Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Fuller Proof

John 1:50-51 KJV
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.
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.


My attention is on the phrase in verse 50, "greater things than these."

Jesus goes on to tell us what those greater things will be. He says, "...ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."

These words were spoken to Nathanael (and I suppose Philip may have been there to hear them.) If Nathanael could see the angels of God ascend and descend upon Jesus Christ it would have had to have happened with spiritual eyes. The only references I can think of that would have hinted at this would be
When the Spirit of God descended like a dove at Jesus' baptism
When the angels ministered unto Jesus in the wilderness temptation
When Moses and Elijah spoke with Him on the Mt of Transfiguration

In each of these cases, it is unlikely that Nathanael would have been a witness. In one of them, it is sure that he was not.


Albert Barnes says these greater things would be a "Fuller proof, of His Messiahship, especially what is mentioned in [verse 51]"

John Gill says, "....sense is, that there would be immediately made such clearer discoveries of his person, and grace by his ministry and such miracles would be wrought by him in confirmation of it, that it would look as if heaven was open, and the angels of God were continually going to and fro, and bringing fresh messages, and performing miraculous operations; as if the whole host of them were constantly employed in such services...."

As we read the life account of Jesus Christ we too may see the angels ascending and descending upon Christ as each new event in His life gives us fresh and clearer discoveries of His person and grace. How I long for the Lord to open my eyes to see the spiritual workings of His hand, both in the Word of God and in our world today.

And I long to be able to impart that same vision to the people the Lord blesses me to pastor in this life.

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