JOHN 1:47-51 PODCAST
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” ~ John 1:47-51
The Lord Jesus knew that "Nathanael was an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." This meant Nathanael was straight up and authentic. He was not two-faced. What you saw is what you got. Keep in mind, the Lord Jesus isn’t commenting about Nathanael’s sinlessness, He is commenting on Nathanael’s heart. The Lord Jesus knows all there is to know about us, especially our hearts. He knows us better than we do.
I find it comforting that the Lord Jesus knows me like this. Comfort comes in the context of safety. I have this safety and comfort because of what the Lord Jesus has accomplished on my behalf. His death on that tree on Calvary's hill procured perfection for me in the eyes of God. As a result, I no longer fear failure or rejection from God. The opposite has been rendered: freedom that propels me into a life of faith, a life of seeking Him in everything on a daily basis. This is what the early disciples experienced.
In v.49, Nathanael acknowledges the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. Nathanael is illustrating that when we come to know Jesus we have come to know God.
The disciples of the Lord Jesus were ordinary men, there was nothing unique about them. They were not unusually intelligent men. They were just like us, ordinary. The secret was not to be found in these men. No, the secret was and is found in the Lord Jesus who understands all of His creation, especially mankind. He uses whoever and whatever to accomplish His purposes. And, He has been known to shock us in the ways He does things.
This makes me think of Romans 8:28 which reads, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." It sounds that we earn the reality that all things work together for our good, but this is not so. In order to recognize that all things work together for our good, we must be in the habit of giving our hearts to the Lord Jesus. All things will work together for our good, the question really is whether we will be able to see it or not.
I find it instructive that the Lord Jesus never handled any two disciples alike. Andrew was cautious, Peter was impetuous, Philip was shy, Nathanael was guileless. Jesus spoke differently to each of them. He understood them. He took them for what they were. He did not try to make them all fit a pattern or a mold. He treated them all differently.
Finally, He has called us to be His disciples, can you imagine?. This means He knows best what to permit in our lives. Following Him means that we accept whatever He decides. We look for meaning and purpose according to the wisdom that He grants. We trust and follow Him. This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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