What John 1:46 really means: Come and See

Context of John 1:46

Right after Jesus calls Philip to follow him, Philip excitedly goes to find Nathanael and announces that he’s found the long-awaited Messiah - Jesus of Nazareth.

Nathanael’s immediate reaction - 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' - reveals his skepticism, likely because Nazareth was a small, unimportant village with no reputation for spiritual significance. His question was about geography. It reflected a common assumption that nothing of divine importance could come from such an overlooked place. Philip says, 'Come and see,' inviting Nathanael to meet Jesus personally.

This moment sets up Jesus’ powerful response when Nathanael arrives - Jesus sees him and declares him to be a true Israelite without deceit - showing that He knows Nathanael’s heart even before they’ve spoken.

Nathanael's Doubt and Philip's Invitation

Nathanael’s skepticism about Nazareth reveals how human expectations can blind us to where God might show up.

Nazareth was a tiny, insignificant village with no prophetic history or religious reputation - certainly not the kind of place anyone would expect the Messiah to come from. Nathanael’s question was about geography. It carried cultural weight, reflecting the common belief that nothing spiritually significant could rise from such an overlooked place.

Sometimes the best way to answer doubt is not with facts, but with an invitation to see for yourself.

Philip doesn’t try to argue or prove a point using Scripture or logic. He says, 'Come and see' - a gentle, personal invitation that bypasses debate and points straight to experience. This phrase echoes Jesus’ own words earlier in the chapter when He said to Andrew and John, 'Come and you will see' (John 1:39), showing that Jesus’ way of drawing people in is through relationship, not rhetoric. By inviting Nathanael to encounter Jesus firsthand, Philip models how we can respond to others’ doubts - not with perfect answers, but with an open door to meet Christ for themselves.

Come and See: A Simple Model for Sharing Faith

Philip’s response to Nathanael’s doubt - 'Come and see' - is more than a suggestion. It is a model for how everyday believers can share their faith.

Instead of trying to win an argument or prove a theological point, Philip points Nathanael straight to Jesus, trusting that a personal encounter will speak louder than words. This reflects John’s larger theme in his Gospel: coming to know Jesus is about seeing His glory and believing (John 20:31).

The best way to introduce someone to Jesus isn’t through perfect arguments, but through a simple invitation to experience Him.

This same 'come and see' spirit appears throughout Scripture - like when Jesus told Andrew and John to 'come and see' where He was staying (John 1:39), or when the Samaritans invited others to 'come and see' the man who told them all they had done (John 4:29).

Jesus from Nazareth and the Promise of the Branch

Philip’s invitation to 'come and see' Jesus of Nazareth takes on deeper meaning when we remember that the Messiah was prophesied to come from an unlikely root - just like a new branch growing from a stump.

Isaiah 11:1 says, 'There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit,' pointing to a future Savior rising not from royal splendor but from what seemed dead and forgotten - much like Nazareth, a town with no honor. Jesus being called 'of Nazareth' is not merely a label. It fulfills God’s pattern of bringing great things from humble beginnings.

God often chooses the small and overlooked to fulfill His greatest promises.

This connection shows how Jesus, though dismissed by many, is the true Branch who fulfills God’s ancient promise - and invites us to look beyond appearances to see His glory.

Application