john-1:45-46,-john-1:49

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 1:46

Can any good thing ... - The character of Nazareth was proverbially bad. To be a Galilean or a Nazarene was an expression of decided contempt, John 7:52. See the notes at Matthew 2:23. Nathanael asked, therefore, whether it was possible that the Messiah should come from a place proverbially wicked. This was a mode of judging in the case not uncommon. It is not by examining evidence, but by prejudice. Many persons suffer their minds to be filled with prejudice against religion, and then... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 1:45-46

John 1:45-46. Philip findeth Nathanael Nathanael is supposed by many to have been the person, who, in the catalogue of the apostles, is called Bartholomew, that is, as the word signifies, the son of Tholomew, for Matthew joins Bartholomew with Philip, chap. John 10:3; and John places Nathanael in the midst of the apostles, immediately after Thomas, (chap. John 21:2,) just as Bartholomew is placed, Acts 1:13. And saith, We have found him of whom Moses did write “It seems Peter and Andrew,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 1:35-51

18. The first disciples (John 1:35-51)John the Baptist no doubt felt he had successfully completed part of his work when two of his disciples left him to follow Jesus. One of these was Andrew, the other probably John (who does not mention his own name in his Gospel). Andrew then brought his brother Simon to Jesus. Jesus saw some characteristic in Simon that caused him to give him the name ‘Rock’. (The Aramaic word that Jesus used is transliterated as Cephas. The equivalent Greek word is... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 1:45

Nathanael = the gift of God. Hebrew. Nethane'el ; as in Num 1:8 . 1 Chronicles 2:14 . Generally identified with Bartholomew (Aramaic. App-94 .) Law . . . Prophets. See notes on Luke 24:44 . did write = wrote. See App-47 . Nazareth. App-169 . the son of Joseph. The words are Philip's, and expressed the popular belief. Compare App-99 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 1:46

Can there any, &c. Figure of speech Parcemia. out of. Greek. ek. App-104 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 1:45

Philip findeth Nathaniel, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.All that Philip here said of Jesus is true: (1) that Moses and the prophets wrote of him, (2) that he was of Nazareth, and (3) that he was the son of Joseph, although the latter was true legally, not actually. Thus, any effort to force a "conflict" between John and the synoptics is nothing but a device of unbelief. Being the legal son of... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 1:46

And Nathaniel said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.Dummelow said that "Nazareth was an obscure place and not even mentioned in the Old Testament";[52] but it does not follow that Nazareth was extraordinarily wicked. Nathaniel's question does not mean that Nazareth was any more sinful than other similar places; but it indicates that Nazareth simply did not fit the preconceived notions that people had about where to look for the Messiah. The... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 1:45

John 1:45. Of whom Moses—and the prophets, did write,— Whom, &c. have described. The verb Γραφω is frequently used in the same sense elsewhere; and in particular is justly rendered thus, Romans 10:5. It seems, Peter and Andrew, in their conversation with Philip, had persuaded him to believe on Jesus, byshewing him how the types and predictions of the law and the prophets were fulfilled in him. Perhaps, this was the method which Jesus himself had taken to confirm Peter and Andrew, Philip's... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 1:46

John 1:46. Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?— Philip, not knowing that Jesus was born at Bethlehem, calls him Jesus of Nazareth: upon which occasion Nathanael applies a proverb, by which the rest of the Israelites ridiculed the Nazarenes; and he applied it the rather, as the Messiah's nativity had been determined by the prophet Micah to be at Bethlehem. Nazareth was a mean town, inhabited by fishermen and mechanics of the lowest degree, made up of ignorant Jews, and a mixture of... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 1:45

45. Nathanael—(See on :-). Moses—(See :-). son of Joseph—the current way of speaking. (See :-). read more