John 1
LipscombJohn 1:1
In the beginning—This is the term used in reference to the creation (Genesis 1:1) and refers to the original creation of matter, but inchoate in what is usually known as the six days’ creation. More properly the organization. [We recognize the phrase in Genesis as referring to a period antecedent to all created things, in which nothing existed but that which was self-existent and incapable of destruction. We have no doubt that John used this phrase in the same sense here and that, as we can make no periods in eternity back of time, the phrase is equivalent to “through all eternity,” or “eternally.”]
was the Word,—The Word, in this place clearly refers to Jesus Christ before he was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary. [Logos, the Greek of “Word,” was used by the Greeks to express both reason and speech, both the thought and expression, and was probably therefore selected by John as the name of the personality of which he was about to speak. For our purpose it is sufficient to know that the logos “became flesh,” and is identified as Jesus Christ, and this Jesus, in his intercessory prayer (John 17:5) is represented by John as recalling a distinct memory of the glory he had of the Father before the world was. This sets aside all idea of the logos as representing simply principles or attributes of deity, which were manifested in him whom he called the Son of God. Here is a Being, a Person with a continuous memory, part antedating time, and part in time.]
and the Word was with God,—[It expresses intercourse or association with God, and therefore makes of the Word a distinct personality. Jesus was with God in the creation of all things.]
and the Word was God.—He was with the Father. He was one of the Godhead. [We here have an advance in the thought. In the first clause of the verse we had eternal existence; in the second, distinct personality; now we have deific personality. This eternal Being is declared to be in nature the same as he who is called God here and afterwards the Father. He therefore possesses the attributes of deity.]
There are three distinct personages presented to us as composing the Godhead—God the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. These three personages, each distinct as persons, yet one in nature, being, purpose, and designs, performed distinct and different offices in the work of creation and in all the works in which they engaged. God the Father is represented as the supreme ruling power of the heavens and the earth. He ordained and provided for all things. The Word was the personage through whom the worlds were created. [The Holy Spirit organized.]
Jesus the Christ had an existence before his conception and birth of the Virgin Mary. He is nowhere called the Son of God or the son of man except prophetically before his conception and birth of the virgin. He is nowhere called Jesus or the Savior until he came to save his people from their sins, save as the Spirit in prophecy foretold this would be his mission. He is nowhere called the Christ until he was anointed “with the oil of gladness above his fellows,” until he in his mission on earth received the Spirit “without measure,” save as it was foretold in prophecy that he would be the anointed, the Christ of God, to save the world. These names were all bestowed as descriptive of his character and work of office.
John 1:2
The same was in the beginning with God.—He was one of “us” when matter was originally created. “Let us make man in our image.” (Genesis 1:26). The Godhead is represented as composed of God, the originator and provider of all things; the Word, the creative agent of the Godhead; and the Holy Spirit, who, when the work of creation was completed by the Word, brooded upon the face of the matter, organized it, gave laws in accordance with which the work of procreation would proceed, and in and through which the Spirit took up his abode to guide the matter forward to its predestined end.
John 1:3
All things were made through him;—The Word was the creative agency of the Godhead.
and without him was not anything made that hath been made.—[Without the intervention or help of any other person or being, he created all things. This language is sweeping and unevadable. The logos was the active agent in the whole broad work of creation.] Jesus was the active representative of the Godhead in the work of creation. Hebrews 1:1-2 : “God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.” John 1:10 : “He was in the world, and the world was made through him.” Colossians 1:16 : “In him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him.”
John 1:4
In him was life;—He not only created, but he imparted life to all beings, vegetable, and animal. [Having predicated of him the creation of all material things, John now turns to the sentient creation, and especially man, its crown. As it is said that God created man, and then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so the Word is capable of a higher work than making things; he makes them live. There has been much scientific groping to find and understand the subtle principle called life. Here is the answer and all any one can know about it. Life is an emanation from the logos with power of an infinite series of reproductions; life in all its varieties, physical, moral, spiritual. As all objects have their present form through him so all things that live, live by him.]
and the life was the light of men.—[In the case of man, the crown of creation distinguished from all the rest by impassable lines, the life became light, which, in the Bible, is put for truth, knowledge, and holiness; darkness for ignorance, error, and sin. Spiritual light and life are mainly intended in the text. Or, rather, we should say that the thought progresses to light in its highest signification.] All light comes from God. This is not only true of spiritual light, but all true light of knowledge. Science, by many, is supposed to be the enemy of revelation; but where has science ever obtained a foothold in the world where the light of the revelation of God had not gone? Where has truth on any subject gained admission unless the light of God’s truth opened the way? Look at the condition of the world in all ages where the light of God’s revelation has not gone and see what practical truth on any subject exists among the heathen nations.
