Philip and Nathanael

The day after Andrew and Peter met Jesus, He decided to set out for Galilee. There He found Philip, and told him, “Follow Me.” 

Now, Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

“Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. 

“Come and see,” said Philip. 

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.” 

“How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. 

Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 

“Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 

Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” 

(Editor's Notes: 

1. The Bible does not explain the reason for Jesus' words or Nathanael's reaction. But some have suggested that when Philip found Nathanael under the fig tree, he had been reading or meditating on the Book of Genesis. More specifically, on the passage in chapter 28, when Jacob, the deceiver, was at Bethel and dreamed of a ladder stretching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending upon it.

2. Traditional scholars accept that the Apostle Bartholmew of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and the Apostle Nathanael of the Gospel of John, are the same person.)

(See Genesis 28:10-15; 1 Kings 4:25; Zechariah 3:10; Micah 4:4; John 1:43-51)

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