saw Nathanael coming This contradicts the theory that Christ overheard Nathanael's question. S. John represents Christ's knowledge of Nathanael as miraculous; as in John 1:42 He appears as the searcher of hearts.

an Israelite indeed In character as well as by birth: what follows shews what is meant. The -guile" may refer to the -subtilty" of Jacob (Genesis 27:35) before he became Israel: -Behold a son of Israel, who is in no way a son of Jacob." The -supplanter" is gone; the -prince" remains. His guilelessness appears in his making no mock repudiation of the character attributed to him (John 1:48). He is free from -the pride that apes humility."

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