by Doug Ward
Reading John 1:35-51, we sense Andrew and Philip's excitement as they tell Peter, then Nathanael, that they have met the promised Messiah. "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph," (v. 45).
Nathanael is initially skeptical of Philip's claim and expresses his doubts openly, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (v. 46). Still, he is willing to "come and see" for himself. His decision leads to a memorable encounter with the Master, a conversation culminating in a wonderful promise.
Although Nathanael has not met Jesus previously, Jesus seems to know him already. Praising Nathanael's forthrightness, Jesus greets him by saying, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" (v. 47).
Students of the Torah will recognize in these words a reference to the patriarch Jacob. In his youth, Jacob practiced deceit in obtaining the birthright and blessing that his father Isaac intended for his brother Esau (Gen 25-27). Later, after some hard lessons and a life-changing confrontation with an angel, a more mature Jacob became known as Israel, one who "prevails with God" (Gen 32:28; 35:10). Jesus says that Nathanael is an honest "Israel" rather than a deceitful "Jacob."
There could be an additional biblical allusion in Jesus' greeting. The prophet Zephaniah foresaw the coming of a righteous remnant of Israel that "shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue." This remnant is associated with the peaceful messianic age, when "none shall make them afraid" (Zeph 3:13). Jesus may be saying that Nathanael is an upright Israelite of the type described by Zephaniah.
Nathanael is surprised by Jesus' words and asks, "How do you know me?" He replies, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you" (v. 48).
Jesus' mention of a fig tree strengthens the case that a reference to Zeph 3:13 is intended in John 1:47. Fig trees are an important symbol of the messianic kingdom, where "they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid" (Micah 4:4). The clause "no one shall make them afraid" is also used in Zeph 3:13, linking the two verses together. Jesus may very well be implying that he is initiating the messianic kingdom, and that he will build a righteous remnant with disciples like Nathanael. (1)
The supernatural knowledge displayed by Jesus convinces Nathanael that Jesus is the Messiah. He declares, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (v. 49). Jesus then assures Nathanael that he will soon see even greater things. He adds, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man" (v. 51).
John 1:51 is the first teaching of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John. It is also the first of twenty-five sayings introduced by the words "Truly, truly" (or "Amen, amen"). Also, this is the first time in the Fourth Gospel that Jesus refers to himself as "the Son of Man." In this saying, Jesus alludes again to the life of Jacob—specifically to Jacob's dream in which a ladder or staircase stretches from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it (Gen 28:12). Jacob receives this revelation in a dream, a vision that affirms the LORD's promises made to Abraham and Isaac (Gen 28:13-15).
"You will see heaven opened" Jesus continues (John 1:51). The opening of heaven introduces divine revelation (Mark 1:10-11; Acts 7:56; 10:11). Since "you" is plural here, Jesus makes this promise of coming revelation not only to Nathanael but his other disciples as well. And if the deceptive Jacob received a message from God, how much more might be in store for disciples "in whom there is no deceit"? Will they, like the more mature Israel, "see God face to face"? (see Gen 32:30)
Jacob's dream features a ladder connecting earth and heaven. John 1:51 suggests that the Son of Man will play the role of the ladder for his new remnant of Israel.(2) In John 3:13, another Son of Man saying makes a similar connection. It identifies the Son of Man as one who has descended from heaven (and so brings heavenly secrets) as well as the only one who ascends to heaven (and so has exclusive access to such secrets). Through this Son of Man, heavenly truths will be revealed to his disciples, truths available from no other source.
John's Gospel teaches us more about these heavenly truths. When Jesus turned water to wine at a wedding in Nathaniel's hometown of Cana (see John 21:2), he "manifested his glory" (2:11) and increased the faith and understanding of his disciples (2:12). In further Son of Man sayings, Jesus reveals that he will be "lifted up" on the cross (3:14; 8:28; 12:34). By humbling himself in death, he is glorified (12:23; 13:31). After his resurrection, he ascends "to where he was before" (6:62). Elsewhere in the New Testament we read that the Son of Man is at the right hand of God (Mark 14:62). In heaven angels "ascend" toward the divine throne and "descend" from it as they carry out God's will. (This is one way in which the angels are "ascending and descending on the Son of Man.")
Nathanael begins with a basic idea of who the Messiah is (John 1:49). As he walks with the Master, his knowledge deepens. Eventually, he and other disciples encounter the risen Christ (John 21). Later the Holy Spirit leads them to a more profound understanding of what they have experienced (John 2:17; 2:22;12:16). Remarkably, the entire Fourth Gospel can be viewed as the fulfillment of Jesus' promise in John 1:51!
Here's where you and I come in. As mentioned above, Jesus made the promise of John 1:51 not just to Nathanael, but to all his disciples. Heavenly truths are available to those who, like Nathanael, are willing to "come and see." To begin exploring those truths, simply reach for the nearest copy of the Gospel of John.
Footnotes:
(1) Dr. Richard Bauckham suggests the connection of Zech 3:13 and Micah 4:4 with John 1:47-48 in chapter 7 of his book Gospel of Glory: Major Themes in Johannine Theology, Baker Academic, 2015. Bauckham believes this is an example of gezerah shevah, an ancient technique of Jewish biblical interpretation that links passages sharing words in common.
(2) Bauckham also notes a numerological link between Jacob's ladder and the Son of Man. In the system of gematria, where numbers are associated with letters, the Hebrew phrase for "a ladder set up on earth" in Gen 28:12 has a numerical value of 558, identical to the value of the Aramaic phrase for "Son of Man."
==============
Want to study this subject in-depth? We recommend Born of the Water, Born of the Spirit.
Take me back to the library. Or if you prefer, back to the topic Jesus, Messiah & Lord.