John 1:35-51 – Bible Study & Exploration
How the Disciples Came to Follow Jesus
(Verses 35-42) The first time John the Baptist announced Jesus as the “Lamb of God” in verse 29, it produced a different response as the one we see here in this passage. In verse 29, it was the official introduction of Jesus to the world as the Messiah. It began Jesus’ ministry that would traverse across the next three years.
In this passage, we see a much different reaction to John the Baptist’s second announcement of Jesus as the “Lamb of God.” In essence, the announcement was a calling by John telling his disciples, here is the one you should be following. Follow Him, the Messiah!
Andrew and John were the first to hear this calling. They each felt the power of the Holy Spirit in their hearts telling them to turn and follow Christ. There’s no recording of a debate. Neither one of them thought of asking questions first. Andrew and John just turned around and went to follow Christ.
The Holy Spirit works uniquely in our lives. Each experience is a deeply personal one between you and Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. This is clearly evident in the reaction of the first two disciples to turn and follow Jesus.
Come and See Jesus!
It’s important to understand that both John and Andrew were Galileans. They were part of a culture that understood Old Testament scriptures. The Tanakh was very important to them. So they clearly understood what John the Baptist meant when he proclaimed Jesus as the “Lamb of God” who takes away the sins of the world. This was not foreign to them.
These were not just disciples being called to follow Jesus. These were the first acts of evangelism that would soon spread throughout the region and eventually across the globe.
John the Baptist testified to who Jesus is. John and Andrew heard the words and believed. They both turned and began to follow Jesus.
Then in the first act of evangelism after John’s proclamation of Jesus, Andrew goes after his brother Simon Peter. He brings him to see Christ, then Simon becomes the third disciple to follow the Messiah. It only took Simon Peter to see and hear Jesus to become a follower.
This is a great example of how to evangelize people we meet. We testify to what Christ has done in our lives and through the power of the Holy Spirit, they will come to hear and believe.
Follow Me!
(Verses 43-50) When the God of all creation turns to you and says, “follow me,” you immediately drop everything and follow him. There is no convincing, showing of credentials, debate or conversation that takes place. Just ‘follow me!”
That’s all it took for Philip to follow Christ and become His fourth disciple. Philip’s excitement led him to find Nathaniel. But Nathaniel attempted to cast doubt on Philip’s revelation of the finding the Messiah.
Nathaniel’s denial rested in the fact that he couldn’t come to grips that anything good could come out of Nazareth. After all, the town was never mentioned once in the Old Testament, and it was best known for housing Roman soldiers.
Philip responded in the way all Christians are asked to bring people to Christ. Come and see!
In other words, hear my testimony of what Christ has done for me. Come to my church and see! Come to my Bible study and see! Look what it says here in my Bible about Jesus! We are to introduce people to Christ and pray that the Word falls on good fertile ground. The power of the Holy Spirit will then make it grow.
Jesus cast light onto the dark part of Nathaniel’s heart when he performed the small miracle of He could see Nathaniel alone under the fig tree. Then, Nathaniel believed.
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)
The New Temple
(Verse 51) Historical records indicate that the temple was located on the very spot where Jacob had dreamed of angels going up and down a stairway.
“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.” (Genesis 28:12)
What Jesus is implying in this verse about the “angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” is that Jesus Himself is the new temple.
This was a foreshadowing of the day after the Millennial Kingdom when there would no longer be a need for a temple. For when the new Jerusalem comes, God will dwell among us, we who are the children of God.
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)