“Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!’” (Jn. 1:47). The Greek word translated “deceit” or “guile” here is δόλος, meaning, “in whom there is nothing false.”[1] Jesus highlighted the exceptional character of Nathanael in this regard; the pure honesty of this man’s heart was remarkable. Nathanael was an Israelite indeed. He did not hide his prejudices, but was quick to accept the truth when it was proven to him. “Most men lack this complete sincerity. Professing love to Christ, they still secretly love the world and the flesh; promising faithfulness, the promise does not fully bind their hearts. This δόλος kept the Jewish nation from Christ, proved the curse of Judas, almost wrecked Peter.”[2]
Nathanael the Israelite stood in contrast to a period in the life of the patriarch Israel, whose name was Jacob, a name which means supplanter or usurper. Though Jacob was the second-born of the twins, he usurped his brother Esau’s place. Vincent wrote, “It is an interesting fact that in Genesis 25:27, Jacob is called a plain man, i.e., as some explain the Hebrew, a perfect or upright man, and others, a man of quiet and simple habits, and that the Septuagint renders this adjective by ἄπλαστος, unfeigned, without disguise, simple, guileless. The Greek here reads literally, in whom guile is not.”[3] Yet, if that is the meaning in Genesis 25:27, Jacob did not stay that way. The Genesis narrative goes on to describe how Jacob deceived his father Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau. Afterwards, Isaac said to Esau, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing” (Gen. 27:35). It is easy to allow deceit to creep into our lives when we think it will benefit us. Jacob may have been a deceiver, but his descendant, Nathanael, was “an Israelite without duplicitous motives who was willing to examine for himself the claims being made about Jesus.”[4]
Psalm 32:2 says the blessed man is one “in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Nathanael was blessed because of his sincerity. When Philip found Nathanael in John 1:46, Nathanael had some prejudice against Nazareth, but he still came to see if Jesus was the Messiah. Likewise, we must not allow our prejudices to cause us to write people off. Too often we can deceive ourselves or be tempted to be somewhat false to others instead of dealing with hard truths. Some people do not accept the truth immediately, but must be convinced. Many must overcome long-held, but mistaken notions. Removing deceit from our hearts is not easy but is absolutely necessary if we will be what Jesus wants us to be.
Jesus knew what was in man, as John 2:24 notes, “But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” Thus, He knew Nathanael (Jn. 1:48). Nathanael asked how Jesus knew him (v. 49). How did Jesus know who he really was on the inside? Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree. He perceived and understood his heart. To Nathanael this supernatural knowledge was enough to convince him that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus promised Nathanael that he would see greater things that this (v. 50).
Jesus showed great miraculous signs that proved He was the Son of God (Jn. 20:30-31). However, the religious leaders, who deceitfully acted holy, rejected this plain truth and covertly plotted His death. Jesus remained true even to the cross. He serves as our example in suffering for righteousness sake as He, “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22; cf. Isa. 53:9). The Lord Jesus can see into our hearts as well; if guile is present, He knows it.
-Mark Day
[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 256.
[2] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961), 168.
[3] Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 2 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 75.
[4] D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 160.
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