Jesus, the Name above every name

What a feast we have in God’s Word this week! John included several names to introduce who Jesus is. In her book, Walking on Water, Madeleine L’Engle wrote, “To name is to love. To be Named is to be loved.”¹ Earlier, on the same topic of names, a character in L’Engle’s A Wind in the Door said, “A Namer has to know who people are, and who they are meant to be.”² In this passage, John functioned as a Namer, calling Jesus by Name. Peter and Nathanael are also mentioned, which reminds us Jesus knows each of us by name, who we are, and who we are meant to be.

“… at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

• Jesus is the Lamb of God, God’s perfect sacrifice.³
• Andrew and another of John’s disciples called Jesus “Rabbi,” which also meant Teacher.
• Andrew told his brother Simon they found the Messiah, which John also interpreted as the Christ.
• The word messiah referred to an anointed king, priest, and prophet.⁴
• We understand Christ to refer to the Messiah, the Anointed one, of the high priesthood, one “acting as [a] redeemer.”⁵
• Philip identified Jesus as the son of Joseph.
• Nathanael declared Jesus was the Son of God, the Son of the Most High.
• He said Jesus was the king of Israel.
• Jesus called himself the Son of Man.

“But what about you?” [Jesus] asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15)

• Lamb of God
• respected rabbi
• teacher
• anointed king
• high priest
• a prophet who speaks truth into your life
• redeemer
• God’s only Son
• the only perfect human, “who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

 Who is Jesus to you?

How does Jesus actively play a role in your life?

Even though Paul reminded believers “… we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NASB2020), John encouraged his readers to truly see Jesus and therefore believe. In this passage, John used several words to describe Jesus’ call to seek, see, and know him.

John called attention to physical evidence, what may be seen, heard, and understood. Through his writing, we observe visual, verbal, and meaning-full descriptions of Jesus.

When we choose to follow Jesus, we express a desire to seek him.

Jesus invited John’s disciples to see him as a person they could spend time with.

Jesus fixed his gaze on Simon to truly see him, know him, and name him Peter.

Nathanael asked Jesus how he had such personal knowledge of him.

Jesus told Nathanael he would understand greater things than declaring Jesus’ name.

How have you seen, heard, and known Jesus?

Read John 1:35-42

• John called attention to Jesus, and two of his disciples turned and followed Jesus.
• The word here for follow includes the concept of an action independent of time and place circumstances—a choice.⁶
• They seized the opportunity to spend the day with Jesus.
• Andrew (immediately) found his brother, Peter.
• “We have found the Messiah.”
• Observe Andrew’s faith: before Jesus’ ministry begins, he believed John’s word.
• Jesus saw (and knew) everything about Peter.
• Jesus named Peter and his role in ministry: Cephas, which means “rock.”
• Since we stand firm on God as our rock, we might also think of Peter as a steady person in the founding of the early church.

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the [strength] of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2).

• John translated Cephas as Peter for his readers, which means “stone”—a fragment of a massive rock.⁷ This term properly names Peter as Jesus’ disciple.

What does it mean to make a choice to follow Jesus?

How do Jesus’ disciples set an example for us to follow?

 

1. Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith & Art (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1980), 114.
2. L’Engle, A Wind in the Door (Dell Publishing Co., Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc., 1973) 97.
3. Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament (AMG Publishers, 1992), 136.
4. Zodhiates, 964.
5. Zodhiates, 1483.
6. Zodhiates, 112.
7. Zodhiates, 1154.

 

Note

If you’re curious, here’s my approach to word study:

• Read Zodhiates’ The Complete Word Study New Testament: King James Version and note the Strong’s reference number for key Greek words.
• Look up the words in Zodhiates’ companion The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament.
• Skim the definition to find the specific verse from the study passage.
• Note the corresponding definition; it the verse isn’t specifically listed, I refer back to the word’s primary definition.