John 1:49 (GNV)

Passage

Nathanael answered, and saide vnto him, Rabbi, thou art that Sonne of God: thou art that King of Israel.

Nearby Context

John 1:47 Iesus sawe Nathanael comming to him, and saide of him, Beholde in deede an Israelite, in whom is no guile.

John 1:48 Nathanael sayde vnto him, Whence knewest thou mee? Iesus answered, and sayd vnto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast vnder the figge tree, I sawe thee.

John 1:49 Nathanael answered, and saide vnto him, Rabbi, thou art that Sonne of God: thou art that King of Israel.

John 1:50 Iesus answered, and sayde vnto him, Because I sayde vnto thee, I sawe thee vnder the figtree, beleeuest thou? thou shalt see greater things then these.

John 1:51 And he saide vnto him, Verely, verely I say vnto you, hereafter shall yee see heauen open, and the Angels of God ascending, and descending vpon that Sonne of man.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "nathanael", "answered", "saide", "vnto", "rabbi", "thou", and "sonne". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "nathanael" and "answered", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 48's "Nathanael sayde vnto him Whence knewest thou..." into verse 50's "Iesus answered and sayde vnto him Because...", so "nathanael" and "answered" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "nathanael" and "answered" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.