, in John 21, this is intriguing to me.

Jesus signifies Peter’s death and the way that he would die. And Peter sees the beloved disciple and says, Lord, what about this man? What about his fate? And of course, Jesus responded, and I’ve got another whole sermon or two around this particular verse. He says, What is that to you, Peter? You follow me. And then in verse 23, this saying, therefore, went out among the brethren that this disciple, the disciple whom Jesus loved, that this disciple would not die. Well, that’s an interesting thing because Jesus doesn’t answer Peter’s question specifically. A rumor gets started. He’s not going to die. But then the text says, the author wants to make sure, yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. But only if I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?

That was a question. That wasn’t a statement. He wasn’t implying that this disciple would not die. He just said, if I want that to happen, what does that have to do with you, Peter? But the saying went about that he would never die, but Jesus didn’t say that. Now, verse 24. This is the disciple. The disciple whom Jesus loved, the saying that went about him that he may not die. This is the disciple who bears witness of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his witness is true. Now, one more reference. So we only have five where the beloved disciple or the disciple whom Jesus loves is mentioned specifically. Those are the only five. The other interesting reference is after Jesus’ betrayal. He is before the high priest.

Peter, you’ll remember, is following at a distance. And there is another disciple with Jesus. And he brings Peter into the courtyard where he will warm his hands around the fire and then ultimately deny that he knows the Lord. So there is another disciple who’s not called the beloved disciple, but I find it curious that this disciple would be so close to Jesus, would be anonymous to us, and yet he would not also be this beloved disciple. Doesn’t have to be the beloved disciple, but it’s interesting to consider. Who was this other disciple who was present at Jesus’ trial? Alright. So that’s the internal evidence. Now, what can we determine about the identity of this disciple? Well, as I already mentioned in John 21 and verse 24, he is the author of this narrative.

He’s telling the story because the disciple whom Jesus loved is the one who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. This is a problematic verse for me. If John the Apostle writes this, then John is both the we and the his in this text, which I find a little bit difficult and challenging to my mind. We, I guess assuming an apostolic we the apostles, know that his testimony is true, and he’s still speaking of himself. If John is the author, that’s the way that verse must be seen. And his, and as we’ve already said in chapter 21, we’re going to narrow it down to Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, one of the sons of Zebedee, John would be one of those.

And that’s interesting that’s anonymous to some degree. Everybody knows who the sons of Zebedee are. But why not just say James and John? And two others of his disciples. Well, now, who were they? Were they of the twelve? Or were they disciples of beyond the twelve? And if they were of the twelve, which actually there’s only eleven now, because Judas has gone to his own place, why didn’t he mention them by name? One of these disciples is the disciple whom Jesus loved. There’s no evidence in the text that it would be Thomas or Nathaniel, and I think we can rule out Peter because Peter asked about the disciple whom Jesus loved. So it’s either one of the sons of Zebedee, James doesn’t seem to fit, so it’s either John, the other son of Zebedee, or one of these two other disciples who are again unnamed.

3. Arguments for John

Okay, so earlier in chapter 19, it says, and he who is seen has testified, and his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth so that you also may believe. Another interesting comment about the work of this particular author. Well, arguments for John. Because after all, haven’t you been told all your life that John wrote the Gospel of John? After all, it bears his name. So this could be pretty easy, right? Well, then he, of course, would be the one reclining next to Jesus at the supper. And thus many assume that only the twelve are with Jesus at the supper because he addresses the twelve about many things while at the supper. However, we know that there were more than twelve at the supper.

And I know that ruins Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper, where you have Jesus sitting in the middle and the twelve flanking him. But we know that there were more than twelve. Many assume, because Mary’s house was the popular place of meeting in Jerusalem, that’s where, that’s the upper room in which the Last Supper was held. That’s where the disciples are gathered in Acts chapter 1. Mary is the mother of John Mark. And what’s interesting in Mark chapter 14 is that it appears that Mark, at least somebody besides the twelve, some young man wrapped in a linen, was in the Garden of Gethsemane because when he was betrayed by Judas, all the disciples fled, including that young man, and one of the guards grabbed his linen, and it says in a fascinating story.

Now you can imagine if this supper was held at the home of Mary, and that Mark was present, that Mark might have just followed along with the disciples as they went out to the Garden of Gethsemane. And he was present in the wee hours of the night or early morning when Jesus was betrayed. We know that other than the twelve, there was at least that young man there in the Garden of Gethsemane. I would suggest, too, that if it was held in someone’s home, they also have to eat of the Passover. And there were others there. How many others? Who knows? But of course, the twelve are generally addressed. And again, the John 21 appearance, are we going to affirm that those are only those two other disciples?

They have to be apostles. If so, why say two others of his disciples? But an argument is made for John on the basis of his closeness with Peter, and that’s a legitimate argument. Also the fact that John emphasizes love in his first epistle, and also the idea of being an eyewitness, of seeing these things. John does that as well in 1 John. Well, the sermon should be over, right? Case closed. Going back to that article I read 25 years ago, and my study since that time, over 25 years, I have come to perhaps another possibility. And perhaps the reason why I’ve not taught the gospel of John is because this presents a problem for me in teaching the book. Because I have to teach what I see.

4. A Very Powerful Argument for Lazarus

And I just want to avoid any kind of upset. Whenever you say something that goes against tradition, some people automatically throw up a red flag. Now, this is not all that significant in the whole scheme of things. Like who wrote the book of Hebrews. In the whole scheme of things, it’s really not all that significant, is it? I want to know who this disciple is. And when I consider the internal evidence, I think there is a very powerful argument that can be made for someone else. And that’s Lazarus. Now, if you did an internet search on the beloved disciple, you’re going to find really quickly that there are other people entertaining this notion that Lazarus is the beloved disciple. In scholarly circles, it’s batted around by a lot of folks.

Commentators don’t want to say for certain that the beloved disciple is John. Some will, some won’t. And this is being batted around more and more and more over time. And let me tell you why that is. Look at John chapter 11. John chapter 11. The centerpiece of the Gospel of John is the resurrection of Lazarus. It is only told in the Gospel of John, which I find fascinating in and of itself. It is the incident that really pushes the Pharisees over the edge. They’re going to kill Jesus. Lazarus is sick. Jesus is not present. He is informed by Mary and Martha that he is sick, and they wanted Jesus to come without delay. The sisters, therefore, Mary and Martha sent to Jesus saying, John 11 3, look at this.

Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick. I find that reference to be more than a little curious. Doesn’t he love all of his disciples? Why not just say Lazarus is sick? Why identify him? He whom you love is sick. And then in verse 5, now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. And when Jesus finally comes, and what is about to take place is the resurrection of Lazarus, and the shortest verse in the Bible? Jesus wept. You knew that, right? John 11, 35, look what follows in verse 36. And so the Jews were saying, here are other people. The Jews were saying, Behold how he loved him. I find that to be fascinating as well. And the first reference to the beloved disciple does not occur in the Gospel of John till after this.

Till after Lazarus is raised from the dead, and they are at that supper, and the disciple whom Jesus loved is leaning on Jesus’ breast. Here’s another thing.

How is it then that there is another disciple almost immediately at the trial with Jesus, and he lets Peter, who followed at a distance, into the courtyard. How could John have fled and also be the other disciple who is with Jesus? Now I’ve already said the other disciple and the beloved disciple don’t have to be the same guy. But I find that interesting. And it says this about the other disciple, that he was known to the high priest. I think we can rule out John as the other disciple. Because they really weren’t sure even of Peter’s identity, right? He was warming his hand around the fire. You’re one of them, aren’t you? Oh, no. How could you get away with that if they all knew?

They didn’t know Peter was a Galilean fisherman. John was a Galilean fisherman. How would he be known to the high priest? Lazarus would have been known to the high priest. First of all, he lives in Bethany, which is a village right next to Jerusalem. And you know why else they knew Lazarus? Because he had risen from the dead. And in John chapter 12, it says they not only wanted to put Jesus to death, but they wanted to put Lazarus to death. Because of all that had been stirred up as a result of his resurrection. Also, I find it interesting that only John’s account mentions Malchus by name. Who is Malchus? The servant who lost his ear, remember Peter in the garden, cuts his ear off. Jesus touches his ear and it’s healed.

