It is not, now, “Rabbi,” &c., but “we have found the Messias,” John 1:4141He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. (John 1:41). See! the appropriating character of faith. We should say that Christ had found them; but when the soul first tastes, it says, “We have found,” &c. A little further on in their history they would tell us that it was Christ who had found them; but now it is, “We have found.” He is a private possession of our own; we have found this particular Person for whom all the nation is waiting.
Verse 42. “And he brought him to Jesus, and when Jesus beheld him, He said, thou art Simon the son of Jonas, thou shalt be called Cephas.” Peter knew nothing about himself; but there was before the Lord’s eye at that moment all he would be afterward, and the character of the man too! And the Lord begins in a remarkable way—Not, “What seek ye?”—7, but “I know you—led by your brother to see if I am ‘Messiah.’ Well! I have exercised my mind on you—before now: be it known to you, I knew all about you—beforehand. I am going to change your name.” It is the expression of power; but Christ does it in all calmness and perfect power, as the One accustomed to say, “Let there be light.” I ask, what was there before His mind then? All the dark pages in poor Peter’s history. You never discovered anything in yourself that Christ did not know was there. He can read the heart and knows everything that can come out of it. He makes us know that He knows us thoroughly. Can you say, children of God, that that is your comfort before Him? He sees sin. No goodness whatever in you! He knows all about every bit of you—that is where the rest of the soul comes to a man like Peter. Oh! if Peter in that time, after the death of the Lord, before they knew how things were going, if he quietly thought of that first interview when He had brought His right hand under his heart, it must not only have pulled him down but put Christ up in the most adorable position before him. “He knew me from the beginning and all about me but He was not going to turn His back on me.” His eye is familiar with the soul of every person; and the rest of the soul is in knowing Him to be such an One as that. It is very gracious of the Lord to put honor on John’s word and on Andrew’s, but really He had originated it. He loves grace.
The graciousness of His way, in dealing with the saint or the sinner, is very wonderful! Christ was not going to send Ananias to such a one as Saul. He meets him Himself and lays him low, and then Ananias is told to go to him. What a gracious thing of the Lord! He, Himself prostrates and cripples, and then puts the honor on His servant of being the messenger of His grace. When Christ said to me, “Follow me,” the power of that word was like that word, “Let there be light.” There was something that passed from Him to me; some Word addressed to myself by Him. Something came out from the Lord to me, individually, when I was in the world, and I have followed Him since; and He that said “Follow me,” meant me to go on after Him. I want to press on you the power Christ makes to go with His word.
Now, for a moment, let us look at the last instance in this chapter.
Verse 45. Are you and I living so near the Lord, as for the Lord to send a message by us? Philip fell into the very line of service Christ was on, when he goes off to Nathaniel and says, “We have found him of whom Moses and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” It is a large description, because referring to all God had said in the word of the Messiah—the One who was the grand subject of testimony in scripture, and then we get the simplicity of faith. We get the great swelling description side by side with Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Joseph. It never struck Philip that the Person, the subject of testimony from Moses downward, was the son of a carpenter. Why not? Because he was occupied with the Person: such an One that he never thought of a second like Him. Nathaniel was a very thoughtful man. He says: Do you want me to believe that the One of whom Moses and the prophets did write has come out of Nazareth?
It is beautiful the way a soul that is under the drawing of Christ makes Christ everything. Philip could not believe that any one could look the Lord in the face and not discover what He is. “Come and see.” Let a person who has found in this Christ One who knows him—let him speak a word and it is sure to have effect. Let the woman of Samaria testify of One who has told her of all that ever she did, and her word is not without its effect. Oh! the mighty power of showing we have tasted of the Son of God ourselves!
Verse 47. “Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile.” What was the “Israelite indeed?” Turn to poor Jacob, when he had tried crafty ways, God called him “Israel”—he had prevailed with God. Jacob had once or twice been at his wit’s end and had turned to God. God says to the soul that, in its extremity, turns to His heart, knows what a large giver He is “I will put honor on you. You are a prince with Me.” Oh! what a place for a poor sinner, saved by grace, to have God’s eye watching him, and God’s ear open to him, and God saying—I can rejoice in that man that uses his needs as the opportunity of trusting in me. I pressed on him the difficulties, to force out that cry, and now that you have turned your want to my credit, I call you a “prince with God” and “Israel.”
Verse 48. “When thou wast under the fig tree I saw thee.” Only think of Christ being conscious of a person under a fig tree! Is He conscious of your being under a shrub in your garden? Is that the sort of Person He is? He not only knows everything in the heart, but He knows all about the way. What did it signify? It signifies volumes. It told that the Lord knew whatever was passing in his mind under the fig tree. I have a heart to care for a man, under a fig tree:; but that again, like the finger coming down on a tender place, when there is no skin on the body, touches to the very quick the soul of Nathaniel, and he says at once, “Rabbi, doctor, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel.” What titles come out from Nathaniel’s heart, about this blessed One! he knew God only could read the mind, search him, and know him.
Verse 51. Then the Lord brings out another glory. Do not you think, Nathaniel, the thing in my mind is, “King of Israel.” “Henceforth ye shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” That is what my heart is now on, and you will see me the center and object of all God’s counsels by-and-bye.
It is told in a very simple way, and Nathaniel is attracted to the Lord—we find his name among those to whom He appeared after His resurrection, in John 21. How did He separate all these? Just by letting something about Himself into their souls, saying, “I want thee.”—I do not believe a person can have heard that word and not be conscious of it. What I that One has spoken to me and got hold of my heart and I not know it! What am I? A child of God. I was a descendant of the first Adam, but the last Adam has spoken the word to my soul, and that has formed an incorruptible seed of life.
Where is the soul of you who have never heard the voice of Christ? The time is fast coming when the power of the world will show itself over all who have not the word of Christ in them.