ACC ~ John 1 v50 - 51

“AMEN, AMEN” MEANS YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND TRUSTWORTHY

AMMONIUS: Sometimes our Savior said “amen” once, at other times twice, when he wished to confirm what he was saying. This is a Hebrew manner of speaking, revealing that which was taking place, such as that “you have been found trustworthy” so as to see “the heavens opened,” and so on. He says that it is possible to see the heavens opened not in a manner open to the senses but only by a mind observing the angels coming to serve Jesus. The word amen is used instead of “really and truthfully” and is more fitting here. FRAGMENTS ON JOHN 53. [1]

[1] JKGK 210.

THE LORD OF ANGELS

CHRYSOSTOM: Do you see how he leads him up little by little from the earth and causes him no longer to imagine him as merely a man? For one to whom angels minister and on whom angels ascend and descend, how could he be a man? This is why he said, “You shall see greater things than these.” And to prove this, he introduces the ministry of angels. What he means is something like this: Does this, O Nathanael, seem to you a great matter, and have you for this confessed me to be King of Israel? What then will you say when you see “angels ascending and descending on me”? He persuades him by these words to receive him as Lord also of the angels. For on him as on the king’s own son, the royal ministers ascended and descended, once at the season of the crucifixion, again at the time of the resurrection and the ascension, and before this also, when they “came and ministered to him.” [1] They also ascended and descended when they proclaimed the good news of his birth and cried, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,” [2] when they came to Mary and also when they came to Joseph….

Our Lord made the present a proof of the future. After the powers he had already shown, Nathanael would readily believe that much more would follow. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 21.1. [3]

[1] Mt 4:11.

[2] Lk 2:14.

[3] NPNF 1 14:73**.

JESUS GIVES NATHANAEL A HINT OF HIS REAL NATURE

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: The Lord shows that nothing he had said was so great or sufficient enough to demonstrate all of what he really was. So then he declares what the greater things are that Nathanael would have seen…. He spoke of angels ascending and descending on him, because they assist him in dealing with the whole of creation. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 1.1.50-51. [1]

[1] CSCO 4 3:54.

JACOB FORESAW CHRIST ON EARTH

AMBROSE: Jacob set out and slept—evidence of tranquility of spirit—and saw angels of God ascending and descending. [1] This means he foresaw Christ on earth; the band of angels was descending to Christ and ascending to him, so as to render service to their rightful master in loving service. JACOB AND THE HAPPY LIFE 2.4.16. [2]

[1] Gen 28:10-12.

[2] FC 65:155-56*.

PREACHERS ASCEND BY IMITATION OF CHRIST AND DESCEND BY PREACHING

AUGUSTINE: There is something greater than “I saw you under the fig tree.” [Jesus said, “We shall see greater things than these,”] because it is a greater thing that our Lord has justified us, whom he has called, than that he saw us lying under the shadow of death. For what profit would it have been to us if we had remained where he saw us? Should we not be lying there? And so, what is this greater thing? When have we seen angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man?…

Good preachers who preach Christ are like angels of God; that is, they ascend and descend on the Son of man…. Take for instance Paul, who ascended to the third heaven [1] … and descended so far that he even gave milk to babies. [2] … Take for instance the father who is well skilled in speaking, who is such an orator that the forum resounds with his eloquence and the judgment seats shake—if he has a little son, on his return home he puts aside the forensic eloquence to which he had ascended and in child’s language descends to his little one…. If the Lord himself ascended and descended, it is evident that his preachers ascend by imitation and descend by preaching. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 7.22-23. [3]

[1] 2 Cor 12:2-4.

[2] 1 Cor 3:1-2.

[3] NPNF 1 7:56-57**.