What does it mean to follow Jesus? To be his disciple? And why would a bunch of grown men drop everything to follow an unknown teacher?
To understand this, we have to first understand the upbringing and education of Jewish boys. From the time they begin to talk, they are taught and are expected to memorize the first five books of the Old Testament, or Torah, the Laws of Moses. By the time they are twelve years old they should have memorized all five books and are then tested by their Rabbi. At the time of their testing, they either “pass” and continue their education, or are sent back to their families to ply a trade. This learning and testing process continues for a Jewish boy, winnowing out those who are not quite good enough, until only the best of the best students are left. At this point the Rabbi chooses from these young men, who are between 18 and 20 years old, which of them will become that Rabbi’s disciple. Only the most accomplished students were called to be disciples.
Becoming a Rabbi’s disciple was the highest honor a young man could achieve for himself and his family, because only the best were called. All the rest who did not make the cut are then sent back to work.
This is significant because when Jesus arrives and calls these fishermen, tax collectors, farmers, shepherds, these “everymen”; He was making a distinction between how God thinks, and how men think. Naturally because of their up-bringing, these men all jumped at the chance to follow a Rabbi, to be a disciple, and to possibly one day become a full Rabbi himself. This group who were “not good enough” by the Religious elite, are now called by the Messiah Himself. The distinction that Jesus was making is clear, that God was more interested and more concerned with the hearts of the disciple than with their upbringing, grooming and societal position.
So here we have a new Rabbi, who in the book of John, has not been quoted as teaching anything yet, but says to “follow me” and as Matthew 4:19 states…”And I will make you fishers of men”. They drop everything. Immediately. To follow. Jesus sees in these men that which the religiously pious do not, a heart focused on God, good men, with good hearts, not concerned with stature, wealth or fame.
What was special about these men?
Nothing really, except they had believing hearts, they knew the truth when spoken and acted on it…Immediately.
Notice the vignette concerning Nathanial. Nathanial asks if “anything good can come from Nazareth?” He is then challenged to “come and see”. Phillip wants him to look with his own eyes, and hear with his ears, so that he will know the truth. Does Nathanial scoff? What does Nathanial do? He goes to see for himself and upon speaking with Jesus, and knowing the truth when spoken, Immediately praises him as the Messiah and the Son of God and the King of the Jews. That is the example I am trying to get at, to know the truth when you see it. And then act.
This could have gone a different direction though. Nathanial spoke from a prejudice against Nazareth. Nathanial didn’t have anything personal against Jesus, but because Nazareth is a small town outside of Jerusalem, with a “poor” population, probably filled with day laborers, roughnecks and undesirables, Nathanial dismissed it out of hand. It was not until Phillip said “Come and See” that Nathanial gives pause to his train of thought. But suppose Phillip doesn’t challenge Nathanial to see the truth? Suppose Phillip backs down and says something like “You’re right”.
How many of us were once prejudice against the Gospel, how many of us have friends who dismiss the Bible out of hand for some reason or another? Almost every person I know who scoffs at the Bible as being the true word of God, as the story of the ONLY redeemer, has never even bothered to open its cover. They have never heard the Gospel presented faithfully. What these people do is exactly what Nathanial initially did, dismiss it because of what they “heard”. Our news today is always talking about fallen Christian leaders, or people doing horrible things in the name of the Lord. Westboro Baptist Church comes to mind, as does the preacher in Florida who burnt all those Qurans, we have the Crusades also to thank for negative publicity along with Catholic priests caught in sexual scandals. These are the things that people hear about being “Christian” and they dismiss it. They have never heard the truth presented honestly to them.
The assaults against the Gospel don’t end with Negative Publicity, the “evolutionists” and atheists claim to know better and are prejudicing America’s kids from as early as elementary school against the truth of the Bible, all the while, most who claim to be atheists or evolutionists have never opened a Bible or had the truth presented to them. More and more people are dismissing God’s word out of hand.
That is why Phillip’s response to Nathanial is so important. Phillip doesn’t back down. Instead of not wanting to offend his friend, Phillip thinks this is important enough to challenge Nathanial to “Come and See”
It’s uncomfortable to many of us to be challenged for our faith, by someone who does not know Jesus. In fact many of us would rather do anything than talk to our unbelieving friends about Christ. But why is that? Why do Christians, who know the truth, back down from it when challenged? We can learn from Phillip.
Phillip said “Come and See”, in the dry, non hyperbolic terms of the Bible, however there was probably more to the conversation than this. It could have gone something like this, “Come and see Nathanial, you claim to look for the truth, that you want to understand; yet you scoff at the possibility of learning from someone, even from Nazareth; Come and See.” Phillip didn’t go into a full discourse, explaining the Messiah and salvation, he didn’t go into the apologetics of Christianity, or delve into deep theology. He simply invited Nathanial to “Come and See” and then let Jesus speak for Himself.
Phillip invited Nathanial to experience the “Word” for himself. The Word will ALWAYS speak for itself. We need only to present the word, to share Jesus and let Christ do the work. While a farmer may plant a seed, someone else will water it and yet another will harvest. We only need to plant the seed, to invite them to “Come and See”
Now look at Nathanial’s reaction to Jesus. After Jesus speaks to him, Nathanial exclaims “You are truly the Son of God, the King of the Jews”. Nathanial followed Jesus. Once Nathanial heard the truth and recognized it, he followed. Immediately. Without hesitation. The same is expected for us. We have heard the truth and Christ expects us to follow. Following the first disciples examples we are to pursue Christ with all our hearts, minds and spirit. We need to learn and study, it’s not just enough to believe that Jesus is the Christ, because as Christians, followers of Christ, Disciples, or as the word Christian means “to be like Christ” it is our responsibility to share that message.
This is evidenced in the “Great Commission”. In Mark 16:15 Jesus says “…Go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations…” He was talking to us. Those who have given their lives to Him are to lead others to Him, we are to invite others to “Come and See”. And so it goes in a complete unending circle…Come and See, Follow Me, Go and Do
