The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 212

r, ~l!ty, K ntlianacl "·as a true descendant of Jacob, and even Ruporior to his itlustrioue ~pmtual ancestors-" an Israelite indeed." llis character was distinguished by: 1. Genuine de'.•ot'.·on.. 'l'his made him an Ismclite indeed, a genuine heir of the title c?nfe1;ed on. Ins 11lustrio~s ancestor-" a prince of God," one who could in prnyer be ,·1cton?us with the Alm1gbty. What was he doing underneath the fig tree alone? One thmg, doubtless, was strugglin,r, wrestling with God iu prnycr; and he was success- ful. The shad~, fig tree was his Pcniel. Every Israelite indeed has his Peniel and fig tree ~omewhere. Genuine devotion is retiring. The most successful victories are won in sC'clusion. Ycry different was Nathanael from Israelites alone in name, who loved to pray standing in public places in order to be seen. The Israelite indeed retires in onler not to be seen by any but by the Father of spirits. Every true character is devotional, ~nd the truest devotion is retiring and almost shy. It is the courtship of tbo soul, It 1s to be feared that much of the devotion or the present day is mere empty parade. Let others have the rostrum and the comers of the streets; give me the fig tree. 2. Trans- pare'!1-t sincerity. "In whom there is no guile." (1) No guile of intellect. There is I\ guile of _intellect, the prolific parent of sophistry, the mental devil of poor humanity. (2) No g111le of heart-the parent and refuge of deceit and secret vice. (3) No guile of conduct. If absent inwardly, it will be absent outwardly. Guile is peculiarly an inward vice. It shuns publicity, it inhabits the inward recesses of the mind and heart; but when there, it must come to the surface sometimes for breath, occasionally seen by men, always by God. Nathanael was free from this. It is not said that he had no sin, no fault, no weakness ; he bo.d, as indicated by his question to Philip, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" He was tainted with the prejudices of his age, and with doubt in consequence; but it was an outward pimple rather than an inward cancer. He had no guile, else it would remain within. Sincerity or guilelessness is an elemen- tary and essential principle of Christian character. Without it Christ was helpless even with regard to the outwardly proper,-he had to leave them with a "woe;" but with it be was triumphantly merciful and saving. Even with regard to the outwardly rebellious and sinful, he was their Friend and Saviour, and they became bis followers. 3. Honest and earnest inquiry after saving truth. (1) He was meditative. He retired regularly under the fig tree, not merely for prayer, but also for holy meditation and honest i;earch for Divine truth. He lived not by bread alone, but felt that bis sonl must have suitable food as well as his body. He hungered after truth, and made ·a diligent search for it. (2) He made the best use of the advantages he _possessed. Ho bad Moses o.nd the prophets, and he was an earnest student of them. He had fully grasped the central truth of their teaching-the promised Messiah; he studied his character and gazed with delight at his portrait as drawn by their inspired pen. Doubtle~s he had been a spell-bound listener of the great herald of the wilderness, and his so11l wns stirred into burning expectation. In this respect he was an "Israelite indeed," being the genuine growth of the Messianic promises, and waiting for" the Consolation of Israel." (3) He welcomed every new light. No sooner Philip said, "Come and see," than he at once came to Jesus. He "proved all things," and "held fast that which was good." 4. Intelligence and read.iness ef faith. 1, He was ready to believe. He bad a believing soul. He had lived by faith in the coming Redeemer. There were Christians before tho appearance of Obrist, looking forward by faith to him; there were Israelites indeed; and Nathanael was one of them. (2) His faith was discerning. He saw the S?n of God in the Son of Joseph, the King of Israel in Jesus of Nazareth; an? the mist of pre- judice and doubt vanished before the gaze of his faith and the sight of Jesus. (3) His faith was intelligent. He believed because be was convinced, and was convinced because Christ gave an unmistakable proof of his superhuman knowledge so peculiar to the Messiah. Hill faith and reason ·vent hand-in-hand, and were mutually helpful; i;o that his faith WIU! intelligent and his intelligence faithful. 5. .A confession of wrwi,ction. (1) His confession is respectful. "Rabbi "-a title of honour and respect. (2) His confession is prompt. No sooner was he convinced than he confessed-another i-,roof of his guilelessness. Many of the Pharisees believed, but on account of gui~e di_J not coufess. 'Ihe "Israelite indeed" promptly confessed him. (3) His confess10~ 1s full, and given in an intelligent manner. "'l'hou art the Son of God; thou art the Krng of Israel" His conceptions of Jesus are worthy of him and of the" Israeli to indeed." '.!'he character of Nathanael was altogether so transparent that Jesua coul<l in H iKi«: his OII, I, 1-ol.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOilN. 73