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

 

 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 to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there 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 

 

Yesterday we read that, on the second day of Christ's earthly ministry in St. John's Gospel, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."  And John 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." Again, the next day [the third day given in the Gospel], John the Baptist stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and 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 read about the calling of the first disciples, Simon (whom Jesus named Cephas, an Aramaic word meaning A Stone; Petros/Πετρος in the Greek, from which we derive the English name Peter); and then Andrew Simon Peter's brother.  There was another disciple led to Jesus by John the Baptist who was unnamed, and that is often surmised to be St. John, the author of this Gospel (as it was a custom for authors not to speak of themselves).  Here, Jesus calls Philip ("Follow Me") to become His disciple, and Philip found Nathanael.  Nathanael is also known to us as Bartholomew.  

 

  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"  My study Bible comments that no deceit means both having a pure heart and also being straightforward with others.  

 

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."   My study Bible points out that what exactly occurred under the fig tree is not stated.  According to St. John Chrysostom, it notes, this was the meeting place of Philip and Nathanael, and Jesus was praising Nathanael for being so diligent and careful in his seeking of the Messiah.  Christ's foreknowledge and His ability to see into Nathanael's heart stir this confession of faith.  This is the fourth day given in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael.  My study Bible comments that they now see Christ as the true Light; the One revealed in the Old Testament, a lesser light.  This parallels the establishment of the lesser and greater lights governing the night and the day respectively on the fourth day in Genesis 1:14-19.

 

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."  This title, Son of Man, is a title of the Messiah that, according to my study Bible, had a level of mystery in its meaning.  It indicated a man of heavenly origin who would usher in the Kingdom of God (Daniel 7:13-14).  In an Old Testament prophecy, Jacob dreamed of a ladder which connected earth to heaven, and upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus is the "ladder" who unites earth to heaven, and therefore is this Son of Man.  

 

 In yesterday's reading and commentary we remarked on the building up of Christ's body of disciples, and of His Church.  This is not something that happens overnight, or in some seemingly miraculous or instantaneous way.  In keeping with the reality of Christ's Incarnation, Jesus builds His Church as human beings must build organizations and communities.  These first disciples, in fact, come one by one, and not as an entire group.  They are first called in a way that is distinctly personal.  That is, Christ's first disciples come by way of John the Baptist, and they were first disciples of the Baptist.  In yesterday's reading (see above), this is made clear as John twice refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God and testifies to his disciples about Him.  John the Baptist explicitly directs two of his disciples to Jesus, "Behold the Lamb of God!" making it clear that He is the Christ.  These first two were Andrew and an unnamed disciple, often understood to be the Evangelist John himself.  From there Andrew found his brother Simon, whom we know as Peter after the name given him by Christ.  Following this (the next day) Jesus Himself found Philip, and called him, saying "Follow Me."  At this juncture, let us note the connections that happen one by one in this story.  There is John the Baptist, who teaches his own disciples about Jesus as the Lamb of God; one of these is Simon Peter.  Simon then finds his brother, Andrew.  From there Jesus finds Philip who has another kind of connection to this first set of brothers; he's from Bethsaida, the same city as Andrew and Simon.  Then Philip himself finds Nathanael and calls him to meet Jesus, saying, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  All of these so far are individual actions, pulling people together one by one.  They are personal in nature.  There are connections between these people besides their discipleship to John the Baptist:  two are brothers, another is from the same town as the brothers, and clearly Nathanael is a friend already known to Philip.  Then there is a kind of an interesting snag:  Nathanael is skeptical.  What good thing can come out of Nazareth?  Nazareth, the town in Galilee in which Jesus was brought up, was not known for any prophecies regarding holy people, or having a particularly special identity in terms of the spiritual history of Israel.  So Nathanael asks, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"   And Philip responds in an equally level-headed and down to earth way, "Come and see."  He's to find out for himself.  And, of course, Christ responds in a phenomenally positive way to all of this level-headed skepticism:  "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"  All of this so far contains within it the most distinctively human elements we can find, of a sort of level-headed honesty we might even call "dull" in others, and a Messiah who praises that very quality for it possesses "no deceit."  There's no flight of fancy or fantasy for Nathanael.  We really cannot get less like the seeming mysterious or miraculous than such a story of gathering these particular people together.  This beginning of Jesus' ministry is as down to earth as it can get.  But then Nathanael immediately comprehends something about Jesus, that Jesus knows him, knows his heart.  Jesus tells him that He saw him under the fig tree before Philip called him, and Nathanael is convinced:  "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."  But Jesus assures him, He will see much, much greater things than this.  He tells 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."  This is a far more profound understanding of the Messiah than even the popular expectations of the Jewish people at the time, far greater than a King of Israel.  But Nathanael is rewarded for precisely his down to earth honesty, his complete lack of pretense.  It's a humbly human story, with disciples called one by one, not a mass of people convinced by something miraculous and stupendous in its effect, and a story that is built through a very personal faith which acts in the heart, a knowing of the soul, a recognition.  All of these very human elements in this story are a necessary part of the Incarnation, God's chosen way to make Himself know to His people.  And yet, hidden in plain sight, so to speak, is the very Ladder dreamt of by Joseph, upon whom the angels of God ascend and descend.  Jesus does not come into the world with great fanfare, with huge displays of power, with an overwhelming compulsion for people to follow Him or to do what He says.  He comes out of Nazareth relatively "unknown," but identified by the Holy Spirit to John the Baptist -- and from there, in this intimate personal way, his followers grow one by one, as called by Him, and led by the Baptist who prepared the way.  For this is our very human story, which contains the Creator, the Son of Man and Lord of all that is, Whom we also may carry with us in our human hearts (Revelation 3:20).

