The Beloved Disciple in the Gospel of John: Some Clues and Conjectures

Author(s): Paul S. Minear

Source: Novum Testamentum, Vol. 19, Fasc. 2 (Apr., 1977), pp. 105-123
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 NovumTestamentum,
Vol. XIX, fasc.2

THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
SomeCluesandConjectures
BY

PAUL S. MINEAR
Guilford

Johanninescholarsare familiarwiththe searchforthe identity

ofthebeloveddiscipleand no lessfamiliar withthemultiplefrustra-
tions encounteredin that search.The role of this discipleis too
importantto permitabandoningthe search; the evidenceis too
bafflingto permita confident solution.Each hypothesis leaves us
witha seriesofconjectures, noneofwhichcan commandconsensus.
I suggestthatthereare twolessonsto be learnedfromthefactthat
everysearchendsin impasse.
Firstofall, ourinabilityto grasptheintention ofthe Evangelist
is a measureofthedistancebetweenhisthought-processes and ours.
We mustassumethathe knewwhathe was tryingto conveyby his
referencesto thisparticularfigure.If his intentionescapesus, we
mustconcludethat our mindsmoveto different rhythms. We can
also assumethathis immediateaudienceunderstoodhis references
to the beloveddisciplebetterthanwe do. If so, the authorand his
firstaudiencemusthave sharedcertainattitudes,a definiteapper-
ceptivemass,thatcreateda resonanceto his intentions whichhas
since been lost. Wherewe desireto distillfromeach set of data
certaindependablehistoricalinferences, his desireprobablymoved
in a quite different direction.Therefore, in listeningin on this
conversationwe shouldlay aside our preoccupations and become
morealertto whatwas importantto them.
In thesecondplace,we shouldlearnsomething fromtheauthor's
curiousrefusalto name this particulardisciple.It is surelynot
accidental that, in every context where this disciple remains
unnamed,otherdisciplesare carefully identifiedby name.The same
silencecharacterizesJohn's referencesto Jesus'mother. She appears
on severaloccasions;but thoughotherwomenare named,she is
never named. If we knew only this Gospel, we would never have
learned her name. Why this intentional hiding of the name ? We

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o106 PAUL S. MINEAR

inferthat these participantshad a "halo" of symbolicmeanings

for the Evangelist.We inferthat in conveyingthese symbolic
meaningshe consideredthe descriptiveepithets (e.g., mother,
beloved) to be more significant than a name would have been.
Presumablythosesame epithetsweremoreevocativeto hisreaders
as well. Their reactionsare almost the oppositeof those of the
modernexegete.We wantto identify thisdisciplein orderto solve
the problemof the authorshipof the Gospel (xxi 24) and thus to
establishits preciseplace in the literaryhistoryof the period.In
that originaldialogue,much greaterattentionwas given to the
distinctivenuancesof thosedescriptivephrases.In thisessay our
goal is to recoversomeofthe nuancesin thatdialogue1).
In that endeavorthe firstessentialis to have a clearpictureof
John'saudience.

John'sAudience
I will proceed on the assumptionthat John's audience was
composedmainlyof Jewsand that the majorcomponents in that
audiencewerethosegroupswhichProfessor J.Louis MARTYN has
called "conversationpartners". Some of these partnerswere
believerswho, by remainingwithinthe synagogues,had become
subjectto multiplepressuresbecauseof theirconvictionthatthey
couldsimultaneously be disciplesofbothMosesand Jesus.Ofthese,
probably somekept theirdiscipleshipto Jesussecretbecauseofthe
of
hostility fellow-Jews(MARTYN, Historyand Theologyin the
FourthGospel,N.Y., Harperand Row, 1968,p. 105) Johnkepthis
eye on both the secretand the avowed followersof Jesus.Other
partnershad alreadybrokenaway fromthe synagogue,eitheron
theirownvolitionor by force.Johnalso wishedto appeal to rank-
and-filemembersof thesynagogue,the commonfolkwhohad not
yetacceptedJesusas theMessiah(ibid.,p. Ior). To reachthemhe
had to carryon a debate withthe rulersof the synagogues,the
"Jamnia-trained loyalists"who sooneror lateradoptedthe policy

1) Among possible nuances which I consider too doubtfulto explore in

this essay are these two. (i) Johnmay have wished to stressthis featureof
the disciple's vocation: that, like his Lord, he wanted to come not in his
own name, but in that of his Lord (v 43), so that those who believed through
his witnessmighthave lifein that name alone (xx 31). (2) Or he may have
wished to make a point similarto one found in the Apocalypse: i.e., Jesus
promisedto everyfaithfulwitnessa name that is hidden,a name tantamount
to eternal life and membership in the Holy City (Rev. ii 17; iii 5, 12).

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN IO7

of expellingfromthe synagoguesany Jew who accepted Jesus.

Because of thismultipleaudience,the Evangelisthad to speak
to his readerson variouslevels.For all his hearers,however,a key
problemwas theirown personalrelationto the synagogue.His
Gospelwas therefore designedto shape the subsequentconversa-
tionsbetweenthosereadersand theirJewishneighbors, bothbefore
and afterany formalseparationof churchfromsynagogue.These
widerconversations, accordingto Prof.MARTYN, oscillatedaround
threecontinuing issues: "the technicalquestionof Jesus'messiah-
ship; the correctinterpretation of his signs;the relationbetween
himand thetowering figure Judaism,Moses" (ibid.,p. 91). Thus
of
the characterof this audiencedetermined the basic agenda. The
natureof that agenda was such as to focusattentionon opposing
interpretationsof Scripture;this,in turn,would focusattention
upon possible correlationsbetweenthe Scripturaltraditionsabout
Moses and the Christiantraditionsabout Jesus. The Christian
witnessthat Scripturehad been fulfilled in and by Jesuswouldbe
cogentonlywhenpresentedby Jewishbelieversattestingto what
theyhad seenand heardofJesusin thecontextofGod's covenant-
promisesto Moses 2).

