The first part of the Bible I translated in Greek class was the beginning of John 1:45, “Philip found Nathanael.” We know some things about Philip. He was from Bethsaida, he could speak Greek, and  his brother was Nathanael. The finding interests me.

The Greek word is “euriskei,” the word our word eureka comes from. It’s used three times in a short section. First, Jesus finds, Philip. Then Philip finds Nathanael, then Philip tells Nathanael, “we have found the one whom Moses wrote about in the Law.” Found, found, found. But there is something odd about the last “found.” We have found the one.” Well, not exactly. It was Jesus who found Philip.

It turns out the word “found” here can have a spiritual sense as in discovering something about the divine. The rather ordinary function of looking for someone and then finding them (Jesus finding Philip, Philip finding Nathanael) results in a profound revelation.  Jesus of Nazareth is the one spoken of in the Law and Prophets. That’s no small discovery, yet it really isn’t the result of some great effort by Philip. It’s the result of Jesus’ initiative and action.

That’s frequently the way. In some ordinary action the truth of God is revealed. Jesus finds Philip, Philip finds Nathanel, and the great truth of Jesus the Messiah is revealed. I think about the many people who I have met who have had a profound effect on me by showing me something about God.

It’s amazing how we get found, when we didn’t even know we were lost.

Read John 1:43-45 (you can read it in an English translation) and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne