Bible Study Notes – Gospel of John 1:43-50 and 2:1-12

We continue our study of the Gospel of John, “Encountering Jesus.”  The great apostle of love writes this gospel to share the human side of Almighty God whom Jesus personifies during His earthly journey.  In Jesus, we glimpse the essence of God’s unconditional love.  Jesus declares the “Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us.”  In Jesus, God identifies directly with our daily challenges.  As we study John, we will focus upon Jesus’ teachings and the life changing encounters of the people who meet him.

Consider the following ideas and questions as you study the passage:

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael – John 1:43-50

• Jesus leaves Galilee and finds Philip. Jesus’ call to Philip is very direct, simple and straightforward.  “Follow me.”
• “Fellow me” actually means be my disciple which practically means spend your life learning my teachings and modeling your life after my example.
• The forty-fourth verse discloses the close familial and geographical relationships amongst the disciples.  Peter, Andrew and Philip were from the town of Bethsaida. 
• Philip then finds Nathanael and declares we have found the Messiah, the One about whom Moses wrote in the Law and the prophets.  For thousands of years, these people expected a Messiah in the form of King David.  For generations, these people had ulterior motives about the coming of the Messiah, his identity and mission and purpose. 
• The miraculous powers of Jesus potentially foreshadow divine sanction of a forthcoming monumental military conflict with Rome.  Certainly, Jesus is the ideal person to lead this conflict as he will invoke his miraculous powers if the Roman army proves too difficult.  Finally, Israel will overthrow her Gentile oppressors and regain the glorious days of David and Solomon.  Consider Acts 1:6-11.
• Philip specifically identifies “Jesus of Nazareth – the son of Joseph.”  Nathanael rebuffs Philip’s declaration as he reasons nothing or no one worthwhile originates in Nazareth.
• Many disciples can relate to Nathanael’s question as they were told that even Almighty God could not do anything meaningful with someone who hails from their humble origins.  Consider the lives of Bill Clinton, Ben Carson, Quincy Jones, Abraham Lincoln, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, John H. Johnson, and Mary McLeod Bethune.
• Philip simply replies, “Come and see.”  As we introduce people to Jesus, we first tell our personal story of encountering Him and how transformative it is to know Him.  Then, we encourage people to establish their own personal relationship with Jesus.
• Upon encountering Nathanael, Jesus characterizes him as a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit.  Being in the presence of Jesus who personifies divine light and holiness starkly reveals the darkness of a person’s character.  His brilliancy of character forces a person to change.
• Nathanael desires to know how Jesus knows him.  Jesus observes Nathanael from a distance thereby symbolizing His willingness to see the potential within us rather than the defects of our character.
• Nathanael responds with a confession of faith.  “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”  Each disciple makes a similar confession of faith.  Interestingly, Nathanael uses the title for Teacher first.
• Jesus encourages Nathanael to resist the temptation of basing his belief on a miracle.  Its memory will fade in time.  Then, it is easy to question its authenticity.  Doubts arise.  Cynicism emerges.  Faith decreases.  Instead, disciples are to be open to greater works of God and relying genuinely upon the Word of God.

Jesus Changes Water into Wine – John 2:1-12

• John records a story in which Jesus attends a local wedding in his home region of Galilee in a village or area called Cana.  Chances are He knew the bride and groom and their families.  Since his mother was in attendance, Jesus’ family probably knew these two families.  Additionally, the disciples were all in attendance.  As they hail from the same place, the disciples knew these families too.  This wedding of an unnamed bride and groom was a gathering of extended families and friends.
• When the wine runs out, Jesus’ mother approaches Him to perform a miracle.  This brief conversation equates with a prayer request.  The lack of wine symbolizes a deep human need.  Mary appeals to a power greater than any human being.  She does so with complete expectation of divine grace and benevolence.  You will recall Mary treasures in her heart all of the possibilities for Jesus’ life and ministry (Luke 2:19).
• Jesus’ question to Mary alludes to divine timing in answering prayer.  God operates in kairos, the perfect eternal present in which He mysteriously and majestically orchestrates daily minutia to fulfill His sovereign purposes.  For us, often God appears to delay or forget because He does not work quickly within chronos, the period of human history and present. 
• “My time has not yet come” also means Jesus’ earthly ministry has not been inaugurated officially in accordance with the Father’s grand plan of salvation.
• In response to Jesus’ inquiry, Mary instructs the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them.  Her practical direction teaches us the importance of acting upon divine revelations that emerge in prayer and meditation.
• There are six jars sitting adjacent to Jesus.  Six symbolizes human work.  In this miracle, John uses these symbols to demonstrate the limitations of human effort.  The host and hostess offer the best wine and wedding reception of which they are capable financially.  Yet, the wine runs out.  As a consequence, they need divine help. 
• Note also that the jars resembled the kinds used for ceremonial washing.  Again, this represents the fallacy of human attempts to achieve righteous in the presence of Almighty God.
• Nonetheless, Jesus tells the servants to fill the jars with water.  They do so by filling them to the brim.  They are then told to take some of it out and share it with the master of the banquet.  Flabbergasted, he asks why the best wine was saved for the end of the banquet instead of the beginning.  Ordinarily, the host serves the best wine at first and the worst wine at the end.  Then, the guests are so drunk that they cannot tell the difference.
• This exchange reveals Jesus’ power to satisfy any human thirst.  The wine of the gospel exceeds the water of the Law.
• The miracle of turning water into wine was the first sign in which Jesus displays His glory to His disciples.
• Again, this miracle demonstrates the enduring power of the gospel and Almighty God’s covenantal love with humankind.  Anyone who drinks water will be thirsty again.  Despite the vast oceans of the water, it appears we have a limited supply of clean water for drinking.  As water is essential to life, this limited supply threatens the lives of millions of people each day.  The people of biblical times lived with similar daily challenges. 
• John uses this natural image to demonstrate the limited value of worldly philosophy and offerings.
• Psalm 100 offers the divine assurance that God’s faithfulness and truth extends to all generations.  His covenant with Abraham which Genesis 12 records extends to any believers in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:29).  John uses wine imagery to remind his readers of God’s enduring covenant with humankind.  This eternal promise greatly exceeds any human promise.
• Additionally, John uses the scene of this wedding to foreshadow the wedding between Christ and the Church to which all disciples are invited as a consequence of their genuine faith in Him.