The Moses-Benjamin Typology

Whetherwe think of synagoguelaymen or their technically
trainedleaders,we can be confident that bothgroups"knewwell
some formof the hope forthe Prophet-Messiah like Moses who
would performsigns" (MARTYN, op. cit.,p. IOI). The boundary
betweensynagogueand churchwas crossedwhenJewsaccepted
Jesus as this Prophet-Messiah.The Jamnialoyalistsdeniedthat
Jesus met the specifications this typology,insistingthat any
of
suchmatchingofa personwiththosespecifications couldbe decided
onlyby rabbiscompetently trainedin midrashicinterpretation of
Scripture (MARTYN,op. cit., p. 105). But John defended his faith
in Jesusas that prophetlike Moses,and aimed his defenceat an
audiencecomposedof foursegments:membersin his own church,
2) In a later study MARTYN traces several stages in the historyof the

Johannineschool, correspondingto at least three stages in the developing

alienation between church and synagogue. I have been unable to correlate
my conjectureswith his, although I believe that such a correlationmight
strengthenboth his historyof the Johanninecommunityand my analysis of
Johannine typology. Cf. MARTYN's essay in Ephemerides Theologicae
Lovaniensis, 1976.

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 o108 PAUL S. MINEAR

secret believersin the synagogues,unbelievinglaymen in the

synagogues,and the Jamnialoyalists.In what followshere I do
not tryto provethe presenceofthistypologyin the Gospel,since
Johanninespecialistshave adequatelydocumentedthat thesis3).
Rather,I willadvancea supplementary hypothesis concerning the
roleofBenjaminin thatMosaicportrait.
The basis forthe expectationof the comingof a prophetlike
Mosesis providedby thebookofDeuteronomy; and in thedevelop-
mentof that expectationtwo passages were central:xviii 15-22
and xxxiv1-12.In theDeuteronomic prototype,as in theJohannine
antetype,the climaxis reachedin a Passion Storyin whichthe
prophet'sdeath is understoodas necessaryto God's design."The
days approachwhenyou must die" (Deut. xxxi 14, 16). Within
thecontextofthePassionStorybothprophetsareseenas mediators
ofa covenant,obedienceto whichmarksthedifference betweenlife
and death (Deut. xxx 20). A basicformforconveying thiscovenant
is a seriesof farewelldiscourses(Deut. xxix-xxxiii;Johnxiii-xvii)
in which,althoughmany unrelateditemsappear, one may note
manysubtlecorrespondences. In both,theprophetsummonsGod's
peopleto gathertogetheras a peoplein the presenceoftheirGod.
"You standthisday all of you beforethe Lord yourGod" (Deut.
xxix io). Prominent in bothaccountsis the poignanttestimony to
the community's dullnessand ignorance(Deut. xxxii 28). In the
Deuteronomic scenario,the wholenationis represented in and by
"the heads of yourtribes",the twelvepatriarchsnamedas a way
of stressingthe presence of "all Israel" (xxix 10; xxxi 30; xxxiii 5,
21).It is almostcertainthattheGospelviewsthe twelvetribes,or
the wholeof Israel,as presentin the twelvedisciples.Againstthe
prospectofdeath,bothprophetsconsecratethepeopleto God and
assurethemofGod's blessing,guidanceand love (Deut. xxxiii1-3).
They are entrustedwitha law and a missionwhichcontinuethe
workoftheprophet-king (Deut. xxxiii4). The peopleare reminded
of the signsby whicheach prophethad authenticated his role as
God's spokesman,intercessor,mediatorand judge (Deut. xxix 2 f.;
xxxiv II; John xx 30). The whole narrativeconveys an assurance

3) J. L.
MARTYN, op. cit.; W. A. MEEKS, The Prophet-King,1967; T. F.
GLASSON, Moses in the Fourth Gospel, 1963; H. M. TEEPLE, The Mosaic
Eschatological Prophet, 1957; F. HAHN, Christologische Hoheitstitel, 1963;
J. JEREMIAS, art. "Moses", in KITTEL, Theological Dictionary of the New
Testament.

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN Io9

thatGod intendsto gatherhispeoplefromtheirexile (Deut. xxx 4;

Johnxi 52); yet thereis also the promisethat nationsotherthan
Israel will ultimatelybe includedin the redemptiveworkof the
prophet(Deut. xxix 13 f.; Johnxvii20o;xx 29). It is ofcourseeasy
formodernGentilereadersto remainoblivioustothesecorrespond-
ences; but it was moredifficult forancientJewishreadersto do so,
granted their loyalty to Moses and theirfamiliarity withDeuter-
onomy.
I believe that it is more than coincidentalthat both farewell
discoursesreachtheirclimaxwhenthe narratoradoptsa tradition
witha separateform,a formthatexpressedemotionalintensity as
wellas liturgicalsonority.In Deuteronomy xxxiiithisformis that
of a blessingpronouncedby Moses on each of the twelvetribes
consecutively. This blessingrepresentsMoses'intercession forthose
fromwhomhe will soon be separated;it is his assuranceof God's
continuing love forhispeopleand his dependablecare forall "who
are consecrated to him".By John'sday,thisfarewell blessingwould
have exerteda contemporaneous power,inasmuchas Jewsbelieved
that at death Moses had been translatedto heaven. In John's
Gospel, thereis a similarshiftfromtable conversationsto the
"highpriestly"prayer,a prayerrepresenting Jesus' intercession
his
for disciplesbothbeforeand afterhis own glorification. More-
over,in prayingforthesetwelve,Jesusprayedforthe electpeople
ofGod,manifesting his unitywiththemand indicatingtheirshare
in hisgloryand life.Thusbothprophetsfulfilled a vocationto share
withGod's peoplewhatevergiftstheyhad themselvesreceived.It
is these significant and far-reaching parallelsthat induce us to
concentrate attentionupon Deuteronomy xxxiiiand Johnxvii,the
latteras an appropriateclimaxto the earlierdialogue.
In that dialoguethe Evangelistchoosesthe speakerswithsome
care. Of coursethe wholegroupof discipleson occasionspeaksas
a singlechorus,and herethereis no need to distinguish one from
another(e.g., xvi 29). There are otheroccasionswhen Thomas
(xiv 5) or Philip (xiv 8) or the second Judas (xiv 22) serve as
interlocutors. Yet because theyquicklydisappearwe may assume
that the Evangelist'sinterestin themwas quite perfunctory. But
his interestin threedisciplesis farfromperfunctory. Two of these
are named: Judas and Simon Peter. With them the Synoptic
accountshave madeus familiar. The thirdis unnamed:thebeloved
disciple,firstintroducedin xiii 23. To his rolethereis no parallel

