The Gospel According to John (NT)

On Easter, our pastors wrapped up a great sermon series on the "I AM" statements of Jesus.  I often think back to something I heard my dear, dear friend and former college adviser Reuben Welch say, long ago:  that "we don't take as seriously as we ought the words of Jesus," and I think he was right.  This series, though, focused on some of the biggest statements Jesus made, because--as was repeated each weekend in the recent series--every time Jesus began a statement with the words, "I AM," He was invoking the name God used for Himself (Exodus 3:14, and elsewhere).  So Jesus was saying, "I, God, AM..." and completed the sentence with various statements about Himself.  Of course, he risked being stoned to death for blasphemy, but God had another plan.

But I really started this post to write about something else.  I have a scribbled note on a piece of scrap paper that has stayed in my Bible for three, maybe four years, from a time when I was reading through the Gospel according to John.

In 13:23, John refers to "the disciple whom Jesus loved...."  He is generally thought to be referring to himself, here and elsewhere (see 19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20).  My NIV* study note on this verse explains that, of course, the reference does not "mean that Jesus did not love the others, but that there was a special bond with this man"; i.e., presumably John.

I think that is a true statement.  In 19:26, Jesus brings John and Mary, the mother of Jesus, together, and v. 27 tells us that, that same day, the disciple took Mary into his home.

But I have never forgotten one of my reactions, back in the '70s, when I watched the film Godspell.  After the "Jesus" character had gathered the various individuals into his band of disciples, I watched his reaction with one person after another.  At first, I would think, "Oh, that's his favorite," but then he'd turn around and interact with another one, and I would say, "No, wait...that's his favorite!"  Finally, I realized that he saw each one as a very special individual, and loved him (or her, in the movie).

So, back to John:  I wrote down two questions, which I have answered for myself, and I'll leave my one or two readers to do the same:

1.  Could it not be that John was so aware of Christ's love for him that that awareness was just always there, forever a part (or the foundation) of John's sense of who he was?

2.  Doesn't God have a way of making each of His children feel special, as if "He's always liked me best!"?  Not because any of us deserves His all-encompassing love, grace and mercy, but just because that's the way He is?

When I taught freshman composition classes, I admonished students not to end an essay with an unanswered question.  I'm sure none of them is reading this, however, and I'm leaving not one, but two questions.  So there!

*New International Version