John 1:49

1:43-51 See the nature of true Christianity, it is following Jesus; devoting ourselves to him, and treading in his steps. Observe the objection Nathanael made. All who desire to profit by the word of God, must beware of prejudices against places, or denominations of men. They should examine for themselves, and they will sometimes find good where they looked for none. Many people are kept from the ways of religion by the unreasonable prejudices they conceive. The best way to remove false notions of religion, is to make trial of it. In Nathanael there was no guile. His profession was not hypocritical. He was not a dissembler, nor dishonest; he was a sound character, a really upright, godly man. Christ knows what men are indeed. Does He know us? Let us desire to know him. Let us seek and pray to be Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile; truly Christians, approved of Christ himself. Some things weak, imperfect, and sinful, are found in all, but hypocrisy belongs not to a believer's character. Jesus witnessed what passed when Nathanael was under the fig-tree. Probably he was then in fervent prayer, seeking direction as to the Hope and Consolation of Israel, where no human eye observed him. This showed him that our Lord knew the secrets of his heart. Through Christ we commune with, and benefit by the holy angels; and things in heaven and things on earth are reconciled and united together.

John 1:49 . The significance of this utterance is further shown by what follows. Naturally Nathanael is surprised by this explicit testimony from one with whom he has had no acquaintance and who has notwithstanding truly described him, and he asks, πόθεν με γινώσκεις ; “how do you know me?” perhaps imagining that some common friend had told Jesus about him. But Jesus ascribes it to another cause: πρὸ τοῦ σε φίλιππον φωνῆσαι ὄντα ὑπὸ τὴν συκῆν εἶδον σε , I saw thee under the fig tree before Philip called thee (not, I saw thee somewhere else before Philip called thee when you were under the fig tree). “Under the fig tree” is obviously significant. Such trees were planted by the wayside ( Matthew 21:19 ), and the large thick leaf afforded shade. It was the favourite garden tree of the Jews, so that “sitting under one’s fig tree” meant being at home ( Micah 4:4 , Zechariah 3:10 ). The tree formed a natural arbour affording shade and privacy. Thus Schoettgen quotes that it is related of Rabbi Jose and his disciples, “solebant summo mane surgere et sedere et studere sub ficu”. And Lightfoot ( Hor. Heb., in loc. ) says that Nathanael was “aut orans, aut legens, aut meditans, aut aliquid religiosum praestans, in secessu sub aliquâ ficu et extra conspectum hominum”.

But evidently Nathanael understood that Jesus had not only seen him when he thought he was unobserved, but had penetrated his thought in retirement, and understood and sympathised with his prayer under the fig tree, for the impression made upon him by this knowledge of Jesus is profound.

49. Son of God … King of Israel—the one denoting His person, the other His office. How much loftier this than anything Philip had said to him! But just as the earth's vital powers, the longer they are frost-bound, take the greater spring when at length set free, so souls, like Nathanael and Thomas (see on [1767]Joh 20:28), the outgoings of whose faith are hindered for a time, take the start of their more easy-going brethren when loosed and let go.

The term Rabbi, which Nathanael here giveth to Christ, is of the same significance with Rabban, and Rabboni, John 20:16 , Rabban, Rabhi, Rabbi, all which signify Master, and my Master; a name which in that age they usually gave their teachers, as a title of honour, Matthew 23:7,8 , titles that began about the time of our Saviour; for Buxtorf tells us, purer antiquity gave no such titles to their teachers or prophets, thinking it not possible to give those persons (extraordinarily sent of God) titles answerable to their dignity. They say, Hillel, about our Saviour’s time, was the first who was so called; Rabban was counted the highest, Rabbi the next, Rabbi the least. Rabban, they say, lasted about two hundred years, given to seven after Hillel. Nathanael calls him also the Son of God, as Peter and the other disciples did, Matthew 14:33 , and Peter, Matthew 16:16 . But it appeareth, by many following passages, that they had but a faint persuasion of this, till he was declared so with power, by his resurrection from the dead, Romans 1:4 . He acknowledgeth Christ also the King of Israel, that is, the true Messiah. This was the title of the Messiah, Matthew 21:5 27:11 .