John 1:5
And the light shineth in the darkness;—[This verse is a bridge to verses 7 and 8. The thought advances from the light in the abstract to the visible exhibition of the light, shining with a brilliance that men had never seen before, the incarnate logos, the incarnate life, the incarnate light.]
and the darkness—[The world of humanity in the condition to which sin had brought it—ignorance and sin.]
apprehended it not.—[The people rejected the light, preferred the darkness, and so the darkness was not dispelled by the light. Did not take hold of it. Did not realize what had come into its midst. The thought is in regard to the condition of the world in the years of Christ’s life preceding John the Immerser’s testimony. The light was already shining. It was morally impossible for Jesus to be among men and not give forth divine light. But the world knew him not, even as John the Immerser himself knew him not till he saw the sign of God at his baptism. We have thus been led in the prologue from the profundity of eternity to the reality of the ministry of John. All the wonders of the opening chapters of Matthew and Luke are chronologically comprehended in these verses.]
John 1:6
There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John.—John the Baptizer came to prepare the way for Christ.
John 1:7
The same came for witness,—Christ was the light. John came to prepare for him that all, through Christ, might believe in God. [More literally “for testimony.” This is the predominant character of John. All else is incidental or subordinate to this. The preaching, the baptism, the rousing men to repentance, while all in themselves useful and good, are only circumstances of the testimony, only side employments of the witness bearer.]
that he might bear witness of the light,—“He” in this verse might more naturally refer to John, but a similar expression in verses 9 and 10 shows that it refers to Jesus the light. [This sentence gives the subject of the testimony. “The light” here is not abstract, but concrete. It is the light incarnate; in other words, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was to testify to the world that “the light” had come into the world.]
that all might believe through him.—[That all might believe on Christ through the testimony of John. See verses 29-42 for the beginning of this result. This idea of testimony is one of the fundamental notions of the gospel of Christ. It is correlative to, and inseparable from, that of faith. Testimony is given only with a view to faith, and faith is impossible except by means of testimony. The only faith worthy of the name is that which fastens itself upon a divine testimony given either in act or word.]
John 1:8
He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.—John came to testify that others might believe in Jesus. [The apostle states that John was not the light probably in opposition to an idea of some that John himself was the Messiah. The clause is an emphatic reassertion of the statement of verse 7.
John 1:9
There was the true light,—Jesus was the only source of the light, and all who came into the world if lightened at all, must receive this light from him.
even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.—[Whether to connect the last clause, “coming into the world,” with “the true light,” or with “every man,” has been a hotly disputed question among commentators. We do not think there is any reference here to an innate light belonging to every man from birth, nor to an enlightening of men before the coming of Christ, under the old dispensation, or in the various heathen religions. The apostle has to do only with the present dispensation. The true light was coming into the world, which lights every man (who receives it), that is, teaches him spiritual truth and duty, else he is not enlightened. He is the exclusive light giver.]
If God is the fountain and source of all light [and he surely is] only he who looks to God can find true light. Man is prone to look to himself for light; but in man is no light, save as he receives it from God.
John 1:10
He was in the world,—[John now takes a step forward. He who was coming had come. The babe had been cradled at Bethlehem, carried to Nazareth, and grown to man’s estate.]
and the world was made through him,—[He was no stranger and no intruder. All the fair scenes upon which he gazed were the product of his creative power as logos.]
and the world knew him not.—Jesus who created the worlds was in the world, but the world did not know him. [Of all this great world, and its sentient, teeming inhabitants, there was not one being who recognized him in his divine character as Creator of the universe and Redeemer of men.]
John 1:11
He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not.—We have long thought “his own” referred to those prepared by John for him. They embraced a large portion of the Jewish nation, but only those who voluntarily took upon themselves the obligations by being baptized. This was a radical change in the order of God’s dealings with the Jews. Hitherto those he recognized as his servants were born after the flesh. All that were born of the fleshly family of Jacob were his servants. Now the voluntary principle was introduced by John.