 

 

 

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said to him, "Behold, 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 to 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 

 

Yesterday we read that, on the second day given in John's Gospel of the beginning of Christ's ministry, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."  And John 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."  Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"   The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and 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."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"  No deceit, my study Bible explains, means both having a pure heart and being straightforward with others.  

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."   My study Bible comments that what exactly occurred under the fig tree is not stated.  It says that St. John Chrysostom teaches this was the meeting place of Philip and Nathanael, and that Jesus was praising Nathanael for being so diligent and careful in his search for the Messiah.  It is Christ's foreknowledge and ability to see into Nathanael's heart which stir him to this 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 uses the title Son of Man.  It is a title for the Messiah that had a level of mystery in its meaning, my study Bible says.  It indicates a man of heavenly origin who would usher in the Kingdom of God and is found in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 7:13-14).  In an Old Testament prophecy, Jacob dreamed of a ladder which connected earth and heaven, upon which he saw the angels of God ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  This "ladder" is Jesus, who unites earth to heaven, and is therefore the Son of Man. 

Today's reading gives us the fourth day of seven in the beginning of Christ's ministry.  Each one parallels the corresponding day of creation in Genesis.  Philip and Nathanael (who, by the way, is also known to us as Bartholomew) are called as disciples, and they see Christ as the true Light, the One revealed who was revealed in the Old Testament, a lesser light.  This parallels the creation of the lesser and greater lights governing the night and the day respectively on the fourth day in Genesis 1:14-19.   As we remarked in yesterday's reading, Jesus once again in today's passage shows his insight into people.  In John's second chapter, we will read that Jesus "knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man" (John 2:24-25).  Nathanael's startled and amazed reaction shows that He has understood this about Jesus.  And so, in today's reading in which we get a second collecting of disciples to Jesus, we are once again given a display of Christ's divine insight.  John's Gospel begins by speaking of the Logos, the Word.  That is, Christ in His divine identity.  In the readings from today and yesterday' we're given examples of a divine insight belonging to the Word, and how it reveals itself in glimpses in Jesus and this beginning of His ministry, in the calling of these first disciples.  It is striking, in this light, to consider also Christ's words which He will say later of His betrayer, Judas.  Perhaps it is no accident that these words also are found in John's Gospel:  "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (John 6:70).  We don't  really know if Jesus knew this about Judas from the beginning, but we might conjecture that such a one is chosen because Christ's ministry is for the purpose of salvation, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17).  Jesus will also say, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" (Luke 5:32).  At any rate, we can observe that right until the very end, Jesus will continue to attempt to save Judas.  For now, let us observe the glimpses we get of Jesus' divinity, revealed through His ministry.  As John has told us, the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness does not comprehend.  Nonetheless, His light is in the world and remains to guide our steps.  

 

Behold, 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 to 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 

 

Yesterday we read the story of the second and third days given in this beginning of John's Gospel (paralleling the week of the creation story in Genesis 1):   On the second day, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."  And John 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."  Again, the next day (the third day), John stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and 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."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said to him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"  My study Bible comments that no deceit means both having a pure heart and being straightforward with others.  

