John 1:48

1:48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, ¹  “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, ²  I saw you.”

John 1:35

1:35 Again the next day John ³  was standing there ⁴  with two of his disciples.

John 1:46

1:46 Nathanael ⁵  replied, ⁶  “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” ⁷  Philip replied, ⁸  “Come and see.”

¹ tn Grk “answered and said to him.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation to “replied.”

² sn Many have speculated about what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree. Meditating on the Messiah who was to come? A good possibility, since the fig tree was used as shade for teaching or studying by the later rabbis (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 5:11). Also, the fig tree was symbolic for messianic peace and plenty (Mic 4:4, Zech 3:10.)

³ sn John refers to John the Baptist.

⁴ tn “There” is not in the Greek text but is implied by current English idiom.

⁵ tn Grk “And Nathanael.”

⁶ tn Grk “said to him.”

⁷ sn Can anything good come out of Nazareth? may be a local proverb expressing jealousy among the towns.

⁸ tn Grk “And Philip said to him.”