John 1:35-42
Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
v. 35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
The author once again mentions the day, a peculiarity of his.
John the Baptist was standing with two of his disciples, one of whom was Andrew (v. 40), when Jesus arrived. As Jesus approached, John proclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God!" (The significance of this statement was discussed last week).
Note the message: "Behold the Lamb of God!" The preceding day no mention is made of anyone having been affected by it. Today, two converts are joined to Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. (15) For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: (16) To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? (17) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
1. We must always preach Christ.
2. We must always point men to Christ
- not to a church
- not to a denomination
- not to a man
- not to a religion (a system of belief)
- not to a rite
3. We must preach Christ honestly (2Cor. 2:17)
4. We must preach with integrity, leaving the results to God. (2Cor. 2:15-16)
v. 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
- John spoke
- the disciples heard
- the disciples followed Jesus
this is what happens in true conversion
- preaching is the ordained means of reaching the lost (1Cor. 1:17-18; 1Cor. 1:21)
not by our silent witness
not by musical productions
not with puppets and clowns
- hearing is required; faith is founded on fact
- following is a natural step and the initial step in discipleship.
v. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
"What seek ye?"
Matt. 11:7-9
There is no tone of displeasure or reproach
His question should generate:
- self-examination: what are your motives for following me?
- focus: what is it that you really want from me?
- authenticity: what do you hope to gain by me?
(which is to say, being interpreted) = shows this Gospel was written with the Gentiles in view, the expression being unnecessary for Jews.
Rabbi = teacher
"where dwellest thou?" — they were not so much curious as to where his residence was but wanted to discourse more with the One whom their former teacher had just proclaimed to be the Lamb of God, the long-expected Messiah.
v. 39 He saith unto them, Come and [you shall] see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
Jesus immediately invites them to his abode, wherever that was. He may have been residing with someone or perhaps he was living in a cave or under a lean-to. At any rate, his new disciples would have no illusions of grandeur regarding their new master and his designs for Israel.
Tenth hour — about 4 P.M.
v. 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42a And he brought him to Jesus.
Andrew was one of the two disciples; who the other was we are not told. Most theologians believe it was John.
The first instance of personal evangelism recorded in the New Testament.
He first findeth his own brother Simon
Should not our own families lay heavily on our hearts?
New converts should be quickly, but wisely, introduced to personal evangelism. This can and should be done with family members, for charity begins at home.
"We have found [Eureka] the Messiah." — Andrew, though poor and uneducated, was familiar with the tenets of the Jewish religion.
His exclamation is one of joy — Eureka!
Messiah (Heb) or Christ (Gr) = Anointed One.
v.42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
And he brought him to Jesus.
Barnes: “Cephas - This is a Syriac word, meaning the same as the Greek word Peter, a stone. The stone, or rock, is a symbol of firmness and steadiness of character - a trait in Peter’s character after the ascension of Jesus that was very remarkable. before the death of Jesus he was rash, headlong, variable; and it is one proof of the omniscience of Jesus that he saw that Peter ‘would’ possess a character that would be expressed appropriately by the word ‘stone’ or ‘rock.’
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