2: John’s testimony and the First Disciples — John 1:29–51


1²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

³⁵ The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, ³⁶ and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” ³⁷ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. ³⁸ When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” ³⁹ He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. ⁴⁰ One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ⁴¹ He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed).
⁴² He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated 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 about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” ⁴⁶ Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” ⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” ⁴⁸ Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
⁴⁹ Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” ⁵⁰ Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” ⁵¹ And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Why does John call Jesus the “Lamb of God?” What aspects of salvation does it represent? What is significant about the dove [see Notes]?

2. What is most significant about the incident John describes in vv. 35-39? Why do you think the two disciples left John and followed Jesus?

3. What do you suppose Simon thought about Jesus when they first met? About having his name changed? How would you have felt?

4. How did Philip conclude that Jesus was “the one Moses wrote about in the Law?” How did Nathanael react to Philip’s claim? How might you have reacted?

5. What did Jesus say or do to cause Nathanael to call him “Son of God” and “King of Israel?” How does Jesus deal with Nathanael’s testimony?

6. What does Jesus reveal to the disciples? What image does he use? Why do you think he did this at this time?

Get Personal

How did you first “meet” Jesus? What were the circumstances? Who introduced you? What did the person say about Jesus? How did you respond to the introduction?

1:29. Lamb of God — John was echoing Isaiah’s description of the Messiah as a “suffering servant” who is sacrificed – Like the Passover lamb and temple lambs of John’s day – for sinners: like a lamb that is led to the slaughter. And as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth, [Isaiah 53:7 and 12].
1:32. Spirit — John (the author) introduces the Trinity early in his Gospel. Jews of the time believed God’s Spirit had become inactive after the last Old Testament prophets died.
Dove — an ironic symbol for the Messiah: only doves and pigeons were acceptable sacrificial birds under Mosaic Law and, as the least expensive animals, were usually used by poor people; Jesus is the sacrifice we absolutely need and cannot afford. 
1:33. Descend and remain — Isaiah said of the Messiah: The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, [11:2, also check 61:1].
1:35. Disciples — John evidently had a group of followers himself, but sent them to Jesus as the greater teacher – a truly humble act.
1:38. Where are you staying — this type of indirectness is typical of the social conventions of John’s time (the disciples really want to go home with Jesus).
1:40. Andrew — according to John, Andrew became a disciple ahead of his brother, Simon. He also brings people to Jesus two other times [6:4-9 and 12:20-22]. This is still the model: get to know Jesus yourself, then introduce others to him, (check Phillip’s approach in verse 43).
1:42. Cephas — means “rock” in Aramaic; the Greek word is “Peter.” Jesus continues the Old 

Testament tradition of giving people new and meaningful names. Peter applies the same image to believers in his first letter: Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ., [2:4-5].
1:43. Philip— another of the early disciples, Philip responded to Jesus’ direct invitation and then brought Nathanael into the group, as Andrew brought Peter.
Bethsaida — yes, Mark does say Capernaum was Andrew and Peter’s hometown. Both were on the shore of Galilee fairly close to each other.
1:45. Nathanael — also known as Bartholomew in the Synoptic Gospels.
Nazareth — was a small town, not mentioned in any Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. Nathanael’s skepticism is not surprising, (notice that Phillip does not argue about it, just invites Nathanael to “come and see” for yourself).
1:47. Israelite — Jesus was probably making a wordplay: Jacob (or Israel) was a liar, hardly a “man of complete integrity.”
1:48. Under the fig tree — Jesus gives Nathanael a peek at his supernatural ability, which Nathanael acknowledges in the next verse.
1:51. Heaven opened — Ezekiel used the same phrase [1:1]. Jesus is promising a major revelation to the disciples.
Angels ascending and descending — this image is from Jacob’s dream [Genesis 28:12] of a ladder between heaven and earth. Jesus is describing himself as the new – and true – link between God and humans.