Exposition of John, Chapter 1 · Verse 29
Verſe 50. Jeſus anſwered, and ſaid unto him, Becauſe I ſaid unto thee, I ſaw thee under the fig-tree, beleeveſt thou? thou ſhalt ſee greater things then theſe.
51. And he ſaith unto him, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, hereafter ye ſhall ſee heaven open, and the Angels of God aſcending and deſcending upon the Son of man.
In the laſt place, we have Chriſts entertaining of this Convert, in commending his believing on ſo eaſie termes, and promiſing further grounds of confirmation; And particularly, he promiſeth unto him and all of them, a ſight of heaven opened, and of Angels aſcending and deſcending on him; This Promiſe may indeed have an alluſion to Jacobs viſion of the ladder, Gen. 28. as accompliſhed in Chriſt, who is the Opener of heaven, and the way to it; who reacheth to heaven in his divine Original, and to earth in his manhood, and whom Angels ſerve. But it ſeemeth more ſafe to take it literally, for ſome ſignes of his glory manifeſted to ſome, that by their Miniſtry, it might be publiſhed to all; And as before this, heaven had been opened at his Baptiſme, Matth 3. And Angels aſcended and deſcended as he had ſervice for them, and particularly, at the publication of his birth, and in the time of his tentation in the wilderneſſe, ſo afterward heaven was in a ſorr opened at his Transfiguration and Aſcenſion, and Angels miniſtred to him in his Agonie, Reſurrection and Aſcenſion; We may alſo ſafely conceive, that this might have been yet more literally accompliſhed, according to the Promiſe, though the accompliſhment be not recorded, as many other particulars were not, John 20.30, 31. Doct. 1. Chriſt is really well pleaſed with the faith and converſion of any, and would have them to look on it as no common benefit; And he is the better pleaſed the more eaſie termes we beleeve upon, when we beleeve though we ſee not, or againſt ſenſe; or cloſe with him, notwithſtanding manifold difficulties; for, ſaith Chriſt, admiring and commending his own grace in him, becauſe I ſaid unto thee, I ſaw thee under the fig-tree, beleeveſt thou? 2. As Chriſt hath ſtill more and more proofs of himſelf, to give for confirmation of our faith, as we need; So they who are willing to beleeve on leſſe apparent grounds, ſhall be more and more confirmed, and ſee ſtill greater cauſe of beleeving; for, this is Chriſts promiſe to Nathaneel; Thou ſhalt ſee greater things then theſe. 3. The encouragements allowed by Chriſt to particular beleevers, are intended and recorded for the comfort of all beleevers in the like need, and following the ſame way; for, ſo is this promiſe given, he ſaid unto him, I ſay unto you, that is, to all then preſent. Even particular extraordinary promiſes made to particular perſons, do allow general comfort to all beleevers in an ordinary way, though they are not to expect what is extraordinary: So much appeareth from Joſh. 1.5. compared with Heb. 13.5. 4. Chriſts promiſes would be looked on as ſure and infallible; being not onelyonly promiſed by him, who cannot lie, but moſt gravely aſſerted for our confirmation. And we ought to be humbled for our infidelity, which ſo readily miſtruſt; him, and to admire his indulgent condeſcendencie to ſatisfie our weakneſſe; Therefore, Chriſt prefixeth to this promiſe, verily, verily I ſay unto you, a grave and vehement aſſeveration putting the matter beyond all doubt and controverſie. Not that this maketh the promiſe any ſurer on his part; but that our weakneſſe and unbelief needeth it, and he condeſcends unto it, and having given this aſſurance, expects abſolute and entire credit to what he ſaith. 5. The ſight of Chriſts glory is the great encouragement and ground of beleevers confirmation, as being all for them and their good, and letting them ſee what excellency there is in him to be relied upon; Therefore is there a promiſe of Nathaneels confirmation by ſeeing more of Chriſts glory. 6. Chriſt our Mediator is approved from heaven, and he by whom heaven, formerly ſhut againſt ſinners, is opened; for, it is a part of Chriſts glory, that heaven is open with relation to him, teſtifying an approbation of him, and his acceptance for him and his. 7. It doth alſo illuſtrate Chriſts glory, and further confirme beleevers faith, that Chriſt is Lord of Angels even in his ſtate of humiliation, and hath them ready at his call, as he or his people ſhall need their ſervice; for, it is alſo promiſed they ſhall ſee the Angels of God aſcending and deſcending upon the Son of man; or, moving from earth to heaven, and from heaven to earth as he required. 8. All this glory of Chriſt is further comfortable, when he is found dwelling in our nature with it, yea and delighting in this his condeſcendence, and to be our kinſman, for, it is promiſed they ſhould ſee all this upon the Sonne of man, ſhewing that the Son of God was alſo the Sonne of man, and that he delighted to be ſo, and therefore doth ſo often take this title to himſelf.