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“Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” (John 1:47 NASB).
We need not go far back to find out the sense of these words, which sense they fully enough contain within themselves. The occasion of them was this: Philip called Nathaniel to come to Christ. Being called, Nathaniel comes, and when he comes to Christ, our Lord gives His judgment of him.
In these words we first have a note of observation: “Behold!” This hints at two things. First, that Nathaniel, a true Israelite, is a worthy sight deserving examination: “Behold, an Israelite.” Second, Nathaniel is a rare sight. We do not normally use “behold” for that which we see every day.
Second, in these words, we have a description of Nathaniel, and in him, a description of a sincere godly man. First, he is an Israelite. Israel was originally the name of Jacob; after wrestling with God, as a prince prevailing with God in prayer, Jacob had this new name given to him by God (Genesis 32:28). He was called Israel from then on, and from him forward, the whole body of the Jews were called Israel. In the New Testament, all of the people of God were called Israel (Galatians 6:16). Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, Israelites were those who were accounted the people of God. God has separated them and set them apart for Himself as His special people out of all of the rest of the world. Thus, in this passage, an Israelite denotes one who belongs to God, a good man.
Second, Nathaniel is described as an “Israelite alhqw~ [alethos al-ay-thōce] indeed,” one who is truly an Israelite, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. He is not one in show, appearance, imagination, or [merely in] his own or others’ opinions, but in reality.
Third, Nathaniel is described as an Israelite without deceit, in whom is no guile. He was no juggler or crafty dissembler who only impersonated, put on the face of, and acted the part of an Israelite, but was an honest, forthright, plain-hearted Israelite.
In all this we have a full description of a sincere, godly person. He is an Israelite, one separated to God; an Israelite indeed, not in imagination or fantasy, but in truth; not in deceit or guile, but in singleness of heart.
That which I intend as the foundation on which to build my discourse is “An Israelite Indeed”; from this will come the doctrine.
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