The twelve apostles opted out of this position, and then a man named Philip was chosen to be one of the Seven (Acts 6:5). In John 6, we read the story and of the feeding of the 5000. The ugly. Nathanael: Oh, Hello! In fact, Nathanaels local knowledge and civic pride would come to light when called upon to follow Jesus. Jesus questioned Philip about how they would feed the large multitude at the Sea of Galilee. He who has seen Me has seen the Father. (John 14:8-9).Philip and Nathanael were ordinary men with an extraordinary calling. They each mention him only once -- when they list all 12 apostles. Were about to discover that Phillip is not usually a very decisive person. This site uses cookies to analyze traffic and ensure you get the best experience. Nathanael also became Jesus' disciple. [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]. How can you say, Show us the Father? Just seeing the Father will be enough for us.. To this Jesus replied, before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you(John 1:49). And at the same time, our Lord calls us to follow him in faith. Matthew received his calling as Jesus was leaving Capernaum. And this business about the angels of God ascending and descending? No thanks. Jesus first disciples Now that we've looked at Philips faults, and cited his inability to look at the whole picture. The cooking was done inside, so a fire was burning even in the summer. They are apparently close friends. Our final look at Phillip comes a short time after the Last Supper on the eve of the crucifixion. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going., 5 Thomas said to him, Lord, we dont know where you are going, so how can we know the way?. 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. The Call of the Four Disciples in John 1 - JSTOR This comment has been removed by the author. After all Andrew could introduce anyone to Jesus. Virtually everything we know about Nathaniel comes from Johns account of his call to discipleship in the wilderness shortly after Jesus is baptized. And that was enough to convince Nathaniel that he was messiah. Come and see. The cross of Christ is our Jacobs ladder. They had studied the Law of Moses and read the prophets. 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. Jesus answered, I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.. Nathanael confesses something here that was even more than he may have known at the time. You are a dear child of your heavenly Father. Beyond that, Nazareth may have carried some negative baggage for Nathanael. 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. One of the first things we learn about Philip in the Gospel of John is that like Simon Peter and Andrew, he comes from Bethsaida, a town by the Sea of Galilee (John 1:44). But what does this actually mean, and why would Jesus compliment someone who had expressed such obvious prejudice? Instead he told Jesus that I couldn't be done. If we look at that phrase in the Greek, its translated as truly, genuine Israelite. But that was Philips spiritual side. So Nathanael is the son of Tolmai, or Nathanael Bar-Tolmei. Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew: Exploring The Chosen Season 2 Episode 2 . He is the way and the truth and the life for everyone, include you. Now you dont have to dump the whole load in the first conversation, but you can at least say something, just like Philip did when he basically told Nathanael: We have found him, the one who makes all the difference in life.. By his being lifted up on the cross, he raises us up from the depths of sin and death. Jesus was a common name. This suggests that both Phillip and Nathaniel knew the Old Testament prophecy. Who Was Philip the Apostle? The Beginner's Guide Philip and Nathanael: Friends to All | BibleTalk.tv How can you say, Show us the Father? Nathanael: Well, Philip went on to tell me that the "Messiah" he had found was from a little town called Nazareth. But it does seem clear that the mention of Nazareth was an initial obstacle in Nathanaels mind. Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. In Christ, the kingdom of heaven comes down to earth. The Synoptics describe the actual calling of these men to . Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and -- His response to Jesus to follow him was without hesitation. But when he saw the size of the crowd he began to feel overwhelmed by the impossible. bible - What is the significance of Jesus seeing Nathanael under the 47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, Here truly is an Israelite(J) in whom there is no deceit.(K). 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. Nathanael - The True Israelite Believed to Be the Apostle Bartholomew. He should have said, "Lord, if you want to feed them, feed them." The story begins with Jesus finding Philip and saying to him, Follow me. Notice that: Jesus finds Philip. Youll remember that John the Baptist pointed Jesus out to Peter, Andrew and John and then and they approached Jesus. 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. Philip preached the Faith in Greece and he was martyred at Hierapolis in Persia in the year 62. And he did. He belonged to the town to which Jesus was going (Cana of, Galilee, John 21:2 ). Following Philips breaking news, however, a second insight into Nathanaels character is revealed. And regardless of the fact that Jesus came from Nazareth, he was omniscient. Phillip had the heart of an evangelist. Some traditions tell of Nathanael being flayed alive in Armenia. How he really died, we dont know. No one ever passed through Cana. Philip the practical did not yet know the power of Jesus the miracle worker to multiply the five barley loaves and two fish Andrew found that the little boy was willing to share. 