Calling of the First Disciples

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

1. Read verse 40. Who do you think the two disciples might have been?

According to verse 40 we know one of the disciples was Andrew. Many Bible scholars think the other disciple was John who wrote this gospel but modestly never mentions his own name.

38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"

39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

2. Why do you think the two disciples followed Jesus?

There is no question that the two disciples followed Jesus because of John the Baptist’s influence. It was John the Baptist who pointed them to the Messiah. Who are we pointing to the Messiah? How many follow Jesus because of our influence? Let us be the kind of witness that John was, and show others the way to Christ.

Notice this verse tells us it was the tenth hour, or about 4 p.m. That would be the time for people to be heading back home. By asking Jesus this question, they were indicating a willingness to travel back with him.

40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).

42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).

3. How can you be like Andrew and tell others about Christ?

We are in constant contact with people every day. Here are some ways we might be able to share our testimony.

1. Be a Christian example in front of others.

2. Pray for those with whom you deal during the day.

3. When opportunities arise, share brief testimonies of how good God has been to you.

4. When someone is going through a difficulty, offer to pray for them.

5. Invite others to church activities.

MacDonald comments, "How simple Andrew’s message was. It was only five words – ‘We have found the Messiah’ – yet God used it to win Peter. This teaches us that we do not have to be great preachers or clever speakers. We need only to tell men about the Lord Jesus in simple words, and God will take care of the rest."

4. Why do you think Jesus named Simon "Cephas" which means a stone?

Perhaps it was because of Simon’s impulsiveness or his instability that Jesus was offering him a new-found strength. Or maybe it was simply that Christ knew that Peter would be the one who would be the strong leader of the early church.

43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."

44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

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."

5. Who found Philip? Who found Nathanael? Why do you think Philip would have been willing to follow Christ?

Notice that it was Jesus that sought out Philip. Jesus is going about seeking followers. He is looking for those who are willing to answer his call, "Follow me." Perhaps Philip was more open to Christ’s invitation because he knew Andrew and Peter. Or maybe the fact that Jesus wanted to go to Bethsaida, Philip’s home town, produced a willingness in Philip’s heart to hear the call. It seems that John must have included verses 43 and 44 to indicate something of this nature.

Philip answered that call, but he did much more than that. Philip seemed to be one who brought people to Jesus. Again in John 12:20-22 we see him bringing the Greeks to Jesus, "Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we would like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus."

Of the four times we read something about Philip in the gospels, in two of them he is bringing people to Jesus!

46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

6. What did Nathanael mean when he asked, Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

MacDonald writes, "Nazareth was a despised city of Galilee. It seemed impossible to him that the Messiah would live in such a poor neighborhood. And so he voiced the question that was in his mind."

Maybe Nazareth was the South Central Los Angeles of their day. You wonder if anything good can come out of that area. That’s the way Nathanael thought. Do we look at where people come from or what side of town they live in? Do we make the mistake of judging people before we even get to know them. This is what Nathanael did. But he changed his view after he met Jesus. This is good. Because he could have let his prejudice keep him from finding the Messiah.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"

48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

7. How many of Jesus’ disciples did he give a special sign to before they followed him? Why do you think he did it for Nathanael?

Nathanael was probably the first name of the disciple Bartholomew. Bartholomew is a surname which means son of Tolmoi. In all the lists of the disciples in the gospels Nathanael is listed next to Philip. They must have been very good friends.

This is the only incident where Jesus gives a disciple a sign before calling him. Jesus did give Peter and the other fishermen a large draught of fish, but they had already known him and been following him before this. I believe Jesus chose Nathanael to give a sign to so that he would overcome his natural dislike for Nazarenes. Jesus meets people exactly where they are. None of the other disciples needed a sign in order to follow him, but Nathanael did. So Christ revealed his supernatural ability so that Nathanael could serve him.

God wants us to serve him. He will do all kinds of things to get our attention and to help us to decide to be Christians. But we must be like Nathanael. We must then accept Christ for who he claims to be – the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

50 Jesus answered and said to him, "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, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

8. Does Jesus give us signs and visions today?

Because of Nathanael’s statement of faith, Jesus revealed his own deity. I believe that Nathanael later saw this fulfilled – either in a vision, or at the time when Jesus ascended back up to heaven in Acts 1:9-11. Certainly all of us will behold this when we get to heaven.

When we accept Christ as our Savior, it is then that he reveals himself to us as God. Notice how Nathanael’s perception of Jesus changed. First, he only thinks of him as a despised Nazarene (verse 46). Next, he sees Jesus as a man, perhaps a good man, but a man as he is going to meet (verse 47). Third, he sees Jesus as the promised King of Israel (verse 49). Finally, he sees Jesus as God (verse 51). When people come to Christ, many come because they see Jesus as their helper or their deliverer or one who loves them. But after we come to him, we discover that he is God, the ruler of the universe.

Footnotes:



	A Study of John 1:37-51