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IIO PAUL S. MINEAR

in the Synoptics.And yet Johnshowscontinuing interestin him.

Why?
The far-reachingcorrespondences between the two farewell
discourses,to whichwe have called attention, impelsus to explore
the Deuteronomictraditionforpossibleanswers.I thinkthat we
findsuch an answerin Deuteronomy xxxiii12, in Moses' blessing
of Benjamin,and especiallyin the threedescriptions of this pa-
triarch.First of all, he is "the beloved of the Lord". We recall
earliertraditionsindicatingthatBenjaminhad beenthebest-loved
son of Jacob-Israel.Accordingto Gen. xliv 30 Jacob'slifewas so
"bound up in the lad's life" that the death of son would be the
death of father.Jubileesxliii II demonstrates the fact that this
conception of the bond between Jacob and Benjamin was still
alive in John'sday. Benjaminwas also the best-lovedbrotherof
Joseph,and was theonlysonofJacobnotimplicatedin thebetrayal
of Joseph.This mightpossiblycorrespondto the fact that alone
amongtheTwelvethebeloveddiscipledid notdenyhisdiscipleship
duringJesus' trial and crucifixion(Johnxviii 15; xix 26). The
Deuteronomic blessingprovesthatgenerations afterthepatriarchal
period,thiswholetribecould be reveredas "the Lord's beloved".
At least amongthe rabbisthisphrasewas a way of distinguishing
Benjaminfromall otherpatriarchs(Jewish Encyclopedia III, 24) 4).
The more conventionalthis descriptionhad becomein John's
milieu,themorehe couldassumethatJewishreaderswouldunder-
standhisuse ofthatepithet.The allusion,to be sure,is notverbally
precise.In John the usual phrase is "the disciplewhom Jesus
loved". Yet John used the verb forlove five times (fourtimes
agapa6- xiii 23; xix 26; xxi 7, 20 and once phile6-xx 2), and in
JohnJesusis the mostfrequentreferent forthetermlord(kurios).
The firstreferenceto thisbelovedonecomesverynearthebeginning
of the farewelldiscourse;he remainsa prominent characterthere-
afteruntiltheveryend oftheGospel.It is significant thatthefirst
descriptionofthepatriarchin Deuteronomy xxxiii12 becomesthe
mostfrequent identificationin Johnofthisdisciple.We suggestthat
in the mindsof JewishChristiansthismnemonictag would serve

4) Also, in what Charlesidentifiedas the originalversionof the Testament

of Benjamin, we findthis significantclaim: "(I shall be called) one beloved
of the Lord and a doer of the good pleasure of his mouth". (T.B xi i) This
text is not, however,the one preferredby M. DE JONGE, TestamentaXII
Patriarcharum,Leiden, 1970, p. 85.

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN III

to link the two figuresand theirtwo stories.More than this,it

would remindall livingmembersof the tribeof Benjaminthat a
had linkedthemto Jesusduringthedaysofhis
specialrelationship
Passionand thata specialpromisehad beengivento themafterhis
Ascension.
The blessingof Benjaminhas a secondfeature,relatedto the
firstin synonymous parallelism.
NAB: Benjamin is the beloved of the Lord
who sheltershim all the day.
RSV: He dwells in safetyby him,
He encompasseshim all the day long.
NEB: The Lord's beloved dwells in security,
The high God shieldshim all the day long.

The translations vary,but theyagreeon theunderlying thought.

As a markofhis love,God providesforBenjamina secureshelter,
an assuranceofcontinuing protection"all the day long"5).
Othertribesmightfallaway,mightbe lostin exileor dispersion;
but notthistribe.For thesake ofits "head", God assuresthetribe
of his permanentpresence.This assuranceof the Lord's presence
and protection is also basicto John'sportraitofthebeloveddisciple.
He shares,ofcourse,in thedestinyaccordedall thedisciplesin the
intercessoryprayer;but in additionhe has a promiseddestinythat
distinguishes him fromthe others.It is the Lord's intentionthat
this discipleshould"wait untilI come" (xxi 22, 23 NEB). That
promiseis immediately misunderstood, but,as usual in thisGospel,
the misunderstanding is designedto call attentionto a hidden
meaning,to a deepertruth.The surfacecontentof the promise
seemedto referto the physicaldeath of this disciple,and some
listenerswerethusdeceivedby thatsurface.Jesusexplicitly rejects
thatmeaning.Yet exegeteshave beenbaffledin theirsearchforany
otherbut the plain meaning.For instance,C. K. BARRETT, who
is no mean interpreter of the Gospel,is impelledto give up the
searchand to concludethatthepopularunderstanding ofthesaying
musthave been its only originalmeaning,John'sdisavowalnot-
withstanding. "Jesusdid notsay to himthat thisdisciplewas not
to die" (xxi 23) (C. K. BARRETT, The Gospel Accordingto St. John,

6) S. R. DRIVER (I.C.C. Deuteronomy, p. 403) interpretsthis securityas

"freedomfromthe fearof death". The writerof the Testamentof Benjamin
(xi 4) gives another version: "He shall be a chosen one of God forever".

