We want to point people to Jesus. But the important fact is that Philip followed Jesus and he went immediately to invite his brother Nathanael to follow Him. Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? John 14:610. That's why they responded so quickly to Jesus. In that passage, Nathanael is said to have come from Cana in Galilee, the same town were Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water to wine at the wedding feast (John 2:11). In fact, the only time Nathanael is featured is in John 1 when he is first called to follow Jesus, and John 21:2, where he is mentioned along with those who returned to Galilee to go fishing with Peter after the resurrection. Jesus knew Nathanaels heart. "The Chaldeans confuse Bartholomew with Nathaniel," according to Giuseppe Simone Assemani. (C) 45Philip found Nathanael(D) and told him, We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,(E) and about whom the prophets also wrote(F)Jesus of Nazareth,(G) the son of Joseph.(H). John seems more interested in telling us who said what, and using Philips answer to set up Jesus miracle. In John 1:46-50, Nathanael is introduced to Jesus for the first time. Or I know that you take your devotion time every day before you go to work to study the scriptures. There's no reliable record about how he died. And so Jesus not only is the King of Israel, he is the king who ushers in the everlasting kingdom of heaven in our midst. Remember how the people of his hometown felt about him? Jews in Jesus day looked down on the Galilean's. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Now that doesn't say they Jesus didn't seek out the others and invite them to be part of the group, because they had been directed by John. At the very least, Nathanael had become a close companion of Philip prior to meeting Jesus and had grown up in the same region as Peter, Andrew, James, John, and maybe even Thomas. [1] "Come and see," said Philip. Nathanael was one of the first to express belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God ( John 1:49 ). The Nathaniel was a true spiritual offspring of Abraham. "Come and see," said Philip. . Follow me, learn from me, as my disciples. Second Sunday after the Epiphany Because this is where he has promised to be present. Let me just say a little about his name while you're turning there. Jesus answered, I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.. It was then that Jesus made a statement concerning his own death, using the grain of wheat dying in order to spring forth to bear much more grain: He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25).Philips request, Show us the Father brought forth a mild rebuke: Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? Origin:Hebrew. If you remember back to our study of Peter, Jesus didn't actually say follow me to Peter until the end of his earthly ministry (John 21:19) after his failure on the night of Jesus the trail. Philip answered him, It would take more than half a years wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite! John 6:57, Jesus already knew exactly what he was going to do, but he asked Philip what it would take to feed these peopleperhaps as a joke, or possibly, to illustrate that it would take a miracle to feed this many. But Phillip is the first disciple whom Jesus physically sought out, as well as the first one to whom Jesus actually said, "follow me". John writes, Philip found Nathanael and said to him, we have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph (John 1:45). Whether Philips statement was foolish or simply bold, it gave Jesus another opportunity to directly assert his divinity, and help us understand his relationship to the Father. This is where people will meet Jesus, their Savior, the author of life and the giver of salvation. Jesus calls us, even as he called Philip. How about you? Jesus is telling them in this clearest possible language that he is God and to know him is to know the father. And so we follow, as he guides us out into the highways and byways of life, where we will find people for us to talk towhere we will find our own Nathanaels. Given the fact that Peter and Andrew were also from Bethsaida, and possibly even James and John, the sons of Zebedee, (John 1:44), the likelihood that many of the disciples knew each other, were close friends, and possibly even coworkers and fellow fisherman prior to meeting Jesus becomes more conceivable. Nathanael, also referred to as Bartholomew in the gospels, was one of Jesus original twelve disciples. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wroteJesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see. John 1:43-46 [Read John 1: 43-51], Philip and Nathanael were brothers as were Andrew and Peter. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And Jacob called that place Beth-El, the house of God, the gate of heaven. That's all we know about Nathaniel. . Stromata. He was so engrossed in his commonsense calculation, that he couldn't see an opportunity for the supernatural. James and John were brothers. Thats how it was for Philip. You shall see greater things than that. 51 He then added, I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.. Phillip had a lack of vision. Nathanael: It is believed that Bartholomew had ministered in Armenia and was flayed to death with knives in . Come and see. Come and see if you too wont encounter the Messiah, the Savior sent from God, in this person Jesus I want you to meet.. Same thing today. Jacob had a dream about a ladder running between heaven and earth. Well, thats what happens now in Jesus. Nazareth on the other hand was a rough town. When you know the Lord, it affects the way you speak and act and live. Thats life-changing! Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael. Theres really not much we can say about Philip without speculating. