Johannes 1:49

49 Nathanael zeide tot Hem: Van waar kent Gij mij? Jezus antwoordde en zeide tot hem: Eer u Filippus riep, daar gij onder den vijgeboom waart, zag Ik u.

Johannes 1:49 Meaning and Commentary

John 1:49

Nathanael answered and saith unto him
Being fully convinced of his omniscience by these instances:

Rabbi;
that is, master, as it is interpreted in ( John 1:38 ) , and is not here, because it is there:

thou art the Son of God;
not by creation, for this would be to say no more of him, than may be said of every man; nor by adoption, for in that sense Nathanael himself was a Son of God, and many others; nor on account of his wonderful incarnation, which, it is very likely, at this time Nathanael knew nothing of; nor by reason of his resurrection from the dead, which, as yet, was not, and still less might be known by this person; nor because of his office, as Mediator, for this is expressed in the next clause; but by nature, as being of the same essence, and possessed of the same perfections God is; and of which he was convinced by the instances he gave of his omniscience; for it was from hence, and no other consideration, that he concludes him to be the Son of God: wherefore this phrase must be understood of him, not as Mediator, but as a divine person; as the natural, essential, and eternal Son of God; and who is truly and properly God: he adds,

thou art the King of Israel;
having in view, no doubt, the passage in ( Psalms 2:6 Psalms 2:7 ) , where the characters of Son of God, and King of Zion, meet in the same person: not King of Israel, in a literal sense; though he was the son of David, and a descendant of his in a right line, and was of the royal line, and had a legal right to the throne of Israel; and Nathanael might have a view to this, being tinctured with the common national prejudice, that the Messiah would be a temporal prince: but his kingdom is not of this world; nor with observation; but is spiritual; and he is a King over Israel in a spiritual sense, even of saints, whether Jews or Gentiles: whom he conquers by his power, and rules in their hearts by his Spirit, and grace; and protects, and defends them from all their enemies.

Johannes 1:49 In-Context

47 En Nathanael zeide tot hem: Kan uit Nazareth iets goeds zijn? Filippus zeide tot hem: Kom en zie.

48 Jezus zag Nathanael tot Zich komen, en zeide tot hem: Zie, waarlijk een Israeliet, in welken geen bedrog is.

49 Nathanael zeide tot Hem: Van waar kent Gij mij? Jezus antwoordde en zeide tot hem: Eer u Filippus riep, daar gij onder den vijgeboom waart, zag Ik u.

50 Nathanael antwoordde en zeide tot Hem: Rabbi! Gij zijt de Zone Gods, Gij zijt de Koning Israels.

51 Jezus antwoordde en zeide tot hem: Omdat Ik u gezegd heb: Ik zag u onder de vijgeboom, zo gelooft gij; gij zult grotere dingen zien dan deze. [ (John 1:52) En Hij zeide tot hem: Voorwaar, voorwaar zeg Ik ulieden: Van nu aan zult gij den hemel zien geopend, en de engelen Gods opklimmende en nederdalende op den Zoon des mensen. ]