Reading for June 16: John 1:48-51

48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?"

Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

50 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." 51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

Comments:

This passage finishes up the introduction to the first disciples. In it we see Nathanael witnessing Jesus' omniscient abilities, which allows Nathanael to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus basically tells him that he hasn't seen anything yet. When He refers to "angels of God ascending and descending," He is referring to Jacobs dream in Genesis 28:12. In his dream he sees a ladder extending to heaven and angels of God are ascending and descending. The ladder represented a connection from heaven to earth, so Jesus is saying that He is the ladder, the link, between heaven and earth. He is the mediator for man, for God.