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. What am I talking about? He was nothing but a carpenter son. Nathanael means "gift of God." El, e-l, is the name of God. Cana is off the beaten track, sort of like the little town pastor lives in. Well, Phillip has my job. (3) Philip is closely connected with Nathanael and also with Bartholomew. A second difficulty is the way in which Philip's name is introduced. Can anything good come out of Nazareth? This question may have been precipitated by the lack of culture, unpolished speech and moral laxity sometimes attributed to Nazareth. We need to take a little rabbit trail here in so that you can get the scope of his prejudice. (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. Nathaniel however did not receive the message well. Nathanael appears.) Then Philip identifies this Messiah by name, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. But notice Nathanaels response: Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Apparently Nathanael, as one well-versed in the Scriptures, knew that there was no particular prophecy linking the Messiah to the city of Nazareth. . We know that Judas was in charge of the money, so it made sense that someone else would be in charge of coordination and distribution of meals and supplies. But now pause and consider where you are because of Jesus. However, John's account makes it very clear that each of the disciples had to encounter Jesus personally. "The Chaldeans confuse Bartholomew with Nathaniel," according to Giuseppe Simone Assemani. Nathanael was doubtful at first. The Apostles Philip and Nathanael. Phillip, on the other hand still hadn't gotten at two years later. He said we have found him. Philips personality, led him to say, I don't think we can do that., 7 Philip answered him, Eight months wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!. And so Nathan-el, Nathanael is a gift of God. You are the Son of God! 46Nazareth! 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 Nathanael, presumably someone he knew or had some kind of relationship with. Like we sang earlier: Love that found mewondrous thought! And so the church then is our Bethel, the house of God where we find Christ, where heaven is opened to us. Did the fig tree reference indicate his occupation, as a fig-gatherer? By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Those are the great things that Nathanael will see in Jesus ministry. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Philip said, Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us. Jesus answered: Dont you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? James and John were brothers. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. To challenge his friends blind bigotry, Philip responded with a simple invitation. Nathanael was one of the 12 original apostles of Jesus Christ. 'Come and see,' said Philip." John 1:43-46 Can anything good come from there? Nathaniel asked. Who Was Herod? If anything will put some excitement and joy into your life, this will. We can cut through a lot of the fog and smokescreens and side issues when we point people to Jesus and invite them to meet him here at our church. Not only had he introduced his brother Nathanael to Jesus, but when Gentiles came inquiring, he and Andrew went to Jesus for and answer. He was also present at the Day of Pentecost, where he and the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). He reappears (as "Nathanael of Cana") at the end of John's Gospel, as one of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared at the Sea of Galilee after the Resurrection. Nazareth on the other hand was a rough town. Nathanael is the Hebrew of the Greek word Theodorus, God's gift. Be prepared for that, but then be pleasantly persistent. Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael. The first six disciples, then, were Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Bartholomew. We dont know. The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee and He found Philip and said to him, Follow Me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Here we receive a foretaste of the feast to come. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. A fig tree near house provides a large, shady, protected place outdoors. My friends, this is surely good news! Hes one of four people named Philip in the Bible, and hes often confused with Philip the Evangelist, who plays a minor role in Acts. Philip died sometime in the first century, possibly around 80 AD. How does he respond? There's no reliable record about how he died. He loved God with a pure heart and desired to see the messiah. Barley is cheaper, so with one denari we could buy 20 barley biscuits, and if we get the small ones, and break them in half no it simply cannot be done. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. It wouldnt taken long for him to get past his prejudice and acknowledge Jesus for who He really was. 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). Like many in Israel, this was something (or someone) they were eagerly waiting and even searching for. What did Andrew do? He knew his passion. Either that or because he was the administrator of the group. John's gospel is the only one that mentions a man named Nathanael, who appears to be an apostle (John 1:43-51).John also never mentions Bartholomew. He doesnt get sidetracked. Some people won't listen to a female minister. This is where he can be found. In Nathanael, Christ had found a genuine and authentic believer. 