They had studied the Law of Moses and read the prophets. Thats how it went with Philip and Nathanael. 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. (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. There's no reliable record about how he died. All four of these disciples of Jesus were from the town of Bethsaida. 48How do you know me? Nathanael asked. Can anything good come out of St. Matthews? Oh, yes! 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. 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. You too will be a Philip, filled up with the joy and excitement that comes from knowing the Lord. Well, thats what happens now in Jesus. 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. 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 couldn't have known where I Nathaniel had been or what he had been doing and unless he had been omniscient. ",[4] but nonetheless, he accepts Philip's invitation to find out. One of the best trees to plant near your house is a fig tree. In vs. 43 Jesus "found" (EdpltcKeL) Philip. Were about to discover that Phillip is not usually a very decisive person. Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it? And presumably, if he did not use distinguishing details, the early church wouldve assumed he meant Philip the Apostlethe most well-known Philip. In fact, the only time Nathanael is featured is in John 1 when he is first called to follow Jesus, and John 21:2, where he is mentioned along with those who returned to Galilee to go fishing with Peter after the resurrection. Jesus response to him, 9 Jesus answered: Dont you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? But theres good reason to believe there are probably two different people named Philip. He didn't need to see any further proof. Sure his mind was tainted by prejudice, but his heart was pure. It was inconceivable to Nathaniel that the messiah would come from a tacky place like Nazareth. Phillip told Nathaniel about the messiah from the standpoint of the Old Testament prophecy. Hes just pleasantly persistent, inviting Nathanael to find out for himself. Now remember I told that Philip was pessimistic and didn't see the big picture? In Johns gospel, the author mentions that Jesus had sought out Philip shortly after calling Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be His disciples (John 1:43). How he really died, we dont know. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 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. Luke writes: So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Bartholomew = son of Tolmai, probably to be identified with Nathanael. He belonged to the town to which Jesus was going (Cana of, Galilee, John 21:2 ). Phillip had the heart of an evangelist. The Bible doesn't say Nathanael and Bartholomew are the same person. Come and see! (John 1:46). Instead he says "can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip and Nathanael were brothers as were Andrew and Peter. So When Jesus tested his faith, Phillip responded with unbelief. "It can't be done.". It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Simon and, probably, James were brought to Jesus by their brothers. He was also present at the Day of Pentecost, where he and the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). Peter and Andrew were early followers of John the Baptist. by Ryan Nelson | Jun 10, 2019 | Bible characters | 2 comments, Philip the Apostle was one of the 12 main disciples of Jesus Christ. 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. Let's go! Come on along! At the very least, Nathanael had become a close companion of Philip prior to meeting Jesus and had grown up in the same region as Peter, Andrew, James, John, and maybe even Thomas. Cana wasn't a prestigious town. 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! Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He'd rather have a yes or no answer. As a result, the church has doubted Eusebius account of Philip for nearly a millennia. As a man, in the flesh, Jesus takes our place, both in keeping Gods law and in taking the laws punishment on sinners. And thats Jesus. The Holy Gospel for today, from John 1, takes place very early in Jesus ministry, when he was first gathering his disciples. James and John were brothers. 46Nazareth! And by his resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven, he guarantees our own resurrection and eternal life in heaven. The ugly. 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? Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. How can you say, Show us the Father? Jesus has just told them that his Fathers mansion has many rooms and hes going to prepare a place for them and come back and get them. Nathaniel however did not receive the message well. [2][7] This is not supported by any early, reliable Christian tradition. He found Nathanael, presumably someone he knew or had some kind of relationship with. 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. Grow in your knowledge and faith. Jesus calls us to keep on following him, in a lifelong journey of faith. It wouldnt taken long for him to get past his prejudice and acknowledge Jesus for who He really was. When you know the Lord, it affects the way you speak and act and live. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Just seeing the Father will be enough for us.. In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida (1:43-44). Though not much is known about Nathanael beyond the gospels, church history suggests that Nathanael traveled beyond Judea to minister to parts of Persia and India, perhaps going as far as Armenia, whose church claims him as their saint and founder to this day. 