Virtually everything we know about Nathaniel comes from Johns account of his call to discipleship in the wilderness shortly after Jesus is baptized. 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. Its culture was largely unrefined and uneducated. But even a Galileans looked down on the Nazarene's. Nathanael: the man who saw for himself - British Bible School Jesus 'looks on the heart' of Nathanael and calls him Saw Nathanael Jesus certainly did. He opens up heaven for us. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. 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. 4. The First Disciples (John 1:35-51) | Bible.org 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 . He puts me right with God. Weve met him! 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. This may seem like a trivial detail, but later, when Jesus and the disciples come to Jerusalem, some Greek men from Bethsaida want to see Jesusand they come to Philip (John 12:21). 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. Some traditions tell of Nathanael being flayed alive in Armenia. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. Jesus was the son of a carpenter, unknown name, from a town that didn't have any connection to prophecy. Now was late in the day, and there were no fast food franchises. However, this tradition largely originates with Acts of Philip, a dubious fourth-century text which intermingled true accounts with legends, including a narrative involving a dragon. Was it the right thing to do? In fact it isnt today either. Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. 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. He'd rather have a yes or no answer. 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. 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). 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. Its the story of Philip and Nathanael, how they came to be disciples and follow our Lord. But theres good reason to believe there are probably two different people named Philip. It says in John 21:2 that Nathanael was from Cana not Bethsaida. 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.. The Messiah has come! "Philip and Nathanael: A Story of Witnessing" (John 1:43-51) It was a kind of private outdoor space -- perfect for meditation, reflection, and solitude. 01/14/18 "Call and Response: Philip and Nathanael" Despite his flaws, if there was one thing Nathanael wasnt, it was a hypocrite. And thats Jesus. 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 . As we discussed earlier, these Greeks may have come to Philip because they knew him, or simply because he had a Greek name and spoke Greek the best. Finding Philip,(A) he said to him, Follow me.(B), 44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Jesus immediately characterizes him as "an Israelite in whom is no deceit". Unlike the Pharisees and religious scholars of their day, these men were not academic elites. Phillip & Nathaniel - Faithlife Sermons After the resurrection, Nathanael would go on to be a key leader in the early church, taking the gospel to the ends of the earth as commissioned by his lord and savior. 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. 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. 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. The good. Maybe the excitement has worn off. Phillip was already in the presence of the living and eternal God. All rights reserved. Remember how Phillip had announced in Nathaniel that he had found the messiah. Come and see is subjective. 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. He knew his prejudice. We know this because after the resurrection these apostles returned to Galilee with Peter and resumed their fishing trade (John 21 ). What we know about Bartholomew/Nathanael comes primarily from the account of . A second difficulty is the way in which Philip's name is introduced. He seeks us out, even when we were not looking for him. Jesus answered, I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.. His response, displays Nathaniel's character. But it does seem clear that the mention of Nazareth was an initial obstacle in Nathanaels mind. Does the we in Philips declaration mean that he, Andrew and Peter (who may have already known each other in Bethsaida) had found the Lord? You have the word of God as your anchor and stay. Go and tell. You are headed toward heaven and eternal life with your Lord and with all his saints. 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.. No thanks. 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. I have found the one who forgives my sins. 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. He paid him a high compliment: An Israelite in whom is no guile! Nathanael was already devout in the Jewish faith. Jesus finding you and saving you and leading you day by day, all the way into eternal lifethis is what life is all about. Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!(John 1:49) Nathanael responded. We dont know. Nathanael also became Jesus' disciple. 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 . Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. Cana is off the beaten track, sort of like the little town pastor lives in. 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. The disciple named Philip was, along with Peter and Andrew, from Bethsaida in Galilee ( John 1:44; 12:21 ). 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. 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. One record says he died of natural causes. His prejudice caused him to be skeptical when Phillip told him that the messiah was the Nazarene. Despite these thoughts and feelings, however, they continued to be positive instruments in the hands of God. Who Was Herod? He who has seen Me has seen the Father.. 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? The Holy Gospel for today, from John 1, takes place very early in Jesus ministry, when he was first gathering his disciples. 