1 00:00:10,900 --> 00:00:12,600 Hi everyone, welcome back to logical. 2 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:14,900 Bible study. Maybe look at the Gospel reading 3 00:00:14,900 --> 00:00:17,700 for today's mass. And today we're going to look at 4 00:00:17,700 --> 00:00:24,000 John chapter 1 verses 43 to 51. So as always, we will go through 5 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,600 the text and then we'll have a go at doing an exegesis of the 6 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:28,300 text. What does it really mean on the 7 00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:31,400 most fundamental level? This particular text is not 8 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,600 particularly well known. So you might learn some new 9 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:39,200 things from today's episode. So John chapter 1 verses 43 to 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:43,600 51. After Jesus had decided to leave 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,700 for Galilee, he met Philip and said, follow me. 12 00:00:47,700 --> 00:00:51,700 Philip came from the same town bethsaida as Andrew and Peter. 13 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,000 Philip found Nathanael and said to him. 14 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,900 We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, the one 15 00:00:58,900 --> 00:01:03,700 about whom the prophets wrote he is Jesus Son of Joseph from 16 00:01:03,700 --> 00:01:07,400 Nazareth. From Nazareth said, Nathaniel 17 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,800 can anything good come from that place? 18 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,500 Come and see replied Philip? When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, 19 00:01:15,500 --> 00:01:19,200 he said of him. There is an Israelite who 20 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,300 deserves the name incapable of Deceit. 21 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,100 How do you know me, said Nathaniel before, Philip came to 22 00:01:27,100 --> 00:01:29,000 call? You said Jesus. 23 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:35,400 I saw you under the fig tree. Nathanael answered Rabbi you are 24 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,200 the Son of God? You are the king of Israel. 25 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,700 Jesus replied, you believe that. Just because I said, I saw you 26 00:01:43,700 --> 00:01:47,200 under the Fig Tree, you will see greater things than that. 27 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:52,200 And then he added, I tell you, most solemnly, you'll see her 28 00:01:52,300 --> 00:01:57,000 Heaven, laid, open, and above the son of man, the angels of 29 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:04,100 God ascending and descending. So, what's the context of this 30 00:02:04,100 --> 00:02:05,800 passage? We're at the end of John chapter 31 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,300 1. So if we have our understanding 32 00:02:08,300 --> 00:02:11,700 of the timing correct that it appears that Jesus has been 33 00:02:11,700 --> 00:02:15,200 baptized, he's been tempted in the wilderness and now he's 34 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,400 spending some time in the region of perea. 35 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,600 Where John is baptizing that that's where he has been. 36 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,100 He's been in the Paris area and we've just heard before this, 37 00:02:24,100 --> 00:02:28,300 the origin story of Peter and Andrew when they first encounter 38 00:02:28,300 --> 00:02:30,800 Jesus. Now, this is even before Jesus 39 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,800 has begun His official Ministry, he And began his ministry yet. 40 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,200 He's just starting to get some followers in the starting to 41 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:42,600 attract attention in the region of perea verse 43 after Jesus 42 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:44,600 had decided to leave for Galilee. 43 00:02:45,100 --> 00:02:48,300 So now Jesus leaves per area, which is in the south of Israel 44 00:02:48,500 --> 00:02:51,300 and now he moves up to Galilee in the north and that's where he 45 00:02:51,300 --> 00:02:55,400 spends most of his time. So he goes to Galilee and there, 46 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,700 he meets Philip Now, Philip would become one of Jesus 47 00:02:59,700 --> 00:03:02,600 disciples is not one that's particularly well-known. 48 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,300 We don't hear a lot about him in the synoptic gospels, but he is 49 00:03:06,300 --> 00:03:09,700 mentioned a few times in the Gospel of John, that might 50 00:03:09,700 --> 00:03:13,200 indicate that the author of The Gospel of John, which is the 51 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,700 probably the Apostle, John, maybe he was somewhat close to 52 00:03:16,700 --> 00:03:20,400 Philip and that's why he knows more about the events that 53 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,800 Philip was involved in. That's just speculation though. 54 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,900 So Jesus meets Philip in Galilee. 