Come and See!

When I read this passage from John's Gospel (John 1:46) where Philip invites Nathaniel (Bartholomew) to go with him to meet Jesus of Nazareth, it reminded me of another passage in Scripture where the very same words were used.

Of course, the one I remembered took place after the Resurrection, when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There they found an angel sitting in the empty tomb. The angel told the women not to be afraid; that their Lord had risen. The angel invited them to "Come and see the place where he lay." (Matthew 28:6)

Just out of curiosity, I decided to search for other references for this invitation in the New Testament among the Gospels. I actually found several.

Remember where John the Baptizer and his disciples saw Jesus nearby. John pointed him out and said "Behold the Lamb of God..." Two of John's disciples went over to Jesus and asked him where he was staying. "Come and see..." (John 1:39) Jesus replied. One of those two disciples was Andrew.

Again, we look in the Gospel of John for the death of Lazarus. Remember how Jesus finally travelled to Bethany several days after Lazarus had died. Mary and her friends met Jesus on the road and she fell down at his feet weeping. Jesus asked where they had laid Lazarus and they replied, “Lord, come and see.” (John 11:34)

There were a couple of other references for this phrase outside the Gospels, in Psalm 66:5 and Philippians 1:27. But my interest was in how this phrase was used in the Gospels.

As you can see, something important happened after the person addressed came and saw.

Nathaniel (Bartholomew) and Andrew both became members of the Twelve after meeting this man from Nazareth. Jesus was taken to the tomb of Lazarus where he called Lazarus out from death to life. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary would be the first to witness to the Resurrection of Jesus.

Don't we hear the same call to "come and see" even today in our individual lives? When we respond to God's invitation in a positive way, something wonderful happens...