John: Chronicles of the God-Man: What are you seeking?
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The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 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?” 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. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 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).
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 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.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 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.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 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.” 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.”
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
Who are the disciples?
Andrew is named (Simon Peter’s brother), the other is probably John (the author of the book)
Behold, the Lamb of God!
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
“Follow me”
To follow often means to follow as a disciple, but in this case it at least meant literally following behind Jesus. John may have meant it in both senses.
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?” 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.
“What are you seeking?” (other translations: “What do you want?”)
These are the first recorded words out of Jesus mouth in the book of John.
This phrase certainly has 2 meanings
Literally, you’re following me, what’s on your mind son?
And, I believe, what is your deepest desire, what do you truly love? What do you most deeply seek?
Christianity is primarily about this question: What do you seek/want/desire/love?
Some of Jesus last words in this gospel can be found in John 21, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?”
Christian discipleship is primarily about reorienting your love and affections towards God, so that he is the one you ultimately seek.
The disciples at this early stage did not get this. It appears they had other things on their mind when they went to follow Jesus, and I think many of the reasons are the same confused reasons the church follows Christ today.
We see the disciples call Jesus:
Rabbi
Messiah
Son of God
King of Israel
First, I want to point out that none of these titles for Jesus are inherently wrong, in fact they are all correct, but it reveals something of where the disciples were at.
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?”
Rabbi
Rabbi
The term Rabbi means “teacher” and implies right out of the gate that the disciples sought knowledge.
How often do we reduce Christianity, Church, or even our relationship with God to one of intellectual ascent.
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?” 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.
Staying is the same greek word “Abide”
When Jesus says come and see, again we have a double meaning here.
One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
Messiah is a Hebrew term that literally means “the anointed One.” The Messiah was the savior, the redeemer. Messiah was translated to Greek as “Christos” which is where we get our word “Christ.”
How often do we reduce Christianity, Church, or even our relationship with God to a tool?
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 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.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 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.” 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.”
Son of God
Son of God
“Son of God” is a term that would mean God. And why did Nathanael give him this term? Because of a miracle.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 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.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 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.” 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.”
King of Israel
King of Israel
King of Israel was pointing to a trust in a human government at this time. Throughout history and even today, Christians have looked to Christianity as being a type of political system. A western civilized world.
We see the disciples call Jesus:
Rabbi
Messiah
Son of God
King of Israel
So in summary, we see the disciples look to Jesus as all these things. And these are good things. But I do not believe they are primarily what Christianity is about.
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
To follow Jesus, do be his disciple, is to love Jesus.
To set aside every idol. To count everything as loss for the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus.
Jesus is our greatest treasure. He is our greatest Joy. He is all-satisfying. He is life-giving. He is the light of the world. He is the healer and restorer. He created all things, he sustains all things. He brings perfect judgement to the world and make everything right. If you are in Jesus, he does this through his blood.
Who is the Jesus you follow?
Who is the Jesus you follow?