Discovery BoxJohn 1:48 
Context1:48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, 1 “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, 2 I saw you.”
John 6:7
Context6:7 Philip replied, 3 “Two hundred silver coins worth 4 of bread would not be enough for them, for each one to get a little.”
1 tn Grk “answered and said to him.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation to “replied.”
2 sn Many have speculated about what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree. Meditating on the Messiah who was to come? A good possibility, since the fig tree was used as shade for teaching or studying by the later rabbis (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 5:11). Also, the fig tree was symbolic for messianic peace and plenty (Mic 4:4, Zech 3:10.)
3 tn Grk “Philip answered him.”
4 tn Grk “two hundred denarii.” The denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer; this would be an amount worth about eight months’ pay.
