My favourite book of the four Gospels in the New Testament is the Gospel of John, 'the disciple whom Jesus loved', as he referred to himself in his book. Jesus called him 'the son of thunder' (Mark 3:17) but he was and is best known as John The Beloved. I have a secret desire (I guess not so secret anymore) to meet John The Beloved because I think I could more intensely feel the Saviour's love just by simply being in his presence. When I refer to John I simply refer to him as The Beloved. I am in awe of his name. Imagine having The Beloved tagged onto your name because it is so obvious to everyone that the Saviour loves you so much. This is the title that I want.
I see love permeating all of John's writings. Let me give you one example. Matthew and Mark wrote briefly of Christ's visit to the town of Bethany before His death. They both said that He was in the house of Simon, the leper, and 'a woman' came and anointed him with precious oil (Matt 26:6,7; Mark 14:3). Luke doesn't even mention the incident. John however, gives us a much clearer view and why it was important for it to be recorded properly. John records that six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany (John 12:1-3). Why Bethany? Because in Bethany lived Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. This is where Jesus was loved, comforted, accepted and believed so Bethany was his place of refuge. The Passover was imminent and it heralded the beginning of the end. Imagine with what heavy heart Jesus came to Lazarus' house for the last time. And imagine what solace He felt as the woman who anointed Him was, according to John, not just any woman but Mary, who sat at His feet and hungered for His words of eternal life. It makes sense that Mary would be the woman who would anoint Him for his burial (John 12:7). Mary anointed not only his feet but his head also (Mark 14:3), 'an act of reverential homage rarely rendered even to kings' (James Talmage, "Jesus The Christ"). Mary spared no expense for the one she loved for she anointed Him with the costly ointment of spikenard. Lazarus' family was wealthy and well known to all the Jews in Jerusalem, especially to the Jewish Council who sought to kill him because Christ raised him from the dead which caused many of the Jews to believe on Him (John 12:10-11). And did Lazarus withdraw his hospitality and shun Jesus because his life was in jeopardy? No. We can only surmise it was because he loved Him. So you see He was in a house of love before He began His journey to His death. John wrote this. He made special mention of it because I believe it was important to him to record that even though Christ was despised, bruised and rejected, He was also loved.
None of the other gospels speak of the discourse on love that Jesus delivered at the Last Supper but The Beloved's does. His account of the Last Supper begins with Chapter 13:1 in which he says 'He loved His own which were in the world and He loved them unto the end'. His account of the discourse of love which is related to the Sacrament and our remembrance of Him mentions love 22 times. John records the Saviour giving an amazing promise to all who subject themselves to the cleansing power of the sacrament and who are motivated through their love for Him to obey His commandments. The promise is that they can enjoy the literal companionship of the Father and the Son in this life (John 14:23). This is an amazing promise the Saviour made to those who love Him and keep His commandments. None of the other gospels record such an important promise, only John; the disciple who outran Peter to the sepulchre with a pounding heart harbouring hope against hope that the rumours were true, that He whom He loved, lived again (John 20:2-4); the disciple who loved Christ above all those that were given Him, loved Him so much that he desired to spend however long it took to stay on earth to bring souls unto Him (D&C 7:1-3). This is John the Beloved, who sat on the island of Patmos, alone, dejected and abandoned, but yet commissioned to write another book of love, the book of Revelation.
More than six centuries before John was even born, the Lord revealed to Nephi many of the things in the Book of Revelation but forbade him to write them down because they were reserved for John (1 Nephi 14:19-28). Could it be that John needed this revelation for himself more than even we needed it? To me, it is as if the Saviour was saying to him: "You will be here a long time and you need to know everything that will happen while you are here but be comforted John because I am coming back and when I come I will 'wipe away all tears....and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain...." (Revelation 21:4). Can you imagine seeing in a vision the sins and evils of this earth for thousands of years and than be given such hope of Christ's return who would reign in peace and harmony and love for a thousand years? What comfort that must have been to John who, like the 3 Nephites, would sorrow for the sins of the world during his sojourn in this dismal telestial world (3 Nephi 28:9). This is a story of love...love for one cherished disciple and love for all those who accept and follow Christ and have a hope of eternal life through the virtue of his atoning blood. While the Book of Revelation briefly covers the entire history of the earth, its' main focus is on the last days and Christ's triumphant return. It's whole purpose is to give us, who live here and now, hope of a better life, of Millenial peace, of triumph over evil. Why give us this hope? Because the evil in these last days that we are living with surpasses the evil of all the previous dispensations. It is this evil that He is coming to conquer and it is our tears He is coming to wipe.
I have had experiences in my life that have left me bleeding and convinced that love means pain. These experiences have come from different people and different periods of my life. From childhood abandonment to bitter disappointments from a wayward child. I know there are many, many people in the world who have loved and lost and have cried bitter tears because of it. One thing though I know for sure. The Saviour of the world will never break my heart. His love is constant and pure and If I remain faithful He will be there at the end of my journey ready to encircle me in the arms of His love. And maybe He will even call me 'The Beloved'.
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