Jesus, the Source of all truth, illuminated the world with the light of truth. In this way, He increased the measure of light given to everyone born into this world. Despite the abundance of convincing evidence, some in Christ’s day chose to shroud themselves in darkness. In their prejudice and pride, they determined to hear no truth and to see no light. God is saddened when this happens, but, in His love, He allows us to make our choices, even the wrong ones.
This lesson will highlight the testimony of a few eyewitnesses of Jesus, such as John the Baptist and his two disciples—namely, Andrew and John. We will also consider the eyewitness of Philip and Nathanael, and the witness of Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a distinguished member of the Sanhedrin, who opened his heart to the light of God’s truth. His testimony promises to be strong and convincing because he risked much in going against his powerful peers. In his night talk with Jesus, the lips of Christ uttered the most beautiful promise of the Bible: “ ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life’ ” (John 3:16, NKJV).
Returning to the eyewitness of John, we must ask: Why would John the Baptist, well respected and admired by the people, give to the world anything other than a true testimony concerning Jesus? John encapsulated the entire gospel in his confirmation that Jesus was indeed the prophesied “ ‘Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ ” (John 1:29, NKJV), a prophecy now indeed fulfilled before the people’s eyes. Confronted with the testimonies of such eyewitnesses, should we not be fully persuaded that Christ is our living Savior and Lord?
Part II: Commentary
The Testimony of John the Baptist
The Jews in the time of Christ had their own ideas about the coming Messiah, and they were adamant that everything fit into their neatly packaged schemes. They suspected that John the Baptist was perhaps a Messiah type, but he testified that he was only a forerunner of the true Messiah, sent prophetically by God to prepare the way for Him. Soon after, John pointed to Jesus as “the Lamb of God.” But Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins did not align with the Jewish leaders’ expectation of a royal earthly Messiah, who would defeat their oppressors and rule over them and, eventually, the world.
Today, some skeptics do not have much regard for the biblical concept of sacrifice either. They point to Christ’s sacrifice to justify their indifference. These skeptics say that Jesus did not need to shed His blood to save sinful humanity, for He could have saved us simply through a demonstration of His love and by the performance of miracles. But life, as the Bible tells us, is in the blood, and lost humanity needed the life that is in the Son. Angels could not have accomplished this feat on behalf of humanity because they borrow life from the Possessor of life. Why else would God have commanded countless sacrifices of innocent animals if not to point to the necessity of Christ’s innocent blood for the remission of sin and the giving of eternal life?
For this reason, John unmistakably said that “ ‘I am not the Christ’ ” (John 1:20) or the Light, but merely a witness in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Twice John affirmed that Jesus was indeed the Lamb of God, the fulfillment and culmination of the sacrificial system. He spoke this truth to the crowd the moment he glimpsed Jesus, and he also affirmed this same truth to two of his own disciples (see John 1:29, 36).
John the Baptist, an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ baptism, heard the voice of the Father announce that Jesus was His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased. Also, the Holy Spirit descended and remained on Jesus as God impressed John of the Savior’s divinity. Therefore, John said: “ ‘I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God’ ” (John 1:34, NKJV). In the face of this proclamation, one can’t help but wonder how much more evidence a skeptic requires to believe. Unfortunately, if someone chooses always to doubt, he then encloses himself in a shroud of darkness.
The Two Disciples of John (John 1:35–39)
The two disciples of John the Baptist—namely Andrew and John, the Gospel writer—had already heard John’s preaching regarding the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in Christ. So when their teacher directed their attention to Jesus, the great Teacher standing before them, they believed and desired to follow Him. Andrew and John could have been critical and judgmental, like the Pharisees, about every word and move of Jesus, but they chose to believe in the conviction of the Spirit. They also must have trusted in the earnestness and veracity of John the Baptist’s incontrovertible biblical testimony.
The question may be asked: How do we know that the second disciple referred to was John the Beloved? Andrew is mentioned specifically by name, but John, possibly being modest or reticent about referring to himself by name, is indeed that second disciple. Andrew was the one who introduced his brother Peter to Jesus. Andrew, Peter, and John were the first three men who formed the nucleus of the original 12 disciples. “Leaving John [the Baptist], they went to seek Jesus. One of the two was Andrew, the brother of Simon; the other was John the evangelist. These were Christ’s first disciples.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 138.
Apparently these two disciples, Andrew and John, were keenly interested in the Messiahship of Jesus and the amazing truth that He would offer them. Notice their telling response to Jesus’ inquiry as they started to follow Him. “ ‘What do you seek?’ ” He asked. Contrary to our expectation, they inquired about His residence.