55 00:03:28,500 --> 00:03:32,700 And he said to do to, Philip follow me, that's all he says to 56 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:34,600 him. Now, it's likely that we just 57 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,400 have a condensed version here. Probably Jesus said, more than 58 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,100 that to Philip. Maybe Philip had seen Jesus 59 00:03:40,100 --> 00:03:44,000 preached a few times, but then one day, Jesus laid eyes on 60 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:48,200 Phillip and he said, follow me and it's pretty similar to what 61 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,600 he would later do to Matthew. That's what he says to Matthew 62 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,200 the tax collector, follow me, interestingly, Philip is 63 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,500 apparently the first disciple that Jesus calls directly. 64 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,600 Although He's met Peter and Andrew already. 65 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,700 They only heard about him indirectly. 66 00:04:04,300 --> 00:04:07,300 And they sort of approach Jesus, to get more information about 67 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:09,800 him. But here, Jesus locks eyes with 68 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,500 Philip and says, follow me, Peter Philip, immediately 69 00:04:13,500 --> 00:04:18,100 recognizes that this is the Messiah and he follows him verse 70 00:04:18,100 --> 00:04:21,000 44. So the author of the book of 71 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,100 John here says Phillip Came From the same town that bethsaida as 72 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:27,700 Andrew and Peter. So we've already met Peter and 73 00:04:27,700 --> 00:04:30,800 Andrew And they've probably introduced earlier because Peter 74 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,300 is, of course, the most important disciple so everyone 75 00:04:33,300 --> 00:04:36,800 relates to him in some way. Now this is interesting because 76 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,200 a lot of people have looked at this and said ìhey is a Bible 77 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,800 contradiction because the other gospels say that Peter lives in 78 00:04:43,900 --> 00:04:45,900 Capernaum, Peter and Andrew live in Capernaum. 79 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:49,100 But here John's gospel very clearly, says, Peter and Andrew 80 00:04:49,100 --> 00:04:52,100 are from a place called bethsaida. 81 00:04:52,100 --> 00:04:55,100 So, which one is correct? Well, look at the language 82 00:04:55,100 --> 00:04:57,300 carefully. John says, they're from 83 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,900 bethsaida. He doesn't say that they live in 84 00:04:59,900 --> 00:05:03,100 bethsaida. So probably what's going on here 85 00:05:03,900 --> 00:05:08,500 is that Peter and Andrew live in Capernaum during Jesus ministry 86 00:05:08,500 --> 00:05:10,600 and possibly, they leave their just for work. 87 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,400 Whereas their real home town is bethsaida as John says. 88 00:05:14,700 --> 00:05:16,600 So that would be the way to reconcile it. 89 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,400 There from bethsaida, but they live in Capernaum. 90 00:05:20,300 --> 00:05:22,800 Now, just out of Interest, the bethsaida and Capernaum are 91 00:05:22,808 --> 00:05:24,400 actually quite close to each other. 92 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,300 They're about five miles away. They're both around the Sea of 93 00:05:27,300 --> 00:05:29,400 Galilee. But they belong to different 94 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,100 different jurisdictions. So bethsaida is on the east of 95 00:05:32,100 --> 00:05:34,900 the Jordan River. So it's in the territory of 96 00:05:34,900 --> 00:05:38,100 Herod Philip, whereas Capernaum is on the west side of the 97 00:05:38,100 --> 00:05:40,000 Jordan River. So it's in the territory of 98 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,300 Herod Antipas. So Peter and Andrew their 99 00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:45,400 Fisherman's. So they would need their fish to 100 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,000 be processed. That will be, either are dried 101 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,600 or salted before. It could be before, it could be 102 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,600 sold outside the immediate area and basically they needed to get 103 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,100 it, get their fish through a fish fact. 104 00:05:58,700 --> 00:06:01,900 The main Fish Factory in the Sea of Galilee area, was it? 105 00:06:01,900 --> 00:06:05,800 Magdala magdala is in the same territory as Capernaum. 106 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:09,200 So basically, if they want to do good business with their fish, 107 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:10,900 they're going to need to go in your capernum. 