John’s Gospel’s second joke?

Who is Jesus? Part 30, Come and see part 2 – John 1:46

The Nazareth joke spun by Nathanael (check it out on Ship of Fools) tickles my funny bone, but I’d argue it’s actually the second joke in the lineup. The first giggle comes in Verses 6-8, where John the Baptist gets a quick introduction and an even quicker exit. It’s like the universe is saying, “Hey, there’s this guy named John sent by God—wait, forget him!” Talk about short shrift; he’s practically an afterthought!

⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶ Nathanael  said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

John 1:45-46 ESVUK

This passage, from verse 32 to the end of Chapter 1, is a song, the third of three that introduce John’s Gospel. Songs, like all music, speak directly to our emotions rather than our intellect. This message is aimed at the heart, not the mind.

The infamous Nazareth joke encapsulates in just seven words the essence of who Nataniel truly was. Its brevity is a reflection of the Gospel’s introduction, yet it gently hints at the complexities and themes that will be explored in greater detail as the narrative unfolds.

Philip seems to have chosen the wrong person. Nataniel was a biased snob. At that time, the village of Nazareth was small and had not been mentioned before the New Testament. This reflects a prejudice against people from rural areas. Modern terms like yokel or redneck express similar bias.

But this passage focuses on Philip; Nathanael’s story is in the next post. Philip said, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the prophets.” The Law and the prophets are incomplete; their purpose is they direct us to Jesus. He emphasises Jesus’ humanity by referring to him as “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph,” highlighting this human aspect to Nathanael.

After the reply, Philip does not start arguing with Nathanael about the pros and cons of Nazareth; he simply says, “Come and see.” As soon as Philip became a believer in Jesus, he became a missionary. Philip’s evangelism starts with copying Jesus, saying, “Come and see.” Not that all should be evangelists like Philip, but Churches grow when a few people enthuse about Jesus.

Who is Jesus? He’s the one the Old Testament points to.

I leave you with a question: How is God calling you?

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