It’s a small detail I’ve always overlooked, but I don’t think it’s insignificant. After the resurrection, only John’s gospel still calls the disciples the Twelve rather than the Eleven.
 
In Luke-Acts, the women return to “the Eleven” to report the resurrection, and the disciples later elect Matthias to replace Judas.
In Matthew, Judas hangs himself and toward the end, “the Eleven” go to Galilee.
In Mark, Jesus appeared “to the Eleven.”
 
But in John, Jesus appears to all the disciples except Thomas, who was one of “the Twelve.” It’s a remarkable, arresting phrase to read after the resurrection in light of the other gospels and to realize that in John, no one is missing. Judas hasn’t fallen headlong in a field, hung himself, or just disappeared from the story. In John, they are whole. They are still Twelve disciples, not Eleven.
 
It’s a complete rewriting of the gospel record and of Judas’ story. It’s an alternate ending, where Jesus really does keep his promise that he would not lose even one given to him.