THIS MATERIAL HAS NOT BEEN EDITED FOR
SCRIPTURAL ACCURACY, SPELLING, OR GRAMMAR
THE GOSPEL TO THE CHURCH
LESSON TWO
2. The Testimony of Disciples (1:35-51).
The work of the Baptist passed naturally into the work of Jesus Christ. His testimony found a true interpretation from some of his disciples, and they first attached themselves to the Lord. Christ who had been announced and revealed was welcomed and followed. The whole section consists of a series of examples of spiritual insight:
1. Christ reveals His power by showing His knowledge of men’s thoughts (vv. 42, 48);
2. And the disciples recognize their Master by their experience of what He is (vv. 39, 41, 49).
3. The incidents are a commentary on the words “Come and see” (vv. 46, 39),
4. And the promise with which the section closes opens the prospect of a more perfect divine vision (v. 51).
The very mixture of Hebrew (Disciples Simon, Nathanael) and Greek (Andrew, Philip) names seem to indicate the representative character of this first group of disciples; and there is a progress in the confessions which they make: “We have found the Messiah” (v. 41): “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, did write…” (v. 45): “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel” (v. 49).
The history falls into two parts, and deals with two groups of disciples. First, John’s work is crowned (1:35-42); and Second Christ’s work is begun (1:43-51). This will be seen in the subjoined table.
The Testimony of Disciples
(1). The first group. John’s teaching crowned (vv. 35-42).
1. John’s word understood and obeyed (1:35-39).
(A) John’s disciples and John (1:35-37).
(B) John’s disciples and Christ (1:38, 39).
2. The new message proclaimed (1:40-42).
(A) The mission (1:40, 41).
(B) The blessing (1:42).
(2). The second group. Christ’s teaching begun (vv. 43-51).
1. Christ’s call and its issue (outward power) (1:43-46).
2. Christ’s knowledge of the heart (inward power) (1:47-51).
The word of the first day of Christ’s Ministry. John’s teaching crowned (1:35-42).
On this first day of His teaching Christ is recognized by those who have been already prepared to receive Him. The disciples of John are shown in their true position towards him and his Successor. Christ is not said to have called any one to Himself. Two pairs of brothers, as it appears, form the first group of disciples, of whom the first pair is named, Andrew and Simon; and the second pair, John and James, is only faintly indicated. The first disciples become the first preachers. The date is shortly before the Passover (John 2:1, 12); and in accordance with this an early tradition fixed the beginning of Christ’s Ministry at the vernal equinox (ref. ‘Clem. Hom.’ I. 16).
Homily 18 - John 1:35-37
Ver. 38. "Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, what seek ye?"
Hence we are taught that God does not prevent our wills by His gifts, but that when we begin, when we provide the being willing, then He gives us many opportunities of salvation. "What seek you?" How is this? He who knoweth the hearts of men, who dwelleth in our thoughts, doth He asks?
JOHN LESSON TWO
He doth; not that He may be informed; how could that be? But that by the question He may make them more familiar, and impart to them greater boldness, and show them that they are worthy to hear Him; for it was probable that they would blush and be afraid, as being unknown to him, and as having heard such accounts of Him from the testimony of their teacher. Therefore to remove all this, their shame and their fear, he questions them, and would not let them come all the way to the house in silence. Yet the event would have been the same had He not questioned them; they would have remained by following Him, and walking in His steps would have reached His dwelling. Why then did He ask? To effect that which I said, to calm their minds, yet disturbed with shame and anxiety, and to give them confidence. (Chrysostom 400 A.D.)
1:35 Again the next day after John stood…] Again the next day John was standing. The picture is one of silent waiting. The hearts of all were full with thoughts of some great change. Was standing: compare (John 7:37, 18:5, 16, 18, 19:25, 20:11).
1:35 two of his disciples…] Comp. (John 8:17). One of them is identified (v. 40) as Andrew; and the other was evidently the Evangelist. This appears from the absence of all further designation, and from the fact that the narrative bears the marks of having been written by an eye-witness for whom each least detail had a living memory.
