John 1:51

Verily, verily The double -verily" occurs 25 times in this Gospel, and nowhere else, always in the mouth of Christ. It introduces a truth of special solemnity and importance. The single -verily" occurs about 30 times in Matthew 14 in Mark,, 7 in Luke. The word represents the Hebrew -Amen," which in the LXX. never means -verily." In the Gospels it has no other meaning. The -Amen" at the end of sentences (Matthew 6:13; Matthew 28:20; Mark 16:20; Luke 24:53; John 21:25) is in every case of doubtful authority.

unto you Plural; all present are addressed, Andrew, John, Peter (James), and Philip, as well as Nathanael.

Hereafter Better, from henceforth; from this point onwards Christ's Messianic work of linking earth to heaven, and re-establishing free intercourse between man and God, goes on. But the word is wanting in the best MSS.

heaven open Better, the heaven opened; made open and remaining so.

the angels of God Like John 1:47, an apparent reference to the life of Jacob, perhaps suggested by the scene, which may have been near to Bethel. This does not refer to the angels which appeared after the Temptation, at the Agony, and at the Ascension: rather to the perpetual intercourse between God and the Messiah during His ministry.

the Son of man This phrase in all four Gospels is invariably used by Christ Himself of Himself as the Messiah, upwards of 80 times in all. None of the Evangelists direct our attention to this strict limitation in the use of the expression: their agreement on this striking point is evidently undesigned, and therefore a strong mark of their veracity. See notes on Matthew 8:20; Mark 2:10. In O.T. the phrase -Son of Man" has three distinct uses; (1) in the Psalms, for the ideal man; Psalms 8:4-8; Psalms 80:17; Psalms 144:3; Psalms 146:3: (2) in Ezekiel, as the name by which the Prophet is addressed by God; Ezekiel 2:1; Ezekiel 2:3; Ezekiel 2:6; Ezekiel 2:8; Ezekiel 3:1; Ezekiel 3:3-4, &c., &c., more than 80 times in all; probably to remind Ezekiel, that in spite of the favour shewn to him, and the wrath denounced against the children of Israel, he, no less than they, had a mortal's frailty: (3) in the -night visions" of Daniel 7:13-14, where -One like a son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days … and there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him, &c." That -Son of man henceforth became one of the titles of the looked-for Messiah" may be doubted. Rather, the title was a newone assumed by Christ, and as yet only dimly understood (comp. Matthew 16:13).

This first chapter alone is enough to shew that the Gospel is the work of a Jew of Palestine, well acquainted with the Messianic hopes, and traditions, and phraseology current in Palestine at the time of Christ's ministry, and able to give a lifelike picture of the Baptist and of Christ's first disciples.