108 00:06:10,900 --> 00:06:14,300 So it makes sense that they would move to live in Capernaum 109 00:06:14,300 --> 00:06:17,000 as fishermen and there's more than that, as well. 110 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,600 So fishermen coming from bethsaida, they have to bring 111 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,600 their catch across the border and when they do that, they 112 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,700 would have to pay the tax. And therefore there's actually a 113 00:06:26,700 --> 00:06:29,500 customs house a component. And that's the one that Matthew 114 00:06:29,500 --> 00:06:32,700 or Levi the tax collector, works out there was a very significant 115 00:06:32,700 --> 00:06:35,700 border at Capernaum and a fisherman across that border 116 00:06:35,900 --> 00:06:37,700 with their fish that would have to pay a tax. 117 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:42,400 So for all these reasons, Peter and Andrew lived in Capernaum, 118 00:06:43,100 --> 00:06:46,000 when they were fishermen, in order to avoid the tax and in 119 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,800 order to avoid the other difficulties with having to go 120 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,600 across the border all the time. So hopefully you find that 121 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:56,200 Illuminating verse 45. Philip found Nathanael. 122 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,400 So now we get introduced to Nathaniel, and Nathaniel is 123 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,000 probably the same Apostle as Bartholomew. 124 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,200 He's got two different names, which was quite common in that 125 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,300 culture, actually. So, apparently they're the same 126 00:07:08,300 --> 00:07:11,700 person, he might well be the least known, Apostle 127 00:07:11,700 --> 00:07:14,300 Bartholomew. So, apparently, Philip and 128 00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:17,700 Bartholomew and Bartholomew or Nathaniel a friends, because as 129 00:07:17,700 --> 00:07:21,200 soon as Philip realizes, he's found the Messiah, he goes 130 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,500 straight to Nathaniel. And this is what he says to 131 00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:27,300 Nathaniel. We have found the one Moses 132 00:07:27,300 --> 00:07:31,800 wrote about in the law, the one about whom the prophets wrote so 133 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,000 Phillip reclaims. The Messiah has arrived the one, 134 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,600 the whole Old Testament has been prophesying about. 135 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,000 So here we have explicit confirmation that the Jews in 136 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,800 Jesus time believed that the whole Old Testament even as 137 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,100 early as Moses made predictions about the coming Messiah, 138 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,700 sometimes you'll hear Scholars. May be critical Scholars will 139 00:07:51,700 --> 00:07:54,000 say that. The Jews in Jesus time. 140 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:58,000 Didn't know that most of the Old Testament pointed towards the 141 00:07:58,000 --> 00:07:59,700 Messiah. Maybe the Christians just sort 142 00:07:59,700 --> 00:08:03,500 of read that into it later in history or maybe it was a second 143 00:08:03,500 --> 00:08:07,200 temple development will hear. Philip explicitly says even 144 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,300 Moses has been talking about this man. 145 00:08:10,100 --> 00:08:12,200 So apparently it was a widespread belief that the 146 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,800 entire Old Testament is pointing towards one figure who is to 147 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:20,600 come and he says to Nathaniel, he is Jesus, Son of Joseph from 148 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,600 Nazareth. Now, they didn't have. 149 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:24,900 Last names or surnames in that culture. 150 00:08:24,900 --> 00:08:27,800 So most people would just called X son of Y. 151 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,600 So here we have Jesus, Son of Joseph and that's what Jesus was 152 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,100 known as across most of Israel. Although interestingly at 153 00:08:35,100 --> 00:08:37,700 Nazareth, he is known as Jesus, Son of Mary and there's some 154 00:08:37,700 --> 00:08:39,200 interesting reasons for that as well. 155 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:44,000 So he tells Nathaniel that, this Jesus guy is from Nazareth. 156 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,400 And then Nathaniel says, from Nazareth, can anything good come 157 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,600 from that place. So Nathaniel is a bit skeptical. 158 00:08:51,700 --> 00:08:53,500 Why is that? Well, we can only guess really 159 00:08:53,500 --> 00:08:56,900 but it seems that Nazareth was not particularly well regarded 160 00:08:56,900 --> 00:08:59,100 at that time, it was sort of a Backwater Town. 161 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,900 It only had a population of around 300 people, so Nazareth 162 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:05,900 is a very small town and he thinks that nothing. 