What do you think?
Rate this book
Becoming the Beloved Disciple: Coming unto Christ through the Gospel of John
Two vital questions for believers in every age are, “How can we truly know Jesus?” and “How can we better follow Him?” This is what discipleship, anciently and today, is all about.
Of the four Gospels, the Gospel of John uniquely highlights the theme of discipleship, focusing not only on the Twelve but also on believers of all backgrounds and stations whose stories cannot be found anywhere else in the Bible. Professor of ancient scripture Eric Huntsman uses these unlikely models of discipleship to draw parallels to modern discipleship. Learn from the figures in the Gospel of John, including
• Nicodemus and the challenges of different kinds of faith
• The Woman at the Well and embracing those who are different
• Mary Magdalene and learning from “women who know”
• The friends of Jesus and moving from loss to abundant life in Christ • Christ’s impulsive but devoted disciples
• Followers of Jesus and struggling to accept “hard sayings”
While these varied characters confirm that there are many ways to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, in the end, all disciples are united by love for our Savior, our willingness to follow him, and testimonies of his atoning sacrifice and glorious resurrection.
Of the four Gospels, the Gospel of John uniquely highlights the theme of discipleship, focusing not only on the Twelve but also on believers of all backgrounds and stations whose stories cannot be found anywhere else in the Bible. Professor of ancient scripture Eric Huntsman uses these unlikely models of discipleship to draw parallels to modern discipleship. Learn from the figures in the Gospel of John, including
• Nicodemus and the challenges of different kinds of faith
• The Woman at the Well and embracing those who are different
• Mary Magdalene and learning from “women who know”
• The friends of Jesus and moving from loss to abundant life in Christ • Christ’s impulsive but devoted disciples
• Followers of Jesus and struggling to accept “hard sayings”
While these varied characters confirm that there are many ways to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, in the end, all disciples are united by love for our Savior, our willingness to follow him, and testimonies of his atoning sacrifice and glorious resurrection.
- GenresNonfictionLdsReligion
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 11, 2018
43 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 10, 2018
For the last few years, my observation of the Advent season has been guided by Eric Huntsman's excellent book Good Tidings of Great Joy--a feast of art, music, scriptural interpretation, and inspiration that celebrates the miracle of Christ's birth. This year, my Christmas gift list will also be guided by an Eric Huntsman book: Becoming the Beloved Disciple, a reading of the Fourth Gospel by one of the best Latter-day Saint scholars around.
Becoming the Beloved Disciple is, as its title might suggest, a book about discipleship–an important gospel concept that cannot quite be reduced to followership, obedienceship, believership, or membership in any organization.True disciples both learn from and emulate their master. Christ’s disciples are the apostles who have been converted, the sheep who have been found, the prodigals who repent, and the doubters who develop faith–people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences who have been changed fundamentally by their personal relationship with a master.
As Huntsman presents it, the two purposes of the Gospel of John are 1) to deliver a powerful and definitive testimony of the mission and divinity of Jesus Christ; and 2) to give examples of the many different paths to becoming disciples.
The powerful testimony comes in Chapter One (1:1-18) and consists of the “Hymn to Logos,” a poetic invocation of Christ’s divinity. The rest of the book consists largely of stories about people coming to the same understanding of Jesus that John gives us in the beginning.
This is an immensely powerful and satisfying way to read both the theology and the narrative of our most challenging Gospel. It connects the text by creating one great similarity out of many different pieces: the calling of the apostles; the dialogues with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman; the story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; the betrayal of Peter; the doubting of Thomas.
These are very different stories about very different kinds of disciples coming to Christ in very different ways. Some of them believe immediately, while others believe only after coming through a period of doubt and disbelief. Some experience miracles, others feel the overwhelming call of divine love, and others still must find a way to assent intellectually to the reality of the Messiah.
And, John tells us, these are all the right path because they all lead to Christ. This is the point, and it would be hard to imagine a more important point to make. To become beloved disciples, we must learn to see the world as Christ sees it, which means learning to love other people as Christ loves them. Becoming the Beloved Disciple is a good starting point for the journey.
Becoming the Beloved Disciple is, as its title might suggest, a book about discipleship–an important gospel concept that cannot quite be reduced to followership, obedienceship, believership, or membership in any organization.True disciples both learn from and emulate their master. Christ’s disciples are the apostles who have been converted, the sheep who have been found, the prodigals who repent, and the doubters who develop faith–people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences who have been changed fundamentally by their personal relationship with a master.
As Huntsman presents it, the two purposes of the Gospel of John are 1) to deliver a powerful and definitive testimony of the mission and divinity of Jesus Christ; and 2) to give examples of the many different paths to becoming disciples.
The powerful testimony comes in Chapter One (1:1-18) and consists of the “Hymn to Logos,” a poetic invocation of Christ’s divinity. The rest of the book consists largely of stories about people coming to the same understanding of Jesus that John gives us in the beginning.
This is an immensely powerful and satisfying way to read both the theology and the narrative of our most challenging Gospel. It connects the text by creating one great similarity out of many different pieces: the calling of the apostles; the dialogues with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman; the story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; the betrayal of Peter; the doubting of Thomas.
These are very different stories about very different kinds of disciples coming to Christ in very different ways. Some of them believe immediately, while others believe only after coming through a period of doubt and disbelief. Some experience miracles, others feel the overwhelming call of divine love, and others still must find a way to assent intellectually to the reality of the Messiah.
And, John tells us, these are all the right path because they all lead to Christ. This is the point, and it would be hard to imagine a more important point to make. To become beloved disciples, we must learn to see the world as Christ sees it, which means learning to love other people as Christ loves them. Becoming the Beloved Disciple is a good starting point for the journey.
February 1, 2019
I added Becoming the Beloved Disciple to the top of my list after reading Michael Austin's Goodreads review. It just so happens that Austin also wrote the Foreword to the book, which starts out with a profound story, which I want to include here:
Several years ago, at the Catholic university where I worked, I attended a lecture by Father Greg Boyle, a Catholic priest who has spent much of his life ministering to gang members in Los Angeles. When his presentation was over, Father Boyle spent about a half an hour answering questions from the audience. I only remember one of the questions, which was, “Why don’t you teach these young men to be good Christians and worship Jesus?” I will never forget the answer. He said simply, “Jesus wants disciples; he doesn’t need a fan club.”