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112 PAUL S. MINEAR

London,SPCK, 1955, p. 488). I thinkthat this dilemmacan be

resolvedif Jesus'promiseto thisdiscipleis viewedas the echo of
Moses'promiseto Benjamin:"The Lord sheltershimall the day".
The vocationofthisdisciplein and throughhis descendantswillbe
continuedand guardedby the Lord untilthe Lord comes.We call
attentionto thefactthatthepivotalverbin thepromiseis menein
(to abide),whichin Johnhas a widerangeofweightyconnotations.
For example,in xii 34 thereis a similarmisunderstanding of a
the
prophecyconcerning Messiah, in which the point at issue is
a double meaningin thissame verb. No one wouldclaim that in
thatversethe misunderstanding was in factthe originalintention.
There,too,theproblemis createdby a confusion betweenphysical
deathand divineabidingness.One otherobservation mustbe made
about thedoublemeaningofthispromisein Johnxxi 22, 23. If,in
his picturingof this individualdisciple,Johnwas also thinking
abouthis prototype, thepatriarchalhead ofthetribe,and ifthere-
forehe was assuringthe Christian heirsofthistribeoftheirpartici-
pation in the Advent of Christ,the misunderstanding whichhe
imbeddedintentionally in thetextwouldcall attentionto precisely
that corporatepromise.The Gospelfusesthe promiseof Parousia
withthepromiseofJesus(andMoses)to thispatriarchal community.
Moseshad promisedto "establishyou thisday as his people... as
he sworeto yourfathers"(Deut. xxix 13). Includedwithinthis
promisewas "life,blessing,lengthofdays", an assureddwellingof
God withthis elect community(Deut. xxx 20; xxxii 47). John's
thinkingmay also have been "communal"in his promiseto the
beloveddisciple.And when,in listeningto his Gospel,his audience
was remindedof Moses' farewelldiscourse,that reminderwould
have carrieda senseof securityin a dangerousworldin whichthe
promiseto thebeloveddisciplewouldholdmuchthesamemeaning
as "God sheltershim all the day". To an earlyChristian"all the
day" wouldmean the same as "untilI come". To linkthesetwo
promises,Moses' and Jesus',may not be fullyconvincing, but it
is at leastpreferable
to theflatdenialthatJohnxxi 23 meanswhat
it says.
In thethirdassurancein hisblessingofBenjamin,Mosesincluded
a clause thatis clearlyintendedto carrya meaningparallelto the
firsttwo; yettheprecisemeaningremainsproblematic. In part,the
problem is how to construe the antecedents to the pronominal
subjects:

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 113

RSV: he (God) encompasseshim (Benjamin) all the day long,

and makes his (God's) dwellingbetweenhis (Benjamin's) shoulders.
NAB: who (God) sheltershim all the day,
while he (Benjamin?) abides securelyat his (God's?) breast.
NEB: the High God shieldshim all the day long,
and he (Benjamin) dwells underhis (God's) protection.

The questionis whosedwellingis madebetweenwhoseshoulders.

Then thereis a furtheranatomicalambiguity.Shouldersis clearly
metaphorical,but to whatdoes themetaphorrefer?In thepicture
of God dwellingbetweenBenjamin'sshoulders,RSV agreeswith
some rabbinicexegesiswhichsaw those as mountainsin the ter-
ritoryofBenjaminand God's dwellingas thetemplebuiltbetween
two ofthosemountains.
of Benjamin".
"The divine presenceis always in the West, in the territory
(Midrash Rabbah Num II, Io; Testamentof Benjamin ix 2-5; STRACK-
BILLERBECK,Kommentarzum N.T., III, p. 286.)

The choiceofthisdwellingplacesignified God'sloveforBenjamin

of
and his assurance security6).
Thisreadingofthetextwouldseriouslythreatenourconjectured
typology.
The resultis quitedifferent ifwe followthelead ofthe NAB and
NEB translators. Here it is Benjaminwhoabidessecurelybetween
the Lord's shoulders,a difficult but not impossiblemetaphor7).
In this case the parallelismwiththe firsttwo clauses in Deut.
xxxiii12 is clearer,and the pointsof contactwiththe Johannine
symbolismbecome strikingindeed. Three times the Evangelist
repeatsthe phrase "lyingclose to the breastof Jesus",twicein
the firstsceneand once in thelast (xiii 23, 25; xxi 20). This is his
way of identifying this discipleto his readers,a tag that would
enablethemto linkthe PassionStorydirectlyto theirpriorknowl-
edge of thisfigure.In thisreadingof the matter,Johnhas found
in Deuteronomy the assurancethatbecauseBenjaminwas beloved
by the Lord, the Lord assuredhimof two basic things:long-term
security and intimate knowledgeof the Lord's will and way. To
be sure,the Deuteronomic shoulders(LXX OMON) is notthesame

6) This interpretationis favored by S. R. DRIVER and others (op. cit.,

p. 404).
7) S. R. DRIVER recognizesthe possibilityof this interpretationand he
mentionsscholars who supportit. He rejects it because of the incongruous
idea of Benjamin, pictured as a recliningman (sic), dwellingbetween Je-
hovah's shoulders(ibid.).
8

