The Meaning of John 1:43 Explained

John 1:43

KJV: The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

YLT: On the morrow, he willed to go forth to Galilee, and he findeth Philip, and saith to him, 'Be following me.'

Darby: On the morrow he would go forth into Galilee, and Jesus finds Philip, and says to him, Follow me.

ASV: On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, Follow me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The day following  Jesus  would  go forth  into  Galilee,  and  findeth  Philip,  and  saith  unto him,  Follow  me. 

What does John 1:43 Mean?

Context Summary

John 1:43-51 - The Doubter Becomes A Disciple
The Apostles were attracted to the Master in different ways. Some came to Him through preaching, as when John proclaimed His rank and sacrifice. Others were brought through human relationships. The record does not say how many Andrew brought to Jesus, but we are told that he at least brought his own brother. Others were brought by the Master's direct personal influence-he findeth Philip. Still others were brought by the call and ties of friendship, following on a long course of previous preparation. Philip had often crossed the hills that separated the Lake from Cana, where Nathanael dwelt, and the two would earnestly discuss the signs of the time: the desperate straits of their country, the preaching of the Baptist, and the Messiah's advent. The guileless Israelite would sit beneath his favorite fig-tree, pondering over the things which Moses and the prophets had written. It was not difficult to win such a man, when Philip broke in on him with the news of their discovery.
Jesus is always showing us greater things, John 1:50. He leads His disciples onward and upward, for He is Himself the ladder of ascent to God. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 1

1  The divinity, humanity, office, and incarnation of Jesus Christ
15  The testimony of John
39  The calling of Simon and Andrew, Philip and Nathanael

Greek Commentary for John 1:43

On the morrow [τηι επαυριον]
The fourth of the days from John 1:19. He findeth Philip Vivid dramatic present as in John 1:41, though ητελησεν — ēthelēsen (was minded, wished) is aorist active indicative. Apparently not an accidental finding, possibly due to the efforts of Andrew and Peter. Both Andrew and Philip have Greek names. Follow me Present active imperative, a direct challenge to Philip. Often Jesus uses this verb to win disciples (Mark 2:14; Matthew 8:22; Matthew 9:21; Matthew 19:21; Luke 9:59; John 21:19). Already Jesus had four personal followers (Andrew and Simon, John and James). He has begun his work. [source]
Jesus []
The best texts omit. [source]
Would go forth [ἠθέλησεν ἐξελθεῖν]
Rev., better, was minded to go. On the construction see on Matthew 20:14. On the verb to be minded, see on Matthew 1:19. [source]
And findeth []
Note the graphic interchange of tenses: was minded, findeth. The coordination of the two clauses, which by other writers would be placed in logical dependence, is characteristic of John. Even where there is a real inner dependence he uses only the simple connective particles. Compare John 2:13sqq. [source]
Philip []
See on Mark 3:18. For hints of his character see John 6:5, John 6:7; John 12:21sqq.; John 14:8, John 14:9. [source]
Saith []
The best texts insert Jesus: “And Jesus said unto him.” [source]
Follow [ἀκολούθει]
Often used in the New Testament with the special sense of following as a disciple or partisan. See Matthew 4:20, Matthew 4:22; Matthew 9:9; Mark 1:18; John 8:12. Also with the meaning of cleaving steadfastly to one and conforming to his example. See Matthew 10:38; Matthew 16:24; John 12:26. The verb occurs but once outside of the writings of the Evangelists, 1 Corinthians 10:4. It appears in the noun acolyte, or acolyth, or acolothist, a church-servant ranking next below a subdeacon, whose duty it was to trim the lamps, light the church, prepare the sacramental elements, etc. Under the Byzantine emperors the captain of the emperor's bodyguard was called Acolouthos, or the Follower. See Scott's “Count Robert of Paris.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 1:43

John 21:15 Simon, son of Jonas []
Compare Christ's first address to Peter, John 1:43. He never addresses him by the name of Peter, while that name is commonly used, either alone or with Simon, in the narrative of the Gospels, and in the Greek form Peter, not the Aramaic Cephas, which, on the other hand, is always employed by Paul. For Jonas read as Rev., John. [source]
John 2:1 The third day []
Reckoning from the last day mentioned (John 1:43). [source]
John 1:38 Being interpreted []
John frequently adds explanatory remarks. See John 1:42, John 1:43; John 9:7. [source]
John 2:1 The third day [τηι ημεραι τηι τριτηι]
“On the day the third” (locative case), from the start to Galilee when Philip was found (John 1:43), seven days since John 1:19. There was a marriage “A wedding (or marriage festival) took place.” See Matthew 22:8. In Cana of Galilee This town, the home of Nathanael (John 21:2), is only mentioned again in John 4:46 as the home of the nobleman. There was a Cana in Coele-Syria. It is usually located at Kefr Kenna (3-1/2 miles from Nazareth), though Ain Kana and Khirbet Kana are also possible. Bernard thinks that it was probably on Wednesday afternoon the fourth day of the week (usual day for marriage of virgins), when the party of Jesus arrived. And the mother of Jesus was there When they arrived. John does not mention her name, probably because already well known in the Synoptics. Probably Joseph was already dead. Mary may have been kin to the family where the wedding took place, an intimate friend clearly. [source]
Revelation 14:13 Follow them [ἀκολουθεῖ μετ ' αὐτῶν]
Rather, accompany. Rev., follow with them. Compare Matthew 4:25; Mark 3:7, etc. See on John 1:43. [source]
Revelation 14:4 For they are virgins [παρτενοι γαρ εισιν]
Παρτενος — Parthenos can be applied to men as well as women. Swete takes this language “metaphorically, as the symbolical character of the Book suggests.” Charles considers it an interpolation in the interest of celibacy for both men and women. If taken literally, the words can refer only to adultery or fornication (Beckwith). Jesus recognised abstinence only for those able to receive it (Matthew 19:12), as did Paul (1 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Corinthians 7:8, 1 Corinthians 7:32, 1 Corinthians 7:36). Marriage is approved by Paul in 1 Timothy 4:3 and by Hebrews 13:4. The New Testament exalts marriage and this passage should not be construed as degrading it.Whithersoever he goeth (οπου αν υπαγει — hopou an hupagei). Indefinite local clause with modal αν — an and the present active indicative of υπαγω — hupagō The Christian life is following the Lamb of God as Jesus taught (Mark 2:14; Mark 10:21; Luke 9:59; John 1:43; John 21:19, etc.) and as Peter taught (1 Peter 2:21) and John (1 John 2:6).Were purchased from among men First aorist passive indicative of αγοραζω — agorazō repeating the close of Revelation 14:3.First fruits (απαρχη — aparchē). See for this word 1 Corinthians 16:15; Romans 11:16; Romans 16:5. This seems to mean that the 144,000 represent not the whole, but only a portion of the great harvest to come (Matthew 9:37), not only the first installment, but those marked by high spiritual service to God and the Lamb (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5). [source]
Revelation 14:4 Whithersoever he goeth [οπου αν υπαγει]
Indefinite local clause with modal αν — an and the present active indicative of υπαγω — hupagō The Christian life is following the Lamb of God as Jesus taught (Mark 2:14; Mark 10:21; Luke 9:59; John 1:43; John 21:19, etc.) and as Peter taught (1 Peter 2:21) and John (1 John 2:6). [source]

What do the individual words in John 1:43 mean?

On the next day He desired to go forth into - Galilee And He finds Philip says to him - Jesus Follow Me
Τῇ ἐπαύριον ἠθέλησεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν καὶ εὑρίσκει Φίλιππον λέγει αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦς Ἀκολούθει μοι

Τῇ  On  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐπαύριον  next  day 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἐπαύριον  
Sense: on the morrow, the next day.
ἠθέλησεν  He  desired 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: θέλω  
Sense: to will, have in mind, intend.
ἐξελθεῖν  to  go  forth 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἐξέρχομαι 
Sense: to go or come forth of.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Γαλιλαίαν  Galilee 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Γαλιλαία  
Sense: the name of a region of northern Palestine, bounded on the north by Syria, on the west by Sidon, Tyre, Ptolemais and their territories and the promontory of Carmel, on the south by Samaria and on the east by the Jordan.
εὑρίσκει  He  finds 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εὑρίσκω  
Sense: to come upon, hit upon, to meet with.
Φίλιππον  Philip 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Φίλιππος  
Sense: an apostle of Christ.
λέγει  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Ἀκολούθει  Follow 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἀκολουθέω  
Sense: to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him.
μοι  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.