John 1:39

39 And he saith to them, Come ye, and see. And they came, and saw where he dwelled [He saith to them, Come, and see ye. They came, and saw where he dwelt]; and dwelt with him that day. And it was as the tenth hour.

John 1:39 Meaning and Commentary

John 1:39

He saith unto them, come and see
He gave them an invitation, to go along with him directly, and see with their own eyes, where he dwelt, and there and then converse with him, and at any other time; to which they had a hearty welcome:

they came and saw where he dwelt;
they accepted of the invitation, and went along with him immediately, and saw, and took notice of the place where he had lodgings, that they might know it, and find it another time; which Dr. Lightfoot conjectures was at Capernaum, which is very probable; since that was his own city, where he paid tribute, where he frequently resorted, and was on the banks of Jordan, near the lake of Gennesaret; and these disciples were Galilaeans:

and abode with him that day;
the remaining part of the day, which they spent in delightful conversation with him; by which they knew that he was the Messiah; at least they were better instructed in this matter, and more confirmed in it. The Arabic version renders it, "they remained with him that his own day"; and Dr. Lightfoot thinks the next day is meant, and that it was the sabbath day, which they kept with him in private devotion and conference:

for it was about the tenth hour;
which, according to the Roman way of reckoning, must be ten o'clock in the morning; so that there was a considerable part of the day before them; but according to the Jewish way of reckoning, who reckon twelve hours to a day, it must be four o'clock in the afternoon, when there were but two hours to night: and this being; about the time when the lamb of the daily sacrifice of the evening was offered up, very seasonably did John point unto them, at this time, Christ the Lamb of God, the antitype of that sacrifice; for the daily evening sacrifice was slain at eight and a half, and was offered at nine and a half ^F6, or between the ninth and tenth hours of the day. The Ethiopic version renders it, "they remained with him that day unto the tenth hour".

---

FOOTNOTES:

F6 Misn. Pesachim, c. 5. sect. 1.

John 1:39 In-Context

37 And two disciples heard him speaking, and [they] followed Jesus.

38 And Jesus turned, and saw them following him, and saith to them, What seek ye? And they said to him, Rabbi, that is to say [that is interpreted], Master, where dwellest thou?

39 And he saith to them, Come ye, and see. And they came, and saw where he dwelled [He saith to them, Come, and see ye. They came, and saw where he dwelt]; and dwelt with him that day. And it was as the tenth hour.

40 And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the twain, that heard of John, and had followed him.

41 This found first his brother Simon, and he said to him, We have found Messias, that is to say, Christ; [This found first his brother Simon, and he saith to him, We have found Messias, that is interpreted Christ;]