Beloved?

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27)

According to one source I quote here: (begin) Only John mentions Jesus’ mother at the foot of the cross and the beloved disciple.  Regarding this disciple: 

(1) It is this disciple who, while reclining beside Jesus at the Last Supper, asks Jesus who it is that will betray him, after being requested by Peter to do so.

(2) Later at the crucifixion, Jesus tells his mother, "Woman, here is your son," and to the beloved disciple he says, "Here is your mother."

(3) When Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb, she runs to tell the beloved disciple and Peter. The two men rush to the empty tomb and the beloved disciple is the first to reach it. However, Peter is the first to enter.

(4) In John 21, the last chapter of the Gospel of John, the beloved disciple is one of seven fishermen involved in the miraculous catch of 153 fish.

(5) Also in the book's final chapter, after Jesus implies the manner in which Peter will die, Peter sees the beloved disciple following them and asks, "What about him?" Jesus answers, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."

(6) Again, in the Gospel's last chapter, it states that the very book itself is based on the written testimony of the disciple whom Jesus loved. 

The other Gospels do not mention anyone in parallel circumstances who could be directly linked to the beloved disciple. For example, in Luke 24:12, Peter runs to the tomb. Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not mention any one of the 12 disciples having witnessed the crucifixion. The New Testament also makes two references to an unnamed "other disciple" in John 1:35–40 and John 18:15–16, which may be to the same person based on the wording in John 20:2. (end)

We do not know the identity of the beloved disciple.  There are many speculations.  We just don’t know why the author of the Gospel of John would be so secretive about this disciple.  And, if John was the beloved disciple [see #6], why wouldn’t he simply admit to that notable fact?  It’s all quite intriguing.

Perhaps this reference is a challenge to all Jesus’ followers to mimic this disciple; that is, to be Jesus' beloved.  Perhaps we are being told to enact Jesus’ love in many ways, such as loving our neighbors.  To be beloved is to be dear to the heart.  Do we act in ways that would make us dear to Jesus’ heart?

Deacon David Pierce