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. And we should talk about them. These men were called the 12 Disciples. In fact it isnt today either. 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. But even a Galileans looked down on the Nazarene's. 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. Eusebius also quotes Polycrates of Ephesus, a bishop who lived during the second century, as saying: For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the last day, at the coming of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and shall seek out all the saints. Not linked to together using the conjunction and like we see what the brothers Peter and Andrew or James and John. They probably came to hear John the Baptist together. For less than $5/mo. Others hint of the apostle being tied up in a sack and thrown into the sea. Maybe he didnt think very highly of that town, we dont know. Origin:Hebrew. The most remarkable thing about his calling was that he had simply said yes. Does that have to do with Martin Luther King? Church? 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. Remember how Phillip had announced in Nathaniel that he had found the messiah. Come and see is subjective. Jesus questioned Philip about how they would feed the large multitude at the Sea of Galilee. Just short and sweet, Come and see. Philip doesnt engage Nathanael in a prolonged argument about the merits of Nazareth. Okayalthough you can reclaim at least some of that joy. Nathaniel was able to overcome his prejudice. 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? 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. God knows just what it takes to reach each of us. He said we have found him. Saw Nathanael Jesus certainly did. Remember that? Either that or because he was the administrator of the group. Nathanael declares, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! He also was among those surrounding John the Baptist when the . He had the ability to read Nathaniel's heart. Never-the-less Phillip had a good heart and took the Jews to Andrew. He simply says, Come and see. Thats it. (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). 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. Can anything good come from there? Nathanael asked. [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]. Andrew and his brother Simon Peter sought to find Jesus, but in the case of . If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. He in turn went and found his brother Simon, who would come to be called Peter. But Jesus came and sought us out. It was a kind of private outdoor space -- perfect for meditation, reflection, and solitude. Nathanael would be an Apostle, too. Phillip eventually got the message. After Jesus tells the disciples hes preparing a place for them and that they know where hes going, Thomas asks, How can we know the way if we dont know where youre going?, Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. All of this will be our focus in guiding your youth group through Episode . First is verse 3: "Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector.". He was not a hypocrite. Knowing Nathanaels heart, Jesus greeted His would-be disciple, not with chastisement or contempt, but rather, with a remarkable compliment of his character. Nathaniel got right away. And here's Nathaniel meeting Jesus for the first time and Jesus says this about him. In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida (1:43-44). Again let me say that it is probable that they were all friends or co-workers. Of course. There was nothing fake or insincere about him. The first six disciples, then, were Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Bartholomew. How about you? . 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. So quite possibly, if Phillip had introduced the Greeks to Jesus, he might have been breaking a rule. All rights reserved worldwide. [8] The earliest reference to this theorywhich is based on Bartholomew being properly a surnameis found in Ishodad of Merv (c.850). We know this because after the resurrection these apostles returned to Galilee with Peter and resumed their fishing trade (John 21 ). 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.. Jesus wasn't physically present to see Nathaniel under the fig tree, and Nathaniel knew that. [1] "Come and see," said Philip. January 14, 2018, Philip and Nathanael: A Story of Witnessing (John 1:43-51). Never heard of it. Or Luthern? Church tradition holds that Philip preached the gospel in Scythia (a region in central Eurasia), Syria, and Phrygia (Turkey). Philip replied that it would take two hundred denari to buy bread enough to feed them (John 6:7). Philip and Bartholomew are frequently mentioned together in the Synoptic Gospels, although Nathanael is never mentioned. Nathanael was from Cana in Galilee ( John 21:2) and was brought to Jesus by his friend, Philip, who also became one of Jesus' disciples. 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. of 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. Its really saying the same thing. Those are the great things that Nathanael will see in Jesus ministry. (One tradition also claims hes mentioned in another verse, though not by name.) The remaining disciples were called at another time. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. One record says he died of natural causes. Nathanael is a boy's name of Hebrew origin that means "God has given." In the Bible, Nathanael came from Cana in Galilee and was an early follower of Jesus.
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