“ ‘Where are you staying?’ ” (John 1:38, NKJV). They were not just interested in following Jesus; they desired to stay with Him to learn more of His mission. And they stayed with Him the rest of the day, learning amazing things about Him. How about us today? Do we desire merely to believe on Jesus but not to linger in His presence? Do we enjoy His company? Indeed, the only way for our lives to be transformed is to behold Him, as John had instructed his disciples.
Philip and Nathanael (John 1:43–46)
From Andrew, John, and Peter, we now turn our attention to Philip and Nathanael. Philip, sensing that his friend Nathanael was a bit prejudiced and certainly not gullible, tried to present more convincing evidence about the Messiah from Moses and the prophets. When Nathanael hesitated to believe upon hearing that Jesus was from Nazareth, Philip neither debated nor argued with him but simply invited him to “ ‘come and see’ ” (John 1:46). Notice that Jesus used this same approach with Andrew and John when He invited them to come and see for themselves.
There is something powerful and transformational about spending time with Christ. We may debate and argue theology and philosophy in favor of the truth with others, but, in the end, our witness is most effective when we kindly and earnestly invite them to discover Jesus for themselves. In our witness, we must focus on the priority of helping others to know Jesus personally, and then many objections or doubts may fade away. Teaching doctrines is certainly important, but we must start with Jesus as the heart of all knowledge.
It is important to note the contrast between how Nathanael viewed Jesus and how Jesus viewed him. Nathanael categorized Jesus as no good simply because He hailed from Nazareth. Unfortunately, we, too, sometimes do the same thing to others. We put them in certain cubbyholes based on nationality, race, culture, or other differences that we see. Contrary to Nathanael’s initial assessment, Jesus was affirming toward this soon-to-be disciple. When Jesus saw him, He said, “ ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!’ ” (John 1:47, NKJV), a truly encouraging comment that led him to inquire more about this Nazarene. When Nathanael witnessed Jesus’ prophetic ability, he promptly believed. “ ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ ” (John 1:49, NKJV).
The Witness of Nicodemus (John 3:1–21)
John, in his account of Jesus, distinguishes himself as the Gospel writer who dwells on the personal encounters that Jesus had with certain individuals, such as Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. In Jesus’ encounters, He did not show partiality for one type of person over another. Rather, Jesus sought to engage meaningfully with all who were receptive to the truth, be it a highly regarded Jewish leader such as Nicodemus, or a despised Samaritan woman.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and an important member of the Sanhedrin, which served as the highest judicial system in Judaism, closest to home rule. The word “Sanhedrin” comes from the Greek word sunedrion, which literally means “a council.” It was composed of 71 members, comprised of three divisions, according to Matthew 27:41, as follows:
Chief priests (the ruling high priest, retired high priests, and high priestly family members). This block was mostly Sadducees.
Scribes (predominately Pharisees).
Elders, who were representatives of chief aristocratic families.
The office of the chief high priest had become corrupt and was often bought and sold by Rome to the highest bidder.
Nicodemus’s Greek name literally means “victor over the people.” Known for his wealth, Nicodemus was also a distinguished teacher. He felt strongly convicted to meet with Jesus because of all the unusual things he had heard about Him. But he had to be careful. He could not do anything that would give offense to his fellow leaders and cause irreparable damage to his relations with them; yet, Nicodemus could not ignore the strong evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. That is why he met Jesus at night, where he enjoyed some privacy conversing with Him one-on-one. Jesus meets us where we are in our spiritual journey. He does not really mind how we come to Him, as long as we come with a sincere heart.
Nicodemus had opportunity to test the spiritual mettle of Jesus’ unsullied character and integrity. As a consequence, Nicodemus later defended Jesus against the Sanhedrin, which wanted to condemn Him without hearing Him out, as we learn in John 7:51. Notice the progression of Nicodemus’s experience with Jesus: he met privately with Him, learning about true conversion; he defended Him before the Sanhedrin; and then, at the end, he was courageous enough to help take His body off the cross for burial.
Part III: Life Application
Think about and answer the following questions:
Consider God the Father’s affirmation of His Son at His baptism. Is it ever possible that God may look at you and say the same thing that He said about His Son, that you are His beloved son or daughter in whom He is well pleased? Discuss. Be sure to read the encouraging answer on page 113 of The Desire of Ages, first paragraph, as you formulate your response. How do you apply the assurance found in this paragraph to your daily life, and what difference will that make?
Consider John’s words about Jesus: “ ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ ” (John 1:29, NKJV). What difference would it make if we focused first on getting rid of our sins, then beholding Jesus, thus reversing the two ideas in this text? Explain.
How does Nicodemus’s encounter with Jesus help you to witness effectively to influential people in society?
Compare and contrast Christ’s effective witness to Nicodemus with that of His witness to Nathanael. What can you learn from both examples?