163 00:09:05,900 --> 00:09:08,200 Nothing significant can come from Nazareth. 164 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,900 He probably thinks it might come from maybe Jerusalem but not 165 00:09:11,900 --> 00:09:14,300 from Nazareth. And that's a theme that keeps 166 00:09:14,300 --> 00:09:18,500 coming up in the gospel later, the Jewish leaders say, how can 167 00:09:18,500 --> 00:09:20,300 this man be the Messiah? He's from Nazareth. 168 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:23,900 So it's this theme that keeps coming up and so this is 169 00:09:23,900 --> 00:09:27,800 Phillips response. Come and see, that's exactly 170 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,200 what Jesus said to Peter and Andrew in the previous passage. 171 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,800 So it's that same language, come and see. 172 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:38,400 So Philip Rings Nathaniel to Jesus verse 47. 173 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,200 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, he said of him. 174 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,700 Now, to understand this next bit, we need to sort of read 175 00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:48,000 ahead of it. We later, learn that Jesus had 176 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,900 seen Nathaniel earlier and when he saw Nathanael earlier, he 177 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:54,300 apparently looked deep into Nathaniel's heart. 178 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,600 And he knew him intimately straight away. 179 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:01,700 So, at that first site, that Jesus saw Nathanael, Jesus knew 180 00:10:01,700 --> 00:10:05,400 Nathaniel, and he knew that Nathaniel was destined to become 181 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,300 an apostle. So there's this quite beautiful 182 00:10:07,300 --> 00:10:10,300 intimacy here. So when Jesus saw Nathanael 183 00:10:10,300 --> 00:10:14,800 coming this time He says, there is an Israelite who deserves the 184 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,900 name or some translations or say behold an Israelite indeed. 185 00:10:20,300 --> 00:10:24,000 Jesus earlier have looked into Nathaniel's heart and had seen 186 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,100 that this man is truly worthy of being called an Israelite. 187 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:30,500 Now, not everyone in this time was worthy of the name but Jesus 188 00:10:30,500 --> 00:10:34,900 says Nathaniel is he's a true Jewish person and he adds on his 189 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:39,200 incapable of Deceit, or duplicity more. 190 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,100 Literally there. What it says is he is in him, 191 00:10:42,100 --> 00:10:46,900 there is no guile We're not told why he's called that, but 192 00:10:46,900 --> 00:10:50,000 apparently it means and that Nathaniel According To Jesus, 193 00:10:50,300 --> 00:10:53,100 always tells the truth and he does not deceive people. 194 00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:57,500 This might occur some 32 verse 2, which says this blessed is 195 00:10:57,500 --> 00:10:59,500 the man who to whom the Lord imputes. 196 00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:03,000 No guilt in whom whose spirit is no deceit. 197 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:07,800 So Jesus sees that that's Nathaniel and that impresses 198 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,000 Jesus. Verse 48. 199 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:11,600 Nathanael says, how do you know me? 200 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,300 And Jesus says before, Philip came to call you. 201 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,300 I saw you under the Fig Tree. So, apparently, when Jesus first 202 00:11:19,300 --> 00:11:22,100 saw him Nathaniel was sitting under a fig tree and that was a 203 00:11:22,100 --> 00:11:25,100 pretty common tree in Israel. Maybe he was sitting there to 204 00:11:25,100 --> 00:11:27,200 get some shade from the hot Israel son. 205 00:11:27,900 --> 00:11:30,500 So Jesus saw him then and looked into his heart. 206 00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:34,100 Now, as soon as Jesus now, says to Nathaniel here, I saw you 207 00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:38,100 earlier under the Fig Tree, Nathanael answered him, Rabbi 208 00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:39,800 you are the son. Son of God. 209 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:44,500 You are the king of Israel. Now, that's a huge statement in 210 00:11:44,500 --> 00:11:48,900 one breath Nathaniel. Recognizes that Jesus, he calls 211 00:11:48,900 --> 00:11:51,200 him to things. He is the king of Israel which 212 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:55,900 means Messiah and Son of God. This is very early on. 213 00:11:55,900 --> 00:11:59,300 Even before Jesus starts his ministry, we have you Nathaniel 214 00:11:59,300 --> 00:12:02,100 recognizing Jesus is the Messiah at a minimum? 