The Bible speaks of "the disciple whom Jesus loved".
Jesus loved them all ...so, to whom is this reference made??
There are different types of love & commitment. Some people speak of different stages of our lives. Growth is something aspired to. And there are different ways we learn.
Usually the best way to learn is to trust the teacher. If we eliminate doubt, we don't complicate it so much. Though, for brief periods, doubt can also aid in learning ...if it helps solidify that which we should have perhaps not doubted.
Back to the statement of "the disciple whom Jesus loved".
I look at another statement where Jesus is quoted as saying, " ...and then I will tell them, 'I never knew you'."
Jesus knows all of us, and all about each and every one of us ...so, what do we make of this?? I look at this 'knew', and the previously mentioned 'loved' ...as something that is reciprocal. Since Jesus knows us, the only thing needed is for us to know Him in return. And since Jesus loves us, the only thing needed is for us to love Him in return.
We may say ...that we do love Him. And this is what Peter said when Jesus asked him three times, "Do you love Me?"
Peter said, "You know that I love you." And yes, Jesus did know that. Yet, He wanted Peter to do something extra ...for the sake of others. Jesus wanted Him to tell and show others of that love.
People show their love in different ways. When the disciples dined with Jesus, I do not know how the arrangement happened to be ...or if it varied. I read that the mom of the children of Zebedee asked if one of her sons could sit on one side of Jesus, and the other son on the other side of Jesus ...when they get to Heaven. When Jesus dined with the disciples here on earth, there would have been a disciple on one side of Jesus, and another disciple on His other side ...but, it only mentions that one disciple rested his head against Jesus.
I don't know ...maybe some would consider it not manly to rest their head against another. Unless you're a medical doctor, and need to be near to check the heartbeat. Yet, our hearts are all somewhat different, and we express our feelings in different ways.
Back to the statement of "the disciple whom Jesus loved".
I look at another statement where Jesus is quoted as saying, " ...and then I will tell them, 'I never knew you'."
Jesus knows all of us, and all about each and every one of us ...so, what do we make of this?? I look at this 'knew', and the previously mentioned 'loved' ...as something that is reciprocal. Since Jesus knows us, the only thing needed is for us to know Him in return. And since Jesus loves us, the only thing needed is for us to love Him in return.
We may say ...that we do love Him. And this is what Peter said when Jesus asked him three times, "Do you love Me?"
Peter said, "You know that I love you." And yes, Jesus did know that. Yet, He wanted Peter to do something extra ...for the sake of others. Jesus wanted Him to tell and show others of that love.
People show their love in different ways. When the disciples dined with Jesus, I do not know how the arrangement happened to be ...or if it varied. I read that the mom of the children of Zebedee asked if one of her sons could sit on one side of Jesus, and the other son on the other side of Jesus ...when they get to Heaven. When Jesus dined with the disciples here on earth, there would have been a disciple on one side of Jesus, and another disciple on His other side ...but, it only mentions that one disciple rested his head against Jesus.
I don't know ...maybe some would consider it not manly to rest their head against another. Unless you're a medical doctor, and need to be near to check the heartbeat. Yet, our hearts are all somewhat different, and we express our feelings in different ways.
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