1:36 looking upon…] having looked on. The Greek word describes one penetrating glance, as again in (v. 42), the other place where it is found in John. Compare (Mark 10:21, 27; Luke 20:17, 22:61).
1:36 as he walked…] no longer “coming unto him” (v. 29), but evidently (37, 38) going away. So for the last time the Baptist and the Christ were together; and the Baptist gave by anticipation a commentary on his own sublime words (John 3:30) when he pointed his scholar to their true Lord.
1:36 Behold the Lamb of God!] The words are not at this time a new revelation (as v. 29) and therefore the explanatory clause is omitted. They are a suggestion by the Baptist to those who had hitherto faithfully followed him, that now they were called away to a greater Master. The first Disciples of Christ naturally came from among the Baptist’s disciples. So the divine order was fulfilled, and the preparatory work had fruit.
The new Church grew out of the old Church, as its proper consummation. The revelation of Christ as He was (v. 29) showed to those whose souls were rightly disciplined that He would complete what the Baptist had begun. At the same time the disciples of the Baptist could leave their teacher only in obedience to his own guidance as he interpreted their thoughts. And the direction came not as a command, but in a form that tested their faith. The words spoken answered to their inmost thoughts, and so they could understand and obey them. But without this spiritual correspondence the decisive sentence could have no power of constraint, for it does not appear that John even addressed them, but rather he spoke indefinitely (v. 29), and the message came home to them: He saith…and the two disciples heard him speak (as he spoke), and followed Jesus.
1:37 followed…] The word expresses the single act as their choice was made once for all. The circumstance has significance for all time. Christ’s first disciples were made by the practical interpretation of a phrase which might have been disregarded.
1:38 Then (But) Jesus turned…] as He was going away. This action hindered the two disciples from following Him silently and unperceived as they might have done (they….followed….but Jesus….).
1:38 saw them…] beheld them. Compare (John 6:5).
JOHN LESSON TWO
1:38 What seek ye?] Not whom? It is of interest to compare the first words of Christ recorded in the several Gospels.
1. Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness (Matt. 3:15).
2. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of heaven is at hand: repent you and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15).
3. How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? (Luke 2:49).
The first words in the text followed by Come and ye shall see, the searching question and the personal invitation are a parable of the message of faith.
1:38 They said (And they said)….Rabbi…] the fresh recollection of the incident seems to bring back the original terms which had almost grown to be foreign words (vv. 41, 42). The English Master is to be taken in the sense of “Teacher.” Compare (John 3:2).
1:38 dwells…] Rather abides, as (v. 39) (dwelt, abode).
The answer implies that if they could be with Christ, that, and nothing less than that, would satisfy their want. For a thing (what? V. 38) these first disciples substituted a Person. They were in need of Christ first and not of any special gift of Christ.
Homily 18 - John 1:35-37
Nor was it by their following only that they showed their earnest desire, but by their question also: for when they had not as yet learned or even heard anything from Him, they call Him, "Master"; thrusting themselves as it were among His disciples, and declaring what was the cause of their following, that they might hear somewhat profitable. Observe their wisdom also. They did not say, "Teach us of Thy doctrines, or some other thing that we need to know"; but what? "
Where dwellest Thou?" Because, as I before said, they wished in quiet to say somewhat to Him, and to hear somewhat from Him, and to learn. Therefore they did not defer the matter, nor say, "We will come to-morrow by all means, and hear thee speak in public"; but showed the great eagerness they had to hear Him, by not being turned back even by the hour, for the sun was already near its setting, ("it was," saith John, "about the tenth hour.")
And therefore Christ does not tell them the marks of His abode, nor its situation, but rather induces them to follow Him by showing them that He had accepted them. For this reason He did not say anything of this kind to them, "It is an unseasonable time now for you to enter into the house, to-morrow you shall hear if you have any wish, return home now"; but converses with them as with friends, and those who had long been with Him.
