V. Choosing and Training the Apostles
17. Choosing the First Apostles
23Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age.a40One of the two who heard John speak,b and followed Jesus, was Andrew. 41He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).c 42He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, the son of John; you shall be called Cephas”d (which translated means Peter).
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathaniel, 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.”
46Nathaniel said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him and said of him, “Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
(Lk. 3:23; Jn. 1:40–47)
a “Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age.”—If Jesus were born in 7 BC he would have been around 32 years of age at John's baptism, which marked the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. (See Ch. 5, fn. a, and Ch. 14, fn. a.)
b “heard John speak,"—Heard John's testimony concerning Jesus. (See Ch. 16.)
c “Messiah (which means Christ).”—See Ch. 13, fn. c.
d “you shall be called Cephas”—Cephas is the Aramaic word for rock (its Greek form is Peter). Jesus knew the dangers of thoughtless speech and action in the work of the kingdom; perhaps he is seeking to temper Peter's impulsive nature with a name that suggests steadiness and solidity.
Lk. 3:23 age. / age, being the son of... (RSV)
Jn. 1:40 followed Jesus, was / followed him, was (RSV)
Jn. 1:42 NAS
Jn. 1:47 "Behold a true Israelite in (NIV) / “Behold an Israelite indeed in (RSV) • no deceit.” (TCNT) / no guile.” (RSV) (137:1,2/1524–7)