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. So if you wanted to escape the noise and the stifling atmosphere the house, you could go outside and rest under the fig tree. (This is one of the main arguments for assuming that all New Testament references to Mark are talking about John Mark, the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark. Some people are so afraid of others religions that they closed themselves off from branches of the body of Christ. The Synoptics describe the actual calling of these men to . So When Jesus tested his faith, Phillip responded with unbelief. He found Nathanael, presumably someone he knew or had some kind of relationship with. Nathaniel is also called Bartholomew, which is a Hebrew name meaning God has given". In other translations, Jesus refers to him as the one in whom there is no guile.. The Philip we call the Evangelist or the Deacon is first mentioned in Acts 6 when the church selects seven people to distribute food. After Nathanaels initial hesitancy and question, and Jesus statement that He had seen Nathanael under the fig tree caused him to take notice of this Rabbi. From Philips perspective, this was a great discovery, and in his excitement he expresses it the best way he knows how: We have found him, the Messiah.. To this Jesus replied, before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you(John 1:49). 48How do you know me? Nathanael asked. Did you see that Jesus sought Phillip out? NIV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story, NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Revelation, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NIV, Verse Mapping Bible, Comfort Print: Find Connections in Scripture Using a Unique 5-Step Process. Like Andrew, Philip was ready in his heart to receive Jesus as his Master. . And thats Jesus. In all likelihood they probably studied scripture together. No? Think about it, If minimum wage is $5.50/hr x 40 hours x 33 weeks = $7260. Nathaniel was prejudice. It is interesting to note how Andrew and John came to Christ through the faithful preaching of John the Baptist. By his being lifted up on the cross, he raises us up from the depths of sin and death. Sir, they said, we would like to see Jesus. Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. John 12:2022. Phillip told Nathaniel about the messiah from the standpoint of the Old Testament prophecy. Phillip, like the other apostles was a man of weak faith and imperfect understanding. The earliest identification of Nathanael with one of the Twelve Disciples is found in the 2nd-century Epistula Apostolorum, where he is identified with or takes the place of James, son of Alpheus. "It can't be done.". He found Nathanael, presumably someone he knew or had some kind of relationship with. But the Gospel of John and the early church fill in some blanks and help us understand a little more about who he was. And so it goes. . But while the Judeans often looked down on the Galileans, it seems even the Galileans had a particular disdain for the rough, uncultured, and uneducated people of Nazareth. Of course. Nathanael declares, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! And whats more, this new life doesnt stop with you. Nathanael - The True Israelite Believed to Be the Apostle Bartholomew. Bartholomew = son of Tolmai, probably to be identified with Nathanael. [Jn 1:43] Philip is described as a disciple from the city of Bethsaida, and the evangelist connects him with Andrew and Peter, who were from the same town. Heaven and earth meet here in Gods house, because Christ is present here. He knew his prejudice. Does that have to do with Martin Luther King? Church? He had witnessed creative and recreative miracles. But we can assume that their commitment to Jesus was complete and that their lives counted in the spread of the gospel and the establishment of the church.Prayer. Lets see what happens when his friend questions his set of facts. We see that Philip and Nathanael were faithful servants of Jesus who had questions and concerns, doubts and fears. In Luke and Matthew, an unnamed disciple asks Jesus if he can bury his father before following him. His Greek name is Bartholomew. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. He hadnt put on a show or pretended to be something he was not to impress anyone, let alone Jesus. He loved God with a pure heart and desired to see the messiah. No one comes to the Father except through me. First is verse 3: "Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector.". To challenge his friends blind bigotry, Philip responded with a simple invitation. And regardless of the fact that Jesus came from Nazareth, he was omniscient. In the verses before ours, John tells us that Andrew was one of two men who had been John the Baptist's disciples. He who has seen Me has seen the Father. (John 14:8-9).Philip and Nathanael were ordinary men with an extraordinary calling. And here's Nathaniel meeting Jesus for the first time and Jesus says this about him. He was nothing but a carpenter son. Or I know that you praise me all the way to work, 49 Then Nathaniel declared, Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.. Can anything good come from there? Nathaniel asked. After all Nazareth was full of uncultured people. As the Son of God, he is the only one able to save us from our lost condition. In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida (1:43-44). Found me when I sought him not.. Following Philips breaking news, however, a second insight into Nathanaels character is revealed. Nathanael, probably the personal name of Bartholomew, is later referred to in John 21:1-3 as Nathanael of Cana when seven of the disciples were together and went . By now it should have been clear that he was going to his father in heaven and the only way for them to get there was through faith in Christ. Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. [2][7] This is not supported by any early, reliable Christian tradition. Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!(John 1:49) Nathanael responded. John 12 gives us another insight into Philips character in, 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. Learn how your comment data is processed. We anticipate our whole lives standing before the judgment seat of God and long to hear those words well done thy good and faithful servant. All rights reserved. He should have said, "Lord, if you want to feed them, feed them." Its culture was largely unrefined and uneducated. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. While its easy to gloss over this quick interaction, a few key insights into Nathanaels character can be gleaned from this verse. Jesus answered, I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you., 49Then Nathanael declared, Rabbi,(L) you are the Son of God;(M) you are the king of Israel.