John 1: Unveiling the Divine Word
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
John 1 serves as a powerful prologue, introducing the central figure of the Gospel – Jesus Christ – and establishing the core themes that will be explored throughout the narrative. This chapter is strategically crafted to present Jesus not merely as a man, but as the divine Word, the eternal Son of God, and the promised Messiah. It also introduces John the Baptist, the divinely appointed forerunner, and chronicles the calling of Jesus' first disciples. Understanding John 1 is crucial for grasping the depth and breadth of John's theological presentation of Jesus.
The Eternal Word (John 1:1-5)
John begins his Gospel not with the birth of Jesus, but with His eternal existence. "In the beginning" echoes Genesis 1:1, immediately connecting Jesus to the very act of creation. The apostle John reaches back even further—into eternity. We are given access to the prequel, so to speak.
John 1:1 declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This profound statement establishes several key truths. First, Jesus, identified as "the Word" (Greek: Logos), pre-existed all creation. Second, He was "with God," signifying a distinct personhood within the Godhead and an eternal, intimate father-son relationship with God the Father. Third, "the Word was God," unequivocally affirming Jesus' divine nature. The Father and Son are not two distinct gods. Rather, the Son shares the divine nature. Theologically speaking, the Father, Son, and Spirit are co-equal members of the Trinity. Our one God exists in three co-equal persons.
John 1:3 further emphasizes Jesus' role in creation: "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." The Father made the world through the divine Word, his Son. This underscores Jesus' sovereignty and power as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Nothing in creation exists outside of the sovereign power of Jesus. Not one thing was made apart from him.
John 1:4-5 introduce the concept of life and light. "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Jesus gives life that provides light to men. Light is needed because darkness exists. Because of the temptation of Satan, humankind has fallen into the darkness of sin. He has blinded the minds of people to keep them from seeing the glory of Christ. But Jesus has come to bring illumination so that people can see things as they truly are. This "light" represents spiritual illumination, revealing truth and dispelling the darkness of ignorance and sin. Although the world rejected Jesus, the darkness did not overcome his light. Though his enemies crucified him, he was actually glorified in his death on the cross and victorious in his resurrection, resulting in the provision of salvation for all people.
The Witness of John the Baptist (John 1:6-8, 15, 19-34)
John the Baptist is introduced as a pivotal figure, "a man sent from God" (John 1:6). He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him (John 1:7-8). John the Baptist was not himself the light, though many were confused about his identity. As foretold in the Old Testament, John came to testify about the light—the true light, the Son of God.
The Jewish leaders interrogated the Baptist about his teachings. This is a reasonable investigation, since those men are responsible for the spiritual well-being of the Jewish people. However, their motives are not pure. He clearly states that he is not the Messiah, just a man opening minds and hearts to receive the Chosen One (John 1:19-28). John confessed that he was the voice of one crying out in the wilderness that Isaiah had predicted—the one who would prepare the way of the Lord.
The next day, the moment finally came. John saw Jesus and announced, Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29). Behind this statement is the Old Testament practice of animal sacrifice in general and the Passover offering of a lamb in particular. God had commanded Israel to sacrifice a lamb so that he might rescue them from Pharaoh before instituting the sacrificial system to atone for their sins. But ultimately the blood of these animals couldn’t “take away sins”. It was a temporary measure that pointed to a permanent means of salvation. Only the sacrifice of Jesus could truly address the sin “of the whole world”. For unbelievers, the problem is not that their sin hasn’t been atoned for; the problem is that they are unwilling to receive the atonement that Jesus has already made. The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ removes the judicial barrier caused by sin so that all people are savable.
John the Baptist affirmed the superiority of Jesus. Though Jesus’s ministry came after John’s, he ranks ahead of John because he existed before him (John 1:15).
John's testimony is crucial because it authenticates Jesus' identity and prepares the way for His ministry. He identifies Jesus as the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), a powerful Messianic title.
How did John recognize Jesus as the Messiah? Divine revelation. Without that, he confessed, I didn’t know him (John 1:31). But the Lord revealed to John that when he saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, he could be certain that the one upon whom the Spirit rested was the one. Jesus is the Son of God who would baptize people with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33-34).
The Incarnation and Revelation of God (John 1:9-18)
John 1:14 presents the astounding reality of the Incarnation: "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." This verse testifies to the glory of the incarnation. Conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, the divine Son of God became a man. He is thus the God-Man—not half man and half God, but one person with a fully divine nature and a fully human nature. He is deity poured into humanity. He is fully human so he cried as an infant, but he is fully divine and gave life to his mother! He is fully human so he had to sleep, but he is fully divine and can raise the dead back to life. Our God fully experienced what it is to be human—yet without sinning. He faced hunger, pain, temptation, grief, hardship, and rejection. You face no category of human experience that your Savior has not endured.
