Church Fathers Commentary John 1:37-40

"And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where abideth thou? He saith unto them, Come, and ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day: it was about the tenth hour. One of the two that heard John [speak], and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter`s brother." — John 1:37-40 (ASV)

Alcuin of York: After John had borne witness that Jesus was the Lamb of God, the disciples who had been with him until now followed Jesus in obedience to his command: And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

St. John Chrysostom: Observe: when John said, He that comes after me is preferred before me, and, Whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose, he won over no one. But when he mentioned the divine economy and made his discourse more humble, saying, Behold the Lamb of God, then his disciples followed Christ. For many people are less influenced by thoughts of God’s greatness and majesty than by hearing of His role as humanity’s Helper and Friend, or anything pertaining to our salvation.

Observe, too, that when John says, Behold the Lamb of God, Christ says nothing. The Bridegroom stands by in silence; others introduce Him and deliver the Bride into His hands. He receives her and treats her in such a way that she no longer remembers those who gave her in marriage. In the same way, Christ came to unite the Church to Himself. He said nothing; but John, the friend of the Bridegroom, came forth and put the Bride’s right hand in His—that is, by his preaching he delivered people's souls into His hands. Upon receiving them, Christ cared for them so well that they no longer returned to John.

Furthermore, some of John's disciples not only failed to follow Christ but were even envious of Him. The better ones, however, heard and followed—not out of contempt for their former master, but because of his persuasion, for he had promised them that Christ would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

And see the modesty that accompanied their zeal. They did not immediately go and question Jesus on great and essential doctrines, nor did they do so in public. Instead, they sought a private conversation with Him, for we are told that Jesus turned, saw them following, and said to them, What do you seek? From this we learn that once we begin to make good resolutions, God gives us ample opportunities for improvement. Christ asks the question not because He needed to be told the answer, but to encourage familiarity and confidence, and to show that He considered them worthy of His instruction.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Observe, then, that it was upon those who followed Him that our Lord turned His face and looked. Unless you follow Him through your good works, you will never be permitted to see His face or enter His dwelling.

Alcuin of York: The disciples followed behind His back to see Him, but they could not see His face. So He turns around and, as it were, lowers His majesty so that they might be able to behold His face.

Origen of Alexandria: Perhaps it is not without reason that after six testimonies John ceases to bear witness, and Jesus asks the seventh question: What do you seek?

St. John Chrysostom: Besides following Him, their question showed their love for Christ. They said to Him, Rabbi (which is interpreted as, Master), where do you live? They call Him Master before they have learned anything from Him, thus strengthening their own resolve to become disciples and showing the reason why they followed.

Origen of Alexandria: This is a declaration befitting those who had just come from hearing John’s testimony. They place themselves under Christ’s teaching and express their desire to see the dwelling of the Son of God.

Alcuin of York: They do not wish to be under His teaching for only a short time, but inquire where He lives, desiring an immediate initiation into the secrets of His word. They intend to visit Him often afterward to obtain fuller instruction. In a mystical sense, they also wish to know in whom Christ dwells, so that by profiting from their example, they themselves might become a fitting dwelling for Him. Or, their seeing Jesus walking and immediately inquiring where He lives is a hint to us that, remembering His Incarnation, we should earnestly ask Him to show us our eternal home.

Because the request was so good, Christ promises a free and full disclosure. He said to them, Come and see. This is to say, "My dwelling is not to be understood by words, but by works; come, therefore, by believing and working, and then you will see by understanding."

Origen of Alexandria: Or perhaps come is an invitation to action, and see is an invitation to contemplation.

St. John Chrysostom: Christ does not describe His house or its location but brings them with Him, showing that He had already accepted them as His own. He does not say, "It is not the right time now; tomorrow you will hear if you wish to learn." Instead, He addresses them familiarly, as if they were friends who had lived with Him for a long time. But how is it that He said in another place, The Son of man has nowhere to lay His head, when here He says, Come and see where I live? His statement about having nowhere to lay His head could only have meant that He had no dwelling of His own, not that He did not live in a house at all. For the next words are, They came and saw where He dwelt, and stayed with Him that day. The Evangelist does not say why they stayed, but it was obviously for the sake of His teaching.

St. Augustine of Hippo: What a blessed day and night that was! Let us also build a house for Him within our hearts, where He may come and teach us.

Theophylact of Ohrid: And it was about the tenth hour. The Evangelist mentions the time of day purposefully, as a hint to both teachers and learners not to let the time of day interfere with their work.

St. John Chrysostom: This showed their strong desire to hear Him, since they did not turn away even at sunset. For worldly people, the time after meals is unsuitable for any serious activity, as their bodies are overloaded with food. But John, whose disciples these were, was not like that. His evenings were more self-restrained than our mornings.

St. Augustine of Hippo: The number ten here signifies the Law, which was composed of ten commandments. The time had come for the Law to be fulfilled by love, since the Jews, who acted from fear, had been unable to fulfill it. It was therefore at the tenth hour that our Lord heard Himself called Rabbi; for no one but the Giver of the Law is the Teacher of the Law.

St. John Chrysostom: One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. Why is the other name left out? Some say it is because this Evangelist himself was the other disciple. Others suggest it was a disciple of no prominence, and that there was no more reason to give his name than there was for the seventy-two, whose names are also omitted.

Alcuin of York: Alternatively, it would seem that the two disciples who followed Jesus were Andrew and Philip.