That was an inspired priest. Increasingly, I am convinced that the gospel is in the doing. To use the famed phrase from Gordon B. Hinckley, "forget yourself and go to work." If you want to convince someone of the truthfulness of the gospel, it probably isn't going to be through a well-thought out theological or historical argument. It's going to be in the love they feel. Didn't Christ teach "by their fruits ye shall known them"?
Different kinds (not degrees) of discipleship
Getting to the book itself, Huntsman takes a unique approach to the gospel of John. I always found John intimidating at parts. It starts with this confusing intro that I'm never quite sure I'm interpreting right (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God). Add to that the Bread of Life discourse and the Intercessory prayer, and you've got me scratching my head quite a bit. While Huntsman does add some new insights into each of these aspects, the book isn't written as a verse-by-verse commentary on the gospel of John. Instead, he breaks the book down by character, following the individual paths of discipleship.
According to Huntsman, the gospel of John was designed to read yourself into the text. The Samaritan woman at the well, Nicodemus coming to the Lord in the night, Thomas's doubts-- all were mean to highlight the different routes we take coming to Christ.
There were two in particular that struck me. The first was Nicodemus. I was always a little unsure about Nicodemus, but Huntsman gives a moving portrayal of Nicodemus as a man initially unsure, but who comes to a full faith after the events of Christ's Atonement. I like his summary:
The example of Nicodemus reminds us that we must be careful about judging the spiritual journeys of other people. Sometimes we can be too quick to judge the faith of others, faulting them for questioning or perhaps insisting that people testify that they “know” when sometimes what is important is just believing or having the desire to believe.
I like that Huntsman asks us to not judge Nicodemus, because I know I was guilty of doing so. The other story that struck me was the story of Peter. Huntsman makes clear from the outset that Peter wasn't perfect. Not only was he not perfect, he made some pretty big mistakes:
While the nickname “the Rock” that Jesus gave him upon his first call reflected his character as it was later known, he had to grow into the role of a steady, firm disciple. Instead, throughout the Gospel of John, Peter is often portrayed as outspoken and zealous for Jesus, but he also frequently misunderstood the Lord and was impulsive, overconfident, and even rash. Yet his darkest moment, when he three times denied knowing Jesus or being one of his followers, stands out as Peter’s greatest failing.
I like this. I like this because yes, most takes on Peter acknowledge his mistakes. But I feel that they sometimes minimize them. Denying Christ? That's a big deal here. To me, Peter represents Church leadership. We sometimes like to lionize them, but when we actually confront the magnitude of some of their mistakes, we can potentially lose our faith. The gospel of John reminds us that leaders have weaknesses and their own set of challenges.
In his conclusion, I loved this summary statement on discipleship:
Indeed, a modern revelation teaches that different kinds of belief constitute different kinds of spiritual gifts: “To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful”
I have tended to interpret the faith to believe on their words as a lesser faith. But Huntsman's statement acknowledges them as two different spiritual gifts. I think people with both kind of faith can contribute to the body of Christ. We should be ready to embrace people who can testify that they know, or that they believe, or that they want to believe.
Several years ago, at the Catholic university where I worked, I attended a lecture by Father Greg Boyle, a Catholic priest who has spent much of his life ministering to gang members in Los Angeles. When his presentation was over, Father Boyle spent about a half an hour answering questions from the audience. I only remember one of the questions, which was, “Why don’t you teach these young men to be good Christians and worship Jesus?” I will never forget the answer. He said simply, “Jesus wants disciples; he doesn’t need a fan club.”
That was an inspired priest. Increasingly, I am convinced that the gospel is in the doing. To use the famed phrase from Gordon B. Hinckley, "forget yourself and go to work." If you want to convince someone of the truthfulness of the gospel, it probably isn't going to be through a well-thought out theological or historical argument. It's going to be in the love they feel. Didn't Christ teach "by their fruits ye shall known them"?
Different kinds (not degrees) of discipleship
Getting to the book itself, Huntsman takes a unique approach to the gospel of John. I always found John intimidating at parts. It starts with this confusing intro that I'm never quite sure I'm interpreting right (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God). Add to that the Bread of Life discourse and the Intercessory prayer, and you've got me scratching my head quite a bit. While Huntsman does add some new insights into each of these aspects, the book isn't written as a verse-by-verse commentary on the gospel of John. Instead, he breaks the book down by character, following the individual paths of discipleship.
According to Huntsman, the gospel of John was designed to read yourself into the text. The Samaritan woman at the well, Nicodemus coming to the Lord in the night, Thomas's doubts-- all were mean to highlight the different routes we take coming to Christ.
There were two in particular that struck me. The first was Nicodemus. I was always a little unsure about Nicodemus, but Huntsman gives a moving portrayal of Nicodemus as a man initially unsure, but who comes to a full faith after the events of Christ's Atonement. I like his summary:
The example of Nicodemus reminds us that we must be careful about judging the spiritual journeys of other people. Sometimes we can be too quick to judge the faith of others, faulting them for questioning or perhaps insisting that people testify that they “know” when sometimes what is important is just believing or having the desire to believe.
I like that Huntsman asks us to not judge Nicodemus, because I know I was guilty of doing so. The other story that struck me was the story of Peter. Huntsman makes clear from the outset that Peter wasn't perfect. Not only was he not perfect, he made some pretty big mistakes:
While the nickname “the Rock” that Jesus gave him upon his first call reflected his character as it was later known, he had to grow into the role of a steady, firm disciple. Instead, throughout the Gospel of John, Peter is often portrayed as outspoken and zealous for Jesus, but he also frequently misunderstood the Lord and was impulsive, overconfident, and even rash. Yet his darkest moment, when he three times denied knowing Jesus or being one of his followers, stands out as Peter’s greatest failing.
I like this. I like this because yes, most takes on Peter acknowledge his mistakes. But I feel that they sometimes minimize them. Denying Christ? That's a big deal here. To me, Peter represents Church leadership. We sometimes like to lionize them, but when we actually confront the magnitude of some of their mistakes, we can potentially lose our faith. The gospel of John reminds us that leaders have weaknesses and their own set of challenges.
In his conclusion, I loved this summary statement on discipleship:
Indeed, a modern revelation teaches that different kinds of belief constitute different kinds of spiritual gifts: “To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful”
I have tended to interpret the faith to believe on their words as a lesser faith. But Huntsman's statement acknowledges them as two different spiritual gifts. I think people with both kind of faith can contribute to the body of Christ. We should be ready to embrace people who can testify that they know, or that they believe, or that they want to believe.