We beheld his glory. An obvious example of this is when Peter, James, and John saw Jesus transfigured before their eyes. But according to John, Jesus was also glorified through his miracles and ultimately in his cross and resurrection.
The incarnation is not merely a change of address for the Word, but a profound act of divine condescension and self-revelation. Jesus, as the incarnate Word, makes God known in a way never before possible.
John concludes the prologue to his Gospel by explaining that no one has ever seen God. In our sinfulness, to see God in unfiltered glory and holiness would result in our obliteration. Even Moses saw only the backside of God’s glory. No one can see God’s face on this side of eternity and live. But the one and only Son who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him. In other words, the divine nature of the Father is fully expressed in the Son. Since Jesus is fully God, to know Jesus is to know God. As Jesus himself told his disciples, “The one who has seen me has seen the Father”. He has perfectly revealed him. The only way to God is through the Son.
The Calling of the First Disciples (John 1:35-51)
The final section of John 1 narrates the calling of Jesus' first disciples, showcasing how individuals come to recognize and follow Him.
On the following day, John pointed out Jesus to two of his own disciples and again identified him as the Lamb of God. So they followed Jesus. One of the two men was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He located his brother and told him that they had found the Messiah and brought Simon to Jesus.
A Christian’s testimony ought to accomplish what John the Baptist’s testimony did: pointing people to Jesus so that they want to follow him. Having encountered Jesus, Andrew wanted his brother to experience him too. When you understand who Jesus is, you’ll want others to know him.
Upon finding Philip, Jesus told him, Follow me. An invitation to follow Jesus is an invitation to become his disciple. As with Andrew and Peter, meeting Jesus had an effect on Philip. He immediately went out, found his friend Nathanael, and told him he’d met the Messiah, the one Moses wrote about. When you’re serious about Jesus, it doesn’t take long to become a witness for him.
Learning that Jesus was from Nazareth, Nathanael was appalled. Nazareth, a town in Galilee, had a poor reputation. Besides, the Messiah was supposed to hail from Bethlehem. In fact, Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, but he’d been raised in Nazareth.
When Jesus and Nathanael met—before Nathanael uttered a word—Jesus called him an Israelite in whom there is no deceit. Nathanael was stunned. He’d only just met the guy, so how could he know anything about him? Then Jesus told him where he’d been when Philip had found him. That was too much for Nathanael. He hailed Jesus as the Son of God . . . the King of Israel. Jesus responded to Nathanael by telling him that, because he believed, he’d see greater things than this. When we exercise faith in what God reveals to us, he will grant us an even greater experience of himself.
Jesus had displayed his omniscience, his supernatural knowledge of all things. Not only did he know about Nathanael’s character and where he was when Philip found him, but he also knew what Nathanael had been thinking about. Notice that Jesus told Nathanael that he, along with the other disciples, would see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. This statement is a reference to Jacob’s experience of dreaming about a stairway reaching from earth to heaven with angels “going up and down on it”. This Old Testament account is what Nathanael had been thinking about under the fig tree.
We should not miss the fact that Jesus replaced the image of a stairway in Jacob’s dream with “the Son of Man” (a reference to himself). Thus, Jesus Christ is the bridge between heaven and earth. He grants access to eternity. As he would tell his disciples later, “No one comes to the Father except through me”. Jesus also brings the supernatural into history for believers who exercise faith in his Word.
Each encounter reveals a different aspect of Jesus' identity and the transformative power of faith. Jesus gives Simon the name "Cephas" or "Peter," which makes more sense later. Nathanael initially doubts, but Jesus' supernatural knowledge convinces him to declare, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:49).
Seven Descriptive Names
Along the way, John describes Jesus using seven specific titles. These names outline both the purpose of Jesus' ministry, and His status as both God and Savior. The seven names of John chapter one are "the Word" (John 1:1–3, 14), "the Light" (John 1:4–13), "the Son of God" (John 1:15–18, 34, 49), "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29–34, 36), "the Messiah" (John 1:17, 19–28), "the King of Israel" (John 1:43–49), and "the Son of Man" (John 1:50–51). Each of these is meant to explain a particular aspect of who Jesus is, and the reason He was born on earth.
