NOTES for Joh 1:43-51
This Gospel passage is endlessly precious as an example of very personal relations with God. What happened there under the fig tree? We do not know, and this is very important, because this mystery is known only to Nathanael and God; here there is the sharpest personalism. And for Nathanael it was something very important. There is no need to guess what it was, but we should notice that as soon as he talked with Jesus about it, he believed. This means that this fig tree becomes a symbol of conversion.
Each of us has his own fig tree, and we treasure it and draw spiritual strength from it. But it is not the only thing that matters; what became fundamentally important for Nathanael's conversion was that he and the Lord spoke about it. Moreover, the Lord was the first to speak. This too is very important. Our prayer is always a response to the Lord's call. Until this is so, it is not prayer, but rather self-persuasion.
Few believers can say that their faith is their choice. If that is so, then it is not faith but a system of convictions. We are always found by the Lord, as the apostles were found by Him, and, obeying an unknown power, we leave everything and follow Him.