“How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
4 sermons cite this verse
… and this is one of those moments where he looks at Nathaniel and says, man, there's no guile in you. That's amazing. There's no guile in you. There's no deceit in you. Nathaniel says, how do you know me? Jesus said, before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. I mean, you understand Jesus wasn't there. He was seeing in the spirit. He was seeing something. Nathaniel answered and said, Rabbi, you're the son of God. So that's a huge leap. You know, a guy says, I saw you under the fig tree. You're God. You're God. So that was like, he didn't have a long ways to go in his journey. He was pretty close to the edge already. And so when Jesus called him out, he says, you're it. All right, you're it. I'm following you. So Jesus said to him, because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree. Do you believe? You'll see greater things in these. …
… who he is. When I was in my 30s, I did a series called Savage Jesus. I guess I'm getting soft in my old age. Now I'm preaching about seeking Jesus. Now, when we say seeking Jesus, as you find John chapter 1, verse 43 through 51 in your Bible, understand that when we say seeking Jesus, we're seeking someone, not something. Here's the difference. The other day, Holly lost her ring, and I could see she was getting frustrated. I said, move aside. The professional is on the job. I paid for it. I guarantee you I'll find it. I'll stick my hand through your nostril to find it if I have to. The ring was expensive. I said, I bet you I'll find it in three seconds. It wasn't three seconds, but it was only about two minutes. I was seeking her ring. I found her ring. I handed her a ring, and we were done. Because when you're seeking a thing and you find it, you're done. …
… And then Nathanael has a question. He says, Nathanael said to him, How do you know me? And Jesus answered and said to him, before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree, before you knew who I was, before anyone told you that I had been manifested, before anyone came and got you, I saw you under the fig tree. Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, you are the son of God. You are the king of Israel. Instantly he was converted. He went from questioning whether or not he was the Messiah to Jesus telling him, I saw you under the fig tree. Whatever Jesus saw under that fig tree, it was something that let him know immediately that no one could have known what was happening under that fig tree but me and God. He saw something that no one else would have been able to see unless they were God, unless they'd been sent by God. and Nathanael says you are the son of God you are the king of Israel and Jesus answered and said to him because I said to you I saw you under the fig tree do you believe is that all it took was for me to see you he says you will see greater things than these and Jesus says 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. …
… that's amazing there's no guile in you there's there's no deceit in you Nathanael says how do you know me Jesus said before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree I saw you I mean you understand Jesus wasn't there he was seeing in the spirit he was seeing something Nathanael answered and said Rabbi you're the son of God so that's a huge leap. You know, a guy says, I saw you under the fig tree. You're God. You're God. So that was, that was like, he didn't have a long ways to go in his journey. He was, he was pretty close to the edge already. And so when Jesus called him out, he says, you're it. All right, you're it. I'm following you. So Jesus said to him, because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree. Do you believe? You'll see greater things in these. Makes you wonder what he saw. Greater things than these. And he said, most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. …