Some traditions tell of Nathanael being flayed alive in Armenia. 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. But rather than just being casual readers, Philip and Nathanael had become passionate about the Word of God, even developing an interest in the prophecies of the promised Messiah. "The Chaldeans confuse Bartholomew with Nathaniel," according to Giuseppe Simone Assemani. Some people won't listen to a female minister. Some people are so afraid of others religions that they closed themselves off from branches of the body of Christ. So its very strange to see Phillip eagerly accept Jesus offer to follow him. And so the church then is our Bethel, the house of God where we find Christ, where heaven is opened to us. Philip, then, came to Nathanael and said to him: "We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth" (John 1:45). He was nothing but a carpenter son. And so it goes. When hes not writing stories and defending biblical truth, Joel is committed to helping young men find purpose in Christ and become fearless disciples and bold leaders in their homes, in the church, and in the world. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Though flawed, Nathanael was as honest and sincere as they come, and for his eagerness and willingness to embrace Jesus as his lord and king, Christ performed a mighty work in his life, taking an ordinary man and turning him into an outspoken leader and pillar of His church. (LogOut/ We put God in a box and when he doesn't respond the way we want him to, we demand miracles and signs that suit our image of what God should be and do. We dont know. Peoples ears are closed to the gospel by many kinds of prejudice. This recalls the story of Jacobs ladder. 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. The trees grow about the height of about 15 feet they have short, gnarled trunks. We already looked at the passage were Philips says show us the father. In the verses before ours, John tells us that Andrew was one of two men who had been John the Baptist's disciples. He had the ability to read Nathaniel's heart. Let's see, one denari can buy 12 wheat biscuits. Nathanael (Bartholomew) was called after Philip told him about the Lord. He had witnessed creative and recreative miracles. The Philip we call the Evangelist or the Deacon is first mentioned in Acts 6 when the church selects seven people to distribute food. First is verse 3: "Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector.". We create research-based articles and handy infographics to help people understand the Bible. He found Nathanael, presumably someone he knew or had some kind of relationship with. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. He'd rather have a yes or no answer. How dare he tell them what to do? Nathaniel was a genuine spiritual child of the Abraham. John says this was to test him because Jesus already knew what he would do. Who Was Herod? Now of course, there are many things about our congregation we can talk about, positive things, the various aspects of our life together: the camaraderie and the fellowship, the friendliness of our members, the potlucks and the friendships we enjoy. Now remember I just told you Jesus went to Phillip and said follow me, and then Phillip turns around and tells his buddy we found him. He was a man who worshipped God in spirit and in truth without deceit or hypocrisy. Or crucified upside down. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. Nathanael does come and he does see. Jesus died on the cross as our substitute, taking our sin and death on himself, thus opening heaven and eternal life to us. In a letter to Pope Victor, Polycrates of Ephesus said: I speak of Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who is laid to rest at Hierapolis. Nathanael: the man who saw for himself - British Bible School 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. (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). Does God Really Work All Things Together for Good? Associated Bible Students of Central Ohio - Apostlebook_05 Origin:Hebrew. And thats Jesus. How he really died, we dont know. It is interesting to note how Andrew and John came to Christ through the faithful preaching of John the Baptist. New International Version (NIV). How can you say no? (One tradition also claims hes mentioned in another verse, though not by name.) Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and Nathanael: Well, Philip went on to tell me that the "Messiah" he had found was from a little town called Nazareth. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. Its easy to read the gospels and Acts and not even notice that there are two different Philips. I know I shared with you in an earlier study how each time I minister on one of the apostles I see a little bit of my own character in each of them. Cana is very close to Jesus hometown of Nazareth. So we know that like Philip, Andrew and Simon, Nathanael was from the region of Galilee, and specifically he was from the town of Cana. . If you are traveling from the Mediterranean to Galilee you would pass through Nazareth. Wide open stand the gates!. Jesus calls us, even as he called Philip. He leads the way, every step of the way, all the days of our life. So Jesus finds Philip and calls him to follow. The story begins with Jesus finding Philip and saying to him, Follow me. Notice that: Jesus finds Philip. Thats why we invite people. This was not flattery. Grow in your knowledge and faith. Jesus calls us to keep on following him, in a lifelong journey of faith. 