Bartholomew = son of Tolmai, probably to be identified with Nathanael. Notice that: Jesus finds Philip, and then Philip finds Nathanael. He seeks us out, even when we were not looking for him. Matthew received his calling as Jesus was leaving Capernaum. 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. Nathanael: Well, Philip went on to tell me that the "Messiah" he had found was from a little town called Nazareth. People may say: St. Like Andrew, Philips first reaction after meeting Jesus was to go tell someone about him. 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. Joel Ryanis an author, writing professor, and contributing writer for Salem Web Network and Lifeway. 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. 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. No one comes to the Father except through me. John says this was to test him because Jesus already knew what he would do. The formal training of the 12 was over and yet their faith was still weak. Andrew and his brother Simon Peter sought to find Jesus, but in the case of . In fact, Nathanaels local knowledge and civic pride would come to light when called upon to follow Jesus. In vs. 43 Jesus "found" (EdpltcKeL) Philip. They were both disciples of John the Baptist who preached to Israel of the coming deliverer. 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Whats that? That is the most important thing in your life. 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! Cana itself is located only a few miles north of Jesus hometown in Nazareth and just a few miles west of Bethsaida, where Nathanaels good friend Philip was from (John 1:44). We've already looked at this passage in detail when we studied Andrew. If you are going from Chicago to Indianapolis, you might travel through Merrillville. Like Andrew, Philip was ready in his heart to receive Jesus as his Master. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. And so Nathan-el, Nathanael is a gift of God. Despite these thoughts and feelings, however, they continued to be positive instruments in the hands of God. So that would be pretty strange if that was Philip the Apostle.Much later in Acts 21:89, Paul and his companions stay at Philips house in Caesarea with his four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy. Prejudice cuts a lot of people off from the truth. Frequently, the disciples have no idea what Jesus is talking about, and someone has to stick their neck out and ask a clarifying question (or often in Peters case, make a foolish statement). How well could you feed 5000 people? It bothered them that the messiah and all his apostles came from Galilee. Our Lord uses us as his instruments to invite others, so that they can hear Christs call to faith and discipleship. Go to Romans 9:6-7, the apostle Paul says, "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are deceit and Abraham.". Little is written about him the Gospels and book of Acts. Polycrates seems to have clearly blurred the two Philips, and Eusebius never caught the mistake. 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). Instead he says "can anything good come out of Nazareth?" He who has seen Me has seen the Father. (John 14:8-9).Philip and Nathanael were ordinary men with an extraordinary calling. Hi, What proof do you have that Philip and Nathanael were brothers? The Gospel of John recounts Philip's calling as a disciple of Jesus. 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. The Messiah has come! Knowing Nathanaels heart, Jesus greeted His would-be disciple, not with chastisement or contempt, but rather, with a remarkable compliment of his character. Never-the-less Phillip had a good heart and took the Jews to Andrew. He knew their hearts. They probably came to hear John the Baptist together. He knew who look for. These were either God-fearing Gentiles, or full-fledged Hellenistic Jews on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover. This time were going to look through Phillip's eyes. Like we sang earlier: Love that found mewondrous thought! Once again, through their example we can see that we too can use our gifts to become all that Jesus wants us to become. We see that Philip and Nathanael were faithful servants of Jesus who had questions and concerns, doubts and fears. Prior to this eventful day, however, none of the Twelve had been ordained or set apart to their sacred office. His response to Jesus and reveals his character. That being said, we know Nathanael went on to play an important role in the formation of the early church, taking the gospel to the ends of the earth, as Jesus had commissioned His disciples to do before His ascension (Matthew 28:19-20). Philip died sometime in the first century, possibly around 80 AD. You may meet resistance when you tell others that you have found Jesus and his gifts present here at St. Matthew Lutheran Church. Moses: The Old Testaments Greatest Prophet, Two of Johns disciples followed Jesus (John 1:3537), The Bible only tells us that one was Andrew (John 1:40), The encounters seem to happen in the same location, Jesus may have been actively looking for Philip. He is called Nathanael in John 1. 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. How can you say, Show us the Father? 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. Four of those mentions are just lists of the apostles. In fact, Jesus was saying I know where your heart is, because I saw you under the fig tree. Yes, the Lord just may use our mouth to do the inviting! In each of the listings of the disciples, the names of Philip and Bartholomew are linked, which could mean they were good friends or even related. Jesus was the son of a carpenter, unknown name, from a town that didn't have any connection to prophecy. Cana wasn't a prestigious town. 