Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Looked upon him (embleyav autw). See verse John 1:36 for same word and form of John's eager gaze at Jesus. Luke uses this word of Jesus when Peter denied him (Luke 22:61).
He brought him (hgagen auton). Effective second aorist active indicative of ago as if Andrew had to overcome some resistance on Simon's part.
Thou shalt be called Cephas (su klhqhsh Khfav). Apparently before Simon spoke. We do not know whether Jesus had seen Simon before or not, but he at once gives him a nickname that will characterize him some day, though not yet, when he makes the noble confession (Matthew 16:17 f.), and Jesus will say, "Thou art Peter." Here the future passive indicative of kalew is only prophecy. The Aramaic Chfav (rock) is only applied to Simon in John except by Paul (I Corinthians 1:12; Galatians 1:18, etc.). But the Greek Petrov is used by all. In the ancient Greek petra was used for the massive ledge of rock like Stone Mountain while petrov was a detached fragment of the ledge, though itself large. This distinction may exist in Matthew 16:17 f., except that Jesus probably used Aramaic which would not have such a distinction.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing John 1:42:
Matthew 4:19
Matthew 16:18
Mark 3:16
John 1:38
John 1:38
1 Corinthians 1:12
1 Peter 1:1
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