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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 1:49 mean?

Explanation

The verse John 1:49 documents a key recognition of Jesus's identity by one of his future disciples, Nathanael.

When Nathanael calls Jesus "Rabbi," he acknowledges Him as a teacher; the titles "Son of God" and "King of Israel" are declarations of Jesus's divine nature and messianic role, respectively.

This acknowledgement comes from an earlier encounter, where Jesus demonstrated supernatural knowledge about Nathanael's character and his location before they met, leading Nathanael to a profound declaration of faith in Jesus' identity.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

At the time John's Gospel was written, titles such as "Son of God" and "King of Israel" held significant weight.

Israel was under Roman occupation, and the Jewish people longed for a messiah who would liberate them and restore the kingdom.

The title "Son of God" drew connections to Old Testament promises of a figure who would have a special relationship with God, fulfilling expectations for a divinely anointed leader.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, Nathanael's proclamation is a recognition of Jesus's dual nature as fully divine and fully human.

This title "Son of God" indicates a unique, filial relationship with the Father, affirming an essential Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

The title "King of Israel" aligns Jesus with the messianic prophecies found in the Hebrew Scriptures, indicating that He is the awaited ruler who would establish an everlasting kingdom.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, this verse inspires believers to recognize and affirm Jesus's identity in their own lives.

It suggests that an encounter with Jesus might lead to a transformational recognition of who He is, and it calls for a personal response of faith and allegiance.

Believers are also encouraged to share this recognition with others, and to live with the understanding that Jesus is their teacher, savior, and king.

Cross-References

Matthew 16:16 (KJV): "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
John 20:28 (KJV): "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God."
Mark 15:32 (KJV): "Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe."

Language Study

"Rabbi" (רַבִּי) is a title of respect in Hebrew that means "my teacher." "Son of God" (υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ) in Greek can be a title for angels, holy men, or people with a special relationship with God, but here it signifies a unique divine status.

"King of Israel" (βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ) implies a monarchial leader believed to be anointed or chosen by God to rule over the people of Israel.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In contrast to Roman emperors who claimed divine status, Jesus's title as "Son of God" in John's Gospel reflects a distinctive Jewish expectation of a divinely sent savior.

This contrasts with myths from other ancient cultures where gods often had numerous offspring who were divine or semi-divine heroes, whereas in Christianity, Jesus is uniquely divine and human.

Scientific Perspectives

The acknowledgment of Jesus as "Son of God" and "King of Israel" does not intersect directly with scientific inquiry, as it pertains to spiritual belief rather than empirical evidence.

However, the historical study of these titles can be informed by archaeology and textual criticism, analyzing how such titles were understood in their ancient context.

Commentaries

Commentaries often note Nathanael's declaration as significant for several reasons.

It is one of the earliest confessions in the Gospel of John recognizing Jesus's identity.

Most commentators discuss how this verse showcases the divine knowledge Jesus had and the immediate recognition of Jesus's identity by Nathanael.

They also tend to focus on the importance of titles "Son of God" and "King of Israel" within Jewish thought and how they are fulfilled in Jesus according to the New Testament narrative.

John 1

John 1

What does John 1:49 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 1:49 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?