May 15, 2023
This is a neat book that teaches about the Gospel of John and how it is unique in its focus on teaching that Jesus is the Son of God, with an invitation to all to become a witness of Him and learn of His divinity. I love the reminder of these words being an invitation to each of us to follow Jesus Christ and be His disciple. Here are some favorite quotes:
"'Jesus wants disciples; he doesn't need a fan club' (p. xii)."
"Scholarship and discipleship require different skills, different inclinations, and, very often, different temperaments. Most of us who try to combine them find it impossible to do so consistently. We end up sacrificing the conventions of one for the expectations of the other. No one can serve two masters (p. xiii)."
"The main concern of the Gospel of John, after its powerful presentation of Jesus as the divine Son of God, is to define the nature of Christian discipleship--and to do so in a way that is charitable and inclusive (p. xiii)."
"Two vital questions for believers in every age are, How can we truly know Jesus? and, How can we better follow him? This is what discipleship, anciently and today, is all about (p. xvi)."
"There are many ways to experience discipleship... and we should strive to understand fellow believers who have different walks of faith (p. xvii)."
"The Gospels in the New Testament teach us the facts of the Atonement, the Book of Mormon the doctrine, and the Holy Spirit the application (p. 1)."
"The Gospel accounts present unique portraits of Jesus that provide different important insights to his teachings and saving work. They all teach saving truths and have the potential to build testimony (p. 2)."
"While they present the same basic sequence of events, John is different and preserves unique episodes and powerful teachings... John is also very symbolic, and its prologue begins with a hymn that describes Jesus as the premortal and divine Word of God, who is the source of light and life... John is also the most theological of the Gospels, with its author frequently reflecting upon something that Jesus has said or done, making clear his divinity and how it impacts us as disciples (p. 3)."
"John presents a much more developed Christology... to me, the Jesus in John is the most like the Christ of the Book of Mormon... Yet it is not only the powerful testimony of Jesus's divinity in John that helps me come unto Christ. Its focus on discipleship helps me understand what I must believe, know, do, and be in order to better walk with Jesus in my own life. In addition, John's portrayal of characters and their own journey of discipleship helps me relate the story to today's life situations, challenges, and needs (p. 4)."
"Discipleship is an important theme of the Gospel of John... Anciently, the word 'disciple' (Greek, mathetes) suggested not only a student or pupil who learned from a teacher but also an apprentice who strove to become like a master (p. 5)."
"When it comes to how disciples should act, the verbs that are most prominent in John are related to loving, 'keeping,' and abiding... Disciples not only love Jesus, they also love and serve one another... Jesus in John does not give long lists of what disciples should and should not do. Rather, motivated by love and with the direction of the Holy Ghost, disciples keep Jesus's commandments by seeking his will and eagerly looking for opportunities to bring others to Christ (p. 7)."
"Jesus's direction that disciples should abide in him bridges the gap between what we should do and what we should be. 'To abide'... indicates an ongoing relationship... abiding in the Lord means to continue to love him and others while keeping his commandments, which helps us become more like him (p. 7)."
"Because the word for 'friend' in Greek (philos)... actually has the same root as 'love,' employing the language of friendship in John 15:14-15, reveals a new, more intimate relationship between Jesus and his disciples, for we are no longer simply master and servants but beloved friends (p. 8)."
"Interestingly some of the best examples of believing in and following Jesus are anonymous in John... Such anonymity actually allows us as readers to identify with the characters better (p. 9)."
"The most important unnamed character in the Gospel of John is... 'the Beloved Disciple.'... This figure never wavers in his devotion and was a witness of some of the most pivotal moments in the narrative (p. 10)."
"Read and interact with the text, one that reflects our understanding of it and the connections that we make with it (p. 11)."
"The purpose of the Gospel of John was to help later readers understand that 'they can have an encounter with Jesus every bit as valid and indeed more fruitful' than did many of the original characters' (Brendan Byrne, p. 12)."
"The first character in this Gospel, after Jesus as the premortal Divine Word, is the prophet John, known in the other Gospels as John the Baptist (p. 16)."
"While the first testimony in this chain of witnesses, that of the prophet John, came directly by revelation, those of subsequent disciples began simply by their accepting in faith what they heard (p. 16)."
"This chain reflects a pattern that continues today: when we hear the good news of the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ, we share it with students, family, and friends, eagerly inviting them to 'Come and see' (p. 17)."
"John... proclaimed, 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' With this testimony, the prophet John established one of the most important images of the Gospel of John, one that is fulfilled with the Crucifixion, when Jesus, as the spotless Passover lamb, died that we might live (p. 18)."
"Jesus's famous response, 'Come and see,' was then an invitation for them to spend time with him, learn his doctrine, and see whether it was, in fact, of God (p. 20)."
"'Have more straightforward experience with the Savior's life and teachings. Perhaps sometimes we come to Christ too obliquely, focusing on structure or methods or elements of Church administration. Those are important, but not without attention to the weightier matters of the kingdom, first and foremost of which is a personal spiritual relationship with Deity, including the Savior whose kingdom this is' (Jeffrey R. Holland, p. 21)."
"As must as we love and appreciate individual leaders, our discipleship is to the Lord himself (p. 21)."
"Having obtained his own testimony of Jesus, Andrew naturally wanted to share it with someone in his family, and he personally brought Simon to Jesus (p. 22)."
"We see the circle of discipleship expanding... Indeed, the responsibility of bringing others to Jesus, as we shall see, is a fundamental part of discipleship in the Gospel of John (p. 23)."
"All of us can have a personal relationship with Jesus (p. 25)."
"The process of sharing our testimonies of Christ through word, service, and music has brought us together (p. 26)."
"The importance of their testimonies is striking given the time and culture in which they lived, when the witness of a woman was not even admissible in court (p. 29)."
"Given how constrained women were in that time and culture, rarely being able to act without the approval of the men in their lives, the Lord's choice of her as his first witness after the Resurrection is striking. This historical window reveals a Jesus who was not constrained by many of the social mores and biases of his day (p. 36)."
"Though our path may be different than the paths others follow, when we come to know Jesus for ourselves, our discipleship can be no less genuine--and in the end, no less saving as long as we still come to Christ (p. 41)."
