We will be spending each day in the month of July reading a portion of the book of John. Read the scripture text for the day and then share a comment about it in the comments section. We look forward to interacting with one another as we allow the Word of God to speak to us.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which ||taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 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. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 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? 39 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. 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42 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.
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 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. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 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. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50 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. 51 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.
I never seen this before until today’s reading. In verse 31 John says “I did not recognize him as the Messiah.” It wasn’t until Jesus was baptized and the Spirit of God descended upon Him. Verse 32 “Then John testified, I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him.” Verse 33 “I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” Verse 34 “I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.” It is the Spirit that gives revelation. From there John was able to declare Jesus as the Lamb of God.
If Jesus was able to see Nathaniel under a tree then he was more than able to know the words that Nathaniel spoke regarding him. Yet, he dealt with Nathaniel not out of retaliation but out of a place of wanting to give him an opportunity to have life.
I love when Jesus met Simon and changed his name. It reminded me when we repent, and are baptized and filled with the holy ghost, we are cleansed and made new. (When we follow him and have the personal relationship) We belong to him,therefore we take on his name. Thank you, Jesus!
The comment was made, “can anything good come out to Nazareth”. No one expected the Messiah to come out of an area where nothing good happened but Jesus proved that it doesn’t matter what state, good or bad, an area is Jesus is in the midst of it!
We again see the humility of John the Baptist as he is telling his disciples in Verses 35-37 just that Jesus is the one they should be following after by telling them that Kesus is the “lamb of God”
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
I believe that John the Baptist knew that by telling them this along with all the things he said previously in this chapter that it would cause them to follow after Jesus rather than staying with him.
How great it must be walk with Jesus in flesh as the disciples did. Hey we do walk in flesh. Our faith keeps us close to Him. So thankful to be allowed to walk each day in hope knowing He is with us! Faith is strengthened in our neediness and recognition what He does for us so thankful to be able to walk thru this life with Jesus