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Bible Studies For Life

Share Jesus Session 5 2 JUL 17

JOHN 1:35 Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs wrote in his Studying Adult Life and Work Lessons, January-March 1985, page 6 “John recorded material not found in the other Gospels. John's Gospel was written years after the others. Therefore, it supplements their accounts. It parallels them only in John 6:1-21 and beginning with Jesus' final visit to Jerusalem. Even in the parallels John supplies details not found in the others. Thus we cannot overestimate the value of the Fourth Gospel.” Dr. Hobbs, page 6 “Beginning in verse 19 the author notes a series of events on succeeding days (see vv. 29,35,43). The "next day after" was the second, following John's answer to a committee from the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem (vv. 19-27). Later (v. 40) one of these two disciples of John was identified as Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. This reflects Peter's prominence in the early Christian movement.”

JOHN 1:36 Dr. Hobbs, page 7 “Beginning in verse 19 the author notes a series of events on succeeding days (see vv. 29, 35, 43). The "next day after" was the second, following John's answer to a committee from the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem (vv. 19-27). Later (v. 40) one of these two disciples of John was identified as Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. This reflects Peter's prominence in the early Christian movement.”

JOHN 1:37 Dr. Hobbs, page 7 “They did not simply forsake John. At his own word they found a greater allegiance. In doing so they paid John the highest possible compliment. It showed how well he had done his job. He had been sent of God to prepare the highway to the Lord. Now two of his own disciples were following Jesus”

JOHN 1:38 Jesus saw that these disciples followed so he asked them why they did so. This is a valid question for any person who walks the aisle.

JOHN 1:39 It is often John's desire to communicate multiple truths by a single statement in his Gospel. "Come and see" may be intended to communicate theological truth which lies beneath the surface of the literal nature of the statement. If one will come to Jesus, then he will see who He really is. "The tenth hour" is either 10:00 a.m. or 4:00 p.m., depending on the method of reckoning time John was using. A 10:00 a.m. time would be consistent with official Roman timekeeping. Jesus always made it clear throughout his ministry that following him was more than cosmetic. (Mat 10:37-38 RSV) "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; {38} and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." To not be “worthy of me” means to remain being lost. While the Gospels do not make this real clear in their early chapters, it would be false to say Jesus held out a lesser message of commitment to them and more to the lost later. There is so much detail that no author includes. They basically just give the results.

JOHN 1:40-42 John tells of the salvation of Andrew and Peter which happens before Matthew 4. Andrew became convinced that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews were looking forward to be their savior. "Messiah" (Hebrew) is a significant title of Jesus. In Greek it is translated "Christ." Both words mean "Anointed One." In the Old Testament three categories of persons were anointed as they were set aside to God's particular use: (1) the prophet, (2) the priest, and (3) the king. Jesus is the fulfillment of all three of these offices (cf. 4:25). However, it was not until after the resurrection of Jesus that he and the rest (except for Judas who understood before the Cross) that Jesus was not the expected political-military Messiah. After Andrew became saved he made a search for his own brother. He gave him a witness of his personal experience. Then he showed him where he could talk to Jesus. Dr. Hobbs in his book An Exposition of the Gospel of John, Baker Book House, 1968 wrote page 52 “"And he brought him to Jesus" (v. 42). Robertson suggests that this means that Andrew had to overcome some resistance on Simon's part. If so, he persisted unto the completion of his purpose. Perhaps, using the words of Jesus, he insisted, "Come, and you shall see." Dobbs suggests that since it was late at night this may have occurred on the following day. But the aorist tense of "brought" suggests an immediate action (cf. also v. 43). He had no rest himself, neither did he allow any to his brother, until he had brought him to Jesus. Would that all Christian witnesses were as persistent!

So based upon Andrew's experience Simon also came to Jesus. It is ever thusly. One leads another. And Simon came to have this experience for himself. While not stated, it is certainly implied in the following words and in subsequent history.

Looking back at Andrew certain things are apparent. He made a great discovery. He found the Christ. His discovery generated in his heart a great enthusiasm. He first findeth his own brother. He rendered a great service. He brought him to Jesus. This service was rendered to one close to him. It was the result of his own spiritual experience which he shared. Andrew was not as talented or as prominent as his brother. But when the Lord gives out the victors' crowns, Andrew along with Peter will receive a crown. His crown will contain as many jewels as that of Peter, plus one. For, you see, he brought Peter to Jesus. Andrew's is the perfect example of a one-talented man who dedicated his talent to Jesus. And from Jesus he has heard the "well done."”

