"Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets: HE is JESUS, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.'
Nathanael replied, 'Can anything good come from Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.' When JESUS saw Nathanael coming, he said of him, 'Here comes an Israelite, a true one; there is nothing false in him.' Nathanael asked him, 'How do YOU know me?' And JESUS said to him, 'Before Philip called you, you were under the fig tree, and I saw you.'
Nathanael answered, 'Master, YOU are the Son of GOD! YOU are the king of Israel!' But JESUS replied, 'You believe because I said, 'I saw you under the fig tree.' But you will see greater things than that.
Truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened, and the angels of GOD ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.'" - John 1:45-51
(These two disciples recognized JESUS. It would be more exact to say that JESUS recognized those whom the FATHER had entrusted to HIM. Thus, HE recognized Nathanael when he was under the fig tree. Among the Jews, this expression referred to a teacher of the law engaged in teaching religion, since ordinarily they taught under the shade of a tree. In the same way, JESUS recognized Simon whom the FATHER chose to be the first Rock of the Church [Matthew 16:13].
You will see the heavens opened. Jacob has seen the heavens open and the angels of GOD forming a living bridge between heaven and earth: this is an image of the communion with GOD which people seek in vain with their various religions. These may give us some external knowledge of GOD and satisfy our religious instincts. Even if we interiorize our search for GOD, we are sinful people who cannot find HIS inner presence without being called by HIM.
The only bridge between GOD and humankind is CHRIST: Son of GOD become man, both GOD and human. Later, in referring to this text [John 1:51] JESUS will declare that HE is the Gate to heaven, because in HIM, GOD has embraced humanity.)
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