"...About Whom The Prophets Also Wrote"

John 1:45 states:

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 

Throw me a softball like that, and I'll most definitely take a swing. Here we're shown a clear example of knowledge on the part of the disciples of what to expect in the Messiah--these weren't learned men steeped in the sayings of Moses and the prophets, but ordinary Joes like you and me. So naturally, when I read a verse like this I do two things:

1. I open my NIV Study Bible and see if a note will give me further clarification--the note for this verse was useless.

2. I check the cross references, with the hope that if they're referring to Old Testament prophecy, they might, you know, TELL ME where to find that prophecy. Nope again--they point me to Luke 24:27, which states:

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 

Getting warmer, but still nothing. The note for the Luke verse also gave no greater insight, but when I checked the cross references, there they were--the references to the prophecies. Here's what the NIV Study Bible included (don't forget, all these verses have links):

Genesis 3:15--on more than one occasion, I've stated that I've missed the pointing to Christ in this verse, but it has to be the part where the serpent's head will be crushed. That works fine for us today, but I've always been unclear as to whether Adam and Eve understood that.

Numbers 21:9--the bronze snake while the people were in the desert

Deuteronomy 18:15--this one is clearer, but could still be construed to be merely an earthly ruler

Isaiah 7:14--the virgin will be with child and he will be called Immanuel--pretty obvious

Isaiah 9:6--Wonderful Counselor, etc.

Isaiah 40:10-11--the Good Shepherd foretold

Isaiah 53--Christ's death predicted

Ezekiel 34:23--the Good Shepherd redux

Daniel 9:24--the "sevens" referenced--they probably DID need Jesus' help to understand that

Micah 7:20--fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham

Malachi 3:1--the promise of a messenger

Did Philip and Nathanael know each of these prophesies word-for-word and understand the meaning of each? We'll never know, but clearly two common people knew enough to recognize someone that had been foretold from as far back as the time of Moses. This has always been a personal interest of mine, trying to determine what the people knew and how they were supposed to know it, and the John verse makes it pretty clear that people knew what to look for and were able to recognize it when they saw it. If they could figure it out then, surely we have no excuse for not knowing and following, because, as we all know, the calling of disciples never stops.

Scott