Joh 1:38 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord notices that the two disciples are following Him. He turns around and asks them a question. His question is not, “ Who do you seek?” but, “ What do you seek?” In doing so, He asks for the motive they have to follow Him. The answer is wonderful. They would like to know where He is staying. They call Him “Rabbi”, a word of which John the evangelist gives the translation: “Teacher.” In this way they take the place of disciples in relation to Him. They want to learn from Him, their Teacher. The Lord answers that they should come with Him and that they will then see where He is staying. He does not give an address, but a mark (cf. ; ). It’ s a residence where it is about Him. There they stay with Him that day. John even notes the hour of the day when this takes place. It is remarkable that John, who after all writes about the eternal Son Who stands outside of time, has so much eye for times when the eternal Son does something. We have seen this before on both occasions where he speaks of “the next day” ( ). It emphasizes the presence of God the Son in the world of men. He participates in their circumstances, while He Personally is the Eternal One.

‏ John 1:38

What Do You Seek?

The Lord notices that the two disciples are following Him. He turns around and asks them a question. His question is not, “Who do you seek?” but, “What do you seek?” In doing so, He asks for the motive they have to follow Him. The answer is wonderful. They would like to know where He is staying. They call Him “Rabbi”, a word of which John the evangelist gives the translation: “Teacher.” In this way they take the place of disciples in relation to Him. They want to learn from Him, their Teacher.

The Lord answers that they should come with Him and that they will then see where He is staying. He does not give an address, but a mark (cf. Lk 22:7-13; Song 1:7-8). It’ s a residence where it is about Him. There they stay with Him that day. John even notes the hour of the day when this takes place.

It is remarkable that John, who after all writes about the eternal Son Who stands outside of time, has so much eye for times when the eternal Son does something. We have seen this before on both occasions where he speaks of “the next day” (Jn 1:29 ; 35). It emphasizes the presence of God the Son in the world of men. He participates in their circumstances, while He Personally is the Eternal One.