Why did John always refer to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”? Did he have a complex? Was he bragging? Scholars generally agree it’s the opposite… Humility: John may have stayed anonymous out of humility. Instead of boasting about his role, he keeps the focus on Jesus. A casual reader wouldn’t even know that John wrote it without making some inferences, comparing it with the other Gospels. Even then, we can’t be 100% sure. Identity in Christ: John’s primary identity