John 1:50 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

NIV: Jesus said, 'You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.'

NASB: 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.'

CSB: Jesus responded to him, "Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this."

NLT: Jesus asked him, 'Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.'

KJV: Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

NKJV: Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

Nathanael was so impressed by Jesus' knowledge that he proclaimed Him the King of Israel. Jesus tells Nathanael that the signs coming soon are even more impressive. In modern lingo, Jesus response is essentially, "You ain't seen nothin', yet!" The gospel of John discusses seven of Jesus' miracles, and refers to them as "signs." The purpose of a true miracle is always bringing people a message about, or from, God. In the gospel of John, these seven miracles are recorded specifically so that people will realize that Jesus is God. Knowing where Nathanael was, and what he was doing, is impressive. But these future signs will be more potent proofs that Christ was who He claimed to be. Jesus has already gently corrected Nathanael for using stereotypes (John 1:47). Now, He gives an early reminder that those who believe only when they have a miracle are not seeking honestly. Christ makes this point very clear later, in His parables and conversations (Luke 16:31, Matthew 12:39).

John 1:43–51 shows Jesus recruiting Philip and Nathanael. Philip seems eager to follow Jesus. Nathanael is skeptical, especially because Jesus is from a back-water town like Nazareth. When Jesus demonstrates His supernatural wisdom, Nathanael proclaims Him as the “Son of God” and “The King of Israel.” Jesus responds by predicting even more spectacular signs, and refers to Himself using the term “Son of Man,” an important figure in Jewish prophecy.

The first chapter of John introduces Jesus as “the Word,” from the Greek Logos. This chapter clearly describes Jesus as identical to God. After this prologue, the chapter describes Jesus recruiting the first of His disciples, as well as a conversation between John the Baptist and the Pharisees. There are seven names for Christ in this chapter, including “The Son of God,” “The Word,” and “The King of Israel.”

The first chapter of the gospel of John equates Christ with God, and introduces John the Baptist. The Baptist specifically points to Jesus as the Promised One. Jesus collects the first five of His disciples. In this chapter, Jesus is given seven descriptive names, including “The Word,” “The Son of God,” and “The King of Israel.” This chapter sets the stage for the rest of the gospel, by giving the reader a sense of who Jesus truly is, and why He has come. The rest of the gospel is an exploration of the claims made in this initial passage.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/2/2024 9:03:02 PM