An Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 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." And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" 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." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 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." 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 1:43-51

In yesterday's reading, John the Baptist has "recognized" Jesus because of the knowledge he was given; he said, "Behold! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" And he bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." John then introduced some of his disciples to Jesus. They were Andrew, and presumably, John the author of this gospel (who is not named). The Baptist says, "Behold the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard Jesus speak, and stayed with Him the whole day. Andrew then found his brother, Simon Peter. He said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said: "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 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." And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." In yesterday's reading, we observed the role that relationship and relatedness play in this gospel. John the Baptist's disciples are introduced to Jesus through the Baptist, and they in turn bring one another to Jesus. In this case, in today's reading, Philip and Nathanael are also presumed to be disciples of the Baptist. Jesus' call to "Follow Me" is a command -- perhaps, like the other disciples of John so far in the gospel, Philip also recognizes John's pronouncement that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Messiah. But we don't know what it was to behold Jesus in person; we simply can't calculate the impact that He had on people in His public ministry. At this time, we can presume Jesus is quite consciously choosing disciples; hence, His call to Philip: "Follow Me." In yesterday's reading, Jesus pronounced Simon "Cephas" or Peter (from the Greek Petros), meaning Stone. He is the knower-of-hearts, and we can presume that in His divine origin as Logos, the connectedness with the spiritual power that revealed to John the Baptist Jesus' own identity. So, we have relatedness on deeper and deeper circles of spiritual reality. And once again, in this story, one disciple finds another and brings him to Christ. Philip found Nathanael. But Nathanael stands in great contrast to Philip. Philip immediately responded to Jesus' command, "Follow Me," as written in the gospel. But here we have Nathanael, who asks (responding to a sort of popular prejudice), "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Nathanael must "Come and see" for himself.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" 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." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 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." Jesus once again acts as the figure of the knower-of-hearts. As Logos, as Creator, as the One in whom is all Wisdom, Reason and Truth, Jesus knows who we are, more deeply than we know ourselves. Jesus' statement is a grand compliment, about the truthfulness and straightforwardness of Nathanael (who will also be known as Bartholomew). It is in some ways parallel to the naming of Simon as "Peter." Nathanael asks "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" responding to popular assumptions -- but he is capable of great faith. My study bible says, "No deceit implies a pure heart which is capable of recognizing Christ." So here we have again, a process of mutual recognition: what the Creator knows is something that, in relationship, must also stir the creature. And it is this capacity for faith that seals relationship, all throughout both Old and New Testaments. Faith, often associated with the heart in the language of the Bible, is a kind of perception, for which we bear a responsibility to respond. Nathanael's response to Jesus is an immediate confession of faith.

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." Here Jesus addresses the group -- the "you" is plural. He is in some way assigning them identity, teaching them who they are, who they will become. These are the things to which they will bear witness themselves. My study bible has a lengthy note here, which touches on several elements in this statement: "In ancient Jewish thought, the Son of Man is a mysterious being of heavenly origin who is to usher in the Kingdom of God (see Dan. 7:13-14). Jesus is this One. . . . In Old Testament prophecy, Jacob dreamed of a ladder connecting earth and heaven, upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (see Gen. 28:12-15). Jesus -- the Son of Man - is 'Jacob's Ladder,' man's access to God . . . In His Incarnation, God and man are united." So, in this introduction to Jesus in John's gospel, we have the beginning of the fullness of this story. He is Jacob's Ladder, as my study bible points out; He is the Lamb of God who stands in for us, our Intercessor. But also, in the signs which John's gospel will witness for us, as incarnate Son He both bears witness and inaugurates the Kingdom of God on earth. The Cross, my study bible also notes, will be set up on earth like Jacob's ladder, reaching toward heaven, as Christ bears human nature so that it is raised to heaven. He is our Reconciler -- and in His promise here to these disciples, ultimately, they and all things are promised to be a part of that reconciliation.

In this introduction to John's gospel, this first chapter, we have so many elements of promise in such short and succinct readings. We have so much to think about, it teaches us so much, and there is so much more to read and to think about. One thing is certain, and that is the interrelatedness of all beings in Christ. No matter what level of perception we may have, Christ calls to us, He calls to the heart. He knows us there, He recognizes us, and we bear a capability through grace to recognize Him. But there is a part of ourselves that bears responsibility to this promise, this grace. It all depends on how we respond to it. One thing seems quite clear from today's reading: in the Israelite indeed, who is without deceit, we have a clue as to how to nurture this capacity within ourselves. It is a straightforward nature, one capable of valuing truth and truthfulness -- that is a kind of purity from the inside to the out, an honesty of depth. It is also linked to a capacity for mercy, as grace itself is mercy. We don't get to real faith by fooling ourselves, or by not involving our very beings, the center of ourselves, the heart. Relationship involves all of what and who we are, and it will always call upon us to go deeper into that giving of ourselves to it. Jesus calls us from the deepest place we know, and our spiritual lives will really involve that deeper and deeper call. Are you ready for that journey? Can you respond to the call? "Follow Me," He said to Philip -- and to each of us.