John 1:46
Verse
Context
Sermons
Rolfe Barnard
Michael Flowers
Alfred Edersheim
T. Austin-SparksSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? - Bp. Pearce supposes that the τι αγαθον of the evangelist has some particular force in it: for, in Jer 33:14, God says, I will perform that good thing which I promised, etc.; and this, in Jer 33:15 is explained to mean, his causing the branch of righteousness (i.e. the Messiah) to grow up unto David, from whom Jesus was descended: in this view, Nathanael's question seems to imply, that not Nazareth, but Bethlehem, was to be the birth-place of the Messiah, according to what the chief priests and scribes had determined, Mat 2:4-6. If this conjecture be not thought solid, we may suppose that Nazareth, at this time, was become so abandoned that no good could be expected from any of those who dwelt in it, and that its wickedness had passed into a proverb: Can any thing good be found in Nazareth? Or, that the question is illiberal, and full of national prejudice. Come and see - He who candidly examines the evidences of the religion of Christ will infallibly become a believer. No history ever published among men has so many external and internal proofs of authenticity as this has. A man should judge of nothing by first appearances, or human prejudices. Who are they who cry out, The Bible is a fable? Those who have never read it, or read it only with the fixed purpose to gainsay it. I once met with a person who professed to disbelieve every tittle of the New Testament, a chapter of which, he acknowledged, he had never read. I asked him, had he ever read the Old? He answered, No! And yet this man had the assurance to reject the whole as an imposture! God has mercy on those whose ignorance leads them to form prejudices against the truth; but he confounds those who take them up through envy and malice, and endeavor to communicate them to others.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
any good out of Nazareth--remembering Bethlehem, perhaps, as Messiah's predicted birthplace, and Nazareth having no express prophetic place at all, besides being in no repute. The question sprang from mere dread of mistake in a matter so vital. Come and see--Noble remedy against preconceived opinions [BENGEL]. Philip, though he could not perhaps solve his difficulty, could show him how to get rid of it. (See on Joh 6:68).
John Gill Bible Commentary
And Nathanael said unto him,.... Taking notice of, and laying hold on what Philip said, that he was of Nazareth, which at once stumbled, and prejudiced him against Jesus being the Messiah; knowing very well that Bethlehem was to be the place of his birth: can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? The whole country of Galilee was had in contempt with the Jews; but Nazareth was so mean a place, that it seems it was even despised by its neighbours, by the Galilaeans themselves; for Nathanael was a Galilean, that said these words. It was so miserable a place that he could hardly think that any sort of good thing, even any worldly good thing, could come from thence; and it was so wicked, as appears from their murderous designs upon our Lord, that he thought no good man could arise from hence; and still less, any prophet, any person of great note; and still least of all, that that good thing, or person, the Messiah, should spring from it: so that his objection, and prejudice, proceeded not only upon the oracle in Mic 5:2, which points out Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah; but upon the wickedness, and meanness, and obscurity of Nazareth, Philip saith unto him, come and see; who though he might not be master of this point, and knew not how to solve this difficulty, and remove this prejudice from Nathanael's mind, yet persuades him to go with him to Jesus; who, he doubted not, would give him full satisfaction in this, and all other points; and then it would most clearly appear to him, as it had done to him, that he was the true Messiah. The phrase, , "come, see", is often used in the book of Zohar (q): so it is, and likewise, , "come and see", in the Talmudic writings (r), (q) In Gen. fol. 13. 1. & 14. 3. & 16. 1, 2. & in Exod. fol. 83. 4. & passim. (r) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 8. 1. & 23. 2. & 24. 1. Kiddushin, fol. 20. 1. & 33. 1. & Sota, fol. 5. 1, 2. & passim.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
1:46 Can anything good come from Nazareth? This village was not considered famous enough to be the hometown for a great leader (cp. Matt 13:53-58).
John 1:46
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
A Hindrance to God's Mighty Works: Unbelief
By Rolfe Barnard2.8K59:35MAT 6:33MAT 13:1MAT 13:53MRK 6:1LUK 4:16JHN 1:46JHN 5:25In this sermon, the preacher tells a story about a soldier who was desperate to see the President in order to be saved from death. A little boy offers to help him and takes him to see President Lincoln. The preacher then transitions to discussing a passage from the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus returns to his own country and is met with disbelief and offense from the people who knew him. Jesus explains that a prophet is not honored in his own country, and as a result, he does not perform many miracles there. The sermon emphasizes the importance of not offending the Lord and Savior and encourages listeners to turn to God for salvation.
Speaking Greater Things to Others - Nathanael's Epiphany
By Michael Flowers38125:26EpiphanyGEN 28:16PSA 43:3JHN 1:39JHN 1:462CO 5:17EPH 1:181JN 1:5In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the encounter between Jesus and Nathaniel. The speaker emphasizes the importance of seeking and experiencing the light of God through Jesus Christ. Salvation is described as the restoration of communion between God and his creation, healing the separation between grace and nature. The speaker encourages listeners to lay aside spiritual blindness and embrace their true identity in Christ, emphasizing the need for daily renewal and seeking the light of God.
