There is only one man that the Bible explicitly says Jesus loved.
[Jhn 11:3, 5 KJV] 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. … 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.And that man is Lazarus. So, he would be the only logical choice to equate “the disciple whom Jesus loved” to.
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