Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that 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 the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
— John 1:50–51 —
Jose Carlos Angeles Fernandez: Word of Grace Biblical Seminary | Mexico
Nathanael believed having had only a little taste of Jesus’ supernatural knowledge. While he was under the fig tree, probably praying, Jesus saw him. Had it merely been a physical sight, it would not have made any impact on Nathanael. But he knew that Jesus had seen him inwardly, and this is what made him believe. Now, Jesus’ ministry was just beginning. Much more was coming to validate His identity as the Son of God. Nathanael and the other disciples would see the power of God coming from heaven and displayed in Jesus. Hold fast your sincerest belief in Jesus and He will show you great and wonderful things in and through His word. They would come to recognize that through Him would come all divine communications and comforts, like a ladder that messengers from God could use to bridge heaven and earth. But Nathanael believed in Jesus before seeing any of these things. His faith was quick, unreserved, and decisive. There are many today who want to know everything about Christianity before they will believe in Jesus. They demand a college degree but refuse to go to elementary school. There are even Christians whose faith is greatly inhibited because they have not yet seen or understood certain things. Oh, that we could learn from the faith of Nathanael, an Israelite in whom there was no deceit (John 1:47)! He was honest at heart and eager to believe the truth. And Jesus promised Him much more to come. As Augustine once said, “Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe.” Hold fast your sincerest belief in Jesus and He will show you great and wonderful things in and through His word.
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