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Gospel of John Episode 11: Philip and Nathaniel
Philip and Nathaniel
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help us to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ through Your words, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
John 1: 43-46, On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, Follow me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.
Reflection
This was the 2nd day of Jesus’ public ministry, He left Bethabara for Galilee, seventy miles away. Here, Jesus discovered Philip, who became the 3rd apostle. Philip found Nathaniel or Bartholomew of Cana, who became the 4th apostle, Philip told him that Jesus could be the prophet that Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy 18:15.
Philip was extremely skilled at mental arithmetic. In John 6:7, he calculated the cost of bread required to feed the multitude. Nathaniel was a skeptic. Philip's claim that Jesus of Nazareth could be the Messiah left him feeling skeptical.
John 6:7, Philip answered Him, Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.
John 1:47-51, Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit! Nathanael said to him, How do you know me? Jesus answered him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel! Jesus answered him, Because I told you, I saw you underneath the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these! He said to him, Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
Reflection
Jesus praised Nathaniel as an honest Israelite without deceit, drawing a comparison to Jacob, an Israelite known for his deceitful ways. When Jesus said that He saw him under the fig tree, Nathaniel declared his great confession of faith, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! Jesus informed Nathaniel that he would witness angels of God moving up and down upon the Son of man, a reference to Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28:10-22. Jacob’s ladder was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. Jesus is the pathway to God, serving as the bridge and mediator between God and humanity.
John 14:6, Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’
Genesis 28:12, He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Application
Today we meet Philip, the calculator, and Nathaniel, the skeptic. We should strive not to mimic Philip's calculating disposition or Nathaniel's skeptical nature. It is imperative that we have unwavering faith and wholeheartedly believe in Christ.
.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we acknowledged that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is Jacob's ladder, the One who connected us to You. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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,
,
,
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By Dr. Andrew C S KohPhilip and Nathaniel
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help us to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ through Your words, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
John 1: 43-46, On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, Follow me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.
Reflection
This was the 2nd day of Jesus’ public ministry, He left Bethabara for Galilee, seventy miles away. Here, Jesus discovered Philip, who became the 3rd apostle. Philip found Nathaniel or Bartholomew of Cana, who became the 4th apostle, Philip told him that Jesus could be the prophet that Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy 18:15.
Philip was extremely skilled at mental arithmetic. In John 6:7, he calculated the cost of bread required to feed the multitude. Nathaniel was a skeptic. Philip's claim that Jesus of Nazareth could be the Messiah left him feeling skeptical.
John 6:7, Philip answered Him, Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.
John 1:47-51, Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit! Nathanael said to him, How do you know me? Jesus answered him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel! Jesus answered him, Because I told you, I saw you underneath the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these! He said to him, Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
Reflection
Jesus praised Nathaniel as an honest Israelite without deceit, drawing a comparison to Jacob, an Israelite known for his deceitful ways. When Jesus said that He saw him under the fig tree, Nathaniel declared his great confession of faith, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! Jesus informed Nathaniel that he would witness angels of God moving up and down upon the Son of man, a reference to Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28:10-22. Jacob’s ladder was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. Jesus is the pathway to God, serving as the bridge and mediator between God and humanity.
John 14:6, Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’
Genesis 28:12, He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Application
Today we meet Philip, the calculator, and Nathaniel, the skeptic. We should strive not to mimic Philip's calculating disposition or Nathaniel's skeptical nature. It is imperative that we have unwavering faith and wholeheartedly believe in Christ.
.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we acknowledged that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is Jacob's ladder, the One who connected us to You. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
,
,
,
,
,