were philip and nathanael brothers
James (son of Zebedee and John's brother) was called as he was mending nets inside a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Notice, by the way, Philip says, We have found him, even though in reality its the other way around. Finding Philip, he said to him, Follow me.. And we should talk about them. If we look at that phrase in the Greek, its translated as truly, genuine Israelite. Change). 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? Just seeing the Father will be enough for us.. Grow in your knowledge and faith. Jesus calls us to keep on following him, in a lifelong journey of faith. Jesus is telling them in this clearest possible language that he is God and to know him is to know the father. While hanging there, Philip preached, and the crowd was moved to release them. Did you see that Jesus sought Phillip out? This was not flattery. The Bible doesnt tell us much, and even some of the most reliable early church writers were confused about who he even was. He knew his prejudice. Well, Phillip has my job. He knew his passion. One tradition says that he was tied up in a sack and cast into the sea. And by his resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven, he guarantees our own resurrection and eternal life in heaven. Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!(John 1:49) Nathanael responded. The New Testament lists all twelve apostles four timesMatthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:14-19, Luke 6:13-16, and Acts 1:13-16. Next group comes James, Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. Another suggests Nathanael died by crucifixion. The name Bartholomew is a family designation, meaning "son of Tolmai.". 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. All rights reserved. Nathanael recognizes Jesus as "the Son of God" and "the King of Israel". We're not talking about physical dissent from Abraham or genetics, and but rather having a pure heart, without hypocrisy. Little is written about him the Gospels and book of Acts. 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. They were fisherman and worked alongside James and John. Here we receive a foretaste of the feast to come. Nathanael would be an Apostle, too. 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. As the Son of God, he is the only one able to save us from our lost condition. 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.". Never heard of it. Or Luthern? I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.. His response to Jesus and reveals his character. He leads the way, every step of the way, all the days of our life. In this instance, Nathanaels prejudice was confronted with the obvious, observable, and undeniable truth of who Jesus was. 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. Im guessing that unless youre talking to an orthodox Jew, you probably wont start out by saying, We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote. Thats going to go over most peoples heads. 47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, Here truly is an Israelite(J) in whom there is no deceit.(K). Thats why we invite people. You are the Son of God! But Jesus just couldnt be contained in Phillips book. 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. Peter and Andrew were early followers of John the Baptist. He might have been the same person as Nathanael. 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). And whats more, this new life doesnt stop with you. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 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. 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. So When Jesus tested his faith, Phillip responded with unbelief. Blind and dead in our sins, enemies of Godthat is our natural state. So Nathanael is the son of Tolmai, or Nathanael Bar-Tolmei. 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.. Add to that the legendary accounts from the Acts of Philip and Letter from Peter to Philip, and it becomes difficult to separate fact from fiction, too. Jesus died on the cross as our substitute, taking our sin and death on himself, thus opening heaven and eternal life to us. He said we have found him. 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). Wait There Were How Many Herods?! Same thing today. Theres really not much we can say about Philip without speculating. What did Andrew do? So when Jesus said these things to him, he might have questioned if Jesus was just flattering him? Come on along! Why did Jesus single Phillip out? Prior to this eventful day, however, none of the Twelve had been ordained or set apart to their sacred office. His response, displays Nathaniel's character. Can anything good come from there? Nathaniel asked. Nathaniel knew the Old Testament. 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! [8] The earliest reference to this theorywhich is based on Bartholomew being properly a surnameis found in Ishodad of Merv (c.850). John seems more interested in telling us who said what, and using Philips answer to set up Jesus miracle. By the grace of God, Nathanael was chosen to follow Christ. That is the most important thing in your life. However, from the beginning to the very end, Nathanael proved to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, a keen student of Scripture, and a bold witness to the power of Gods grace and forgiveness. (Since Taco Bell wasnt an option.). Nathanael was doubtful at first. Does the Bible Condemn Using Tarot Cards? (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). 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. In fact much of Israel rejected their messiah because of their prejudice. The Philip we call the Evangelist or the Deacon is first mentioned in Acts 6 when the church selects seven people to distribute food. Jesus immediately characterizes him as "an Israelite in whom is no deceit". 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. 48How do you know me? Nathanael asked. And so the church then is our Bethel, the house of God where we find Christ, where heaven is opened to us. [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. 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). Most accounts say that he was put to death by stoning in Asia Minor eight years after the martyrdom of James. Isn't that just like us? Jesus proved that in His interactions with these men. We've already looked at this passage in detail when we studied Andrew. get to know the Bible better! Besides if Andrew got in trouble that would be Andrew's problem. Jesus is calling you to be his disciple. No hope to sustain you. And presumably, if he did not use distinguishing details, the early church wouldve assumed he meant Philip the Apostlethe most well-known Philip. The Messiah has come! By his being lifted up on the cross, he raises us up from the depths of sin and death. The remaining disciples were called at another time. 