JOHN 1:43-44 Certainly the case of Philip shows that we have only the bottom line. Jesus said “follow me” and he did. We know nothing else.

JOHN 1:45 Whatever happens to lead Philip to follow Jesus, he wanted his brother Nathanael to so as well. Does what he said to Nathanael give us any clues on why he followed Jesus. Philip knew his Old Testament and had a better understanding of what he said than even the scribes. He said it spoke directly about Jesus. Just reading Moses does not make this pop out if you don’t know the New Testament. This is a significant statement. And even as impressive as that is, he includes all the “prophets” in his understanding. Then Philip declares to his brother that person is “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Note he doesn’t call Jesus as “the Son of God” at this point. It would take the apostles three years to really learn that. Going in, all of them to a man thought Jesus was the Jewish dream of a political-military Messiah who would have them defeat the Romans and all other physically and became the physical dictators of the world.

JOHN 1:46 Nathanael reply showed local bias by saying, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" The general opinion was (John 7:52 RSV) "They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee."" A. T. Robinson in his Word Pictures of the New Testament wrote “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? (Ek Nazaret dunatai ti agathon einai;). Literally, "Out of Nazareth can anything good be." There is a tinge of scorn in the question as if Nazareth (note position at beginning of sentence) had a bad name. Town rivalry may account to some extent for it since Cana (home of Nathanael) was near Nazareth. Clearly he had never heard of Jesus. The best thing in all the world came out of Nazareth, but Philip does not argue the point. A saying had arisen that no prophet comes out of Galilee (Joh 7:52), untrue like many such sayings. Come and see (erchou kai ide). Present middle imperative (come on) and second active imperative (and see at once). Philip followed the method of Jesus with Andrew and John (verse Joh 1:39), probably without knowing it. Wise is the one who knows how to deal with the skeptic.”

JOHN 1:47 “Guile” in the Greek is 1388. dolos, dol'-os; from an obs. prim. dello (prob. mean. to decoy; comp. G1185); a trick (bait), i.e. (fig.) wile:--craft, deceit, guile, subtilty. Thus, Nathanael was an honest man!

JOHN 1:48 Having never seen Jesus before, he wanted to know how Jesus would say such a thing. Jesus said he had seen him sitting under a fig tree. But this does not mean he had not heard about Jesus nor does it mean he didn’t know the message of John the Baptist. This is another case where the Bible leaves out a lot of facts. Dr. Hobbs speculated that maybe Nathanael had just heard John the Baptist, who was preaching a clearer message since he baptized Jesus. (John 1:34 RSV) "And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."" Perhaps he was under the tree meditating on all of this.

JOHN 1:49 What a leap it seems from that to “"Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" To say that Jesus was the Son of God was to call him divine. That is the very thing that allowed the temple leaders to sentence Jesus to death for blasphemy. The Greek shows “you” is emphatic, meaning you and no one else are the Son of God. Dr. Hobbs wrote on page 13 of his Studying Adult Life and Work Lessons “A personal encounter with Jesus drove out both his skepticism and doubt. It is ever so.” Dr. Hobbs got a little carried away. There are numerous examples in the Bible where this was not the case, such as with the rich young ruler. We just don’t have all the facts to make a definite statement about what was in the mind of.

JOHN 1:50-51 Dr. Hobbs, page 13 “Jesus replied that if this experience had led Nathanael to believe in him, even greater things awaited him.” A. T. Robinson commented “The words remind one of what took place at the baptism of Jesus (Mt 3:16; Lu 3:21), but the immediate reference is to the opened heaven as the symbol of free intercourse between God and man (Isa 64:1) and as it was later illustrated in the death of Stephen (Ac 7:56).” Whatever the methods of believing that Jesus is the divine Son Person of the Trinity, all must “follow me.”

