Sometimes I wonder about my plodding through passages of scripture, taking so long to mull over things said in scripture which I don’t understand. I feel this week I had some insight into some verses I’ve always puzzled over, not quite getting what lay under their meaning. Just taking time (days) to go back and ponder has brought a number of things to my mind. Here I share some thoughts with you again.
Jesus found Philip and called him to follow Him. Philip found Nathanael, saying, we’ve found the Messiah, Jesus from Nazareth!
Nathanael, knowing the bad reputation of Nazareth, was not so sure anyone good could come from there, and their promised Messiah had to be a good man. Nevertheless, he went with Philip to see this Jesus.
When “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, (He) said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!’”
Nathanael had a reputation too. He was probably known as one who scrupulously kept the Law of Moses; he was blameless. No one could point a finger of accusation at Nathanael as one who cheated on the keeping of the Law. On the contrary, I imagine that people would have said ‘no way’, if someone accused Nathanael of some wrong-doing; they wouldn’t believe it because they knew him; they knew he was above reproach.
And he also may have held others to that same high standard. Yet, I think he truly hungered after God; this motivated him to keep the Laws of God. I think his heart yearned for the true God, as we often pick up from the psalmist’s heart cries. He kept the Laws of God out of pure motives: to please God. But he still felt the inadequacy of it all. He still longed for the something more the Law couldn’t provide.
So when Nathanael asked Jesus how He knew him, incredulous that Jesus should know Nathanael’s reputation as a guileless man, I think he was blown away by an answer he never expected: “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Here was Nathanael, a true hearted follower of God, who kept the Law scrupulously; he was known as a blameless man. In my sanctified imagination, for this is all conjecture, I see him as a man who sought out a quiet, private place to pray to the God he loved and served; his prayer “closet”, if you will; his place of meeting with God.
The fig tree was Nathanael’s Beth-el: the house of God (Genesis 28:11-16). Like Jacob of old who was met by God, the angels of God climbing up and down the ladder which stood on the earth where he was, ascending up to heaven where God spoke to Jacob; Nathanael met with God at his own private Beth-el. I imagine he longed for a revelation of God, like Jacob had.
Unlike Jacob, who was a deceiver, and in fact, whose name meant usurper, thief; Nathanael was pure hearted. Deceit was not found in him. The fig tree was the place where Nathanael met with God and poured out his heart in worship, adoration and supplication.
Nathanael’s fig tree was his Beth-el; no one else knew about it…except Jesus. How could He know that? He must be God! Only God would know his secret place of prayer, where he poured out his heart to Him.
“Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” Nathanael’s doubts about who Jesus was were dissipated in a moment, like vapor in the sunlight. In that moment he was convinced Jesus was the Messiah promised for long centuries. He was ready to follow Him to the ends of the earth. His heart’s cries were being answered in the Person before him.
Nathanael, you haven’t seen anything yet. If you think knowing your deepest heart’s secrets is amazing, just wait. Remember Jacob’s ladder? The way to heaven, the way to God, the Way of God; I’m It, and you are going to be in for an amazing journey.
When we, too, seek after the Lord with all our hearts, listening hard for His voice, ready to do His will in a moment, as I believe Nathanael was, God will show us greater things than we have yet known…the very Presence of God working His works among us, through us. We will see “the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Jesus found Philip and called him to follow Him. Philip found Nathanael, saying, we’ve found the Messiah, Jesus from Nazareth!
Nathanael, knowing the bad reputation of Nazareth, was not so sure anyone good could come from there, and their promised Messiah had to be a good man. Nevertheless, he went with Philip to see this Jesus.
When “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, (He) said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!’”
Nathanael had a reputation too. He was probably known as one who scrupulously kept the Law of Moses; he was blameless. No one could point a finger of accusation at Nathanael as one who cheated on the keeping of the Law. On the contrary, I imagine that people would have said ‘no way’, if someone accused Nathanael of some wrong-doing; they wouldn’t believe it because they knew him; they knew he was above reproach.
And he also may have held others to that same high standard. Yet, I think he truly hungered after God; this motivated him to keep the Laws of God. I think his heart yearned for the true God, as we often pick up from the psalmist’s heart cries. He kept the Laws of God out of pure motives: to please God. But he still felt the inadequacy of it all. He still longed for the something more the Law couldn’t provide.
So when Nathanael asked Jesus how He knew him, incredulous that Jesus should know Nathanael’s reputation as a guileless man, I think he was blown away by an answer he never expected: “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Here was Nathanael, a true hearted follower of God, who kept the Law scrupulously; he was known as a blameless man. In my sanctified imagination, for this is all conjecture, I see him as a man who sought out a quiet, private place to pray to the God he loved and served; his prayer “closet”, if you will; his place of meeting with God.
The fig tree was Nathanael’s Beth-el: the house of God (Genesis 28:11-16). Like Jacob of old who was met by God, the angels of God climbing up and down the ladder which stood on the earth where he was, ascending up to heaven where God spoke to Jacob; Nathanael met with God at his own private Beth-el. I imagine he longed for a revelation of God, like Jacob had.
Unlike Jacob, who was a deceiver, and in fact, whose name meant usurper, thief; Nathanael was pure hearted. Deceit was not found in him. The fig tree was the place where Nathanael met with God and poured out his heart in worship, adoration and supplication.
Nathanael’s fig tree was his Beth-el; no one else knew about it…except Jesus. How could He know that? He must be God! Only God would know his secret place of prayer, where he poured out his heart to Him.
“Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” Nathanael’s doubts about who Jesus was were dissipated in a moment, like vapor in the sunlight. In that moment he was convinced Jesus was the Messiah promised for long centuries. He was ready to follow Him to the ends of the earth. His heart’s cries were being answered in the Person before him.
Nathanael, you haven’t seen anything yet. If you think knowing your deepest heart’s secrets is amazing, just wait. Remember Jacob’s ladder? The way to heaven, the way to God, the Way of God; I’m It, and you are going to be in for an amazing journey.
When we, too, seek after the Lord with all our hearts, listening hard for His voice, ready to do His will in a moment, as I believe Nathanael was, God will show us greater things than we have yet known…the very Presence of God working His works among us, through us. We will see “the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
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