Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Jesus recognized Nathanael as a true and genuine Israelite, sincere, upright and free from all deceit. Before Philip brought him, Nathanael was alone in secret prayer under the fig tree, reflecting on the prophecies and longing for light on the truth and the promised Messiah, and Jesus supernaturally saw him there and knew his character and private experience. That knowledge broke through his doubts and inherited prejudice and brought him to firm faith in Jesus as Messiah, Son of God and King of Israel. Jesus still sees all who in humility seek divine guidance in their secret places of prayer, and light comes to every earnest seeker for truth, with angels attending and messengers leading them to the Source of all light. Those who are Israelites indeed today truly belong to God and serve Him faithfully in guileless, consecrated character, and like Philip they are to bring relatives, friends and earnest seekers to the Saviour by direct personal effort.
Nathanael Meets Jesus
To be called an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile is to be declared a true and genuine Israelite, sincere, upright, and free from deceit. The greeting was spoken at Bethabara beyond the Jordan while John was preaching and baptizing, a place full of memories of Israel crossing the Jordan and of the overthrow of Jericho that stirred hope that God would again deliver His people. It belonged to Jesus' return to the Jordan before beginning His great work, when He chose Nathanael as a disciple, and to the first witness of the disciples after meeting Him there, whose testimony kindled hope that God had raised up a deliverer for His people.
Nathanael was among the first disciples called, when Jesus called Philip and Philip sought out and brought his friend Nathanael to Jesus. Together with John and Andrew and Simon he made the first five, called from humble occupations to accompany Jesus, to receive His teachings, to witness His miracles and to publish them to the world. By such direct personal effort and direct appeals to relatives, friends and acquaintances to come to the Saviour, these early callings laid the foundation of the Christian church by individual effort.
Before Philip called him, Nathanael was alone under the fig tree in a secret place of prayer, sincerely praying and reflecting on the prophecies and seeking light to know what is truth. He was longing for the promised Messiah and was drawn in spirit toward Jesus, holding fast to what light he had, though he had grace with less light. He came to Jesus with doubts, prejudice and unbelief, yet honestly wanting the truth, with childlike sincerity and trust.
Jesus knew Nathanael's character and private experience before meeting him, having seen him under the fig tree, which revealed supernatural insight. That knowledge helped Nathanael overcome inherited prejudice and strengthened his wavering faith. It brought him to firm, abiding faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God and King of Israel, which Jesus commended.
Christ Sees Secret Seekers
The welcome given to Nathanael as an Israelite without guile rests on supernatural knowledge, for Jesus had already seen him under the fig tree before Philip called him, and that fig tree was a secret place of prayer where he was seeking light to know what is truth. As He knew Nathanael's private experience beneath the fig tree, so He also sees people in their secret places of prayer when in humility of heart they seek divine guidance and light to know what is true.
Light comes to every earnest seeker for truth as it came to Nathanael, who was bowed in earnest prayer asking to know the truth when at Philip's invitation to come and see a messenger came to call him and lead him to the Source of all light while he was still asking for light. Prayer for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit before opening the Bible will be answered, and angels from the world of light attend those who in humility seek divine guidance. His sincere seeking is the pattern for thousands now in the darkness of error who have never heard the truth yet pray for light and for the revealings of the Holy Spirit, praying for the light of truth from humble homes even when profligacy and heresy and infidelity fill the land, cherishing every ray of light and carrying a weight of oppression for the dishonor done to God, and therefore accepted of God.
The description of Nathanael as without guile shows that God reads the heart, motives and purposes and delights in the prayers of the upright. He hears those who come without self-exaltation, sincerely aware of their weakness and unworthiness, who open the heart to Him as to a friend in sincere and contrite prayer. Prayer from a sincere heart under the fig tree was heard and answered by Christ, who gave precious evidence of divine love and care and nearness, for God is not slow to hear those who pray in this way.
Searching the Scriptures therefore requires coming as a learner with eager interest and fervent prayer to know what is truth, not to defend preconceived ideas, prejudice and unbelief.
