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John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

What does John 1:41 mean?

Explanation

John 1:41 speaks of a significant moment in the New Testament where Andrew, one of Jesus' first disciples, informs his brother Simon (who would later be named Peter) that he has found the Messiah.

The term "Messias" is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word "Mashiach," meaning "Anointed One," which is translated into English as "Messiah." The Greek equivalent used in the New Testament is "Christos," or "Christ" in English.

In this verse, Andrew tells Simon not only about Jesus' identity as the expected Messiah but also reveals his own belief and conviction in Jesus being the one who was prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures.

This meeting implies a turning point in Simon's life, eventually leading him to become one of the central figures among Jesus' disciples.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

The verse is set in the early days of Jesus' ministry, most likely in the region of Galilee.

At that time, the Jewish people were under Roman occupation and were anticipating the arrival of a promised Messiah.

This was a figure who they believed would deliver them from their political oppressors and restore the kingdom of Israel to its former glory.

The concept of the Messiah varied among different Jewish groups, but it generally included ideas of a king like David, a prophetic figure, a priestly leader, and a warrior who would defeat Israel's enemies. The expectation was for a figure who would fulfill the prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives would highlight various aspects of this encounter:

Traditional Christian Theology: Emphasizes the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in Jesus.

Jesus as the Christ is seen as the Son of God who comes to bring salvation not just to the Jews but to all of humanity.

Messianic Judaism: Focuses on Jesus as the Jewish Messiah who fulfills the expectations of the Hebrew Scriptures.

They typically maintain the belief in the significance of Jewish law and traditions.

Liberation Theology: Might view the proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah in terms of spiritual and political liberation for oppressed groups.

Practical Applications

This verse has several practical applications:

Evangelism: Like Andrew, believers are encouraged to share their experiences and beliefs about Jesus with their family and friends.
Faith in Action: The verse exemplifies an active response to faith, where believing in Jesus prompts immediate action and proclamation.
Identifying with Purpose: As Andrew recognized Jesus' messianic role, believers are reminded to seek and understand their role in God's plan.

Cross-References

Matthew 16:16 - "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
John 1:35-36 - "Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"
Acts 9:20 - "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God."

Language Study

The key terms in the original language are:

"Messias" (Μεσσίας): Derived from the Hebrew "Mashiach," meaning "Anointed One."
"Christ" (Χριστός, "Christos"): The Greek equivalent of "Messiah," also meaning "Anointed One."

These terms are significant because "anointing" in the Jewish tradition was a ritual that conferred a sacred status upon a person for a particular role, such as a king or priest.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing to other ancient myths and religious interpretations:

The concept of an anointed savior or king is not unique to Judaism and Christianity.

Many cultures have myths of a hero or divine figure who arrives to restore order and justice.

In the broader Mediterranean culture, Greco-Roman gods were often believed to have intervened in human affairs and were sent to rescue or rule.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the statement that a person has found the Messiah does not involve empirical claims that are testable through scientific methods. Instead, it is reflective of a personal conviction and religious faith.

However, archaeology can help corroborate some of the historical and cultural context of the Biblical narrative.

Commentaries

Experts in Biblical studies and theology offer diverse views on this verse:

Many agree that this verse demonstrates the early recognition and proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah by his followers.
Some commentators point out the personal transformation that occurs when individuals encounter Jesus, as implied by Andrew's urgent sharing of the news with his brother.
Others might emphasize the familial aspect of faith transmission since Andrew immediately shares his discovery with his brother Simon.

John 1

John 1

What does John 1:41 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 1:41 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?