KJV: Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
YLT: Jesus answered and said to him, 'Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, thou dost believe; greater things than these thou shalt see;'
Darby: Jesus answered and said to him, Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these.
ASV: Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
Ἀπεκρίθη | Answered |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἀποκρίνομαι Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer. |
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Ἰησοῦς | Jesus |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: Ἰησοῦς Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor. |
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εἶπεν | said |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to speak, say. |
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αὐτῷ | to him |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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Ὅτι | Because |
Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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εἶπόν | I said |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to speak, say. |
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σοι | to you |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Singular Root: σύ Sense: you. |
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ὅτι | that |
Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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εἶδόν | I saw |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: εἶδον Sense: to see with the eyes. |
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ὑποκάτω | under |
Parse: Preposition Root: ὑποκάτω Sense: under, underneath. |
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συκῆς | fig tree |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: συκῆ Sense: a fig tree. |
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πιστεύεις | believe you |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular Root: πιστεύω Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in. |
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μείζω | Greater things |
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural, Comparative Root: μέγας Sense: great. |
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τούτων | than these |
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Neuter Plural Root: οὗτος Sense: this. |
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ὄψῃ | You will see |
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 2nd Person Singular Root: εἶδον Sense: to see with the eyes. |
Greek Commentary for John 1:50
This redundant use of both verbs (cf. John 1:26) occurs in the Synoptics also and in the lxx also. It is Aramaic also and vernacular. It is not proof of an Aramaic original as Burney argues (Aramaic Origin, etc., p. 53). Because Causal use of οτι hoti at beginning of the sentence as in John 14:19; John 15:19; John 16:6. The second οτι hoti before ειδον eidon (I saw) is either declarative (that) or merely recitative (either makes sense here). Thou shalt see greater things than these Perhaps volitive future middle indicative of οραω horaō (though merely futuristic is possible as with οπσεστε opsesthe in John 1:51) ablative case of τουτων toutōn after the comparative adjective μειζω meizō The wonder of Nathanael no doubt grew as Jesus went on. [source]
Compare John 1:48. Here the same preposition is used with the genitive case, indicating rest, without the suggestion of withdrawal to. [source]
Rightly so, though some render affirmatively, thou believest. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 1:50
The phrase is employed in the Old Testament as a circumlocution for man, with special reference to his frailty as contrasted with God (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 8:4; Job 25:6; Job 35:8; and eighty-nine times in Ezekiel). It had also a Messianic meaning (Daniel 7:13 sq.), to which our Lord referred in Matthew 24:30; Matthew 26:64. It was the title which Christ most frequently applied to himself; and there are but two instances in which it is applied to him by another, viz., by Stephen (Acts 7:56) and by John (Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14:); and when acquiescing in the title “Son of God,” addressed to himself, he sometimes immediately after substitutes “Son of Man” (John 1:50, John 1:51; Matthew 26:63, Matthew 26:64). The title asserts Christ's humanity - his absolute identification with our race: “his-DIVIDER- having a genuine humanity which could deem nothing human strange, and could be touched with a feeling of the infirmities of the race which he was to judge” (Liddon, “Our Lord's Divinity”). It also exalts him as the representative ideal man. “All-DIVIDER- human history tends to him and radiates from him; he is the point in which humanity finds its unity; as St. Irenaeus says, ' He recapitulates it.' He closes the earlier history of our race; he inaugurates its future. Nothing local, transient, individualizing, national, sectarian dwarfs the proportions of his world-embracing character. He rises above the parentage, the blood, the narrow