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."   My study Bible points out that what exactly happened under the fig tree is not stated here.  According to St. John Chrysostom, it says, this was the meeting place of Philip and Nathanael referred to in the previous verses (above), and Jesus was praising Nathanael for being so diligent and careful in his search for the Messiah.  It adds that Christ's foreknowledge and ability to see into his heart stirs Nathanael to his confession of faith here.

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."  This title, Son of Man, is a title of the Messiah that my study Bible comments had a level of mystery in its meaning.  It indicates a man of heavenly origin who would usher in the Kingdom of God.  It is used by the prophet Daniel in his apocalyptic (revelatory) Book at Daniel 7:13-14.  It is also found in the influential Book of Enoch (see 1 Enoch 46:1-4).  In another significant prophesy of the Old Testament, Jacob dreamed of a ladder which connected heaven to earth, upon which the angels of God were both ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus is that "ladder" in which earth and heaven are united, and therefore He is this Son of Man.  

 

This fourth day given in John's Gospel, in which Philip and Nathanael are called by Christ, parallels the establishment of the greater and lesser lights which govern night and day on the fourth day in Genesis 1:14-19.  As my study Bible puts it, Philip and Nathanael now see Christ as the true Light,  the One who was revealed in the Old Testament which is a lesser light.  Light is an essential component of John's Gospel, and indeed of the whole of Jesus' teaching, for He uses this term and metaphor often throughout His preaching in the Gospels.  In the Sermon on the Mount, He teaches His disciples that they, too, must bear light into the world.  Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16).  As we are taught to reflect God's glory ("Let your light so shine before men"), so we also become "lesser lights" through this reflection and our built-in capacity to take on the qualities of God through grace.  It is clear in this teaching that we were created for such.  So often, people claim not to be capable of change, but this is the opposite of the teachings of Christ (and of the whole Bible) which give us a clear process of both repentance and spiritual growth.  In this is magnified the understanding that Christ is the ladder between heaven and earth which renders us capable of following this path He laid out for us.  For He came into the world to "save" through redemption and healing; it is His light in which we are healed by taking on its qualities, and shedding those things in us which conflict with the light.  He illumines our dark places, and asks us to take on those qualities of the light instead that shift and change who we think we are.  In this way, we become more "like God" in whose image and likeness we are created (Genesis 1:26-27), and through the power and grace of Christ, the Son of God and Son of Man, and the Holy Spirit.  For this is how we are seen to be healed, to become more like this image of Christ implanted in us through another light, Baptism, also called Holy Illumination.  Let us endeavor through the constant process of prayerful living, worship, and seeking (Matthew 7:7) to find Christ's path of redemption and healing for us, in His light.  Let us not forget that this is the very mission for which He has come, as Son of Man, into the world.  It is Christ whose light penetrates to the heart of Nathanael, who sees Nathanael under the fig tree, and knows him -- recognizing one in whom there is no deceit, an Israelite indeed, capable of receiving His light and accepting it as a disciple. 

 

 

Come and see

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read the passage on the third day given in John's Gospel:  John the Baptist stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and 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."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"  My study Bible comments that no deceit means both having a pure heart, and also being straightforward with others.  We can read for ourselves the very straightforward nature of Nathanael, and also a kind of scrutiny or questioning that is not frowned upon, but praised here.  Nathanael's question is often understood in the context of prophecy, as meaning that no prophecy suggests the Messiah would come from Nazareth.  But he is unaware that Christ was born in Bethlehem, the city of David.  

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."  My study Bible observes that what exactly occurred under the fig tree is not stated here.  It notes that St. John Chrysostom teaches that this was the meeting place of Philip and Nathanel, and that Jesus was praising Nathanael for being so diligent and careful in his search for the Messiah.  Christ's foreknowledge and His ability to see into Nathanael's heart stir him to his 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."  My study Bible explains that the title Son of Man for the Messiah is one that had a level of mystery in its meaning.  It indicates a man of heavenly origin who would usher in the Kingdom of God (Daniel 7:13-14).  In an Old Testament prophecy, Jacob dreamed of a ladder which connected earth to heaven, upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus is this "ladder" who unites earth to heaven, and is therefore this Son of Man.   This is the fourth day given of seven in John's Gospel of this beginning of Jesus' public ministry.   Philip and Nathanael are called, and they "come and see" Christ as the true Light, the One who was revealed in the Old Testament, a lesser light.  My study Bible comments that this parallels the establishment of the greater and lesser lights governing the night and the day respectively on the fourth day in Genesis 1:14-19. 

