========================

John 1:43-51

========================

36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” 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 they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

----------------------------------------

43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.

45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

48“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

50Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.”

51He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

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2:1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,

2:2and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

----------------------------------------

1)      Are verses 36 to 39 and 2:1 and 2:2 included in VisionCasting-John1.29-37, VisionCasting-John1.38-42 and VisionCasting-John2.1-12?

o  Yes.

 

2)      Why are verses 36 to 39 and 2:1 and 2:2 included here?

o  They are included here to provide continuity of context.

 

3)      According to verse 43 where did Jesus decide to leave for the next day?

o  Galilee.

 

4)      Why did Jesus decide to leave for Galilee, given verses 2:1 and 2:2?

o  Jesus needed to attend a wedding at Cana in Galilee.

 

5)      What did Andrew and Peter and Jesus choose to do together, given verses 2:1 and 2:2?

o  They traveled to Galilee together for the wedding.

 

6)      What did Andrew do, given verses 44, 2:1 and 2:2?

o  He invited Philip to travel to Galilee for the wedding with him, Peter and Jesus.

 

7)      According to what Jesus said in verse 43 what did he tell Philip to do upon finding him?

o  Jesus told Philip to follow him.

 

8)      When did Philip meet with Jesus relative to the day Andrew met with Jesus, given verses 36 to 39 and verse 43?

o  Philip met with Jesus the day after Andrew and Peter did.

 

9)      Who had just come to believe in Jesus?

o  Philip had.

 

10)   Because of whose testimony did Philip believe in Jesus?

o  He believed in Jesus because of Andrew’s testimony.

 

11)   What was the medium on which the good news of Jesus spread in the current situation?

o  It spread on the relational network.

 

12)   What is the chain of witnesses who had testified about Jesus so far?

o  God had testified to John the Baptist about Jesus.

o  John the Baptist had testified to two of his disciples about Jesus, one of them being Andrew.

o  Andrew had testified to his brother Peter about Jesus.

o  Andrew had testified to his hometown friend Philip about Jesus.

 

13)   What do we call the personal interaction between Andrew and his hometown friend Philip that led to the latter’s being told about Jesus and then experiencing him personally?

o  It is called personal evangelism.

 

14)   According to verse 45 what did Philip do after he had started following Jesus and before traveling with Jesus to Galilee?

o  He

§ Found Nathanael.

§ And told him,

Ø “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law. 

Ø And about whom the prophets also wrote—

Ø Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

 

15)   What might Nathanael be particularly interested in, given what Philip told him?

o  He might be particularly interested in

§ The Law and the Prophets.

§ And the foretelling of the Christ in them.

 

16)   Why did Philip seize the small window of opportunity to tell Nathanael about Jesus before traveling with Jesus to Galilee, given that Nathanae was from Cana according to John 21:2-3?

o  He wanted to invite Nathanael to travel to Galilee for the wedding with him, Andrew, Peter and Jesus.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 21:2-3 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

2Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

3“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

17)   According to verse 46 what was Nathanael’s reaction to what Philip told him?

o  He asked the rhetorical question if anything good could come from Nazareth.

 

18)   What might have motivated Nathanael to ask the rhetorical question, given that he was familiar with the foretelling of the coming of the Christ in the Law and the Prophets and that he was from Cana in Galilee?

o  He could not see how Jesus of Nazareth could be the Christ.

o  Since

o  The Christ did not come from Galilee.

o  He could also be

§ Sarcastic.

§ And self-deprecating.

o  Since

o  From his perspective people of the stock of Nazareth and Cana in Galilee would not amount to anything.

 

19)   According to verse 46 what did Philip say to Nathanael in response?

o  Come and see.

 

20)   Did Philip’s response sound familiar, given John 1:35-40?

o  Yes, Jesus said the same thing to John’s two disciples, one of them being Andrew.

o  When

o  They

§ Followed him.

§ And asked him.

o  Where

o  He was staying.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 1:35-40 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.

36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” 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 they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

21)   Where did Philip pick up the verbiage?

o  He picked it up from Andrew.

 

22)   What had motivated Philip to invite Nathanael to experience Jesus personally apart from the impact Jesus had on him?

o  He was motivated by Andrew’s example of inviting him to come and see Jesus.

 

23)   According to verse 47 what did Jesus say of Nathanael when he saw him approaching?

o  Jesus said of him,

§ “Here truly is an Israelite.

§ In whom

§ There is no deceit.”