horizon which bounded, as it seemed, his human life. He is the archetypal man, in whose presence distinction of race, intervals of ages, types of civilization, degrees of mental culture are as nothing” (Liddon). -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- But the title means more. As Son of Man he asserts the authority of judgment over all flesh. By virtue of what he is as Son of Man, he must be more. “The absolute relation to the world which he attributes to himself demands an absolute relation to God … .He is the Son of Man, the Lord of the world, the Judge, only because he is the Son of God” (Luthardt). Christ's humanity can be explained only by his divinity. A humanity so unique demands a solution. Divested of all that is popularly called miraculous, viewed simply as a man, under the historical conditions of his life, he is a greater miracle than all his miracles combined. The solution is expressed in Hebrews 1:1-14. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- [source]
Jesus foretold what will befall those who are loyal to him. The Acts of the Apostles is a commentary on this prophecy. This is Christ‘s common designation of himself, never of others save by Stephen (Acts 7:56) and in the Apocalypse (Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14). But both Son of God and Son of man apply to him (John 1:50, 52; Matthew 26:63.). Christ was a real man though the Son of God. He is also the representative man and has authority over all men. [source]
Second aorist active subjunctive of εκβαλλω ekballō common verb. The verb is used in Aristophanes, Sophocles, and Plato of hissing an actor off the stage. The name of Christian or disciple or Nazarene came to be a byword of contempt as shown in the Acts. It was even unlawful in the Neronian persecution when Christianity was not a religio licita.For the Son of man‘s sake (ενεκα του υιου του αντρωπου heneka tou huiou tou anthrōpou). Jesus foretold what will befall those who are loyal to him. The Acts of the Apostles is a commentary on this prophecy. This is Christ‘s common designation of himself, never of others save by Stephen (Acts 7:56) and in the Apocalypse (Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14). But both Son of God and Son of man apply to him (John 1:50, 52; Matthew 26:63.). Christ was a real man though the Son of God. He is also the representative man and has authority over all men. [source]
To be construed with εἶδον σε , I saw thee; i.e., I saw thee under the fig tree. The preposition with the accusative case, which implies motion toward, indicates his withdrawal to the shade of the tree for meditation or prayer. See on John 1:50. The Jewish writings tell of distinguished rabbis who were accustomed to rise early and pursue their studies under the shade of a fig tree. Compare Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10. Augustine, in his “Confessions,” relates of himself: “I cast myself down, I know not how, under a certain fig tree, giving full vent to my tears; and the floods of mine eyes gushed out, an acceptable sacrifice to Thee” (viii. 28). Nathanael asks, “Whence knowest thou me? “Jesus answers, “I saw thee ( εἶδον ).” [source]
Old word from μαρτυρεω martureō (from μαρτυς martus), both more common in John‘s writings than the rest of the N.T. This the purpose of the Baptist‘s ministry. That he might bear witness Final clause with ινα hina and aorist active subjunctive of μαρτυρεω martureō to make clearer εις μαρτυριαν eis marturian Of the light “Concerning the light.” The light was shining and men with blinded eyes were not seeing the light (John 1:26), blinded by the god of this world still (2 Corinthians 4:4). John had his own eyes opened so that he saw and told what he saw. That is the mission of every preacher of Christ. But he must first have his own eyes opened. That all might believe Final clause with ινα hina and first aorist active subjunctive of πιστευω pisteuō ingressive aorist “come to believe.” This is one of John‘s great words (about 100 times), “with nine times the frequency with which it is used by the Synoptists” (Bernard). And yet πιστις pistis so common in Paul, John uses only in 1 John 5:4 and four times in the Apocalypse where πιστευω pisteuō does not occur at all. Here it is used absolutely as in John 1:50, etc. Through him As the intermediate agent in winning men to believe in Christ (the Logos) as the Light and the Life of men. This is likewise the purpose of the author of this book (John 1:31). The preacher is merely the herald to point men to Christ. [source]
Nathanael is astonished at this tribute, at any knowledge about himself by Jesus. He had overheard Christ‘s comment and longed to know its source. Before Philip called thee Idiomatic Greek, προ pro and the ablative case of the articular aorist active infinitive “Being under the fig tree,” accusative present participle agreeing with σε se The fig tree was a familiar object in Palestine, probably in leaf at this time, the accusative with υπο hupo may suggest that Nathanael had withdrawn there for prayer. Note genitive with υποκατω hupokatō in John 1:50. Jesus saw Nathanael‘s heart as well as his mere presence there. He saw him in his worship and so knew him. [source]