John 1:38 Meaning and Explanation
“Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The first words Jesus speaks in this Gospel come as a question, and it is a question about desire. Before any teaching, any miracle, any call, he asks two strangers what they are looking for. Anyone who has followed Christ for a while will recognize how searching that is, since our reasons for following are often mixed and rarely examined.
Jesus turns, sees the two walking behind him, and asks what they are seeking. Their answer is a title of respect and a request to know where he is staying, which opens the door to an invitation.
The Context of John 1:38
Jesus is walking away from the place where John and his disciples stand, with Andrew and an unnamed companion behind him. He turns to face them. The evangelist has recorded no words from Jesus until now, since the prologue and the first thirty-seven verses have all been narration and the testimony of others. Rabbi is the ordinary form of address for a recognized teacher, and John glosses it for readers who did not know Hebrew or Aramaic, as he does again with Messias and Cephas later in the chapter. Verse 39 gives Jesus' answer and the hour of the day.
What Does John 1:38 Mean?
Three actions come in quick order. Jesus turned, saw them following, and spoke. The turning is deliberate, and he does not wait to be caught up with. What seek ye is short and open, leaving them to name their own desire. Their reply sets that question aside and asks another one, which is often what happens when we are put on the spot by someone we already respect. Rabbi grants him the standing of a teacher, a large concession from men who already had one. Where dwellest thou asks for more than an address. It asks for time and for access.
The evangelist's translation habit is worth noticing. He writes for readers at some distance from Jerusalem and stops to explain Rabbi, so the Gospel is being handed on beyond its first setting. Within the chapter, this exchange begins the accumulation of titles that will run to Nathanael's confession in verse 49. The question itself belongs to a biblical pattern of God addressing people with questions whose answers he already knows, from the garden onward. Such questions are given to draw out what is inside a person. Here it invites two men to put their longing into words at the very start of discipleship.
The Gospel returns to this question at its climax. In the garden Jesus asks the arresting party whom they seek, and in the resurrection garden he asks Mary the same thing. The word frames the whole story, so that everyone who meets Jesus in this book is asked, in effect, what they came for. Here the answer given is modest and honest. These men want to be where he is. That desire turns out to be the right one, since the Gospel goes on to promise a prepared place and to assure his servants that where he is, they will be also.
John 1:38 in the Original Language
zeteo (ζητέω), 'seek' -- to look for, to search after, to want something enough to pursue it. John uses the same verb when Jesus asks the soldiers in the garden and Mary at the tomb whom they are seeking, framing the Gospel with one question.
Bible Verses Related to John 1:38
“Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?”
- John 18:4
“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.”
- John 20:15
“The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”
- John 3:2
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
- John 12:26
Where John 1:38 Echoes in Scripture
John 20:15 has the risen Jesus asking Mary Magdalene why she weeps and whom she seeks, using the verb that appears here. The Gospel opens and closes with the same question on the Lord's lips. At the start it is put to two men beginning to follow. At the end it is put to a grieving woman who has followed for years. Both are asked to say what they want, and both find that the one they seek is already standing in front of them.
How to Apply John 1:38 Today
It is worth answering Jesus' question honestly rather than piously. We seek many things when we come to him: relief, meaning, belonging, a settled conscience, the approval of people we admire. Naming the real motive is the beginning of having it purified. The disciples' request also gives us a good aim. They asked for time in his company rather than for information. Prayer, Scripture, and the gathering of God's people are all ways of asking the same question, and he still answers those who want to be where he is.
Reflection & Prayer
If Jesus turned around today and asked what I am seeking, what would I honestly say? A prayer: Lord Jesus, you know the mixture in my motives better than I do. I ask what these two asked, for time in your company. Sort my wants, keep the good ones, and let being near you become the deepest of them.