Posts by Yong Joo Park:
Jesus, the House of God, the Gate of Heaven
John 1:47–51 (NIVUK)
47 When 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.’
49 Then Nathanael declared, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.’
50 Jesus said, ‘You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig-tree. You will see greater things than that.’ 51 He 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.’
Ever since Philip said to Nathanael, ‘Come and see’ (46), a great Bible Study session for Nathanael began in v47 ~ 51. Nathanael possibly was reading Jacob’s story in Genesis such as Genesis 27 ~ 32 when he was under the fig tree (48).
I. Israel is no longer Jacob but a new creation (47)
What Jesus said in v47 taught Nathanael that Israel was no longer deceptive Jacob and became a new person with no deceit, which would indicate that Jacob experienced ‘spiritual rebirth’ (cf. John 3:3-9, 2 Corinthians 5:17) just before he was renamed Israel (Genesis 32:28).
II. Jesus is the House of God and the Gate of Heaven (48-51)
Further, Jesus taught Nathanael in v51 that Jesus was the House of God (Bethel). After Jacob dreamed about the angels of God ascending and descending on the earth, he called the place ‘Bethel’ meaning the House of God (Genesis 28:10-19). In v51, Jesus told Nathanael about the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. This explains Jacob’s dream. That is, Jesus is the House of God (Bethel) and the Gate of Heaven (Genesis 28:17), on which the angels of God are ascending and descending.
God who sees me
John 1:48 (NIVUK) ‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael asked, ‘How do you know me?’ (48a) Nathanael never expected someone was watching over him so close at all times. But God was. So was the Son of […]
A True Israelite
John 1:47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’ Nathanael means ‘gift of God’. Israel means ‘one who prevails with God’. The original name of Israel was Jacob. Jacob means ‘Supplanter’. ‘deceit’ (47) reminds us of Jacob who deceived his father Isaac, […]
Come and See
John 1:44-46 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip 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. […]
Follow Me
John 1:43 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ I. Leaving Judea to Galilee (43a) ‘The next day’ was used in John 1:29, John 1:35, and v43. The four consecutive days began with John 1:19 [3], the place of which was Bethany in Judea […]
Andrew brought to the Messiah Simon Peter on whom the church will be built
John 1:40–42 (NIVUK) 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. […]
Come, and you will see
John 1:35-39 I. Look, the Lamb of God! (35-37) When the Baptist John said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ twice over the two days (John 1:29, John 1:36), two of his disciples followed Jesus (37). Here, we can learn that leading other(s) to Jesus could take more than one attempt. II. Come, and you will see […]
Baptist John Storyboard
Full Storyboard: here The messages relevant to the above storyboard: John 1:19-20 https://comnc.org/standing-guard-against-undue-respect/ John 1:21 https://comnc.org/baptist-john-in-the-spirit-and-power-of-elijah/ https://comnc.org/jesus-the-prophet-the-messiah/ The message relevant to the above storyboard is https://comnc.org/i-am-the-voice-of-one-calling-in-the-wilderness/ The message relevant to the above storyboard is https://comnc.org/john-the-baptists-message-and-practical-guidance/ The message relevant to the above storyboard is https://comnc.org/baptist-john-baptises-them-with-water-as-the-forerunner-of-the-messiah/ The message relevant to the above storyboard is https://comnc.org/the-baptism-of-jesus-and-the-testimony-of-god/ The message relevant to the above […]
Jesus, the Lamb of God, God’s Chosen One
John 1:29-34 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” 31 I myself did […]
The Baptism of Jesus and the Testimony of God
Matthew 3:13-17 Verses parallel to Matthew 3:13-17 are Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:29-34. See Matthew 3:13-14. 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, ‘I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?’ John knew […]