"Jesus knew Nicodemus and his motivations for coming to him, just as he knows each of us (p. 43)."
"The Risen Lord taught... 'my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross... that I might draw all men unto me'... This is the heart of the gospel message, and reflecting upon this leads John to reflect, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life' (p. 46)."
"We must be careful about judging the spiritual journeys of other people (p. 49)."
"It is possible to have questions and concerns but still hold fast to the important truths that Jesus is the Son of God, that he suffered and died for us, that he rose from the dead, and that this is his Church (p. 49)."
"Some things could only be learned from the Spirit (p. 50)."
"We can all still be beloved disciples if we earnestly believe in him and try to follow Jesus Christ (P. 51)."
"While Nicodemus had sought out Jesus, albeit rather secretly at night, Jesus himself arranged to meet the Samaritan woman in the middle of the day (p. 53)."
"Jesus seems to have deliberately chosen to meet this particular Samaritan woman at this specific spot (p. 57)."
"Although Jesus in John rarely shows weakness or human need, in this scene he exhibits weariness and thirst primarily as a way of arranging for him to meet the woman (p. 57)."
"Jesus rejected the ethnic, religious, and gender divisions that existed between them (p. 59)."
"Though Jesus prophetically revealed details about the woman's personal life, his purpose was not to pass judgment (p. 61)."
"Leaving her water jar indicates more than simply her no longer needing the water of the well--leaving it behind is analogous to male disciples leaving behind their nets and other possessions when called to follow Jesus (p. 64)."
"'We need to embrace God's children compassionately and eliminate any prejudice, including racism, sexism, and nationalism' (M. Russell Ballard, p. 67)."
"When Jesus delivered his important and symbolic Bread of Life discourse the reactions of the different groups of people who heard it provide examples of why people do and do not follow Jesus (p. 71)."
"Peter did not claim that Jesus's sayings had not been hard; rather he simply clung to the testimony of Christ that he did have (p. 73)."
"As a group, the crowd is not as obvious a character as individuals... the crowd's following Jesus is a promising sign that they are potential disciples (p. 76)."
"Not accepting him as the bread of life was cutting them off from eternal life... 'Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead' (p. 80)."
"After the departure of many of his disciples, Jesus looked at the Twelve and asked... 'Will ye also go away?' (p. 83)"
"When we are firmly planted in Jesus Christ, having a testimony of who he is and what he has done for us, we are better able to contextualize, understand, and when we cannot understand, accept in faith issues that trouble us (p. 85)."
"John's portrayal of Martha lacks any negative description of her and develops her character further, showing her moving forward in her understanding and faith (p. 92)."
"While some who have suffered loss are more easily able to put it in a gospel perspective and are comforted by discussing the plan of salvation as Martha was, perhaps the best consolation we can offer whose who grieve as Mary did is simply to express sorrow (p. 96)."
"Mary's actions might have been motivated by her gratitude for what Jesus had done for her brother, but they also reflected the great love she had for him (p. 99)."
"The stories of Jesus's friends at Bethany teach us much about the role of discipleship in responding to loss (p. 100)."
"When life is challenging and losses press on us, we often focus on the future, thinking of the joys of eternal life (p. 103)."
"While Martha, Mary, and the Samaritan woman are relatively well-developed characters, the individual members of the Twelve receive less attention in the Gospel of John (p. 106)."
"John, even more than the other Gospels, frequently used historical figures as literary characters (p. 108)."
"Jesus said that he was 'the way' (p. 111)."
"Even when we feel close to the Lord, we may still fail to understand his plan for us or the meanings of some of his teachings (p. 112)."
"John even identifies the name of the servant as Malchus, which becomes important later when Malchus's brother is one of those who witnesses one of Peter's denials... Not only was Peter inadvertently trying to keep Jesus from his destined saving death, his actions here reveal that he did not fully understand the true nature of Jesus's kingdom or his mission (p. 113)."
"Peter represents so many of us when we are not always true to our covenants, particularly our promise to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments. Though we do not usually deny our witness when we are disobedient or fail to be valiant in our testimonies of Jesus, nonetheless in those moments we belie our own pledges of loyalty to the Master (p. 114)."
"By not being present at the first appearance, Thomas was deprived of both the apostolic commission and this transforming experience of the Spirit that his fellows had received... Bidding Thoas come forward to feel the wounds in his hands and the spearpoint's thrust in his side. His final command, 'be not faithless, but believing,' is more powerful in Greek... 'do not persist in your unbelief but become a believer' (p. 115)."
"To his credit, Thomas believed and listened to Jesus as soon as he saw him (p. 116)."
"The mistakes and flaws of Peter and Thomas put them in a long string of noble but imperfect prophets (p. 119)."
"'Peter is my hero because of what he became--not what he made of himself, but what Christ made of him' (Brent Top, p. 120)."
"Those we have considered in this book can reflect the variety of ways people respond to the saving message of God's Son in our age... I am struck by their diversity. Some disciples came to Jesus through the witness of others, while others found him independently. Some immediately recognized and followed him, while others, like Nicodemus, questioned more and took longer to come to their faith (p. 123)."
"Seeing this vast array of believers and their varied responses underscores that diversity in the family of Jesus Christ is real--and good (p. 124)."
"To the extent that the Beloved Disciple represents the position to which all of us as followers of Jesus aspire, beyond the historical aspect of this scene, it represents the love that we should and can share with the Lord (p. 125)."
"To me the image of John reclining in the bosom of Jesus at the Last Supper provides an image of our lying in the arms of his love as we partake of the sacrament... All ordinances are 'conduits of grace,' or divinely established channels, by which the saving, strengthening, and transforming power of God comes into our lives. As we participate in them, we receive, and share, his love (p. 126)."
"The mother of Jesus was one of her son's foremost witnesses, knowing better than any other mortal that he was, in fact, God's own Son (p. 126)."
"Inasmuch as the Beloved Disciple represents all of us as beloved disciples, in that moment he symbolizes each of us as we come to a personal knowledge that Jesus died for us (p. 127)."
"Whereas Mary Magdalene was the first one to see the actual Risen Lord, the Beloved Disciple was nonetheless the first to believe based upon the witness of the empty tomb and the sign of the discarded grave clothes. In this, he can represent believers throughout the ages who have hope in the Resurrection not because they have seen Jesus but because of faith (p. 129)."
