Jesus Called Nathanael Bartholomew
Text: John 1:43-51
John alone gives a glimpse into the life of Nathanael Bartholomew. In the epilogue to John’s gospel, chapter 21 opens with these words:
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat.
Nathanael Bartholomew’s family background
His occupation….probably a fisherman (John 21:1-2)
His hometown….Cana “place of reeds”, 5 miles north of Nazareth
(John 21:1-2; see also John 2:1-12; 4:46-54)
His name….
Nathanael….”God has given”, “the gift of God”
…..Bartholomew….”son of Tholomai” …in the directory of disciples recorded in Matthew (10:1-4), Mark (3:13-19), Luke (6:12-16) and Acts (1:13).
Nathanael Bartholomew’s journey to faith….
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, be my disciple.” Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.
Philip went off to look for Nathanael and told him,
“We have found the very person Moses and the other prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”
“Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from there?”
“Just come and see for yourself,” Philip said. (John 1:43-46)
As John’s inspired record of Nathanael Bartholomew’s first encounter with Jesus continues to unfold, there are also some definite parallels to be observed in his story about how our Master relates to all of His disciples…then and now.
As they approached, Jesus said, “Here comes an honest man…….”
OUR MASTER KNOWS ALL ABOUT OUR TRUE CHARACTER
(Psalm 139:1-4)
As they approached, Jesus said, “Here comes an honest man—a true son of Israel.”
OUR MASTER KNOWS ALL ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION
(Matthew 23:25-28)
“How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.
And Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”
Nathanael replied, “Teacher, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”
Jesus asked him, “Do you believe all this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.”
Then he said, “The truth is, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down upon the Son of Man.” (John 1:47-51)
OUR MASTER KNOWS ALL ABOUT OUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES
So what ever happened to Nathanael Bartholomew?