City Life Starter

By Jason Scherzer

The Word: John 1:43-51 (NKJV)

Philip and Nathanael

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.”

John the disciple and apostle of Jesus begins writing his gospel account by introducing the eternal Word of God who was with God in the beginning, created all things, and also took on flesh, dwelling among His disciples. Another John, that is John the Baptizer or simply John the Baptist comes baptizing with water so that the Word will be revealed in Israel.

John the Baptizer, a cousin of Jesus (not the writer of John’s gospel) sees Jesus coming toward him and makes a bold proclamation: “Behold the Lamb of God!” This immediately places John’s seal of approval upon Jesus as the centerpiece of John’s entire prophetic ministry. Jesus is identified conclusively as God’s only plan to make an end to the sin problem of humanity.

Two of John the Baptizer’s disciples respond to their teacher’s statement by immediately leaving him and turning toward Jesus to follow Him. At this point in the story, verse 43, John the writer tells us what happens on the following day: Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and told him, “Follow Me.”

Philip was thoroughly impressed with Jesus, to the point that he was convinced that this Jesus was the central figure written about by Moses in the law, as well as the One written about in the prophets. This Philip, an Israelite well educated in Torah, or the writings of Moses and the “Old Testament”, was willing to put his own reputation on the line (if he had been incorrect) by saying that this very Jesus was the central figure of all Hebrew scriptures. He was THE Messiah, Philip said.

Philip calls Him, “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” We must allow that John the disciple accurately recorded the basic sense of what Philip had said at that moment, if not the exact words. Didn’t John spend years of his life with Jesus and Philip? Family and household were a very important aspect of Jewish culture, and Philip says that Jesus was of the household of Joseph. It is not required at all in the text that Philip meant Joseph the man to be the biological father of Jesus. This is simply not in Philip’s statement at all. He does say that Joseph was the head of household for the family in which Jesus was raised. So, we do not find any contradiction with the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus, born to Mary. Let us not put any additional words into Philip’s mouth that simply aren’t there.

Nazareth was not a town of high reputation at that time, so Nathanael (easily the very same person as Bartholomew) asks whether anything good can come from there. Philip’s response is amazing: “Come and see.”

Jesus was perfectly acquainted with Nathanael’s devotion and purity of heart. Jesus observed people and He knew what was in the heart. In effect Jesus said, look at this man Nathanael; he is absolutely an Israelite; there is no deceit in his heart. With these brief but precise words, Jesus approves Nathanael to be one of just a few select disciples and to follow Him extremely closely for a few years. He seals him as having worthy character and chooses him.

It was divine plan for Nathanael to be included with Jesus’ ministry, but Philip’s persuasion had an essential role in bringing him to Jesus.

Nathanael is amazed with Jesus’ words: “How do you know me?” Exactly what Jesus saw him doing when he sat under the fig tree, we may only guess. Certainly, Jesus saw honest, humble and teachable character. Nathanael realized that Jesus had already observed him. Maybe he was beginning to realize that Jesus had already purposed in His heart to call him as a disciple, when Nathanael was still sitting under the fig tree, prior to Philip’s invitation.

All of Israel had been paying close attention to John the Baptizer – unquestionably a great Prophet who was living an unusually holy life. He was also baptizing with water, and finally identifying Messiah Jesus as the sole purpose of his ministry. It is not a stretch to suppose that Nathanael very likely knew what John had said about Jesus. Now Nathanael was being called by Him.

Throughout the gospel accounts, Jesus is impressed with faith. He shows pleasure in Nathanael’s faith; the disciple knew the Master (Rabbi) had intently observed him – and He rewards Nathanael with a promise that he will see far greater things.

Jesus told Nathanael, “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.”

In Genesis 28, Isaac has blessed his son Jacob and commanded him not to take a wife from the Canaanite women (who worshipped idols) but rather to take a wife from the daughters of Laban. Soon after Jacob is travelling, and he finds a place at Bethel to rest for the night. If the story is familiar, you will remember that Jacob took a stone for a pillow since he had nothing else.

Genesis 28:12-14 says:

“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the Lord, and he said: ‘I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring…’ “

God opened a glimpse of heaven to Jacob by means of his dream, giving him a very great promise. The very angels of God ascend to heaven and descend from heaven to earth conveying the message to Jacob that his descendants will be blessed and that the LORD will be his God. Jacob was moved to worship and poured holy oil upon the stone that he had used as an earthly pillow – no longer seeing it as earthly. He also declared that he would give the LORD a tenth of all of his possessions.

After generations, one of Jacob’s descendants would become this blessing for all peoples on earth – Jesus, the One on whom the angels of heaven descend to show that He is God’s chosen One. Jesus is telling Nathanael that He will let him see heaven opened – as Jacob saw – and even greater. Jacob saw the angels of heaven in a real vision from God; Nathanael would walk with the Son of God in person.

Application

Ask yourself whether God has a message for you specifically today. Does God use the story of Nathanael – his purity of heart and devoted worship – to move you to worship? Jesus chose Nathanael – did He choose you to follow Him. Will you follow Him quickly – just as easily as John’s disciples left him to turn toward Messiah Jesus? Will you follow Him with an undivided heart – as Nathanael was a true Israelite with no deceit? Perhaps you are also moved by Philip with his bold, confident invitational style.

Ask God to show You more of Jesus today. He will reward your faith.