None were his save those who through faith in John’s teaching voluntarily took on themselves the obligations imposed in baptism. This principle introduced into the provisional and introductory stages of the kingdom was to be the distinguishing principle of God’s government henceforth. Hence, these to whom Christ came were his own, prepared for him by John, and they were born not of blood or the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, inasmuch as they were begotten by the word of God preached through John.
John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God,—Those of John’s disciples who heard and believed in Jesus became sons of God. The Jews had been servants. Through faith in Jesus they became sons by which they could address God as “Father.” (Galatians 4:5-6). All moved by faith in Jesus may become sons of God. [What is meant by receiving him, how much it includes, is to be found by reading the last clause of the verse, “even to them that believe on his name.” Nor is the “many” here to be confined to the Jews. John does not say all those from among them, but all those who in general. When Jesus is once rejected by unbelieving Israel, there is henceforth only humanity and in it individual believers or unbelievers.
Observe that receiving him, that is, the believing on his name, did not make them the children of God. It only brought them into such a relationship to him that it was now their right or privilege to become children of God if they chose to exercise it. How they became children of God is to be learned elsewhere. (See Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:26-40.
even to them that believe on his name:—[That is, who believe in the character belonging to him manifested by his name, “Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 20:31; also John 20:14; John 20:18).]
John 1:13
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.—This relation of sons of God was not attained through the fleshly descent from Abraham or of any fleshly birth, but he is begotten of God. (John 3:5). All fleshly births are through the will of the flesh. This henceforth would not make a man a child of God. [Being a Jew did not involve the new birth or begetting. He must be born again even as others. Fleshly generation had nothing to do with it. Nor was it in any sense human in its origin.
No human enactments, no human purpose, could bring it about. It was “from above.” (John 3:3). The begetting is purely of God with the Holy Spirit as the agent (John 3:8) and the word of God as the Spirit’s instrumentality (1 Peter 1:23) and the birth or transfer to new relationship of the whole man becomes complete in baptism (John 3:5).]
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us—This Word was Immanuel—God in the flesh. He dwelt among men as a man, subject to like passions and infirmities as man, tempted in all things as we are, yet his nature and life were manifestations of divine life and truth. [The Word “became” denotes a single and complete act. His dwelling among us was not a mere transitory or momentary appearance followed by a quick vanishing. He remained with us about thirty-three and a half years so that we could study and know him.]
(and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father),—In the transfiguration and works of Christ his associates saw this glory. The working of miracles was showing forth the glory of God (John 2:11), full of kindness to man, teaching the truth of God. [They beheld his glory, not in any particular instance, as the transfiguration, for example, but the continuous glory of his life and character as manifested through the whole period of his active ministry and which marked him as the Son of God.]
full of grace and truth.—[Sweetness and light, or love and light. Through him both mind and heart are fed. Grace in his redemptive work; truth in his teaching. Not that there was no grace and truth before, but he is a rich storehouse of it all.]
John 1:15
John beareth witness of him,—[The present, “beareth witness,” is ordinarily explained by the permanent value of this testimony; but perhaps it is due rather to the fact that the author transports himself in a lifelike way backward to the moment when he heard this mysterious saying coming from such lips; he seems to himself to hear it still. We often use the present thus for the past in vivid narration.]
and crieth, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is become before me: for he was before me.—John was careful that they should not think he was the promised Messiah. He had already taught them that Jesus was greater than himself, and although born of the mother later than John, had existed long before John. Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born, I am.” (John 8:58). John was careful that the honor which belonged to Jesus should not be bestowed on himself. [Though he is after me in point of revelation to the people, yet he at once takes position before me as the more important of the two and destined to continue in this superiority. The immerser now turns to the essential precedence both in time and rank. Though he was subsequent in revelation, yet he existed long before his revelation and long before John, his revealer, and this in such dignity that he was entitled to take precedence as soon as revealed.]
John 1:16
For of his fulness we all received,—Of the fullness and the grace of Jesus all who receive him partake. [The quotation from the immerser ceases with verse 15. It is the apostle who now speaks, having interrupted himself after verse 14 by the memory of the immerser’s testimony. In verse 14 he said that the Word was “full of grace and truth.” Now we, all believers who have been born again, have received from the rich stores of his fullness.]
and grace for grace.—One degree of grace leads on to a higher degree. [Ever growing supplies of grace from the fullness of Christ.]