215 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:04,200 Now, this latter term, he calls him. 216 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,900 Son of God. This could mean one of two 217 00:12:06,900 --> 00:12:11,200 different things so he could be Using it as a synonym for king 218 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,000 of Israel maybe it means the same thing as king of Israel 219 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,800 that would make sense given the context because Old Testament 220 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:21,100 kings in the Old Testament often called sons of God. 221 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:25,200 So if you look at 2nd Samuel, 7 verse 14 and then in some of the 222 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,000 Psalms as well, the king of Israel is often called the Son 223 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,900 of God. They're made Sons by Covenant 224 00:12:31,900 --> 00:12:34,300 allow adoption the Kings of Israel. 225 00:12:34,300 --> 00:12:37,400 So maybe that's what Nathaniel means here when he sends you are 226 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,500 the Son of God. Maybe he means You are the king, 227 00:12:39,500 --> 00:12:42,500 the God has appointed. He could also mean it in the 228 00:12:42,500 --> 00:12:45,600 theological sense that we think of his literally, the Son of 229 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,600 God. Now, that's something that Jesus 230 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:52,400 only gradually reveals later. So maybe Nathaniel is the first 231 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:56,200 person to recognize that Jesus is the son of God for him to 232 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,900 recognize that, he must be cooperating with God's grace and 233 00:12:59,900 --> 00:13:02,700 that's pretty incredible. And if that's true, that means 234 00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:06,600 that Nathaniel is indeed a true Jew as Jesus indicated because 235 00:13:06,900 --> 00:13:11,200 he's open to the spirit of God. Now, what triggered this whole 236 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,200 reaction. Why did he all of a sudden go? 237 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,500 Well, you're the Son of God because all Jesus said was I saw 238 00:13:16,500 --> 00:13:19,700 you under the Fig Tree, something about that triggers 239 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:24,000 Nathaniel what's so special about this idea of a fig tree? 240 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,500 Well, it seems that Nathaniel Knows His Old Testament, very 241 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:30,300 well because there's some prophecies from the Minor 242 00:13:30,300 --> 00:13:33,500 Prophets, which talked about the coming Messianic, age being 243 00:13:33,500 --> 00:13:36,600 related to fig trees Particularly if you look at 244 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:41,700 Zechariah Chapter 3 Verse 10 and then Micah chapter 4 verse 4, 245 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,900 they both use the same language, they talked about how in the 246 00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:48,900 Messianic age, neighbors will invite one and under one 247 00:13:48,900 --> 00:13:53,300 another, under their fig trees and later, Judaism had come to 248 00:13:53,300 --> 00:13:56,800 link these passages with the coming of the royal branch. 249 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:58,900 That was a title they given for the Messiah. 250 00:13:58,900 --> 00:14:01,900 In fact Zechariah uses that title for the Messiah. 251 00:14:01,900 --> 00:14:06,000 So they put together these various teachings of Zechariah 252 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,600 and others. And determined that there's a 253 00:14:08,608 --> 00:14:11,400 connection between the Messiah and fig trees. 254 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:14,600 Now, it's possible that Nathaniel also made here, a link 255 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,600 with the word Nazareth, which Philip mentioned earlier, 256 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,500 because the Hebrew word for branch is Nestor. 257 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,800 And apparently, Nazareth is named after the Hebrew word for 258 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,400 branch. So maybe all of those things 259 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,800 combined leads Nathaniel to realize Jesus is the Messiah. 260 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:33,300 So he says you are the Son of God, the king of Israel. 261 00:14:34,100 --> 00:14:35,800 Verse 50. Jesus replied. 