'Understanding Endtime'
John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Why was John called the disciple, whom Jesus loved?
John was at the Cross
John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and *the disciple whom He loved* standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"
John was the only disciple who was at the foot of the cross during His crucifixion (along with His mother Mary and a few women). He was not fearful of being caught or killed because of his faith and love for Jesus. The rest of the disciples were fearful and witnessed from a distance.
Mary had many sons. For his faithfulness and love, John was given this opportunity to take over Jesus' responsibility of caring for Mary, the mother of Jesus.
John 19:27 Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.
John, only Disciple who believed
John 20:2, 8-9 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him"... Then the other disciple (John), who came to the tomb first, went in also; and *he saw and believed*. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
No wonder, John was referred to as 'the disciple whom our Lord Jesus loved', for though none of His disciples knew that He would be raised from the dead yet without understanding John alone believed.
Brethren, we need to be like John who had set his heart to follow and obey His words even though he did not understand them.
Luke 24:10-11 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
John loved the Lord Jesus
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Because John loved the Lord, he believed and kept His word.
John Recognised Jesus
John 21:5-7 Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered Him, "No." And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. " So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.
Because of John's love for the Lord, he remembered all His teachings, commandments, words and miracles. When they caught many fish, John immediately recognised their Lord Jesus.
Is John one of the Witnesses?
John 21:22-23 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?"
God is love. From the above prophecy, I believe that John the Apostle of love and the beloved of Jesus, will be one of the two lampstands standing before God. Just like Enoch, he did not die for God will sent him back to be martyred as one of the two witnesses in Rev 11.
Heb 9:27 And as *it is appointed for men to die once*, but after this the judgment