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. 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). They dont tell us much, but theyre all we really have to go on. 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. Can anything good come from there? Nathaniel asked. We can conclude that he interpreted it literally because it was so easy for him to believe that Jesus was the messiah. . Peoples ears are closed to the gospel by many kinds of prejudice. What does the name Nathaniel mean biblically? 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. 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. Jews in Jesus day looked down on the Galilean's. No doubt Phillip had already begun counting heads. We have to assume that Nathaniel was still questioning whether Jesus is the true messiah. 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. Philip and Nathanael | If I Walked With Jesus We dont learn much about Philip from the synoptic gospels or Book of Actsin fact, pretty much all we learn is that hes always listed with Bartholomew. How can you say no? When you know the Lord, it affects the way you speak and act and live. John 1:45 Commentaries: Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We And when they come, what they will find here is Jesus giving out his gifts. By his death on the cross, Jesus bridges the gap between us and God. Nathaniel who came from an even lowlier village was simply echoing the sentiments of the Jewish establishment when he expressed his contempt for Nazareth. What we do know is this: as one of the Twelve, Philip certainly held an important role in the early church, and he likely played a key part in spreading the gospel somewhere in ancient Eurasia. get to know the Bible better! Phillip was the first one to hear those words and obey them. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Aside from the lists of apostles in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts, Philip appears in four narratives in the Gospel of John. "Come and see," said Philip. And this business about the angels of God ascending and descending? But Jesus just couldnt be contained in Phillips book. The Apostle Philip is only mentioned a handful of times in the New Testamentseven times in the gospels and once in Acts. [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. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 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. In fact, its possible that Philip the Apostle was confused with Philip the Evangelist as early as the first or second century. Jesus is calling you to be his disciple. Never heard of it. Or Luthern? 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. He loved God with a pure heart and desired to see the messiah. You are a dear child of your heavenly Father. Nathanael means "gift of God." El, e-l, is the name of God. Now days He would have been accused of spying on the brothers instead. We find their names together side-by-side as companions. Ive already said that Phillip was a student of the Old Testament. James (son of Zebedee and John's brother) was called as he was mending nets inside a boat on the Sea of Galilee. You are the Son of God! One of the best trees to plant near your house is a fig tree. Well, thats all right. If we stretched the metaphor, we might consider it to be the wrong side of the tracks. 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. But when he saw the size of the crowd he began to feel overwhelmed by the impossible. Prior to this eventful day, however, none of the Twelve had been ordained or set apart to their sacred office. 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. 5 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?. This is where people will meet Jesus, their Savior, the author of life and the giver of salvation. 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. They probably came to hear John the Baptist together. Follow me. Hear the authority in his voice. So if you wanted to escape the noise and the stifling atmosphere the house, you could go outside and rest under the fig tree. These men were part of Jesus' inner group. However Nathaniel was not impressed at first glance with Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. [2] Jesus knew Nathanaels heart. Matthew received his calling as Jesus was leaving Capernaum. 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. In John 6, we read the story and of the feeding of the 5000. It was. You know what life is all about. All four of these disciples of Jesus were from the town of Bethsaida. Knowing Nathanaels heart, Jesus greeted His would-be disciple, not with chastisement or contempt, but rather, with a remarkable compliment of his character. John, however, refers to the apostle almost exclusively as Nathanael in his gospel. He simply says, Come and see. Thats it. The day after that, Jesus went . Did the citizens of Nazareth hold the same view of those from Cana? 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). Nathanael is the Hebrew of the Greek word Theodorus, God's gift. By all accounts he was martyred like the rest of the apostle's, except John. 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. Trees were planted around houses to keep them cool and shaded. And whats more, this new life doesnt stop with you. Its possible that they knew him personally, or perhaps he spoke Greek better than the other disciples (he did have a Greek name after all). 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. Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it? Yeshua in its Aramaic form. 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. Phillip, like the other apostles was a man of weak faith and imperfect understanding. 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. Philip and Nathanael, on the other hand, are listed jointly in John's tale.
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