same is he which baptizeth" with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 35 Again, the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! a Ac.1.5.2.4. 33, 34. The same said, &c. This was the sign by which he was to know the Messiah. He was to see the Spirit descending like a dove, and abiding on him. It does not follow, however, that he had no intimation before this that Jesus was the Christ, but by this he should infallibly know it. From Mat. iii. 13, 14, it seems that John supposed, before the baptism of Jesus, that he claimed to be the Messiah, and that John believed it. But the infallible, certain testimony in the case, was the descent of the Holy Spirit on him at his baptism. T That this is the Son of God. This was distinctly declared by a voice from heaven at his baptism. Mat. iii. 17. This John heard, and testified that he had heard it. 35. The next day. The day after his remarkable testimony that Jesus was the Son of God. This testimony of John is reported because it was the main design of the Evangelist to show that Jesus was the Messiah. To do this he adduces the decided and repeated testimony of John the Baptist. This was impartial and decided evidence in the case, and hence he so particularly dwells upon it. ¶ John stood. Or, was standing. This was probably apart from the multitude. T Two of his disciples. One of these was Andrew (v. 40); and it is not improbable that the other was the writer of this Gospel. John was sincere; that he was not an impostor; that he was not desirous of forming a party, or of building up a sect; that he was willing that all his followers should follow Christ. The object of ministers should not be to build up themselves. It is to point men to the Saviour. And ministers, however popular or successful, should be willing that their disciples should look to Christ rather than to them; nay, should forget them, and look away from them, to tread in the footsteps of the Son of God. And the conduct of these disciples shows us that we should forsake all and follow Jesus when he is pointed out to us as the Messiah. We should not delay nor debate the matter, but leave at once all our old teachers and guides, and follow the Lamb of God. And that, too, though to the world the Lord Jesus may appear, as he did to the multitude of the Jews, as peor, unknown, and despised. Reader, have you left all and followed him? Have you forsaken all the guides of false philosophy and deceit, of sin and infidelity, and committed yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ? 38. What seek ye. This was not asked to obtain information. Compare v. 48. It was not a harsh reproof, forbidding them to follow him. Compare Mat. xi. 28-30. It was a kind inquiry respecting their desires; an invitation to 36. Looking upon Jesus, &c. Fix- them to lay open their mind, to state their ing his eyes intently on him. Singling wishes, and to express all their feelings him out and regarding him with special at- respecting the Messiah and their own saltention. Contemplating him as the long-vation. We may learn, 1st. That Jesus expected Messiah and Deliverer of the world. In this way should all ministers fix the eye on the Son of God, and direct all others to him. TAs he walked. While Jesus was walking. 37. They followed Jesus. They had been the disciples of John. His office was to point out the Messiah. When that was done, they left at once their master and teacher, John, and followed the long-expected Messiah. This shows that regards the first inclinations of the soul to follow him. He turned towards these disciples, and he will incline his ear to all who begin to approach him for salvation. 2d. Jesus is ready to hear their requests, and to answer them. 3d. Ministers of the gospel, and all other Christians, should be accessible, kind, and tender, towards all who are inquiring the way to life. In conformity with their Master, they should be willing to aid all 39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with bim that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 1 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which 1 That was, 2 hours before night. those who look to them for guidance and help in the great work of their salvation. T Rabbi. This was a Jewish title, conferred somewhat as the title of Doctor of Divinity now is, and meaning literally master. Our Saviour solemnly forbade his disciples to wear that title. Mat. xxiii. 8. The fact that John interpreted this word shows that he wrote his Gospel not for the Jews only, but for those who did not understand the Hebrew languagė. is supposed to have been written at Ephesus. Where dwellest thou? This question they probably asked him to signify their wish to be with him, and to be instructed by him. They wished to be with him, and more fully to listen to him than they could now by the wayside. They were unwilling to interrupt him in his travelling. Religion teaches men true politeness, or a disposition to consult the convenience of others, and not improperly to molest them, or to break in upon them when engaged. It also teaches us to desire to be with Christ, to seek every opportunity of communion with him, and chiefly to desire to be with him where he is when we leave this world. Compare Phil, i. 23. 