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114 PAUL S. MINEAR

as the Johanninekolpd (xiii 23) or stethos(xiii 25; xxi 20o), but the
phraseadoptedby NEB carriesa numberof the rightovertones:
"close to Jesus". Such closeness,in the threeJohanninecontexts,
connotesaffection, trust,intimacyofsharedknowledge
familiarity,
and intention,permanentfriendship. Wherethereis such a wide
of
range potential connotations it is hazardous to pin an author
downto one. Yet ifwe concludethatthe Johannineschoolshared
that understanding of the Mosaic blessing,this conclusionwould
strengthen conjecturethattheJohannine
our pictureofthebeloved
disciple is an instance ofhaggadic midrash on theMosaicfarewell-
enigmatic, to be sure,butno moreofan enigmathanDeut. xxxiii12.
If one followsthiscourse,thenhe arrivesat a setofcorrespond-
ences that is too completeto be accidental.All threefeaturesin
Moses' blessingrecurin the Johannineportrait;morethan this,
everykey phrasewhichJohnused to identifythis discipleis an
echo of Deuteronomyxxxiii 12. This set of coincidencesappears,
in turn,withina widercomplexofimages:Jesusas a prophetlike
Moses;thecomparablePassionsand farewell addresses;thepresence
of the Twelve as representatives of the separatetribesand of all
Israel; thespecialrolesassignedto selectedpatriarchs and disciples;
the pervasive presenceof symbolic,haggadic and typological
patternsof thought;the instinctive waysin whichlistenerswould
identify themselves with the head of theirowncommunity.
Having weighedthe evidenceprovidedby Deuteronomy,we
shouldnowlookmorecloselyat varyingJohannine contextsto see
how this subtlereference to Benjaminmay have affectedJohn's
addressto his immediateaudiences.

TheJohannine Contexts
The roleofthebelovedpatriarchin theJohannine scenariocomes
clearlyto the surfacein the finalchapterof the Gospel.We have
already examined the parallelismbetween Moses' assurance of
"freedomfromthefearofdeath" forBenjamin,and Jesus'promise
that this disciplewill wait untilhe comes. There is, we believe,
some connectionbetweenthe conceptionof "all the day" and
"untilI come", and also someconnectionbetweenthe waitingfor
Jesusand the abidingin the presenceof Jesus (cf. i 32 f., 39 f.;
v 38; vi 27, 56; viii 31, 35; xii 24, 34, 46; xiv Io, 17, 25; xv 4-16).
We believe that John designedthe misunderstanding
of Jesus'
promisein xxi 21, 23 to call attentionto these hidden connections.

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 115

Let me add herethatthe accountof the fishing tripstressesthe

uniqueabilityofthisdiscipleto discernsecretshiddenfromothers,
a giftwhichis themarkofa prophet.It is fitting thatthe disciple
loved by Jesusshouldbe the firstto recognizeJesus'presenceas
Lord. Love and insightare related.It is in his possessionof this
propheticvisionand witnessthat he is distinguished fromPeter.
In his powerto identify Lord theremay be a contact
his glorified
with a rabbinictraditionthat Benjamin was untaintedby sin
(Shab. 55b) and that accordinglyhis corpsewas not exposed to
corruptionby worms (BB 17a).
We should not overlookthe care with which the Evangelist
makesthisdisciplea dependablewitnessto all thathad happened
(xxi 24). Confidence in the Gospelis thuslinkedto confidence in
thisdisciplewhohad beenpresentat theSupper,had beenwarned
of the betrayalin advance,had probablygainedspecial access to
the trial,had been presentbeneaththe cross,had receivedthegift
of a "mother"and could certify to the emptinessof the tomb.If,
as some have cogentlyargued,this Gospel was writtennot to
supplement but to replaceotheraccounts,it is likelythatthesigna-
ture of this particulardiscipleis a markof competitionbetween
the Johannineand other Christiancommunities, each with its
favoriteGospel.If, as seemscertain,the debatebetweenbelieving
and non-believing Jews centeredin the interpretation of those
eventsin whichthisdisciplewas present,thisGospelwouldcarry
specialforcenotsimplybecauseofhispresence,but also becauseof
Jesus'ownunderwriting ofhis testimony. The Lord authenticated
thisBenjaminas "a doerofthegood pleasureofhis mouth"(T.B.
xi r).
Such a line of reasoningmay promptvariousconjecturescon-
cerningtheimpactofthisstory,in John21, on John'sconversation
partnersin the synagogues.Jewishreaderswould probablysense
a sharpcontrastbetweenthisopen and directtestimony to Jesus
and that of "secretdisciples"like Nicodemus.This disciplehad
beenwillingto makehisoathofallegiancein publicand in writing;
he had doneso as a truerepresentative ofthetrueIsrael.We recall
that accordingto the Genesisnarrativeit was immediately before
the birthof Benjaminthat God had blessedJacob,had givenhim
the name Israel and had promisedthat fromhim would spring
"a nation and a company of nations" (Gen. xxxv 9-12). It is clear
that John stressed the truthsto which this prophetic disciple was

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II6 PAUL S. MINEAR

privy;but in doingthisthe narrativeis implicitly sympathetic to

Jewswho did nothave readyaccessto thelivingwitnessofsuch a
propheticrevealer.Since the basic truthsremainedhiddeneven
froma disciplelikePeteruntila prophethad revealedthemto him,
readerswouldbe helpedto understandthe bewilderment and lack
of faithof theirJewishneighbors.They would be helpedto ap-
preciateeven the hostilityof the "Jamnia loyalists",since the
fulfilment of Scripturehad takenplace in ways that wereunder-
standablyobscureeven to trainedinterpreters. The assuranceof
Jesusto the beloveddisciplewould,however,extendbeyondthis
"sympathetic understanding" of Israel's hostility.The promiseto
this "second Benjamin"would conveya promisethat Israel as a
wholewould ultimatelysharein the consummation, even in spite
of its presenthostility.He whomJacob-Israelloved is also loved
by Jesus.Jewishbelieversin Jesuscouldtherefore have confidence
in the ultimatesalvationof theirpeople,a confidence that would
undergird theirobligationto continuethe witness of thisBenjamin
to Israel,whateverthe cost.
Suchconjectures wouldbecomeevenmoreattractiveifwe should
posit not only a Jewish-Christian audienceforJohn,but also a
Benjaminite-Christian audience.Now the positionof thisdisciple
in knowingthe mind of the Lord (xiii 23) and in conveyingan
authoritative traditionabout him would be strategicin affirming
the priorityand prestigeof that community over otherChristian
groups. If that were true, the contrast between Peter and this
in
disciple, Johnxxi,might reflecta corresponding suspicionofthe
Petrinecommunity on the partof thisBenjaminitecommunity 8).
However,suchconjecturesbecome,at best,extremely tenuous.
Shifting nowfromthelast appearanceofthisdiscipleto thefirst,
we notethatthe Johannine introduction ofthe discipleanticipates
thelaterepisodes.He helda specialpositionat thefarewellsupper,
whereJesusrecognizedthathis hourhad come (xiii i) and where
he wagedhis finalconflictwiththe Devil. Here the spotlightshifts
back and forthamongthethreerepresentatives ofIsrael,the three
of
types Jewishresponse Jesus. to The blackest lightfalls upon
Judas as a tool of a
Satan, JewishdisciplewhobetrayedhisMaster.

