The Bible doesn't explicitly name one person Jesus loved "the most," but scripture and tradition point to Mary Magdalene in some early Christian texts (Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Philip) as being favored, while John the Apostle (the "Beloved Disciple") is described as the one Jesus loved in the canonical Gospels, often depicted leaning on Jesus at the Last Supper. Jesus also deeply loved his family, his disciples generally, and all humanity, emphasizing universal love.
He was not obstinate, neither was he weak, but he was teachable, and so he made steady progress in his learning: such a disciple is one that a teacher is sure to love, and John was therefore “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He was full of faith to accept what he was taught.
It's this very author who says in John 11:5 that Jesus loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus. It's this very author who says in John 13:1, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” — sometimes translated, “to the uttermost.” That's all of them.
These three knew more than the other who Jesus was on the inside — they knew more about his courage, as well as his fears — which is what will make Peter and James' abandonment of Jesus on Good Friday particularly painful. But his very best friend, John, did stay with him all the way to the end.
Mary Magdalene
The work also says that the Lord loved her more than all the disciples, and used to kiss her often (Philip 63.34–36). Author John Dickson argues that it was common in early Christianity to kiss a fellow believer by way of greeting (1 Peter 5:14), thus such kissing would have no romantic connotations.
Peter's weakness allowed Jesus to show His divine love for His friend and earthly companion. Jesus loved Peter with such deep love that He looked past the times of confusion and fear. Jesus saw not a sinner. Our Lord saw a person who loved Him deeply.
John, the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved. The New Testament writings associated with John the Beloved present him as both a teacher and a model for our own discipleship. After Peter, John is perhaps the best known of Jesus's original Twelve Apostles.
Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus because He was moved with compassion. He was, basically, in all points tempted like as we are.
Since the end of the first century, the beloved disciple has often (but not unanimously) been identified with John the Evangelist.
Jesus' mission did not include marriage to a human being—his bride is the Church (Eph. 5:25–33)—so there was no apparent purpose for him to feel romantic attraction. Therefore, while we cannot know with certainty, it is unlikely he felt romantic attraction for Mary Magdalene or any other woman.
Many traditions identify the "disciple whom Jesus loved" in the Gospel of John as the Apostle John, but this identification is debated.
Before the rise of Christianity, certain sexual practices that are today considered "homosexual" had existed among certain groups, with some degree of social acceptance in ancient Rome and ancient Greece (e.g. the pederastic relationship of an adult Greek male with a Greek youth, or of a Roman citizen with a slave).
The love between Jesus and John has been celebrated at least since medieval times. For example, medieval English abbot Aelred of Rievaulx commended their “heavenly marriage” as an example to guide others. And the idea that they were lovers has been inspiring queer people and causing controversy for centuries.
The term rises to still Diviner significance as an epithet of Christ, whom Paul, grateful for His "freely bestowed" grace, terms "the Beloved." This is the word used repeatedly to express God the Father's infinite affection for Jesus His "beloved Son" (Mt 3:17; 12:18; 17:5; Mr 1:11; 9:7; Lu 3:22; 20:13).
He knew that these three—right from the very beginning—would wind up being the three key leaders in the early days of the church. And he knew that they needed to be prepared for that role. And so He deliberately took them with Him in these three remarkable experiences. The first you can read about in Mark 5.
Yes, if you mean the day on which Christians have celebrated the Lord's birth almost universally from the earliest times. However, the Church has never definitively taught that Jesus was born on December 25; there is no conclusive documentary evidence and Sacred Scripture mentions no date whatsoever.
The bible makes it clear that Jesus knew the upcoming resurrection of Lazarus; He could have smiled in the face of death. But Jesus grieved. He was stricken with pain and heartache for Mary, Martha, and all of Lazarus' friends. Jesus was tender-hearted and wept with them.
Mary Magdalene, a disciple of Jesus Christ, “became one of the closest friends Christ had among women” (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 264). She is the only person mentioned in each of the four Gospels as a witness to the Crucifixion, burial, and empty tomb.
Jesus had twelve disciples, but Peter, James, and John were His inner circle. He did things with them and took them places He did not take the other nine. Peter, James, and John were Jesus' three. When you finish reading the gospels and move on to Acts, you only hear about three apostles until Paul is added.
Paul refused to bring him along because he left them mid-way through the first journey (Acts 13:13, 15:38). Paul's concern was whether Mark would show himself unreliable once again. Paul knew that on the second missionary journey there would be new challenges and more difficulties in the planting of churches.
Simon of Cyrene - Wikipedia.
490 is the numerical value of the biblical Hebrew word “tamim” which means to “complete,” “perfect,” or “finished.” A person who can't forgive will always live an imperfect, and incomplete life that lacks a true understanding of the “finished” gracious work of the cross.
Although Peter had been a simple fisherman who was a disciple of John the Baptist, Christ saw something in him that made him bestow such an honor. He could sense Peter's willingness to serve God without hesitation and would come to rely on him. In all four gospels, Peter is the Apostle who stands out the most.
He crumbled before a servant girl. The stakes were high. He must have been afraid that if he confessed he was a disciple of Jesus, he might suffer the same fate that Jesus was suffering. He didn't have deep-seated complex motivation to deny he knew Jesus; he was simply afraid.