Jesus Calls The First Disciples

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John 1:35-42

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).

 
 

Every word John the author has written is deliberately chosen and deliberately placed. John wants us to see that the thing that first got the attention of Andrew and the unknown disciple (whom we will later conclude is John the author himself) is John the Baptist’s remark that Jesus is the Lamb of God.

(That little detail “it was about the tenth hour” is a great example of eyewitness detail dropped into the story.)

Simon was a traditional Jewish name, and we know from archeological evidence that it was one of the most popular Jewish male names at the time of Jesus. Jesus gives Simon, Andrew’s brother, the nickname “Rocky.” (Cephas means “rock” in Aramaic, and Peter means “rock” in Greek, and because most of the early Christians spoke Greek, Peter became the name by which Simon Peter was known in the early church.)

What I love about this little story is how Andrew brings his brother to Jesus, who then speaks to Peter in a way that is personal to him.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

This is how it always is with Jesus—it is our privilege to bring other people to Him, but then He takes over and speaks to them in a way that is personal and meaningful to them.

 

Why Does John Call Jesus A "Lamb"?

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John 1:29-34

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, 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 before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

 
 

Each Israelite family sacrificed a lamb during the Passover holiday, as a way of formally remembering the way the Lord rescued the Hebrews from Egypt. During the Exodus, the Lord commanded each family to take the blood from the sacrifice and mark the doorway into their houses so the terrible tenth plague—the death of the firstborn—would “pass over” each house that was marked with the blood of the lamb.

By calling Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” John the Baptist is saying that Jesus is the true sacrifice who will once and for all take away sin.

We’ll have to wait nineteen chapters in John’s Gospel to see this idea finally pay off in the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross.

QUESTION FOR THE DAY

How was the death of Jesus on the cross like that of a Passover lamb?

P.S. Note the language of “witness” in today’s passage. John the author wants us to understand that John the Baptist was a trustworthy witness to Jesus.

 

Why Did John Baptize?

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John 1:19-28

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 
 

John is out baptizing people in the River Jordan, and a delegation of religious officials comes to question him. In Judaism at the time, converts to Judaism were baptized as a way of showing their spiritual cleansing as they became part of Israel. So, by baptizing people who were already Jews, John is implying that all of Israel needs to be cleansed to get ready for the new thing that is going to happen.

The Israelites had to cross the Jordan River when they first entered the Promised Land, so the location John chose for his baptisms is significant—he is implying that God is about to do something new for His people.

But, to make it clear, John says that he is just someone God is using to prepare the way.

QUESTION FOR THE DAY

John is preparing the people for Jesus. How can you smooth out the path in front of someone today to make it easier for them to come to the Lord?

 

The Prologue

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John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

 
 

Today we have completed our reading of the prologue of John’s Gospel. I challenged us to memorize these first eighteen verses. How’s it coming? Use the weekend to really cement these words into your memory.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The reason we memorize Scripture is because once we have it in our minds, we have stored there something that God can use to shape us. The more Bible we have in our brains, the more material God has to work with!

 

What Does God Look Like?

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John 1:18

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

 
 

In Exodus, we read that Moses wants to see God, but the Lord tells him that that is an impossibility:

18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” [Exodus 33:18–23]

But the astounding fact of the Incarnation is that the fullness of God has come in the person of Jesus Christ.

What is God like? What is the mind behind the universe like? Look at Jesus and you’ll know.

QUESTION FOR THE DAY

How does it change what you think about reality when you realize that the God behind it all came in the person of Jesus and healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners, and died and rose again?

 

Jesus Is The Fulfillment Of The Ten Commandments

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John 1:17

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

 
 

The Lord gave the Israelites the Law on Mount Sinai so that they would know how to live—if you obey the Law, you will be blessed. The Law was a guidebook to life and the way to blessing. But the Law, which was good, was unable to fix what was wrong in peoples’ hearts, and so all along God’s plan to save the world was to send His one and only Son. The Son was perfectly obedient to the Law, thereby releasing blessing into the world, and all who trust in Him receive life and blessing they didn’t earn.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace is receiving something good you didn’t deserve. In light of what God has done for you in Jesus, how can you then show grace to someone else today?

