20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” 21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” 23 So the rumor spread among the community of believers[g] that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
24 This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.
(John 21: 20-24)
In this moment, the book of John reveals the identity of the "one that Jesus loved". When I first read John as a new believer, it was so weird that one disciple would be identified in this way - who is this especially loved disciple?
But, when I read the end of John 21 it makes sense. Undeniably, Jesus and John shared a special friendship which is evidenced by the fact that John was given charge to take care of Jesus' mother Mary. However, I can understand how a first person account, a very personal account of one's life with Jesus, would emphasize the transforming love of Jesus' affection upon that person.
My own journal has constant references to how much I love Jesus and how grateful I am that Jesus has loved me. That is the beauty of the personal relationship we have with the Savior that is distinctly different from any religion on earth. It is what John emphasizes constantly in his personal recollection in his testimony of Jesus.
The truth is that Jesus not only loved us on the cross, but he also loved us to chase after us two thousand years later and call us to him in the midst of us being trapped in our most sinful ways. On a personal level, I can delineate the start of my new life and the ending of my old life when I was loved by Jesus. It has been such a drastic change from one phase of life to the next that I am constantly grateful for being called by Jesus to come to Him. My life has been so much more blessed in my walk with Him that I marvel at the journey He has led me through.
As much as John knew he was the beloved disciple, I know that I too am the disciple that Jesus loved.
