Who were the Two Disciples of John the Baptist that followed Jesus – John 1:35-42 – Meaning and Commentary

1. Introductory prayer

I calm down and I feel the presence of God in me. I ask for the grace of the Holy Spirit to open the word of God, I accept it and allow it to fulfill my mission in me, in order to become more and more what I am in Holy Trinity. Then I ask God for this prayer, in my own words, or with those that are here…

There is a deep longing for love in us, so we look around to see Love. Jesus brought us Love and in this gracious love, in this gift he gives us, he sees us. He invites us to follow him to get to know him. We get to know him on the move – the students followed him and spent some time with him. Jesus, my Savior, may I allow myself to be addressed when you invite me to come to your home and get to know you. Let me stay with you and live in Your Love.

2. Reading – Listening:  – Who were the Two Disciples of John the Baptist that followed Jesus – John 1:35-42 – Meaning and Commentary

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

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Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[a]).

3. Thoughts on the Gospel – Who were the Two Disciples of John the Baptist that followed Jesus – John 1:35-42 – Meaning and Commentary

In the words “The next day John was there again ” there is a sense of persistence in searching, waiting. One can feel the growing faith of John the Baptist. The days go by while the experience of meeting Jesus intensifies. John does not despair, he does not get tired, he becomes more and more confident, more certain, more enlightened. He is there and stays there. I imagine that I am John the Baptist and that I am called to persevere like him.

If John the Baptist can see in this way, if he is able to break through the appearance, it means that even before he met the gaze of Jesus, he was already enlightened. So are we. As soon as Jesus dedicates himself to us, approaches us, takes to heart our presence, our life, and looks at us with deep attention, his eyes are fixed on us.

The words “Jesus saw them” also refer to Jesus’ view of Peter (Lk 22:61). In many places, in the Gospels, we find a record that Jesus looks at his disciples (Matt. 19:26) or looks at a certain person (Mark 10:21). His gaze calls and illuminates. His gaze never leaves us. I am aware that I can only find peace if I exchange my gaze with him. But I can pretend not to see him. I can continue to turn away from his love that was given to me and that chose me.

The words “follow Jesus” mean not only that the disciples began to walk in the same direction as Jesus, but much more: that they dedicated their lives to him and followed him. He is the one who has the initiative when he tells me as a rich young man (Mt 19:21), as Peter (Jn 21:22): “Follow me.” It is up to me whether I respond to the initiative or not. I can ask the Holy Spirit to give me so much courage and love to answer him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” (Mt 8: 19b).

The words Jesus uses in the gospel are very concrete questions. They are addressed to the students who follow him. They are also addressed to me personally. The Lord also looks at me and asks me, “What do you want?” It is not easy to answer this question. I can only feel the answer and find it deep in my heart.

Then Jesus invites the disciples, “Come and see.” Jesus also invites me, “Come and see.” He repeats this every day. He doesn’t get tired. There is also a promise for this invitation. The disciples saw his “majesty, the majesty he has from the Father as the only begotten Son, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14).

The disciples stay with Jesus, start living with him in the same house. Maybe they were beginning to realize and feel that the Lord Himself was their house. The verb “rest,” used by the evangelist John in this passage, denotes an intense abode in one another. Jesus is located in the Father’s “womb” and offers us the possibility of abiding in him and in the Holy Trinity. Today, he also offers me the opportunity to live in this wonderful experience of love. The decision is up to me.

Andrew hurries to call his brother Simon because he would like to share with him the priceless gift he has received. It is he who proclaims the Savior, who has the power to bring his brother to him. In this way he becomes a guide, he becomes a light, he becomes the right direction. He also leads me to Jesus and reveals to me my vocation to bring others to him just like him.

4. Meditation – thinking

About everything I have read and what has touched me, I am thinking now. I let my thoughts also touch my heart. Think:

  • Jesus looks at me as he looked at the disciple. What does he tell me?
  • Jesus also asks me, “What are you looking for?”
  • I go to Jesus’ home with the disciples and stay with him for a while. I observe Jesus, I talk to him.
  • What questions and motivations for my life arise from this encounter with Jesus at home? I hand them over to Jesus to guide me to bring to life those initiatives that are according to his will.

5. Personal Prayer

In the next moments of silence, I talk about this with Jesus. I tell him what I think, what I feel, what I want. I ask him for the grace that I need for … (make your conversation with God).

6. Contemplation – Quiet moment with God

Now I let silence be in me. I am simply present in God, as He is quietly present in me. Perhaps from this silence, I hear God’s speech, which invites me perhaps in thanksgiving and worship or to open myself and accept him in my path life and work, maybe He gives me the courage to continue searching for…

7. Action

When I walk into a personal relationship with God, he changes me, makes me more loving, and encourages me to the concrete action, which is….. (write down your insights for concrete action).

8. Prayer at the end

Thank you for your look, Jesus, for seeing me, telling me who I am and what my mission is. Thank you for always coming by anew when I get lost between the houses and showing me the way to your home. Thank you that this home is also becoming my home and that I can invite other people into it.

9. Review of my prayer meditation or reflection

This is my view on what was happening in me at the time, I spent praying. In my reflection, I can help myself with the following questions:

  • How was I feeling when I started praying?
  • What happened during the prayer?
  • What feelings and thoughts could I detect in myself?
  • How did I feel about the revelations, which I had during my prayer?
  • What did I learn about myself, about God, about his attitude towards me and others, and me to him and others?
  • How did I finish my prayer?
  • What did I receive for my everyday life?
  • In the end, I can write the lessons, findings, and insights. I can write also, where I had problems, they may have great value in learning about my relationship and myself with God. They can also help to find a more appropriate way of prayer for me.
  • Then I thank the Holy Trinity. If I pray with my family or in the community, friends, I can share with them what I felt in this prayer. With a prayer for one another, you can support yourself throughout the week.

Lectio Divina meditations are published and adapted with permission from the Jesuits home – ignacijevdom.si

Text from the Bible – New International Version (KJV)

Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!