"'Jesus wants disciples; he doesn't need a fan club' (p. xii)."
"Scholarship and discipleship require different skills, different inclinations, and, very often, different temperaments. Most of us who try to combine them find it impossible to do so consistently. We end up sacrificing the conventions of one for the expectations of the other. No one can serve two masters (p. xiii)."
"The main concern of the Gospel of John, after its powerful presentation of Jesus as the divine Son of God, is to define the nature of Christian discipleship--and to do so in a way that is charitable and inclusive (p. xiii)."
"Two vital questions for believers in every age are, How can we truly know Jesus? and, How can we better follow him? This is what discipleship, anciently and today, is all about (p. xvi)."
"There are many ways to experience discipleship... and we should strive to understand fellow believers who have different walks of faith (p. xvii)."
"The Gospels in the New Testament teach us the facts of the Atonement, the Book of Mormon the doctrine, and the Holy Spirit the application (p. 1)."
"The Gospel accounts present unique portraits of Jesus that provide different important insights to his teachings and saving work. They all teach saving truths and have the potential to build testimony (p. 2)."
"While they present the same basic sequence of events, John is different and preserves unique episodes and powerful teachings... John is also very symbolic, and its prologue begins with a hymn that describes Jesus as the premortal and divine Word of God, who is the source of light and life... John is also the most theological of the Gospels, with its author frequently reflecting upon something that Jesus has said or done, making clear his divinity and how it impacts us as disciples (p. 3)."
"John presents a much more developed Christology... to me, the Jesus in John is the most like the Christ of the Book of Mormon... Yet it is not only the powerful testimony of Jesus's divinity in John that helps me come unto Christ. Its focus on discipleship helps me understand what I must believe, know, do, and be in order to better walk with Jesus in my own life. In addition, John's portrayal of characters and their own journey of discipleship helps me relate the story to today's life situations, challenges, and needs (p. 4)."
"Discipleship is an important theme of the Gospel of John... Anciently, the word 'disciple' (Greek, mathetes) suggested not only a student or pupil who learned from a teacher but also an apprentice who strove to become like a master (p. 5)."
"When it comes to how disciples should act, the verbs that are most prominent in John are related to loving, 'keeping,' and abiding... Disciples not only love Jesus, they also love and serve one another... Jesus in John does not give long lists of what disciples should and should not do. Rather, motivated by love and with the direction of the Holy Ghost, disciples keep Jesus's commandments by seeking his will and eagerly looking for opportunities to bring others to Christ (p. 7)."
"Jesus's direction that disciples should abide in him bridges the gap between what we should do and what we should be. 'To abide'... indicates an ongoing relationship... abiding in the Lord means to continue to love him and others while keeping his commandments, which helps us become more like him (p. 7)."
"Because the word for 'friend' in Greek (philos)... actually has the same root as 'love,' employing the language of friendship in John 15:14-15, reveals a new, more intimate relationship between Jesus and his disciples, for we are no longer simply master and servants but beloved friends (p. 8)."
"Interestingly some of the best examples of believing in and following Jesus are anonymous in John... Such anonymity actually allows us as readers to identify with the characters better (p. 9)."
"The most important unnamed character in the Gospel of John is... 'the Beloved Disciple.'... This figure never wavers in his devotion and was a witness of some of the most pivotal moments in the narrative (p. 10)."
"Read and interact with the text, one that reflects our understanding of it and the connections that we make with it (p. 11)."
"The purpose of the Gospel of John was to help later readers understand that 'they can have an encounter with Jesus every bit as valid and indeed more fruitful' than did many of the original characters' (Brendan Byrne, p. 12)."
"The first character in this Gospel, after Jesus as the premortal Divine Word, is the prophet John, known in the other Gospels as John the Baptist (p. 16)."
"While the first testimony in this chain of witnesses, that of the prophet John, came directly by revelation, those of subsequent disciples began simply by their accepting in faith what they heard (p. 16)."
"This chain reflects a pattern that continues today: when we hear the good news of the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ, we share it with students, family, and friends, eagerly inviting them to 'Come and see' (p. 17)."
"John... proclaimed, 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' With this testimony, the prophet John established one of the most important images of the Gospel of John, one that is fulfilled with the Crucifixion, when Jesus, as the spotless Passover lamb, died that we might live (p. 18)."
"Jesus's famous response, 'Come and see,' was then an invitation for them to spend time with him, learn his doctrine, and see whether it was, in fact, of God (p. 20)."
"'Have more straightforward experience with the Savior's life and teachings. Perhaps sometimes we come to Christ too obliquely, focusing on structure or methods or elements of Church administration. Those are important, but not without attention to the weightier matters of the kingdom, first and foremost of which is a personal spiritual relationship with Deity, including the Savior whose kingdom this is' (Jeffrey R. Holland, p. 21)."
"As must as we love and appreciate individual leaders, our discipleship is to the Lord himself (p. 21)."
"Having obtained his own testimony of Jesus, Andrew naturally wanted to share it with someone in his family, and he personally brought Simon to Jesus (p. 22)."
"We see the circle of discipleship expanding... Indeed, the responsibility of bringing others to Jesus, as we shall see, is a fundamental part of discipleship in the Gospel of John (p. 23)."
"All of us can have a personal relationship with Jesus (p. 25)."
"The process of sharing our testimonies of Christ through word, service, and music has brought us together (p. 26)."
"The importance of their testimonies is striking given the time and culture in which they lived, when the witness of a woman was not even admissible in court (p. 29)."
"Given how constrained women were in that time and culture, rarely being able to act without the approval of the men in their lives, the Lord's choice of her as his first witness after the Resurrection is striking. This historical window reveals a Jesus who was not constrained by many of the social mores and biases of his day (p. 36)."
"Though our path may be different than the paths others follow, when we come to know Jesus for ourselves, our discipleship can be no less genuine--and in the end, no less saving as long as we still come to Christ (p. 41)."
"Jesus knew Nicodemus and his motivations for coming to him, just as he knows each of us (p. 43)."
"The Risen Lord taught... 'my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross... that I might draw all men unto me'... This is the heart of the gospel message, and reflecting upon this leads John to reflect, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life' (p. 46)."
"We must be careful about judging the spiritual journeys of other people (p. 49)."
