Read: John 1:35-42
Come and you will see. (v. 39)
We named our son “Andrew” in part because I love the disciple known by that name. Little is known about him outside of two stories in John 1 and John 12. In both, he invited people to Jesus. As Andrew stood beside John the Baptist in chapter 1, John looked at Jesus and called him “the Lamb of God” (John 1:36). Intrigued, Andrew followed Jesus with a friend. When Jesus learned they wanted to stay with him, he said, “Come and you will see” (v. 39).
The Greek word horaō used here for “see” in place of the more straightforward blepō adds a nuance that would not be lost on the first readers of John’s gospel. Whereas blepō points to an object, as in, “Look at that rainbow,” horaō is more like, “Look at God’s covenant in the rainbow.” In other words, see more than what meets the eye. When Jesus said, “Come and you will see,” he was inviting them to look again, to see beyond sight, to grasp a deeper truth than just his geographic resting place. And so they came and saw.
We know nothing of their conversation. But whatever it was, that one night with Jesus convinced Andrew that Jesus was so much more than what his eyes first saw. He could not wait to find his brother and exclaim, “We have found the Messiah” (v. 41). When we first begin to truly “see” Jesus, we cannot keep it to ourselves. Who will you be Andrew to today? —Jon Opgenorth
As you pray, ask God to help you see Jesus.
About the Author
Rev. Jon Opgenorth serves as president of Words of Hope. Previously, he served for 18 years as senior pastor at Trinity Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa. In preparation for ministry, he received a BA in Religion from Northwestern College, and an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary.