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Study Focus: John 1:35–39, John 1:43–46
Jesus, the Source of all truth, illuminated the world with the light of truth. In this way, He increased the measure of light given to everyone born into this world. Despite the abundance of convincing evidence, some in Christ’s day chose to shroud themselves in darkness. In their prejudice and pride, they determined to hear no truth and to see no light. God is saddened when this happens, but, in His love, He allows us to make our choices, even the wrong ones.
This lesson will highlight the testimony of a few eyewitnesses of Jesus, such as John the Baptist and his two disciples—namely, Andrew and John. We will also consider the eyewitness of Philip and Nathanael, and the witness of Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a distinguished member of the Sanhedrin, who opened his heart to the light of God’s truth. His testimony promises to be strong and convincing because he risked much in going against his powerful peers. In his night talk with Jesus, the lips of Christ uttered the most beautiful promise of the Bible: “ ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life’ ” (John 3:16, NKJV).
Returning to the eyewitness of John, we must ask: Why would John the Baptist, well respected and admired by the people, give to the world anything other than a true testimony concerning Jesus? John encapsulated the entire gospel in his confirmation that Jesus was indeed the prophesied “ ‘Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ ” (John 1:29, NKJV), a prophecy now indeed fulfilled before the people’s eyes. Confronted with the testimonies of such eyewitnesses, should we not be fully persuaded that Christ is our living Savior and Lord?
Part II: Commentary
The Testimony of John the Baptist
The Jews in the time of Christ had their own ideas about the coming Messiah, and they were adamant that everything fit into their neatly packaged schemes. They suspected that John the Baptist was perhaps a Messiah type, but he testified that he was only a forerunner of the true Messiah, sent prophetically by God to prepare the way for Him. Soon after, John pointed to Jesus as “the Lamb of God.” But Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins did not align with the Jewish leaders’ expectation of a royal earthly Messiah, who would defeat their oppressors and rule over them and, eventually, the world.
Today, some skeptics do not have much regard for the biblical concept of sacrifice either. They point to Christ’s sacrifice to justify their indifference. These skeptics say that Jesus did not need to shed His blood to save sinful humanity, for He could have saved us simply through a demonstration of His love and by the performance of miracles. But life, as the Bible tells us, is in the blood, and lost humanity needed the life that is in the Son. Angels could not have accomplished this feat on behalf of humanity because they borrow life from the Possessor of life. Why else would God have commanded countless sacrifices of innocent animals if not to point to the necessity of Christ’s innocent blood for the remission of sin and the giving of eternal life?
For this reason, John unmistakably said that “ ‘I am not the Christ’ ” (John 1:20) or the Light, but merely a witness in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Twice John affirmed that Jesus was indeed the Lamb of God, the fulfillment and culmination of the sacrificial system. He spoke this truth to the crowd the moment he glimpsed Jesus, and he also affirmed this same truth to two of his own disciples (see John 1:29, 36).
John the Baptist, an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ baptism, heard the voice of the Father announce that Jesus was His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased. Also, the Holy Spirit descended and remained on Jesus as God impressed John of the Savior’s divinity. Therefore, John said: “ ‘I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God’ ” (John 1:34, NKJV). In the face of this proclamation, one can’t help but wonder how much more evidence a skeptic requires to believe. Unfortunately, if someone chooses always to doubt, he then encloses himself in a shroud of darkness.
The Two Disciples of John (John 1:35–39)
The two disciples of John the Baptist—namely Andrew and John, the Gospel writer—had already heard John’s preaching regarding the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in Christ. So when their teacher directed their attention to Jesus, the great Teacher standing before them, they believed and desired to follow Him. Andrew and John could have been critical and judgmental, like the Pharisees, about every word and move of Jesus, but they chose to believe in the conviction of the Spirit. They also must have trusted in the earnestness and veracity of John the Baptist’s incontrovertible biblical testimony.
The question may be asked: How do we know that the second disciple referred to was John the Beloved? Andrew is mentioned specifically by name, but John, possibly being modest or reticent about referring to himself by name, is indeed that second disciple. Andrew was the one who introduced his brother Peter to Jesus. Andrew, Peter, and John were the first three men who formed the nucleus of the original 12 disciples. “Leaving John [the Baptist], they went to seek Jesus. One of the two was Andrew, the brother of Simon; the other was John the evangelist. These were Christ’s first disciples.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 138.
Apparently these two disciples, Andrew and John, were keenly interested in the Messiahship of Jesus and the amazing truth that He would offer them. Notice their telling response to Jesus’ inquiry as they started to follow Him. “ ‘What do you seek?’ ” He asked. Contrary to our expectation, they inquired about His residence.
