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.
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