Can Anything Good Come From Nazareth? - John 1:46

John the apostle wrote how two of John the Baptist's disciples began to follow Jesus,and “one of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother He first found his own brother Simon, and said unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, You are Simon the son of Jona: you shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and finds Philip, and said unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph”, and in chapter one and verse forty-six of his book, John shared how Nathanael asked, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” where we read:

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?

Philip said unto him, Come and see.

The verse reads, “And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” John began with the words, “And Nathanael said unto him” which means “and Nathanael whose name means gift of God uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked Philip”, “can there any good thing” which means “is there an ability or capability for a good constitution, nature or useful and salutary pleasant thing to” “come out of Nazareth” or “proceed from Nazareth which means the guarded one”? John shared how “Nathanael” asked “Philip” if there was anything “good” that could proceed from “Nazareth”.

The verse continues, “Philip said unto him, Come and see.” John added the word, “Philip” which means “lover of horses” “said unto him” or “uttered, declared and proclaimed to Nathanael”, “Come and see” which means “arise, come forth and follow and observe, perceive and know”. John shared how “Philip” told “Nathanael” to “arise and know” for himself who Jesus was.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn about the “doubt” that was within “Nathanael”. Evidently “Nazareth” did not have a “good” reputation, and “Nathanael” wondered if there was anything “good” that could arise from there. We shall see how “Nathanael” changes his perspective after he meets Jesus, but for now we should learn even when we have “doubts” about Jesus' origin or source of living, He is the “Christ and Son of the living God”. Everyone who yields their life to Him shall be saved from the penalty of sin which is death and will inherit everlasting life with God. Let all who read these words submit and know Jesus for themselves.

Next time John shares how Jesus says of Nathanael, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".