"Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved"(Jn 13:23).
Many readers will casually ponder this Scripture and miss the dense truth contained therein. What are we to reckon from such peculiar wording? Could it be so that the Lord Jesus, in His earthly ministry, actually played favorites? And if so, how does this translate to the spiritual relationship that you and I are charged to possess?
Well, did Jesus have favorites? Frankly, I believe so. I believe John was one of the most honored of all human beings, in that he was afforded the privilege of intimately leaning his head upon Jesus - a special place where no king or emperor might aspire to rise. Because of this great and loving liberty, a unique relationship was born. I believe the earthly disciples who paid Jesus special attention are simply a picture of His spiritual bride who will minister to Him for the ages! This bride will be a people within a people; a church within the church! Many famous Bible commentators also believed Jesus to love some disciples on a higher plane than others. You may be surprised.. Look what Spurgeon wrote concerning this:
"Some disciples are specially loved of their Lord.. there is an election in the midst of an election, and another within that. The wider circle contains the inner, and a still more select circlet forms the innermost ring of all. The Lord had a people around Him who were His disciples. Within them He had the twelve. Within the twelve He had three. Within the three He had one disciple whom He loved... Jesus loved all His own then, and He loves all His own now. There is infinite love in the heart of Jesus towards all His people; and if there be any degrees in that love, yet the lowest degree is inconceivably great. The very least member of the divine family may say, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me!" ...
Friends, how appropriate too that John counted this position as his highest honor! This was John's most notable title! He took it for his honor, and yet, there wasn't a grain of boasting in it, nor an approach to glorify in the flesh. Why? Because the bride of Christ will be composed of a strikingly humble people - one whose carnality has been utterly defeated: "Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?" (Song 8:5). She surely will be leaning, not upon her own efforts and accomplishments, but upon the peculiar love that has driven her to her sanctification!
Don't you want to love Jesus this way? I want such a radical adoration to overtake me!
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Pet 2:9).
To be continued...
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