John 1,35-42. 5. Trinity

John 1,35-42 3523

5. Trinitatis 51 

Ephraem the Syrian, Deacon, 378/79

ordination 1995 

9. Juli 2023

1. ℣ Hear, O Yahweh, when I cry with my voice:

℟ Thou hast been my Help (Psalm 27,7). 

O God, our Shield; look on the face of Your anointed, and hear my prayer, so that in hearing, You answer, and in answering, You bless and deliver!  Amen. (Psalm 84,9.8 Gradual)

2. »The next day again John the Baptizer was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said: „Behold, the Lamb of God!“ The two disciples [Andrew and John bar Zebedee] heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them: „What are you seeking?“ And they said to him, „Rabbi“ (which means Teacher), „where are you staying?“ He said to them: „Come along, and you will see.“ So they went and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour (4 pm). One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him: „We have found the Messiah“ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said: „You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas“ (which means Peter).« 

 3. The Prophet Isaiah describes the ministry of the Messiah. He would: 

I. bring forth justice to the nations (Isaiah 42,1);

II. the coastlands will wait for His torah (Isaiah 42,4); 

III. bring good news to the poor, 

IV. bind up the brokenhearted, 

V. proclaim liberty to the captives,

VI. release those who are bound in prison (Isaiah 61,1), 

VII. proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor, 

VIII. the day of vengeance of our God and

IX. comfort all who mourn (Isaiah 61,2). 

4. The Apostle John summarized this ministry of the Messiah by saying: >The torah was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1,17). The Messiah arrived to take away the sin of the world (John 1,29).

5. John tells us that Andrew and Simon Peter are brothers, and that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptizer; the other unnamed disciple is most likely John bar Zebedee. This tells us that they were intently seeking and waiting for the Messiah and that they believed the Baptizer was preparing the way for Him. It is probable that their brothers, Peter and James, also were seeking and awaiting the Messiah. 

6. Andrew and John call Jesus rabbi. Those who taught and interpreted the Torah were acknowledged to be rabim (teachers, masters). A rab is a teacher and master of the Scriptures, and rabbi means teacher, or more literally, my teacher. It was common for rabbim to be Pharisees; and in the Gospels Jesus holds positions that are similar to the generic pharisaic positions although He differs at some of their specific interpretations. What is intriguing about this is that Andrew and John are calling Him their teacher, their rabbi. Presumably before embarking on His public ministry Jesus had been building a reputation as one who teaches and interprets Scripture well; Andrew and John perceive this in Jesus. 

7. He first exhibited this aptitude when He was 12 years old where He answered and asked questions such that the teachers were amazed at His understanding and answers (Luke 2,46-47). One of the first things Jesus does in His ministry is return to Nazareth to interpret the Prophet Isaiah for those in his hometown; they initially respond by speaking well of Him and marveling at His gracious words (Luke 4,22) until He speaks the law to them and then they got angry (Luke 4,28). 

8. Jesus proclaims and brings with Him the reign of God. This reign brings chastisement and punishment upon those who reject God the Father and His anointed Messiah; but this reign brings grace and mercy upon those who receive the Messiah. Isaiah said that the Messiah proclaims the year of Yahweh’s favor [acceptance] and the day of vengeance [punishment] of our God (Isaiah 61,2). Those who receive Jesus as the Christ are blessed with His mercy, but those who reject Him as the Christ are condemned with His punishment. Jesus came to His own people, and they did not receive Him; but to all who did receive Him, and believe in Him, He made them children of God (John 1,11-12). 

9. In the first days of His ministry, Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip and Nathanael to be His disciples. These 6 men confess of Jesus that He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God and the King of Israel (John 1,41.49). In response to Nathanael’s confession, Jesus said: »You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man« (John 1,51). This is a reference to Jacob’s vision: »And he dreamed, and behold, there was a flight of steps set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, Yahweh stood above it and said: „I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring“« (Genesis 28,12-13). 

10. Martin Luther writes of this, saying: „The vision which the patriarch had on the site where Jerusalem was subsequently built points to Christ. For when Christ became man and entered upon His preaching ministry, then heaven was opened. Beginning with that time, it is open and remains open. It has never again been closed since Christ Baptism in the Jordan; and it will never again be closed, hidden though this sight is from the physical eye. When heaven is open and God the Father addresses us, we note this only with our spiritual sight. Before the advent of Christ heaven was closed, and the devil had full sway; but in and through Christ the heaven stands ajar again. Now Christians see heaven opened, always hear God the Heavenly Father conversing with them, and behold the dear angels continually continuously ascending and descending upon us. The Heavenly Father still addresses these words to us: ‘This is My beloved Son!’ He will continue to do so until the Day of Judgment, nor will heaven ever be closed again. When you are baptized, partake of Holy Communion, receive the absolution or listen to a sermon, heaven is open, and we hear the voice of the Heavenly Father; all these works descend upon us from the open heaven above us. God converses with us, governs us, provides for us; and Christ hovers over us – but invisibly. And even though there were clouds above us as impervious as iron or steel, obstructing our view of heaven, this would not matter. Still we hear God speaking to us from heaven; we call and try to Him, and He answers us. Having is open, as St. Stephen saw it open (Acts 7,55); and we hear God when addresses us in Baptism, in Holy Communion, in confession and in His Word as it proceeds from the mouth of the men who proclaim His message to the people“ (Luther 201-02). 

11. Some are looking for the Messiah; others are not. But all need Him whether they seek Him or not. Isaiah proclaims: »How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings gospel, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion: „Your God reigns.“« (Isaiah 52,7). Centuries later Paul likewise declared: »And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel! [Isaiah 52,7] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.« (Romans 10,15). Go, and find those who need the gospel and bring them to Jesus. 

12. The Holy Spirit reigns in the Church, 

He’s set her guardians in their place; 

As is fitting, who always watch, 

That God’s house be not in disgrace; 

They bear the preaching office therein 

And point to the eternal light; 

Wherein citizenship we do win 

By faith, love and hope so bright. (Preis, Lob und Dank sei Gott dem Herren selk 274,2 2021 Petrus Herbert 1566) 

This is most certainly true. 

13. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7).  Amen. 

14. Let us pray. O Lord, we beseech Thee to raise up for the work of the ministry faithful and able men, counting it all joy to spend and be spent for the sake of Thy dear Son and for the souls for which He shed His most precious blood upon the cross; fit them for their holy function by Thy bountiful grace and heavenly benediction. Amen. (5. Trinity, Vespers Collect 2. The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.) 

To God alone be the Glory 

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

 

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover. 

Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works, Vol. 22: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John Chapters 1—4. „The Fifteenth Sermon“. Jaroslav Pelikan, Ed. Copyright © 1957 Concordia Publishing House.