The Gospel of John: John 1.43-51

Read and meditate on John 1.50, 51.
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, Nathanael.” And that was an understatement. Jesus further astonishes Nathanael by entering into his meditation from Genesis 28 and interpreting the central component of Jacob’s vision as Himself, adding the title (with all its enormous Daniel 7 overtones) Son of Man to His credentials.

                             ⁵⁰Jesus said, “Because this thing
I said to you, ‘I saw you beneath the tree,’
do you believe? I tell you, you will see
much greater things than these. ⁵¹I say to you,
you shall see heaven opened, plain to view,
and angels of the Lord ascending and
descending on the Son of God and Man.”

- John 1.50, 51

Reflect
1.  Nathanael could not have understood all the implications of his confession of Jesus as Teacher, Son of God, and King. But confessing these was a faith-filled good beginning, and Jesus commends it. What is Jesus looking for from us, His disciples, in the way faithful-filled responses? Complete the following brief prayer: Lord, day by day help me…

2.  Review Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28.10-22. John the apostle began his gospel by showing the Word of God as the Bridge between eternity and the unseen realm, and time and human beings. Now he ends his first chapter with a reprise on that theme. What is suggested by the idea of angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man? Lord Jesus, all traffic, all commerce between the seen and unseen worlds passes through You. So today,…

3.  Read and meditate on Daniel 7.13, 14. What was Jesus saying to the already-astonished Nathanael by referring to Himself as “Son of Man”? How did Jesus envision the purpose of His coming to earth? Lord, give me a vision to match Yours, so that I…

4.  And what about that Kingdom? Read Daniel 7.18-27 and Daniel 2.44, 45. How does Jesus want us to think about the Kingdom He came to proclaim, bring near, and give to His saints? Lord Jesus, give me more of Your Kingdom today, so that…

5.  One more thing: Jesus said Nathanael – and by implication, us – would “see heaven open.” Should we take that literally? Was Jesus indicating that we might begin to see into that unseen realm in ways people had not before? Meditate on Ephesians 1.15-23. How does seeing into unseen things happen? Does this happen with you? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you composed from questions 1-4.

Summary
“Do you see how he leads him up little by little from the earth and causes him no longer to imagine him as merely a man? For one to whom angels minister and on whom angels ascend and descend, how could he be a man? This is why he said, ‘You shall see greater things than these.’ And to prove this, he introduces the ministry of angels. What he means is something like this: Does this, O Nathanael, seem to you a great matter, and have you for this confessed me to be King of Israel? What then will you say when you see ‘angels ascending and descending on me’? He persuades him by these words to receive him as Lord also of the angels. For on him as on the king’s own son, the royal ministers ascended and descended, once at the season of the crucifixion, again at the time of the resurrection and the ascension, and before this also, when they ‘came and ministered to him.’ They also ascended and descended when they proclaimed the good news of his birth and cried, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,’ when they came to Mary and also when they came to Joseph…” John Chrysostom (344-407 AD)

There was nothing gradual or reluctant about Jesus’ introduction of Himself to these first disciples. He simply told them the truth, as astonishing as that may have seemed. What should we learn from Jesus about being His witnesses to the people in our Personal Mission Fields?

Closing Prayer
Give the king Your judgments, O God,
And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
He will judge Your people with righteousness,
And Your poor with justice.
The mountains will bring peace to the people,
And the little hills, by righteousness.
He will bring justice to the poor of the people;
He will save the children of the needy,
And will break in pieces the oppressor.
They shall fear You
As long as the sun and moon endure,
Throughout all generations.
He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing,
Like showers that water the earth.
In His days the righteous shall flourish,
And abundance of peace,
Until the moon is no more.
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.

Psalm 72.1-8

Psalm 72.1-8 (Martyrdom: Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed? )
O give the King Your judgment, Lord, and righteousness Your Son;
And let Him judge by Your good Word the need of every one.

Let now the mountains ring with peace, the hills in righteousness;
Let justice rise, oppression cease, and all the needy bless.

Let nations fear You while the sun and moon endure on high;
Refresh, renew us every one, like sweet rain falling from the sky.

Let righteousness abundant be where Jesus’ reign endures;
Let peace increase from sea to sea ‘til moonlight shall be no more.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.