39. Come and see. This was a kind and gracious answer. He did not defer them to some future period. Then, as now, he was willing that they should come at once and enjoy the full opportunity which they desired of his conversation. Jesus is ever ready to admit those who seek him to his presence and favor. Abode with him. Remained with him. This was probably the dwelling of some friend of Jesus. His usual home was at Nazareth. The tenth hour. The Jews divided their day into twelve equal parts, beginning at sunrise. If John used their mode of computation, it was about four o'clock, P. M. The Romans divided time or we do, beginning at mid is, being interpreted,' the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is, by interpretation, A stone. 43 The day following, Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 2 or, the anointed. a Mat.16 18. 3 or, Peter night. If John used heir mode, it was about ten o'clock in the forenoon. It is not certain which ne used. 41. He first findeth. He found him and told his about Jesus before he brought him to Jesus. We have found the Messias. They had learned from the testimony of John, and now had been more fully convinced from conversation with Jesus, that he was the Messiah. The word Messiah, or Messias, is Hebrew, and means the same as the Greek word Christ, anointed. See note, Mat. i. 1. From the conduct of Andrew we may learn that it is the nature of religion to seek that others may possess it. It does not lead us to monopolize it, or to hide it under a bushel; but it seeks that others also may be brought to the Saviour. It does not wait for them to come, but it goes for them; it seeks them out, and tells them that a Saviour is found. Young converts should seek their friends and neighbors, and tell them of a Saviour. And not only their relatives, but the salvation of the whole world, that all may come to Jesus and be saved. 42. Cephas. This is a Syriac word, meaning the same as the Greek Peter, a stone. See note, Mat. xvi. 17. The stone, or rock, is a symbol of firmness and steadiness of character; a trait in Peter's character after the ascension of Jesus that was very remarkable. Before the death of Jesus he was rash, headlong, variable; and it is one proof of the omniscience of Jesus that he saw that Peter would possess a character that would be expressed appropriately by the word rock. The word Jona is a Hebrew word, whose original signification is a dove. It may be that Jesus had respect to that when he gave Simon the name Peter. You now bear a name emblematic of timidity and inconstancy. You shall be called by a name denoting firmness and constancy, 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses a in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. b 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip a Lu.24.27,44. b c.7.41. 43. Would go forth. Was about to Into Galilee. He was now in go: Judea, where he went to be baptized by John. He was now about to return to his native country. Findeth Philip. This does not refer to his calling these disciples to be apostles, for that took place at the sea of Tiberias. Mat. iv. 18. But it refers to their being convinced that he was the Christ. This is the object of this evangelist, to show how and when they were convinced of this. Matthew states the time and occasion in which they were called to be apostles. John, the time in which they first became acquainted with Jesus. There is, therefore, no contradiction in the Evangelists. 44. Of Bethsaida. Sec Mat. xi. 21. The city of. The place where Andrew and Peter dwelt. 45. Moses, in the law. Moses, in that part of the Old Testament which he wrote, called by the Jews the law. See Deut. xviii. 15, 18; Gen. xlix. 10, iii. 15. And the prophets. Isa. liii., ix. 6, 7. Dan. ix. 24-27. Jer. xxiii. 5, 6, &c. ¶ Jesus of Nazareth, &c. They spoke according to common apprehension. They spoke of him as the son of Joseph because he was commonly supposed to be. They spoke of him as dwelling at Nazareth, though they might not have been ignorant that he was born at Bethlehem. c Ps.32.2. Ro.2.28,29. d Ps.139.1,2. fuse to examine, for they have set it down that it cannot be true. It matters not where a teacher comes from, or what is the place of his birth, provided he be authorized of God, and qualified for his work. T Come and see. This was the best way to answer Nathanael. He did not sit down to reason with him, or speculate about the possibility that a good thing could come from Nazareth; but he asked him to go and examine for himself, to see the Lord Jesus, to hear him converse, to lay aside his prejudice, and to judge from a fair and candid examination. So we should beseech sinners to lay aside their prejudice against religion, and to be Christians, and thus make trial for themselves. If men can be persuaded to come to Jesus, to trust in him, all their petty and foolish objections against religion will vanish. They will be satisfied from their own experience that it is true, and in this way only will they ever be satisfied. 