Pubic Ministry: Jesus Calls Disciples (1:35-51)

Introduction:

If you remember last week, we were exposed to one of the ways in which God shows us who he is by using human beings who have been given divine revelation. This we saw in the witness of John the Baptist as he testified that he was not the Christ, but that Jesus, the lamb of God was the Christ whose purpose was to take away the sins of the world, and John the Baptist’s purpose was to prepare for the coming of the Christ.

This morning we will continue in our mining of this rich gospel, as we see that Jesus, the Christ, in the early part of his public ministry, Calls his Disciples from John 1:35-51. Jesus, knowing that his mission was relatively short, would transform and impart himself into the lives of these men who would be commissioned with his authority to build his church.

Text: John 1:31-51

John 1:35–51 ESV

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. 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.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 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.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered 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, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Main Idea: Since the apostles had unique authority from Christ to bear witness, the witness on which the church is established, it was necessary that they be identified as selected by Christ Himself.

Note: We will see throughout this gospel, thatJesus, in choosing his disciples did not go to the religious leaders, or the royalty, or to those who were considered to be the top well bread men of their time, but to the commoners, every day men, virtually nobodies, so that the process of transforming them into disciples would not lie in their fitness for ministry but in the miraculous, transforming power of God in their lives.

I. The Seeking Disciples (35-42)

Note: those who seek God only do so as a result of God’s revelation of himself.

A. From the Witness of John the Baptist (35-39)

(35) The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,

The next day - the day after the events of verses 19-34.

disciples (mathetes [noun]) - a student who adheres to and travels with a teacher in a relationship that ends with the student becoming like the teacher.

(36) and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

he looked at Jesus as he walked by - this is a separate day and a separate declaration from verse 29, where John’s declaration was a result of Jesus coming toward him…

“Behold (ide [interjection] - look, listen, pay attention), the Lamb of God!” - John is crying out that all may wake up and pay attention once again as in verse 29, the lamb of God, the passover, servant substitutionary atonement is here!

Note: from day to day it was the same message!

(37) The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

The two disciples heard him say this - as a result of John the Baptist’s witness…

they followed Jesus - Traditionally, the students of a Jewish rabbi walked behind him. Jesus’ disciples follow Him physically, but more is in view. Following Jesus takes on deeper levels of meaning throughout this gospel

(38) Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

Jesus in asking this question of them is causing them to focus on the implication of what they are doing.

A true disciple leaves everything to follow the one they call “Rabbi” (which means Teacher)

“where are you staying?” - is a normal question from a student to his master/teacher.

(39) He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

“Come and you will see.” - we see here that Jesus welcomes their seeking and invites them to stay with him as any disciple would do with his teacher.

the tenth hour - 4 PM.

B. From the Witness of Andrew (40-42)

Now we are given the identity of one of John the Baptist’s disciples, who turned to follow Jesus...

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

Now we get some insight into who those first seeking disciples were.

Note that when one has been touched by the revelation of God, it is natural to bear witness of that revelation to others.

Samaritan Woman:

John 4:28–30 ESV

28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

Demoniac from the country of the Gerasenes:

Luke 8:38–39 ESV

38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

(41) He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). -

Andrew proclaims what he has witnessed, that Jesus is non other then the promised Messiah (Hebrew)/Christ (Greek)

He first found his own brother. Unlike his brother Simon Peter, Andrew does not become a member of Jesus’ “inner three,” along with the sons of Zebedee. Yet references to him in this gospel portray him as introducing people to Jesus: his brother Simon, a boy with a small lunch (6:8), and a group of Greeks who had approached Philip asking to meet Jesus

(42) He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

He brought him to Jesus - Andrew didn’t just state what he thought was true, but brought him into the presence of the one who is truth.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter)

“You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas (Aramaic)” (which means Peter (Greek)) - meaning Rock. However, this was not merely a prediction it was also a promise, indicating what God’s grace would accomplish in the heart and life of his disciple.

When God assigns a new name, He is redefining the person and his or her destiny (Gen. 17:5, 15; 32:28). Jesus later reaffirms the name that spoke to His transforming Simon into a “rock” (despite Simon’s remaining flaws) after Simon rightly confesses that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:17, 18).

II. The Called Disciples (43-49)

In verses 35-42, we saw how Andrew and Peter became seekers of Jesus the Messiah because of the witness of those who had recieved the revelation of God, now in this section, we will look at those who Jesus called personally.

A. Jesus’ Call (43)

(43) The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”

The next day - the day following the events of the previous section.

Jesus decided to go to Galilee - this is the early part of Jesus ministry that took place near his home town of Nazareth, at Galilee.

He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” - now we see Jesus seeking his disciples and asking them to follow him in a disciple/master relationship.

B. Philip’s Invitation (44-46)

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

Bethsaida - this city was Northeast of where the Jordan river flows into the sea of Galilee from the North, near where Jesus began his public ministry.

city of Andrew and Peter - the first disciples.

(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.”

Philip found Nathanael. Philip, whom Jesus will call to be one of the Twelve (Mark 3:18), will not only introduce Nathanael to Jesus but also later on in Jesus ministry, he would bring certain Greeks who wanted to meet Jesus, to meet Him, foreshadowing the gathering of the nations as a result of Jesus’ glorification in His death (12:21–24).

