The Gospel of John

• Eusebius quotes his teacher and mentor, Clement of Alexandria.

• He says that the Gospels containing the genealogies were written first and that the Gospel according to Mark was composed in the following circumstances:

• Peter having preached the word publicly at Rome, and by the Spirit proclaimed the Gospel, those who were present, who were numerous, entreated Mark, in as much as he had attended him from an early period, and remembered what had been said, to write down what had been spoken.

The Gospel of John

• On his composing the Gospel, he handed it to those who had made the request to him; which coming to Peter's knowledge, he neither hindered nor encouraged. But John, the last of all, seeing that what was corporeal was set forth in the Gospels, on the entreaty of his intimate friends, and inspired by the Spirit, composed a spiritual Gospel.

A famous Catholic mystic claimed this house to be Mary’s in Ephesus

Charred coal dates to the time of John

                                                                                                                        

The Gospel of John

• The Apostle John moved to Ephesus with Mary, the Mother of the Lord.

• This city eventually became his hub and where he returned from his exile on Patmos.

• The Gospel of John was very likely written in Ephesus as the Apostle received support from the congregation.

Introduction• The Date: The Early Date.• In support of an early date of authorship prior to

the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem is the fact that Jerusalem and its Pool of Bethesda are described in the present tense: Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. (John 5:2).

• The problem with this is that the Pool of Bethesda can still be seen in Jerusalem today, nearly 2000 years after the fall of Jerusalem and this same statement could be accurately made today.

The Gospel of John

• The Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D.• John writes a tremendous amount of detail

about Jerusalem and the Temple that someone would know first hand.

• Why?• John is probably pointing out that the faith

did not end with the destruction of earthly Zion. There is a heavenly and spiritual one – the prophecy in Ezekiel’s vision.

The Gospel of John

• Jesus was the prophet who announced its desolation.

• Prophets had announced its desolation some six hundred years earlier by the Babylonians.

• Many may have asked who the prophet was that announced it present desolation.

Date: Around 75–92 A.D.

• Needs to be after Temple destruction.• Needs to be while in established Ephesus

congregation.• Needs to be after the first Three Gospels

are widely known and distributed.• A defense against a newly conceived

heresy: Gnosticism.• Needs to be before exile to Patmos and

writing of Revelation (96 A.D.).

Seven Signs

We are meant to see these signs through the eyes of the disciples. They are said to be growing in their belief as they see the signs and we (The Church) are meant to grow with them.

2:1-11 4:46-54 5:1-18 6:1-14 6:16-21 9:1-41 11:1-44 20:1-28

Water to wine

Son healed

Lame man at pool

Feeding of 5,000

Walking on water

Blind man healed

Lazarus raised

Christ raised

Seven selected signs Supreme sign

The Ultimate Message of John• John 20:30-31 “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in

the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

• We often misinterpret this line to mean, “That you may come to faith”

• “ina pisteusate”, meaning “in order that you may definitely believe”, not “in order that you may come to believe”.

• John is not thinking that his readers are just unbelievers; this Gospel is meant to affirm and shore up what believers have already read in the other three Gospels.

• His message is meant to shore YOU and ME up in OUR Faith today!!

• This is why in our Liturgy today, The Church sings, “These things are written…”

Does John address early Gnositicism?

• GNOSTICISM.

• Material is bad.

• Enlightened knowledge saves.

• GOSPEL

• Divine knowledge without indebtedness or dependence upon the Messiah / Christ is useless.

Things to Look For…• John shows Jesus saying He is GOD• John quotes Jesus’ teaching with the words, “I SAY”. This is

huge because if a Rabbi wanted to prove his teaching, he would usually say, “Rabbi so-and-so says from Rabbi-so-and-so”…Jesus quotes HIMSELF as the authority!

• Jesus clarifies and even OVERRULES OT Law – only God can do that!

• Jesus presents Himself as the “self-revelation” of God (He who has seen me HAS SEEN THE FATHER)

• Jesus says “I AM” – a direct reference to Daniel 7 and Psalm 110 – the Son of Man and a play on Yahweh

• John parallels Jesus with fulfilling the Biblical Feasts• Jesus’ healings juxtaposed to the OT plagues of the Exodus

(Water to Blood / Water to Wine; Death of First Born / Raising of First Born, Lazarus)

• John omits the Last Supper, where the other three include it. This tells us that John had nothing more to add – the Gospels stood on their own.

