Anchor My Faith

Nathanael Meets Jesus

Scripture: John 1:46-49

We finished the previous lesson with Philip going to find Nathanael and telling him that they had found the Messiah. Nathanael was not so sure about that “[and] said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”” (John 1:46 ESV). Nazareth apparently had a bad reputation and out of contempt, Nathanael asks if anything good could come from there. Nathanael was not willing to first get to know Jesus, but out of prejudice he prejudges him. Philip was wise in his response and said, “Come and see.”

As Philip and Nathanael were approaching Jesus, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”” (John 1:47 ESV). When Jesus sees Philip bringing Nathanael, Jesus makes a brief comment about the character of Nathanael. He first describes him as an Israelite, but the added word “indeed” indicates that he is not only an Israelite by birth, but one worthy of the name. He has the characteristics given in Romans 2:28 – 29 (ESV): “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” Nathanael was really a Jew who feared God and obeyed the law.

Jesus also describes him as being free of deceit. He is not free of guilt or sin, but he makes no profession which he does not live up to. Nathanael was sincere and upright. When Jesus looks at our heart what does he see? What kind of person are we becoming?

To this evaluation of Jesus, “Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”” (John 1:48 ESV). It appears that Jesus had not previously know Nathanael because he asks Jesus how he knew this about him. The answer Jesus gives displays supernatural knowledge and is evidence that he is the Messiah. Even though Jesus could not physically see Philip meeting Nathanael, in his mind Jesus could see them and describe the meeting location.

This response from Jesus prompts Nathanael to realize something: “Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”” (John 1:49 ESV). Nathanael responds by calling Jesus, “Rabbi” or master, a title applied appropriately to Jesus and no one else.

Because of the length of this lesson and what remains to be covered in this section, we will finish this verse in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, what joy it is to have new readers join us each day as we walk along the gospel path. As Jesus gathers his disciples who walk with him, in our lessons, we are gathering readers as we study the life and ministry of Jesus. Father, I pray that you would bless each reader who connects to a lesson, that the word would meet some need in their life. Father, I pray for my readers that your hand of blessing and protection would be on them.