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses;—The great law of God in the Ten Commandments was given by Moses. These commandments given as the standard of right and morality were given by Moses to the children of Israel. They were given as laws with their rewards and penalties. This law given to them was good and if one kept it it fitted him for eternal life. But the kindness and love of God were not manifested in these laws.
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.—God’s character for mercy and truth was received through Jesus Christ. There was no antagonism on the part of Jesus towards the law. The law was good and right. Jesus came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it and to introduce new features into the service of God that would enable man to obey this law and to attain to the righteousness of the law. [The grace of God was certainly exhibited in giving the Mosaic revelation, and his truth was certainly contained in it, but it sinks into insignificance by the side of the revelations of these that come through Jesus Christ. We come now for the first time to the historical name of the incarnate logos, but to which the apostle has been tending throughout the passage. First the Word, then Life and Light, then the Only Begotten of the Father, now Jesus Christ, who embraces all that was said of him before.]
John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time;—While no man hath seen God, Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and the express image of his person and the effulgence of his power and is presented to man as the best beloved of the Father and the perfect representative of God, declaring God’s own fullness and perfectness and the full representative of God to the world.
the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father,—[Most intimate with him—not living, like Moses, at an infinite distance from him. This intimacy gives him such thorough knowledge of all that pertains to him as to qualify him for the next clause.]
he hath declared him.—[Revealed or manifested him. There is more in this than the mere declaration of a messenger. Jesus Christ is the visible manifestation of God. “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” God has now been seen in the person of his Son, who was “the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance.”]
John 1:19
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites—The Jews in Jerusalem were the most zealous of the law. Jerusalem was the center of Judaism. John in the wilderness attracted the masses by his preaching.
to ask him, Who art thou?—The Jews at Jerusalem sent the priests and Levites to hear him, see what he claimed for himself as a religious teacher, and demand of him who he was.
John 1:20
And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ.—Without evasion or denial he said, I am not the anointed one of God. He was not willing to claim the honor that belonged only to Christ.
John 1:21
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered, No.—It had been foretold that a great prophet should come into the world and that before the coming of that prophet Elijah should come again. He told them that he was neither Elijah nor this great prophet that was to come.
Jesus said, “And if you are willing to receive it, this [John the Immerser] is Elijah that is to come.” (Matthew 11:14). This statement of Jesus is thought to contradict John’s statement in this verse, but it is explained by Jesus when he says, “And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah.” (Luke 1:17). John meant that he was not the veritable Elijah. Jesus said he came “in the spirit and power of Elijah.” [The Jews doubtless asked art thou literally Elijah. He said no. Art thou that prophet foretold by Moses?
No, for Christ is that prophet. The difference is doubtless that one speaks of the literal Elijah, the other who came in the spirit of Elijah. No contradiction here.]
John 1:22
They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?—They wished him to define his mission, if neither the prophet nor Elijah [so that on their return to Jerusalem they could give an intelligent report to those who had sent them].
John 1:23
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.—He answered that he came in the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3), of the one who should come before and prepare the way for the prophet. His work was that of preparation for the Lord.
John 1:24
And they had been sent from the Pharisees.—The Pharisees were the most zealous and watchful of the religious parties of the Jews.
John 1:25
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet?—John gave as his reason for baptizing that he was come preparing for the Messiah and he baptized in water and the Messiah would baptize in the Holy Spirit. [The question shows that John’s baptism was to them a new rite. They could understand that Christ, or Elias, or “the prophets” might establish a new ordinance by divine authority, but if John is none of these, why does he do so? Their perplexity shows that the baptismal right was new to them. This refutes the claim that Gentile proselytes to the Jewish faith were baptized by all Jewish authorities before this time.]
John 1:26-27
John answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not, even he that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose.—The preposition “in” is used here instead of “with.” This is right, yet to say “with” does not militate against the idea of a burial. We use “with” to indicate the element used even when the thing washed is wholly submerged. We say a cloth is dyed with indigo and leather is tanned with ooze when the thing is wholly submerged. “In” is better here as placing the point contrasted beyond doubt. John told them that the one for whom he came to prepare the way was in their midst and unknown to them and probably to John at this time who was so much his superior that he was not worthy to unlatch his shoes. The servant unlatched and bound the shoes of his master.
