Holy Week 2023- Wednesday

 Holy Week- Wednesday 

On Wednesday of Holy Week, we look into the disciple “whom Jesus loved”: John.

John, the brother of James and the son of Zebedee, is considered to be the youngest disciple. Along with his brother James, he constituted one half of the “Sons of Thunder”, the nickname given to them by Jesus. Most scholars believe that the nickname came from their strong and colorful personalities. Once, when Jesus faced rejection from a group of Samaritans, James and John wanted Jesus to give them permission to take them out: “And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”” Luke 9:54 ESV

John, along with James and Peter, was one of the three disciples that made up Jesus’ inner circle. John also is credited with composing four books of the New Testament, with his record of the Gospel being mostly focused on the divinity of Christ. 

John had a special connection with Jesus. In his Gospel, John repeatedly refers to himself as the disciple “whom Jesus loved.” Not that John was claiming something that Jesus didn’t feel for the other disciples. John was simply stating what he knew to be true in his relationship with Jesus. 

John is the only disciple who stayed with Jesus through His crucifixion. The only one. Everyone else ran. Judas betrayed, Peter denied, but John stayed. John's faithfulness in the midst of the all the events surrounding the crucifixion points to His confidence in Jesus to be the Messiah and his loving commitment to his Master.

Many movies and television shows have been made over the life of Jesus and what He experienced at the crucifixion, but none can truly capture what that moment must have been like. To personally see the suffering that Jesus went through must have been torturous. We can only imagine the pain and sorrow John must have felt as a witness to it all. This was the One who he had placed all his hope in. John spent each day with Jesus the last three years. He was convinced that this Man was the Messiah. And now, John is forced to watch as all of his hopes and dreams came crashing down. 

But John is not completely alone in this moment. He is watching his Master face the ultimate form of torture and death with Jesus’ mother, Mary. Feeling both the sorrow of his own soul and trying to be strong for Mary, John hears the voice of Jesus entrusting this young disciple with an important task: “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, 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 to his own home.” John 19:26-27 ESV

Instead of leaving His widowed mother without any protection or support, He tasks John with the care of the most important thing on this earth to Him. 

In those moments, it must have been extremely difficult for John to hold himself together. In the moments of your life when the world seems to fall apart, where do you look for strength? Do you find yourself like the rest of disciples, running away from Jesus? Or are you more like John? Do you find yourself at the feet of Jesus as you struggle through your pain and suffering?

May John's example of faithfulness be an encouragement for us as we wade through the waters of doubt and difficulty.