John 1:38 ESV

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:35-42

3. The response to John the Baptist’s witness 1:35-42The writer now turned his attention from John the Baptist’s witness to Jesus to record the reactions of some men to John’s witness. Two of John the Baptist’s disciples left him to follow Jesus when they heard John’s testimony about Jesus. One of them recruited his brother to join them. Jesus did not call these men to follow Him as His disciples now. That came later (cf. Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew 9:9; Mark 1:16-20; Mark 2:13-14; Luke 5:1-11;... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:38

Jesus asked these two men why they were walking behind Him. Did they want something from Him?"It appears that the Evangelist is writing on two levels. The question makes sense as straightforward narrative: Jesus asks the two men who are following him to articulate what is on their minds. But the Evangelist wants his readers to reflect on a deeper question: the Logos-Messiah confronts those who make any show of beginning to follow him and demands that they articulate what they really want in... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:1-51

The Divinity and Incarnation of the Word. Witness of John. The First Disciples1-18. Preface, declaring (1) that the Word was God, (2) that He was made man, (3) that He revealed the Father.This sublime preface is intended to commend ’the truth as it is in Jesus,’ both to Jewish and Gentile minds. It describes our Lord’s person and office by a term familiar to both, that of the Logos or Word of God. ’Logos’ has two meanings in Greek: (1) reason or intelligence, as it exists inwardly in the mind,... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - John 1:38

(38) Jesus turned, and saw them following.—They follow wishing, and yet not daring, to question Him. He sees this, and seeks to draw them forth by Himself asking the first question. They are not prepared for this question, and wish for more than a passing interview. They inquire, “Where dost thou sojourn?” “Where are you staying for the night?” They will visit Him and ask the many things they seek. They address Him as “Rabbi,” placing themselves in the position of His scholars; but they have... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - John 1:1-51

Agnosticism, Positivism and Materialism John 1:1 John outstrips Genesis. He begins the record of the world anew, but starts from a deeper starting-point. In Genesis the history of the world arises out of the God of Creation. In John there is a deeper starting-point: history commences with the God of redemption. I. This, then, is the first assertion we have to consider Redemption is older than Creation. God the Saviour is a more fundamental fact than God the Creator. Redemption was not an... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - John 1:35-51

Chapter 4THE FIRST DISCIPLES.“Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples; and he looked upon Jesus as He walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto Him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Master), where abidest Thou? He saith unto them, Come, and ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where He abode;... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - John 1:1-51

Analysis and Annotations I. The Only-begotten, the Eternal Word; His Glory and His Manifestation -- Chapter 1:1-2:22 CHAPTER 1 1. The Word: the Creator, the Life and the Light. (John 1:1-4 .) 2. The Light and the Darkness. The Light not Known. (John 1:5-11 .) 3. The Word Made Flesh and Its Gracious Results. (John 1:12-18 .) 4. The Witness of John. (John 1:19-34 .) 5. Following Him and Dwelling With Him. (John 1:35-42 .) 6. The Next Day. Nathanael’s Unbelief and Confession. (John 1:43-49... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - John 1:38

1:38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) {s} where dwellest thou?(s) Where is your lodging? read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:1-51

CHRIST THE LIVING WORD (vs.1-5) Revelation 19:13, speaking of the Lord Jesus, says, "His name is called the Word of God." As such He had no beginning: in the beginning He was there. In person He is eternal. Yet also, He was with God, which shows Him to be a distinct person. Yet more than this, "the Word was God:" He is a divine person. Then verse 2 is added to guard the fact that He was (and is) eternally distinct. In the eternal past, as in the eternal future, God is a blessed Trinity,... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - John 1:1-51

DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST This portion of the Gospel is chosen as a lesson because it gives an opportunity at one view to consider the Deity of Jesus Christ as declared in the preface (John 1:1-14 ) as witnessed to by the testimony of the Baptist (John 1:15-34 ), and demonstrated in the first visit to Judea after the baptism (John 1:35 to John 2:12 ). PREFACE (John 1:1-14 ) Observe the earliest illustration of John’s presentation of Jesus as the Son of God. Nothing corresponding is found in the... read more