Philip was pretty sure Jesus was Messiah. Nathanael . . . not so much. Philip had met Jesus and encountered Him . . . Nathanael hadn’t . . . and his skepticism was fueled by the facts that that, one, he could not recall anything in Scripture indicating that Messiah would be from Nazareth . . . and two, as far as cities go, Nazareth wasn’t anything to write home about . . . definitely the “other side of the tracks”. Thus his objection, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” . . . and thus Philip’s charge to Nathanael, “Come and see” . . . check Him out . . . judge for yourself. (John 1:43-46)

But who had really checked out who?

As Nathanael nears the Carpenter from Nazareth, Jesus says to him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” And I’m thinking it isn’t just what Jesus said but how He said it that set Nathanael a bit back on his heels. There was an authority . . . a conveyance of knowledge . . . a sense that not only did Jesus know this to be true . . . but that He knew a lot more about Nathanael than He was revealing at the moment. And Nathanael asks, “How do You know me?” Jesus responds, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” (John 1:47-48)

And that sealed it for Nathanael . . . Jesus of Nazareth had seen him when no one but God could . . . Jesus the son of Joseph had spoken words that indicated that He knew Nathanael from the inside out. And this skeptic’s response, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (4:49)

And the three words that capture my thoughts this morning are Messiah’s declaration, “I saw you.”

Seen by the Son . . . known by the Father . . . searched through by the Spirit . . . no place to hide . . . no secrets buried . . . “I saw you.”

And while I think this can be a pretty frightening concept to grasp . . . total transparency before a holy, holy, holy God . . . yet, I find a measure of comfort in receiving these words to Nathanael as directed towards me. Comfort, not because I’m “squeaky clean” and my house is all in order. The encouragement is not found in me thinking that there’s nothing I wouldn’t rather He didn’t see . . . but in the fact that it is Jesus who’s looking. The Author of my salvation is the One who knows my situation. The only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14) is He who knows my groanings and trip ups. He whose blood was shed to cover all my sin knows my failures. It is God’s blessed Servant, He who “will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle” (Isa. 42:3) who knows my compromised state and the things I would just as soon keep hidden.

And so, there’s a sense in which I marvel that He would see me “under the fig tree.” That He would care enough to know my goings and comings. That He would be interested in my walk . . . would take note of my talk . . . and would search and know the motives behind both. For, in so doing, it is not to judge and condemn, but that it would direct His on-going work of sanctification within me. It’s part of the transformation process . . . that Jesus would see me . . . and know me . . . and, as a Potter, uniquely shape me based on what He has determined for me to become.

The words of the Psalmist come to mind, “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways . . . How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! . . . Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:1-3,17, 23-24)

To know that Jesus sees me . . . how incredible is that?