 

It's Not Just Theoretical

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John 1:16

16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

 
 

John has told us that Jesus was “full of grace and truth” (v. 14).

Now, he goes further and tells us that those who know Him don’t just know about Him theologically and theoretically, but that they have actually received grace from Him.

It’s a beautiful reminder that Jesus doesn’t just show us what God is like, but that, to those who trust Him, he actually brings the steadfast love and covenant faithfulness of God into their lives.

QUESTION FOR THE DAY

Do you have a relationship with Jesus?

 

Jesus Was Before John, But Born After Him

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John 1:15

15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

 
 

John the author wants us to understand that John the Baptist understood the true identity of Jesus; though Jesus was born after him, John understood that He came “before” him, both in the sense of rank and in the sense of existence. The Son of God has always existed, along with the Father and the Spirit.

QUESTION FOR THE DAY

In your next interaction today, how can you be more like John the Baptist and point people toward Jesus?

 

"Tabernacled"

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John 1:14

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 
 

The tabernacle was the moveable tent that the Lord had the Israelites construct during their desert wanderings, after the Passover and the parting of the sea but before the Promised Land. At the end of Exodus, the tabernacle is complete, and the glory of God comes and dwells in the tent, right in the midst of the Israelite camp:

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. [Exodus 40:34–38]

The presence of God is manifested in a cloud of glory. In Exodus, in fact, no one is able to see the “face” of God and live—God’s power is too bright (Exodus 33:20).

But with Jesus, something remarkable has happened.

John, a master artist, has chosen a specific Greek word that is here translated as “dwelt”—it’s the verb form of the word for “tabernacle.” So, here is what John literally says:

The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.

In other words, the same glory that was made manifest to Moses and the Israelites in the tent has now come in the person of Jesus!

John says that he has seen the “glory” of the Son.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

How is the glory of God shown in the Crucifixion of the Son? How does that redefine our idea of the glory of God?

P.S. This month, I am memorizing the prologue of the Gospel of John, 1:1-18. Today, we’re up through verse 14. If you are behind, take the weekend and catch up!

P.P.S. Note that Jesus is the Son of the Father. There is no Father without the Son, and vice versa—there has always been Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (though the Spirit has not yet been formally introduced to us in John’s Gospel).

 

There Are Two Kinds Of People

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John 1:12-13

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

 
 

Remember, one of the purposes of the prologue is for John to introduce the main themes of his Gospel. One of those themes is that there are two kinds of people:

1. Those who receive and believe in Jesus and who as a result become part of God’s people—with all that entails;
2. Those who don’t.

Throughout the rest of the Gospel, we will see this distinction between people play out over and over again.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

This distinction is still playing out in our day. Despite all the ways of dividing people, there is really only one division that matters—those who believe in Jesus, and those who don’t.

 

Even Israel Missed Its Messiah

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John 1:11

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

 
 

One of the themes of John’s Gospel is that the Jews missed their Messiah. Why?

Well, John is concerned with showing us the grievous effects of spiritual blindness—you can be so blinded by pride and sin that you miss what is most obvious right in front of you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

“Lord, if there is something in my life I’ve been blinded to, please make it clear to me today.”

 

Everyone Needs Jesus (But Not Everyone Knows It)

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John 1:9

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

 
 

What does it mean that a man is the true light?

It means (among other things) that the only way to perceive reality clearly and correctly is through Jesus.

QUESTION FOR THE DAY

Take a problem you are currently worried about. What would it look like for you to “see” it in light of Jesus?

 

John The Baptist Wasn't The Point

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John 1:8

8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

 
 

John the Baptist was an electric figure in 1st century Judea, but as important as he was, John the author wants us to understand that his only job was to testify about the Light of the World.

In some ways, nothing has changed: we all have important work to accomplish, but that work is all in service of pointing people to Jesus, who is the light of the world.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

How could you use the first interaction you have with someone after reading this sentence to point toward Jesus?

 

P.S. Have you been working on memorizing your verses? We should have learned through verse 8 today. If you’re behind, catch up over the weekend. Remember, by January 24 my goal is to have memorized verses 1–18.

Witness

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John 1:6-7

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

 
 

John the Baptist is the John referred to in today’s verse. Here, we are introduced to another key idea in the Gospel—“witness.”

