Anchor My Faith

The First Three Disciples of Jesus

Scripture: John 1:39-42

In our previous lesson, two disciples of John left him to follow Jesus. Seeing them following him, Jesus asks them what they were seeking and learned that they wanted to become his disciples. They wanted to know where he was staying. “[Jesus] said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour” (John 1:39 ESV). Jesus graciously responds to the disciples’ request to know where he was staying by saying, “Come and you will see.” Jesus was willing to have them join him now and enjoy the opportunity of conversation as they walked together. This is true for us today. Whenever we want an audience with Jesus, he is willing and ready.

Jesus was probably staying with some friend at the time as his usual home was at Nazareth. Their arrival at the friend’s home was about the tenth hour. To translate the tenth hour, one would have to know which time method was being used. If it were Jewish time, which it probably was, it would be 4 PM as the Jews divided their day into twelve equal parts, beginning at sunrise. If it were the Roman method, it would be 10 AM.

“One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother” (John 1:40 ESV). We are told the name of one of the disciples to be Andrew, but we are not told the name of the other. It is safe to assume that disciple is John, the author of the gospel of John. We will find that when writing about himself it is his practice not to mention his name.

Andrew was apparently impressed with Jesus because “He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ)” (John 1:41 ESV). Andrew went to Simon and told him about Jesus and brought him to Jesus. Andrew had heard from John about Jesus being the Messiah, but now having spent time with Jesus he is more fully convinced. We should follow the example of Andrew and go and tell others about Jesus and bring them to Jesus. We need to share the gospel as part of our normal conversation with people. It should not be an add-on, but a natural blend with our conversation.

Simon returns with Andrew and meets Jesus and gets a name change: “He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter)” (John 1:42 ESV). As Jesus met Simon he already knew who he was, “the son of John.” In that culture, the meaning of names is very important. Names were chosen to reflect character traits. Jesus renames Simon with the name of Peter, which means a stone or rock, a symbol of firmness and steadfastness of character. This character trait will become very evident in Peter after the ascension of Jesus. It is interesting to note that the meaning of Simon was timidity and inconstancy, a trait we will see in him before the ascension of Jesus.

At this point we have identified three disciples: Andrew, Simon who was renamed Peter, and the unnamed disciple who we believe to be John, the writer of the gospel of John.

Prayer

Father, we see the focus shifting from John to Jesus as he gathers his first three disciples. Father, it is interesting to note the importance place on the choice of names according to meaning. Jesus renamed Simon, meaning timidity and inconstancy, to Peter, meaning stone or rock a symbol of firmness and steadfastness. Before the ascension of Jesus, we see Simon’s character displayed, but after the ascension it is the character of Peter that is seen.