Peter was in the company of Jesus, Who had invited him to take a personal walk with Him. But Peter’s attention was not completely upon Christ, because he turned around to see John following them. Peter had the undivided attention of his Master and yet could so easily be distracted from so wondrous a company. How often have you been distracted under similar circumstances?

It is interesting to note that what Jesus had told Peter to do was already being done by John. Could this insight into John’s nature have any relevance to why he was “the disciple whom Jesus loved”? How do you compare?

John characterizes himself both as the “disciple whom Jesus loved,” which he has used before, and “the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, ‘Lord, who is the one who betrays You?’” This latter designation is a reference to (John 13:23-26) and is similar to the way John described Nicodemus, Judas, and Caiaphas (John 19:39, 6:71, 18:14).

John 13:23-26  One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.  Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”  Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”  Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.

John 19:39  He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.

John 6:71  (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

John 18:14  Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.