Chapter One Recap• John’s introduction is unique. He does not

begin with the ministry of Jesus or with His birth or even with His genealogy. He takes us instead all the way back to the creation.

• These first 18 verses of Chapter One form a prologue. This prologue is possibly the most important part of John’s book, for it reveals John’s purpose in writing the Gospel.

• Attacks Gnosticism head on. We’d heard the birth narratives – now John hones in on the ‘big picture’ – what does it all mean that God came to earth? What are the implications?

Chapter One Recap• The Gnostic Gospels were all written much later

than the Four Gospels and can be easily disproven. They attempt to show Jesus as an esoteric philosopher.

• This stuff is really popular today, because our world wants us to ‘discover who we REALLY are’ (i.e. Oprah), and the Gnostic Jesus talks that way.

• But Jesus didn’t come to earth to help me ‘discover who I really am’. He came to TELL me who He knew I ALREADY was – and came to do something about it!!

• That’s what John is getting at in his Gospel.

Chapter One Recap• Here’s what the Prologue looks like:

• John 1:1-5 - The Word in Eternity and among Men

• John 1:6-13 - The Word in History and among the Jews

• John 1:14-18 - The Word in History and among Believers

• Out of creation, man is chosen. Out of mankind, the Jews are chosen. Out of the Jews, believers are chosen.

Gnostic warning???

• NIV 1 John 4:3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

• Acnowledge = OMOLOGEO • Indebted acknowledgement.• Head knowledge alone doesn’t save.

Apostolic Rule on Bearing the Name of Christ in Vain

• NIV 1 Corinthians 5:10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

John, chapter 1

• NIV John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

John, chapter 1

• NIV Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

John, chapter 1

• The Word reveals God mighty working for us.

• Jesus is the Word.

• Jesus reveals God’s mighty working for us to give us true life.

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• The Word.

• The greater spiritual reality of God’s revelation is Jesus.

• Christ created all things material (against Gnosticism).

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• Life.

• All life came and comes from Christ.• We are living but not living.• In Christ is true living.

• NIV Genesis 2:17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

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• 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

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• Light.

• NIV Genesis 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

• Christ is light. He allows us to PERCEIVE and ACKNOWLEGE the true Lord.

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• 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.

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• John’s ministry was to prepare people to be able to PERCEIVE and ACKNOWLEDGE the Lord in their own personal lives.

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• 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

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• 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

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• The WORD.

• Present reality – faithful preaching.

• Greater reality – Jesus.

• In fact, both realities are one and the same.

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• The LORD

• Earthly reality – Humble Galilean.

• Spiritual reality – The GREAT “I AM”

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• 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

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• NIV Isaiah 53:2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

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• 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

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• Children.

A heartfelt relationship both ways.

Not just “knowing of” God but “familiar”

with as one’s Father.

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• Against Gnosticism.

– One’s own enlightenment does not save (syncretism).

– Revelation is the work of God alone.– A heartfelt relationship exists.

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• 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 is packed with detail

• Flesh – Not just a body (soma), but fallen flesh (sarks). Again, this is against Gnosticism.

• Dwelt – Tabernacled (skae-as-en). A temporary dwelling looking forward to a more permanent one.

• The Mono-ge(n)-nous. This is a unique word devised solely for this Gospel. “The only one coming forth from the substance of the Father.”

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• Grace. A special revelation of God’s love.

• Truth. Honest with pure motives.

• Jesus inspires us with joy for the Lord’s presence and will.

• Again, we see an attack against Gnosticism.

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• NIV 2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

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• 15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'"

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• The present reality of Jesus is humble.

• The eternal reality of Jesus is the He is the Lord.

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• 16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

John, chapter 1

• The LAW reveals sin and would lead us to dread it.

• The GOSPEL reveals the work of restoration and delight to be in the Lord’s presence again.

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• NIV John 1:19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."

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• The Christ = The Anointed One

• John is not the fulfillment to all the prophecies of the divine Messiah who would save His people.

• The Jerusalem Jews may not have considered John to be the Christ, but may have been trying to ascertain who John thought he was.

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• 21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No."

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• ELIJAH?

• NIV Matthew 11:14 [Jesus said] And if you are willing to accept it, [John] is the Elijah who was to come.