“ ‘Where are you staying?’ ” (John 1:38, NKJV). They were not just interested in following Jesus; they desired to stay with Him to learn more of His mission. And they stayed with Him the rest of the day, learning amazing things about Him. How about us today? Do we desire merely to believe on Jesus but not to linger in His presence? Do we enjoy His company? Indeed, the only way for our lives to be transformed is to behold Him, as John had instructed his disciples.
Philip and Nathanael (John 1:43–46)
From Andrew, John, and Peter, we now turn our attention to Philip and Nathanael. Philip, sensing that his friend Nathanael was a bit prejudiced and certainly not gullible, tried to present more convincing evidence about the Messiah from Moses and the prophets. When Nathanael hesitated to believe upon hearing that Jesus was from Nazareth, Philip neither debated nor argued with him but simply invited him to “ ‘come and see’ ” (John 1:46). Notice that Jesus used this same approach with Andrew and John when He invited them to come and see for themselves.
There is something powerful and transformational about spending time with Christ. We may debate and argue theology and philosophy in favor of the truth with others, but, in the end, our witness is most effective when we kindly and earnestly invite them to discover Jesus for themselves. In our witness, we must focus on the priority of helping others to know Jesus personally, and then many objections or doubts may fade away. Teaching doctrines is certainly important, but we must start with Jesus as the heart of all knowledge.
It is important to note the contrast between how Nathanael viewed Jesus and how Jesus viewed him. Nathanael categorized Jesus as no good simply because He hailed from Nazareth. Unfortunately, we, too, sometimes do the same thing to others. We put them in certain cubbyholes based on nationality, race, culture, or other differences that we see. Contrary to Nathanael’s initial assessment, Jesus was affirming toward this soon-to-be disciple. When Jesus saw him, He said, “ ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!’ ” (John 1:47, NKJV), a truly encouraging comment that led him to inquire more about this Nazarene. When Nathanael witnessed Jesus’ prophetic ability, he promptly believed. “ ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ ” (John 1:49, NKJV).
The Witness of Nicodemus (John 3:1–21)
John, in his account of Jesus, distinguishes himself as the Gospel writer who dwells on the personal encounters that Jesus had with certain individuals, such as Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. In Jesus’ encounters, He did not show partiality for one type of person over another. Rather, Jesus sought to engage meaningfully with all who were receptive to the truth, be it a highly regarded Jewish leader such as Nicodemus, or a despised Samaritan woman.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and an important member of the Sanhedrin, which served as the highest judicial system in Judaism, closest to home rule. The word “Sanhedrin” comes from the Greek word sunedrion, which literally means “a council.” It was composed of 71 members, comprised of three divisions, according to Matthew 27:41, as follows:
Chief priests (the ruling high priest, retired high priests, and high priestly family members). This block was mostly Sadducees.
Scribes (predominately Pharisees).
Elders, who were representatives of chief aristocratic families.
The office of the chief high priest had become corrupt and was often bought and sold by Rome to the highest bidder.
Nicodemus’s Greek name literally means “victor over the people.” Known for his wealth, Nicodemus was also a distinguished teacher. He felt strongly convicted to meet with Jesus because of all the unusual things he had heard about Him. But he had to be careful. He could not do anything that would give offense to his fellow leaders and cause irreparable damage to his relations with them; yet, Nicodemus could not ignore the strong evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. That is why he met Jesus at night, where he enjoyed some privacy conversing with Him one-on-one. Jesus meets us where we are in our spiritual journey. He does not really mind how we come to Him, as long as we come with a sincere heart.
Nicodemus had opportunity to test the spiritual mettle of Jesus’ unsullied character and integrity. As a consequence, Nicodemus later defended Jesus against the Sanhedrin, which wanted to condemn Him without hearing Him out, as we learn in John 7:51. Notice the progression of Nicodemus’s experience with Jesus: he met privately with Him, learning about true conversion; he defended Him before the Sanhedrin; and then, at the end, he was courageous enough to help take His body off the cross for burial.
Part III: Life Application
Think about and answer the following questions:
Consider God the Father’s affirmation of His Son at His baptism. Is it ever possible that God may look at you and say the same thing that He said about His Son, that you are His beloved son or daughter in whom He is well pleased? Discuss. Be sure to read the encouraging answer on page 113 of The Desire of Ages, first paragraph, as you formulate your response. How do you apply the assurance found in this paragraph to your daily life, and what difference will that make?
Consider John’s words about Jesus: “ ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ ” (John 1:29, NKJV). What difference would it make if we focused first on getting rid of our sins, then beholding Jesus, thus reversing the two ideas in this text? Explain.
How does Nicodemus’s encounter with Jesus help you to witness effectively to influential people in society?
Compare and contrast Christ’s effective witness to Nicodemus with that of His witness to Nathanael. What can you learn from both examples?