"It is possible to have questions and concerns but still hold fast to the important truths that Jesus is the Son of God, that he suffered and died for us, that he rose from the dead, and that this is his Church (p. 49)."
"Some things could only be learned from the Spirit (p. 50)."
"We can all still be beloved disciples if we earnestly believe in him and try to follow Jesus Christ (P. 51)."
"While Nicodemus had sought out Jesus, albeit rather secretly at night, Jesus himself arranged to meet the Samaritan woman in the middle of the day (p. 53)."
"Jesus seems to have deliberately chosen to meet this particular Samaritan woman at this specific spot (p. 57)."
"Although Jesus in John rarely shows weakness or human need, in this scene he exhibits weariness and thirst primarily as a way of arranging for him to meet the woman (p. 57)."
"Jesus rejected the ethnic, religious, and gender divisions that existed between them (p. 59)."
"Though Jesus prophetically revealed details about the woman's personal life, his purpose was not to pass judgment (p. 61)."
"Leaving her water jar indicates more than simply her no longer needing the water of the well--leaving it behind is analogous to male disciples leaving behind their nets and other possessions when called to follow Jesus (p. 64)."
"'We need to embrace God's children compassionately and eliminate any prejudice, including racism, sexism, and nationalism' (M. Russell Ballard, p. 67)."
"When Jesus delivered his important and symbolic Bread of Life discourse the reactions of the different groups of people who heard it provide examples of why people do and do not follow Jesus (p. 71)."
"Peter did not claim that Jesus's sayings had not been hard; rather he simply clung to the testimony of Christ that he did have (p. 73)."
"As a group, the crowd is not as obvious a character as individuals... the crowd's following Jesus is a promising sign that they are potential disciples (p. 76)."
"Not accepting him as the bread of life was cutting them off from eternal life... 'Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead' (p. 80)."
"After the departure of many of his disciples, Jesus looked at the Twelve and asked... 'Will ye also go away?' (p. 83)"
"When we are firmly planted in Jesus Christ, having a testimony of who he is and what he has done for us, we are better able to contextualize, understand, and when we cannot understand, accept in faith issues that trouble us (p. 85)."
"John's portrayal of Martha lacks any negative description of her and develops her character further, showing her moving forward in her understanding and faith (p. 92)."
"While some who have suffered loss are more easily able to put it in a gospel perspective and are comforted by discussing the plan of salvation as Martha was, perhaps the best consolation we can offer whose who grieve as Mary did is simply to express sorrow (p. 96)."
"Mary's actions might have been motivated by her gratitude for what Jesus had done for her brother, but they also reflected the great love she had for him (p. 99)."
"The stories of Jesus's friends at Bethany teach us much about the role of discipleship in responding to loss (p. 100)."
"When life is challenging and losses press on us, we often focus on the future, thinking of the joys of eternal life (p. 103)."
"While Martha, Mary, and the Samaritan woman are relatively well-developed characters, the individual members of the Twelve receive less attention in the Gospel of John (p. 106)."
"John, even more than the other Gospels, frequently used historical figures as literary characters (p. 108)."
"Jesus said that he was 'the way' (p. 111)."
"Even when we feel close to the Lord, we may still fail to understand his plan for us or the meanings of some of his teachings (p. 112)."
"John even identifies the name of the servant as Malchus, which becomes important later when Malchus's brother is one of those who witnesses one of Peter's denials... Not only was Peter inadvertently trying to keep Jesus from his destined saving death, his actions here reveal that he did not fully understand the true nature of Jesus's kingdom or his mission (p. 113)."
"Peter represents so many of us when we are not always true to our covenants, particularly our promise to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments. Though we do not usually deny our witness when we are disobedient or fail to be valiant in our testimonies of Jesus, nonetheless in those moments we belie our own pledges of loyalty to the Master (p. 114)."
"By not being present at the first appearance, Thomas was deprived of both the apostolic commission and this transforming experience of the Spirit that his fellows had received... Bidding Thoas come forward to feel the wounds in his hands and the spearpoint's thrust in his side. His final command, 'be not faithless, but believing,' is more powerful in Greek... 'do not persist in your unbelief but become a believer' (p. 115)."
"To his credit, Thomas believed and listened to Jesus as soon as he saw him (p. 116)."
"The mistakes and flaws of Peter and Thomas put them in a long string of noble but imperfect prophets (p. 119)."
"'Peter is my hero because of what he became--not what he made of himself, but what Christ made of him' (Brent Top, p. 120)."
"Those we have considered in this book can reflect the variety of ways people respond to the saving message of God's Son in our age... I am struck by their diversity. Some disciples came to Jesus through the witness of others, while others found him independently. Some immediately recognized and followed him, while others, like Nicodemus, questioned more and took longer to come to their faith (p. 123)."
"Seeing this vast array of believers and their varied responses underscores that diversity in the family of Jesus Christ is real--and good (p. 124)."
"To the extent that the Beloved Disciple represents the position to which all of us as followers of Jesus aspire, beyond the historical aspect of this scene, it represents the love that we should and can share with the Lord (p. 125)."
"To me the image of John reclining in the bosom of Jesus at the Last Supper provides an image of our lying in the arms of his love as we partake of the sacrament... All ordinances are 'conduits of grace,' or divinely established channels, by which the saving, strengthening, and transforming power of God comes into our lives. As we participate in them, we receive, and share, his love (p. 126)."
"The mother of Jesus was one of her son's foremost witnesses, knowing better than any other mortal that he was, in fact, God's own Son (p. 126)."
"Inasmuch as the Beloved Disciple represents all of us as beloved disciples, in that moment he symbolizes each of us as we come to a personal knowledge that Jesus died for us (p. 127)."
"Whereas Mary Magdalene was the first one to see the actual Risen Lord, the Beloved Disciple was nonetheless the first to believe based upon the witness of the empty tomb and the sign of the discarded grave clothes. In this, he can represent believers throughout the ages who have hope in the Resurrection not because they have seen Jesus but because of faith (p. 129)."
February 17, 2023
A great book on learning more about becoming a beloved disciple. I need to reread it!
September 1, 2021
I didn’t actually finish this book, I put it on my “not interesting enough to finish” shelf.
I was intrigued by the book because of the title. I really enjoy the gospel of John the most because it is different than all the others. And this book highlights that difference, which I do like about the book. If the gospel of John wasn’t different, there wouldn’t be anything to write about.