47. An Israelite indeed. One who is really an Israelite, not by birth only, but one worthy of the name. One who pos sesses the spirit, the piety, and the integrity, which befit a man who is really a Jew, who fears God, and obeys his law. Compare Rom. ix. 6, 11, 28, 29. ¶ No guile. No deceit, no fraud, no hypocrisy. He is really what he professes to be, a Jew, a descendant of the Patriarch Jacob; fearing and serving God. He makes on profession which he does not believe and live up to. He does not say that NaNathanael was without guilt or sin, but that he had no disguise, no trick, no deceit. He was sincere and upright. This was a most honorable testimony to be borne of this man. How happy would it be if he who knows the hearts of all as he did that of Nathanael, could bear the same testimony of all who profess the religion of the gospel! 46. Can any good thing, &c. The character of Nazareth was proverbially bad. To be a Galilean, or a Nazarene, was an expression of decided contempt. John vii. 52. Note, Mat. ii. 23. thanael asked, therefore, whether it was possible that the Messiah should come from a place proverbially wicked. This was a mode of judging in the case not uncommon. It is not by examining evidence, but by prejudice. Many persons suffer their minds to be filled with prejudice against religion, and then pronounce at once without examination. They re 48. Whence knowest thou me? Na 49 Nathanael answered and saith | est thou? Thou shalt see greater unto him, Rabbi, thou" art the Son things than these. of God; thou art the King of Israel. d 51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter 50 Jesus answered and said unto ye shall see heaven open, and the him, Because I said unto thee, I angels of God ascending and desaw thee under the fig-tree, believ-scending upon the Son of man. c Eze.1.1. d Ge.28.12. Da.7.9,10. Ac.1.10,11. xxiii. 10. The Son of God. By this title he doubtless meant that he was the Messiah. His conscience told him that he had judged right of his character, and that therefore he must know the heart and desires of the mind. If so, he could not be a mere man, but must be the long-expected Messiah. The King of Israel. This was one of the titles by which the Messiah was expected; and this was the title which was affixed to his cross. John xix. 18. This case of Nathaneal, John adduces as another evidence that Jesus was the Christ. The great object he had in view in writing this gospel was to collect the evidence that he was the Messiah. Ch. xx. 31. A case, therefore, where Jesus searched the heart, and where his knowledge of the heart convinced a pious Jew that he was the Christ, is very properly adduced as important testimony. 50. Greater things. Fuller proof of his Messiahship-particularly what is mentioned in the following verse. a Mat.14.33. c.20.28,29. b Mat.21.5.27.11 thanael was not yet acquainted with the divinity of Christ, and supposed that he had been a stranger to him. Hearing him express a favorable opinion of him, he naturally inquired by what means he had any knowledge of him. His conscience testified to the truth of what Jesus said, that he had no guile, and he was anxious to learn whence he had learned his character. ¶ Before that Philip called thee. See v. 45. ¶ When thou wast under the fig-tree, It is evident that it was from something that occurred under the fig-tree that Jesus judged of his character. What that was is not recorded. It is not improbable that Nathanael was accustomed to retire to the shade of a certain tree, perhaps in his garden, or in a grove, for the purpose of meditation and prayer. The Jews were much in the habit of selecting such places for private devotion, and in such scenes of stillness and retirement there is something peculiarly favorable for meditation and prayer. Our Saviour also worshipped in such places. Compare John xviii. 2; Luke vi. 12. In that place of retirement it is not improbable that Nathanael was engaged in private devotion. I saw thee. It is clear from the narrative that Jesus did not mean to say that he was bodily present with Nathanael, and saw him; but he knew his thoughts, his desires, his secret Ye shall see. Not, perhaps, with the feelings, and wishes. In this sense Na- bodily eyes, but you shall have evidence thanael understood him. We may learn, that it is so. The thing shall take place, 1st. That Jesus sees in secret, and is and you shall be a witness of it. ¶ Heatherefore divine. 