262 00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:38,900 You believe that just because I said I saw you under the Fig 263 00:14:38,900 --> 00:14:41,600 Tree, you will see greater things than that. 264 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:45,900 So Jesus basically uses you ain't seen nothing yet and that 265 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:48,300 probably means Jesus knows and if they're Niall is going to 266 00:14:48,308 --> 00:14:52,500 become one of the Apostles that follows him, he then finishes by 267 00:14:52,500 --> 00:14:56,300 saying this I tell you most solemnly or truly truly, I say 268 00:14:56,300 --> 00:14:59,600 unto you. And now, he's going to use this 269 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:01,500 term son of man. Now that needs a bit of 270 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:05,100 unpacking. This is the last of a series of 271 00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:08,100 successive titles, which have been progressively revealed for 272 00:15:08,100 --> 00:15:10,700 Jesus in chapter 1. So, if you read the Gospel of 273 00:15:10,700 --> 00:15:13,500 John chapter 1, there's all these different titles of Jesus 274 00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:17,400 mentioned Lamb of God, obviously Jesus called John, the Baptist 275 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:22,300 calls him, that Son of God, Rabbi Messiah is used of him. 276 00:15:22,700 --> 00:15:25,500 And then in today's passage, we have the one about whom Jesus, 277 00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:29,400 wrote king of Israel and then Finally son of man. 278 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,400 So all of these titles have apparently been building to son 279 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,600 of man and that's Jesus. Preferred term for himself, the 280 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:40,000 background for son of man is Daniel chapter 7 so Jesus 281 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,800 doesn't invent this term. Son of man, if you look at 282 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:48,100 Daniel 7:13-14, it actually talks about this figure in 283 00:15:48,100 --> 00:15:52,700 heaven who subscribed as one, like a son of man who appears on 284 00:15:52,700 --> 00:15:56,300 the clouds, and he receives God's Everlasting, Universal 285 00:15:56,300 --> 00:15:59,300 kingship. So it's A royal title for the 286 00:15:59,308 --> 00:16:02,800 Messiah and then some later Jewish writings that didn't make 287 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,000 it into the Bible. So 1 Enoch. 288 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,900 And for Ezra, they both talked about the son of man as this 289 00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:12,900 pre-existing Heavenly being who is going to come and exercise 290 00:16:12,900 --> 00:16:16,000 Judgment at the end of time. So there's some quite 291 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,600 interesting things that the Jews believed about the son of man. 292 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,500 And now Jesus comes along and says, I'm the son of man, 293 00:16:22,500 --> 00:16:25,400 interesting. So here's what he says in the L2 294 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:27,900 Nathaniel you will see Heaven later. 295 00:16:28,100 --> 00:16:32,500 Open and above the son of man, the angels of God ascending and 296 00:16:32,500 --> 00:16:35,500 descending. What it actually says here is 297 00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:39,100 the Angels descending and ascending upon the son of man. 298 00:16:39,100 --> 00:16:41,400 So there's a connection here between the angels and the son 299 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,500 of man. It's an interesting phrase, 300 00:16:43,500 --> 00:16:45,800 isn't it? So firstly, we have to say here, 301 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:50,900 that Jesus is alluding to Jacobs dream in Genesis 28, verses 11 302 00:16:50,900 --> 00:16:52,800 to 15. So you might know, Jacob's dream 303 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:54,300 where he has the vision of the ladder. 304 00:16:54,900 --> 00:16:57,900 Jacob sees this great ladder, that Angels move up and down. 305 00:16:58,100 --> 00:17:01,200 On Between Heaven and Earth. And it seems that Jesus has 306 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:05,800 taken this image that the Jacob sees in the Old Testament, the 307 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,500 vision and he puts himself, the son of man into the vision. 308 00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:13,099 He says, you'll see Angels ascending and descending to 309 00:17:13,099 --> 00:17:16,500 heaven on the son of man. So the son of man is now in the 310 00:17:16,508 --> 00:17:18,099 vision. What does that mean? 311 00:17:18,099 --> 00:17:22,000 Why does Jesus say the son of man is involved in the Angels 312 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:23,700 ascending and descending from Heaven? 313 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,200 You could mean, a few different things, maybe Jesus. 314 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,400 Here means the son of man is The place where Heaven touches 315 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:31,800 Earth. Maybe he means the Southern Man 316 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:35,800 is the gateway to heaven in his salvation says maybe he means 317 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,500 the son of man is God's dwelling place and that would certainly 318 00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:41,600 fit with something. John the Apostle said earlier in 319 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:46,000 verse 14 remember he said God tabernacled among his men. 320 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,900 He dwelt amongst men in Jesus so maybe that's what's meant maybe 321 00:17:50,900 --> 00:17:54,200 Jesus means the son of man will be the mediator through whom 322 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:58,500 Angels exercise their Ministry. All of these might be Ended by 323 00:17:58,500 --> 00:18:02,100 when Jesus paints this picture of the Angels ascending and 324 00:18:02,100 --> 00:18:07,400 descending on the son of man. Now, the word here, when he 325 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,500 says, you will see Heaven laid open, it's actually a plural 326 00:18:10,500 --> 00:18:12,800 you. So this is intended for all 327 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:16,900 disciples in the context of Nathaniel seeing this. 328 00:18:16,900 --> 00:18:19,100 What when would Nathaniel see these things happening? 