narrative and its very words convey, that the two had gone, each to search for his brother
- Andrew for Simon Peter, and John for James, though here already, at the outset of this
history, the haste of energy characteristic of the sons of Jona outdistanced the more quiet
intenseness of John:44 'He (Andrew) first findeth his own brother.'45 But Andrew and
John equally brought the same announcement, still markedly Hebraic in its form, yet
filled with the new wine, not only of conviction, but of joyous apprehension: 'We have
found the Messias.'46 This, then, was the outcome of them of that day - He was the
Messiah; and this the goal which their longing had reached, 'We have found Him.' Quite
beyond what they had heard from the Baptist; nay, what only personal contact with Jesus
can carry to any heart.
43. The common supposition is, that the time must be computed according to the Jewish
method, in which case the tenth hour would represent 4 p.m. But remembering that the
Jewish day ended with sunset, it could, in that case, have been scarcely marked, that 'they
abode with Him that day.' The correct interpretation would therefore p oint in this, as in
the other passages of St. John, to the Asiatic numeration of hours, corresponding to our
own. Comp. J. B. McLellan's New Testament, pp. 740-742.
44. v. 41.
45. This appears from the word 'first,' used as an adjective here, v. 41 (although the
reading is doubtful), and from the implied reference to some one else later on.
46. On the reading of the Aramaic Meshicha by Messias, see Delitzsch in the Luther.
Zeitschr. for 1876, p. 603 Of course, both Messias and Christ mean 'the Anointed.'
And still this day of first marvellous discovery had not closed. It almost seems, as if this
'Come and see' call of Jesus were emblematic, not merely of all that followed in His own
ministry, but of the manner in which to all time the 'What seek ye?' of the soul is
answered. It could scarcely have been but that Andrew had told Jesus of his brother, and
even asked leave to bring him. The searching, penetrating glance47 of the Saviour now
read in Peter's inmost character his future call and work: 'Thou art Simon, the son of
John48 - thou shalt be called49 Cephas, which is interpreted (Grecianised) Peter.'50
47. The same word as that used in regard to the Baptist looking upon Jesus.
48. So according to the best text, and not Jona.
49. 'Hereafter thou shalt win the name.' - Westcott.
50. So in the Greek, of which the English interpretation is 'a stone' - Keyph, or Keypha, 'a
rock.'
It must not, of course, be supposed that this represents all that had passed between Jesus
and Peter, any more than that the recorded expression was all that Andrew and John had
said of Jesus to their brothers. Of the interview between John and James his brother, the
writer, with his usual self-reticence, forbears to speak. But we know its result; and,
knowing it, can form some co nception of what passed on that holy evening between the
new-found Messiah and His first four disciples: of teaching manifestation on His part,