8) It is not impossible that Paul's self-identification with the tribe of

Benjamin (Rom. xi I; Phil. iii 5) reflectsnot only the currentprestigeof that
tribe but also the recognized status of a Benjaminite church. In neither
text is such an identificationnecessaryto establishPaul's standingas a Jew.

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 117

He standsin thelowestechelonofthe Johanninecast,muchmore

culpable than secretbelieversand more culpable even than un-
believersin thesynagogues. SimonPeterrepresents quitea different
type: well-meaning, but dull and slow,if not stupid.He requires
help fromothersto knowwhatis goingon; he cannotfathomthe
foot-washing (xiii 6, 7) norgraspthe intentof Scripture(xiii I8).
His lack of the giftof prophecymakes him dependenton the
disciplewho had it. This latter,i.e., the unnameddisciple,was in
a positionto ask Jesusand to relayhisreply(xiii25). It is significant
thatthepositionofthisdisciplevis-a-visJesusparalleledprecisely
the positionof Jesusvis-a-visGod, forthe phraseen tMkolpJin
xiii 25 is equivalentto the phraseeis ton kolponof i 18 (a fact
obscuredin the RSV). In bothplacesthephrasesuggestsintimacy
of visionand knowledgethat qualifiesa personto mediatedivine
grace and truth.The beloved Son relieson the beloved disciple.
Whenthehourcomesforthe Son to go to his father,forlovinghis
ownuntiltheend (xiiiI), Jesustruststhisdiscipleto conveyto the
othersthe mystery of Judas' rebellionas evidenceofthe powerof
his love. Yet it is not until Chapterxxi that this mysterywill
becomeclear,as the love of the glorified Lord is again recognized
by this prophet. The scene in Chapter xiii is extremelyrich in
symbolism whichresistsreductionto clumsyprose.But enoughhas
beensaid hereto suggestthatthesethreetypesofdiscipleswouldbe
ofkeeninterestto believerswithinJohn'schurch;theywouldhelp
themto detectvariouskindsoftreasonand incomprehension among
themselvesand also to understandvarious responsesto their
witnessamongtheirJewishneighbors.
Now we shiftto theroleofthebeloveddisciplein the arrestand
trialofJesus.It is possible,ofcourse,thatthereference in xviii15
to anotherdiscipleintroducesa whollydifferent actor.Thus what-
ever inferencemay be drawn fromthis chapter must remain
tentative.It seemsto me, however,that the balance of evidence
favorsidentification withthe beloveddisciple(cf. R. E. BROWN,
The GospelAccordingto John,N.Y., Doubleday, 1966, I, xciv).
Arguingfromthat assumption,we note that here,as in Chapter
xiii, the threetypes of discipleshipare again presented.Judas
returns,assistingthe soldierswho have come to arrestJesus.
Peter is here,drawinga rebukefromJesus over his sword-play
and later denying his membershipin the band of disciples. Here,
too, is Caiaphas, whose prophecyconcerningthe death of one man

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II8 PAUL S. MINEAR

"forthe people" is in processof fulfillment-atellingdetailforall

Jewishreaders,whetheror not theyweremembersof the church.
It is this highpriestwho consequentlyshowsa directinterestin
learningmoreaboutJesus'disciples(xviii19). That discussiongives
Jesusan openingforunderscoring his habit of teachingwherever
Jewscame togetherand to stressthe corresponding candorwith
whichhe expectedhis disciplesto give theirown witness(vs. 21)
"Ask them".
Unfortunately,Peterrefusesto speak or to act so openly.Such
courageis leftto one disciplealone. This disciplewas not only a
Jew,but a Jewwhowas knownto thehighpriestand perhapseven
a familiarfriend.(That is the implicationof gnostosin several
passages in the LXX: II K. x ii; Ps. iv 13; Job xix 14.) The
degreeofknowledge and thepossibilityoffriendshipweresuchthat
thisman had easy access to theinnercourtof thehighpriest.Yet
he, unlikePeter,was quite willingto acceptthe chargeofguiltby
association,forhe enteredthoseprecinctswithJesus,the arrested
and accused prophet.Even morethan this,it was on his appeal
to the doorkeeperthat Peterwas admitted.He showsno traceof
Galileanreticenceor Petrinefear.Personagratabravelytakes his
standbesidepersonanongrata.Peter'sdenialis shownto be all the
more shamefulin view of the forthright testimonyof both the
beloved Son and his beloved disciple.The same contrastmakes
theirbehaviorall the morecourageousand persuasive.
The thrustof the storyis clear: handed over to the Jews,this
prophetwas executedas "the kingofthe Jews"in responseto the
demandsofthe Jews.Yet thesame storydifferentiates at least six
typesof Jew: Judas,Caiaphas,officers fromthe chiefpriestsand
Pharisees,Jesus,Simon Peter,and the disciplewho was in good
standingwithboth the priestlyand the discipliccircles.This last
person is at home in Jerusalemand Judea. (His appearances,
exceptforthe finalone, werelimitedto thisregion,traditionally
assignedto Benjamin.)He had fullrightto be presentat thetable,
in the Gardenforthe arrest,and insidethe highestecclesiastical
court.His courageand opennessstandin sharpestcontrastto the
double-dealingofJudasand thedouble-talkofPeter.It is to sucha
disciplethat Jesus directsthose who wish to learn more about
himselfand his teaching."They knowwhat I said" (vs. 21). In
such a command,quite apartfromits accuracyas a wordofJesus,
we may detect the Evangelist's own commendationof this particu-

