Thou shalt see greater things than these

The last two verses of the first chapter of John's gospel have always intrigued me. (And I especially like the KJV phrasing of those verses!) To set the scene, as Nathanael meets Jesus for the first time, Jesus makes a reference to having seen Nathanael earlier sitting under a fig tree. Upon hearing this, Nathanael immediately proclaims that Jesus is the "Son of God."

As readers, we wonder: Is that all the evidence Nathanael needs? That's basically what Jesus says when he responds (John 1:50, KJV),

Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

I love the promise that Nathanael better brace himself, because much more impressive evidence is on the way. In verse 51, Jesus gives a hint of that coming evidence,

Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

This statement is a reference to "Jacob's Ladder," the portal between heaven and earth dreamed about by Jacob in Genesis 28. Jesus is telling his followers that he is that connection between heaven and earth, and, furthermore, that he is the fulfillment of everything discussed starting at the beginning of the Bible.

Powerful stuff packed into two verses. Let us reflect upon those verses today in our prayers.