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.. He paid him a high compliment: An Israelite in whom is no guile! Nathanael was already devout in the Jewish faith. That's all we know about Nathaniel. He also was among those surrounding John the Baptist when the . What have you found that you can tell others about? Nathaniel was prejudice. Its easy to read the gospels and Acts and not even notice that there are two different Philips. He would walk with Jesus during His subsequent forty days on earth, witness His miracle on the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-8), eat breakfast with Jesus on the shores of Galilee (John 21:9-14), receive Christs great commission (Matthew 28:19-20), and observe Jesus final ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9-11). Bartholomew = son of Tolmai, probably to be identified with Nathanael. 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. 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. 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? Church tradition holds that Philip preached the gospel in Scythia (a region in central Eurasia), Syria, and Phrygia (Turkey). He had found the messiah. But why does John refer to his fellow disciple as Nathanael while the other gospel writers list him as Bartholomew? He told them to free Bartholomew, but not to take him down. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. 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. Cana, Nathaniels home town was a side trip from everything. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Allegedly, he converted a proconsuls wife, which angered the proconsul enough to have him and Bartholomew crucified upside down. (1) St John, who twice mentions the name of Nathanael, never mentions that of Bartholomew; (2) the three Synoptists mention Bartholomew but not Nathanael. 4. The First Disciples (John 1:35-51) | Bible.org Of course, this was not a racial or ethnic prejudice, as many Jews would have had for the Gentiles or, as we see from the disciples later in the gospels, the Samaritans. 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 . 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Jesus honored Andrews faith by multiplying and feeding 5000. Jesus is telling them in this clearest possible language that he is God and to know him is to know the father. Remember that? Go and tell. Houses could get full smoke and stuffy. 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. 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.. But Phillip didn't bring them to Jesus did he? So if you wanted to escape the noise and the stifling atmosphere the house, you could go outside and rest under the fig tree. What Do We Know about Nathanael - the Disciple without Deceit? Of course, no reliable record exists of how Nathanael died. . 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. He immediately went to tell Nathanael that the Messiah had come. So it is for us in our witness. Though not much is known about Nathanaels background or personality, the apostle is revealed in the gospels to be an honest, insightful, and faithful servant of Jesus Christ and student of the Old Testament. get to know the Bible better! 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. Despite these thoughts and feelings, however, they continued to be positive instruments in the hands of God. Phillip, like the other apostles was a man of weak faith and imperfect understanding. John 1:43-51 NIV - Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael - BibleGateway We know this because after the resurrection these apostles returned to Galilee with Peter and resumed their fishing trade (John 21 ). He knew his prejudice. These men were called the 12 Disciples. Jesus response to him, 9 Jesus answered: Dont you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? 10 Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The trees grow about the height of about 15 feet they have short, gnarled trunks. He was in charge of arranging meals and logistics for Jesus and his disciples. Nathanaels name is never directly mentioned again in the New Testament. Hi, What proof do you have that Philip and Nathanael were brothers? 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 . Saw Nathanael Jesus certainly did. John relates the first, introductory meeting of Jesus with Andrew, John, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael. Think about it, If minimum wage is $5.50/hr x 40 hours x 33 weeks = $7260. One of the main routes going north and south between Jerusalem and Lebanon passes through Nazareth. Now was late in the day, and there were no fast food franchises. There was nothing fake or insincere about him. Can anything good come out of Nazareth? You likewise may encounter objections when you start to tell someone about Jesus. Nathanael was one of the first to express belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God ( John 1:49 ). The name Bartholomew is a family designation, meaning "son of Tolmai.". Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael asked. So dont be afraid or ashamed to invite your friends and neighbors, your family membersanyone who needs Jesusinvite them to come and see. Come and meet Jesus here at St. Matthews. No one comes to the Father except through me. He who has seen Me has seen the Father.. Jesus knew Nathanaels heart. Philip was one of those people who could do math and his head. And they both probably had an earnest desire to see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. There could be several reasons for this, which well get to in a moment. By his death on the cross, Jesus bridges the gap between us and God. You have a sure hope to carry you through all the trials and afflictions of this life. