John 1:35-51 Personally Drawing Us In

John the Baptist told two of his followers – John and Andrew – that Jesus was the Lamb of God.  This was enough to make them leave John’s ministry to follow Jesus.

The two of them then went to their brothers – Andrew to Peter and John to James – and as a result, those two were added to Jesus’ disciples.

Verse 43, though, says, “Jesus … found Philip…”  Jesus won him personally.  Then Philip went to find Nathanael, who was amazingly honest and somewhat leery about anyone coming out of Nazareth being of any count.  My commentary picked up a thread there, where Jesus saw Nathanael and said, “Here is truly an Israelite.  There is nothing false in him.”  My commentary said, “Jesus was certainly referring to Jacob, the ancestor of the Jews, a man who used guile to trick … Jacob’s name was changed to ‘Israel, a prince of God.’  The reference to ‘Jacob’s ladder’ confirms this.”

I’d always liked the fact that Jesus liked having a man beside him who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind.  But I’d never linked him up as an opposite of Jacob.  It’s certainly not hard to see why Jesus would prefer a guileless person to the type of person Jacob started out being.  What an honor for Nathanael. 

Jesus wasn’t just bringing up Jacob in regards to guile, though.  He clearly used Jacob’s ladder to show Himself as the only way to God – heaven open, with the Son of Man providing the pathway itself between heaven and earth.  The combination of this image and the title ‘Son of Man’ clearly spoke volumes of Jesus being the Messiah.

Father, You spoke in ways that meant so much to those men back then, helping them to understand exactly who Your Son is.  Thank You for the way You approach each of us individually to prepare our hearts to accept Christ’s mission and sacrifice.  Thanks for knowing us completely, which enables You to know the very best way of leading us to Him.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford