In the hot climate of Palestine,
devout Jews would often sit under the shade of a fig tree to read the law of
Moses, study, and pray (cf. 1 Kings 4;25; Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10). Jesus’ statement
drew Nathaniel back to a recent occasion in which he was meditating on a
portion of the Torah. Presumably it was the episode in which Jacob experienced
a dream at Bethel (cf. Gen 28:10-17; 35:6-7; 48:3-4). He was the first person
to bear the name “Israel” (cf. 32:28), but in contrast to Nathaniel, Jacob was
initially characterized by duplicity (cf. 27:34-36). Nathaniel’s skepticism was
replaced by a profound sense of awe as he realized he was in the presence of
the Anointed One. Without hesitation, Nathaniel respectfully addressed Jesus as
“Rabbi” (John 1:49) and declared Him to be both the “Son of God” and the “king
of Israel.” Most likely, Philip had previously talked at length with Nathaniel
about Jesus, and if so, this conversation established an initial foundation of
understanding. Then, when Nathaniel met Jesus, he was convinced of the
Nazarene’s divine, exalted status as the Messiah (cf. Ps. 2:6-7). (Dan Lioy, Jesus
as Torah in John 1-12 [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock, 2007], 71)