The Disciple whom Jesus Loved

"The disciple whom Jesus loved," has traditionally been identified as John the Apostle, the author of the fourth gospel. But some modern biblical scholars have questioned the authorship of John the Apostle and suggests that he was an elder, not one of the Twelve Apostles. Therefore, it is more correct or safe to call him John the Evangelist.
Naturally, we would turn to examine "the disciple whom Jesus loved" under the microscope. In fact, it is more logical to have them separate first and see if we can find enough evidence to identify the two of them. Before we proceed, I would like to add a minor observation. Whenever John is mentioned in this gospel, it always refers to John the Baptist. The gospel according to John never name John the Evangelist directly.

Now, let us turn to "the disciple whom Jesus loved". This phrase appears five times in this gospel. It first appears in the Last Supper narrative in the fourth gospel.
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
ἦν ἀνακείμενος εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς (John 13:23).
That this disciple was sitting or reclining so close to Jesus that he was leaning on Jesus' bosom suggests that he must be John, one of the Twelve. It is because we assume that Jesus ate the Last Supper with his Twelve Apostles only. Let's keep our mind open. There might be other diners.
According to Church Tradition, Joachim and Anna had three daughters. One married Joseph the carpenter. The other married Zebedee the fisherman and the last one married Cleopas (Luke 24:18). Therefore, Jesus and John were cousins and that partly explains why Jesus loved him so much. According to Church Tradition, among the Twelve, John was the only one who did not die a violent death.

The next time we meet him, it was already under Jesus' cross.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Ἰησοῦς οὖν ἰδὼν τὴν μητέρα καὶ τὸν μαθητὴν παρεστῶτα ὃν ἠγάπα, λέγει τῇ μητρί, Γύναι, ἴδε ὁ υἱός σου (John 19:26).
Well, can we conclude that this must be John, the cousin of Jesus? The word on the cross suggests so. Treating the son of a sister's son as her own son is logically and emotionally reasonable enough.
Next, it was Easter morning.
Then she (Mary Magdalene) 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."
τρέχει οὖν καὶ ἔρχεται πρὸς Σίμωνα Πέτρον καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄλλον μαθητὴν ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Ἦραν τὸν κύριον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν (John 20:2).
This is the only time the word φιλέω is used to describe the disciple whom Jesus loved. In the other 4 times, the word ἀγαπάω is used. A lot have been written about the differences between these two types of love. Interested readers should read the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, God is love.
The remaining two ἀγαπάω are found in Chapter 21 but many scholars believe that this chapter is an appendix.
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.
λέγει οὖν ὁ μαθητὴς ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ Πέτρῳ, Ὁ κύριός ἐστιν (John 21:7a).
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?
 Ἐπιστραφεὶς ὁ Πέτρος βλέπει τὸν μαθητὴν ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀκολουθοῦντα, ὃς καὶ ἀνέπεσεν ἐν τῷ δείπνῳ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν, Κύριε, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παραδιδούς σε; (John 21:20)
The following verse makes this chapter an appendix.
This is the disciple (refers to John 21:20) who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true (John 21:24).
A disciple bore witness and had written the things mentioned earlier in the gospel. That makes this chapter an appendix. Curiously enough, this verse also points to a tradition that the disciple whom Jesus loved authored this gospel. So, as early as the end of the first century, Christians had generally believed that this gospel was authored by John. This appendix bears witness to such a tradition. Therefore, circumstantial evidences strongly suggest that John, one of the Twelve Apostle, the cousin of Jesus, was the "disciple whom Jesus loved" and that he penned the fourth gospel.

But there are other contenders. In particular, one of them was the Lazarus in this gospel! Today, we read of the story of his death and resurrection in John 11. Scholars quoted verse 3 in support.
Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
ἀπέστειλαν οὖν αἱ ἀδελφαὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσαι, Κύριε, ἴδε ὃν φιλεῖς ἀσθενεῖ (John 11:3).
Notice the use of φιλέω in this verse. It is used by a character in the narrative.
Further down, the author explains.
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
ἠγάπα δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν Μάρθαν καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῆς καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον (John 11:5).
Notice the use of ἀγαπάω in this verse. It is used by the omniscient narrator.
Further down in front of the grave, Jesus wept for his friend.
Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
ἔλεγον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, Ἴδε πῶς ἐφίλει αὐτόν (John 11:36).
Again, φιλέω is used by the characters in the story.
What conclusion can we draw? I would say, from the perspective of men, the love between Jesus and Lazarus is φιλέω. But from the perspective of the author, from that of God, it is ἀγαπάω. This is further illustrated by the three "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?" questions. In the first two times, Jesus used ἀγαπάω, but Peter answered with φιλέω. The third time, Jesus condescended himself and used φιλέω. All along, Peter answered with φιλέω (John 21:15-17).

Now, Lazarus remains a good contender. Unfortunately, Jesus treated Lazarus as a friend, not necessarily as a disciple. Hear this.
Thus he spoke, and then he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep.” (John 11:11)
Of course, a friend could also be Jesus' disciple just as John, his cousin could be. Therefore, Lazarus could still be the disciple whom Jesus loved. After all, Jesus loves us too. We too are disciples whom Jesus loves.
In the end, these biblical enigmas remain elusive. They continue to sit there to tease the scholars.

Dear Lord, Your love knows no bound. We are not capable to love You as You have loved us. But I know that loving You will sublime us, elevate and transform us. It is good for us. Amen.