ων 3 2A
47. Και εἶπεν αὐτῷ Λέγει αὐτῷ t
ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ, “"ISe ” ἀληθῶς 2 Gen. καν
σραηλίτης, ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστι.᾿
49. Λέγει αὐτῷ Ναθαναὴλ,
“«Πόθεν µε γινώσκεις; ᾿Απεκρίθη ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῶ, “ Πρὸ με y ρίθη ὁ η , Πρ
τοῦ σε Φίλιππον φωνῆσαι, ὄντα ὑπὸ τὴν συκΏν, εἶδόν ce.”
5ο.
᾿Απεκρίθη Ναθαναὴλ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, ““PaBBi, σὺ ef 6 vids τοῦ
Bengel says, ‘‘optimum remedium tontra opiniones praeconceptas”’. And Nathanael shows himself to be willing to have his preconceptions overcome. He goes with Philip.—Ver. 48. κεἶδεν ,.. δόλος οὐκ ἔστιν The honesty shown in his coming to Jesus is indicated as his characteristic. He had given proof that he was guileless. In Gen. xxvii. 35 Isaac says to Esau, “ Th
brother has come and μετὰ δόλου ἔλαβε τὴν εὐλογίαν gov”. And it was by throwing off this guile and finding in God his dependence that Jacob became Israel. So that in declaring Nathanael to be a guileless Israelite, Jesus declares him to be one who does not seek to win blessing by earthly means but by prayer and trust in God.—Ver. 49. The significance of this utterance is further shown by what follows. Naturally Nathanael is surprised by this explicit testimony from one with whom he has had no acquaintance and who has not- withstanding truly described him, and he asks, πόθεν µε γινώσκεις; ‘‘ how do you know me?” perhaps imagining that some common friend had told Jesus about him. But Jesus ascribes it to anoth r cause: πρὸ τοῦ σε Φίλιππον φωνῆσαι ὄντα ὑπὸ τὴν συκῆν εἶδον σε, I saw thee under the fig tree before Philip called thee (not, I saw thee some- where else before Philip called thee when you were under the fig tree). ‘* Under the fig tree” is obviously significant. Such trees were planted by the wayside (Mt. xxi. 19), and the large thick leaf afforded shade. It was the favourite garden tree of the Jews, so that “ sitting under one’s fig tree’? meant being at home (Micah iv. 4, Zech. iii. 10). The tree formed a natural arbour affording shade and privacy. Thus Schoettgen quotes that it is related of Rabbi Jose and his disciples, '' solebant summo mane surgere et sedere et studere sub ficu”. And Lightfoot (Hor. Heb., im loc.) says that Nathanael was ‘aut orans, aut
legens, aut meditans, aut aliquid religiosum praestans, in secessu sub aliqua οι et extra conspectum
hominum”. But evidently Nathanael understood that Jesus had not only seen him when he thought he was unobserved, but had penetrated his thought in re- tirement, and understood and sympa- thised with his prayer under the fig tree, for the impression made upon him by this knowledge of Jesus is profound.—Ver. 50. “PaBBet, he exclaims, σὺ εἶ ὁ vids τοῦ θεοῦ, σὺ βασιλεὺς εἶ τοῦ Ισραήλ. Nathanael had been praying for the manifestation of the Messiah: now he exclaims Thou art He. That Nathanael used both expressions, Son of God, and King of Israel, we may well believe, for he found both in the second Psalm. And it is probable that he used both as identifying Jesus with the Messiah (see chap. xi. 27, xii. 13-15). It is not likely that he would pass from a higher designa- tion to a lower; more probable that by the second title he means more closely to define the former. Thou art the Son of God, fulfilling the ideal of sonship and actually realising all that prophecy has uttered regarding the Son of God: Thou art the ideal, long-expected King of Israel, in whom God’s reign and kingdom are realised on earth. “' The words are an echo of the testimony of the Baptist. Nothing can be more natural than to suppose that the language of John had created strange questionings in the hearts of some whom it had reached, and that it was with such thoughts Nathanael was busied when the Lord ‘ saw’ him. If this were so, the confession of Nathanael may be an answer to his own doubts” (Westcott). — Ver. 51. Gmexpidy... ὄψῃ. In accordance with the habit of this evangelist, who calls attention to the moving cause of faith in this or that individual, the source of Nathanael’s faith is indicated with some surprise that it should have proved sufficient: and with the announcement that his nascent