In John 1:35-39, the two disciples who were following John the Baptist took decisive action after hearing his witness about Jesus.
John's Witness
John the Baptist saw Jesus passing by and proclaimed, "Look, the Lamb of God!" (John 1:36). By identifying Jesus this way, John was pointing to Him as the Messiah, the one sent by God to take away the sins of the world (as mentioned earlier in John 1:29).
The Disciples’ Reaction
After hearing John’s testimony, the two disciples (one of whom is later identified as Andrew) immediately left John and started following Jesus (John 1:37). This was a direct response to John’s powerful witness about Jesus’ identity as the promised Savior.
Why They Followed
They followed Jesus because John’s words revealed that Jesus was not just another teacher or prophet, but the "Lamb of God" — the fulfillment of the long-awaited Messiah. The phrase "Lamb of God" would have had deep significance to them, evoking the image of the sacrificial lamb, central to Jewish understanding of atonement and redemption. Their decision to follow was driven by a desire to know more about this person who carried such profound meaning.
Their Interaction with Jesus
Jesus noticed them following Him and asked, "What do you want?" (John 1:38). The disciples asked where He was staying, which implied that they wanted to spend more time with Him. Jesus invited them to "Come and see," and they spent the day with Him (John 1:39).
Why they followed is key. They recognized from John’s testimony that Jesus was the one they had been waiting for—the Messiah. John's witness stirred their hearts to seek more from Jesus, so they followed Him to learn from Him directly, marking the beginning of their journey as His disciples.
More from Lesson 4 Witnesses of Christ as the Messiah
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