Sketches of Jewish Social Life - Part 1
By Alfred Edersheim0ISA 9:1MAT 5:14MAT 15:28LUK 17:6LUK 18:11LUK 19:4JHN 1:46JHN 7:52Alfred Edersheim preaches about the historical and cultural context of the land of Palestine at the time of Jesus Christ, focusing on the significance of understanding the surroundings, people, and events of the New Testament. He emphasizes the importance of realizing the contrast between the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beliefs of His contemporaries, highlighting the unique nature of Christ's life, teachings, and impact. Edersheim also discusses the divisions, prejudices, and religious practices prevalent in different regions of Palestine, particularly in Galilee, shedding light on the social, economic, and religious dynamics of the time.
The Voice of Jonah
By T. Austin-Sparks0PrejudiceGod's Grace2KI 14:25ISA 49:6MAT 12:41JHN 1:46ACT 13:27ACT 15:1ROM 10:12GAL 3:28EPH 2:141PE 2:9T. Austin-Sparks explores the profound implications of Jonah's prophetic voice, emphasizing that his mission to Nineveh was a radical departure from Israel's traditional beliefs and prejudices. He highlights how Jonah's reluctance and the subsequent events illustrate the dangers of exclusivism and the misinterpretation of God's election, which was meant to be a call to serve all nations rather than a means of exclusion. The sermon culminates in the assertion that Jesus, as 'A Greater Than Jonah,' embodies the fulfillment of Jonah's message, challenging the closed-mindedness of Israel and calling for a broader understanding of God's grace. Sparks urges listeners to confront their own prejudices and recognize the universal nature of God's love and mission. Ultimately, the voice of Jonah serves as a timeless warning against the perils of exclusivity in faith.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? - Bp. Pearce supposes that the τι αγαθον of the evangelist has some particular force in it: for, in Jer 33:14, God says, I will perform that good thing which I promised, etc.; and this, in Jer 33:15 is explained to mean, his causing the branch of righteousness (i.e. the Messiah) to grow up unto David, from whom Jesus was descended: in this view, Nathanael's question seems to imply, that not Nazareth, but Bethlehem, was to be the birth-place of the Messiah, according to what the chief priests and scribes had determined, Mat 2:4-6. If this conjecture be not thought solid, we may suppose that Nazareth, at this time, was become so abandoned that no good could be expected from any of those who dwelt in it, and that its wickedness had passed into a proverb: Can any thing good be found in Nazareth? Or, that the question is illiberal, and full of national prejudice. Come and see - He who candidly examines the evidences of the religion of Christ will infallibly become a believer. No history ever published among men has so many external and internal proofs of authenticity as this has. A man should judge of nothing by first appearances, or human prejudices. Who are they who cry out, The Bible is a fable? Those who have never read it, or read it only with the fixed purpose to gainsay it. I once met with a person who professed to disbelieve every tittle of the New Testament, a chapter of which, he acknowledged, he had never read. I asked him, had he ever read the Old? He answered, No! And yet this man had the assurance to reject the whole as an imposture! God has mercy on those whose ignorance leads them to form prejudices against the truth; but he confounds those who take them up through envy and malice, and endeavor to communicate them to others.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
any good out of Nazareth--remembering Bethlehem, perhaps, as Messiah's predicted birthplace, and Nazareth having no express prophetic place at all, besides being in no repute. The question sprang from mere dread of mistake in a matter so vital. Come and see--Noble remedy against preconceived opinions [BENGEL]. Philip, though he could not perhaps solve his difficulty, could show him how to get rid of it. (See on Joh 6:68).
John Gill Bible Commentary
And Nathanael said unto him,.... Taking notice of, and laying hold on what Philip said, that he was of Nazareth, which at once stumbled, and prejudiced him against Jesus being the Messiah; knowing very well that Bethlehem was to be the place of his birth: can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? The whole country of Galilee was had in contempt with the Jews; but Nazareth was so mean a place, that it seems it was even despised by its neighbours, by the Galilaeans themselves; for Nathanael was a Galilean, that said these words. It was so miserable a place that he could hardly think that any sort of good thing, even any worldly good thing, could come from thence; and it was so wicked, as appears from their murderous designs upon our Lord, that he thought no good man could arise from hence; and still less, any prophet, any person of great note; and still least of all, that that good thing, or person, the Messiah, should spring from it: so that his objection, and prejudice, proceeded not only upon the oracle in Mic 5:2, which points out Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah; but upon the wickedness, and meanness, and obscurity of Nazareth, Philip saith unto him, come and see; who though he might not be master of this point, and knew not how to solve this difficulty, and remove this prejudice from Nathanael's mind, yet persuades him to go with him to Jesus; who, he doubted not, would give him full satisfaction in this, and all other points; and then it would most clearly appear to him, as it had done to him, that he was the true Messiah. The phrase, , "come, see", is often used in the book of Zohar (q): so it is, and likewise, , "come and see", in the Talmudic writings (r), (q) In Gen. fol. 13. 1. & 14. 3. & 16. 1, 2. & in Exod. fol. 83. 4. & passim. (r) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 8. 1. & 23. 2. & 24. 1. Kiddushin, fol. 20. 1. & 33. 1. & Sota, fol. 5. 1, 2. & passim.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
1:46 Can anything good come from Nazareth? This village was not considered famous enough to be the hometown for a great leader (cp. Matt 13:53-58).