Anchor My Faith

Time to Return Home

Scripture: John 1:43-45

Jesus now has unofficially three disciples; unofficial because these same disciples will receive a formal call by Jesus at a later time. We start this lesson with Jesus deciding to change location: “The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”’ (John 1:43 ESV). If you are counting days, this is the fourth day: Day one was the day those who had been sent from the Pharisees came to make inquiry as to whether John was the Christ; the Messiah; Day two was the day when John sees Jesus coming toward him, which prompts him to point Jesus out to those there with John as being the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”; Day three was the day when two disciples of John left to follow Jesus.

Day 4: We are now at day four and Jesus decides to return to Galilee his native country. Jesus is currently in Judea, where he went to be baptized by John and start his ministry as the Spirit in the form of a dove came upon him and his Father proclaimed him to be his Son in whom he was well pleased.

When Jesus found Philip is not clear, but it seems reasonable he found him before he left. Philip would be the fourth unofficial disciple. This seems to be a time when these men who are gathering around Jesus, are convinced that Jesus is the Messiah. These men will be officially called at the Sea of Tiberias in Matthew 4:18.

John now tells us where Philip is from: “Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter” (John 1:44 ESV). It appears that Jesus met Philip before he left for Galilee and this group of five, Andrew, Peter, Philip, John and Jesus, traveled north together from the region of Judea to the region of Galilee. It is assumed that John, the gospel writer, was with them. As these men travel together, they had the opportunity to get to better know Jesus. I have not been able to verify this, but I believe they went with Jesus to Nazareth of Galilee.

Since Cana is just a short distance north of Nazareth (see map), it appears that Philip went on and found Nathanael: “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”’ (John 1:45 ESV). From John 21:2 We learn that Nathanael was from Cana in Galilee. It is not clear how Philip knew Nathanael. It is clear that while growing up together, Andrew, Simon and Philip had talked about ancient prophecy and future expectations of the coming Messiah. This prompts Philip to tell Nathanael that they had found the Messiah.

Moses spoke of Jesus in Genesis 49:10 (ESV): “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” He is spoken of as a prophet in Deuteronomy 18:15 (ESV): “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen.” In Isaiah 4:2 he is mentioned as the Branch of the Lord (ESV): “In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel.” In Daniel 9:25, he is spoken of as the anointed one, a prince (ESV): “Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.” These are some of the prophecies these men would have talked about.

Prayer

Father, how rich it is to see these men gather around Jesus and then travel together with him on their way home. Before their official call to be disciples, this is an example of how they are learning about who Jesus is as they travel together. At this point on our time line, Jesus has five unofficial disciples: Andrew, Simon renamed Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and probably John.