2d. That he sees us ven open. This is a figurative expreswhen we little think of it. 3d. That he sion, denoting the conferring of favors. sees us especially in our private devotions, Ps. Ixxviii. 23, 24: "He opened the doors bears our prayers, and marks our medita- of heaven, and had rained down manna tions. And 4th. That he judges of our And also it denotes that God was about character chiefly by our private devo- to work a miracle in attestation of a partions. Those are secret; the world sees ticular thing. See Mat. iii. 16. In the them not; and in our closets we show language, here, there is an evident alluwhat we are, How does it become us, sion to the ladder that Jacob saw in a therefore, to seek that our secret prayers dream, and to the angels ascending and and meditations be without guile and hy-descending on it. Gen. xxviii. 12. It is pocrisy, and such as Jesus will approve! 49. Rabbi. Master-applied appropriately to Jesus, and to no one else. Mat. 51. Verily, verily. In the Greek, amen, amen. The word amen means truly, certainly, so be it, from a verb to confirm, to establish, to be true. It is often used in this Gospel. When repeated, it expresses the speaker's sense of the importance of what he is about to say, and the certainty that it is as he affirms. not probable that he referred to any particular instance in which Nathanael should literally see the heavens opened. The baptism of Jesus had taken place, and there is no other instance in his life in which it is said that the heavens were opened. Angels of God. Those pure and holy beings that dwell in heaven, and that are employed as ministering spirits to our world. Heb. i. 12. Good men are represented in the scriptures as being under their protection. Ps. xci. 11, 12. Gen. xxviii. 12. They are the agents by which God often expressed his will to men. Heb. ii. 2. Gal. iii. 19. They often appeared to Jesus, and are represented as strengthening him and ministering unto him. Thus they aided him in the wilderness (Mark i. 13), in the garden (Luke xxii. 43), and they were present when he rose from the dead. By their ascending and descending upon him it is probable that he meant that Nathanael would have evidence that they came to his aid, that he was under the special care of God, and that he would have the KIND of protection and aid from God which would show more fully that he was the Messiah. Thus his life, his many deliverances from dangers, his wisdom to confute his skilled and cunning adversaries, the scenes of his death, and the attendance of the angels at his resurrection, may all be represented by the angels descending upon him, and all would show to Nathanael and the other disciples, most clearly, that he was the Son of God. The Son of man. A term by which he often describes himself. It shows his humility, his love for man, his willingness to be esteemed as a man. Phil. ii. 6, 7. From this interview with Nathanael we may learn, 1st. That Jesus searches the heart. 2d. That He was truly the Messiah. 3d. That he was under the protection of God. 4th. That if we have faith in Jesus, it shall be continually strengthened. The evidence shall grow brighter and brighter. 5th. That if we believe his word, we shall yet see full proof that his word is true. 6th. As Jesus was under the protection of God, so shall all his friends be. God will defend 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. c Ec.10.19. Is.24.11. 1. And the third day. On the third day after his conversation with Nathanael. T Cana. This was a small town a few miles north of Nazareth. It is still a neat but poor village. It is inhabited chiefly by Christians, but is under the government of a Turkish officer. It was called Cana of Galilee, to distinguish it from another Cana in the tribe of Ephraim. Josh. xvi. 9. This was the native place of Nathanacl. John xxi. 2. ¶ The mother of Jesus. Mary. It is not improbable that she was a relative of the family where the marriage took place. 2. His disciples. Those that he had made when in Judea. These were Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael. They were not yet called to be apostles, but they believed that he was the Messiah. The miracle wrought here was doubtless to convince them more fully that he was the Christ. 3. When they wanted wine. A marriage feast, among the Jews, was-commonly observed for seven or eight days. It is not probable that there would be a want of wine at the marriage itself, and it is possible, therefore, that Jesus came there some time during the marriage feast. They have no wine. It is not known why Mary told this to Jesus. It would seem that she had a belief that he was able to supply it, though he had as yet worked no miracle. 4. Woman. This term, as used here, seems to imply reproof, as if she was interfering in that which did not properly concern her. But it is evident that no such reproof or disrespect was intended by the use of the term woman instead of |