Joel Ryanis an author, writing professor, and contributing writer for Salem Web Network and Lifeway. We have to remember that even though he had a Greek name, he was still a Jew and would have heard Jesus say that he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus responds (seemingly harshly), Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God (Luke 9:60). Theres really not much we can say about Philip without speculating. If you are going from Chicago to Indianapolis, you might travel through Merrillville. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! Jesus is calling you to be his disciple. In the verses before ours, John tells us that Andrew was one of two men who had been John the Baptist's disciples. So its very strange to see Phillip eagerly accept Jesus offer to follow him. Either that or because he was the administrator of the group. No one ever passed through Cana. 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. 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.. "Come and see," said Philip. You may meet resistance when you tell others that you have found Jesus and his gifts present here at St. Matthew Lutheran Church. Our final look at Phillip comes a short time after the Last Supper on the eve of the crucifixion. of And he introduced the Jews to Jesus. 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. Because his heart was sincere his faith was real. Now was late in the day, and there were no fast food franchises. As John relates how the disciples were called, Philip and Nathanael were the 3 rd and 4 th men named as disciples. (Funny sound is heard to indicate traveling in time. Or to put it another way: Whom have you found? The Holy Gospel for today, from John 1, takes place very early in Jesus ministry, when he was first gathering his disciples. Remember how Phillip had announced in Nathaniel that he had found the messiah. (Since Taco Bell wasnt an option.). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Bible doesn't say Nathanael and Bartholomew are the same person. They had the same background, the same experiences in following our Lord. Bartholomew literally means "son of Tolmai." 47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, Here truly is an Israelite(J) in whom there is no deceit.(K). Most of the earliest traditions seem to point to him being martyred in Hierapolis. He said, 45 Philip found Nathaniel 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.. 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. Lets see what happens when his friend questions his set of facts. Jesus proved that in His interactions with these men. After all Andrew could introduce anyone to Jesus. What you saw was what you got. 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. We see that Philip and Nathanael were faithful servants of Jesus who had questions and concerns, doubts and fears. Commentary John 1:43-John 1:51 Family-Times.net Its the story of Philip and Nathanael, how they came to be disciples and follow our Lord. Bartholomew is a Hebrew surname meaning "son of Tolmai.". Sure his mind was tainted by prejudice, but his heart was pure. 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. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Jesus finding you and saving you and leading you day by day, all the way into eternal lifethis is what life is all about. Early church records suggest that he ministered in Persia and India and took the gospel as far as Armenia. Phillip had a lack of vision. Wait There Were How Many Herods?! Let's see, one denari can buy 12 wheat biscuits. Instead he says "can anything good come out of Nazareth?" The words I say to you are not just my own. Not only had he introduced his brother Nathanael to Jesus, but when Gentiles came inquiring, he and Andrew went to Jesus for and answer. 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. So when Jesus said these things to him, he might have questioned if Jesus was just flattering him? 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. Can anything good come from there? Nathanael asked. 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 (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. Jesus immediately characterizes him as "an Israelite in whom is no deceit". Nathanael (Bartholomew) was called after Philip told him about the Lord. While it's easy to gloss over this quick interaction, a few key insights into Nathanael's character can be gleaned from this verse. If anything will put some excitement and joy into your life, this will. It is interesting to note how Andrew and John came to Christ through the faithful preaching of John the Baptist. He simply says, Come and see. Thats it. Nathanael was one of the 12 original apostles of Jesus Christ. By his death on the cross, Jesus bridges the gap between us and God. Can anything good come from there?(I) Nathanael asked. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. What Do We Know about Nathanael - the Disciple without Deceit? He told them to free Bartholomew, but not to take him down. Let me just say a little about his name while you're turning there. 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. If we stretched the metaphor, we might consider it to be the wrong side of the tracks. Like the Apostle Thomas, Philips only significant mentions come in the Gospel of John (and theyre still not that significant). So quite possibly, if Phillip had introduced the Greeks to Jesus, he might have been breaking a rule. They even tried to take them to a cliff and throw him off. Thomas says, We dont know where youre going. 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. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? John 14:610. The former is found in Numbers 1:8; 1Chronicles 2:14. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus calls us, even as he called Philip. 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). Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Thats life-changing! By now it should have been clear that he was going to his father in heaven and the only way for them to get there was through faith in Christ. Philip was one of those people who could do math and his head. . Matthew received his calling as Jesus was leaving Capernaum. And yet James was the first to die, and John was the last. Yes, Jesus is here, present in our midst. He wasn't what you would call foreword-thinking. John seems more interested in telling us who said what, and using Philips answer to set up Jesus miracle. 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. Today I want you to see yourself as a Philip. He doesnt get sidetracked. "The Chaldeans confuse Bartholomew with Nathaniel," according to Giuseppe Simone Assemani. Nathanael means "gift of God." El, e-l, is the name of God. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Jesus is quickening faith in his heart. Do you have the excitement and joy of a Philip? Most accounts say that he was put to death by stoning in Asia Minor eight years after the martyrdom of James. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The good. Nathanael was doubtful at first. Nathanael also became Jesus' disciple. We find their names together side-by-side as companions. All of your sins are forgiven. I want you to notice the expression Phillip used when he told Nathaniel about Jesus. The first six disciples, then, were Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, and Bartholomew. You have a sure hope to carry you through all the trials and afflictions of this life. Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew: Exploring The Chosen Season 2 Episode 2 He should have said, "Lord, if you want to feed them, feed them." Phillip doesn't like maybes. Phillip, like the other apostles was a man of weak faith and imperfect understanding. 48 How do you know me? Nathaniel asked. We already looked at the passage were Philips says show us the father. get to know the Bible better! 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. Cana is off the beaten track, sort of like the little town pastor lives in. Yes, the Lord just may use our mouth to do the inviting! 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). Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 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. Come and see. The name Bartholomew is a family designation, meaning "son of Tolmai.". He knew his prejudice. Jesus has found you and called you to follow him. That's group two. After all Nazareth was full of uncultured people. Of course. So Nathanael is the son of Tolmai, or Nathanael Bar-Tolmei. Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us no details about Nathaniel's background, character, or personality. A second difficulty is the way in which Philip's name is introduced. You are the King of Israel!. The Messiah has come! Just short and sweet, Come and see. Philip doesnt engage Nathanael in a prolonged argument about the merits of Nazareth. Who Was Bartholomew the Apostle? The Beginner's Guide Nathanael was willing to leave both job and long-held religious beliefs and follow Jesus. As we saw earlier we know that it was Phillip who introduced Nathaniel to Jesus. Their association with the Lord made them disciples who learned from Him, but their faithfulness and commitment sent them forth as apostles to proclaim the good news that Jesus is Lord. 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. When you know the Lord, it affects the way you speak and act and live. 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! 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. The one who died for me and rose again, that I might live. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to 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. Maybe the excitement has worn off. Others hint of the apostle being tied up in a sack and thrown into the sea. Even Nathanael, who was probably caught off guard by Christs compliment following a previously bigoted assumption, responded by asking Jesus, how do You know me? (John 1:48). Church tradition holds that Philip preached the gospel in Scythia (a region in central Eurasia), Syria, and Phrygia (Turkey). And we should talk about them. . But Phillip is the first disciple whom Jesus physically sought out, as well as the first one to whom Jesus actually said, "follow me". And so it goes. The disciple named Philip was, along with Peter and Andrew, from Bethsaida in Galilee ( John 1:44; 12:21 ). Those are all good. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. The Master's Men Part 2: Philip and Bartholomew - Grace to You And what did Philip do? Or I know that you take your devotion time every day before you go to work to study the scriptures. Phillip was pessimistic, narrowly focused, and obsessed with identifying the reason that things can't be done. John relates the first, introductory meeting of Jesus with Andrew, John, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael. Jesus died on the cross as our substitute, taking our sin and death on himself, thus opening heaven and eternal life to us. For less than $5/mo. 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. Does God Really Work All Things Together for Good? We do know that Nathaniel was to faithful to the end, because he was faithful from the start. Bartholomew = son of Tolmai, probably to be identified with Nathanael. Philip and Nathanael | If I Walked With Jesus 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. Before Philip invited his brother, already Jesus had an intention of calling the young man. 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. Jesus response to him, 9 Jesus answered: Dont you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? [8] The earliest reference to this theorywhich is based on Bartholomew being properly a surnameis found in Ishodad of Merv (c.850). His response, displays Nathaniel's character. God knows just what it takes to reach each of us. Okayalthough you can reclaim at least some of that joy. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? Peter and James came to the Lord because of the personal soul-winning of their brothers. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity.