John 1:45 kjv
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
John 1:45 nkjv
Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote?Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
John 1:45 niv
Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote?Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
John 1:45 esv
Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
John 1:45 nlt
Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."
John 1 45 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 18:15 | "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among...him you shall listen." | Moses wrote of a prophet like himself. |
| Deut 18:18 | "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites...put my words in his mouth." | God's promise to Moses fulfilled in Jesus. |
| Gen 3:15 | "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring..." | Protoevangelium, prophecy of Christ. |
| Gen 49:10 | "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet..." | Messiah's lineage from Judah, fulfilling Law. |
| Num 21:8-9 | "The Lord said to Moses, 'Make a snake and put it up on a pole...'" | Bronze serpent prefigures Christ on cross. |
| Isa 7:14 | "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son..." | Prophecy of miraculous birth. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given...The increase of his government and peace..." | Prophecy of the coming King. |
| Isa 11:1 | "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit." | Messiah as a "Branch" or "Nazarene." |
| Isa 53:2-6 | "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him...he was pierced for our transgressions..." | Prophecy of the suffering servant. |
| Jer 23:5-6 | "The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch..." | Messiah as Righteous Branch, descendant of David. |
| Mic 5:2 | "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah...out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel..." | Prophecy of Messiah's birthplace. |
| Zech 9:9 | "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you..." | Prophecy of Messiah's triumphal entry. |
| John 1:41 | "He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Anointed One)." | Andrew's similar witness to Peter. |
| John 1:43 | "The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”" | Philip's direct calling by Jesus. |
| John 1:46 | "“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked." | Nathanael's immediate skepticism about Nazareth. |
| Luke 3:23 | "Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph..." | Jesus' human lineage through Joseph. |
| Matt 2:23 | "and went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene." | Nazareth as fulfillment of prophecy. |
| Acts 28:23 | "They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day...from morning till evening he explained and declared the kingdom of God...trying to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets." | Paul reasoning from Law and Prophets. |
| Luke 24:27 | "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." | Jesus explaining prophecies about Himself. |
| John 5:39 | "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me." | Scriptures (Law and Prophets) testify of Jesus. |
| Acts 3:22-26 | "For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people...'" | Peter quoting Deut 18 about Jesus. |
| Heb 10:7 | "Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll of the book—I have come to do your will, my God.’” | Christ's incarnation fulfills Scripture. |
John 1 verses
John 1 45 Meaning
John 1:45 describes Philip's eager witness to Nathanael, proclaiming that they have discovered the promised Messiah—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph—the one prophesied throughout the Old Testament Scriptures by Moses in the Law and by the prophets. It highlights a core tenet of early Christian belief: Jesus is the fulfillment of divine revelation.
John 1 45 Context
John chapter 1 introduces Jesus as the pre-existent Word of God (Logos), the light of the world, and the Lamb of God. John the Baptist bears witness to Him. Following Jesus's calling of Andrew, Peter, and Philip, verse 45 records Philip's immediate response to his encounter with Jesus: to share the momentous discovery with his friend, Nathanael. This verse is part of the unfolding narrative of Jesus gathering His first disciples, often through direct calls or through the witness of existing disciples. It sets the stage for Nathanael's initial skepticism about Jesus's origin in Nazareth, leading to Jesus's profound declaration about Nathanael's character and His own divine insight. Historically, Jews in the 1st century keenly anticipated the Messiah, interpreting the "Law and the Prophets" for signs of His coming, often expecting a political or military leader. Philip's declaration frames Jesus within this Messianic expectation, asserting He fulfills these prophecies.
John 1 45 Word Analysis
- Philip: Greek name, Philippos, meaning "lover of horses." One of the first disciples called by Jesus from Bethsaida (John 1:43-44). His quick sharing shows a nascent evangelistic spirit.
- found (εὕρηκεν, heurēken): Perfect active indicative, emphasizing a completed action with ongoing results. Philip deliberately sought Nathanael out after his own encounter with Jesus, indicating purpose and enthusiasm in sharing his discovery. This "finding" leads directly to proclamation.
- Nathanael: Hebrew name, Nethan’el, meaning "God has given." Traditionally identified with Bartholomew, one of the Twelve Apostles. Known for his sincerity and lack of deceit (John 1:47).
- told him (λέγει αὐτῷ, legei autō): A simple, direct declaration. This shows the immediate verbal testimony characteristic of early discipleship.
- We have found (εὑρήκαμεν, heurēkamen): Philip includes himself and likely others (Andrew, Peter) in this shared discovery and conviction, signaling a collective confirmation of Jesus' identity among the nascent group of disciples. It's a statement of shared revelation.
- the one Moses wrote about in the Law:
- Moses: The foundational prophet of Israel.
- Law (Νόμος, Nomos): Refers to the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament). Philip refers primarily to Deuteronomy 18:15, which prophesies a "prophet like Moses." Other key prophecies in the Law include Genesis 3:15, 12:3, 49:10; Numbers 24:17. This affirms Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of Israel's covenant expectations and foundational scriptures.
- and about whom the prophets also wrote:
- Prophets (προφήται, prophētai): Refers to the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (Nevi'im), encompassing books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, the Minor Prophets, etc. This covers the vast array of Messianic prophecies beyond the Pentateuch concerning the Messiah's birth, life, suffering, death, and reign (e.g., Isa 7:14, 9:6-7, 53; Mic 5:2; Zech 9:9; Dan 7:13-14). This phrase signifies the pervasive testimony of all Hebrew Scripture concerning Jesus.
- Jesus of Nazareth:
- Jesus (Ἰησοῦς, Iēsous): Greek form of the Hebrew "Yeshua" or "Joshua," meaning "Yahweh saves." Philip identifies the Messiah with the man he just met.
- of Nazareth (ἀπὸ Ναζαρέτ, apo Nazaret): Specifies Jesus's hometown. This detail, though a geographical identifier, also sets up Nathanael's famous skeptical query ("Can anything good come from there?") in the next verse (John 1:46), highlighting initial human perception and preconceptions. The seemingly insignificant Nazareth (as a "branch" or "sprout" town) implicitly connects to Isaiah 11:1.
- the son of Joseph: This identifies Jesus by His commonly perceived legal parentage in His community (Luke 3:23). While divine sonship is the ultimate truth about Jesus (John 1:34, 18), Philip speaks from a common, human understanding of Jesus's earthly origins. This highlights the incarnate reality of Christ, accessible through human connection, before deeper theological understanding is revealed.
John 1 45 Bonus section
The eager "finding" and "telling" initiated by Philip (and earlier by Andrew) illustrate the spontaneous, personal nature of early evangelism. Disciples were so overwhelmed by their encounter with Jesus that their immediate impulse was to share the good news with those closest to them. This chain reaction—Jesus calls one, that one calls another—becomes a pattern for spreading the Kingdom. Philip's declaration also represents a hermeneutical breakthrough: understanding the entirety of Jewish Scripture not as disparate predictions but as a cohesive narrative pointing singularly to Jesus. It implies that true understanding of the Law and the Prophets can only come through recognition of their ultimate fulfillment in Christ. Furthermore, this verse sets the stage for John's consistent theme of encounter and progressive revelation: Nathanael, initially dismissive, comes to a profound personal belief in Jesus, moving from knowing Him by reputation ("son of Joseph") to confessing Him as "Son of God" and "King of Israel."
John 1 45 Commentary
John 1:45 captures the vibrant energy of new discipleship. Philip, having just been called by Jesus, immediately becomes a messenger. His witness to Nathanael is bold and profound: "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote." This statement serves as an early creedal affirmation that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the climax of Israel's scriptural hope. Philip doesn't merely state a personal discovery but frames it in terms of biblical fulfillment, addressing the Jewish anticipation for a divine deliverer prophesied across their sacred texts. The specific mention of "Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" roots this cosmic truth in a tangible, identifiable person. Philip articulates the continuity between the Old Testament promise and the New Testament person, revealing how centuries of prophetic expectation converge in Jesus. This simple declaration highlights the core of the early Gospel message: Jesus is God's anointed King, fulfilling all that was spoken beforehand.