47‐49. Nathanael must have felt convinced that he had been hidden from Christ’s natural view, otherwise he could not draw the inference which, aided by divine grace, he draws. Whether Nathanael yet recognised Jesus to be true God, and professed his belief in Him as such, in the words of verse 49, is disputed. If we are to judge from his words (ὁ υἱός), the affirmative opinion seems much more probable. The words are an echo of the Baptist’s testimony (v. 34), but Nathanael confesses not alone Christ’s Divine origin, but also His human sovereignty: Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel. 50. Respondit Iesus, et dixit 50. Jesus answered and said to ei: Quia dixi tibi: Vidi te him: Because I said unto thee, sub ficu, credis: maius his I saw thee under the fig‐tree, videbis. thou believest: greater things than these shalt thou see. 50. Jesus promises Nathanael stronger arguments in proof of His Divinity. In the words: *Greater things than these shalt thou see*, the plural these seems to point to the class and not merely the special incident. 51. Et dicit ei: Amen, amen. 51. And he saith to him: Amen, dico vobis, videbitis coelum amen, I say to you, you shall apertum, et Angelos Dei see the heaven opened, and the ascendentes, et descendentes Angels of God ascending and supra Filium hominis. descending upon the son of man. 51. *Amen, amen*, is peculiar to John. The other Evangelists use “Amen” only once in such asseverations. “Amen means verily (at the end of a prayer, so be it); and when doubled, strengthens the asseveration, and points to the solemnity of the declaration about to follow” (M’Ev.). *Son of man.* This term, probably derived in its Messianic sense from Dan. vii. 13, 14, was very rarely applied to Christ, except by Himself, and we find Him using it very frequently (though not exclusively; see, _e.g._, Matt. ix. 6; xxiii. 30; Acts vii. 56) in connection with His privations, sufferings, and death (Matt. viii. 20; xii.40; xvii. 12; xxvi. 21‐25; John iii. 14, &c.). It indicates that Christ was not only man like Adam; but that, unlike him, He was _descended_ of man, and therefore our brother in the truest sense. *You shall see.* Though Nathanael is addressed (and He saith to _him_), yet the plural (videbitis) shows that the wondrous sign here promised was to be seen not by him alone, but at least by Philip also, and probably by others. The meaning of the prediction is obscure. Evidently some great sign is promised; but what it is, interpreters are far from agreed. Some take the words metaphorically, others literally.