Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”  John 1:45 

John 1:35–51 – That You May Believe
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Life in the Spirit  – September 22, 2024 (am)    

This morning we get started into one of the most engaging and surely the most fruit-bearing aspects of this (or any) Gospel: what people see in Jesus and why they’re drawn to Him. His earliest followers are first presented with His uniqueness in this passage and as a result we’re seeing them all over again, afresh. So, along with them we’re invited to come and see the unique Son of God.

This section hangs together as a unit, so we don’t have an outline for you today. But we could label it as Jesus’ initial encounter with some who’d become His disciples. Many have said that John’s account here cannot be reconciled with Jesus’ call of His disciples in the other three Gospels. But we should note that, strictly speaking, He does not ‘call’ his disciple at all in these verses (except possibly Philip [43]). Also, the disciples’ immediate willingness in the other Gospels to leave their homes and jobs to follow Jesus is more believable in every way if they’ve actually met Him before (Carson 1991 153-4). So, this passage really is tracing the initial attraction and response of those who became His closest followers. And that’s actually the very thing John wanted all his readers to do in response to his Gospel account (20:31).

Let’s walk through this passage together and see if we don’t likewise hear Jesus’ questions and feel the draw to follow Him that was heard and felt by Andrew (40), Simon Peter (41-42), Philip (43-44), Nathaniel (45-51), and quite possibly also John (37-39).

We’ll walk through it as a unit.

35 The next day, after his bold statement (29), again John [the Baptist (Mat.3:1)] was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” So, this is day three in a sequence: the delegation on day one; the declaration on day two, now day three. 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. They didn’t dessert John, they listened to him; they honored his reaching, his calling (Guthrie 1028). 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?”  That’s perfect! What better question could Jesus ask? On the simplest of levels, He just asked them what was on their minds, what their intentions were? But [John] wants his readers to hear and reflect on a deeper question: Jesus, the Logos-Messiah confronts those who make any show of beginning to follow him and demands that they articulate what they really want in life (Carson 1991 155)—are they really serious about what they’re doing because, as we’ll discover, following Jesus means laying down [one’s life for Him] (1Jo.3:16), just as He’ll do for them (10:11).

38 … And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” Given the time of day (39, 4:00 pm), they were probably asking so they’d be able talk with Him in greater depth at a better time (Carson 1991 155). 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see,” which was the best possible answer. Have you ever had a treasured mentor whom you were really concerned didn’t have time for you? What’s the best answer you can hear when you ask: Can we get together sometime soon? It’s: Sit down! Let’s talk now. That’s how Jesus answered here: Come [on home with Me]! Come and you will see! Surely this statement echoes throughout each of the Gospels (cf. Mat.11:28). Jesus’ straightforward answer… is always, “Come!” (Guthrie 382) And later He’ll say: 6:37 … whoever comes to me I will never cast out. So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. Can you imagine what a delight that must have been? But it just keeps getting better.

40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. And the other, most believe, was John himself, this likely being the first time he included himself in his story, unnamed. This can’t be proven (Kruse 86), but specific details like the time of day make it seem like the author was present here, aware of the particulars (Carson 1991 154). But as for Andrew: 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). What a sweet action this is. He thus became the first in a long line of successors who have discovered that the most common and effective Christian testimony is the private witness of friend to friend, brother to brother (Carson 1991 155). 42 He brought him to Jesus. We should probably note here that, given the lateness of the hour on day three, this introduction likely took place on day four in this sequence (Carson 1991 167-8). Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). Surely much significance can be read into this name-change, including the fact that it was made right up front in Jesus’ ministry and that it will later be used to identify a certain foundational role for Peter in the establishment of the church (Mat.16:18) (Carson 1991 156). But here it’s just a profound illustration of Jesus’ authority and insight into people. On first meeting, He changed someone’s name for a hidden but seemingly significant reason, that will surely prove significant!

43 The next day, now day five, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Literally, this verse reads: The next day he decided to leave for Galilee and found Philip. Jesus said to him (Carson 1991 157), “Follow me.” So, it’s unclear whether John is talking about Jesus or Andrew who [went] to Galilee and found Philip. But because John made the point that [Andrew] first found his own brother Simon (41) (suggesting he also found others), together with the fact that in the Greek text doesn’t use Jesus’ name until later in the verse (as the One Who said: follow me), suggests that it was indeed Andrew who [went] to Galilee and found Philip. And if that’s so, then each one who meets Jesus in this section was brought by another, again something John himself is explicitly doing in his Gospel (Carson 1991 157-8). 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Mark records that Peter and Andrew lived in Capernaum (Mar.1:21, 29), but they well may have been from Bethsaida and moved to Capernaum, much like Jesus moved there from Nazareth (Mar.4:13).

45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” This statement is so intriguing. John let it stand even though he knew it was technically false. But at this point the reader is being introduced to the subtleties of John’s ironies in his Gospel even though, if this story were new to them, they’d likely not pick it up in their first reading (Carson 1991 159-60). 46 Nathanael (Bartholomew? [Mounce 384]) said to [Philip], “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” We hear this assessment referred to often as part of the Christmas story, but it does accurately reflect the depressed nature of life in that little town. Philip said to him what we’ve now heard before, “Come and see.”—the invitation of John’s Gospel.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” He’s probably referring to the honesty of Nathaniel’s statement about Nazareth, yet his willingness still to come and see Jesus (cf. Carson 1991 160). 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” displaying once again a supernatural knowledge that, from the start of His ministry, sets Jesus apart from all those around Him as just What Nathaniel is about to confess. 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! (cf. 34) You are the King of Israel!”—truly a confession without deceit, and basically what Philip meant when he said Jesus was him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote (45).