John 1:28
These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.—Much of John’s teaching was done on the west side of the Jordan, but this was done on the east side, opposite the line between Samaria and Galilee.
John 1:29
On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God,—The baptism of Jesus is not mentioned by the gospel of John, but it is particularly described by the other evangelists. When he was baptized and came up out of the water the voice came from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). The Holy Spirit also in the form of a dove descended upon him and abode with him. With these assurances John testified to his disciples that he was the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.
that taketh away the sin of the world!—[Jesus, the Lamb, when slain, took away the sin, not of Jews only, but of the world. He died for all.]
John 1:30
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me.—He again states this of whom he had spoken, as born after he was, yet existing before him.
John 1:31
And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water.—Here one of the special objects of John’s baptism is said to be to make known Jesus to Israel.
John 1:32
And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven;—John was to know by the Spirit descending in the form of a dove which was he and then was to bear testimony to the world.
and it abode upon him.—The Spirit came in the form of a dove, abode upon him, not in this form; but its form dissolved, and took up its abode in Jesus. (Luke 3:22). This was when he was anointed with the Spirit above his fellows. (Hebrews 1:9).
John 1:33
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit.—John did not know Jesus. Whether it was that he was not acquainted with Jesus or that he did not know that he was the Christ has been a matter of doubt. Although their mothers were cousins, they lived eighty miles apart, and it is possible that they had not met. Or it may mean that John did not have the full assurance that he was the Christ until he was assured by the sign appointed by God and in some way revealed to John.
John 1:34
And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.—Having seen this sign from God he testified that Jesus is the Son of God.
John 1:35
Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples;—This was the day after the facts stated in the preceding verses had occurred. It was some weeks at least after his baptism. He had been baptized, had been forty days in the temptation, had returned to where John was baptizing, and John had testified to his disciples what had happened at his baptism.
John 1:36
and he looked upon Jesus as he walked,—[Jesus, passing by or in sight, John beheld him.]
and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God!—[The lamb was slain to save the first-born of Israel when the first-born of Egypt was destroyed, and at every Passover feast a lamb was slain by every family of Israel. In the types of Judaism the lamb was slain pointing forward to “the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.” He came to die as a sacrifice to take away the sins that man had committed and to lead him to live a holy life.]
John 1:37
And the two disciples heard him speak,—Some of the disciples of John were jealous that Jesus gathered followers at the expense of John, but John had none of this feeling. He came to make ready a people for Jesus, bear testimony to his claims, and direct his disciples to Jesus as the Lord, and rejoiced to see him increase, while he himself decreased in followers.
and they followed Jesus.—Again at a later date he with two of Us disciples saw Jesus walking and again bore witness that he was the Son of God and his disciples thus assured left John and followed Jesus.
John 1:38
And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye?—Jesus seems at all times to desire that those who followed him should know, what they took upon themselves so he asked what they were seeking.
And they said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where abidest thou?—He saw them coming after him and asked what they sought. They called him Rabbi, which means teacher. They declared in’ this they were his disciples, had come to learn of him, and asked where he dwelt that they might come unto him as learners.
John 1:39
He saith unto them, Come, and ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day: it was about the tenth hour.—He acknowledged himself a teacher, accepted them as learners, and asked them to come with him to his home. They did and remained with him, for it was now four o’clock in the afternoon. They spent the night with him. We may well suppose that the time was spent in discoursing of his mission and teaching. The work of Jesus in the world has been greatly hindered and marred by the unfaithfulness of his followers, yet, imperfect as that work has been, the contrast between the conditions of the world where
Jesus has been known and where he has not must convince the most superficial observer of the immense good Jesus has done the world. The lifting up of the common people, the provisions for the unfortunate and helpless are found only where the teachings of Jesus have gone. There is not a hospital or asylum for the unfortunate in the world that has not been built by the influence of Jesus. It would be difficult to find a country where a workingman could get more than twenty-five cents a day for labor save where Christ is known. He lifts up and helps the helpless today through the influence of his teaching as in his personal ministry.
John 1:40
One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.—We may well feel sure that his stay with Jesus satisfied his desire to know and strengthened his faith in Jesus. Andrew was one of the first called of the followers of Jesus. He was Peter’s brother. Their home was in Bethsaida, a city on the Sea of Galilee. This was also the home of John and James, the sons of Zebedee. They are now at Bethany—not the Bethany near Jerusalem, but a village on the east side of the Jordan, near its entrance into the Dead Sea. Simon Peter was the older of the two brothers, likely the more aggressive, and became in one sense the first leader among the disciples.
