John 1:45-49 (Hebrewgpspels.com)
“Then he found Netanel (Nathaniel), and said to him, “We, have found YESHUA the son of Yoseph (Joseph) of Nazareth – it is He of whom Moses wrote in the law and in the prophets!” But Nathaniel said to him, “Can there be any good thing in Nazareth!?” Philip said to him “Come and see Him!” YESHUA MASHIACH saw Nathaniel who came there, and said, “Whom do you think that truth is from --- man of Yisra’el who is without any deception? Nathaniel said to him, “HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE ME?” YESHUA answered and said to him, “BEFORE Philip had called you, I saw you UNDER THE FIG TREE! Nathaniel answered Him and said, Rabbi, YOU ARE THE SON OF ELOAH --- YOU ARE THE KING OF YISRA’EL!”
Why did the words of YESHUA make an instant believer out of Nathaniel? The Hebrew gospels translation of John has the words “Under the fig tree” in bold text. The introduction section of John has an explanation about the translation and they state, “Certain words were marked in BOLD according to EMPHASIS IN THE HEBREW MANUSCRIPT—based on special word order etc. – and are NOT OUR EMPHASIS OR INTERPRETATION.”
So, emphasis was placed here for a very good reason because it is drawing our attention to something special. Bishop K. C. Pillai in his book titled “Eastern Customs and Idioms of the Bible” writes on page 46 “If you would say to any man, ‘I KNEW YOU SINCE YOU WERE A CHILD,” you would say, “I SAW YOU UNDER THE FIG TREE.”
Remember Nathaniel said, “How do you recognize me?” or as the Complete Jewish Scriptures says, “How do you know me?” YESHUA was telling Nathaniel that He is EL and already knew him from the womb, just as we see it written in:
Jeremiah 1:4-5 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“Here is the word of YAHWEH that came to me: “BEFORE I formed you in the womb, I KNEW YOU; BEFORE YOU WERE BORN, I separated you for Myself. I have appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
Psalms 139:13-16 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“For you fashioned my inmost being, YOUR KNIT ME TOGETHER IN MY MOTHER’S WOMB. I thank you because I am awesomely made, wonderfully; your works are wonders I know this very well. MY BONES WERE NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU WHEN I WAS BEING MADE IN SECRET, intricately woven in the depts of the earth. YOUR EYES COULD SEE ME AS AN EMBRYO, BUT IN YOUR BOOK ALL MY DAYS WERE ALREADY WRITTEN; MY DAYS HAD BEEN SHAPED BEFORE ANY OF THEM EXISTED.”
Psalms 119:73 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“YOUR HANDS MADE AND FORMED ME; give me understanding, so I can learn your commandments.”
Thanksgiving Hymns, Hymn 7 (The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls) page 256
“You alone did create the just AND ESTABLISH HIM FROM THE WOMB.”
Thanksgiving Hymns, Hymn 17 (The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls) page 289
“For You have KNOWN ME from the time of my father, AND HAS CHOSEN ME FROM THE WOMB. From the belly of my mother You have dealt kindly with me…”
John 1:1-4 (Hebrewgospels.com)
“In the beginning was THE SON OF ELOAH. The SON OF EL was both with EL, and the SON OF EL WAS ELOAH. This One was IN THE BEGINNING WITH EL. ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM; and without Him nothing was made, of that which was made. For He is life – this life is the LAMP OF MEN.”
Nathaniel recognized that YESHUA was divine and His creator. He instantly recognized that YESHUA was the promised Messiah and King of Yisra’el. Furthermore, YESHUA said that there was no deception/nothing false found in Nathaniel, which means that he was righteous. So, adding to this, YESHUA was telling Nathaniel that He has observed his uprightness since His youth, just as it was said to Ezra:
2 Esdras/4th Ezra 6:32
“Because your voice has surely been heard before the Most High; for the Mighty One has seen your UPRIGHTNESS and has observed the purity which you have maintained FROM YOUR YOUTH.”
We know that those who accept YESHUA and walk in righteousness will have eternal life. The fig tree symbolizes peace, prosperity, and abundance that the righteous will have in eternity.
Micah 4:1-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“But in the acharit-hayamim (end of days) it will come about that the mountain of YAHWEH’s house will be established as the most important mountain. It will be regarded more highly than the other hills, and peoples will stream there. Many gentiles will go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of YAHWEH, to the house of the ELOHIM of Jacob! He will teach us about His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For out of Zion will go forth Torah, the word of YAHWEH from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for many nations far away. Then they will hammer their swords into plow-blades and their spears into pruning-knives; nations will not raise swords at each other, and they will no longer learn war. Instead, each person will sit under HIS VINE AND FIG TREE, with no one to upset him.”
May we all be like Nathaniel to know YESHUA is EL, Messiah, King, Priest, and Prophet, walk in righteousness and obtain eternal life.