Jesus saw Nathanael— Nathanael, being a man of a candid disposition, resolved to go and converse with Jesus, that he might judge with the more certainty concerning his pretensions. He was coming therefore with Philip on this errand, when Jesus, who knew his thoughts, honoured him with the amiable character of a true
Israelite, in whom there was no guile; a plain, upright, honest man, free from hypocrisy, and opento conviction; who not only derived his pedigree from Abraham, but who inherited his virtues. Compare Revelation 3:9 and John 8:39. This contains the character given to Jacob, Genesis 25:27 according to the sense of the Hebrew, which fully shews in what sense our Lord is to be understood, when he calls Nathanael an Israelite without guile.