49 . thou art the Son of God ] We know from other passages that this was one of the recognised titles of the Messiah; John 11:27 ; Matthew 26:63 ; Mark 3:11 ; Mark 5:7 ; Luke 4:41 . ‘Son of David’ was more common. the King of Israel ] Omit ‘the.’ This phrase “is especially important, because it breathes those politico-theocratic hopes, which since the taking of Jerusalem, Christians at least, if not Jews, must have entirely laid aside.” S. How could a Christian of the second century have thrown himself back to this?

John 1:49 . Ἀπεκρίθη , he answered ) Considerate quickness in believing brings with it a blessed [sumptuous] portion: slowness is censured, Luke 24:25 , “O fools, and slow of heart to believe.”— σὺ εἶ ὁ ὑιος τοῦ Θεοῦ , Thou art the Son of God ) ch. John 6:69 , “We believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” Now Nathanael himself confesses more than he had heard from Philip: and retracts his doubt as to the goodness of Jesus.— ὁ ὑιός — ὁ βασιλεύς , the Son—the King ) A confession as to the person and office of Christ. σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ , Thou art the King of Israel ) and so my King also, since Thou dost acknowledge me to be a genuine Israelite .

(49) Thou art the Son of God. —The recognition begets recognition. That strange Presence he had felt as a spiritual power quickening hope and thought, making prophets’ words living truths, filling with a true meaning the current beliefs about the Messiah;—yes; it goes through and through him again now. It is there before him. “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel.” (For these titles as existing in the Messianic expectation of the day, comp. John 11:27 ; John 12:13 ; John 12:15 ; Matthew 26:63 ; Mark 3:11 ; Mark 5:7 . See also Note on the quotation from Zech. in Matthew 21:5 .)

Rabbi - Master. Applied appropriately to Jesus, and to no one else, Matthew 23:10 . The Son of God - By this title he doubtless meant that he was the Messiah. His conscience told him that he had judged right of his character, and that therefore he must know the heart and the desires of the mind. If so, he could not be a mere man, but must be the long-expected Messiah. The King of Israel - This was one of the titles by which the Messiah was expected, and this was the title which was affixed to his cross, John 19:18. This case of Nathanael John adduces as another evidence that Jesus was the Christ. The great object he had in view in writing this gospel was to collect the evidence that he was the Messiah, John 20:31. A case, therefore, where Jesus searched the heart, and where his knowledge of the heart convinced a pious Jew that he was the Christ, is very properly adduced as important testimony.

John 1:49 . The approaching Nathanael heard the testimony of Jesus, and does not decline His commendation,—itself a proof of his guileless honesty; but he asks in amazement how Jesus knew him . ὄντα ὑπὸ τ . συκῆν ] belongs, as John 1:51 shows, not to φωνῆσαι , but to εἶδόν σε . Therefore, before Philip, John 1:46-47 , met and called ( φωνῆσαι , comp. John 2:9 , John 4:16 , John 9:28 , John 18:33 ), Nathanael had been under a fig-tree; whether the fig-tree of his own house ( Micah 4:4 ; Zechariah 3:10 ), whether meditating (possibly upon the Messianic hope of the people), praying, reading,—which, according to Rabbinical statements (see in Lightfoot, Schoettgen, Wetstein), were employments performed beneath such trees,—we are not informed. He had just come from the tree to the place where Philip met him.[127] ΕἾΔΌΝ ΣΕ ] is usually taken as referring to a glance into the depth of his soul ,[128] but contrary to the simple meaning of the words, which affirm nothing else than: I saw thee , not ἔγνων σε , or the like. Comp. also Hengstenberg.