You Shall See Greater Things!
Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:50-51)
Jesus’ words to Nathanael remind me of the Paul’s words to the Corinthians:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”–but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)
-Matthew Henry
Nathanael is blown away over Jesus’ knowledge of him, yet Jesus confirms to him that this is a mere drop in the bucket compared to what he is going to see. “You shall see greater things than that” is the promise given by our Savior and one that, as believers, we can apply to our own lives as well. Jesus tells His disciples:
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. (John 14:11-13)
-John Calvin
Every true believer is sealed with the precious Holy Spirit who equips and empowers us for the good works which God has ordained for us to do. To be a part of God’s work for the kingdom is the highest calling–it is our greatest purpose. God’s desire is to be glorified both in us and through us. He does this by changing us from the inside out through the surrender of our will to the power of His Holy–one surrender at a time. He never forces us to follow Him. However, we become more like Jesus by each surrender to the Holy Spirit’s prompting–we become less and He becomes greater.
Jesus’ next words to Nathanael commanded Nathanael’s fixed attention: “I tell you the truth.” He wanted Nathanael to have no doubt in his mind as to the truth of what he was saying. Regarding heaven being open and angels ascending and descending upon Jesus was an indication that Jesus would now be man’s access to heaven. Jesus was referring here to Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28. The stairway on earth going to heaven, with the angels ascending and descending on it as heaven communicating with earth, would now be replaced by Jesus as the divine communication. The Son of man would now be God’s link with the earth.
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need–one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. (Hebrews 7:25-26)
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63-64)
Take It to Heart
God has more prepared for each one of than we can ever imagine.
“The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.”
(William Booth)
“When we can do nothing, Jesus can do all things; let us enlist His powerful aid upon our side, and all will be well.” (Charles Spurgeon)