The “other disciple” of John describe the atmosphere as being such that even a man like Peter could be reduced to vehemently 18:15,16 denying Christ at the accusation of a servant girl. In his article “John: the disciple whom Jesus loved John, of course, would have been seen with Christ (1)” (Oct. 2008, p. 263) Brother Ryan Mutter says as well, and he probably spoke the same accent that John used his influence to get Peter admitted that betrayed Peter’s background. Perhaps he did to the high priest’s court, and that he went boldly not go in boldly, but he was bold in going in. in with Jesus. Can we be sure it was John who was Ryan Mutter mentioned in John 18:15,16 as the “other disciple”, and where in the record does it say that he went Comment in boldly? John came from Galilee; would he be I recall that some years ago I read an article, I known to the high priest? Could it have been think in the Christadelphian, that advocated the Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea? I shall be view that the “other disciple” was not John. Un- glad if you have time for your comments. fortunately I cannot trace this article, but I have Ruth Hemmings noted in the margin of my Bible that he could Birmingham West have been Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, or John Mark. Reply Although Brother Mutter has demonstrated The evidence that John was the disciple who that the Apostle John had a house in Jerusalem, helped Peter gain access to the high priest’s court it seems unlikely to me that he would have been is circumstantial. Each of the Synoptic Gospels personally known to the high priest. Even if the only makes mention of Peter following the Lord. commonly expressed idea that his family supplied (After all, it is the shaping of Peter’s faith, not fish to the high priest’s household is correct, this that of the other disciple, that is the primary does not mean that a tradesman would be person- focus of the accounts.) The fact that the “other ally known by the high priest. Also, elsewhere disciple” is mentioned only in the Gospel of John John refers to himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus suggests that it might be John. This supposition loved’, so why the “other disciple” here? is supported by the Synoptic Gospels’ tracing of Regarding John Mark, his mother clearly had Peter’s path, which has him following the Lord a big house in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12) and may from the garden. The fact that “another disciple” have been well connected, but it is a big step to also “followed” (v. 15), presumably from the think of him being both well enough known to garden as well, lends support to the idea that he be allowed in and bold enough as a mere youth was one of the Twelve. to try to get in. Both Joseph of Arimathea and And John could have known the high priest Nicodemus were members of the élite in Jerusa- even though he came from Galilee, because the lem (Lk. 23:50; Jno. 7:45,50) and would have had New Testament indicates that he had a home in ready access to the high priest’s house and be Jerusalem as well. Indeed, John 19:26,27 states that known to the doorkeeper. Regarding the fact that “the disciple . . . whom [Jesus] loved”, generally the “other disciple”, along with Peter, followed recognised to be John, took Mary from the scene Jesus and the arresting party to the high priest’s of the crucifixion to his home “from that hour”. house, both Joseph and Nicodemus would prob- The apparent limitation of John’s activities to the ably have known of the plot to arrest Jesus, and environs of Jerusalem in the beginning of Acts, as one can imagine either of them wanting to know explained in my third article (Dec. 2008, p. 327), the outcome, going to the garden and to the high indicates that he was carrying out the Lord’s priest’s house to see what would happen. command to care for his mother, and that he was Having thought about Sister Hemmings’ doing so from his home in Jerusalem. query, on the whole therefore I favour the idea The record does not explicitly comment on that the “other disciple” was either Joseph or the courage that it took for John to go in and Nicodemus.—T.B. be present at the high priest’s court. But it does

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