I left off reading about when Huntsman was discussing the personage of Nicodemus. I have nothing against Nicodemus and actually think he is an interesting character in the story of Christ’s life. There actually is much to write about the few instances he is mentioned in the gospels because he is a follower who is different than the Lord’s other disciples. So the fact that I quit reading just because it was discussing him personally, had nothing to do with my disinterest in the rest of the book I’d already read.
What the author tried to do in this book, his overall intention, is to apply the personality and character of each person mentioned in the Book of John to all of us in our lives, how we live today, how we can apply their discipleship, their relationship with Christ, and their personalities to ourselves in order to become closer to the Savior. In other words, how the Book or Gospel of John really instructs us how to come to know Christ personally. How to worship, how to emulate, how to adore, and how to become more like Him.
These are all desired characteristics that we would want to develop in our life. Right?
Each chapter was dedicated to a certain person. Mary, His mother, Martha, a Roman soldier, Nicodemus, etc.
One thing that was interesting, we know John the beloved. We all know who he is. I didn’t come up with his name out of my head to write in this review. He is described as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. And he is mentioned a few times in all the gospels. Huntsman does attribute a whole chapter to him but he is the “unknown person”. The one running to the tomb with Peter “the unknown person”, the one laying on Jesus’ lap at the Last Supper, “the unknown person”. Really? This just isn’t true! We know who he is and if we just read the Book of John and delete him as who he is altogether to put ourselves in his place, how does that make the scriptures scripture? That bothered me.
I found that it stretched their stories so much that it seemed he was almost creating fairy tales from the scriptures. That these weren’t real people who had these real experiences. He would touch upon how they were mentioned in the Book, then he would apply this to us. How this applies to who we are. How their stories apply to our lives. It stretched their stories so much, it stretched my mind to the point that I would rather just read the Bible, the Book of John specifically, asking God to help me read having the Holy Ghost be my guide and open my mind to read with ‘spiritual discernment’ rather than read the ‘tales’ he comes up with that distort the true past of real people. I can take from it what the Spirit let’s me understand that is specific for me at this time. That is the true way I believe in reading the scriptures.
So I guess I learned that books claiming to interpret the Bible or a part of the Bible in some way may be something that doesn’t really interest me.
There you have it. Only my opinion, of course. Take from it what you will.
I was intrigued by the book because of the title. I really enjoy the gospel of John the most because it is different than all the others. And this book highlights that difference, which I do like about the book. If the gospel of John wasn’t different, there wouldn’t be anything to write about.
I left off reading about when Huntsman was discussing the personage of Nicodemus. I have nothing against Nicodemus and actually think he is an interesting character in the story of Christ’s life. There actually is much to write about the few instances he is mentioned in the gospels because he is a follower who is different than the Lord’s other disciples. So the fact that I quit reading just because it was discussing him personally, had nothing to do with my disinterest in the rest of the book I’d already read.
What the author tried to do in this book, his overall intention, is to apply the personality and character of each person mentioned in the Book of John to all of us in our lives, how we live today, how we can apply their discipleship, their relationship with Christ, and their personalities to ourselves in order to become closer to the Savior. In other words, how the Book or Gospel of John really instructs us how to come to know Christ personally. How to worship, how to emulate, how to adore, and how to become more like Him.
These are all desired characteristics that we would want to develop in our life. Right?
Each chapter was dedicated to a certain person. Mary, His mother, Martha, a Roman soldier, Nicodemus, etc.
One thing that was interesting, we know John the beloved. We all know who he is. I didn’t come up with his name out of my head to write in this review. He is described as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. And he is mentioned a few times in all the gospels. Huntsman does attribute a whole chapter to him but he is the “unknown person”. The one running to the tomb with Peter “the unknown person”, the one laying on Jesus’ lap at the Last Supper, “the unknown person”. Really? This just isn’t true! We know who he is and if we just read the Book of John and delete him as who he is altogether to put ourselves in his place, how does that make the scriptures scripture? That bothered me.
I found that it stretched their stories so much that it seemed he was almost creating fairy tales from the scriptures. That these weren’t real people who had these real experiences. He would touch upon how they were mentioned in the Book, then he would apply this to us. How this applies to who we are. How their stories apply to our lives. It stretched their stories so much, it stretched my mind to the point that I would rather just read the Bible, the Book of John specifically, asking God to help me read having the Holy Ghost be my guide and open my mind to read with ‘spiritual discernment’ rather than read the ‘tales’ he comes up with that distort the true past of real people. I can take from it what the Spirit let’s me understand that is specific for me at this time. That is the true way I believe in reading the scriptures.
So I guess I learned that books claiming to interpret the Bible or a part of the Bible in some way may be something that doesn’t really interest me.
There you have it. Only my opinion, of course. Take from it what you will.
November 1, 2019
I am often disappointed with the writing that comes out of CES and tend to be a bit skeptical with the constant flow of material that is published for the LDS audience. I had listened to a few talks by Eric Huntsman and read an interview and decided to take this one on. I was impressed and edified. For some years now I have focused on discipleship in my personal spiritual studies. Many of the sources were not traditional LDS figures but tended to be writers like Bonhoffer, Borg, Bruggerman, etc. Huntsman really nailed it.
Michael Austin whom I admire as a first rate Mormon scholar and writer did the forward which is an apt review of the book. Here it is:
Becoming the Beloved Disciple is, as its title might suggest, a book about discipleship–an important gospel concept that cannot quite be reduced to followership, obedienceship, believership, or membership in any organization.True disciples both learn from and emulate their master. Christ’s disciples are the apostles who have been converted, the sheep who have been found, the prodigals who repent, and the doubters who develop faith–people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences who have been changed fundamentally by their personal relationship with a master.
As Huntsman presents it, the two purposes of the Gospel of John are 1) to deliver a powerful and definitive testimony of the mission and divinity of Jesus Christ; and 2) to give examples of the many different paths to becoming disciples.
The powerful testimony comes in Chapter One (1:1-18) and consists of the “Hymn to Logos,” a poetic invocation of Christ’s divinity. The rest of the book consists largely of stories about people coming to the same understanding of Jesus that John gives us in the beginning.
This is an immensely powerful and satisfying way to read both the theology and the narrative of our most challenging Gospel. It connects the text by creating one great similarity out of many different pieces: the calling of the apostles; the dialogues with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman; the story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; the betrayal of Peter; the doubting of Thomas.
