Breaking the Word

  Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth." But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this."  And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."  (Jn 1:45-51)

 

 

Old Testament, and in particular the Law of Moses (Pentateuch) and the Prophets,  was pointing out to the Messiah who was suppose to come into the world. This expectation was shared by every Jew. But their expectation varied as to from where would come and how he would go about etc. That was why many proposed themselves to be the messiah.

 

Nathanael did not expect the messiah from Nazareth. He was not open to believing that God could make messiah come from anywhere. Philip’s answer ‘come and see’ could only help him to realize. Even though he could not accept the idea of messiah from Nazareth, yet he was open to make an effort to verify.

 

Nathanael was not only open in stating what he knew but he was also open to knowing the truth. It was this openness that made him see the Messiah and also believe in him and follow him. Openness is one of the qualities to commune with God and communicate with God ( you will see the angels of God = communicators of God…).    

  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.'  Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.' You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;  one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it. (Mt 23:13-22)

 

 

Jesus is quite strong in condemning the leaders of his time. He called the hypocrites, blind guides, blind fools and so on. Hypocrite would mean a pretender or an actor or an interpreter. Jesus here would have meant the interpreters; because these leaders were interested in interpreting the rules to the people. They were not only interpreting but they were also pretenders. They pretended to practice it but did not do it.

 

Jesus also criticised them for their activities. They took pride in working for the kingdom but in fact they did not. Their interpretations were such that no one could enter the kingdom and certainly they themselves did not enter into it. They were saying one but doing just the opposite of what they were saying.

 

Secondly they were not worried about the temple, altar which were of greater importance. Instead, they were worried about the offerings and gold. In fact they were more materialistic then anyone. They were not much interested in God and Godly things. That is why Jesus called them blind and fools (Fool says in the secret of his heart that there is not God). These leaders are, in fact, practical atheists.