Israelites Indeed Today
An Israelite indeed is one who truly belongs to God and serves Him faithfully. The humble, faithful remnant who received Christ and became His true followers are such Israelites without guile, in contrast to the proud leaders who rejected Him. Their guileless character is marked by modest goodness and freedom from deceit.
That character comes from a vital connection with God, in which conscience responds to His light with confession and forsaking of sin through grace. Consecration in such a life is unstained by doubt or impurity, and the person is self-forgetful and unselfish. All who serve God in this way are those who remain true to principle in the perils of the last days, while the whole world with all its iniquity is passing in review before God.
Before the overflowing scourge comes upon all dwellers on the earth, they are to gather their children into their own houses and train them in faithfulness to God rather than let them be shaped by the world. They are to gather them out from classes voicing disobedience and from influences voicing the words of Satan and disobeying the commandments of God, keeping them from the world's influence and training them for service to God. They are to get out of the cities as soon as possible, to establish church schools, and to give them the Word of God as the foundation of all their education.
Philip seeking out Nathanael and bringing him to Christ, together with John pointing two of his disciples to Christ and one of those finding his brother and bringing him, laid the foundation of the Christian church by individual effort. Direct personal effort and direct appeals to relatives, friends, acquaintances and neighbors to come to the Saviour is therefore the work left upon all church members and not upon the minister alone. Unselfish, interested, faithful work to bring others to Christ shares largely of grace here and reward hereafter and gives a bright and living experience through working faith.
There is need for true Christian home missionary labor like Philip's to bring earnest seekers holding fast to the truth they believe into clearer light. Nathanael himself had grace but less light, holding fast unyieldingly to what light he had, not satisfied to go groping in darkness but wanting clearer light, and the Lord did not leave him in darkness. Like Nathanael praying for the light of truth before he had heard it, offering sincere and contrite prayer from a humble home when profligacy and heresy and infidelity fill the land, there are thousands now in the darkness of error who never heard the truth yet cherish every ray of light, pray for light and for the revealings of the Holy Spirit with a weight of oppression for the dishonor done to God, and are accepted of God, so Christ's lightbearers must not be unfaithful but must labor for them.
Jesus recognized Nathanael as a true and genuine Israelite, sincere, upright and free from all deceit. Before Philip brought him, Nathanael was alone in secret prayer under the fig tree, reflecting on the prophecies and longing for light on the truth and the promised Messiah, and Jesus supernaturally saw him there and knew his character and private experience. That knowledge broke through his doubts and inherited prejudice and brought him to firm faith in Jesus as Messiah, Son of God and King of Israel. Jesus still sees all who in humility seek divine guidance in their secret places of prayer, and light comes to every earnest seeker for truth, with angels attending and messengers leading them to the Source of all light. Those who are Israelites indeed today truly belong to God and serve Him faithfully in guileless, consecrated character, and like Philip they are to bring relatives, friends and earnest seekers to the Saviour by direct personal effort.
Nathanael Meets Jesus
To be called an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile is to be declared a true and genuine Israelite, sincere, upright, and free from deceit. The greeting was spoken at Bethabara beyond the Jordan while John was preaching and baptizing, a place full of memories of Israel crossing the Jordan and of the overthrow of Jericho that stirred hope that God would again deliver His people. It belonged to Jesus' return to the Jordan before beginning His great work, when He chose Nathanael as a disciple, and to the first witness of the disciples after meeting Him there, whose testimony kindled hope that God had raised up a deliverer for His people.
Nathanael was among the first disciples called, when Jesus called Philip and Philip sought out and brought his friend Nathanael to Jesus. Together with John and Andrew and Simon he made the first five, called from humble occupations to accompany Jesus, to receive His teachings, to witness His miracles and to publish them to the world. By such direct personal effort and direct appeals to relatives, friends and acquaintances to come to the Saviour, these early callings laid the foundation of the Christian church by individual effort.
Before Philip called him, Nathanael was alone under the fig tree in a secret place of prayer, sincerely praying and reflecting on the prophecies and seeking light to know what is truth. He was longing for the promised Messiah and was drawn in spirit toward Jesus, holding fast to what light he had, though he had grace with less light. He came to Jesus with doubts, prejudice and unbelief, yet honestly wanting the truth, with childlike sincerity and trust.