These are very different stories about very different kinds of disciples coming to Christ in very different ways. Some of them believe immediately, while others believe only after coming through a period of doubt and disbelief. Some experience miracles, others feel the overwhelming call of divine love, and others still must find a way to assent intellectually to the reality of the Messiah.
And, John tells us, these are all the right path because they all lead to Christ. This is the point, and it would be hard to imagine a more important point to make. To become beloved disciples, we must learn to see the world as Christ sees it, which means learning to love other people as Christ loves them. Becoming the Beloved Disciple is a good starting point for the journey.
Michael Austin whom I admire as a first rate Mormon scholar and writer did the forward which is an apt review of the book. Here it is:
Becoming the Beloved Disciple is, as its title might suggest, a book about discipleship–an important gospel concept that cannot quite be reduced to followership, obedienceship, believership, or membership in any organization.True disciples both learn from and emulate their master. Christ’s disciples are the apostles who have been converted, the sheep who have been found, the prodigals who repent, and the doubters who develop faith–people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences who have been changed fundamentally by their personal relationship with a master.
As Huntsman presents it, the two purposes of the Gospel of John are 1) to deliver a powerful and definitive testimony of the mission and divinity of Jesus Christ; and 2) to give examples of the many different paths to becoming disciples.
The powerful testimony comes in Chapter One (1:1-18) and consists of the “Hymn to Logos,” a poetic invocation of Christ’s divinity. The rest of the book consists largely of stories about people coming to the same understanding of Jesus that John gives us in the beginning.
This is an immensely powerful and satisfying way to read both the theology and the narrative of our most challenging Gospel. It connects the text by creating one great similarity out of many different pieces: the calling of the apostles; the dialogues with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman; the story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; the betrayal of Peter; the doubting of Thomas.
These are very different stories about very different kinds of disciples coming to Christ in very different ways. Some of them believe immediately, while others believe only after coming through a period of doubt and disbelief. Some experience miracles, others feel the overwhelming call of divine love, and others still must find a way to assent intellectually to the reality of the Messiah.
And, John tells us, these are all the right path because they all lead to Christ. This is the point, and it would be hard to imagine a more important point to make. To become beloved disciples, we must learn to see the world as Christ sees it, which means learning to love other people as Christ loves them. Becoming the Beloved Disciple is a good starting point for the journey.
April 10, 2023
This was a beautiful book to read before and during Easter Holy Week. The author looks at how the author of St. John invites us to see the many kinds of people who followed Christ, and invites us to see ourselves as the Savior’s beloved disciples no matter our story.
One quotes from pages 95-96:
Mary in that moment was overwhelmed with grief, dissolving into tears at Jesus’s feet. In fact, John 11:33 describes Mary and the Jews who had followed her as not just crying but rather weeping loudly or even wailing (Greek, klaiontas).[26] Some commentators think that this display of uncontrolled grief bothered Jesus, leading to his being deeply moved (Greek, enebrimēsatō; KJV, “groaned”), which can also be translated as angry, and troubled (Greek, etaraxan). … Others wonder whether he was frustrated by the lack of faith of those who had gathered to mourn Lazarus.
While these are possible reasons, the fact that his deep feelings resulted in the shortest verse of scripture, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), suggest another, more attractive motivation: compassion. Even though he knew that he would shortly raise Lazarus from the dead, his gentle weeping (Greek, edakrysen, as opposed to Mary’s klaiousan) modeled for us the responsibility that we all have as his followers to “mourn with those who mourn” (see Mosiah 18:9). His example shows us how well he understands and feels our pains and cautions us against minimizing the grief of others. While some who have suffered loss are more easily able to put it in a gospel perspective and are comforted by discussing the plan of salvation as Martha was, perhaps the best consolation we can offer those who grieve as Mary did is simply to express sorrow.
One quotes from pages 95-96:
Mary in that moment was overwhelmed with grief, dissolving into tears at Jesus’s feet. In fact, John 11:33 describes Mary and the Jews who had followed her as not just crying but rather weeping loudly or even wailing (Greek, klaiontas).[26] Some commentators think that this display of uncontrolled grief bothered Jesus, leading to his being deeply moved (Greek, enebrimēsatō; KJV, “groaned”), which can also be translated as angry, and troubled (Greek, etaraxan). … Others wonder whether he was frustrated by the lack of faith of those who had gathered to mourn Lazarus.
While these are possible reasons, the fact that his deep feelings resulted in the shortest verse of scripture, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), suggest another, more attractive motivation: compassion. Even though he knew that he would shortly raise Lazarus from the dead, his gentle weeping (Greek, edakrysen, as opposed to Mary’s klaiousan) modeled for us the responsibility that we all have as his followers to “mourn with those who mourn” (see Mosiah 18:9). His example shows us how well he understands and feels our pains and cautions us against minimizing the grief of others. While some who have suffered loss are more easily able to put it in a gospel perspective and are comforted by discussing the plan of salvation as Martha was, perhaps the best consolation we can offer those who grieve as Mary did is simply to express sorrow.
October 12, 2025
In Becoming the Disciples, Eric Huntsman presents a thoughtful exploration of the Gospel of John, highlighting its unique stories and symbols. He draws attention to unexpected models of discipleship,the outcast, the unclean, the unfaithful, reminding readers that following Christ transcends status or perfection. With clarity and insight, Huntsman emphasizes that true discipleship is defined by love and a sincere willingness to follow the Savior. A compelling and enriching read for those seeking a deeper understanding of what it means to be a disciple today.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2019
This is a short book that takes its readers into the life of the "beloved disciple" John and the men and women he describes in his Testimony of John (aka Gospel of John) who followed the Savior during His ministry. Huntsman makes an effort to help us see how we also are represented by those who accepted Jesus as the Savior and that his disciples are types of the diversity found within his kingdom, a message much needed in today's world.
June 9, 2020
Huntsman walks us through the Gospel of John by pointing out various characters--Mary, the Woman at the Well, Nicodemus, etc.--who illustrate different ways to come to know Christ. I enjoyed this different approach.
February 9, 2019
I love the fact that Huntsman approaches the Gospel of John with an eye to the literary.
March 20, 2019
An insightful and thoughtful meditation on the Gospel of John.
February 7, 2023
Lots of good information that will enhance one's study of the Gospel of John in the Bible.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews