Many people believe that John, the son of Zebedee, refers to himself in his gospel as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Yet the scriptures indicate that this phrase probably refers to Lazarus of Bethany.
There are the four places, all at the end of John’s gospel, that speak of a disciple whom Jesus loved. Although John was mentioned early in this gospel, all mentions of the “disciple whom Jesus loved” occur shortly after Lazarus is introduced in this gospel.
John 19:26:
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
John 20:2:
Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
John 21:7:
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
John 21:20:
Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
Lazarus is the only male disciple that this gospel says Jesus loved.
John 11:5:
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
Now let’s look at each of the four verses above to see who they refer to.
John 19:26: Caring for Jesus’ Mother
John 19:25-27:
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
Jesus commended his mother to the care of this disciple. Lazarus came from a wealthy family and could have supported Mary in this way. John was a fisherman, with little earthly wealth. Jesus was very close with Lazarus and his sisters. It seems a logical choice to commend Mary into their keeping.
John 20:2: Seeing the Grave Linens and Facial Napkin
John 20:1-8:
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
Mary Magdalene reported the resurrection to Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved. This disciple arrived at the sepulcher, saw the linen clothes and facial cloth—then believed. These burial wrappings are the same kind as those described being on Lazarus in John 11:44.
John 11:44:
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Think of the amazing realization that Lazarus had upon seeing the very same kind of burial clothes that he had once been wrapped in—proving that Christ had risen from the dead.
John 21:7: Recognizing the Risen Lord
John 21:2-7:
There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
This record names those present: Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and two other disciples. Lazarus was with Peter earlier when Mary Magdalene witnessed to them of Christ’s resurrection. He could still be part of this intimate group of disciples. He would have recognized Jesus because of his intimate relationship with him.
John 21:20: Leaning on Jesus’ Breast and One Who “Should not Die”
John 21:20-24:
Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
There went a rumor that this disciple whom Jesus loved would not die. That seems understandable since these people had seen Lazarus already raised from the dead after being four days in the grave. Perhaps they thought he would remain “deathless” until the return of Christ.
Here we also learn that the disciple whom Jesus loved “leaned on his breast” at supper. Let’s see where that incident occurs.
John 13:21-26:
When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
Here “one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved” is leaning on his bosom (breast). This shows a very intimate relationship. Not long before this final supper with his disciples, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. In fact, that was the reason that the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus—and Lazarus. This would have made an even stronger bond between them. And Jesus spent time eating with Lazarus and his family.
John 11:45-47; 53-57; 12:1-2,9-11:
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did [raising Lazarus from the dead], believed on him.
But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?
Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.
Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
The following table reviews these four references to the disciple whom Jesus loved in John’s gospel.
| Scripture | Description | Lazarus fulfilling it |
| John 19:26 | Jesus commits his mother into this disciple’s care | Jesus had been dining with Lazarus at that time, and Lazarus was wealthy enough to take care of Mary for Jesus |
| John 20:2 | Mary Magdalene reports the empty tomb to Peter and this disciple, who run to the tomb | Lazarus had been bound in the same kind of grave linens and facial napkin as he discovered in Jesus’ empty tomb |
| John 21:7 | This disciple recognized Jesus in his resurrected body | Two “unnamed” disciples were present: and Lazarus had been with Peter during this time |
| John 21:20 | This disciple also leaned on Jesus’ breast at the last supper and it was considered by some that he “should not die” | Lazarus had been intimately eating with Jesus shortly before the last supper. He also may have been considered “deathless” until Christ should return, since he had been raised after four days of death |
Jesus loved his disciple Lazarus and spent intimate time with him shortly before his crucifixion. Lazarus continued with Peter and Jesus’ other disciples after Jesus was raised from the dead. The gospel of John concludes by stating that Lazarus may have contributed to the writing of this gospel.
John 21:24:
This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
Whoever put this gospel together, accepted the testimony of the “disciple whom Jesus loved” as true. Lazarus was someone who knew firsthand of many events recorded in this gospel.