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• NIV Malachi 4:5 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.“

John, chapter 1

• The last verses of the Old Covenant speak of return to the zealous faith of the renown patriarchs of old.

• We are not talking about the physical return of Elijah but the nature of his ministry.

The Spirit of Elijah

• NIV 2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?" "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied.

• NIV 2 Kings 2:15 The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijahspirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha." And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

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• What is the spirit of Elijah?

• Preaching faithfully for a great revival and reformation.

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• The other prophecy…• NIV Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD your

God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.

• NIV Acts 3:22 For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.

John, chapter 1

• Who is THE PROPHET that Moses is speaking about? What prophet was like Moses to deliver a whole nation with such great signs?

• Jesus changes water’s form, reveals God’s glory, feeds the masses, gives living water, etc. etc. etc.

• NIV John 1:45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

Jesus is the Promised Prophet of Moses

• NIV John 6:14 After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."

• NIV John 7:40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet."

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• 22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

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• 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"

Place not ready to receive a king should be made ready

• NIV Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

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• 24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

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• To the Pharisees, John’s baptism seemed to be a new addition to the laws of ceremonial washing. He would need divine authority and revelation to do so. They recognized that the Christ, the new Elijah, or the promised Prophet might have authority and revelation to do so.

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• 26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

• John states his work is preparatory for the Christ.

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• 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Bethany beyond Jordan

• The Baptism Site (Arabic: el-Maghtas) on the Jordan side of the Jordan River is one of the most important recent discoveries in biblical archaeology. Excavations only began here in 1996, following Jordan's peace treaty with Israel in 1994, but have already uncovered more than 20 churches, caves and baptismal pools dating from the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Bethany beyond Jordan

• Although the identification is not absolutely certain, archaeology has shown that the area known as Wadi Kharrar has long been believed to be the biblical Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, where John the Baptist lived and Jesus was baptized.

Bethany beyond Jordan

• This area is also associated with the ascension of the Prophet Elijah into heaven, which is commemorated at a hill called Tell Mar Elias.

Bethany beyond Jordan

• Note: This Bethany should not be confused with Bethany in Jerusalem, where Mary Magdalene lived and Lazarus was raised from the dead.

Bethany beyond Jordan

• Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." ... Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. ... As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!" And Elisha saw him no more. (2 Kings 2:6-12)

Bethany beyond Jordan

• The first historical mention of this site is in the writings of the anonymous Pilgrim of Bordeaux in 333 AD, which say Jesus was baptized five Roman miles (7400m) north of the Dead Sea, which is where Wadi Kharrar enters the Jordan River.

Bethany beyond Jordan

• The pilgrim Theodosius was the first to mention a church at the Jordan River, which was built at the end of the 5th century by the Emperor Anastasius (491-518) to commemorate St John the Baptist. Built on arcades and square in shape, the church had a marble column with an iron cross marking the spot where the people then thought that Jesus had been baptized.

Bethany beyond Jordan

• The 7th-century pilgrim Arculf mentioned seeing the ruins of the church at this spot on the east bank, a wooden cross in the river, and steps leading into the water from the west bank. Another nearby chapel was said to have marked the spot where Jesus' clothes were kept while he was being baptized.

Bethany beyond Jordan

• Using some pre-1948 studies and the early pilgrim accounts as their guide, archaeologists quickly uncovered an astonishing 21 ancient sites. These include five baptismal pools (shallow pools lined with plaster) from the Roman and Byzantine periods; a Byzantine monastery; 11 Byzantine churches (many with mosaics and Greek inscriptions); caves of monks and hermits; and lodgings for pilgrims.

Jungle of the Jordan

View from Elijah’s Hill

John, chapter 1

• NIV John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

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• This would have sounded so amazingly strange to John’s hearers.

• Would this man be a sacrifice for the sins of the people???

• NIV Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

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• 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.‘

• John is claiming the Lord is Jesus.

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• 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

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• 32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.

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• 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'

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• In Luke’s Gospel, John is conceived and born to prepare people for his younger, distant cousin Jesus. His parents knew this. Did they share this with John?

• If they did, John never took this for granted when• an angel, if not the Lord, told him that the

Messiah and Lamb of Isaiah ch.’s 52 and 53 is the One whom a dove would descend upon.

• The sign clearly affirms that Jesus is the Messiah.

John, chapter 1

• Why a dove?

• Noah had to release a bird that would not land on death and return to him until life appeared.