45 Philip found Nathaniel 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.. Jesus responds (seemingly harshly), Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God (Luke 9:60). Jesus honored Andrews faith by multiplying and feeding 5000. Well, Phillip has my job. But Phillip is the first disciple whom Jesus physically sought out, as well as the first one to whom Jesus actually said, "follow me". He who has seen Me has seen the Father.. Yes, Jesus is here, present in our midst. Like Andrew, Philip was ready in his heart to receive Jesus as his Master. You have a sure hope to carry you through all the trials and afflictions of this life. One of the best trees to plant near your house is a fig tree. Can anything good come out of St. Matthews? Oh, yes! At this point Phillip speaks up and says, 8 Philip said, Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us., How could Phillip say such a thing immediately after Jesus had just told them that he and the father were one? You will see greater things than these. Jesus here is telling Nathanael that he will see the divine power and blessing of God displayed in Jesus ministry time and time again. And regardless of the fact that Jesus came from Nazareth, he was omniscient. get to know the Bible better! He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. Imagine the amazement of the disciples as they participated in this miracle and saw the crowd fed, with a dozen baskets left over from the overflow.Philip was good about bringing people to Jesus. Church tradition holds that Philip preached the gospel in Scythia (a region in central Eurasia), Syria, and Phrygia (Turkey). Nathaniel was able to overcome his prejudice. Nazareth is the same way. You are headed toward heaven and eternal life with your Lord and with all his saints. And what did Philip do? He paid him a high compliment: An Israelite in whom is no guile! Nathanael was already devout in the Jewish faith. He did things by the book, and was practical minded. Nathanael is convinced by Jesus' knowledge of things He couldn't possibly know by any other means than they were revealed to Him by God. Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael asked. Of Nathanael, Jesus said, behold, an Israelite, indeed, in whom there is no deceit! (John 1:47). We need to take a little rabbit trail here in so that you can get the scope of his prejudice. Hes also clearly one of the Twelve in the Gospel of John, though John never explicitly lists them.This means Philip was one of the people who was closest to Jesus, and that he spent about three years living with him, witnessing his miracles, and hearing his teachings. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Nathaniel however did not receive the message well. Nathanael was doubtful at first. The Acts of Philip provides the earliest, most detailed account of his martyrdom, but again, its hard to say how much we can trust it. By the grace of God, Nathanael was chosen to follow Christ. Like we sang earlier: Love that found mewondrous thought! Obviously Phillip knew that scripture was important to Nathaniel. Nathanael (a.k.a. Bartholomew) ~ son of Tolmai - Four Corner Ministries As Jesus predicted in John 1:51, they were present at the ascension of Jesus and saw heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. They were able to observe first-hand that Jesus is the bridge between earth and heaven. Phillip had to get beyond human limitation. In other translations, Jesus refers to him as the one in whom there is no guile.. [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. Phillip, Nathaniel and Thomas were fishermen from Galilee. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! He hadnt put on a show or pretended to be something he was not to impress anyone, let alone Jesus. Finding Philip, he said to him, Follow me. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. by Ryan Nelson | Jun 10, 2019 | Bible characters | 2 comments, Philip the Apostle was one of the 12 main disciples of Jesus Christ. Bartholomew would have been Nathanaels Hebrew surname, meaning son of Tolmai. Nathanael, his first name, means God has given. Nathanael, therefore, would have been known formally as Nathanael, son of Tolmai, or Nathanael Bar-Tolmai. Matthew 10:3 Commentaries: Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew Furthermore, both Philip and Nathanael had studied the Word of God on their own. And they both probably had an earnest desire to see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. We can conclude that he interpreted it literally because it was so easy for him to believe that Jesus was the messiah. Nathanael was one of the first to express belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God ( John 1:49 ). Wheres that? Thats wonderful! 43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. 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 . Its really saying the same thing. (3) Philip is closely connected with Nathanael and also with Bartholomew. But that Jesus can heal the blind and the deaf, that he can cleanse lepers, that he can forgive sins, that he can raise the dead. No doubt Phillip had already begun counting heads. You are the King of Israel! Jesus replies: Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? By all accounts he was martyred like the rest of the apostle's, except John. The Call of the Four Disciples in John 1 - JSTOR In fact, Nathanaels local knowledge and civic pride would come to light when called upon to follow Jesus. Nathanael makes a second appearance in John 21:2, where he is included in a list of disciples who saw the resurrected Christ by the Sea of Tiberias. He is speaking to you today. He opens up heaven for us. Prior to this eventful day, however, none of the Twelve had been ordained or set apart to their sacred office. 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Peter and Andrew were early followers of John the Baptist. . The Gospel of John recounts Philip's calling as a disciple of Jesus. Jesus cross is our Jacobs ladder. His response to Jesus and reveals his character. Here we receive a foretaste of the feast to come. . Aside from the lists of apostles in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts, Philip appears in four narratives in the Gospel of John. Geneva Study Bible Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES) Meyer's NT Commentary Luke 6:14-16. