Read the passage: The Message or The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
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By way of background, it may be helpful to note that this passage is the third that begins with, "The next day." (See John 1:29 and 1:35) The first of these gives John the Baptist's testimony that Jesus is the Lamb of God on whom John saw the Holy Spirit descend like a dove. (Note that there is no reference to Jesus being baptized by John.) In the second, John again says of Jesus, "Behold the Lamb of God." Two of John's disciples then leave him and follow Jesus. One of them, Andrew, then goes and fetches his brother Simon Peter who also goes to meet Jesus.
It cannot be overemphasized to pay attention to the frequency of the verbs "behold / see," and "come / follow." The whole purpose of the Gospel of John is that we should SEE who Jesus really is so that we might truly trust and abide in him and thereby have true life. (See John 20:31) For more information, see my Introduction to John.
In this passage we see how important personal connections and introductions are: John the Baptist personally testifies that Jesus is the Lamb of God; hearing this, one of John's disciples, Andrew, follows after Jesus; Andrew then goes and brings his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus; Jesus then goes to the hometown of Simon and Andrew where he meets Philip; Philip then goes and brings Nathaniel to meet Jesus. And 2,000 years later, here are we still coming to meet Jesus.
The conversation between Nathaniel and Jesus about him sitting under a fig tree is, shall we say, a bit obscure. It could be this is coded language, understood by Jesus, Nathaniel, and the Gospel writer as signifying more than a literal tree. In the other Gospels, the fig tree is part of a parable about the fruitlessness of the present generation. In any case, have I already mentioned the importance of the use of the verbs "come" and "see?"
There is also some playfulness in their use of "Israel." Jesus refers to Nathaniel as a descendant of our ancestor Israel - Israel is the name given to Jacob - "Jacob" means "cheater" or "deceiver." But in Nathaniel's case, Jesus comments, "And he isn't deceitful." That is, there is some honest seeing / presenting happening.
Notice that Nathaniel then ascribes to Jesus the title, "King of Israel." It is the title, "King" (and not the others used so far: "Lamb of God," and "Messiah") that will the charge on which Jesus is executed.
And finally, in Verse 51, Jesus refers to the story of "Jacob's Ladder," a dream that Jacob had when he saw angels going up and coming down a ladder from heaven. (See Genesis 28:10-22) However, whereas the story of Jacob's dream led to the naming of a sacred PLACE, Jesus says this same vision will show Nathaniel a sacred PERSON.
I believe the keys in understanding this passage are, on the one hand, to NOT treat it as simply a story of how Nathaniel met Jesus; nor, on the other hand, to get all mystical and obscure. John wants us to SEE Jesus, to COME to him, and thereby to receive life in its abundance.
David Ewart,
www.davidewart.ca
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