11. If Only I Could See Him (John 1:37-39)
Posted by:
SeLahGirl on
October 25, 2007 at
2:22PM EST
If Only I Could See Him
(John 1:37-39)
37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
Which
two disciples?... verse 40 tells us that one of them was Andrew (the
brother of Simon Peter). I'm not sure that the second disciple is ever
identified. Perhaps, he was a follower, but not as committed. Or
perhaps, he was just not among the twelve that were to be specifically
called and mentioned. Either way, the focus remains upon the calling
and listing of the twelve.
The other Gospels refer to John
being imprisoned and beheaded before the twelve are actually called to
follow Christ. Some people like to call that a contradiction within the
Word, but we must remember that not all details are included in
Scripture. As with any eyewitness account, only so many details can be
given at any one moment by any one person. So John shares only what the
Holy Spirit moved his heart to write as necessary parts of his
testimony.
Perhaps some time (hours, days) passed from the
time John made that second shout. Perhaps the two disciples began at
that moment to shift their heart/focus to following Christ and only
later made the physical transition after John was imprisoned. We will
never know the exact details of how it happened until we are able to
ask Christ face to face some day... But the fact of the matter is that
it simply doesn't matter right now. All we need to know is that Christ
began to gather the twelve men that were called for specific purpose
during His ministry on this earth, and they chose to follow Him.
I
find it interesting to ponder such gaps, but ridiculous to invest great
amounts of time and energy debating theories that move no one closer to
the Commission. It's worth a little investigation, but not worth a
heated debate, imo.
38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
I
love so many things about these verses. I love that these two disciples
began following behind Jesus as he walked along. They were drawn to
him, but kept a bit of a distance, unsure if he would allow them to
approach and follow him as disciples/students. The Holy Spirit had
rested on Jesus at his baptism and immediately began it's ministry of
drawing all men to the Christ. How cool is that?!
Jesus turns
around and asks them what they want. He already knew I'm sure. He knew
they were students of John, searching for the will and plan of God. He
knew that they were wanting to learn from the one that John referred
them to before he was imprisoned.
Every question Jesus asks or
comment he makes carries a deeper meaning than just what appears on the
surface. His thoughts are not like ours. He remains omniscient at all
times, understanding that we are so limited in grasping all that He
wants to say to us. So he asks a simple question that fits the moment
and waits for us to understand the depth of what He is saying layer by
layer.
"What do you want?" he asks the only two people in the crowd that followed Him that day.
"What do you want?" he continues to ask each of us today.
...They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.
I
don't know what time of day the tenth hour was. I'm sure it holds some
significance because God included it in the Scriptures. But at the
moment, I find it something to google later. For now, my heart is so
fixed and moved by the first part of this passage --
When the
disciples asked where Jesus was staying, it was kind of like a child
asking someone he admires... "can I go with you?" Jesus didn't answer
the question by telling them what town he was from or whose house he
was sleeping at. He understood what was in their heart, he took the
time to pay attention to them and to discern/realize what they were
actually asking. It didn't really matter where he was from or where he
was going, they just wanted to know if they could hang out with him.
And
so he responds by telling them to come with him and see. Perhaps, he
meant so much more than just the fact that they would see where he was
staying. Perhaps he meant something that they would only come to
realize much later -- that they would see and understand the heart/plan
of God. Perhaps it was a promise that the questions they hadn't even
spoken yet, would be answered... that they would receive the insight
they were craving and seeking of God... Perhaps they themselves didn't
even get the depth of his response.
"Come and you will see,"
may have been all they heard in that moment, because they were clearly
excited and relieved at not being rejected and sent away. It must have
seemed like the answer they were hoping for, the acceptance they were
seeking, the permission to be one of his students/disciples.
I
just wonder if Christ saw the child-like innocence in their hearts, the
openness and pureness of hungering to know the Truth, to truly search
for and encounter God -- and it pleased Him. I wonder if He and the
Spirit of God and the Father in heaven smiled to themselves as they
thought ahead to the words Christ would speak in Matt 5...
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled...
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