Nathanael, who reappears by name in 21:2, may be another name for Bartholomew, who is linked with Philip in the Synoptic lists of the twelve apostles (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14).

of whom Moses ... the prophets wrote. Philip recognizes that all the OT, both Law and Prophets, anticipated a great redemptive work of God to be accomplished by a special anointed one. The OT anticipation of Christ and His work is affirmed by Christ Himself (Luke 24:25–27, 44–47) and is central in the preaching of the apostles (Acts 2:29–32; 3:18, 21, 24; 7:52, 53; 8:30–35; 26:22, 23; 28:23).

the son of Joseph. This does not imply a denial of the virgin birth, of which Philip may not in any case be aware at this point; it is simply a reference identifying Jesus by His town and family (Matt. 1:24; cf. Luke 2:46–48 note; 3:23).

We see next Nathanael’s response…

(46) Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? - Nathanael apparently expresses contemporary skepticism that a prophet could arise from Galilee (7:52). Nazareth is an insignificant village, a small town of no more than 2,000 people in Jesus’ day.

“Come and see.” - in other words, seeing is believing. This invitation be Philip will be essential to the apostolic witness after Jesus ascends to heaven.

C. Nathanael’s Declaration (47-49)

(47) Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

an Israelite indeed. The phrase is probably meant to call to mind Israel as the people of God, to whom the Messiah was promised.

in whom there is no deceit (dolos [noun] - skilled in deception) - This phrase may be used in contrast to the name Jacob, which was changed to Israel, but whose original name meant deceiver (grasper of the heel), which speaks to the power of God to change and transform people.

In other words, “you are an Israelite, but unlike your forefather Jacob (Israel), you are not a deceiver!”

(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.”

How do you know me? - A legitimate question since Nathanael had no previous interaction with Jesus, to which Jesus responds…

Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you - Jesus here displays supernatural knowledge, thus identifying himself as the Messiah.

Note: the fig tree throughout the gospels symbolically represents Israel as a nation.

Note once again, that when God reveals himself to someone, there will always be a response, …

(49) Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Nathanael’s response is significant as he identifies, through divine revelation, Jesus in three ways:

Rabbi - in claiming that Jesus was Rabbi, or teacher, Nathanael claims his authority and mastery over him as the student/disciple.

the Son of God - as the Son of God, he is divine in his essence. Nathanael’s confession may seem like an overreaction to Jesus’ supernatural knowledge. But Philip has already indicated to Nathanael that Jesus is the one anticipated by the Law and the Prophets (v. 45). Nathanael comes to Jesus looking for reasons to believe or disbelieve, and he finds Jesus’ knowledge convincing.

the King of Israel - as King of Israel, he fulfills all the promises of the Messiah prophesied in the OT. This is a title for the Messiah, used in shouts of praise at the triumphal entry (12:13), similar to the announcement of the wise men (Matt. 2:2) and to the inscription on the cross (19:19).

We see next that Jesus uses Nathanael’s response to exhort him into further truth…

III. The Exhorted Disciples (50-51)

A. Jesus Exhorts Nathanael (50)

(50) Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? - Jesus in his exhortation of Nathanael, reveals to him that his belief is young and immature, its based on empirical evidence, evidence that brought belief because the senses are activated…but, Jesus says, …

You will see greater things than these. - Jesus’ earthly miracles are signs of His redemptive power and work. The miracles are to be appreciated not merely for themselves, but for the redemptive realities they promise. Greater than such works is the salvation Christ brings (v. 51). These works are a result of…

B. Jesus, the Heavenly Link (51)

(51) And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Truly, truly, I say to you, you - is a solemn affirmation stressing the authoritative nature and importance of Jesus’ pronouncements. The expression is found 25 times in this Gospel. The two references to “you” here are plural.

you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

This verse alludes to Jacob’s vision of a ladder or stairway stretching from earth to heaven, on which angels ascended to worship God and descended to do His bidding on earth. As Jacob slept, his resting place became a temple, a “house of God” (Bethel; Gen. 28:12)

Genesis 28:12 ESV

12 And he 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 it!

The result of this vision was that Jacob was transformed from a deceiver to one who wrestled with God and was blessed. Similarly…

Jesus Himself is the reality to which the stairway pointed. In a dream, Jacob saw the reunion of heaven and earth; in reality, Christ is the end-time sanctuary, the final Bethel, or “house of God” in the flesh, in which God communes with His people (1:14; 2:19–22). This is the result of him being the…

Son of Man. Jesus uses this name often for Himself (80+ x in Gospels). It not only emphasizes His human nature, which enabled Him to die for His people, but also refers to the heavenly, messianic figure known from Daniel’s vision who is invested with universal authority on behalf of God’s saints—a second and last Adam (Dan. 7:13, 14; Matt. 8:20 note). Accordingly, Christ has begun to fulfill the Dan. 7:13, 14 prophecy that the Son of Man would come and reign over the earth.

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

In summary we saw in these verses the first disciples of Jesus:

Those disciples who sought him because of the witness of John the Baptist,

Those disciples who Jesus personally called,

Those disciples who would have the privilege to see Jesus, the Son of Man and the Son of God, as the link of God dwelling with his people.

So What?

Do we understand that God’s revelation about his Son, requires action on our parts to follow him as our Lord and master?

Do we further understand that the authority of the apostles and their subsequent writing of scripture is a result of Christ’s choosing them and making them his disciples?

Do we recognize that Jesus, as Son of Man, has in his humanity provided redemption through his blood, and is the one who will rule and reign over the new heaven and earth?