John, the Beloved Disciple

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.  John 19:26-27

John the Disciple is a very interesting character, known by several names:  John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Revelator.  He is known as the beloved disciple, and was one of the three, along with his brother James and Peter, who were in the inner circle of Jesus.

John and his older brother James were the sons of a man named Zebedee, nicknamed by Jesus as the "Sons of Thunder."  Fishermen by trade, they were following the preaching of John the Baptist when they were called by Jesus to follow him. 

John was evidently important to Jesus; as one of the inner circle, he witnessed the raising of Jairus' daughter, the Transfiguration, and Christ's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He was the only one of the disciples who did not run away when Christ was arrested; he stood watch over him, comforting and supporting Mary and the other women.  Some think that he was a relative of the high priest; John 18 refers to John being "known by the high priest" and was therefore allowed in to witness the trial of Jesus, and was able to bring Peter inside the court with him.  Perhaps that is why he was allowed to stand at the foot of the cross, bringing the women with him.  He was the only one of the disciples to live into old age, and the only one who did not die for his faith.

When John writes about himself as "the disciple that Jesus loved," he is not singling himself out as special.  He is simply identifying himself while maintaining some anonymity.  It is interesting that John identifies himself with "love"; in his writings he speaks often of love. 

  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.    This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
   God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.  This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  1 John 4:7-18

We can therefore easily surmise that John's very life was defined by love.  He showed great love to his Savior.  Great love to his fellow disciples.  Great love to Jesus' mother and the other women.  Love.  
 
But perhaps the most important thing that we know about John is a very simple sentence found in his gospel, chapter 20, verse 8:   "Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed."

When Mary Magdalene came running to John and Peter, sobbing that Jesus was no longer in his tomb, the men rushed to the tomb to look at the evidence themselves.  And John believed.

He saw.  He believed.  He loved.  

What can we learn from John's life.  We can learn to not run away.  We can learn to live a life of love.  We can learn to see, and believe.