Under The Fig Tree, I Saw You

JOHN 1:43-51

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

"How do You know me?"
Nathanael is astonished that Jesus knew him, although they had not met before. This was not common knowledge, nor was it knowing of Nathanael or his reputation. Jesus' words "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" reveals that Jesus knew Nathanael's character, He knew the depths of the man, and not merely who he was. 'Nathanael' is generally translated as 'gift of God' and it is noted that he came from the same place as both Peter and Andrew - Bethsaida ('house of fish'), suggesting a good or worthy provenance.

We should understand Jesus' words as a result of inspiration from Father God, for He says "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father." (Matthew 11:27a) Thus when Jesus says that He saw Nathanael, we believe that this seeing was by Heavenly inspiration, a vision in which a fig tree and Nathanael appeared together, revealing the Father's knowledge of Nathanael to Jesus.

"...under the fig tree, I saw you."
The fig tree is significant and in Zechariah chapter 3 and Micah chapter 4 we are shown this...

‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts,
‘Everyone will invite his neighbour
Under his vine and under his fig tree.’
ZECHARIAH 3:10

But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree,
And no one shall make them afraid;
For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
For all people walk each in the name of his god,
But we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
Forever and ever.
MICAH 4:4-5

The fig tree is several times used to reveal a place of peace and security, at the same time implying fruitfulness through The Lord's Word that He has spoken. We have also seen that Adam and Eve used fig leaves as a covering for their nakedness [Genesis 3:7]. Indeed fig trees are an important spiritual symbol in Scripture. In Judges 9, Jotham [Jehovah is perfect] speaks The Parable of The Trees...

“Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You come and reign over us!’
But the fig tree said to them,
‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit,
And go to sway over trees?’
JUDGES 9:9-10

"You will see greater things than these."
Nathanael seen under a fig tree reveals that he is a true Israelite [from 'Israel', "he shall be a prince of God"], a man considered upright and without guile. In Jesus' vision Nathanael may have been at prayer and it has been suggested that Nathanael was one who had been praying about the coming Messiah. Now Nathanael sees Him.

The lesson for us in this passage is that Jesus knows the heart of each man. He knows our thoughts, our character, our loves and our hates. He sees through the outward into our essential being, our spirit, our life. This is the God who sees all things

There is nothing that we can hide from Him. He is Christ within you, the hope of glory. And Christ within you will show you greater things. "Hereafter, you shall see heaven open".

THE GOD WHO SEES — Nicole C Mullen

A CLOSING WORD from FRANCIS OF ASSISSI
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

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