Homilies on the Gospel of John

“Nathanael answered and says unto Him, Rabbi, You are the Son of God, You are the King of Israel. Jesus answered, and said unto him, Because I said unto you, I saw you under the fig-tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.”

1. Beloved, we need much care, much watchfulness, to be able to look into the depth of the Divine Scriptures. For it is not possible to discover their meaning in a careless way, or while we are asleep, but there needs close search, and there needs earnest prayer, that we may be enabled to see some little way into the secrets of the divine oracles. Today, for instance, here is no trifling question proposed to us, but one which requires much zeal and enquiry. For when Nathanael said, “You are the Son of God,” Christ replies, “Because I said unto you, I saw you under the fig-tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.”

Now what is the question arising from this passage? It is this. Peter, when after so many miracles and such high doctrine he confessed that, “You are the Son of God”, is called “blessed,” as having received the revelation from the Father; while Nathanael, though he said the very same thing before seeing or hearing either miracles or doctrine, had no such word addressed to him, but as though he had not said so much as he ought to have said, is brought to things greater still. What can be the reason of this? It is, that Peter and Nathanael both spoke the same words, but not both with the same intention. Peter confessed Him to be “The Son of God” but as being Very God; Nathanael, as being mere man. And whence does this appear? From what he said after these words; for after, “You are the Son of God,” he adds, “You are the King of Israel.” But the Son of God is not “King of Israel” only, but of all the world.

And what I say is clear, not from this only, but also from what follows. For Christ added nothing more to Peter, but as though his faith were perfect, said, that upon this confession of his He would build the Church; but in the other case He did nothing like this, but the contrary. For as though some large, and that the better, part were wanting to his confession He added what follows. For what says He?