MATT 4:17 We should include the basic message both John the Baptist and Jesus preached. Every person Jesus called was called first to accept and do this message. Dr. Hobbs wrote in his Studying Adult Life and Work Lessons, July-September 1969, page 8 “"Repent" is an imperative form of the verb meaning to change one's mind, attitude, heart. It involves a complete change in one's direction of life. One traveling from God turns toward God. One repents from sin and then exercises faith toward God in Christ.” Therefore Jesus’ meaning was always (Acts 20:21 RSV) "testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance to God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." Thus when Jesus called Peter and Andrew he did or had already called them to repent before he called them to be an apostle. It is unthinkable that Jesus would have accepted lost men to be leaders and evangelists and teachers for his Church. Dr. Hobbs, page 9 “The point to note here is that Jesus calls to repentance and faith before he calls to service. This thought is suggested by the flow of ideas in Matthew 4:17-18 if. One cannot be a pupil until he has enrolled. One cannot be a disciple of Jesus in any sense until he has repented and believed in him as Saviour. So Jesus' first call to discipleship involves becoming a Christian. And this experience suggests a continuing relationship and experience.” We must recognize that the scriptures do not give all the words, actions, and calls of Jesus. (John 21:25 RSV) "But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."

MATT 4:18 Dr. Hobbs, page 9 “Luke tells that shortly after Jesus returned to Galilee he established his base of operations in Capemaum, a city on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee (4:16-31). Shortly thereafter he called four fishermen to leave their trade to follow him as full-time companions in service. They had received him as Saviour at least a year before this time (cf. John 1:35 ff.). Two of them are mentioned by name. The other two are implied. In all likelihood these men had been with Jesus on his first journey to Jerusalem. But they had returned to their trade. Now Jesus called them to a new relationship.” The first two apostles were Peter and John. An apostle is a person personally called by Jesus. The pre-church did (Acts 1:26 RSV) "And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles." But he was not a real apostle. Paul (Saul) was the real and only replacement apostle in the place of Judas (who was a saved person). Dr. Hobbs, page 9 "Brother" (adelphos) means out of the same womb. So Peter and Andrew had the same mother. Their father's name was Jona or John (John 1:42). In modern language these brothers would be known as Simon and Andrew Johnson. "Simon called Peter." His given name was Simon. But Jesus had said that he would be known as Peter (Greek - Petros), which means a small stone broken off of a large ledge rock (petra, cf. Matt. 16:18.” In John 1:42 it is Cephas (Greek - Kēphas). The Aramaic Cêphâs (rock) is only applied to Simon in John except by Paul.

MATT 4:19-20 The call to service is the call to follow the leadership of Jesus. That is true for every single Christian, not just the apostles. “Follow” is emphatic. It is not an option. (Luke 14:26-27 RSV) ""If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. {27} Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple." The commitment must be genuine and total. (Luke 14:33 RSV) "So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." Dr. Hobbs, page 10-11 “From fishers after fish Jesus called them to be fishers of men. Mark 1:17 says, "I will make you to become fishers of men." Note the words "to become." They were to become something that they had not been previously. Andrew had caught his brother. But he had not made fishing for men his calling. Jesus called both brothers to change their vocations. He calls others to serve him within their vocations. A Christian may pay expenses in some other work, but his primary business is to serve Jesus. These fishers after fish were to become fishers after men. The skill which they used on the Sea of Galilee they were to devote to their call to discipleship. A fisherman must know where the fish are, go where they are, and then be able to cast his net effectively. The same things apply to a fisher of men. There is no skill used in a legitimate business effort which may not be used in serving the Lord! The aorist tenses of the verbs (point action) show that they did so without hesitation. This truth is emphasized by the word "straightway" or "immediately." A call to discipleship is a call to action. The Lord's business should take priority over everything else. Even as one discharges his daily duties he should give evidence that he is Jesus' disciple.”

Current events had disturbed them. They still do not comprehend fully the nature of the King and Kingdom. But they knew Him as one to follow. They started on their steep learning curve to come to the fact that Jesus was divine and He was a Suffering Servant Messiah. Whatever problems came to their minds, they kept on following Jesus. That is an example for us.

Only by being saved and being a growing follower, will we be the best witnesses for sharing Jesus as we can. Matt 28:19.

Marvin Ganote, Hobbs Study Class, Adult Teacher. ganotemd@outlook.com Home Page: http://dma1.org/~ganotemd/lesson.htm