This is study seven in our Gospel of John series. Our attention is drawn to the specific way that John the Baptist put the spotlight on Jesus, and how John’s disciples knew what to do in response. It should be fairly clear how God wants us to see ourselves in the picture.
John Bible Study ~ John 1:35-42 ~ The Lamb of God Begins Gathering Sheep[1]
35 The next day again John was standing with
two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they
followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What
are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where
are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and
saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about
the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said
to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to
Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall
be called Cephas” (which means Peter). (John 1 ~ ESV)
In this study we consider the transition between the focus on John the Baptist preparing people for the coming of the Christ and the first people who began following Jesus because of John’s testimony. We are invited to let the interactions between John, Jesus and these early followers lead us in our response to Jesus today.
Part 1: The Sheep that Follow the Lamb of God
God’s Book uses multiple word-pictures, metaphors, similes, and other figures of speech to help us understand him. The overlapping of these pictures magnifies the wonder of who God is in the same way as different facets of a diamond call us to look at the same realities from different viewpoints. As we get to know Jesus for who he is, we discover that seeing him as both the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the Good Shepherd who leads the flock of God increases the spectrum of glories that bring us to trust him to accomplish in our lives everything the heavenly Father sent him to do.
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. (John 1)
1. How did John’s testimony, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” express his place in life as the one who was preparing the way for the Lord?
2. A disciple is a follower of a particular teacher with the intent of putting into practice what they are taught. Why would it be a natural thing for someone who was a disciple of John the Baptist to then become a follower of Jesus?
3. What is your story of how God has used people, resources or circumstances to tell you, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”?
4. How does the disciples’ reaction to Jesus compare with your own?
Part 2: Come and See
The stage has been set for two of John the Baptist’s disciples to begin following Jesus. Some readers of this Bible study will remember when you first let your thoughts begin following Jesus to settle whether he is deserving of the following he has to this very day. Other readers may find that this Bible study is the first time you are letting your mind come and see who this Jesus really is and what his life and teaching means for you today. Whichever seems most like your story, there is always something to be learned by watching how Jesus related to those people who were trying to understand who he was and what his life meant to them. We can be sure he will be just as receptive to us if we would come and see him for ourselves.
38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. (John 1)
1. How would you reply to Jesus if he looked up at you from this page and asked, “What are you seeking?”
2. What kinds of things are communicated to us in Jesus’ use of a question to attach to the people who were following him?
3. What is the relationship between Jesus inviting these men to, “come and see,” and the role that the biblical witnesses are playing in telling you about Jesus?
4. The fact that these men came and saw where Jesus was staying is the beginning of a theme of many people coming and seeing what he did and taught. How have you come to Jesus and seen for yourself who he is and what he is all about?
Part 3: Come and Become
We saw earlier that the way people responded to Jesus during his years on earth came down to most people not knowing him, others not receiving him, and some believing in him and receiving him as the Word of God. This section of the gospel account gives us the names of some of those who would believe in him and receive him and introduces us to the theme of what people become when they come to Jesus.
40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). (John 1)
1. What would it have done to the first hearers of this gospel record to know the names of those who initially began to follow Jesus?
2. What does Andrew’s declaration to his brother tell you about the success of John the Baptist’s work?
3. Peter, or Simon Peter, became a central figure in Jesus’ ministry. In his natural self he would become known for his impulsiveness, saying and doing whatever first popped into his head. Jesus gives Simon a new name, Cephas (in Aramaic) or Peter (in Greek), both of which mean “rock”. What do you think it means that Jesus knew who Simon was but then gave him a new name as well?
4. How much have you experienced a relationship with Jesus in which you know he knows you in your earthly experience of life but also in his work of making you a new person in him?
Conclusion: Hearing, Seeing, Joining
After watching the gospel account become more personal by introducing us to Jesus’ earliest followers by name:
1. What do you hear God speaking to you about?
2. What do you see God doing in you through this part of his word?
3. How are you going to join God in his work?
© 2021 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the
English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text
Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.)
[1] Here is a link to a .doc version of this Bible study to download
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