John, Part 7 — The Revelation of Jesus Christ — What do you seek?

By Dr. M. DeWayne Anderson in John

John, Part 7 — The Revelation of Jesus Christ — What do you seek?

John’s Gospel is a revelation of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist’s ministry took a dramatic turn once he introduced Jesus, the Christ. When John introduced Jesus, some of his disciples turned and started following Jesus. In the last study, Jesus was introduced as the Lamb of God.This text begins by showing the first two of Jesus’ disciples.

John 1:35–37 NKJV Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

John is giving us the revelation of Jesus the Christ. John’s Gospel introduces Jesus Christ with various names.

He is the Word that was in the beginning with God.
Jesus is the true Light of men and the Light of the World.
He is the Life and source of life.
He is the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is the Messiah (Christ), the Anointed One.
Then He is introduced as the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.
In John 1:34, John the Baptist gave the testimony, “I have seen and testify that this is the Son of God.”

Each title helps us know and recognize Jesus the Christ. The day after making that announcement, John looking at Jesus told two of his disciples, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

In the previous paragraph, John the Baptist said: “He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” (John 1:29). When John saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus in the form of a dove, he began saying, “This is He!”, “This is the Lamb of God.” John said, “This is why I came baptizing with water.” He knew that was the purpose for his ministry and why he had been sent. He said, “I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

The next day when John was standing with his disciples, looking at Jesus he said, “Behold the Lamb of God.” The Messiah, Jesus the Son of God, is the Lamb of God. What does that mean?

From the time of Abraham, the lamb has been associated with God’s covenant and promise.

Abraham told Isaac, “God Himself will provide the lamb,” (Genesis 22:8). At the moment that Abraham demonstrated full obedience to the faith, God revealed Himself as Jehovah Jireh, the God Who provides. Before Abraham could offer his son on the sacrifice altar, God provided a substitutionary lamb to sacrifice.
The Passover lamb in Exodus 12 and the sacrificial lamb in Isaiah 53 point to Christ. Both the Passover lamb and the sacrificial lamb offered a degree of relief, but neither could remove sins. The blood of sacrificial lambs in the tabernacle and temple only offered a covering for sin. Although that blood offered covering and atonement, it was not able to make a person perfect.
Throughout Biblical history, many lambs were slain for atonement, but only Jesus the Christ is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus Christ is the anointed Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world.

Hebrews 10:1-4 NIV84 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

In the fullness of time when God sent His Son, John the Baptist announced Jesus Christ “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” Lambs sacrificed in the Old Testament were only for Israel, but Christ suffered and died for the sins of the whole world. The spilled blood of Christ takes away sin.

After John the Baptist bore witness of Jesus the Lamb of God, two of his disciples followed Jesus. They immediately knew that Jesus was the Christ and promised Savior of the world.

It is a good preoccupation to look for Jesus. We need to “Behold the Lamb of God,” but then we must take action and follow Him.

There are many ways to “behold Him.”

We may look upon Jesus from a distance with a casual observation.
We may look upon Him with curiosity and question.
We may behold Him as a fraud and heretic.
We may see Him for who He is, the Son of God.
It is not enough to behold Him, we must follow Jesus.

The word “followed” probably has a double meaning here. “They followed Him,” literally they began walking after Him, and also they became His disciples. That day they left John the Baptist and turned their allegiance to Jesus.

John 1:38 NKJV Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

The first words they heard from Jesus were, “What do you seek?” or “What do you want?” This is a question anyone would ask of someone who was following them, but the author seemed to imply more.

The word for seek ζητέω [dzay-teh-o] means to seek in order to find. Jesus knew what they were seeking, but He wanted them to express their desire to Him. They were not just wanting to meet Him, they wanted to have fellowship with Jesus and become His disciples. You can see this in the word, “Rabbi.” Andrew and John wanted to become His disciples. Disciple means student, learner or follower.

After Jesus asked, “What do you seek?”, they asked, “Where are You staying?” They wanted to go with Jesus and abide with Him. This is the preoccupation of every true believer. We want to go where Jesus goes and stay where Jesus stays.

Look at Jesus’ response.

John 1:39 NKJV He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

Jesus’ words of invitation to them were, “Come and you will see.” This invitation is one that is repeated by Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the church. Whoever desires may come and take of the water of life freely, (Revelation 22:17). Whenever you come to Him, you will see.

There is a deeper message in these words.

If you want to see…come to Jesus.
If you want life… come to Jesus.
If you want covering… come to Jesus.
If you want to be free from the burden of sin… come to Jesus.
If you want to remain, continue, abide… come to Jesus.