Only this gospel narrative mentions him by name. Remember, if that is indeed, if Lazarus is the author, he lives in Bethany, he’s known to the high priest, he would know the name of the servant of the high priest. That’s interesting as well. I am also compelled by the last thing that is said about the beloved disciple. The saying that went about that this disciple would not die. Wouldn’t that stand a reason? Now, Jesus didn’t say he wouldn’t die, but wouldn’t it stand a reason if the disciple whom Jesus loved was Lazarus? He has already been raised from the dead. So he’s not going to die again. I can see where they made that connection. If he was indeed the disciple whom Jesus loved. Well, then what could explain the external evidence?

And this might give people problems in terms of how inspiration works. But not me. What if there was a collaboration between John the Apostle and Lazarus? And what if 2124 is John the Apostle signing off on the beloved disciple’s work and saying, this is the disciple who bears witness of these things, and we know that his witness is true. And then verse 25, which says, if the whole world could contain the books, the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. Is that John in verses 24 and 25, the last two verses of the book saying this is an authentic story of Jesus worthy of acceptance? Even the possibility of John 19, 35 being inserted by the Apostle John, or it could be the author, the beloved disciple, saying it of himself.

The John 18 account gives me the most trouble, the other disciple. If the beloved disciple is John, I’m not sure who the other disciple is, but I think it’s Lazarus. I’ll go that far. I don’t believe if John is the beloved disciple, that he’s the other disciple of John 18. Now, if you think what I’ve just told you is crazy, when I was in not Kingsport, Tennessee, but near Johnson City, Tennessee, in a gospel meeting. I got together with a couple of preachers. Kevin Kay, who used to preach in this area, who’s a longtime friend from Indiana, and Tom Kinzel, who I’ve been with in meetings in Kansas City when he was with the Vivian Road congregation. He’s now in Johnson City. And we were doing what preachers do when we were sitting there at lunch.

We’re talking about all kinds of things. All kinds of things we’ve read about, and things you only ask preachers about, and we’re talking about things, and we’re getting ready to leave, and it just struck me to ask him this question. We’re walking out the door, and I said, Hey Tom, who do you think wrote the gospel of John? And he stopped and he smiled, and at that point I knew what he was going to say. He goes, I don’t believe it was John. And I said, Well, who do you think it was? Because I didn’t want to tell him, you know, what I thought before he said. And he said, I think it was Lazarus. Man, I just went in an orbit at that point. I go, wow, somebody who thinks like me.

Now let me pause and just say about that illustration. I also said an Edgar Shrigley’s class at Florida College on Logic, and that is called me giving you what another preacher believes and that it matches what I believe, that’s called an appeal for reverence or an appeal to reverence. That is, some other person with authority believes the same thing I do, so therefore I must of necessity be right. No. Just because another preacher believes it doesn’t mean it’s right. But I just found it fascinating that somebody else, independently of me, had drawn the same conclusion that the disciple whom Jesus loved may not be John.

5. Honest Examination of the Text Rather Than Tradition

Now, where am I going with all of this? Let me have some practical considerations to finish that tonight. Let me tell you something about your preacher. I am all about honest examination of the text rather than teaching something merely on the basis of tradition. I’m going to tell you what I think I see in the text. And I think the argument for Lazarus as the beloved disciple is plausible. Perhaps even probable in my mind. And I’m going to give that some thought. When I read that, I’m not just going to dismiss it. Oh man, my tradition says it’s John. And after all, it’s called the gospel of John. And if John isn’t the one who wrote most of it, doesn’t that present a problem? Well, not any more than you have to say the Hebrew writer when it would be easier to say Paul.

You know, it’s the question is who wrote it? What does the text say? And let me just tell you, sometimes tradition is stronger than our love for truth. And we need to be careful of that. We need to consider what the text is saying. And I think this view has some merit. I can’t say with certainty that it was Lazarus, but I certainly find it fascinating when I study it. And there’s another thing about this. Why would Peter need to get John to get him information? Was John any closer than Peter? I don’t see any evidence of that. Why would Peter need to get John to give him information? All the disciples were really confused at this point. And I’ll tell you, why is it that the beloved disciple is at the foot of the cross?

If John is there, why isn’t James there? But that’s a dangerous place to be. If you’re at the foot of the cross. But I’ll tell you what, do you care if you’ve been raised from the dead? Do you care that somebody might pull you away and crucify you if you’ve already been raised? I’ll tell you what, I’m going to put my trust in Jesus. I ain’t going to worry about these religious leaders. He made me come alive from the dead. It makes a lot of sense he would be there. And why would he entrust the care of his mother to an apostle? Considering the work and responsibility that they had as apostles. Wouldn’t it make more sense to entrust the care of his mother to someone who lived nearby?

To Lazarus and perhaps Mary and Martha, his sisters, some of his closest friends and associates, as we’ve already seen in John chapter 11. And again, I can’t get around the fact the text says, Lord, the one whom you love is sick. It’s not that he didn’t love all of his disciples, but there was a special relationship, certainly with Mary and Martha, and particularly with Lazarus. Well, I think I’ve made the case.

Conclusion

Wouldn’t it be great as he looked at the beloved disciple, whoever he was, John or Lazarus, perhaps someone else, but probably John or Lazarus? Wouldn’t it be great if he looked at us and he said, I can count on you? Can Jesus count on you? Can he count on you tomorrow? He can count on you today. You’ve been here at both services. Good for you. Can he count on you tomorrow? Can he count on you on Tuesday? Can he count on you to make your speech pure in the sight of unbelievers? Can he count on you to keep your thoughts pure in the midst of temptations to lust? Can he count on you to include him in your day? Spend some time in prayer. To acknowledge him, his nearness, and to ask for his assistance and strength and help.

So can Jesus count on you? Remember what he said about serving others in Matthew chapter 25, on his right hand, the sheep, the left hand the goats. The people on his right hand, who are they? Well, when I was in prison, they visited me. When I was sick, they took care of me. Jesus said. And people are going to say, Well, I never had that opportunity. Did you? I have it. To take care of Jesus in any of those circumstances that he describes in Matthew 25. But then he says, When you have done it to the least of these, my brothers, you have done it unto me. Just a cup of cold water given in his name. And we shall in no wise lose our reward.

Matthew 10 and verse 42. Can Jesus count on you to give someone a cup of cold water? Oh, there’s more to going to heaven than one cup of water. But what he’s saying is, do you have a heart of compassion for other people? Can he count on you to give an act of service to another? To be selfless, to assist someone else in their troubled circumstances? Can Jesus count on you? As he needed someone like Isaiah, as we’ve been talking about, to preach a powerful and important yet rejected message. Whom shall I send and who will go for us? And Isaiah says, Here am I, send me. Well, you may not be, you may not be an important figure as you see it in the world.

You might just be a slave. Oh, none of us are occupying that position. Although sometimes when you’re employed by someone else, you feel like a slave. But not like these conditions that are described in Ephesians chapter 6. Slaves be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ. Not by way of eye service, as men pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Can Jesus count on you in your employment to do the will of God from the heart, even if your employer is unduly harsh, doesn’t treat you fairly, is not appreciative of your work or disregards you in some way. Will you still serve diligently in whatever circumstances you are because you’re a servant of the Lord?

With good will, render service as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. I think sometimes we are far too concerned about the rewards we’re going to get now and how we’re going to be treated and respected now when we need to live in such a way that our reward that we’re after comes from him. Can Jesus count on you? Are you a trustworthy disciple of His? Perhaps. As we look at this great character of the Bible and this anonymity that surrounds him, whether it’s John or Lazarus, both of them were great disciples of the Lord. Are we in their league?

But what’s more important? Are you and I disciples that are trustworthy? And are we going to walk out of this building more determined than ever to be a trustworthy servant of the Lord? And if there’s someone in this audience tonight who needs to put on Christ to be that trustworthy servant, we sing this song of encouragement. Let’s stand and sing.