Quick Bible Study: John’s Nathanael Narrative

In the last part of John 1, Jesus recruits Philip, who then goes to tell Nathanael about Him. Nathanael is skeptical but does an about-face when he asks Jesus how He knew him. It’s implied that there is some divine foreknowledge on Jesus’ part when He said “I saw you” under the fig tree; presumably, Jesus wasn’t physically there when Philip approached Nathanael and saw him, in the perceptual/visual sense, as described in verse 47. I doubt much that John (or any Biblical writer) set the scene up as he did with wasted words. The narrative is such a way for a reason.

While I’m on the concept of wasted words, the mention of the “fig tree” comes to mind. Those of us not acculturated with 1st century Judaism wouldn’t make much of it, but there is significance. Fig trees were utilized as places of prayer, and prayer, at that time of political unrest, almost always concerned itself with the coming Messiah. At the risk of reading context into the words, it seems Jesus found Nathanael’s impetuous change of mind a little silly, since Jesus could easily be lying about his foreknowledge. It was a simple parlor trick compared to what would come later. Nathanel’s interest is stoked, and that seemed to be enough for the time being.

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. 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 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 there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered 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, “Truly, truly, I say to you,[k] you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”