43 The following day
Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was
from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found
Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also
the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 And Nathanael said
to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw
Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold,
an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to
Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus
answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you,
when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered
and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered and
said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under
the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to
him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall
see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of
Man.”
Commentary
Vs. 43-44 43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
When Jesus called Andrew and then remained Simon Peter (Cephas) when He met him was when He was down in Judea where John the Baptist was baptizing. And so, as Jesus is wanting to go north into Galilee, He finds His third disciple, a man named Philip to whom He simply said, “Follow Me.” It seems clear then that Jesus knew this man’s heart, and knew that He was ready and willing and wanting to follow Him. And so, inviting him to follow Him was merely asking Philip what he was already longing to do. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, which was located in Bethsaida of Galilee (John 12:21), and so these men had traveled some distance from Galilee to Judea to seek out the Messiah, and having found Him there is no hesitation in their wanting to follow Him.
Vs. 45-46 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Now Philip being convinced that he and Andrew and Simon Peter had found the One whom they were looking for, now goes and finds a fellow seeker named Philip, and when he does he excitingly says to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” However, Nathaniel is initially much more reserved about their discovery of Jesus and so he initially says to Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” For Nazareth had a poor reputation and thus was not a revered location for the Messiah to arise from (even though the Scripture foretells He would be a Nazarene). And so, for many Jews Jerusalem, the city of David, where the Temple was, was the preferred location for the arrival of the Messiah. Yet the Scripture does not say that He would come out of Jerusalem, rather He would come to it and the Temple and Levitical priesthood there, as its rightful King and High Priest. Now when Nathaniel was initially skeptical about Philip having found the Messiah (or Christ) Philip was not deterred but rather still excited invites Nathanael (as Jesus invited Andrew and Peter) to “Come and see.” That is to come and see for yourselves that Jesus of Nazareth is the Promised Messiah (Christ).
Vs. 47-49 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Nathanael then takes up Philips invitation to Come and see Jesus for himself and when Jesus sees Nathanael coming towards Him, He says of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” vs. 47 Which is an incredible insight and statement about him, for Jesus already knew Nathaniel, that he was not swayed by the opinions of men, rather he sought the truth for himself. Now when Jesus said this, Nathaniel was somewhat taken aback by His insight of him, and so he said to Jesus, “How do You know me?” To which Jesus answered saying, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Vs. 48 Now when Philip heard Jesus say that to him, he immediately said to Jesus, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Vs. 49 For only the Son of God the King of Israel, and thus the Promised Christ could have foreseen him doing that before He ever saw him or met him! Philip then goes from being a sceptic to now the first disciple to address Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the King of Israel! For the Lord Jesus Christ knows how to move those He has chosen out of the place of doubting to faith.
Vs. 50-51 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Therefore because of his bold faith filled declaration Jesus now Promises Nathaniel that from now on He will see even greater things as evidential proof of His Person and verification for his declaration of Jesus as being the Son of God, the King of Israel (vs. 50). Having Promised as much even before His Ministry began Jesus then also says to Nathaniel that, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” Here Jesus is referring to when He saw Nathaniel under the fig tree, for it was there that Nathaniel in all likelihood was either reading or mediating on the passage of Scripture where Jacob saw the angels ascending upon the ladder to heaven (Gen. 28:12). And so now Jesus tells him that he will see the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, indicating that He Himself is far greater than Jacob, because the angels of God did not come down to do Jacobs will, but they will be doing His Will, and Nathaniel will see this!
Scripture Quotations
Commentary
Vs. 43-44 43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
When Jesus called Andrew and then remained Simon Peter (Cephas) when He met him was when He was down in Judea where John the Baptist was baptizing. And so, as Jesus is wanting to go north into Galilee, He finds His third disciple, a man named Philip to whom He simply said, “Follow Me.” It seems clear then that Jesus knew this man’s heart, and knew that He was ready and willing and wanting to follow Him. And so, inviting him to follow Him was merely asking Philip what he was already longing to do. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, which was located in Bethsaida of Galilee (John 12:21), and so these men had traveled some distance from Galilee to Judea to seek out the Messiah, and having found Him there is no hesitation in their wanting to follow Him.
Vs. 45-46 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Now Philip being convinced that he and Andrew and Simon Peter had found the One whom they were looking for, now goes and finds a fellow seeker named Philip, and when he does he excitingly says to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” However, Nathaniel is initially much more reserved about their discovery of Jesus and so he initially says to Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” For Nazareth had a poor reputation and thus was not a revered location for the Messiah to arise from (even though the Scripture foretells He would be a Nazarene). And so, for many Jews Jerusalem, the city of David, where the Temple was, was the preferred location for the arrival of the Messiah. Yet the Scripture does not say that He would come out of Jerusalem, rather He would come to it and the Temple and Levitical priesthood there, as its rightful King and High Priest. Now when Nathaniel was initially skeptical about Philip having found the Messiah (or Christ) Philip was not deterred but rather still excited invites Nathanael (as Jesus invited Andrew and Peter) to “Come and see.” That is to come and see for yourselves that Jesus of Nazareth is the Promised Messiah (Christ).
Vs. 47-49 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Nathanael then takes up Philips invitation to Come and see Jesus for himself and when Jesus sees Nathanael coming towards Him, He says of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” vs. 47 Which is an incredible insight and statement about him, for Jesus already knew Nathaniel, that he was not swayed by the opinions of men, rather he sought the truth for himself. Now when Jesus said this, Nathaniel was somewhat taken aback by His insight of him, and so he said to Jesus, “How do You know me?” To which Jesus answered saying, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Vs. 48 Now when Philip heard Jesus say that to him, he immediately said to Jesus, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Vs. 49 For only the Son of God the King of Israel, and thus the Promised Christ could have foreseen him doing that before He ever saw him or met him! Philip then goes from being a sceptic to now the first disciple to address Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the King of Israel! For the Lord Jesus Christ knows how to move those He has chosen out of the place of doubting to faith.
Vs. 50-51 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Therefore because of his bold faith filled declaration Jesus now Promises Nathaniel that from now on He will see even greater things as evidential proof of His Person and verification for his declaration of Jesus as being the Son of God, the King of Israel (vs. 50). Having Promised as much even before His Ministry began Jesus then also says to Nathaniel that, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” Here Jesus is referring to when He saw Nathaniel under the fig tree, for it was there that Nathaniel in all likelihood was either reading or mediating on the passage of Scripture where Jacob saw the angels ascending upon the ladder to heaven (Gen. 28:12). And so now Jesus tells him that he will see the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, indicating that He Himself is far greater than Jacob, because the angels of God did not come down to do Jacobs will, but they will be doing His Will, and Nathaniel will see this!
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson.
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