Jesus knew Nathanael's character and private experience before meeting him, having seen him under the fig tree, which revealed supernatural insight. That knowledge helped Nathanael overcome inherited prejudice and strengthened his wavering faith. It brought him to firm, abiding faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God and King of Israel, which Jesus commended.
Christ Sees Secret Seekers
The welcome given to Nathanael as an Israelite without guile rests on supernatural knowledge, for Jesus had already seen him under the fig tree before Philip called him, and that fig tree was a secret place of prayer where he was seeking light to know what is truth. As He knew Nathanael's private experience beneath the fig tree, so He also sees people in their secret places of prayer when in humility of heart they seek divine guidance and light to know what is true.
Light comes to every earnest seeker for truth as it came to Nathanael, who was bowed in earnest prayer asking to know the truth when at Philip's invitation to come and see a messenger came to call him and lead him to the Source of all light while he was still asking for light. Prayer for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit before opening the Bible will be answered, and angels from the world of light attend those who in humility seek divine guidance. His sincere seeking is the pattern for thousands now in the darkness of error who have never heard the truth yet pray for light and for the revealings of the Holy Spirit, praying for the light of truth from humble homes even when profligacy and heresy and infidelity fill the land, cherishing every ray of light and carrying a weight of oppression for the dishonor done to God, and therefore accepted of God.
The description of Nathanael as without guile shows that God reads the heart, motives and purposes and delights in the prayers of the upright. He hears those who come without self-exaltation, sincerely aware of their weakness and unworthiness, who open the heart to Him as to a friend in sincere and contrite prayer. Prayer from a sincere heart under the fig tree was heard and answered by Christ, who gave precious evidence of divine love and care and nearness, for God is not slow to hear those who pray in this way.
Searching the Scriptures therefore requires coming as a learner with eager interest and fervent prayer to know what is truth, not to defend preconceived ideas, prejudice and unbelief.
Israelites Indeed Today
An Israelite indeed is one who truly belongs to God and serves Him faithfully. The humble, faithful remnant who received Christ and became His true followers are such Israelites without guile, in contrast to the proud leaders who rejected Him. Their guileless character is marked by modest goodness and freedom from deceit.
That character comes from a vital connection with God, in which conscience responds to His light with confession and forsaking of sin through grace. Consecration in such a life is unstained by doubt or impurity, and the person is self-forgetful and unselfish. All who serve God in this way are those who remain true to principle in the perils of the last days, while the whole world with all its iniquity is passing in review before God.
Before the overflowing scourge comes upon all dwellers on the earth, they are to gather their children into their own houses and train them in faithfulness to God rather than let them be shaped by the world. They are to gather them out from classes voicing disobedience and from influences voicing the words of Satan and disobeying the commandments of God, keeping them from the world's influence and training them for service to God. They are to get out of the cities as soon as possible, to establish church schools, and to give them the Word of God as the foundation of all their education.
Philip seeking out Nathanael and bringing him to Christ, together with John pointing two of his disciples to Christ and one of those finding his brother and bringing him, laid the foundation of the Christian church by individual effort. Direct personal effort and direct appeals to relatives, friends, acquaintances and neighbors to come to the Saviour is therefore the work left upon all church members and not upon the minister alone. Unselfish, interested, faithful work to bring others to Christ shares largely of grace here and reward hereafter and gives a bright and living experience through working faith.
There is need for true Christian home missionary labor like Philip's to bring earnest seekers holding fast to the truth they believe into clearer light. Nathanael himself had grace but less light, holding fast unyieldingly to what light he had, not satisfied to go groping in darkness but wanting clearer light, and the Lord did not leave him in darkness. Like Nathanael praying for the light of truth before he had heard it, offering sincere and contrite prayer from a humble home when profligacy and heresy and infidelity fill the land, there are thousands now in the darkness of error who never heard the truth yet cherish every ray of light, pray for light and for the revealings of the Holy Spirit with a weight of oppression for the dishonor done to God, and are accepted of God, so Christ's lightbearers must not be unfaithful but must labor for them.