48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. (John 1:48-50 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, How Nathanael wondereth that Christ should know him, having (as he thought) never seen him. Christ gives him to understand, that by his all-seeing eye he had seen him, when he was not seen by him: When thou was under the fig tree I saw thee. Christ’s all-seeing eye is an infallible proof of his deity and god-head. Christ seeth us whatever we do, though we see not him. He seeth the sincerity of our hearts, and will own it, and bear witness to it, if we are upright in his sight.
Observe further, How Christ’s omnipresence and omniscience convince Nathanael that he was more than man, even the Messias, God and man in two distinct natures and one person. Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God. Philip called Christ the Son of Joseph; Nathanael calls him the Son of God. Such as believe Christ’s omniscience, will never call in question his divinity.
Observe lastly, How Christ encourages the faith of this new disciple Nathanael, by promising him that he shall enjoy further helps and means for the confirmation of his faith, than ever yet he had. All that Christ said to him, was only this, that he saw him under the fig tree, before Philip called him.
How ready art thou, O Lord! to encourage the beginnings of faith in the hearts of thy people, and to furnish them with farther means of knowledge, when they wisely improve what they have received! Never wilt thou be wanting, either in means or mercy to us, if we be not wanting to thee and ourselves.
BURKITT | John 1:1-2 | John 1:3 | John 1: | John 1:4-5 | John 1:6-9 | John 1:10-11 | John 1:12 | John 1:13 | John 1:14 | John 1:15-18 | John 1:19-28 | John 1:29-30 | John 1:31-34 | John 1:35-36 | John 1:37-44 | John 1:45-47 | John 1:48-50 | John 1:51 |