John 1:41
He findeth first his own brother Simon,—So moved by a natural and fleshly feeling he first sought Simon. The teaching of Jesus does not destroy the ties of the flesh, but sanctifies them. Andrew first sought his own brother. Every Christian should act on this principle. The person who is indifferent to the salvation of his own kindred and people, but who is zealous of the salvation of strangers, does not follow the example of either Jesus or his disciples. Jesus first preached to his own people then to others.
and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, Christ).—Messiah is the Hebrew term for Christ in the Greek, then chiefly spoken, or anointed in English. He was anointed by the Spirit which descended upon and abode with him [at his baptism].
John 1:42
He brought him unto Jesus. Jesus looked upon him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of John: thou shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter).—His report brought Simon to Jesus, who, when he looked upon him, saw what was in him, and gave him the name of Cephas, the Hebrew of which Peter is the Greek translation, which in English means rock. It seems that Jesus gave him this name as describing in some respects his character. Andrew first came to Christ and was instrumental in bringing Peter. In their after life Peter was the more active, forward, and prominent in his work. Andrew is seldom mentioned save in the innumeration of the apostles of the Lord.
It is an example of how an humble one may be instrumental in bringing forward one of more power and general effectiveness. Peter was already a disciple of John as were these others. The leading characteristics of Peter was the promptitude with which he decided and acted on questions. Jesus beheld him and knew him, for he needed not to be told what is in man.
John 1:43
On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, Follow me.—Galilee was his home, and the day following that on which Peter came to him he was minded to return to Galilee and found Philip. Philip is of the same city (Bethsaida) of Peter and Andrew, James and John. They had all come down to hear the preaching of John, had been taught by him, and tarried with him until he bore testimony to Jesus. We are not to conclude that Philip and Jesus heretofore had not known each other.
John 1:44
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.—All of the twelve save Judas seem to have lived on the Sea of Galilee. This is not Philip, one of the seven, but the apostle Philip, which name is associated with Bartholomew.
John 1:45
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.—So soon as Philip had found Jesus his first impulse seemed to be to bring others to him. This is the essential spirit of Christ. No one imbued with his spirit can know Christ and be indifferent to others, all others knowing him. First, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, but stops not until it reaches the uttermost parts of the earth. Converting your family stimulates the desire and leads you to convert your neighbor, your countryman—all who sit in “the valley and shadow of death.” The spirit of Christ will let man enjoy no good alone. Jesus could not enjoy the glory of heaven unless man could have an opportunity to share it with him. Good is multiplied to us as we divide it with others.
John 1:46
And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.—Nazareth seemed to have an ill name among the people. Philip insisted that he should come and see before deciding. He did so. Nathanael was of Cana in Galilee, and is thought to be the same as Bartholomew, with whose name Philip’s is associated in the list of apostles.
John 1:47
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!—The supernatural knowledge that enabled Jesus to know men and what their thoughts, purposes, and characters were enabled him to tell the character of Nathanael, whom he did not know, so announced him an Israelite in whom was no deceit or guile. This was a compliment. Such are prepared to receive the pure and guileless life of the Son of God.
John 1:48
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me?—He asked, “How and from what do you know me?” showing he had no acquaintance with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.—Jesus responded that he knew him as he sat under the fig tree before Philip called him. I take it that Jesus could not see him by his sight, and that Nathanael knew it required superhuman knowledge and his frank and guileless spirit, taken with what Philip had told him, he confessed that Jesus is the Son of God.
John 1:49
Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel.—His knowing things that were beyond his power to learn by his senses with none to inform him satisfied the guileless spirit of Nathanael that he was superhuman. Putting it with the teaching of John and the testimony he had borne to Jesus which he learned of Philip and had likely heard of others satisfied him at once, and he acknowledged him as the Son of God, the King of Israel.
John 1:50
Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.—Jesus complimented him on his ready faith in this testimony and assured him that he should see greater things than these.
John 1:51
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.—When this promise was fulfilled we know not unless at the ascension of Jesus. The angels ascending and descending upon him, possibly was not literal, but meant that he would be constantly watched over and guarded here in the world by the angels of God, and that their ministration to him as the Son of God would be manifested to Nathanael in the care and love God would show him.