The Beloved Disciple

This Easter season, we continue to read from the Gospel of John, despite the fact that we are in the year of Matthew. Each Sunday we read the poetic pre-cross/resurrection accounts of Jesus life. John seemed to see ‘telling’ accounts of Jesus’ glory and intent in everything he said and did.

The community for which the Gospel of John was written was a very special group of believers. They were among the first to actually understand theologically that Jesus was God. They worked out the presence of God in man or what we would later call ‘incarnation’. Because of their free thoughts of Christ, they were expelled from the synagogues and may have been a bit bitter about their treatment. The gospel is harsh on Jews and in fact can be read as anti-Jewish IF you are not careful. Most probably, the Johannine Community was arguing with their relatives! It was a family squabble.

I believe that the best way to read the gospel is to read yourself into it.

Throughout the book there are references made to the ‘beloved disciple’. The disciple is never named. This disciple could have been any one of the members of the Johannine community – or it could be you! And in just the same manner, we are the ones that shut out the radical, liberal gospel message of a God and man that walks among us. As the season of Easter comes to a close and we move into the ongoing mission and ministry presented to us in the Pentecost, may you be beloved and may you seek to open the doors of your faith to new and ‘resurrecting’ ideas.

Pastor Lynnae

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