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN II9

lar discipleas a mediatorbetweenJewsin the churchesand Jews

in thesynagogues, a man whomeverybelievershouldemulateand
to whosetestimony everynon-believer shouldpay heed.In reading
this Gospel each Jewishreader came in touch with this man's
testedand dependabledisclosure.Like Jesus,he mightbe struckby
Jewishofficers(vs. 22 f.), but no morethan in the case of Jesus
wouldsucha blowbe evidenceofbearingfalsewitness.
Not onlywas thisdisciplea witnessto the Supper,the betrayal
and denialand trial; he also was the onlymale discipleplaced by
any Evangelistat thecrucifixion (xix 25-37). This surelybespeaks
his couragein beingpresentas the soldierswerecarrying out their
grimduty. It also him
qualifies to verify the factthat Jesus had in
factdiedon thecross,whenevertherumorthathe had not actually
died should appear. He was also in a positionto testifyto the
fulfilments of Scripturein the piercingof Jesus' side and in the
failureto break his bones (v. 36, 37), details whichthemselves
reflecthighlymidrashicmodes of thought.Those modes would
presumablyhave been usefulin debateswithsynagogueexegetes
ofJohn'sday. In anycase, thefigureofthebeloveddiscipleis here
linkedto variousJewishdebatesoverthecircumstances surrounding
Jesus' death. He who could testifyto the certainty Jesus'death
of
could also give the mostconvincing testimony to the emptinessof
thegrave(xx 8) and thepresenceoftherisenLord (xxi7). He could
join in the corporateChristianaffirmation, "we have beheldhis
glory" (i 14).
It is highlysignificantthat fromthe crossJesusgave two com-
mandsto personswho,thoughunnamed,wereclosestto him.The
originalsignificanceofthosecommandsis difficult to recoverwith
assurance(cf.R. E. BROWN, BiblicalReflections onCrisesFacingthe
Church, N.Y., Paulist,1975,p. 102). The prophetJesusherediscloses
to thismotherthefactthatthisparticulardiscipleis nowherson;
he has beengivento heras herson,in lieuofJesushimself. Is Jesus
hererestoring to Rachel her son Benjamin? Does Maryrepresent
Jacob-Israel,withthemidrashiccorollarythatthisman is Jacob's
best-lovedson9)?
9) The two chief characters in this episode have this in common: the
Evangelist never names them. In view of John's habit of naming all other
important actors in the story, we take this fact as evidence of symbolic
overtones. If Jewish readers have now linked this disciple to Benjamin,
this episode would impel them to associate this "mother" with Rachel,
Jacob's best-lovedwife,whoseprayersto God duringthe exile had, according
to the rabbis, alone secured God's promiseto restoreIsrael.

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120 PAUL S. MINEAR

If so, forthis womanto accept this son, as she evidentlydid,

would requirean act of obedienceto such a propheticdisclosure.
And such an act would carrya strongimplicitappeal to John's
conversational partnersin the synagogues:"Hear, 0 Israel. This
faithfulChristianbelieveris yourown brother.Listento his testi-
mony.In himlies thefulfilment ofGod'scovenantswithJacoband
withMoses,yourowntruedestiny."
The interpretation of Jesus'wordto thisson mustaccordwith
theinterpretation ofthewordto his mother.This discipleis called
uponto recognize thisnewtwo-sided relationship andis commanded
to obeythedutiesimplicitin it. Henceforth he becomesson to this
mother,to the motherof Jesus.The revelationseemto have been
immediately understoodand acceptedby thesetwo (vs. 27). But
again, the interpretation is far fromtransparentto twentieth
centuryreaders.If Maryin any sense representsIsrael, and the
disciple,Benjamin,thiscommanddemonstrates Jesus'concernfor
his peoplein a waywhichno discipleshouldignore.The crucifixion
producesa redefinition of sonshipand motherhood, of the relation
of the individualto the community, of to
and Israel the church.
This redefinitionof Israelis probablyrelatedto the announcement
ofthe RisenLord in xx 17, thatJesus'Fatherhas nowbecomethe
Father of all disciplesand that theyhave therefore now become
brothers.So, too,in xix 27 theimplicationis this: disciplesofthis
Messiahmust acknowledgein Israel theirown motherand must
take care of herin their'own home; Israel in turnmustrecognize
these disciplesas its own sons and accept theirhome as God's
intentionforitself.That such a revelationshouldbe locatedat the
crossmay suggestthe convictionthatthisis the onlyplace where
such a rapprochement betweensynagogueand churchcan take
place, here where the King of the Jews dies, as the high priest
himselfhad said, "for the people". In dying,the beloved son
embracedin his love this discipleand this mother,and thus he
accomplishedtheirmutualacceptance.In blessingthisBenjamin,
who alonewas leftofhis mother'schildren, Jesuswas blessingthis
Rachel (Gen. xliv 20). As this prophetlike Moses was liftedup,
demonstrating his love forhis people,"all his holyoneswerein his
hand; theyfollowedat his feet" (Deut. xxxiii 3). It is probably
significantthatit was not untilafterJesushas so unitedthe new
motherwithhernewson thathe couldsay "It is finished".
Even more enigmatic is the role of the beloved disciple at the

