John 1:49

Art - "Are"; second person singular.

Rabbi - Teacher; master.

Rabbi - That is, Teacher! and so this word should be translated.

Thou art the Son of God - The promised Messiah.

Thou art the King of Israel - The real descendant of David, who art to sit on that spiritual throne of which the throne of David was the type.

Rabbi - Master. Applied appropriately to Jesus, and to no one else, Matthew 23:10.

The Son of God - By this title he doubtless meant that he was the Messiah. His conscience told him that he had judged right of his character, and that therefore he must know the heart and the desires of the mind. If so, he could not be a mere man, but must be the long-expected Messiah.

The King of Israel - This was one of the titles by which the Messiah was expected, and this was the title which was affixed to his cross, John 19:18. This case of Nathanael John adduces as another evidence that Jesus was the Christ. The great object he had in view in writing this gospel was to collect the evidence that he was the Messiah, John 20:31. A case, therefore, where Jesus searched the heart, and where his knowledge of the heart convinced a pious Jew that he was the Christ, is very properly adduced as important testimony.

1:49 Nathanael answered - Happy are they that are ready to believe, swift to receive the truth and grace of God. Thou art the Son of God - So he acknowledges now more than he had heard from Philip: The Son of God, the king of Israel - A confession both of the person and office of Christ.