Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Dan Lioy on John 1:47-50

  

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)