How then saith He in another place, "But the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head" (Luke 9:58), while here He saith, "Come and see" (5:39) where I abide? Because the expression "hath not where to lay His head," signifies that He had no dwelling place of His own, not that He did not abide in a house. And this too is the meaning of the comparison. The Evangelist has mentioned that "they abode with Him that day," but has not added wherefore, because the reason was plain; for from no other motive did they follow Christ, and He draw them to Him, but only that they might have instruction; and this they enjoyed so abundantly and eagerly even in a single night, that they both proceeded straightway to the capture of others. (Chrysostom)
Note: Archbishop John Chrysostom of Constantinople around 400 A.D. was a preacher that believed that ‘God said what He meant and meant what He said.’ Paul the Learner
JOHN LESSON TWO
1:39 Come and see…] According to the most probable reading, Come and ye shall see. The present imperative (compare v. 47, 7:37, 11:34, and on the other hand 4:16) describes an immediate act contemplated as already begun. The act of faith goes first: knowledge is placed definitely after. The double repetition, so they came and saw, must be noticed.
1:39 They came…day…for it was…] they came therefore (So they came)…day….it was….
1:39 that day…] that memorable day, from which the Christian society took its rise. Compare (John 20:19).
1:39 the tenth hour…] around 10 a.m. Compare (John 4:6 also Chapter 19). An early hour seems to suit best the fulness of the day’s events. The mention of the time is one of the small traits which mark the Gospel of John. He is here looking back upon the date of his own spiritual birth.
1:40 One of the two…] the other being John; (v. 35 note).
1:40 heard John speak…] literally, heard from John, heard the great tidings from him, i.e. that Jesus was the Lamb of God. For the construction (see John 6:45).
1:40 Andrew…] Compare (John 6:8, 12:22; Mark 13:3), where the same four disciples appear together as here.
1:40 Simon Peter’s brother…] Thus Peter is treated as the better known.
1:41 first findeth his own brother…] findeth first his own brother. The words imply that someone else was afterwards found; and from the form of the sentence we may conclude that this was the brother of the second disciple, that is James the brother of John. All this evidently took place on the same day (vv. 35, 43).
1:41 findeth…] the use of the word in this chapter is most remarkable. It occurs again in this verse and in 43 (44), and twice in v. 45 (46). The search and the blessing go together.
1:41 We have found…] this was the result of their introduction to Jesus who is the Christ of God. The verb stands first, thus giving prominence to the search (v. 38) now joyously ended. It is otherwise in (v. 45). The plural shows the sympathy but not the presence of John.
1:41 Messias….interpreted the Christ…] The Hebrew name is found only here and (John 4:25). Compare (v. 38 (Rabbi), note, (v. 42 (Cephas); and contrast (vv. 20, 25).
Homily 19 - John 1:41, 42
Andrew, after having tarried with Jesus and learned what He did, kept not the treasure to himself, but hastens and runs quickly to his brother, to impart to him of the good things which he had received. But wherefore has not John said on what matters Christ conversed with them? Whence is it clear that it was for this that they "abode with Him"? It was proved by us the other day; but we may learn it from what has been read today as well. Observe what Andrew says to his brother; "We have found the Messiahs, which is, being interpreted, the Christ."
You see how, as far as he had learned in a short time, he showed the wisdom of the teacher who persuaded them, and their own zeal, who cared for these things long ago, and from the beginning. For this word, "we have found," is the expression of a soul which travails for His presence, and looks for His coming from above, and is made overjoyed when the looked-for thing has happened, and hastens to impart to others the good tidings. This is the part of brotherly affection, of natural friendship, of a sincere disposition, to be eager to stretch out the hand to each other in spiritual things. Hear him besides speak with the addition of the article; for he does not say "Messiahs," but "the Messiahs"; thus they were expecting some one Christ, having nothing in common with the others.