 

24)   According to verse 48 what was the question Nathanael asked of Jesus?

o  “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

 

25)   What could we detect from Nathanael’s question in verse 48, given the sarcasm of his rhetorical question?

o  The question also smacked of sarcasm.

 

26)   According to what Jesus said in verse 48 what was his reply?

o  Jesus answered,

§ “I saw you.

§ While

§ You were still under the fig tree.

§ Before

§ Philip called you.

 

27)   What kind of insight did Jesus possess, given his reply to Nathanael in verse 48?

o  Jesus knew what was going on with Nathanael without needing to be physically there to observe it.

 

28)   According to verse 49 what was Nathanael’s response to Jesus’ insight?

o  He declared,

§ “Rabbi, you are the Son of God.

§ You are the king of Israel.”

 

29)   How dramatic was the change in Nathanael’s attitude toward Jesus?

o  He switched

§ From the opinion that Jesus was good for nothing.

§ To calling him

Ø Not only teacher. 

Ø But also the Son of God.

Ø And the king of Israel. 

 

30)   Who gave Nathanael the idea that Jesus was the Son of God and the king of Israel?

o  Philip did.

 

31)   According to what Jesus said in verse 50 what was his assurance for Nathanael, given Nathanael’s belief in him as a result of his supernaturally seeing Nathanael under the fig tree?

o  Nathanael would see greater things than that.

 

32)   According to what Jesus said in verse 51 what would Nathanael see?

o  He would see

§ Heaven open.

§ And the angels of God

Ø Ascending. 

Ø And descending.

§ On the Son of Man.

 

33)   With what level of certainty did Jesus speak?

o  Jesus spoke with the certainty of truth.

 

34)   What did Jesus’ words in verse 51 cause Nathanael to reminisce about, given Genesis 27:41-43 to Genesis 28:10-12?

o  They caused Nathanael to reminisce about Jacob’s dream.

o  As

o  He was fleeing from Esau.

o  In which

o  He saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven.

o  And the angels of God were

§ Ascending.

§ And descending on it.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Genesis 27:41-43 to Genesis 28:10-12 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

Genesis 27:41Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Genesis 27:42When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is planning to avenge himself by killing you.

Genesis 27:43Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Harran.

...

 

Genesis 28:10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran.

Genesis 28:11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.

Genesis 28:12He 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.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

35)   How did Jesus’ reference to Jacob’s dream dial back to what he said of Nathanael in verse 47 that he was an Israelite in whom there was no deceit, given Genesis 25:24-26 and Genesis 27:1-27?

o  Jacob snatched the blessing for the firstborn away from his brother Esau by deceit.

o  In contrast Nathanael was an Israelite.

o  In whom

o  There was no deceit.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Genesis 25:24-26 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

Genesis 25:24When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.

Genesis 25:25The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.

Genesis 25:26After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Genesis 27:1-27 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

Genesis 27:1When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” he answered.

Genesis 27:2Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death.

Genesis 27:3Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.

Genesis 27:4Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”

Genesis 27:5Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back,

Genesis 27:6Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau,

Genesis 27:7‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die.’

Genesis 27:8Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you:

Genesis 27:9Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.

Genesis 27:10Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.”

Genesis 27:11Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man while I have smooth skin.

Genesis 27:12What if my father touches me? I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing.”

Genesis 27:13His mother said to him, “My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me.”

Genesis 27:14So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it.

Genesis 27:15Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob.

Genesis 27:16She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins.

Genesis 27:17Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.

Genesis 27:18He went to his father and said, “My father.” “Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?”

Genesis 27:19Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”

Genesis 27:20Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” “The Lord your God gave me success,” he replied.

Genesis 27:21Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.”

Genesis 27:22Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

Genesis 27:23He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him.

Genesis 27:24“Are you really my son Esau?” he asked. “I am,” he replied.

Genesis 27:25Then he said, “My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.” Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank.

Genesis 27:26Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.”

Genesis 27:27So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,

...

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

36)   Why did Jesus refer to Nathanael as an Israelite in whom there was no deceit instead of simply a man in whom there was no deceit, given Genesis 32:22-30?

o  It is because

§ God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.

§ And Nathanael was a descendant of Jacob as an Israelite.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Genesis 32:22-30 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

22That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

23After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.

24So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

25When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

26Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered.

28Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

29Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

30So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

37)   What was Nathanael doing under the fig tree?

o  He was meditating on

§ The incident of Jacob snatching the blessing for the firstborn away from his brother Esau by deceit.