I am intrigued by the repeated words in today's reading, "Come and see."  These are the words from yesterday's reading that Jesus replied when Andrew and the unnamed disciple (thought to be John the author of the Gospel) asked, "Rabbi, where are You staying?"  Today we find that Philip says the same thing to Nathanael, after Nathanael asks, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"  Philip tells Nathanael to come and see for himself.  On the one hand, we can find it highly instructive that Philip (whom we're told was found by Jesus, because Jesus wanted to go to Galilee and Philip was from the town of Bethsaida of Galilee) repeats the same words which Jesus said to those first disciples who were instructed by John the Baptist that Jesus was the Lamb of God (see yesterday's reading, above).  It is perhaps reading much into the text, but it is instructive that these first-called disciples are already repeating the words of Christ.  It teaches us how discipleship works, and gives us a model to go by.  Christ actions and words -- as transmitted to those who are invited to live with Him in order to learn from Him -- remain those which have been in turn transmitted to us.  For this is how Christ taught, by inviting those who would be His disciples to truly "come and see," and share His life in all ways.  So we must learn in the same way, being careful to know His words and methods and live in imitation of them, thus transmitting the faith to our present generation and our world, intact as it has been given to us.  Secondly, it tells us so much about how to experience our faith, and how it was given to these first disciples.  We each have to "come and see."  Not only is this fitting for Nathanael, whom Jesus has praised for his straightforward manner and diligence, but it seems to be fitting overall for Christ's very ministry and mission into the world.  Jesus did not appear in the sky and preach to the world from a detached place.  Nothing was revealed through declaration that all were then commanded to believe.  Instead, the Son of Man became one of us, lived among us, creating His public ministry at the end of His life -- and even then, the revelation of who He is and what He teaches comes as a learning curve for all those who are told to "come and see."  It is an experiential faith, a learning curve of coming and seeing for ourselves, just as these disciples must "come and see" for themselves.  God unfolds this great ministry of Christ in a particular way, and through the personal but for each of us, for all of us.  Christ manifests Himself in time, as a human being, so that we human beings may "come and see" and walk this path that unfolds for us through experience which touches each one and yet unites us into community through one cup:  His Passion, death, and Resurrection in which we are invited to participate in the Eucharist He gives us.  It reminds us of the words of the Psalm, "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8).  These are great, enormous mysteries that continue to be mined and pursued even all these centuries and believers that have come afterward, and yet they still unfold in ways that ask us to "come and see" -- not simply assent to a declaration or intellectual choice for belief.  In a blog post today, Fr. Stephen Freeman writes that Christ's Cross is the same one for all of us, in which we share, and are each invited to take up.  Let us understand that this is what we are all invited to "come and see" in the living experience of our faith, in His way for us.  

 

 

Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read that, on the second day of Jesus' ministry given in the Gospel of John,  John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."  And John 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."  Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and 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."  In yesterday's reading, John the Baptist guided his disciples to Jesus, whom he called "the Lamb of God" (see above).  Those were Andrew and Simon Peter.  There was also an unnamed disciple (Andrew was "one of the two who heard John speak") who some patristic commentaries say was John the author of the Gospel.  It was a common literary device for a writer not to give his own name (see Luke 24:13).  In today's reading, we're given the fourth day of Christ's ministry, and two more disciples are called by Jesus:  Philip and Nathanael.   Philip introduces Jesus as "Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets wrote."   By the end of the reading, they both see Christ as the true Light, the One that the Old Testament revealed and pointed to, the Old Testament being a lesser light.  My study Bible says this parallels the establishment of the lesser and greater lights governing the night and the day respectively on the fourth day of creation given in Genesis 1:14-19.

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!"  My study Bible says that no deceit means both having a pure heart and also being straightforward with others.  

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."  My study Bible comments that what exactly occurred under the fig tree is not stated here.  It says that St. John Chrysostom teaches this was the meeting place of Philip and Nathanael, and that Jesus was praising Nathanael for being very diligent and careful in his search for the Messiah.  It is Christ's foreknowledge and His ability to see into Nathanael's heart which stir him to this 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."  My study Bible explains that the title Son of Man is a title of the Messiah that had a level of mystery in its meaning, and indicated a man of heavenly origin who would usher in the Kingdom of God (Daniel 7:13-14).  In an Old Testament prophecy, Jacob dreamed of a ladder connecting earth to heaven, upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus is that "ladder" who unites earth to heaven, and therefore is this Son of Man.

