Every true believer loves the Lord, yet Scripture recognizes that love to the Lord may be found in very varied measures in different disciples on different occasions. Moreover, our love may wax and wane. Under pressure the love of many may “wax cold.” In the presence of the allurements of the world, this love may become dim, as in the case of a believer of whom Paul said that he “hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.” Thus while love to the Lord is very precious in His sight and very desirable in the believer, it is clear that we cannot trust in a love that is so liable to change. The love that we alone can rest in must be the love that knows no change — the love of Christ for His own.
It is the enjoyment of the love of Christ that awakens our love to Him. “We love Him,” says the Apostle, “because He first loved us.” Our love to Christ will be according to the measure in which we realize His love to us.
The effect of the soul thus delighting itself in the love of Christ is blessedly set forth in connection with the Apostle John, in the closing scenes of the Lord’s life. In contrast, the same scenes depict the sorrowful effects of confidence in our love to the Lord in the case of the Apostle Peter. Both disciples loved the Lord with a true and deep affection. One disciple, however, trusted in his love to the Lord, while the other rested in the Lord’s love to him.
With genuine love for the Lord, Peter can say, “I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to death,” and again, “Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended.” Later, Peter drew his sword in defense of his Master. Thus, both by words and deeds, he seems to say, “I am the man who loves the Lord.” In contrast to Peter, John says, as it were, “I am the man whom the Lord loves,” for five times, in these last scenes, he describes himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Blessed, indeed, that we should love Him, but far more wonderful that He should love us! In this wonderful love John delighted, and on this boundless love he rested.
The Upper Room
The first occasion in which John is called the disciple “whom Jesus loved” is in the upper room, as described in John 13. Jesus is there with a love that can never break down, for “having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” John is there delighting himself in the love of Christ and resting his head on the bosom of Jesus. Peter is there with real love for the Lord, but trusting in his own love to Him. Lastly, Judas is there with no love to the Lord, but ready to betray Him.
In Jesus we see how near His love has brought Him to us, inasmuch as John can rest his head on the bosom of the One who dwelt in the bosom of the Father. In John we see what the heart of the Saviour can do for a sinner, bringing him to rest in perfect love. In Judas we see what the heart of the sinner can do with the Saviour—betray Him for thirty pieces of silver.
The time has come for the Lord to utter His farewell words, but for the moment the Lord unburdens His heart to His disciples, saying, “One of you shall betray Me.” Immediately the disciples look one on another, doubting of whom He spoke. Looking one on another will never solve difficulties that arise among believers. We must look to the Lord, but looking to the Lord demands nearness to the Lord. The disciple who was nearest to the Lord can describe himself as “one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” Peter was not near enough to the Lord to learn His mind; he must beckon to John. Intimacy with the Lord is the happy portion of the one who is resting upon the Lord’s love.
The Cross
The second occasion in which John is described as the disciple whom Jesus loved brings us to the cross in John 19. The mother of Jesus is present with other devoted women, and one disciple is there — the disciple whom Jesus loved. Where is now the disciple that rested in his love to Christ? Away in some lonely spot with a broken heart, weeping tears of bitter shame. Where is the disciple who rests in the love of Christ? As in the upper room, so now at the cross, he is as near to Christ as he can be. And what is the result? He becomes a vessel fit for the Master’s use. The mother of Jesus is committed to his care, for resting in the Lord’s love fits for service.
The Resurrection
For the third time (John 20:1414And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. (John 20:14)) John is presented as the disciple whom Jesus loved on the resurrection morning, and again he is found in association with Peter. The two disciples, learning from the women that the sepulchre is empty, hasten to the tomb. Then follows the record of what might appear to be an insignificant detail, namely that Peter starts first, that both disciples run together, and finally that the disciple whom Jesus loved outran Peter. Nothing that the Spirit of God has recorded can be unimportant. If we may be allowed to spiritualize this scene, we may learn that while the man of ardent nature may often take the lead in some spiritual enterprise, it is the man who is leaning on the love of the Lord that finally takes the lead.
The Sea of Tiberias
In this instructive scene (John 21:1717He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:17)), Peter and John again have a prominent place, and for the fourth time John is referred to as the disciple whom Jesus loved. As usual, the energetic and impulsive Peter takes the lead and goes back to his old occupation. They went out, toiled all night, and for their pains caught nothing. When the morning came, “Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.” Having by a question shown them the uselessness of efforts put forth without His direction, He proceeds to show how rich the results when acting under His control. Immediately the disciple whom Jesus loved perceives, “It is the Lord.” The one who is trusting in the Lord’s love is the one who has quick spiritual perception.
“When They Had Dined”
Following the scene at the lakeside, the disciples come to land, finding a fire of coals, with fish and bread laid on it, and an invitation to come and dine. Rich provision had been made for their needs, apart from all their efforts. When they had dined, we have the closing scene (John 21:15-2215So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. 20Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? 21Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 22Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. (John 21:15‑22)), in which again Peter and John have a special place, and for the fifth time John is described as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (vs. 20). First we have the Lord’s tender dealings with the man that trusted in his own love. Of the actual denial, no word is said in this touching scene. The solemn breakdown had been dealt with between the Lord and His servant in a private interview. All we know of that interview is the statement of the eleven, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon,” confirmed long after by the Apostle Paul, when he wrote to the Corinthians that the risen Christ “was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” Wonderful love that with tender mercy gave the first interview to the most failing disciple!
If, however, in the first interview his conscience was relieved, in this scene his heart is restored. There the Lord had dealt with the outward failure; here He deals with the inward root that caused the failure. The root was confidence in his love to Christ, and the threefold question thoroughly exposes this root. It is as if the Lord said, “After all that has happened, do you still maintain, Peter, that you love Me more than these?” With the second question, the Lord says nothing of the other disciples; it is simply now, “Lovest thou Me?” With the third question, the Lord, using a different word, asks, “Art thou attached to Me?” (JND). By his third answer Peter puts himself entirely into the Lord’s hands, saying, “Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I am attached to Thee.” It is as if Peter said, “I cannot trust my love or talk of my love or what I will do, but, Lord, You know all things, and You know my heart. I will leave You to estimate my love and to tell me what to do.”
No longer is Peter telling the Lord in self-confidence what he is ready to do, but it is the Lord, in infinite grace, telling his restored disciple what He will enable him to do. The Lord, as it were, says, “You no longer trust in your love to do great things for Me; you have left it to Me. Then go forth and “feed My sheep” (vs. 17), “glorify God” (vs. 19), and “follow Me” (vs. 19).
But what of John? “Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following.” The man who trusted in his own love needed restoring grace and the exhortation, “Follow Me.” Not so the man who was resting in the love of the Lord, for he was “following.” The one who enjoys the Lord’s love will follow close to the Lord.
If we can say little of our love to Him, we can safely boast of His love to us. It is the privilege of the youngest believer to say, “I am a disciple whom Jesus loves,” and the oldest and most advanced disciple can say nothing greater, for all blessing is found in His all-embracing love, that led Him to die for us that we too might go forth, in our small way, and feed His sheep, glorify God, and follow Him into the glory where He has gone.
H. Smith