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NASB | John 1:49 Nathanael answered Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 1:49 Nathanael answered, "Rabbi (Teacher), You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel." |
Bible Question:
What did Yeshua notice about Nathanael's actions that caused this sudden declaration? |
Bible Answer: Hi bigpooch. Thank you for your question. Firstly verse 49, must be considered within the context of verses 45-51, as below. Jhn 1:45 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." Jhn 1:46 And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jhn 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Jhn 1:48 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." Jhn 1:49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jhn 1:50 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." Jhn 1:51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter[fn9] you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." This is the only time that Yeshua ever referred to anyone as an, "Israelite", or used the word, "deceit", translated, "guile", in the King James Bible. The expression, "under the fig tree", is an Hebraic euphemism for, "out door Bible study", or "out door teaching", as the fig tree has the largest leaves of any tree in that part of the world, and, therefore, under it's leaves was the best place to be for contemplation/meditation of Scripture, if you wished to do so out doors, and at the same time be protected from the sun which can be very hot at certain times of the day in Israel. It is clear that this is where Nathanael was at the time when Philip called him, and that he had been thinking about Jacob who's name means, deceitful 4, deceitfully 3, deceit 2, slothful 2, false 1, guile 1, idle 1, slack 1, but as we know this man had his name changed, see. Gen 32:28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel;[fn2] for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Footnote: 32:28 Literally Prince with God Nathanael was undoubtedly impressed by Yeshua's words, when He said, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!", he would no doubt ask himself, "does this man really know that when Philip called me, I was thinking about Jacob?", and, therefore, he asks, "How do You know me?", to which Yeshua replies, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Is it any wonder that Nathanael then said, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Our Lords words in verses 50 - 51, are in fact saying, "Not only do I know that you were thinking about Jacob, but I actually know exactly which passage of Scripture it was you had in mind.. The passage of Scripture we now know as Genesis Ch 28. Every blessing. parpar. |