The search for the Messiah was a deeply significant issue for the whole of the Jewish people at the time of Christ. Expectations were high for a Messiah who would be a great king, delivering Israel from the Romans and re-establishing the throne and kingdom of David.  When Jesus uses the term "Son of Man" in today's reading, He is knowingly using the term from Daniel's prophesy, and indicating His divine and human origins.  Moreover, the reference to the angels descending and ascending is also an image well-known to these disciples, as it comes from the ladder which Jacob saw, which reached from earth to heaven and upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending, and above which stood the LORD who spoke to Jacob (Genesis 28:12-15).  When Nathanael (also known to us as Bartholomew) asks Philip, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" he's not really making a comment about Nazareth and what kind of place it is.  He's asking because there are no prophecies that reveal Nazareth as a birthplace for the expected Christ, the Messiah.  There will be at least one future scathing reference to Galilee in John's Gospel, that of the response of his fellow Council members to Nicodemus in John 7:51-52, in which they mistakenly claim that no prophet has arisen from Galilee.  What we can conclude from these observations is that, both for the Jews of Christ's time, and for the followers of Christ both then and now, the question remains of the greatest significance:  Who is Jesus?  My study Bible has a lengthy article on what is called Christology; that is the focus and knowledge of Christ Himself.  Who is He?  Who is the Son of Man?  And clearly, John's Gospel lays out right in the beginning that He is the Logos, the Word, and that "the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."  And He is also the Light:  "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (see John 1:1-5).  In this sense, Jesus becomes the centerpiece of history, because He is not only God, He also "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).  And here He is, in today's reading, choosing disciples, speaking to Nathanael with whom He has a mysterious encounter and to whom it has apparently been made clear that Jesus knows him thoroughly, even before meeting.  From the earliest centuries of Christianity, Christ as both fully human and fully divine has been of crucial significance, precisely because it meant that human nature was deified -- and therefore whatever aspect of our lives needs healing has been touched by God made flesh.  What this means, to quote my study Bible, is that Christ "energizes" human nature with divine energy, so that human nature is redeemed from sin and death and brought into union with God.  The Nicene Creed was the definitive understanding of Christ produced in the early centuries of the Church.  What the Incarnation means is that we may participate in Christ's life; we are united with Him in baptism and may experience His Incarnation in our lives.  So that, as my study Bible indicates, as the Son of God became human, we in turn may participate in God.  All of the sacraments of the Church point to this central reality.  So let us consider Nathanael under the fig tree, appropriate as a symbol of Israel, and think about the meeting with Christ.  For it is there in these encounters the Church is born, so that in our own meeting with Him faith may grow and develop in us.

 

 

 

Behold, 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 

 

Yesterday we read that on the second day given in John's Gospel, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."  And John 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."  Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).    One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and 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."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"  My study Bible explains that no deceit means both having a pure heart and also being straightforward with others.

 

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."  My study Bible says that what exactly occurred under the fig tree is something we don't really know, as it's not stated in the Gospel. It cites St. John Chrysostom, who teaches that this was the meeting place of Philip and Nathanael, and that Jesus was praising Nathanael for being so diligent and careful in his search for the Messiah.  Christ's foreknowledge and His ability to see into Nathanael's heart stir him to this confession of faith ("Rabbi, You are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!").

 

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."   The title Son of Man is a title of the Messiah that had a level of mystery in its meaning, my study Bible explains.  It indicated a man of heavenly origin who would usher in the Kingdom of God (Daniel 7:13-14).  In an Old Testament proverb, Jacob dreamed of a ladder which connected earth to heaven, upon which angels of God were ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus is the "ladder" who unites earth to heaven, and therefore He is this Son of Man.  

