July 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
438
Jesus being the Christ. Indeed he did not believe He could be any good, coming from Nazareth.— Torrey. The law consisted of the Pentateuch, which contains many prophe cies of the Messiah, as Deut. 18:15; the promises to Adam, to Abraham, and to his descendants; the-Messianic types as in the passover and the slain lamb. The prophets was the second division of the Hebrew Bible, including the larger historical,books as well as the writing of the pro phets. This division is full of foregleams of the Messiah, especially the writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Micah.— Peloubet. Jesus was commonly called “ the son of Joseph” just as he was commonly called “ of Nazareth.” John, when he wrote his Gospel, knew of course of the divine Sonship of Jesus, that God and not Joseph was his Father, but he is honestly reporting what Jesus was called at this time. Sel. V. 46. All Galileans were despised for their want of culture, their rude dialect, and contact with the Gentiles. They were to the Jews what Boeotians were to the Athen ians. But here is a Galilean who reproaches Nazareth in par ticular.— Cambridge Bible. Nathanael’s skepticism ended in hearty faith. All honest skepticism ends that way. Though Nathanael was a doubter he was a thoroughly sincere man: Jesus Himself pronounced him to be “ with out guile.” He did not remain a doubter, no sincere skeptic will.— Torrey. It is very significant that these “ first disciples of Jesus” (five in number) were won through the personal work of four different individuals. The first of these personal workers was John the Baptist, who pointed two of his own disciples— DEVOTIONAI j Andrew and (as is generally thought) COMMENT John, whose modesty restrained him John A. Hubbard from mentioning himself by name— to the Lamb of God. John the Baptist was a great preacher, listened to by great throngs. How many of his hearers eventually became followers of Jesus we have no way of telling; but( that was a great piece, of work when he personally pointed Andrew and John to Christ. Andrew in turn became a personal worker. “ He findeth first his own brother Simon and brought him to Jesus.” “ Happy brothers that thus do to each other!” We have no record of Andrew doing anything very notable in a public way; but that was a great piece of work when he led to Jesus Simon Peter, who through one public sermon led 3000 to Jesus! Next we see Jesus doing personal work. “ He findeth Philip,” This is the first, but by no means the last record of His dealing with individuals. He did it throughout His public ministry. See, for example, the incidents in this hook of John— chapters 3, 4, 5, 8, 9. And see Him during the hours of agony on the cross dealing with and saving the penitent thief! How unlike Jesus most of us are in this regard! And having found Jesus, Philip became a personal worker “ Philip findeth Nathanael.” And a wise worker he was. Back of Nathanael’s question, “ Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” there lay a serious difficulty in the way of accepting Jesus as the Messiah. Granting (which some are not willing to do) that Nathanael’s ques tion implies that Nazareth was a town’of rather bad repu tation, this was not the chief difficulty, but rather this: he knew “ that Nazareth was not the predicted birthplace of the Messiah, and he asks in surprise whether so great a thing can possibly come from Nazareth” (Erdman). Now mark the wisdom of Philip’s reply: “ Come and see.” Philip was not able to solve the difficulty; but he knew who could. And if only he- could get Nathanael in touch with Jesus Himself,
the greatness and fame of others. Andrew lives in Peter and shares his reward. Naomi lives in Ruth. Monica lives in Augustine. Susannah Wesley lives in John and Charles. The fourth disciple was secured through Christ’s own personal agency. There are no details of Philip’s conver sion. Christ knew where he was and went after him. We are only told that Jesus said to him “ Follow me” and by these two words He changed his career and started him in the Christian life. Finding Christ begins the Christian life and following Christ continues and completes it. The Christian should reproduce the example of Christ and re incarnate His life. The fifth disciple was led to Christ by the efforts of a converted neighbor. Nathanael became Bartholomew the Apostle because Philip went to him and told him the glad tidings of the Messiah whom he had found. The testimony of Philip aroused the prejudice of Nathanael and he in credulously asked “ Can any good thing come out of Nazar eth?’’ , Philip was a man of few words and he only replied “ Come and see.” He appealed to experience. You cannot argue with prejudice. Facts are the only things that con quer it. Christianity will bear testing. It courts investiga tion. Christ does not ask for blind credulity. He wants intelligent faith. When Nathanael put Jesus to the test he was quickly converted. He was an Israelite without guile, the fifteenth Psalm incarnate and very near the king dom. The better a man is morally the easier it ought to be to accept Christ and be saved. The Saviour meets the honest doubter more than half way. V. 85. Andrew is a Greek name and means “ manly,” a good name for this helpful disciple. In spite of the fact that he was one of two disciples that were called first, he occupies a subordinate place in Christian, history, and is known chiefly because of his famous COMMENTS brother, the leader of the Twelve. Per- FROM THE haps, however we owe Peter himself to COMMENTARIES Andrew, and certainly Andrew never V. V. Morgan did a better piece of work than when hq brought his brother to Christ. But this j seems to have been characteristic of Andrew, this bringing folks to Christ: there was Peter, and the lad with the luncheon (Jno. 6 :8), and the Greeks, (Jno. 12:22). Andrew was the Finder and that is a noble title for any man.—Peloubet. V. 88. This was not asked to obtain information. It was a kind of inquiry respecting their desires; an invita tion to lay open their minds, to state their wishes, and to express all their feelings respecting the Messiah and their own salvationiSj-Barnes. V. 39. Christ placed first just such conversations as the two sought. The eternal interests of the soul take pre cedence of all other matter whatever. No business can be so important as to decide one’s relations to Jesus Christ.— Sel. According to the Roman method of reckoning it would be ten o’clock in the forenoon, but according to the Jewish method it would he four o’clock in the afternoon. The latter was probably the hour.—Pract. Com. V. 40. The other one was John the apostle, the writer of this Gospel, who consistently keeps himself in the back ground throughout the hook.—Peloubet. V. 42. Andrew, that is, brought Simon to Jesus. Note that these two sought first their brothers, not strangers or mere acquaintances. Evangelism should begin at home, with those we know best and ought to be able to influence most, and then should spread out among our relatives, friends, business associates, acquaintances, strangers. This is the natural and most fruitful order of Christian propa ganda.— Sel... It is the first time that Peter ever saw Jesus. It is not the first time that Jesus, in spirit at least, ever saw Peter. He knows his parentage, his name and his tory.—Whedon. V. 45. •Philip at once hunts up Nathanael. Everybody in this lesson who found Jesus seemed to go at once for some one else. Nathanael was decidedly skeptical about
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