• The form of dove testifies that Jesus is life in this world.

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• 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.“

• The title “THE Son of God” shows that Jesus reveals the Godhead and Father.

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• NIV John 1:35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

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• 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

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• 39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

• It was 4:00 PM. They left their comfort and shelter for a place unknown.

John, chapter 1

• 40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ).

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• 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

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• Reflect on those who received name changes in the Bible.

• Abram. Sarai. Jacob. Saul.

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• NIV John 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.

Bethsaida (the House of Fishing) of Galilee

• Philip, Andrew, and Peter came from this town (John 1:44; John 12:21). The warm water from copious springs runs into a little bay of the sea in which fishes congregate in great numbers. This has therefore always been a favorite haunt of fishermen. If Capernaum were at Khān Minyeh, then the two lay close together. The names of many ancient places have been lost, and others have strayed from their original localities. The absence of any name resembling Bethsaida need not concern us. Bethsaida was the birth place of Saint Peter.

OR Bethsaida is where Peter and Andrew were born and grew up, later moving to Capernaum. The text supports the fact that Jesus crossed

into a new region where Bethsaida was.

Capernaum - Peter’s House

Capernaum House

John, chapter 1

• 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

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• 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.

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• 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

John, chapter 1

• NIV Psalm 139:2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

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• 49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Fig Tree Reference

• This is the equivalent of sitting on one’s porch after a long day’s labor.

• NIV 1 Kings 4:25 During Solomon's lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree. NIV 2 Kings 18:31 "Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,

Fig Tree Reference

• NIV Isaiah 36:16 "Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,

• NIV Micah 4:4 Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken.

Fig Tree Reference

• NIV Zechariah 3:10 "'In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,' declares the LORD Almighty.“

• Nathanael included the Lord in his own reflections (prayer). Jesus is the Lord whom Nathanel included.

How does mention of Nathanael battle Gnosticism?

• Gnosticism believed in mystical enlightenment and knowledge that made one spiritual without devotion to God.

• Mere enlightenment is not enough.

• Knowledge of God delights to include him with oneself in thought and life.

John, chapter 1

• 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.“

• A greater revelation awaits than the present one.

Jesus Calls Phillip and Nathanael• "Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see the heavens

opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (John 1:50-51).

Jacob“He grasps the heel / usurper”

Nathanael“the gift of God”

His very name indicated his tendency to deception and falsehood

He was a son of Jacob in whom was no deception or falsehood

He had a vision He will have a vision

His vision was of angels ascending and descending

His vision will also be of angels ascending and descending

The angels were ascending and descending on a ladder

The angels will be seen ascending and descending on the Son of Man

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• The reference is two-fold.

• NIV Daniel 7:13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

• Jesus is the Lord in the flesh.

The second meaning

• NIV Genesis 28:12 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. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.

Is Jesus the Lord or the ladder to heaven?

The answer: Yes.

After Jacob’s vision

• God did great things for Jacob in the promises given him.

• There is writing. And there is great writing.

• The Gospel of John is complex, inter-woven writing.

Jacob and Nathanael

Jacob has glorious visionof Ladder.

Nathanael will have glorious vision.

Jacob wrestles with the Lord for blessing.

Nathanael wrestles with theLord for blessing in prayer?

The Word with God (1:1-2)  

  His role in creation (1:3)  

  Gift to men - light and life (1:4-5)  

  Witness of John the Baptist (1:6-8)

 

  The coming of the Word into the world (1:9-11)

 

  By the Word, we can become the children of God (1:12-13)

  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (1:14)

 

  Witness of John the Baptist (1:15)

 

  Gift to men - His fullness (1:16).  

  His role in bringing grace and truth (1:17)  

The Son with the Father (1:18).  

Prologue “Chiasm”

Jesus and The “Chiasm Call”John testifies that Jesus is the Son of God (1:19-34).

John invites disciples to behold the Lamb of God (1:35-36).

Jesus invites disciples to come and see (1:37-39).

Andrew finds Peter and brings him to Jesus (1:40-42a).

The Word TRANSFORMS Peter’s life -- Cephas (1:42b).

Jesus finds Philip and commands him to follow (1:43).

Philip finds Nathanael and invites him to come and see (1:44-46).

Jesus invites the disciples to behold a true Israelite (1:47).

Nathanael testifies that Jesus is the Son of God (1:48-51).