Jesus statement to Nathanael John 1:50-51

[NewCreation435]

I'm in the process of studying the Gospel of John and wanted to get your understanding of John 1:50-51. Jesus gives Nathanael this great compliment in John 1:47 calling him a true Israelite who has no guile or deceit in him. Then he goes on to say in verses 50-51

50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

What do you believe is the significance of Nathanael seeing Jesus in this manner?

 

[Lamb]

The entire passage is this:

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter[o] you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”




Jesus told Nathanael He saw him under the fig tree. We have no idea what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree but it was enough for Nathanael to know that Jesus was "the Son of God" and the "King of Israel". Nathanael couldn't have said those things unless he first had faith to say them.