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. Thats how it was for Philip. Well, thats what happens now in Jesus. He'd rather have a yes or no answer. As a Bible scholar, he could have said, but wait, the messiah comes out of Bethlehem not Nazareth.. (Micah 5:2) or he could have said, But scripture tells us that he rules from Jerusalem, not Nazareth. His response to Jesus and reveals his character. Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!(John 1:49) Nathanael responded. . Just like he finds us. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The differences between John's account and the Synoptics' account are easily explained. . As the Son of God, he is the only one able to save us from our lost condition. Second Sunday after the Epiphany Despite Nathanaels initial prejudice, Jesus saw through the sinful, the imperfect, and the ordinary to the eager heart of one who was willing to leave everything behind to follow Him. [2][6], Although Nathanael is sometimes identified with Bartholomew the Apostle mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts 1:13. [1] "Come and see," said Philip. For less than $5/mo. You know what life is all about. He is here to open heaven for us. It is interesting to note how Andrew and John came to Christ through the faithful preaching of John the Baptist. While its easy to gloss over this quick interaction, a few key insights into Nathanaels character can be gleaned from this verse. Theres really not much we can say about Philip without speculating. Some scholars speculate that Philip may have also been a disciple of John the Baptist, since: Before Jesus famously fed the crowd of more than 5,000 people, he decided to test Philip: When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat? He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. . Stromata. Start for FREE. But Jesus just couldnt be contained in Phillips book. Like Andrew, Philips first reaction after meeting Jesus was to go tell someone about him. No doubt Phillip had already begun counting heads. We've already looked at this passage in detail when we studied Andrew. Wide open stand the gates!. To be a leader, you have to have a sense of vision. 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). Who Was Bartholomew the Apostle? The Beginner's Guide Rather, Nathanael had developed a regional prejudice and bias against those from a nearby town, perhaps in the same way crosstown rivals might deride each other, or residents of Los Angeles and San Francisco might disparage each other. Now days He would have been accused of spying on the brothers instead. He puts me right with God. After Philip finds Nathanael and tells him they have found the Messiah, the One who was promised in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, Nathanael makes his way to see this Jesus. Our Lord uses us as his instruments to invite others, so that they can hear Christs call to faith and discipleship. 50 Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathaniel and Jacob - John 1:35-51 Wait There Were How Many Herods?! It was. 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Invite the folks you knowyour friends and neighbors and your family membersinvite them to come and see. 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. No? 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. "Philip and Nathanael: A Story of Witnessing" (John 1:43-51) 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. John says this was to test him because Jesus already knew what he would do. Save 15% for life on BibleGateway+ with code SPRINGSTUDY15. Okayalthough you can reclaim at least some of that joy. After this, Nathanael would return with the remaining apostles to the upper room in Jerusalem, joining with them in prayer as they selected Matthias as a replacement for Judas Iscariot, who had recently hung himself (Acts 1:12-26). Who Were Jesus' First Disciples? - Bible Study 48 How do you know me? Nathaniel asked. That's why they responded so quickly to Jesus. You are headed toward heaven and eternal life with your Lord and with all his saints. 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. 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. Jesus died on the cross as our substitute, taking our sin and death on himself, thus opening heaven and eternal life to us. In fact it isnt today either. Andrew responded to the situation and brought Jesus a boy with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? by Ryan Nelson | Jun 10, 2019 | Bible characters | 2 comments, Philip the Apostle was one of the 12 main disciples of Jesus Christ. Nathanael was willing to leave both job and long-held religious beliefs and follow Jesus. While it's easy to gloss over this quick interaction, a few key insights into Nathanael's character can be gleaned from this verse. This Philip is explicitly identified as the evangelist and one of the Seven. If this were Philip the Apostle, it would be odd for Luke to provide two distinguishing details and not call him the apostle. Trust in God; trust also in me. The remaining disciples were called at another time. Can anything good come from there?(I) Nathanael asked. This was not flattery. His prejudice caused him to be skeptical when Phillip told him that the messiah was the Nazarene.