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Think about it, If minimum wage is $5.50/hr x 40 hours x 33 weeks = $7260. Nathaniel lived in a society that was prejudice by temperament. The differences between John's account and the Synoptics' account are easily explained. And presumably, if he did not use distinguishing details, the early church wouldve assumed he meant Philip the Apostlethe most well-known Philip. But what does this actually mean, and why would Jesus compliment someone who had expressed such obvious prejudice? But Phillip didn't bring them to Jesus did he? The Lord Jesus Christ is here in his church, where his gospel is preached, his word is taught, and his life-giving sacraments are administered. It wouldnt taken long for him to get past his prejudice and acknowledge Jesus for who He really was. He knew his passion. And he did. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? What Do We Know about Nathanael the Disciple without Deceit. 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, He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life., Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? of What you saw was what you got. Who Were the 12 Disciples (Apostles of Jesus)? Their Names and Facts I suppose we would be equally surprised if Jesus said, I know what a faithful servant you are because I know that you get up every morning at 6:30 and go into the family room to pray. If we look at that phrase in the Greek, its translated as truly, genuine Israelite. After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. The day after that, Jesus went . He was so engrossed in his commonsense calculation, that he couldn't see an opportunity for the supernatural. All four of these disciples of Jesus were from the town of Bethsaida. Most of the earliest traditions seem to point to him being martyred in Hierapolis. 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! 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. After all Nazareth was full of uncultured people. And by his resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven, he guarantees our own resurrection and eternal life in heaven. Remember how the people of his hometown felt about him? (1) St John, who twice mentions the name of Nathanael, never mentions that of Bartholomew; (2) the three Synoptists mention Bartholomew but not Nathanael. 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Nathanael also became Jesus' disciple. 10 Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? 45 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." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything . 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. 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? Apostles Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew . -- His response to Jesus to follow him was without hesitation. Phillip had a lack of vision. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Meaning:God has given. 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. Youll remember that John the Baptist pointed Jesus out to Peter, Andrew and John and then and they approached Jesus. 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. The Nathaniel was skeptical. They were both disciples of John the Baptist who preached to Israel of the coming deliverer. 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. Peter and James came to the Lord because of the personal soul-winning of their brothers. Now remember I told that Philip was pessimistic and didn't see the big picture? Its worth noting that Nathanael is rarely mentioned apart from the listing of the twelve disciples. Most accounts say that he was put to death by stoning in Asia Minor eight years after the martyrdom of James. January 14, 2018, Philip and Nathanael: A Story of Witnessing (John 1:43-51). How can we get there., The disciples think theyre going to the Fathers house soon, and Jesus responds, If you really know me, you will know my Father as well., Philips basically trying to demonstrate his faith by saying, I dont even care about the details. Knowing Nathanaels heart, Jesus greeted His would-be disciple, not with chastisement or contempt, but rather, with a remarkable compliment of his character. Or to put it another way: Whom have you found? The town was located on the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee and meant house of fish.We know Andrew brought Peter to Jesus. 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. Instead he says "can anything good come out of Nazareth?" So Nathanael is the son of Tolmai, or Nathanael Bar-Tolmei. Phillip, on the other hand still hadn't gotten at two years later. You have the word of God as your anchor and stay. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. Ive already said that Phillip was a student of the Old Testament. [2] The first disciples who follow Jesus are portrayed as reaching out immediately to family or friends: thus, 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.[3]. Nathanael is the Hebrew of the Greek word Theodorus, God's gift. 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.. And yet James was the first to die, and John was the last. 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 was inconceivable to Nathaniel that the messiah would come from a tacky place like Nazareth. Like the called out, Philip and Nathanael, may we, too be found faithful.c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Nathanael was one of the 12 original apostles of Jesus Christ. I know what you were doing. You would have no meaning, no purpose in life. Never heard of it. Or Luthern? 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. He was also present at the Day of Pentecost, where he and the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. No one ever passed through Cana. The first thing he does is to find Nathanael and tell him what happened. 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. And when they come, what they will find here is Jesus giving out his gifts. However, John's account makes it very clear that each of the disciples had to encounter Jesus personally. I would like to have a deeper walk with God through the study of the Bible.
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