John 1 lays the foundation for understanding the Gospel's central message: Jesus Christ is the divine Word, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, and the King of Israel. He is the source of life and light, and through faith in Him, we can become children of God. As we delve deeper into John's Gospel, we will see how these themes are further developed and revealed through Jesus' ministry, miracles, and ultimately, His sacrificial death and resurrection.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
John 1 serves as a powerful prologue, introducing the central figure of the Gospel – Jesus Christ – and establishing the core themes that will be explored throughout the narrative. This chapter is strategically crafted to present Jesus not merely as a man, but as the divine Word, the eternal Son of God, and the promised Messiah. It also introduces John the Baptist, the divinely appointed forerunner, and chronicles the calling of Jesus' first disciples. Understanding John 1 is crucial for grasping the depth and breadth of John's theological presentation of Jesus.
The Eternal Word (John 1:1-5)
John begins his Gospel not with the birth of Jesus, but with His eternal existence. "In the beginning" echoes Genesis 1:1, immediately connecting Jesus to the very act of creation. The apostle John reaches back even further—into eternity. We are given access to the prequel, so to speak.
John 1:1 declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." This profound statement establishes several key truths. First, Jesus, identified as "the Word" (Greek: Logos), pre-existed all creation. Second, He was "with God," signifying a distinct personhood within the Godhead and an eternal, intimate father-son relationship with God the Father. Third, "the Word was God," unequivocally affirming Jesus' divine nature. The Father and Son are not two distinct gods. Rather, the Son shares the divine nature. Theologically speaking, the Father, Son, and Spirit are co-equal members of the Trinity. Our one God exists in three co-equal persons.
John 1:3 further emphasizes Jesus' role in creation: "All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." The Father made the world through the divine Word, his Son. This underscores Jesus' sovereignty and power as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Nothing in creation exists outside of the sovereign power of Jesus. Not one thing was made apart from him.
John 1:4-5 introduce the concept of life and light. "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Jesus gives life that provides light to men. Light is needed because darkness exists. Because of the temptation of Satan, humankind has fallen into the darkness of sin. He has blinded the minds of people to keep them from seeing the glory of Christ. But Jesus has come to bring illumination so that people can see things as they truly are. This "light" represents spiritual illumination, revealing truth and dispelling the darkness of ignorance and sin. Although the world rejected Jesus, the darkness did not overcome his light. Though his enemies crucified him, he was actually glorified in his death on the cross and victorious in his resurrection, resulting in the provision of salvation for all people.
The Witness of John the Baptist (John 1:6-8, 15, 19-34)
John the Baptist is introduced as a pivotal figure, "a man sent from God" (John 1:6). He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him (John 1:7-8). John the Baptist was not himself the light, though many were confused about his identity. As foretold in the Old Testament, John came to testify about the light—the true light, the Son of God.
The Jewish leaders interrogated the Baptist about his teachings. This is a reasonable investigation, since those men are responsible for the spiritual well-being of the Jewish people. However, their motives are not pure. He clearly states that he is not the Messiah, just a man opening minds and hearts to receive the Chosen One (John 1:19-28). John confessed that he was the voice of one crying out in the wilderness that Isaiah had predicted—the one who would prepare the way of the Lord.
The next day, the moment finally came. John saw Jesus and announced, Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29). Behind this statement is the Old Testament practice of animal sacrifice in general and the Passover offering of a lamb in particular. God had commanded Israel to sacrifice a lamb so that he might rescue them from Pharaoh before instituting the sacrificial system to atone for their sins. But ultimately the blood of these animals couldn’t “take away sins”. It was a temporary measure that pointed to a permanent means of salvation. Only the sacrifice of Jesus could truly address the sin “of the whole world”. For unbelievers, the problem is not that their sin hasn’t been atoned for; the problem is that they are unwilling to receive the atonement that Jesus has already made. The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ removes the judicial barrier caused by sin so that all people are savable.
John the Baptist affirmed the superiority of Jesus. Though Jesus’s ministry came after John’s, he ranks ahead of John because he existed before him (John 1:15).
John's testimony is crucial because it authenticates Jesus' identity and prepares the way for His ministry. He identifies Jesus as the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), a powerful Messianic title.
How did John recognize Jesus as the Messiah? Divine revelation. Without that, he confessed, I didn’t know him (John 1:31). But the Lord revealed to John that when he saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, he could be certain that the one upon whom the Spirit rested was the one. Jesus is the Son of God who would baptize people with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33-34).
The Incarnation and Revelation of God (John 1:9-18)
John 1:14 presents the astounding reality of the Incarnation: "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." This verse testifies to the glory of the incarnation. Conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, the divine Son of God became a man. He is thus the God-Man—not half man and half God, but one person with a fully divine nature and a fully human nature. He is deity poured into humanity. He is fully human so he cried as an infant, but he is fully divine and gave life to his mother! He is fully human so he had to sleep, but he is fully divine and can raise the dead back to life. Our God fully experienced what it is to be human—yet without sinning. He faced hunger, pain, temptation, grief, hardship, and rejection. You face no category of human experience that your Savior has not endured.
