January 2026 - Brenda H. Price

Scripture: John 1:43-49 

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile (which means deceit or trickery)!

48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

In these verses, we read about two friends—Philip and Nathanael. Philip was from Bethsaida (pronounced beth-say-uh-duh), the same fishing village as Andrew and Peter. Bethsaida was located on the northern side of the Sea of Galilee and was primarily a city of fishermen by trade. It was also a place where Jesus performed many miracles, including restoring sight to a blind man, feeding the five thousand, and later walking on water toward this very city.

Philip was called directly by Jesus Himself. Nathanael, however, was introduced to Jesus through Philip—and his initial response was doubt.

A Little Backstory

To better understand this passage, we need to pause at verse 47 and look more closely at what was happening beforehand.

Scripture suggests that Nathanael had been sitting under a fig tree—perhaps studying, meditating, or praying. The fig tree was a place of shade and significance in Jewish culture, often used as a quiet place for devotion, reflection, and conversation with God. While Scripture does not explicitly tell us why Nathanael was sitting under the fig tree outside Caesarea, it is clear that this was a deeply personal and spiritual moment for him.

What Scripture also does not reveal is the conversation Nathanael had with God while he was there. However, what it doesreveal is Jesus’ divine knowledge of Nathanael’s private thoughts and prayers.

Watch this closely.

No one knew Nathanael was under the fig tree. No one knew what he prayed—except Nathanael and God. Yet in verse 48, Jesus says to him:

“Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”

We need to pay close attention to the word “saw.”

At that very moment, Nathanael realized there was something different about Jesus. Those words were not spoken merely to his ears—they were spoken directly to his spirit.

When Jesus said, “I saw thee”:

• He was not speaking of physical sight alone
• He was saying, I heard your prayers
• I understand your struggles
• I know what you asked Me for
• I see you

When God says, “I see you,” He is saying:
I see your heart.
I understand your thoughts.
I am right here with you.
I hear your prayers.
I know what you’re thinking.
I know what you will do before you do it.
I see your struggles.
I knew you before you were born—before you were even conceived.
And I know the plans I have for you.

Our Fig Tree Moments

The place where Nathanael found himself is the very place many of us are today.

Yes, we go about our daily responsibilities. But each of us has a fig tree—a secret place where we meet with God. That place may look different for each of us. It might be your patio, your closet, your car, or a quiet corner of your home.

• It is the place where we tell God the things we have never told anyone else
• It is the place where we pray prayers no one else knows about
• It is the place where we cry out to God and ask, “Do You see me?”

God wants you to know: He is the God who sees.
He sees you.
He hears you.

Are you with me? Are you getting this?

Jesus’ Discernment of Nathanael

Jesus makes another profound statement in verse 47. Throughout Scripture, Jesus never speaks without purpose.

“Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”

This statement carried both meaning and intention. Jesus operated in perfect discernment. He knew everything there was to know about Nathanael—just as He knows everything about us.

He knew Nathanael was:

• Opinionated
• Prideful
• Rude
• Prejudiced

We can see Nathanael’s pride and prejudice clearly in verse 46, when he asked Philip:

“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

So let me paraphrase what Jesus was really saying—because it was not a compliment. In essence, He was saying:
Here comes a man who believes he is perfect, who thinks he can do no wrong, and who believes everyone else is beneath him.

Seen, Known, and Loved

Jesus knows everything about us—past, present, and future. Nothing is hidden from Him.

We can never be enough for ourselves, because all that we are, all that we will ever be, and everything we will ever need can only be found in Christ Jesus—Christ alone.

He is the only One who remains present in our hardest moments. Why? Because He understands.

• If you have been rejected—He understands, because He was rejected
• If you have been betrayed—He understands, because He was betrayed
• If you have been misunderstood, mistreated, lied on, mocked, or falsely accused—He understands all of it

Jesus has walked through every one of these experiences.

And He sees you.
He sees me.

There is peace in knowing that we are fully seen—and fully known—by Him.