What Does Jesus Say? (Part 2 of 2)

The opening chapter of John’s Gospel lays the foundational truths of Christianity, revealing Jesus as the Creator of the Universe, the promised Lamb of God, and the essential bridge connecting heaven and earth. Understanding these roles is crucial to grasping the core message of the Gospel.

1. John the Baptist: The Essential Setup Man

Before Jesus’s identity is fully revealed, the Gospel introduces John the Baptist, often described as the “setup man” or the “warm-up act”.

His Role and Character

John the Baptist was a fascinating character who was distinct by any standard. He was not “the light” but came specifically to bear witness to the light—Jesus Christ. John’s mission was to point away from himself and direct attention solely to Jesus.

The role John played is comparable to a salesman who prepares customers for the arrival of the actual product. John’s job was to “sell the people… on the idea” of the one who was coming next.

The Summary Statement

John the Baptist fulfilled his calling by bearing witness that Jesus “is the son of God”. He points to Jesus as the Lamb of God who will die for the sins of the world in order to make people right with God.

When believers tell others about Jesus, the focus should mirror John’s: tell people about Jesus, not about one’s own personal story, as individual conversion paths are all different. The goal is to point people to Jesus, the one who grants forgiveness and in whose name there is life.

2. Jesus: The Word Made Flesh

The “fulcrum” of John’s opening statement is the staggering declaration in verse 14: “The word became flesh and dwelt among us”.

This is foundational Christianity: God, the creator of the universe, became human and “moved into the neighborhood,” entering our time-space capsule.

John bore witness that this incarnation revealed:

• Glory: John states, “we have seen something of his glory”.
• Grace and Truth: The coming of Jesus was not about a list of rules and regulations, but about grace (undeserved favor) and truth, which is the answer to the “riddle of life” and the “longings of the human heart”.

Jesus Unrecognized and Rejected

Despite His divine identity, Jesus was unrecognized by the people, particularly those who should have been most likely to receive Him. However, the sources note there were “exceptions”—those who believed in him were given the right to become the children of God.

3. The Different Pathways to the Same Jesus

The source material transitions by showing how the first disciples came to follow Jesus, highlighting that the pathway to Jesus is different for everyone, though they all arrive at the same truth and the same Jesus.

The Initial Call and Response

John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to two of his followers, who then heard him and followed Jesus. When Jesus asked them, “What are you looking for?” they asked, “Where are you staying?” and Jesus invited them: “Come and you will see”.

Andrew, one of these first followers, immediately found his own brother, Simon (Peter), and declared, “We have found the Messiah”. Andrew then brought Simon to Jesus.

Jesus Takes the Initiative (Grace)

Jesus later decided to go to Galilee, where He found Philip and told him, “Follow me”. This initiative by Jesus underscores the nature of God’s seeking love: “They would never have found Jesus if Jesus hadn’t found them”. The sources emphasize that becoming friends of Jesus is a result of His initiative, which defines grace.

Philip, in turn, found Nathaniel and told him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote”.

The Nazareth Objection and the Simple Invitation

Nathaniel, described as a straightforward character, pushed back against the idea of Jesus coming from Nazareth. Nazareth was a racially and religiously mixed northern town—the “last place that you would expect the Messiah of God to come out of”. Nathaniel asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”.

Philip did not argue but repeated Jesus’s simple invitation: “Come and see”. The privilege of the disciple is not to have all the answers to every intellectual question, but simply to invite people to “come and see” Jesus.

4. Jesus’s Declaration of Deity: The Son of Man

When Jesus sees Nathaniel, he assesses him as “an Israelite,” contrasting him with Jacob, who was known for being deceitful (Genesis 27). Jesus then reveals His omnipresence to Nathaniel by stating He saw him even when he was under the fig tree. The “staggering thought” is: “when you weren’t thinking about me I was thinking about you”.

In response, Nathaniel declares, “You are the Son of God, you’re the King of Israel”.

The Jacob’s Ladder Connection

Jesus responds to Nathaniel’s belief with a profound promise: “Truly, truly I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”. This statement directly references Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28, where Jacob saw a stairway leading to heaven, demonstrating movement between heaven and earth.

Jesus is promising His disciples heaven-sent confirmation that the one they acknowledged as the Messiah is, in fact, the Son of Man.