The Life of Christ

and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

Nazareth was a common Jewish village, located about 15 miles from the Sea of Galilee.

• It was also thought to have a small Gentile presence, being only a few miles from the city of Sepphoris, which was largely Hellenized.

• The city itself was relatively small, covering only about 60 acres with a population of about 500.

To the religious community, the city of Nazareth was considered a spiritual ghetto.

• There had never been a prophet, king or holy man come from this city before; Nazareth is not even mentioned in the Old Testament.

• Nazareth should have been listed in Josh. 19 as one of the allotments of the tribe of Zebulun but wasn’t.

• Worse yet, in his writings, Josephus named some 45 Galilean towns, but never once mentioned Nazareth.

• The Talmud names 63 Galilean sites, but never mentions Nazareth.

• How then could anything worthy come from Nazareth?

• True to His humble nature, Jesus would arise out of obscurity.

Jn. 1:47-49 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” 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 Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”

It was a common fact that many times a Jewish man would seek out the shade of a fig tree to pray.

• Apparently, Nathaniel had been deep in prayer under a fig tree, and Jesus comments that He saw him there. In Nathaniel’s mind, only God knew of his whereabouts.

Jn. 1:50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.”

Nathaniel was a man who was perhaps a bit too quick to jump to lofty conclusions.

• Though he was correct, Jesus wanted to add further depth to Nathaniel’s conviction before making such a statement.

• In verse 51, Jesus promises that such evidence will come.

Jn. 1:51 And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

This is a fulfillment of Jacob's ladder found in Genesis 28:12.

• Jesus is that ladder, which extends between earth and heaven.

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