remember anj prophecy about Messiah coming out of jSTazareth. and at once stumbled at the idea of Him whom "Moses and the prophets" had desoribed, belonging to such a contemptible place.
The condescension of our Lord in living thirty years in such a place as Nazareth, is strongly brought out by Nathan ael's question.
Augustine, Cyril, Origen, and others thought that the sentence before us ought not to be interpreted as a question, but as a simp'.e affirmation, " Some good thing may come out of Nazareth." Wycliffe's version also takes this vievs^. The sentence would then be the expression of a calm and unprejudiced mind, acknowledging the possibihty of good coming from Nazareth. Musculus thinks it possible, in this view of the expression, that Nathanael might have had in his mind the remarkable pro- phetical saying quoted in St. Matthew, " He shall be called a Nazarenel" The judgment of the great majority of interpreters agrees with our own translation, that it is a question, and not an assertion ; and it is by far the more probable view of the text.
l^Come and see.] How common this expression was among the Jewish religious teachers has been already noticed. Philip's wisdom in not arguing and reasoning with Nathanael, should be observed. Ford gives a good quotation from Adam, " Little good comes by disputing. Pride is generally at the bottom of it, and not charity or love of truth; and it is seldom managed with decency or candour enough to produce any good effect. Let fall a word in season, and wait in patience till the rain drops on it from heaven."
47. — \_In whom is no guile] It is very likely that in using this expression our Lord referred to the 32nd Psalm, where the character of the godly man is described. He is not only one whose iniquities are forgiven, but one '' in whose lips there is no guile." The expression imphes a true heart, a really converted man, a genuine son of Abraham by faith, as well as a son accord- ing to the flesh.
Hutcheson observes, " The true mark of a true Israelite m spirit, is not sinlessness or perfection, but sincerity."
48. — [ Whence Jcnowest thou me ?] This question implies Nathanael's surprise that Jesus should exhibit any knowledge of his cha- racter.
[When...under.. Jig-tree I saw thee.] The common opinion about this expression is, that Nathanael was praying or holding (:ommunion with God under the fig-tree. It may be so. We are told nothing about it, and are entirely left to conjecture. If it