Open Bible Data Home About News OET Key
OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB BLB AICNT OEB WEB WMB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE MOF JPS ASV DRA YLT DBY RV WBS KJB BB GNV CB TNT WYC SR-GNT UHB Related Parallel Interlinear Dictionary Search
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XY Z
BELOVED DISCIPLE*
Designation of one disciple, evidently the author of the Gospel of John (Jn 21:20-24). Five passages in John’s Gospel mention the disciple whom Jesus loved: (1) The disciple whom Jesus loved lay close to Jesus’ chest during the Last Supper and was beckoned by Peter to ask Jesus who the betrayer would be (13:21-26). (2) The disciple whom Jesus loved stood near the cross, and Mary the mother of Jesus was given to his care (19:25-27). (3) Mary Magdalene came to Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved, reporting that Jesus’ body was missing from the tomb (20:2). (4) The disciple whom Jesus loved was in a fishing boat with Peter and the other disciples and recognized Jesus standing on the shore (21:7). (5) The disciple whom Jesus loved was following Jesus by the lakeshore, and the author reminded his readers that this was the same disciple spoken of at the Last Supper (21:20-23; cf. 13:21-26).
Because the phrase is found only in John’s Gospel, could it be the author’s way of referring to himself? Several passages make that seem very likely.
A list of names given in John 21:2 indicates that the disciples present at the lakeshore were Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee (James and John), and two others. Evidently the beloved disciple was one of the sons of Zebedee or else one of the two unnamed disciples.
The beloved disciple was almost certainly one of the Twelve, since he was present at the Last Supper, and evidently only the 12 disciples were there with Jesus (Mt 26:20; Mk 14:17-20; Lk 22:14, 30). That eliminates Lazarus and John Mark, who have sometimes been suggested as possibilities for the beloved disciple.
The beloved disciple appeared to be close to Peter (Jn 13:23-24; 20:2; 21:7; see also Acts 3; 8:14; Gal 2:9). Matthew, Mark, and Luke record that Peter, James, and John were constantly selected by Jesus to be with him. Since Peter was mentioned in connection with the disciple whom Jesus loved, and since James was martyred early (Acts 12:2), only John is left as a reasonable possibility—if, as is generally regarded, John’s Gospel was written long after James’s death.
See also John, The Apostle.