¶ Come and See
Come and See is the first invitation of the Gospel of John.
Jesus said it to the two disciples who asked where He was staying. Philip said it to Nathanael when Nathanael doubted Nazareth.
The woman of Samaria said it to her city after she met the Lord at the well.
The gospel does not begin with an argument finished in advance. It begins with a call to come to Jesus and see.
John the Baptist stood with two of his disciples and looked at Jesus as He walked by. “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two followed. Jesus turned and asked what they were seeking. They asked where He was staying. He said, “Come and you will see.” They came and saw and stayed with Him that day. Andrew then found his brother Simon. The next day Philip found Nathanael and told him they had found the One Moses and the prophets wrote about, Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael answered with a question that sounded like a closed door: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip did not win the point with a speech. He said, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming and named him an Israelite without deceit. Nathanael confessed Him as the Son of God and the King of Israel. Later a woman left her water jar, went into town, and said, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” The invitation runs through the chapter and out into mission. Witnesses do not replace the Lord. They bring people to Him.
- “Come and see” is Jesus’ own word to seekers and the church’s word to doubters.
- The first disciples stayed with Him; seeing led to remaining.
- Philip answered skepticism with an invitation, not with scorn.
- The Samaritan woman used the same pattern: come, see, and consider whether this is the Christ.
- Testimony points; Christ convinces.
- Nazareth looked unlikely. The invitation still stands.
- The gospel is public enough to be examined and personal enough that a person must come.
¶ Key Aspects of Come and See
- Jesus’ Invitation – He does not only send. He says, Come, and you will see.
- Staying with Him – The first seeing became a day in His presence.
- Answer to Doubt – Philip meets Nathanael’s question with an open door.
- Personal Witness – Those who have found Christ go and find others.
- Town Invitation – A new believer can say to a whole place, Come, see a man.
- Seeing That Becomes Confession – Nathanael moves from scorn to worship.
- Ongoing Pattern – The church still brings people to the Scriptures and to the living Christ.
- John 1:38-39 – “Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, ‘What are you seeking?’ And they said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and you will see.’ So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day…”
- John 1:45-46 – “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.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’”
- John 1:47-49 – “Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!’… Nathanael answered him, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’”
- John 4:28-30, 42 – “So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’ They went out of the town and were coming to him… ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.’”
- John 1:29, 35-37 – “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!… and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.”
- Psalm 66:5 – “Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.”
- Psalm 34:8 – “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
- Isaiah 55:1, 3 – “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters… Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live…”
- Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
- John 7:17 – “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”
- John 20:27-29 – “Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’… ‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”
- Revelation 22:17 – “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
- John 12:21 – “So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’”
- Luke 19:3-6 – Zacchaeus sought to see who Jesus was; Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”
- Mark 5:19 – “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
- Acts 8:30-35 – Philip began with the Scripture the man was reading and told him the good news about Jesus.
Come and you will see.
That is the Lord’s first answer to men who wanted to know where He was staying.
Philip used the same words when Nazareth sounded impossible.
The woman at the well used them when a whole town needed the Christ.
Do not stop at secondhand talk. Come to Jesus. Open the Scriptures. Stay with Him.
Doubt can be brought into His presence. Scorn can become confession.
The invitation still stands. Come and see. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
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