Nathanael’s Epiphany – John 1:43-51

A text – John 1:43-51

1:43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
1:44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
1:45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”
1:46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
1:47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!”
1:48 Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
1:49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
1:50 Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.”
1:51 And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

A reflection:

In this passage we learn almost nothing about Philip, whom Jesus calls as a disciples not too long after he called the fishermen Peter, James, John, and Andrew. But we do learn some interesting bits about Nathanael. He must have been Philip’s friend, he must have been skeptical about Nazareth, and he seemed a little miffed upon receiving the statement from Jesus that he had no deceit, since he responded by implying that Jesus had no way of knowing his character. He shows up in these first verses of this passage making a somewhat negative first impression.

Jesus looks at him and answers that he had seen Nathanael under the fig tree before Philip called him. Now, we don’t know when Nathanael had been under a fig tree or what he might have been doing there, but whatever it was, it must have revealed Nathanael’s character to Jesus. What is more, Jesus’s having seen him really stuns Nathanael. It is a moment of epiphany – as if a heavenly light and a choir of angels appeared over Jesus, and Nathanael could see at that moment that Jesus was holy. Immediately, Nathanael declares that Jesus is Rabbi, Son of God, and King of Israel. Quite a turnaround for a skeptical man who, moments before, seemed resistant and doubtful. Even Jesus is surprised at this instant declaration! But if this man knows and says nothing deceitful, it is a true statement and Jesus prophesies to Nathanael that he will have greater evidence of Jesus’s identity as time goes on.

This moment of epiphany for Nathanael is also evidence that people don’t often come to belief directly, by a holy vision of Jesus. Most are brought to their belief because the Holy Spirit readies them for it and because their friends tell them about it. New discipleship is a result of community, and it needs community to continue to flourish. Just as baptism isn’t one magic rite that makes us into something else, an entire community participates in baptism, joining themselves to the person in the journey from unawareness or skepticism to faithfulness. Epiphany follows a time of openness to possibility, and epiphany is followed by a whole band of people growing the faith in both big and little steps.

What epiphany have you had? What came before and after it? How were you led to something good?

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for epiphanies in our lives. Thank you for always being ready to show us more and nurture our openness. Help us to seek out those friends who are looking for something, and when the Holy Spirit readies them for you, help us to walk with them into their relationship with you.  Amen.