Re Patti C and John as a witness

Very possible; I was spiritually led to consider that John may have been transformed during his ministry.
 
Paul said, “I knew a man; whether in the spirit or the flesh I know not.”  I believe this is referring to John.  Paul could not tell the difference.  This is parallel to the statement that we may “entertain angels unaware.”; unable to tell the difference.  Would this not be the most direct way to learn the details of the resurrection?  If John had already been transformed and caught up, who better to pass along the details of the end-times.  In Rev Ch 4 John reveals the scene in Heaven from the time of Christ’s victory on the cross.  So John’s awareness of heavenly mysteries went back that far.

There is a Roman tradition that Domitian boiled John in oil in the Coliseum.  John did not die.  No wonder he was sent to Patmos.  Imagine the astonishment and shock of the audience.  The Romans would want no more of that. 

So, If John was going to be transformed, or had been, before Jesus’ ascension, this would explain the discussion of the apostles regarding whether John would “die”  Jesus did describe the manner of Peter’s death.  Perhaps this discussion was a way to address John’s final disposition.

This fits nicely with the story you recounted of John being buried alive, but not found later.  If he were already transformed this was a way to separate himself from his followers without fully divulging his state of being.

You might want to consider John’s statement “the disciple whom Jesus loved” as something other than affection.  I believe it was a statement of humility, not using his own name, but rather turning attention back to Jesus.

 
GM