37 ¶ And the two disciples heard him speak, and
they followed Jesus. 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,) where dwellest
thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come and
see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was
about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two
which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother
Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being
interpreted, the Christ. 42 And he brought
him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of
Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Jesus confirms the reason that the two disciples of John are
following Him by asking them who they are looking for. They called Him, Rabbi,
which the translation is given as being, Master.
There are two meanings for Master given in the Bible. One
is, of course, a person’s overlord, their sovereign in some aspect of their
life. The other is as a teacher (compare Malachi 2:12 with 1Chronicles 25:8). A Rabbi is specifically a
teacher, who in Jewish tradition would draw to himself disciples who would
follow his teachings.
Here, Andrew, Peter’s brother, acknowledges and establishes
that they see Jesus as the Jewish Messiah to come, called the Christ. This is
fundamental to Christian belief and faith, that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah,
much looked and hoped for, and that He is the Saviour of the whole world of men
and women, and the only Saviour. As Peter, just now introduced, would say
later;
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for
there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved.
Modern versions, based on corrupt manuscripts and an agenda,
change verse 42, as Jesus uses the Aramaic word for a stone, to erase the word,
stone, or to make Peter a rock perhaps so that they can follow the Vatican lead
by calling him the rock mentioned in the following verse;
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it.
…when the, “rock,” mentioned in Matthew 16:18 is Peter’s
confession, that Jesus is the Christ, God in the flesh, that is the foundation
rock upon which the church is built, for Jesus is the Rock. Referring to the
rock in the wilderness that Moses smote, from which water flowed, Paul said;
1Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink:
for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was
Christ.
Also see;
Deuteronomy 32:31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our
enemies themselves being judges.
1Samuel 2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is
none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
2Samuel 22:32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a
rock, save our God?
Psalm 18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a
rock save our God?
Psalm 95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us
make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Peter himself will later call Christians stones so you can
see the contrast between the Rock and stones.
1Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a
spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour of the world,
the great Rabbi, the greatest teacher, and our Master. There is no other for a
Bible-believing Christian because Jesus is God.
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