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 121

tombon Eastermorning. It is clearthata negativepictureis again

assignedto Peter in contrastto the positivepictureof his rival.
What is the meaningof theirrace tomb-wardand ofone disciple's
greaterspeed? Or the meaningof Peter's precedencein entering
the tomb? Or the meaningof the precisedispositionof the linen
cloths? What did the beloved disciple see and believe on this
occasion? I mustconfessto a highdegreeofbewilderment. The clues
to a satisfactoryanswerare largelyabsent. There is an implicit
contrastbetweenthe overt disciplesin xx I-Io and the covert
discipleswhowereresponsible fortheanointing andburial(xix38 f.).
The two men runningto the tomb were able to corroborate the
of
discovery MaryMagdalene that this was the tomb in question
and that it was empty (cf. MINEAR, "We don't Know Where",
30, 1976, pp. 125-139). They did not yet understand
Interpretation,
the Scripturalpropheciesconcerning Theydid notyet
resurrection.
know"where"the body had been laid (xx 13) (cf.Joshua'scom-
parable reflections on Israel's ignoranceconcerning the graveof
Moses.Ass. Moses,xi 4 f.,on the basis of Deut. xxxiv 6). Not yet
did theygrasp any new mandate,for"they went back to their
homes" (vs. io). Peter and his comradeshareda notablelack of
understanding; yettheauthordiscerneda difference betweenthem.
It has been difficult,however, for modern readers to grasp the
precisepoints contrastbetweenthesetwo followers.If we had
of
a morecompleteknowledgeof John'sconversational partnersand
of theirmidrashicmodes of argument,we mightmove toward
greaterclarity.All that we can do is to hazard variousguesses.
Had the "partners"in thosesynagoguesand churchesdeveloped
strongantipathiesto Peteras a Galileanfisherman and spokesman
forthe church? Had he provokedan antagonismamongthe syna-
gogueleaderswhicheventuatedin his own martyrdom?(xxi 18).
Had Peter turnedaway froma patientand forgiving missionto
the synagoguesbecause of thisantagonism?In contrastto Peter's
didsomeotherChristian
disaffection, leadermounta newcampaign
to reachthe synagogues?Did that leaderplace a renewedaccent
upon Jesus' love for Israel, his fulfilment of God's promisesto
Moses? Did that leader find that, given this specificaudience,
witnessesotherthanPetercouldgivea morepersuasivetestimony
concerning the decisiveeventsthat had takenplace in Jerusalem,
in the territoryof Benjamin? If thisotherwitnesswereidentified
as "beloved of the Lord" would auditors in the synagogue detact

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122 PAUL S. MINEAR

an allusionto Moses' blessingof Benjamin?I believethat all this

is possible,and even probable.We need to recall that although
manyJohannine scholarsacceptMosaictypologyas a basiccompo-
nent of Johanninechristology,the presenceof that typology
remainsimplicitratherthan explicit,even afterwe considersuch
texts as i 17; iii 14; v 45 f.; vii 19, 22 f.; ix 28 f. That being so,
we shouldnot expectthe Benjaminiteconnectionof the beloved
discipleto be moreexplicit.In thiscase the implicitfulfilment
of
God'spromiseto Mosesin Deut. xviii15,18 servesas an appropriate
corollaryto the implicitfulfilmentof Moses' promiseto Benjamin
in Deut. xxxiii12. What is a prophetwithouthis people?
Such speculationhas merit,but it remainsspeculation.What is
less speculativehas alreadybeen presented:

I. The portraitof Jesus as fulfillingGod's promiseof a prophetlike Moses.

2. The appeal to Scriptureand to the signs as a way of validating this
typology.
3. The originof the Gospel in a situationof conflictbetween churchesand
synagogues,whetherthat conflictwas past, presentor anticipated.
4. The claim that the Gospel representsthe true testimonyof a disciple
distinguishedfrom other disciples as "beloved of the Lord" (xxi 24).
5. The care withwhichthe Gospel locates the presenceofthis disciplewithin
the crucial stage of Jesus' mission:farewelldiscourses,the Supper,arrest,
trial,crucifixion,burial, emptytomb, glorification.
6. The assurance of a permanentrole for this disciple as a son of Jesus'
motherand as one who would abide until Jesus' return.

In the hypothesisthat the Evangelist'spictureof the beloved

disciplewas in partshapedto conform to the pictureof Benjamin
in Deut. xxxiii 12, we have taken a step beyondthese assured
conclusions.How longa step? Is it too long?Specialistsin Johan-
nine and rabbinicstudies are likely to give differing answers.
Nonetheless, I believe that the hypothesis I have advanced is
wortha sustainedtesting.Shouldit survivethisscrutiny, ifonlyas
a possiblereadingof the Gospel,it would have far-reaching im-
for of
plications manyaspects Johannine studies:e.g., the prove-
betweenchurchesand
nanceof the Gospel; its rolein the conflicts
synagogues;its stressupon the workwhichJohnthe Baptistand
Jesusdid in Judea; the hermeneutical attitudesof the Evangelist
towardScripture,togetherwithour own hermeneutical attitudes
towardhis work; the typologicaland midrashiccharacterof his
vocabulary and thought; his ecclesiology and eschatology. Over
the centuriesthe search forthe beloved disciple has been so intense

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 THE BELOVED DISCIPLE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 123

and so wide-ranging that it is an act of consummateaudacityto

suggesta new thesisforconsideration. Yet no oneis whollycontent
with the presentsolutionsof the riddle,and the issue is of such
centralimportancethat it would be wrongto call offthe search
entirely.That searchrequiresthe carefulreexamination of every
clue,howeverfanciful at firstsight10).

10) In preparing the final draft of this essay I have profited from com-
ments of Professors B. S. CHILDS, J. L. MARTYN and R. E. BROWN.

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