[Salvation]

From: John 1:47-51

The Calling of the First Disciples (Continuation)

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[47] Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to Him, and said to him, “Behold, an Israelite
indeed, in whom is no guile!” [48] Nathaniel 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.” [49] Nathaniel answered Him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You
are the King of Israel! [50] Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, I saw
you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.”
[51] And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see Heaven opened,
and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

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Commentary:

45-51. The Apostle Philip is so moved that he cannot but tell his friend Nathanael
(Bartholomew) about his wonderful discovery (verse 45). “Nathanael had heard
from Scripture that Jesus must come from Bethlehem, from the people of David.
This belief prevailed among the Jews and also the prophet had proclaimed it of
old, saying: ‘But you, O Bethlehem, who are little to be among the clans of Ju-
dah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler of Israel’ (Micah 5
2). Therefore, when he heard that He was from Nazareth, he was troubled and in
doubt, since he found that the announcement of Philip was not in agreement with
the words of the prophecy” (St. John Chrysostom, “Hom. on St. John”, 20, 1).

A Christian may find that, in trying to communicate his faith to others, they raise
difficulties. What should he do? What Philip did — not trust his own explanation,
but invite them to approach Jesus personally: “Come and see” (verse 46). In other
words, a Christian should bring his fellow-men, his brothers into Jesus’ presence
through the means of grace which He has given them and which the Church mini-
sters — frequent reception of the sacraments, and devout Christian practices.

Nathanael, a sincere person (verse 47), goes along with Philip to see Jesus; he
makes personal contact with our Lord (verse 48), and the outcome is that he re-
ceives faith (the result of his ready reception of grace, which reaches him through
Christ’s human nature: verse 49).

As far as we can deduce from the Gospels, Nathanael is the first Apostle to
make an explicit confession of faith in Jesus as Messiah and as Son of God.
Later on, St. Peter, in a more formal way, will recognize our Lord’s divinity (cf.
Matthew 16:16). Here (verse 51) Jesus evokes a text from Daniel (7:13) to con-
firm and give deeper meaning to the words spoken by His new disciple.

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.