Come and see

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth; the son of Joseph." And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

- John 1:43-51

In yesterday's reading, John the Baptist said of Jesus, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." The next day, he saw Jesus walking and said to two of his disciples: "Behold the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They stayed with Him that day. One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah"And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. This is the fourth day given in John's Gospel. My study bible says that Philip immediately obeys Jesus' command to "Follow Me" - perhaps because he already knows about Jesus, "or beholds the divine presence in Him." We might assume also that Philip is another disciple of John the Baptist, as were Andrew, John and Peter (in yesterday's reading). Jesus is from Galilee, as are His earliest disciples. Again, we go back to relationship, relatedness, a theme we will always read in this Gospel.

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth; the son of Joseph." And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Just as we have already been introduced to the inquiries from Jerusalem about John the Baptist's ministry, so we are introduced now to the popular picture of Galilee and specifically Nazareth. It's not Jerusalem, not from the center of Jewish life. "Come and see" are the same words Jesus has said to His first disciples in yesterday's reading.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" My study bible says that "no deceit means a pure heart which is capable of recognizing Christ." Perhaps Nathanael's plain question to Philip teaches us about his character. He's someone who does not hide what he is thinking. He is capable of open encounter.

Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" My study bible says, "Jesus' foreknowledge stirs Nathanael to a joyous confession of faith." The fig tree is a traditional symbol of Israel, which figures elsewhere in the Gospels.

Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." Again, there is a note here that is extensive and very helpful. Among other things, it teaches us, "In ancient Jewish thought, the Son of Man is a mysterious being of heavenly origin who is to usher in the Kingdom of God (see Dan. 7:13-14). Jesus is this One. In Old Testament prophecy, Jacob dreamed of a ladder connecting earth and heaven, upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (see Gen. 28:12-15). Jesus--the Son of Man--is 'Jacob's Ladder,' man's access to God, the final and fullest revelation of God. In His Incarnation, God and man are united." It adds that in His public ministry, the Kingdom of God on earth is inaugurated. His Cross, set up on earth like Jacob's ladder, reaches into heaven. Through His Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension, human nature is also raised into heaven. At His Second Coming, all things will be reconciled to God. "In Christ," it says, "heaven and earth are joined." They are joined for us.

I keep coming back to Jesus', and subsequently, Philip's phrase, "Come and see." We need an encounter with Christ. Experience means everything. We can talk about theory and philosophy, we can make a presentation of Jesus' teachings and values, but in the Son of Man (as my study bible points out) we have an encounter, a Person, a relationship. Jesus invites them into encounter, to "Come and see," and then the disciples extend the same invitation about Christ to one another. So when we involve ourselves with His Church, we are to "Come and see" for ourselves. Like Nathanael, we'd best come with an open heart, one without guile, that isn't two-faced, or hiding anything, with a plain respect for truth and honesty. Let us go as ourselves to Christ, just as we are. John's Gospel opens to us the Son of Man, and His relationships with others. We are all invited to Come and See.