The Call of Philip

On the day mentioned in verses 43-51, Jesus had decided to leave Peraea where John was baptizing and to go to Galilee, which is the northern part of Palestine.

Jesus sought out and found Philip. We are not told why our Lord hunted for him and found him. Of course, He, in leaving heaven and coming to earth, came here to seek and to save that which was lost, but there was some special reason why He wanted Philip. He was later appointed as one of the Apostles.

When Jesus found him, He gave the command, "Follow me." Philip was of Bethsaida, the place where Andrew and Peter lived. This little town was just south of Capernaum, on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is the will of God that all who come to the Lord Jesus Christ and learn of Him, follow Him daily. Jesus said: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24). A man has to say "no" to himself upon many occasions, that is, he must lay his own preferences and choices aside in order to follow the Lord. There is very frequently a clash between the desires and the wants of the Christian and the will of God. Whenever such a conflict exists, the one who really and truly wants to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus in the fullest sense of the term must say "no" to himself and follow the Lord.

A Conversation Between Philip and Nathanael

When Philip accepted the challenge of Jesus to follow Him, he took the matter seriously. He had the proper idea concerning discipleship. He therefore was a soul winner from the start. Like Andrew, who went and got Peter as soon as he himself learned that Jesus was the Messiah, Philip sought out his friend Nathanael and led him to the Lord.

The message which Philip delivered immediately was this: "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (John 1:45). From this statement we may infer that Nathanael was looking for the Messiah and seeking Him, for Philip said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses … wrote." Evidently Nathanael was thirsting after God and after the Messiah, just as David said that he did (Ps. 42). Both Moses and the Prophets wrote of the Messiah. When Jesus appeared to the disciples on the evening of the Easter on which He rose from the dead, He expounded to the Apostles all things that had been prophesied concerning Him in Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. John, in Revelation 19:10, told us that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy," that is, that all of the prophets wrote of Jesus. He is the central figure on the stage of human life and activity.

Nathanael's reaction to the announcement concerning the Messiah was this: "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? (John 1:46). In the minds of the people of Palestine of that day no one of any worth as a rule lived in the city of Nazereth. Thus those who lived there were all marked men. The name, Nazarene, was a synonym for low character, and for those who were despised. Nathanael did not see how any person who had any character whatsoever would live in Nazareth. In order to sum up what the prophets said concerning our Lord's being despised, we are told in Matthew 2:23 that "he should be called a Nazarene"—the despised, rejected one.

Philip replied to Nathanael's query by saying: "Come and see." Evidently Philip knew the character of Nathanael. He had made the impression upon Philip's mind that he was a sincere, earnest, godly, truth-seeking person. Unfortunately, not all people qualify on these points. All too many people will not be convinced against their will. Hence, all the proof that might be brought, though positive and unequivocal, can never convince a person who is prejudiced, set, and determined in his ways. The sequel to the story shows that Philip had the correct idea of Nathanael.

The Conversation Between Jesus and Nathanael

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, He remarked: "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" (John 1:47.) To be free from guile, hypocrisy, pretense, and cant is a combination that is very rare indeed! Many of the very best people in the world—born-again people—who are thoroughly honest in a general way are nevertheless tainted with guile. They will offer some excuse, which is simply an excuse and not a reason, as the cause of their doing many things. Many excellent godly people, while they will not make a statement along a certain line that is shady, yet will act in such a way as to make the wrong impression. Even Abraham, the friend of God and the father of the faithful, was not free from guile. In order to deceive Pharaoh concerning the relationship that existed between him and his wife, Abraham instructed Sarah to say that she was his sister. Sarah was indeed a half-sister of Abraham, but she was more than that. She had become his wife. To tell Pharaoh and his servants that Sarah was his sister was a truth, but it was simply a half-truth. It was told in order to deceive. Hence, a correct statement may be made, but it can be put in such a connection that it will make an entirely erroneous impression. Anyone who would do that is not without guile—even though Abraham, the faithful servant of God, did practice it. God saw fit to put it on the pages of Eternal Truth that Abraham did not act apart from guile.

But Nathanael, according to our Lord's statement, was an Israelite in whom there was no guile. This is a marvelous statement and is absolutely correct. No deception, no camouflage, no "crawfishing," could be discovered in his life or in any of his acts. Let us pray that the Lord may grant that we, too, may be free from all sham, hypocrisy, and guile.

When Jesus spoke as He did, Nathanael replied: "Whence knowest thou me?" Nathanael gathered from what Jesus had said that He had a clear insight into his very being. He therefore asked from what source Jesus had gathered His information, and how it was that He knew him. In reply Jesus said: "Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." According to our Lord's statement, He had seen Nathanael when he was under a fig tree, and He had taken note of Him, although Nathanael was not aware of that fact. There are some people whose very faces are an open book, and the message that is in their innermost soul is written, figuratively speaking, upon their countenances. Nathanael was such a person.

When Nathanael looked into the face of Jesus, let us believe, he then replied: "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel" (vs. 49). Rabbi, as we have learned, is the word for teacher, or is used in that connotation. Nathanael knew that Jesus was a teacher, who had been sent from God—a fact which Nicodemus likewise recognized. Nathanael confessed that Jesus was the Son of God and the King of Israel. Jesus was the Son of God in the truest and highest sense of the term, being one of the persons of the Holy Trinity, who entered the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth in fulfillment of the predictions of the prophets. For instance, see Isaiah 7:14. Jesus was likewise the King of the Jews. He was born to fill that office. Unfortunately some Bible students see in the life of Jesus proof that He offered Himself as King of Israel to the Jews. But it is exceedingly difficult to take any passage on the subject and find the one that will prove positively that Jesus offered Himself as the King of the Jews. The facts in the case are that He offered Himself as the Saviour of Jew and Gentile alike and never did offer Himself to Jewry as their King. According to the program as outlined in the Old Testament, the Messiah comes and establishes a spiritual kingdom upon the earth, at His first advent. The gospel is preached throughout the Christian Era to Jews and Gentiles alike. At the end of this dispensation the Tribulation will burst forth upon the world. At the end of it, Jesus will come in power and great glory. At that time He will be accepted by the Jews as their King—after they will have pleaded for Him to return. He will come, mount the throne of David, lift the curse, and establish His kingdom upon the earth among men.

The Lord Jesus finally made a marvelous promise to Nathanael. Here are His words: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." Jacob, as we see in Genesis, chapter 28, had a vision of God, of heaven, and of earth. In this vision he saw a ladder connecting the earth with the heavens and angels ascending and descending upon it. Just as Jacob, in the revelation given him in this dream saw the heavens connected with the earth by the continuous stream of angels going back and forth, so the Lord said that Nathanael would have a similar experience. I have no doubt that he did, on various occasions, have his spiritual eyes opened and saw angels from heaven descending to the Son of man, coming to minister to His needs, and then returning to glory. Thus in the actual experience of Nathanael this promise doubtless was fulfilled at times.

Some have thought that it will be fulfilled in the Millennium, when heaven and earth will be connected in a vital manner, similar to that which Jacob saw in his vision. It is quite likely that this may be included in the promise that Jesus made to Nathanael.

When the Millennial Era dawns, there will be many things which we shall see, and which will startle us and thrill our very being. In the meantime, let us be faithful and true to Him in all things, doing His will and His bidding at all times.