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. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Prejudice effectively causes people to remain cut off from the gospel. 43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Learn how your comment data is processed. Excitedly, he tells Nathanael, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote." In other words, Philip is telling his fellow Jew, Nathanael, "We have found the Messiah." In fact, Nathanaels local knowledge and civic pride would come to light when called upon to follow Jesus. In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida (1:43-44). 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). The differences between John's account and the Synoptics' account are easily explained. The one who gives me eternal life as a free gift. The most remarkable thing about his calling was that he had simply said yes. We do know that Nathaniel was to faithful to the end, because he was faithful from the start. Nazareth was the smallest, most unimportant town I could think of. And like the other apostles, Nathaniel stands to prove that God can use anyone, from any place, provided he has an open heart to build his kingdom. Nathanael was willing to leave both job and long-held religious beliefs and follow Jesus. John, however, refers to the apostle almost exclusively as Nathanael in his gospel. Trees were planted around houses to keep them cool and shaded. In Church History Eusebius quotes Papias of Hierapolisa contemporary of the apostlesas saying that Philip was living in Hierapolis with his daughters. Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael asked. 10 Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? This recalls the story of Jacobs ladder. 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. To this Jesus replied, before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you(John 1:49). 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. Beyond that, Nazareth may have carried some negative baggage for Nathanael. When Jesus appeared to Philip, Philip quickly identified Him as the chosen Messiah and the one he and Nathanael had read about in the Old Testament. Nathanael is described as initially being skeptical about whether the Messiah could come from Nazareth, saying: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth? He was not a hypocrite. Finding Philip, he said to him, Follow me. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. The former is found in Numbers 1:8; 1Chronicles 2:14. 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. Origin:Hebrew. 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. Proud member Another tradition says that he was crucified. I want you to notice the expression Phillip used when he told Nathaniel about Jesus. Jesus calls us, even as he called Philip. Invite the folks you knowyour friends and neighbors and your family membersinvite them to come and see. As a man, in the flesh, Jesus takes our place, both in keeping Gods law and in taking the laws punishment on sinners. Sort of like Merrillville. Like we sang earlier: Love that found mewondrous thought! Apparently Philip was also in the wilderness with John the Baptist. 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. He gives me meaning and purpose and hope in life. Some traditions tell of Nathanael being flayed alive in Armenia. These were either God-fearing Gentiles, or full-fledged Hellenistic Jews on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover. The three Gospel-writers who make record of the organization of the Twelve place Simon Peter first and Judas Iscariot last in the category; they agree also in the relative position of some but not of all . Jesus is the very Son of God, come in the flesh. 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). They didn't believe that messiah could come out of Nazareth. 50 Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. If we stretched the metaphor, we might consider it to be the wrong side of the tracks. 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. 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. Thats how it went with Philip and Nathanael. But when he saw the size of the crowd he began to feel overwhelmed by the impossible. While its easy to gloss over this quick interaction, a few key insights into Nathanaels character can be gleaned from this verse. What am I talking about? James and John were brothers. 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. These men wanted an audience with 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 . 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. This time were going to look through Phillip's eyes. 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. 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. 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.. Prejudice cuts a lot of people off from the truth. Philip said to him, "Come and see." John 21:1-6. 'Come and see,' said Philip." John 1:43-46 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.. 46Nazareth! 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. Their tomb is there, and that, too, of their father.. 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). In Luke and Matthew, an unnamed disciple asks Jesus if he can bury his father before following him. A second difficulty is the way in which Philip's name is introduced. Phillip was the first one to hear those words and obey them. This comment has been removed by the author. Cana, Nathaniels home town was a side trip from everything. He is speaking to you today. 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.. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Some people won't hear a minister of a different race. Nazareth on the other hand was a rough town. 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. After all Andrew could introduce anyone to Jesus. What Do We Know about Nathanael the Disciple without Deceit. Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael. Just short and sweet, Come and see. Philip doesnt engage Nathanael in a prolonged argument about the merits of Nazareth. The words I say to you are not just my own. How can you say, Show us the Father? Its easy to read the gospels and Acts and not even notice that there are two different Philips. But ultimately, above all, when we talk about our church, we want to talk about the one who is the very heart and center of our church, the churchs whole reason for existence. "Come and see," said Philip. Phillip was pessimistic, narrowly focused, and obsessed with identifying the reason that things can't be done. In all likelihood they probably studied scripture together.