 

In today's reading we are given the fourth day in John's Gospel, in this first week of Jesus' ministry which begins John's Gospel.  Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael, who see Christ as the true Light, the One who was revealed in the Old Testament, a "lesser" light as it would be fulfilled in Him.   My study Bible says that this parallels the establishment of the lesser and greater lights governing the night and the day respectively on the fourth day in Genesis 1:14-19.  When Jesus tells 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," He is making a clear reference to the Old Testament story cited by my study Bible, that of Jacob and the ladder to heaven, and hence to Christ's fulfillment of "the Law and the Prophets" as Jesus says of Himself in Matthew 5:17:  "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."  Once again, as in the readings of the past two days, we are reminded that Christ is the heart-knower, the revealer of truth about a person.  He says of Nathanael (who will also be known as Bartholomew), "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"   Without having to be present to overhear the conversation between Philip and Nathanael, Jesus peers into his heart, discerning a quality He seeks in a disciple, and praises Nathanael for having, in the words of my study Bible, a heart that is both pure and a character that is straightforward with others.  This also tells us something about Jesus, for one could hardly imagine a "great man" of the first century as one humble enough to praise someone for asking, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?", Jesus' hometown.  A Caesar or Herod could likely have had him executed on the spot for what would be perceived as an insult.  Caesar, worshiped as a god, quite literally bragged about the millions killed in pursuit of the expansion of the empire.   But Jesus, the Son of Man, and true Son of God, is nothing like this.  He sees through all things to recognize what He wants in a chosen disciple:  Nathanael is an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit.  This is high praise, a reward for his straightforwardness.  If we think about what a pure heart is, we must understand Jesus' words of praise in the phrase "no deceit."  For we are also capable of fooling ourselves so often with our own notions about ourselves that we hold dear to heart.  In what is yet another example of this immediate heart-to-heart relation in which Christ engages (such as when He named Simon Cephas, or Peter, meaning Stone, in yesterday's reading), we must understand Christ's praise for  a heart that is pure, which holds no deceit either for himself or for others.  Purity is the condition of being of the same substance on the inside as on the outside, thoroughly without affliction or particle of flaw, and it is this condition of our hearts to which we all aspire as disciples of Christ.  What would it mean to have no deceit within us -- no favorite little lie about ourselves, no fudging our own characteristics that we'd do better to correct, and nothing getting in the way of our perception of others as well?  Nathanael's seemingly insulting question reveals something good about him, something Jesus praises, for it is an honest question based on the assumption and understanding that the Scriptures reveal no great prophecy of the Messiah or other prophet arising from Nazareth, as indeed Nathanael does not know that Jesus' birthplace is Bethlehem, the place from which the Messiah was prophesied to be born.  Nathanael's question is as straightforward as is Mary's to Gabriel, when she questions the prophecy she's been given that she will bear a Son, by saying, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" (see Luke 1:26-38).   What we are given in the story of Nathanael here is an affirmation that our faith is a search for truth.  It is quite often presented to us that faith is the stuff of sheer imagination or even classified as "fairy tales" or some other distortion, but the truth is quite the opposite.  Faith is a deep search for truth and real meaning, and it is not satisfied with partial answers or half-truths (those are called "heresies" in Christian tradition).  Its bedrock is a heart that is pure in this sense of Nathanael's straightforward and truthful nature, one in which there is no deceit, no tolerance for lies of any kind, and this is consistently affirmed in the Gospels and the teachings of Jesus.  It is, indeed, Jesus who teaches us that "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).  This is the foundational basis for the practice of self-examination and the traditions of monasticism, of contemplative prayer traditions such as the Jesus Prayer and its concurrent practices of confession -- so that we are aware of our own flaws, the things we nurture that aren't really true or good for us, and the things we need to change through repentance.     It is why our tradition prizes humility, so that we are able to see clearly, without deceit.   All of these are things that get in the way of truth and its pursuit, which is the bedrock of faith.   It is in John's Gospel that Jesus will teach, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).  Let us always continue to bear its significance in mind.

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

 

Icon of the Ladder of Divine Ascent, 12th century.  St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai

 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 there 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, "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, we were given the third day of Jesus' ministry in John's Gospel:  John the Baptist stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and 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."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"  Jesus has already taken on three disciples:  one, unnamed, and considered by many to be John the Evangelist, author of this Gospel; and also Andrew and his brother Peter.  All were first disciples of John the Baptist, who introduced them to Jesus as the Lamb of God (see yesterday's reading, above).   The text tells us that Andrew and Peter were from Bethsaida, in Galilee.  Jesus was also raised in Galilee, in the town of Nazareth, although born in Bethlehem in Judea.  We aren't told how exactly, but Jesus found Philip first and called him to discipleship, saying, "Follow Me."  Then Philip found Nathanael, who is also known to us as Bartholomew.  Nathanael's question most likely comes as the town of Nazareth was not known in prophecy as one which would produce any great prophet or holy man, and certainly not the Messiah.  My study bible says that no deceit means both having a pure heart and being straightforward with others.  