(N), 50Jesus said, You believe[a] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. The one who died for me and rose again, that I might live. In fact, Jesus sees Nathanael approaching and he says, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit! Nathanael can tell that this Jesus somehow knows something about him, that he has divine insight. Like many in Israel, this was something (or someone) they were eagerly waiting and even searching for. Go and tell. Luke writes: So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. What did Andrew do? These cookies do not store any personal information. 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. They were fisherman and worked alongside James and John. All of this will be our focus in guiding your youth group through Episode . Though not much is known about Nathanael beyond the gospels, church history suggests that Nathanael traveled beyond Judea to minister to parts of Persia and India, perhaps going as far as Armenia, whose church claims him as their saint and founder to this day. [9], "John Wesley's Notes on the Gospel according to Saint John: Chapter 1", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nathanael_(follower_of_Jesus)&oldid=1149908118, This page was last edited on 15 April 2023, at 05:57. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Christ came down from heaven, for us men and for our salvation. Not just that Jesus could see him under a fig tree. He paid him a high compliment: An Israelite in whom is no guile! Nathanael was already devout in the Jewish faith. [2][6], Although Nathanael is sometimes identified with Bartholomew the Apostle mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts 1:13. Think of it this way: Think of where you would be without Jesus. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. Furthermore, both Philip and Nathanael had studied the Word of God on their own. of Still, there are some things we can learn about Philip the Apostle from the Bible, and we can glean a few insights from the early church as well. Johns gospel features Nathaniel in 2 passages: John 1 where his call is recorded, and John 21:2 where he is named as one of those who returned to Galilee and went fishing with Peter after the resurrection and before the ascension. We know this because when each of the Gospels lists the apostles they list Phillip and Nathaniel (or Bartholomew) together. The trees grow about the height of about 15 feet they have short, gnarled trunks. In the synoptic gospels, the writers simply tell us these exchanges took place between Jesus and the disciples, and the dialogue cuts to the chase a little more. They walked with Jesus while he was upon earth. After all Jesus didn't fit his picture of the messiah. Papias also refers to the Philip in Acts 21 as an apostle, and that title was usually (but not always) reserved for the Twelve. [5] Some scholars hold that Jesus' quote "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you", is based on a Jewish figure of speech, referring to studying the Torah. Jesus cross is our Jacobs ladder. Phillip was the first one to hear those words and obey them. I cant think of anything better. How well could you feed 5000 people? James and John: the two sons of Zebedee, who were called next: Philip and Bartholomew; the latter of these is by some thought to be Nathanael. It is interesting to see Jesus characterization of Nathaniel, 47 When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him, Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.. What we know about Bartholomew/Nathanael comes primarily from the account of . (Funny sound is heard to indicate traveling in time. The bad. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. That is our starting point, and it is a dead end. Nathaniel lived in a society that was prejudice by temperament. Prejudice effectively causes people to remain cut off from the gospel. What does the name Nathaniel mean biblically? Virtually everything we know about Nathaniel comes from Johns account of his call to discipleship in the wilderness shortly after Jesus is baptized. Let's see, one denari can buy 12 wheat biscuits. Be prepared for that, but then be pleasantly persistent. In fact, Nathanaels local knowledge and civic pride would come to light when called upon to follow Jesus. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Jesus questioned Philip about how they would feed the large multitude at the Sea of Galilee. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. Phillip was pessimistic, narrowly focused, and obsessed with identifying the reason that things can't be done. His name means "God has given" in Hebrew. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. Either that or because he was the administrator of the group. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wroteJesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! The Holy Gospel for today, from John 1, takes place very early in Jesus ministry, when he was first gathering his disciples. Unless you looking for the shrine built upon the supposed location of where Jesus turned water into wine you probably wouldn't want to go there. Nathanael was one of the 12 original apostles of Jesus Christ. He knew his passion. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. But now pause and consider where you are because of Jesus. He told them to free Bartholomew, but not to take him down. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. He wasn't what you would call foreword-thinking. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. But maybe youll put it a different way, perhaps like this: I have found my Savior, and hes your Savior too. As a man, in the flesh, Jesus takes our place, both in keeping Gods law and in taking the laws punishment on sinners. Heaven and earth meet in him. Before Philip invited his brother, already Jesus had an intention of calling the young man. And this business about the angels of God ascending and descending? Though Cana itself was not a particularly remarkable village, Nathanaels disdain for Nazareth indicates a certain civic pride and pretension on the part of the Nathanael. Now, let's go on and look at group two, and we're going to cover two of them this time, and two of them next time. You would be lost and helpless and hopeless, headed to hell. You are headed toward heaven and eternal life with your Lord and with all his saints. Eusebius also quotes Polycrates of Ephesus, a bishop who lived during the second century, as saying: For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the last day, at the coming of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and shall seek out all the saints.
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