Look at their confession.

John 1:40-41 NKJV One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ).

Andrew was the first disciple to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah. After following Him, they said: “We have found the Messiah.” Anyone who embarks on this journey with Jesus will come to know that He is the Christ, the Anointed One. The words “Messiah” and “Christ” literally mean “one who has been anointed.” “The Anointed One” comes from the Old Testament practice of anointing priests and kings with oil. The anointing with oil was symbolic of the Holy Spirit coming upon and appointing or choosing someone for a particular function or ministry. Andrew said, “We have found THE MESSIAH.”

Andrew was always bringing someone to Christ. First, he brought his brother Simon Peter. In John 6:4-9, he brought a lad with five loves and two fish. In John 12:20-22, Andrew and Philip brought certain Greeks to see Jesus.

He was declaring that Jesus was the One who had been promised by God. Jesus stands out from all other individuals who have been anointed by God. Jesus is “THE CHRIST.”

Isaiah gave a prophecy about the Holy Spirit and anointing coming upon the Messiah.

Isaiah 61:1 NKJV “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

“We have found the Messiah!”

John 1:42 NKJV And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

Notice the immediate transformation that began when Simon Peter was brought to Jesus. When Jesus looked at Simon, He knew the man’s character and destiny. Jesus gave him the Aramaic name Cephas.The change in his name was an indication of what God by His grace would do through him. Simon would be a rock in the church. Whatever he had been in the past was going to be changed. “You shall be called Cephas” which means “A Stone.” This same kind of transformation happens in anyone’s life who comes to Jesus.

John 1:43-45 NKJV The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 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.”

Philip’s testimony to Nathanael stressed that Jesus is the “Promised One” of Moses and the prophets.

Did you notice that Philip called Jesus the son of Joseph? At the time, the disciples would have thought that this was the case.

John 1:46-47 NKJV And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

Nathanael wondered if anything good could come out of Nazareth. Nazareth was a despised city in Galilee. Surely the Messiah would come from a place of prominence. Philip did not argue about Nazareth, he just brought Nathanael to Jesus. People’s questions about Jesus will be resolved when they “Come and see.”

When Nathanael walked up, Jesus knew everything about him.

He knew Nathanael by name.
He knew what kind of man he was.
He knew were he had been.
He knew what he had been doing.
Jesus knew the specifics about things in his life.
He was not just under a tree; it was a fig tree.
He wasn’t just an Israelite; he was a man without deceit.
God knows the specifics about things.
There is nothing secret with Him.

The Lord’s knowledge and wisdom was supernatural.

John 1:48-49 NKJV Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

The term “under the fig tree” represented a personal place of meditation, safety and leisure (1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10). The limbs of a fig tree hang down to the ground and the leaves are large. A person can find a place to hide and meditate under a fig tree. There is no secret place that is hidden from the Lord.

Jesus was showing Nathanael the same degree of wisdom and knowledge about his life that was revealed to David. In Psalms 139, David talks about the Lord’s knowledge of his life.

Psalm 139:1-10 NKJV O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

As a result of what Jesus said, Nathanael was certain that Jesus was the Son of God and the King of Israel.

John 1:50-51 NKJV Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Watch what Jesus said Nathanael would see. The last time angels ascended and descended like this was when Jacob saw a ladder set up on earth and heaven was opened at Bethel. Jacob called that place “the house of God” and “the gate to heaven.”

Jesus was telling Nathanael that he had found the place where heaven would be opened upon the “Son of Man.” Jesus is God’s link with earth, He is our Bethel. He is where we can find heaven’s blessing. He is the doorway to heaven’s grace. He is the entrance into a new life and hope for all of the ages. Everyone may come to God by Jesus Christ.

Look at those words, “Son of Man.” Jesus is giving another revelation of Who He is. This title goes back to the promises given to the prophets.

Daniel 7:13-14 NKJV “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

Every Jew ascribed the title “Son of Man” to “God Almighty.” Jesus used the title “Son of Man” 80 times. This title refers to His humanity, suffering and ministry. He has come as the “Son of Man” to bear our griefs and carry our sorrows. As the “Son of Man,” Jesus was acquainted with our grief and was afflicted and bruised for our iniquities, and was chastised for our sicknesses. He is the sympathetic Savior, the “Son of God” Who became the “Son of Man.”

Are you seeking more? Is your heart hungry for heaven to be opened to you? Jesus is the open door for heaven’s blessings.