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, "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."  My study bible comments that what exactly occurred under the fig tree isn't stated here.  According to St. John Chrysostom, this was the meeting place of Philip and Nathanael (see earlier verses in today's reading, above) -- and Jesus was praising Nathanael for being diligent and careful in his search for the Messiah.  It says that Christ's foreknowledge and His ability to see into Nathanael's heart stir Nathanael into his confession of faith that Jesus is the Son of God and King of Israel.  On this fourth day given in John's Gospel, Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael, my study bible explains, who see Christ as the true Light, the One who was revealed in the Old Testament, a lesser light.  This parallels the establishment of the lesser and greater lights which governed the night and day respectively on the fourth day in Genesis 1:14-19.

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 uses the title Son of Man for Himself.  My study bible says that this is a title of the Messiah, but one that had a level of mystery in its meaning.  It indicates a person of heavenly origin who would usher in the Kingdom of God (Daniel 7:13-14).  Jesus' words give us an image of an Old Testament prophecy, in which Jacob dreamed of a ladder which connected earth and heaven, upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus effectively declares Himself to be this "ladder," who unites earth to heaven, and is therefore the Son of Man.

A famous saint of the Orthodox Church is called St. John Climacus (579-649).  "Climacus" essentially means "of the Ladder," and what he is known for is a system of ascetics in which one is given to understand that this Ladder which is Christ is also a model of ascent, in which a human being may become more "like Christ" in developing virtues and conquering selfish passions.  One Sunday in Lent is dedicated to his memory in the Orthodox Church.  His most famous work on ascetical life, read by monastics as well as lay people, is called The Ladder of Divine Ascent.   It is significant that Jesus refers to Himself as this Ladder in today's reading, in that the developments within the Church that would follow in later centuries broaden out and reveal more of what it means that Christ Himself is our Ladder.  Essentially, it is one way in which we might understand the continual unfolding of Jesus as fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets as our guidepost for a lifetime of faith in which we do not remain stagnant, but proceed to be healed and shaped in the light and life of Christ.  And so, we begin today with Christ prophecy for Nathanael, that if he were already impressed with what he'd seen, he would presently "see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."  Just as in keeping with St. John Climacus' understanding of Christ as the Ladder of ascent for each one of us believers, as human beings who seek to live the life in Christ that He offers, so the title Son of Man conveys the idea of the Incarnation that encapsulates the very purpose of Christ as Messiah, sometimes called the "God-Man."  St. Athanasius (c. 296 – 2 May 373), among others, has taught that whatever was not assumed by Christ would not have been healed.  Therefore, Christ became Son of Man, fully human and fully divine, so that all that we are as human beings might also be healed through His full participation in humanity.  Our participation in His life through the mystical power of grace and faith in turn heal us.   This is how we are to understand that Christ is the Ladder for us.  Nathanael proclaims Jesus to be the Son of God and King of Israel because he perceives that Jesus has peered into his soul, just as we read in yesterday's reading that Jesus declared Simon to be Peter or Cephas, A Stone, the foundation of the Church.  Nathanael is declared to have no deceit, quite possibly in direct relation to Nathanael's question, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"  Nathanael, through possibly plain-speaking and an unwillingness to flatter, coupled with a direct honesty, has revealed about himself that he seeks to cheat no one.  In American popular culture, there is an old saying:  "You can't cheat an honest man."  It implies that there has be at least a little deceit at work in someone who falls for a sales pitch that is too good to be true, a person who thinks they can get something for nothing.  Well, Nathanael shows himself to be this kind of honest man; he's not going to follow just anyone who tells him about a great find.  He's got to "come and see" for himself.  It is when Nathanael realizes that Christ already fully knows him that he declares Christ to be Son of God and King of Israel.  But Jesus will take him much further in that understanding, offering him the great revelation that He is Son of Man, and Ladder, coming into the world so that we all might be healed through His life.  We all would do well to take on the attitude of Nathanael with respect to his lack of all deceit, for it is an honest heart, without pretense or guile, that has met the conditions for faith in Christ, and to be led along on this Ladder, who will be able to see heaven open, and angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.  That is something to contemplate in a world beset by image and popular media, in which we so often fail to truly peer at ourselves.  We need Christ as our mirror, guidepost, and ladder to do that, so that we might be healed without deceit of others, or our own, getting in the way.