John 1 vs41-51 Building the Church by Revelation and Word of Mouth

(John 1:41-51, New King James Version)

So Andrew has a brother, Simon whom we know as Peter, and he runs to tell him what he's found. Family members are not always so eager to hear that you've found Jesus. Thankfully Peter was.

Jesus looks at Peter and calls him by his and his father's name.

Then he changes Peter's name. The name Simon comes from Simeon or Shimon which means "hearing".

Now think about this. "Hearing" usually means receptive. Jesus changes his name to Stone. We usually refer to someone who doesn't hear as dense, like a stone. 

In Matthew, Jesus says, " you are Peter (stone), and on this rock (bigger than stone) I will build My church". On what did He build His church? Not on Peter, but on what Peter said just before this (in Matthew), the revelation that Jesus is the Christ. It's on that revelation that the church is built.

Next He calls Phillip to follow Him, who then goes to get Nathanael, telling him they've found the Messiah. Nathanael says, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”. This could be a slam on Nazareth, but I believe that he's really saying, "Dude! The prophecies don't point to the Messiah coming from Nazareth". Let's remember that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David. But Nazareth is a derivation of the word "Root". Jesus is "the Branch" in prophecy. Branches come from roots.

If Nathanael was making a joke of Nazareth (not in Jesus' hearing), what are we to make of Jesus remark to Nathanael: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”? Is this a joke also? It may be, but it may have special implications to Nathanael. The Israelites are descended from Jacob (renamed Israel) who was known to be deceitful. Some say Jacob means "trickster". He certainly acted that way before his name change.  

Jesus then says that He saw Nathanael under the fig tree and Nathanael acknowledges Him as the Messiah. This indicates that something in this sequence rang Nathanael's bell. Perhaps he was praying to see the Messiah or reflecting on his attempts to be truthful in his dealings with others.

We can ask him later.  

Jesus referred to Nathanael's Israeliness in a reference to deceit, bringing to mind Jacob, his deceitful forerunner. He then tells Nathanael that like Jacob, he shall see angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man. This indicates that the ladder that Jacob saw, the bridge between heaven and earth, is the son of Man, Jesus! 
Cool, huh?