We beheld his glory. An obvious example of this is when Peter, James, and John saw Jesus transfigured before their eyes. But according to John, Jesus was also glorified through his miracles and ultimately in his cross and resurrection.
The incarnation is not merely a change of address for the Word, but a profound act of divine condescension and self-revelation. Jesus, as the incarnate Word, makes God known in a way never before possible.
John concludes the prologue to his Gospel by explaining that no one has ever seen God. In our sinfulness, to see God in unfiltered glory and holiness would result in our obliteration. Even Moses saw only the backside of God’s glory. No one can see God’s face on this side of eternity and live. But the one and only Son who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him. In other words, the divine nature of the Father is fully expressed in the Son. Since Jesus is fully God, to know Jesus is to know God. As Jesus himself told his disciples, “The one who has seen me has seen the Father”. He has perfectly revealed him. The only way to God is through the Son.
The Calling of the First Disciples (John 1:35-51)
The final section of John 1 narrates the calling of Jesus' first disciples, showcasing how individuals come to recognize and follow Him.
On the following day, John pointed out Jesus to two of his own disciples and again identified him as the Lamb of God. So they followed Jesus. One of the two men was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He located his brother and told him that they had found the Messiah and brought Simon to Jesus.
A Christian’s testimony ought to accomplish what John the Baptist’s testimony did: pointing people to Jesus so that they want to follow him. Having encountered Jesus, Andrew wanted his brother to experience him too. When you understand who Jesus is, you’ll want others to know him.
Upon finding Philip, Jesus told him, Follow me. An invitation to follow Jesus is an invitation to become his disciple. As with Andrew and Peter, meeting Jesus had an effect on Philip. He immediately went out, found his friend Nathanael, and told him he’d met the Messiah, the one Moses wrote about. When you’re serious about Jesus, it doesn’t take long to become a witness for him.
Learning that Jesus was from Nazareth, Nathanael was appalled. Nazareth, a town in Galilee, had a poor reputation. Besides, the Messiah was supposed to hail from Bethlehem. In fact, Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, but he’d been raised in Nazareth.
When Jesus and Nathanael met—before Nathanael uttered a word—Jesus called him an Israelite in whom there is no deceit. Nathanael was stunned. He’d only just met the guy, so how could he know anything about him? Then Jesus told him where he’d been when Philip had found him. That was too much for Nathanael. He hailed Jesus as the Son of God . . . the King of Israel. Jesus responded to Nathanael by telling him that, because he believed, he’d see greater things than this. When we exercise faith in what God reveals to us, he will grant us an even greater experience of himself.
Jesus had displayed his omniscience, his supernatural knowledge of all things. Not only did he know about Nathanael’s character and where he was when Philip found him, but he also knew what Nathanael had been thinking about. Notice that Jesus told Nathanael that he, along with the other disciples, would see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. This statement is a reference to Jacob’s experience of dreaming about a stairway reaching from earth to heaven with angels “going up and down on it”. This Old Testament account is what Nathanael had been thinking about under the fig tree.
We should not miss the fact that Jesus replaced the image of a stairway in Jacob’s dream with “the Son of Man” (a reference to himself). Thus, Jesus Christ is the bridge between heaven and earth. He grants access to eternity. As he would tell his disciples later, “No one comes to the Father except through me”. Jesus also brings the supernatural into history for believers who exercise faith in his Word.
Each encounter reveals a different aspect of Jesus' identity and the transformative power of faith. Jesus gives Simon the name "Cephas" or "Peter," which makes more sense later. Nathanael initially doubts, but Jesus' supernatural knowledge convinces him to declare, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:49).
Seven Descriptive Names
Along the way, John describes Jesus using seven specific titles. These names outline both the purpose of Jesus' ministry, and His status as both God and Savior. The seven names of John chapter one are "the Word" (John 1:1–3, 14), "the Light" (John 1:4–13), "the Son of God" (John 1:15–18, 34, 49), "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29–34, 36), "the Messiah" (John 1:17, 19–28), "the King of Israel" (John 1:43–49), and "the Son of Man" (John 1:50–51). Each of these is meant to explain a particular aspect of who Jesus is, and the reason He was born on earth.
John 1 lays the foundation for understanding the Gospel's central message: Jesus Christ is the divine Word, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, and the King of Israel. He is the source of life and light, and through faith in Him, we can become children of God. As we delve deeper into John's Gospel, we will see how these themes are further developed and revealed through Jesus' ministry, miracles, and ultimately, His sacrificial death and resurrection.