But also, we’re being set up to see a contrast between Nathaniel and Jacob, whom Jesus is about to call to mind, an Israelite who was named, deceit. 50 Jesus answered [Nathaniel], “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, using a familiar formula for the first time, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, God’s truth displayed, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man,” clearly referring to Jacob’s ladder. Gen.28:12 [Jacob] dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on [him (Carson 1991 163)]! This is the one appointed by God through whom His plan would be enacted—Jacob (deceiver), whose name would soon be changed to Israel (he strives with God [esv f.n.6, Gen.32:28]). What the disciples are promised, then, is heaven-sent confirmation that the one they have acknowledged as the Messiah has been appointed by God. Every Jew honoured Jacob/Israel, the father of the twelve tribes; now everyone must recognize that this same God has appointed Jesus as his Messiah. … Jesus is the new Israel. Even the old Bethel, … ‘house of God’, has been supersede. It is no longer there… that God reveals himself, but in Jesus. … Through him comes the fullness of the grace that surpasses and replaces the earlier grace (1:16) (Carson 1991 163-4). He’s the truest expression of grace upon grace (1:16). Jesus is the one who connects heaven and earth. He is the mediator between God and humanity (cf. 1 Ti 2:5), “the locus of ‘traffic’ that brings heaven’s blessings to mankind” (Beasley-Murray, 28) (Mounce 385).

And this is what not just Nathaniel will see (51); this is what all Jesus’ disciples will see (you [51] changes to plural, both times). All Jesus is about to do in this Gospel will prove all this is true about Him, that He’s the One in Whom all the blessings of God will come to humanity, us, all who believe (12). And as He does them, He’ll be filling with content this unusual name He calls Himself, Son of Man (51), which didn’t have a very clear meaning in His day. But it would soon weave together all that Jesus came to be and to do! (cf. Carson 1991 164-5)

Conclusion

So, what should we hear in this passage? There are two things we shouldn’t miss.

First, each of us, no matter where we are in our relationship with God, should never bypass any invitation to come and see Jesus. Surely, if we’ve never trusted in Him as Savior and Lord and King, we should flee to Him in response to this call! Being reconciled to God is the number one thing each of us needs to do during our time in this world. Nothing of any sort could be a higher priority.

But even if we do know Him, we should never bypass an invitation to come and see Jesus afresh. There’s always more of Him to know—to learn and to love. There are always many ways that we’re being conformed to His character. There will never be a time when there’s a higher priority for us than just to fix our eyes on Jesus (cf. Heb.12:2 niv).

Second, from the earliest days of Jesus’ ministry, a key characteristic of his faithful followers is that they bring people to Him—they call people, urge them, to come and see Jesus! We see that in John [the Baptist]: Behold, the Lamb of God! (36, 29) We see it in Andrew (41, 43). We see it in Philip (45). We see it in John, in his very purpose for writing his Gospel (20:31) and including these accounts. It’s part of our calling to bring people to Jesus, to urge them to come and see Him. It’s part of God’s plan—that’s how it works, how it was designed to work.

If John’s Gospel is going to work its way into our hearts, we, each of us, need to press into this calling to come and see Jesus. Then we’ll begin to grow in our delight to call others to do it. We’ll begin to recognize increasingly that He really is the only One Who connects heaven and earth, Who brings heaven’s blessings to mankind (Beasley-Murray, 28) (Mounce 385), and Who enables us to have relationship with God of any sort. Come and see Jesus just as He’s presented here; that’s our only hope!

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Resources

Arnold, Clinton E., gen. ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. Vol. 2, John, Acts. John, by Andreas J. Köstenberger, 2-196. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Barclay, William. 1975. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Gospel of John, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. John, by Andreas J. Köstenberger, 415-512. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Bruce, F. F. 1983. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  , Gordon D. Fee, & Ned B. Stonehouse, gen. eds. 1995. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Gospel According to John, Revised Edition, by Leon Morris. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Calvin, John. 1553. Commentary on the Gospel According to John, trans. by, William Pringle. Logos.

Carson, D. A., gen. ed. 1991. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. The Gospel According to John, by D. A. Carson. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  , R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. John, by Donald Guthrie, 1021-1065. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Clendenen, Ray E., gen. ed. 1996. The New American Commentary. Vol. 25, John, by Gerald L. Borchert. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 4, The Message of John: Jesus, the Son of God, 101-122. Wheaton: Crossway.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on John, 2015-2072, by Andreas J. Köstenberger. Wheaton: Crossway.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2007. Revised Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 10, Luke-Acts. John, by Robert H. Mounce, 357-661. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Martin, Ralph P., & Lynn Allan Losie, NT eds. 1999. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 36, John, Second Edition, by George R. Beasley-Murray. Dallas: Word.

Morris, Leon, gen. ed. 2003. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 4, John, by Colin G. Kruse. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Osborne, Grant, ed. 1993. Life Application Bible Commentary. John, by Bruce B. Barton, Philip W. Comfort, David R. Veerman, & Neil Wilson. Wheaton: Tyndale.

Tasker, R. V. G. 2000. Tyndale New Testament Commentary. Vol. 4, John. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Tenney, Merrill C. 1976. John: The Gospel of Belief. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

 

NEXT SUNDAY: The First of His Signs, John 2:1–11