Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Whence knowest thou me? (Poqen me ginwskeis). Nathanael is astonished at this tribute, at any knowledge about himself by Jesus. He had overheard Christ's comment and longed to know its source.
Before Philip called thee (Pro tou se Filippon fwnhsai). Idiomatic Greek, pro and the ablative case of the articular aorist active infinitive (tou fwnhsai, from fwnew, to call) with se as the object and Filippon, the accusative of general reference, "before the calling thee as to Philip."
When thou wast under the fig tree (onta upo thn sukhn). "Being under the fig tree," accusative present participle agreeing with se. The fig tree was a familiar object in Palestine, probably in leaf at this time, the accusative with upo may suggest that Nathanael had withdrawn there for prayer. Note genitive with upokatw in verse John 1:50. Jesus saw Nathanael's heart as well as his mere presence there. He saw him in his worship and so knew him.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing John 1:48:
John 4:17
John 13:13
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