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. Nathanael appears.) One record says he died of natural causes. Does that have to do with Martin Luther King? Church? What did Andrew do? He's not questioning his friend Philip, but a true Bible scholar would be sure to test the spirits. The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Thats where we werelost, wandering aimlessly, not looking for God. Beyond that, Nazareth may have carried some negative baggage for Nathanael. But Jesus just couldnt be contained in Phillips book. (Since Taco Bell wasnt an option.). In Luke and Matthew, an unnamed disciple asks Jesus if he can bury his father before following him. . Now was late in the day, and there were no fast food franchises. Some people won't listen to a female minister. How can you say, Show us the Father? He was in charge of arranging meals and logistics for Jesus and his disciples. There was nothing fake or insincere about him. 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. In both stories, the character of Philip (who in The Chosen is a disciple of John the Baptist) plays an important role as a kind of mentor/counselor, inviting Nathanael and Matthew to come and see the paradoxical Outside-In logic of the Kingdom of God and the meaningful role they can play in following the call of Jesus. But Phillip is the first disciple whom Jesus physically sought out, as well as the first one to whom Jesus actually said, "follow me". So quite possibly, if Phillip had introduced the Greeks to Jesus, he might have been breaking a rule. Philip replied that it would take two hundred denari to buy bread enough to feed them (John 6:7). Its culture was largely unrefined and uneducated. Jesus called Philip, who had been a disciple of John the Baptist's ( John 1:43 ), and then Philip went and found Nathanael and told him about Jesus. 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 twelve apostles opted out of this position, and then a man named Philip was chosen to be one of the Seven (Acts 6:5). Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us no details about Nathaniel's background, character, or personality. Similar to the way Andrew immediately went and found his brother Peter to tell him about Jesus, Philip swiftly approached his friend Nathanael with the good news. 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. All rights reserved worldwide. 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. So Nathanael is the son of Tolmai, or Nathanael Bar-Tolmei. Its the story of Philip and Nathanael: A Story of Witnessing. Now today let their story become your story also. This is where people will meet Jesus, their Savior, the author of life and the giver of salvation. ., Caius the Presbyter (a Christian writer in the third century) wrote: And after this there were four prophetesses, daughters of Philip, at Hierapolis in Asia. He should have said, "Lord, if you want to feed them, feed them." Do not let your hearts be troubled. Clement of Alexandria, who lived in the second and third century, claimed that this unnamed disciple was Philip: If they quote the Lords words to Philip, Let dead bury their dead, but do thou follow me . 50 Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. Nathanael also became Jesus' disciple. 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. 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. In other translations, Jesus refers to him as the one in whom there is no guile.. That's why Jesus asked Phillip where they could buy bread. Nathanael recognizes Jesus as "the Son of God" and "the King of Israel". 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. Here are the facts, you can only drawl one conclusion. Thats life-changing! [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]. 2 In my Fathers house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. We're not talking about physical dissent from Abraham or genetics, and but rather having a pure heart, without hypocrisy. Wheres that? Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. The Synoptic Gospels list Philip as one of the apostles. 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. But theres good reason to believe there are probably two different people named Philip. Find out what you will discover on this adventure of faith. The trees grow about the height of about 15 feet they have short, gnarled trunks. Apparently Philip was also in the wilderness with John the Baptist. Papias also refers to the Philip in Acts 21 as an apostle, and that title was usually (but not always) reserved for the Twelve. Christ came down from heaven, for us men and for our salvation. Just seeing the Father will be enough for us.. Bartholomew is a Hebrew surname meaning "son of Tolmai.". Nathanaels name is never directly mentioned again in the New Testament. Some traditions tell of Nathanael being flayed alive in Armenia. Philip and Nathanael, on the other hand, are listed jointly in John's tale. There could be several reasons for this, which well get to in a moment. Obviously Phillip knew that scripture was important to Nathaniel. Photo credit: Getty Images/Ascent/PKS Media Inc. Virtually everything we know about Nathaniel comes from Johns account of his call to discipleship in the wilderness shortly after Jesus is baptized. All four of these disciples of Jesus were from the town of Bethsaida. Learn how your comment data is processed. Proud member His Greek name is Bartholomew. [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. Let's go! But now pause and consider where you are because of Jesus. Nathanael would be an Apostle, too. But the important fact is that Philip followed Jesus and he went immediately to invite his brother Nathanael to follow Him. Or stoned to death. In Church History Eusebius quotes Papias of Hierapolisa contemporary of the apostlesas saying that Philip was living in Hierapolis with his daughters. 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. Its hard to say how Philip died, especially since he was confused with Philip the Evangelist early on, and there are conflicting accounts. He didn't know what to do. He knew his prejudice. We find their names together side-by-side as companions. You too will be a Philip, filled up with the joy and excitement that comes from knowing the Lord. 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?. 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. Jesus knew Nathanaels heart. The ugly. Well, thats all right. Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? John 14:610. One tradition says that he was tied up in a sack and cast into the sea. Phillip was pessimistic, narrowly focused, and obsessed with identifying the reason that things can't be done. But maybe youll put it a different way, perhaps like this: I have found my Savior, and hes your Savior too. 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. And what did Philip do? Phillips closest companion is Nathaniel. Nathanael: Oh, Hello! 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. 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. Nazareth! What am I talking about? Yes, Jesus is here, present in our midst. Notice Philips reply to the problem that Nathanael has with Nazareth. Nathanael - The True Israelite Believed to Be the Apostle Bartholomew. This is where he can be found. The latter is preserved in the names Theodore and Dorothea. Save 15% for life on BibleGateway+ with code SPRINGSTUDY15. Philip was from Bethsaida, the same city as his friend Andrew. (The other two Philips are both sons of King Herod the Great.). Cana, Nathaniels home town was a side trip from everything. They walked with Jesus while he was upon earth. Not only had he introduced his brother Nathanael to Jesus, but when Gentiles came inquiring, he and Andrew went to Jesus for and answer. Joshua in the Old Testament, which means Yahweh is salvation, or as Matthew 1:21 records for he will save his people from their sins. Nathanael (Hebrew , Greek: , "God has given"), also known as Nathaniel[1] of Cana was a disciple of Jesus, mentioned only in chapters 1 and 21 of the Gospel of John. Nathanael was one of the first to express belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God ( John 1:49 ). That's group two. Nathaniel lived in a society that was prejudice by temperament. He was also present at the Day of Pentecost, where he and the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). Notice, by the way, Philip says, We have found him, even though in reality its the other way around. While its true that Nathanael had a heart to know God and an eager spirit, to Philips news, Nathanael responded, can anything good come out of Nazareth? (John 1:46). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. There he is called, "Nathanael of Cana in Galilee.". In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida (1:43-44). Same thing today. 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 . 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. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 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.. In fact, it is your life! Another tradition says that he was crucified. Sort of like Merrillville. No hope to sustain you. Were about to discover that Phillip is not usually a very decisive person. But there are several reasons why for centuries, many Christians have believed they were. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. Acts 6:24. I dont believe in organized religion. See, these are the modern version of Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Can anything good come out of St. Matthew Lutheran Church? People will raise objections, and quite often its because they want to keep Gods word at arms length. Thats why we invite people. Meaning:God has given. Start for FREE. He was skeptical, analytical, pessimistic, and unsure. Nathaniel was able to overcome his prejudice. 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. And he did. Or crucified upside down. 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. Our final look at Phillip comes a short time after the Last Supper on the eve of the crucifixion. Jesus finding you and saving you and leading you day by day, all the way into eternal lifethis is what life is all about. Think about it, If minimum wage is $5.50/hr x 40 hours x 33 weeks = $7260. Come and see, said Philip. John 1:4346. Some people won't hear a minister of a different race. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who sleeps in Hierapolis, and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus.. "Come and see," said Philip. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. 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? Jesus response to him, 9 Jesus answered: Dont you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? In other words between all the disciples -- at least 12 of them and probably more like 70 -- all they had was eight months worth of a single laborers wages. And yet James was the first to die, and John was the last. Phillip was good at finding ways to get out of doing things? "The Chaldeans confuse Bartholomew with Nathaniel," according to Giuseppe Simone Assemani. Sure his mind was tainted by prejudice, but his heart was pure. No doubt Phillip had already begun counting heads. 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). You have the word of God as your anchor and stay. The Apostle Philip is only mentioned a handful of times in the New Testamentseven times in the gospels and once in Acts. 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. [2][6], Although Nathanael is sometimes identified with Bartholomew the Apostle mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts 1:13. Of Nathanael, Jesus said, behold, an Israelite, indeed, in whom there is no deceit! (John 1:47). The Nathaniel was a true spiritual offspring of Abraham. The earliest reference in the West is in Rupert of Deutz (d. 1129). Nathaniel was prejudice. 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. Follow me, Jesus says to each one of us. His answer shows us the contempt Nathaniel felt for the people of Nazareth. Jesus is the very Son of God, come in the flesh. of Second Sunday after the Epiphany Phillip had studied the scriptures and everything lined up. 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.. No thanks. [2] Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! 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. 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. And when they come, what they will find here is Jesus giving out his gifts. This suggests that both Phillip and Nathaniel knew the Old Testament prophecy. I cant think of anything better. 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.

Fort Worth Police Department Requirements, Articles W