§ And Jacob’s subsequent dream while fleeing from Esau.

 

38)   What was it that Jesus said in the entire conversation that amazed Nathanael most?

o  Jesus was able to tell Nathanael what he was meditating on while under the fig tree.

 

39)   How did Jesus follow up on Nathanael’s addressing him as the king of Israel in calling himself the Son of Man, given Daniel 7:13-14 and that Nathanael was familiar with the foretelling of the Christ in that passage?

o  Jews consider the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14 to be the Christ.

o  In calling himself the Son of Man Jesus claimed to be the Christ whose dominion and kingdom will never end.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Daniel 7:13-14 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

13“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

14He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

40)   Did Nathanael end up following Jesus?

o  Yes.

 

41)   Who had just come to believe in Jesus?

o  Nathanael had.

 

42)   Because of whose testimony did Nathanael believe in Jesus?

o  He believed in Jesus because of Philip’s testimony.

 

43)   What was the medium on which the good news of Jesus spread in the current situation?

o  It spread on the relational network.

 

44)   What is the chain of witnesses who had testified about Jesus so far?

o  God had testified to John the Baptist about Jesus.

o  John the Baptist had testified to two of his disciples about Jesus, one of them being Andrew.

o  Andrew had testified to his brother Peter about Jesus.

o  Andrew had testified to his hometown friend Philip about Jesus.

o  Philip had testified to his friend Nathanael about Jesus.

 

45)   What do we call the personal interaction between Philip and his friend Nathanael that led to the latter’s being told about Jesus and then experiencing him personally?

o  It is called personal evangelism.

 

46)   What can we conclude about the writer of the gospel of John in light of the succession of cited personal evangelism in his gospel account?

o  The writer of the gospel of John was an evangelist.

 

47)   What can we say about how closely together Simon and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John were located when they were at work, given Mark 1:14-20?

o  They were close by each other.

o  When

o  They were at work.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Mark 1:14-20 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.

15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.

17“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

18At once they left their nets and followed him.

19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.

20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

48)   What can we say about the work relationship of Simon and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John, given Luke 5:1-11?

o  They were business partners.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Luke 5:1-11 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.

2He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.

3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,

10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”

11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

49)   How similarly did Simon and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John respond to Jesus’ call to follow him when they were called in Mark 1:14-20 and Luke 5:1-11?

o  They responded to Jesus’ call in the same prompt manner at the same time.

 

50)   What can we conclude about the level of relationship between Simon, Andrew, James and John?

o  They were closely knit.

 

51)   So who might be the other of John’s two disciples besides Andrew who followed Jesus and asked him where he was staying?

o  The apostle John might be.

 

52)   Who is the disciple whom Jesus loved, given John 21:20-24?

o  The writer of the gospel of John is the disciple.

o  Whom

o  Jesus loved.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 21:20-24 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

20Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)

21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

22Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”

23Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

24This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

53)   Is the disciple whom Jesus loved also the disciple who wrote the gospel of John?

o  Yes.

o  Let’s keep this in mind.

 

54)   What did Peter, James and John end up with when they followed Jesus’ instruction after having worked hard all night but caught nothing, given Luke 5:1-11?

o  They ended up with a miraculous catch of fish.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Luke 5:1-11 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.

2He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.

3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,

10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”

11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

55)   What did the disciples catch after working all night on another occasion, given John 21:1-7?

o  They caught nothing.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 21:1-7 (NASB) that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

1After these things Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He revealed Himself in this way:

2Simon Peter, Thomas who was called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

4But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

5So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”

6And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find the fish.” So they cast it, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great quantity of fish.

7Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

56)   Who pointed out to Peter that the man whose instruction helped them get a miraculous catch of fish is Jesus, given John 21:1-7 cited earlier?

o  The disciple whom Jesus loved did.

 

57)   Who had the similar prior miraculous experience with Jesus to be able to point out that the man who helped them get a miraculous catch of fish was Jesus, given Luke 5:1-11 cited earlier?

o  Only Peter, James and John had the similar prior miraculous experience with Jesus.

o  Let’s keep this in mind.

 

58)   Is Peter the disciple whom Jesus loved that pointed out to Peter that the man who helped them get a miraculous catch of fish was Jesus and why, given John 21:1-7 cited earlier?

o  No, because it is illogical.

 

59)   Could Peter be the disciple who wrote the gospel of John and why?

o  No, because

§ The disciple whom Jesus loved is also the disciple who wrote the gospel of John.