329 00:18:19,100 --> 00:18:22,800 You'll see have unload open, will this promise of Jesus to 330 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,400 Nathaniel could be interpreted one of two different ways. 331 00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:28,300 It could be an exaggeration or hyperbole. 332 00:18:28,300 --> 00:18:31,800 Maybe Jesus means something like this, you will see amazing 333 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:35,800 Heavenly things in the next few years and you'll see me become 334 00:18:35,900 --> 00:18:39,000 I'm the chosen one who brings Heaven to Earth, maybe he means 335 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,100 it, symbolically maybe he's literally telling the Faneuil 336 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:45,400 that he's actually going to see that Vision because apparently 337 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,800 at the Ascension, something like that happened. 338 00:18:47,900 --> 00:18:51,100 There was Angels ascending and descending just before the 339 00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:53,800 Ascension. So either of those could be in 340 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:57,100 view here. That is the end of today's 341 00:18:57,100 --> 00:18:59,200 passage and it's the end of John chapter 1. 342 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,600 So, the very next thing that happens is the famous wedding of 343 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:04,700 Cana at the start of John Chapter 2. 344 00:19:04,700 --> 00:19:09,500 And that is only three days later after this episode, that 345 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:14,100 is red on the second Sunday of in ordinary time in year. 346 00:19:14,100 --> 00:19:18,400 See so it's red once in the liturgical year and then some 347 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:23,200 countries also have it on January 6th or 7th depending on 348 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,700 how the dating of the The Epiphany works. 349 00:19:26,700 --> 00:19:30,600 But certainly it's on the second Sunday in ordinary time in year. 350 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:34,700 See Let's now turn to the catechism. 351 00:19:34,700 --> 00:19:37,600 What is the catechism have to say about this passage paragraph 352 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,400 878 makes an interesting application here about what the 353 00:19:41,408 --> 00:19:45,400 role of priests is in the New Covenant and how each priest is 354 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:48,400 called individually. It says it belongs to the 355 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,900 sacramental nature of ecclesial Ministry, that it have a 356 00:19:51,900 --> 00:19:55,500 personal character. Although Christ's ministers act 357 00:19:55,500 --> 00:19:59,600 in communion with one another. They also always act in a 358 00:19:59,608 --> 00:20:02,700 personal way. Each one is called personally, 359 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,300 You follow me in order to be a personal witness within the 360 00:20:06,300 --> 00:20:10,100 common mission, to be a personal responsibility before him, who 361 00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:12,700 gives the mission acting in his person. 362 00:20:12,700 --> 00:20:15,800 And for other persons. I baptize you in the name of the 363 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:19,600 father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, I absolve you. 364 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,200 So there, the catechism makes a really interesting point. 365 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:27,600 It says that each of Christ's ministers priests and Bishops in 366 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:29,900 order for them to do their role effectively and in order for 367 00:20:29,900 --> 00:20:33,900 them to do things in the name of Jesus, they need To be called by 368 00:20:33,900 --> 00:20:37,500 Jesus. Personally, just as Philip was 369 00:20:37,500 --> 00:20:41,400 In this passage, otherwise, their Ministry is not going to 370 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,300 be effective. So, that's a really interesting 371 00:20:43,500 --> 00:20:46,600 link to this text. That's the end of today's 372 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:48,000 podcast. Hopefully you learn something 373 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,200 new and will continue to move through the gospels in the 374 00:20:51,208 --> 00:20:51,900 coming days.