Nathaniel's Surprise

John 1:35-51 and the calling of the first disciples

Imagine Philip's surprise as Jesus said: "Follow me." Rabbis in those days often had a following, a group that would be unstructured at this point in Jesus' ministry. Did Philip think Jesus needed leaders for a new army to oust Rome, or did Philip think following Jesus would be like following any other Rabbi? Was Philip surprised a Rabbi would choose someone with so little theological education as a follower?

Whatever Philip thought, following Jesus would not be anything he expected.  

But Philip couldn't keep it to himself.

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." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

John 1:45–46

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Certainly not the one Philip was telling Nathaniel about—the Messiah. Nathaniel would have given Jesus much more respect if he'd known Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David—but the city of Jesus' birth seems to have been lost early in his life. Perhaps this is a product of his unusual birth before his parents were married.

Nathaneal's reaction to Philp's invitation to "come and see" sets up a strange scriptural narrative.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" 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." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered 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, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

John 1:47–51

The easiest way to read this passage is Nathaniel believed he was without deceit but was surprised that Jesus could know such a thing. Or perhaps he was hiding under the tree or was too far away for Jesus to see him?

However, Jesus having excellent eyesight does not seem to fit into Jesus' second statement: "You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending." This second statement is a reference to an incident in Genesis 28.

And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!

Genesis 28:11–12

The connection between these two narratives about Jacob should make us reconsider Jesus' first statement: "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Is there another place related to Jacob's journey to Laban's house?

And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.

Genesis 32:24–30

The name Jacob means deceit or deceiver. God renames Jacob Israel, meaning he who contends with God. In this Jewish context, Jesus was saying something like: "Nathaniel, you contend with God."

This reading fits with Jesus seeing Nathanial under a fig tree, where Jews would often go to contemplate the Scriptures.

These clues might also point one step further.

Jesus might describe Nathaniel and the passage of scripture, which Nathaniel is contemplating under the fig tree. Reading Jesus's words this way turns the simple fact of Jesus seeing Nathaniel and knowing about him into knowing what Nathanial is thinking at that moment in time.

While this might be somewhat speculative, it would better explain Nathaniel's reaction. Nathanial's reaction—stating Jesus is the Messiah—hardly seems appropriate if Jesus saw him under a tree. Anyone, it seems, might happen to see Nathaniel under a tree. It even seems hardly appropriate if Jesus knows Nathaniel takes his study of the scriptures, "wrestling with God," seriously. Anyone in the community might know about Nathaniel's constant wrestling with God through the scriptures.

But to know what Nathaniel was thinking about—this is something no ordinary person could do.

If Jesus is saying: "I know what scripture you were contemplating," it would merit Nathaniel's declaration: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"