§ And Peter is not the disciple whom Jesus loved.

o  So he could not be the disciple who wrote the gospel of John.

 

60)   What does the fact that John 21:1-7 cited earlier reflects the change of the name from the Sea of Galilee to the Sea of Tiberias tell us about when the gospel of John was written, given that the name change took place toward the end of the first century?

o  It was written toward the end of the first century.

 

61)   What happened to James, given Acts 11:27-12:2?

o  James died very early on.

o  When

o  Paul

§ Was still called Saul.

§ And had not started his missionary journey yet.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Acts 11:27-12:2 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

11:27During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

11:28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)

11:29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea.

11:30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

12:1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.

12:2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

62)   Is James the disciple who wrote the gospel of John and why?

o  No, because

§ The gospel of John was written toward the end of the first century.

§ While

§ James had died decades earlier.

o  So he could not be the disciple who wrote the gospel of John.

 

63)   Could James be the disciple whom Jesus loved and why?

o  No, because

§ The disciple whom Jesus loved is also the disciple who wrote the gospel of John.

§ And James is not the writer of the gospel of John.

o  So he could not be the disciple whom Jesus loved.

 

64)   Who is the remaining choice that could be the disciple whom Jesus loved that pointed out to Peter in John 21:1-7 that the man who helped them get a miraculous catch of fish is Jesus?

o  The apostle John is the remaining choice.

 

65)   Who is the disciple whom Jesus loved and the disciple who wrote the gospel of John?

o  The apostle John is.

 

66)   What is the reason the apostle John refrained from using the first person ‘I’ to refer to himself but as the disciple whom Jesus loved in the gospel account, given that he was a disciple of John the Baptist?

o  John the Baptist consistently directed attention away from himself to Jesus.

o  The apostle John was following his example.

 

67)   What is the reason the apostle John refrained from naming himself as the other of John’s two disciples besides Andrew who followed Jesus and asked him where he was staying?

o  He did not want to draw attention to himself.

 

68)   What did the apostle John recording in his gospel account some of the specific things Andrew said and did while other gospel accounts recording nothing beyond naming him among the apostles tell us about John’s relationship with Andrew, given John 1:40-42, John 6:5-9 and John 12:20-22?

o  John and Andrew were teenage buddies.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 1:40-42 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.

41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).

42And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 6:5-9 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up,

9“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 12:20-22 that says,

+++++++++++++++++++++

20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.

21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”

22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

69)   Did the apostle John testify to his brother James about Jesus as Andrew did to his brother Peter after they spent time with Jesus?

o  Yes.

 

70)   Who had come to believe in Jesus?

o  James had.

 

71)   Because of whose testimony did James believe in Jesus?

o  He believed in Jesus because of John’s testimony.

 

72)   What was the medium on which the good news of Jesus spread in the that situation?

o  It spread on the relational network.

 

73)   What is the chain of witnesses who had testified about Jesus so far?

o  God had testified to John the Baptist about Jesus.

o  John the Baptist had testified to two of his disciples about Jesus, one of them being Andrew and the other John.

o  Andrew had testified to his brother Peter about Jesus.

o  John had testified to his brother James about Jesus.

o  Andrew had testified to his hometown friend Philip about Jesus.

o  Philip had testified to his friend Nathanael about Jesus.

 

74)   What do we call the personal interaction between John and his brother James that led to the latter’s being told about Jesus and then experiencing him personally?

o  It is called personal evangelism.

 

75)   Who are the disciples that had started following Jesus in the first chapter of the gospel of John?

o  Peter and Andrew.

o  James and John.

o  Philip and Nathanael.

 

76)   What did Andrew, Peter, John, James, Philip, Nathanael and Jesus do next?

o  They traveled together to Galilee for the wedding.

 

77)   What are the seven names that depict Jesus’ roles and that have been alluded to in the first chapter of the gospel of John?

o  The Word. (John 1:1–2, 14)

o  The light. (John 1:4–13)

o  The Son of God. (John 1:14–18)

o  The Lamb of God. (John 1:29)

o  The Christ. (John 1:41)

o  The King of Israel. (John 1:49)

o  The Son of Man. (John 1:51)

 

78)   Why does the writer of the gospel of John introduce the seven names of Jesus in the very first chapter of the gospel account?

o  The readers

§ Are given a bird’s eye view of who Jesus is at the beginning.

§ And then find out how it exerts an influence on the life Jesus lived on earth as the story unfolds.

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John 1:43-51

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