Jesus Knows All About You!

“How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. And Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” John 1:48

Nathanael was a thinker. He was astute to the world around him and paid attention to the trends of his day. When Philip told him that Jesus was from Nazareth, his response was “Nazareth! . . . Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46). He understood the reputation of the inhabitants of Nazareth. At that time, nobody wanted to be known as being from Nazareth. So when Nathanael came to Jesus, he was skeptical. He came to check him out and scrutinize him.

From Nathanael’s perspective, no thinking man would just accept that Jesus was the Messiah. So he went to Jesus, not with faith but with a head and heart full of doubt. Then Jesus rocked Nathanael’s world. Before they had ever met, Jesus knew all about him. He knew what Nathanael was doing. He knew what he was thinking. He knew where he had been. When Nathanael realized that Jesus knew everything about him, he was stunned.

“How do you know about me?” he asked (v. 48).

It wasn’t really a question as much as a declaration of wonder. Nathanael instantly realized that Jesus knew everything about him because he had been an eyewitness to his entire life.

The realization that Jesus knows and sees everything is either frightening or enlightening. If you are frightened, you will attempt to hide from him. But if you are enlightened, you will declare like Nathanael, “You are the Son of God” (v. 49) and follow him every day for the rest of your life.

Jesus, teach me to fear you without being frightened by the fact that you know everything about me. May the realization that you know all about me motivate me to follow you more closely.