Matthew Poole and continuators on John 1:51

51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you , Hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man .

These things he ushers in with a Verily, verily, and declareth them, spoken not to Nathanael alone, but to you; viz▪ all you that are my Disciples indeed, who are (like Nathanael), true Israelites, in whom there is no guile. For the terms, Amen, Amen, (by us translated, Verily, Verily) some of the Ancients, accounted them an Oath; but the most learned Modern Writers, have seen no reason to agree with them. Surely (see a large Discourse about these Particles in our learned Fuller, his Miscellan, l. 1. cap. 2. to which nothing need be added) if Amen is never used in the Old Testament, but as a term of prayer or wishing; in the New Testament it is used to assert or affirm a thing, or as a particle of wishing and prayer. The word in the Hebrew, properly signifies, Truth, Isa. 65.16. whence Christ (the Truth) is called the Amen, Rev. 3.14. As the Prophets were wont to begin their Discourses with The word of the Lord, and thus saith the Lord, to assert the Truth of what they were about to say; So Christ, to shew that himself was God, and spake from himself, begineth with Amen, and Amen, Amen sometimes; it is observed that Iohn constantly doubles the particle, and saith Amen, Amen, that is, Verily, Verily. Either (as Interpreters say) for further Confirmation of the thing, or to get the greater Attention, or to assert as well the truth of the Speaker, as of the thing spoken.

No[illegible: 1 letter] the thing spoken followeth as a thing promised, not to Nathanael only, but to all Believers, That they should see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man. Some think that hereby is meant, the spiritual Metaphorical opening of Heaven to Believers by Christ. But it seems more properly to signifie, such an opening of the Heavens as we read of▪ Matth. 3.16. Some understand it of the appearances of Angels to Christ at his Passion, and Resurrection, and Ascention; but it seems rather to refer to the day of Judgment, when Ten thousands of Angels shall wait upon Christ, as the Judg of the Quick and the Dead, and Minister unto him; which Ministration, they say, is expressed by the terms of Ascending and Descending, with reference (doubtless) to Iacob's Vision, Gen. 28.12. Iacob saw it sleeping, Nathanael and other Believers shall see it with open Eyes. Others Interpret it more generally, viz. You shall see as many Miracles, as if you saw the Heavens opened, and the Angels Ascending and Descending. Others think it referreth to some further appearances of the Angels to Christ in their Ministration to him, than the Scripture records. Christ doth not say, You shall see Angels Ascending and Descending upon me, but upon the Son of man; by which our learned Lightfoot saith, He did not only declare himself to be truly man, but the second Adam, in whom what was lost in the first▪ was to be restored. It is observed, that onely Ezekiel in the Old Testament, and Christ in the New Testament, are thus called; and that Christ was never thus called, but by himself; Ezekiel was doubtless so called, to distinguish him from those spiritual Beings with which he often conversed. Christ, to distinguish his Humane Nature from his Divine Nature; both which (in him) made up one Person. Christs calling himself so, was but a further Indication of his making himself of no Reputation, while he was in the form of a Servant. Others think, that the Son of man in the Gospel used by Christ, signifies no more than I, and me; (it being usual in the Hebrew Dialect ▪ for Persons to speak of themselves in the third person); so upon the Son of man, is upon me, who am truly man. Chemnitius thinks, that as the term Messiah, (by which the people commonly called Christ) was taken out of Daniel; So this term by Christ applyed to the same Person, is taken out thence too, Dan. 7.13. Where it is said, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, &c. And that Christ did ordinarily so call himself, to correspond with the Prophecy of Daniel, to assert himself truly man, and to declare himself his Fathers Servant, according to the Prophecy▪ Isa. 42.1.

Marginal references: Matth. 4.11, 5. Luke 2.9, 13. and 22.43. and 24.4. Acts 1.10.