Read the Text
Pray
1:35-42
What do y’all notice in this passage?
Who are the characters and what are they doing?
So 2 of the Baptist’s disciples set about investigating the One whom he points out as the Lamb of God. Having conversed with Him they are convinced that He is the Anointed One of Israel. They allow no delay in leading their brothers to Him.
Notice the question Jesus asks: What do you want?
Let's ask ourselves: Why do we follow Jesus? What do we want of him/from him?
Then they asked Him where he stayed? Why? To be with Him and converse with Him. And the Lord eagerly satisfied their sincere seeking by spending time with them.
If you were these disciples what would you have asked Jesus?
v 40. Here we are revealed one of the two disciples. Who do you think the other disciple was? John. Because he never reveals himself.
Andrew isn’t mentioned much in NT but Peter is a bit. Notice one of his first actions after having conversed with Jesus was to led others to Him. The Lord desires the type of evangelism from all his followers.
Notice also Andrew got his brother-someone who was close to him.
Who is close to us? What have we told them about Jesus?
“Jesus looked at him” The word look in Greek suggests that Jesus looked into Peter's heart and saw what he could/would become. In the OT name changes are used to signify a change in purpose or mission.
What does Peter’s new name mean in regards to his mission?
1:43-51
Jesus, here, gathers 2 more disciples. Philip a neighbor of Andrew and Peter and Nathanael a true Israelite. Nathanael’s quick faith is to be rewarded by visions of Glory.
And here John the Author continues his emphasis on personal evangelism.
Nathanael is also known as Bartholomew in other Gospels. And he also grew up in Galilee-a town only 3 miles from Nazareth where Jesus grew up. What is interesting here is that Nathanael had never heard of Jesus till now. Suggesting that Jesus was an average guy till now/start of his ministry.
v 45
Notice how Philip brings up the OT to support his statement of the Messiah. The OT can’t be understood without Jesus. Also, this would suggest that the word is to be used in evangelism as well.
v 46 notice that Philip doesn’t argue with his brother but simply brings him to Jesus. Perhaps arguments are good but they are no substitute for seeing Christ himself.
v 47
Jesus here is contrasting Nathanael and Jacob-father of the Israelites and a deceiver. Here Jesus says that Nath is of noble character. So Jesus knew how and who Nath was. Just as He still knows everything of us.
48
again Jesus saw Nath heart and saw that he was a man of God. It is believed that the Jews of the time would comply seek fig trees to pray and meditate under. Thus Jesus seeing Nath under a fig tree further supports the idea that Nath was a man of God waiting for the Messiah. Possibly even praying for the Messiah to come. And now having seen and thus being convicted of the Messiah-ship of Jesus Nath free proclaims that Jesus is the Son of God.
Moreover, John and Andrew were said thru the Baptist. Peter found Jesus because of Drew’s personal work. Philip was called by Jesus personally; Nath found Jesus thru Philip’s testimony. Thus, God uses different ppl and circumstances to bring ppl to His Son.
50-51
Jesus is convicted of Nath’s proclaim and promises him a reward for his faith.
what do y’all think Jesus is saying in 51?
The garden? Maybe. but probably referring again to Jacob and his dream in Genesis 28:10-19 where Jacob dreams of a stairway/ladder between heaven and earth. Here Jesus says that he is the stairway to heaven the mediator between God and man.
This statement has been interpreted as associating or implicating Jesus with the mythical stairway in that Christ bridges the gap between Heaven and Earth. Jesus presents himself as the reality to which the stairway points; as Jacob saw in a dream the reunion of Heaven and Earth, Jesus brought this reunion, metaphorically the stairway into reality.
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