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 third day of Christ's ministry 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 Jon 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 having a pure heart and being straightforward with others.  Nathanael is also known to us as Bartholomew.  While Jesus is said to be from Nazareth, where He was raised, Nathanael does not know that Jesus was actually born in Bethlehem, thus fulfilling prophecy regarding the Messiah.

 

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 precisely happened under the fig tree is not something given to us in the Gospel.  St. John Chrysostom teaches that it 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.  Nathanael is in turn stirred to a confession of faith by Christ's foreknowledge and His ability to see into his heart. 

 

 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 that 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 a ladder that connected earth and heaven, and upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus is that Ladder who unites earth and heaven, and therefore He is the Son of Man.  

Today's reading gives us the fourth day described by John in his Gospel of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.  It parallels the fourth day of the creation story in Genesis, in which the greater and lesser lights were established by God, governing the night and the day in Genesis 1:14-19.  Here Philip and Nathanael are called by Christ the true Light, who was revealed in the Old Testament, which is a lesser light.  Jesus, as the Son of Man, is that Light that comes into the world, and is from the heavenly origin described by my study Bible.  As the Ladder between heaven and earth, the fulfillment of the prophecy in Jacob's dream, He is the Light who descends to become one of us.  But while He is the Light, He also shares His light with us, bestowing it upon us and making it possible for us to participate in His light and carry it ourselves (see Matthew 5:14-16).  The angels who ascend and descend upon Jacob's ladder are also the ministers of light who help us to go forward and carry that light within us as well ("Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire" - Psalm 104:4, Hebrews 1:7).  In a certain sense, John's Gospel is the Gospel of light, for this Gospel focuses so much on Christ as the true Light, and all the ways that light figures in our faith.  We should also remember that John's Gospel is the one that teaches us that "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:5).  The word translated as "comprehend" means both to understand and to take in, to overcome (just as the English word does), and we should remember that this light has come into the world for us.  When we feel overcome by darkness, it is important to understand that the darkness itself, and those who choose simply to be a part of that darkness in the world, will neither understand nor overcome the light we seek.  Our burden and joy is to be bearers of that light in a darkened world, and this has been the mission of the Church and of believers from the beginning.  As disciples of Christ, we're taught to "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).  In fact, in this Gospel, Jesus will say the same of Himself, that He is the light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5, 11:9), and that we need that light to walk in the darkness so that we don't stumble.  In some sense, we might view Christ as praising Nathanael as "an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit," for seeking to shine a light, so to speak, upon just who Jesus is, doing his "due diligence," as we might phrase it.  It seems more likely, however, that Jesus is praising Nathanael for his lack of flattery, for being straightforward.  Either way, that lack of guile is linked to one who may both receive Christ's light and shine it and bear it into the world, for truth is related to light.  The ultimate Light is Christ, who sees directly into Nathanael's heart, and who likewise knows each one of us more thoroughly than we know ourselves.  Let us seek to allow the light to shine in our hearts, to penetrate our deepest levels, to find us and show us where we need to be.  To have no guile, no deceit, is to hide nothing from God.  

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 that on the second day accounted for 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, that is, 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 of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"   Today's passage gives us the fourth day in Jesus' ministry, paralleling the fourth day of creation in Genesis (Genesis 1:14-19), in which the lesser and greater lights were established, governing night and day.  Philip introduces Nathanael to Christ as the true Light, revealed in the lesser light of the Old Testament.  No deceit, according to my study bible, means both having a pure heart and being straightforward with others.  Nathanael is surprised that humble Nazareth would be the birthplace of the prophesied Messiah (and indeed, it isn't; see Matthew 2:1-6).

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!"   What exactly took place under the fig tree is not revealed in the text.  According to St. John Chrysostom, it 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.  Jesus' foreknowledge and His ability to see into his heart stir Nathanael into his confession of faith.

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."  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.  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 and heaven, and upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus Himself is this "ladder," uniting earth to heaven, and therefore the Son of Man.

Jesus' ministry grows one by one, as disciples are added.  It's interesting to note the pattern:  the text tells us that Jesus found Philip.   Philip is in some way connected to Jesus' first disciples, the brothers Andrew and Peter, as he's also from the same city of Bethsaida.  Then, the text says, Philip finds Nathanael, and despite Nathanael's skepticism, brings him to Christ, who greets Nathanael as he walks toward Jesus, saying, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"   Somehow, Jesus already knows Nathanael (who, by the way, is also called Bartholomew in the Gospels).  Jesus informs him that "before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."   Somehow the hidden connections between all of these people exist before they are manifest in the flesh.  In the mind and knowing of Christ, they are already present.  It seems to give us a mysterious hint about time and about our own connectedness:  clearly, in the understanding of Creator, these elements are present before they are seemingly acted upon and decided upon consciously by you and I.  Perhaps it's simply that time is experienced one way by us, whereas in the divine mind of Christ everything is always present.  Jesus quotes from Scripture, dropping a mysterious hint about the interconnectedness of all things present here in this ministry:  He is that ladder upon which the angels of God are ascending and descending.   He is true presence in the vision of Jacob which ties heaven and earth together.  In His presence, therefore, all things become possible (Matthew 19:26).  Time and space are united in Him.  Therefore, as Son of Man, Creator and creature, He holds things present within Himself and makes them available to us.  The presence of the Church is full in Him, even as one by one disciples are gathered, mysteriously tied through one another in a kind of chain or network that seems to work through all things.  How does Christ know Nathanael already?  How did He see Nathanael under the fig tree, before Philip called him?  We can't know that, but we can take away from today's reading a sense of the depth of interconnection between all of us in faith, as our faith makes present Christ -- and indeed the Father and the Holy Spirit as well -- with us and within us.  In this great communion, we are all included, the entirety of the Church, the body of all the saints, from the most ancient of the Old Testament to those living in our world today, "a great cloud of witnesses," as St. Paul puts it.  Our faith works as a kind of communion whose depth is somewhere mysteriously within us and among us, that is working whether or not we are aware of it.  But most importantly, we rely on this hidden structure when we enter into communion in prayer.  When we pray for our lives to be guided in a particular way, for support, for help, we understand that we are in a mysterious sense connected with an entirety of a Church that is much more than a building we may go to on Sundays.  Worship services go far beyond a particular time and place, an experience on one particular day; we enter into the adoration of the angels.  We don't know how we may all be connected, but where Christ is, there the Church is in its fullness, and we enter into that place so that we may participate in it, in the ways meant for us.  Nathanael understands this at once with Jesus' words, and the plain-spoken, honest, and straight-forward man who "is an Israelite indeed" sees with a pure heart what we need to see.  By tradition, Nathanael will go on to preach in Armenia and in India, the former becoming the first nation to declare Christianity its national religion (AD 301).  He will die a martyr's death as an apostle.   Does Christ know this already?  We can't know the workings of the mind of God, but we can understand the depths into which Nathanael himself enters as disciple and apostle, the changing of the entire world into which he steps.   It begins with a pure and honest -- and discerning -- heart of "an Israelite indeed," one willing to examine, and to "come and see."   Let us come and see for ourselves.