The testimony of witnesses is an important theme in John’s Gospel. John the author himself is a witness of the crucifixion (see 19:35), and we will learn later that the entire Gospel is in fact true testimony about Jesus (21:24).

QUESTION OF THE DAY

If you were put on the witness stand today, what testimony could you provide about Jesus?

 

A Light In The Darkness

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John 1:5

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 
 

Throughout his prologue, John is setting us up to learn what we need to know about what will follow in the rest of his Gospel. Here we learn that the darkness and the light are in opposition. So, we should pay attention to times when darkness appears in the Gospel, because it will mean that something or someone is working in opposition to Jesus. (Pay attention to when events take place in darkness.)

For me, I have always loved the simplicity of the image: a light boldly shining in the darkness, and a darkness that is unable to snuff it out.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Whatever bad thing that happens, it cannot win in the end. Jesus is light, and the light shines forever. Any darkness you experience today is just temporary, like a cloud passing in front of the sun. Don’t be discouraged!

 

Life=Light

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John 1:4

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

 
 

In v. 4, John is teaching us how to read his Gospel. This is what we learn:

· The Word is a “Him.” (See v. 3, too.)
· In Him is “Life.”
· And that Life is also “Light.”

So, for the rest of the Gospel, when we read life we should think light, and vice versa.

Life=Light

QUESTION FOR THE DAY

What do you think it means that the life that Jesus brought also provides light to people?

 

Arius Was Wrong

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John 1:3

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

 
 

Around A.D. 300, there arose a controversy in the ancient church, provoked by a man named Arius. Arius was a priest from Egypt who began to teach that the Son had been created by the Father and was not co-eternal with Him. This controversy became known as the Arian Controversy. Arius’s famous phrase was “There was a time when He was not.” What he meant was that the Son had a definite beginning, unlike the Father, who had always existed.

The great opponent of Arius was a priest named Athanasius, who stubbornly insisted that the Son had always existed, because He was God. God has no beginning, and if the Son had a beginning the way Arius taught, then the Son was not God.

For Athanasius there could be no higher stakes, because if Jesus were not God, then His death on the cross would not have saved anyone. For decades Athanasius held the line, and ultimately Arius’s ideas were defeated at the great Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325.

What’s interesting is how Arius just ignored John 1:3 when making his argument, because John clearly tells us that the Word was not created but was ever-existing, and that through the Word everything that was made was made.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

When we try to get away from the Scripture, we always get ourselves in trouble. Arius was a clever man, but he was also a fool who thought he knew better than the Bible. The reason it is so important that the American church reads and loves the Bible is because the more we do that, the more it will protect us from ourselves and our arrogant tendency to think we know better than the Bible.

 

There Was No BEFORE Christ

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John 1:2

2 He was in the beginning with God.

 
 

Why is there order to the universe? Why are there the laws of physics and thermodynamics? It’s because the universe was made according to the Logos—the Word. When God made the world, it was made to have meaning. As we shall see, the Word was not created but has always existed, even at the beginning of everything.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

What does it say about Jesus that, though He was there at the creation of everything, He chose to empty Himself of that power and privilege to be born in a humble manger?

 

The Word Became Flesh

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John 1:1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 
 

GENESIS 1:1
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

In his opening verse, John is deliberately echoing the famous opening lines of the Bible. Why? Because from the outset he wants us to understand that Jesus was not simply an ordinary man, but was God Incarnate—God become human. The same God who made everything was the one who—as John will narrate nineteen chapters later—was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

Note that from the very beginning, John is telling us something interesting:

· The Word is God;
· The Word is distinct from God.

Later Christians would describe God’s identity using the Trinity: one God in three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit. Here, John does not use trinitarian language (that will come later, especially in chapter 17). Rather, he just makes the simple point that the Word is God and also distinct from God.

The Greek word logos is translated here as “word.” Logos means “word,” but it also means “rational, organizing idea” or “message” or “reason.” I like to say that it’s as if John is saying “the mind behind the universe,” as in...

In the beginning was the Mind-Behind-The-Universe,
and the Mind-Behind-The-Universe was with God,
and the Mind-Behind-The-Universe was God.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

What else is John trying to convey by beginning his Gospel in this way?