Which disciples were closest to Jesus?

Answer 1

A:In the synoptic gospels, Peter was closest to Jesus, followed by James and John.

In John's Gospel, an unknown disciple known only as the "disciple whom Jesus loved," was clearly the closest to Jesus. The second-century Church Fathers, noticing that the apostle John was never mentioned by name in the fourth gospel, decided that the beloved disciple must have been John. They then concluded that the author of the previously anonymous gospel must also have been John. John Carroll (The Existential Jesus) points out that Peter and the 'disciple whom Jesus loved' are paired in four of the five episodes in which the disciple appears, and in each case, Peter is shown up badly. In the fifth episode, the disciple is at the foot of the cross, with Peter absent. This leads to the conclusion that the beloved disciple was not a real person, but a literary creation. The author was concerned with the excessive veneration of Peter at the time this gospel was written, in the early part of the second century.

A:Jesus was closest to Peter, John (the beloved disciple), and James the brother of John.

ANSWER:

The three of the Twelve apostles closest to Jesus, were Peter, James son of Zebedee, and John son of Zebedee.

These three were strongest in faith, and were not present when the nine others failed to cure the possessed boy, Luke 9:40.

They were given secret teachings, Mark 13:3; and secret knowledge of healing, Mark 5:37.

They were with Jesus at the transfiguration - Matthew 17:1, Mark 9:2; and Jesus asked them to be with him, when he prayed for strength for his impending execution on the Cross, at Mark 14:33.

These three of the Twelve apostles were the head leaders delegated for the early Christian community - Galatians 2:9.

Answer 2

St John's Gospel refers to a disciple "whom Jesus loved", but provides no information as to who this disciple was. Presumably this phrase does mean that Jesus was closer to this disciple than to any other. However, the disciple "whom Jesus loved" is not mentioned either directly in the synoptic gospels, and they do not describe any of the disciples as being so especially close.