Nathanael Bartholomew

INTRODUCTION

We are currently in a study of the twelve disciples

Today we’re looking at Bartholomew

He is part of the second group we started last week as we looked at Philip

Bartholomew is second in the list in the second group

He appears in all 4 lists

But what we learn about him is only mentioned in John 1:45-51.

Please take God’s Word and turn with me to John chapter one

In verse 45, we are introduced to him by this phrase, “Philip found Nathanael” (v.45)

Let me begin by first talking about…

I. His Name

His name in Mark 3:18 is Bartholomew

But that wasn’t his first name

It was his last name

It means “son of Tolmai”

His first name, as we see here in John 1:45, was Nathanael

It means “gift of God”

Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the synoptic gospels

Synoptic means “seeing together

In those 3 Gospels, Bartholomew is named with the other disciples, but Nathanael isn’t

But in the Gospel of John, Nathanael is named but not Bartholomew

Scholars believe these two names are the same person with Nathanael being his first name and Bartholomew being his last

II. His Birth Place

He was from Cana of Galilee (Jn.21:2)

The rest of what we know about him is found in the account in John 1:45-51.**

In this account there are several things we can learn from Nathanael Bartholomew like…

III. His Study of Scripture (v.45)

Both Philip and Nathanael were students of Scripture

They were studying the Law of Moses and the Prophets and looking for the Messiah they wrote about

Jesus said to the Jews in John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that bear witness about Me.”

He said it again in John 5:46, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.”

This is the stance of John’s whole gospel: Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture” (John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible)

After the resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 24:44, “Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.””

What is written about Jesus in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms?

In the Law of Moses there are two important verses among many…

Genesis 3:15.

Deuteronomy 18:15-19.

In the Prophets we hear in…

Isaiah 9:6-7.

Isaiah 53:1-12.

In the Psalms we hear…

Psalm 22:1 - "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34)

Psalm 2:7 - "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'You are My Son; today I have begotten You.'" (Hebrews 1:5; Acts 13:33)

Psalm 110:1 - "The LORD says to my Lord: 'Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.'" (Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43; Acts 2:34-35; Hebrews 1:13)

Psalm 118:22-23 - "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10-11; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7)

So the first thing we learn about Nathanael is that he was a student of Scripture, a searcher of truth, and a seeker of God. Together, he and Philip hungered to know God’s truth and looked for the Messiah. However, verse 46 tells us he had a weakness in his character. (Ibid., MacArthur, The Master’s Men, p.65)

IV. His Sin of Prejudice (v.46)

After Philip tells Nathanael about finding the Messiah and that it is Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael says, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

Nathanael was from Cana

That’s more obscure than Nazareth

It is clear that “Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, the Talmud, the Midrash, or any contemporary Gentile writings” (MacArthur, 71) as the place where the Messiah would come

So in that sense Nathanael’s question is correct

But he was implying something more about Nazareth itself

William Barclay says…

“Nazareth was a quite undistinguished place. Nathanael himself came from Cana, another Galilaean town, and, in country places, jealousy between town and town, and rivalry between village and village, is notorious. Nathanael’s reaction was to declare that Nazareth was not the kind of place that anything good was likely to come out of.”

(The Gospel of John : Volume 1. 2000, c1975 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, Ed.). The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed., 92)

Philip challenges Nathanael at the end of verse 46 with three words

Rather than argue with him about Nazareth, he simply says, “Come and see”

He knew that Nathanael’s questions would then be resolved (Walvoord)

“Come and see” is the best answer you can give to a skeptic

It puts the burden on them

God has given us His Word and it contains everything man needs to know about Jesus Christ and His purpose for coming into this world

John MacArthur says…

“Idle speculation is no substitute for personally investigating Christ. Philip was certain that his friend’s questions would be answered and his doubts satisfied when he met Jesus, just as his had been. Despite his preconceived notions about Nazareth, Nathanael rose above his prejudice and went with Philip to meet Jesus” (71).

Verses 47-51 records Nathanael’s encounter with Jesus…

V. His Sincerity of Heart (v.47)

Jesus’ first statement to Nathanael was a character description (v.47)

He says, “‘Behold, truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit”

“Truly an Israelite” — “truly” is also translated “Indeed” in some versions

It’s the Greek word alethos and literally means how it is translated in the LSB, “Truly an Israelite. An Israelite not merely in descent, but in character” (Marvin Vincent, Word studies in the New Testament)

He was an Israelite “genuinely,” or “in truth” (MacArthur)

He was a true Israelite according to God’s Law because “in him there is no deceit!”

The word “deceit” (dolos) means, “‘cunning, treachery.’ It indicates his religious and moral integrity” (Fritz Rienecker, The Linguistic Key to the Greek NT, 221).

William Hendriksen believes Jesus’ statement to Nathanael was an allusion to the patriarch Jacob

He says, “In the light of the entire context it becomes apparent that throughout this account of his conversation with Nathaniel, Christ is thinking of the patriarch Jacob. With reference to the latter, father Isaac had complained, speaking to his son Esau, 'Thy brother came with guile, and has taken away thy blessing' (Gen. 27:35; see also the following verse). The employment of trickery for selfish advantage characterized not only Jacob himself (see also Gen. 30:37-43) but also his descendants (cf. Gen. 34). A really honest and sincere Israelite, a Jew without duplicity, had become such an exception that at the approach of Nathaniel Jesus exclaimed, 'Look, truly an Israelite in whom deceit does not exist’” (Vol. 1-2: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Gospel According to John).

VI. His Search for Truth Exposed (v.48)

Nathanael is amazed at Jesus’ statement and says, “From where do You know me?”

How did He know anything about him? They had never met.

If that wasn’t enough listen to Jesus’ second statement to him in verse 48: “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

Not only did Jesus accurately sum up Nathanael’s character without having met Him, He also displayed a supernatural knowledge of information known only to him

Most likely the fig tree in question was the place where Nathanael studied and meditated on the Old Testament Scriptures

Marvin Vincent said…

“The Jewish writings tell of distinguished rabbis who were accustomed to rise early and pursue their studies under the shade of a fig-tree.”

Whatever happened under the fig tree, Jesus’ supernatural knowledge of it removed Nathanael’s doubt

Listen to Nathanael’s declaration in verse 49

It is…

VII. His Statement of Faith (v.49)

He says, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”

“In an outburst of confident faith, Nathanael acknowledged Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah” (MacArthur).

His response is similar to others who encountered Christ

Andrew declared Him to be the “Messiah” in verse 41

Nicodemus declared Him as coming “from God as a teacher” (Jn.3:1)

The Samaritan woman declared Him as one “who told me all the things I have done” (Jn.4:29)

After the people of Samaria heard the words of the woman and met Him, they declared “that this One is indeed the Savior of the world” (Jn.4:43)

Nathanael declared Him as “the Son of God” (v.49)

“The use of the definite article indicates that the title here is used in its fullest sense, affirming Jesus’ absolute equality with God” (MacArthur, 73)

Throughout His earthly ministry, those who followed Jesus repeatedly acknowledged that He was the Son of God

In John 11:25–27, Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One who comes into the world.””

After Jesus came to the disciples on the water and Peter’s walking on the water, Matthew 14:33, “And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!””

Nathanael also declared Him “the King of Israel” (v.49)

The OT described the Messiah as the King of Israel:

Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Make a loud shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, Lowly and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a pack animal.”

In John 12:12–15, John applies this verse to Jesus when he says, “12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” 14 And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.””

Jesus’ makes a third statement to Nathanael in vv.50-51 and gives him…

VIII. His Special Insight into Jesus’ Power (vv.50-51)

He says, “50…“Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.””

Jesus was probably alluding to Jacob’s dream, where he saw angels ascending and descending from heaven on a ladder (Gen.28:12-13)

The point of this statement is that “Jesus is the link between heaven and earth, the revealer of heavenly truth to men” (MacArthur, 73)

That is seen as He replaces the “ladder” in Jacob’s dream with Himself (John 1:51)

One writer says, “ Perhaps Jesus was also indicating that He is the new 'Bethel,' God's dwelling place (Gen. 28:17; John 1:14)” (Walvoord)

The last phrase “the Son of man” is the first of thirteen occurrences in John’s Gospel

This was Jesus’ favorite way of referring to Himself

He did so about eighty times in the Gospels

In John’s gospel, it is associated with Jesus’ suffering and death (3:14; 8:28; 12:34), His provision of salvation (6:27, 53), and His authority to judge (5:27; 9:35, 39) (MacArthur, 74)

CONCLUSION

So we meet Nathanael Bartholomew

He was a seeker of truth

He was prejudiced (but not bound by it)

He was honest and open

A man of prayer

A man of meditation

A man who made a complete surrender to Christ

And a man with a keen mind and a heart of faith

He saw—and understood

Jesus promised him wonderful revelations of His power

And from then on he saw heaven’s power displayed on earth

As we have been learning, God uses all kinds of people

Remember it’s not who you are but what you’re willing to become

Let me close with a quote from John MacArthur:

He says…

“This passage, which records Jesus’ call of His first disciples to salvation, pictures the balance of salvation taught throughout Scripture. Salvation takes place when seeking souls come in faith to the Savior who has already sought them” (74).

Are you seeking after Christ?

Deuteronomy 4:29, “But from there you will seek Yahweh your God, and you will find Him, for you will search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.”

Give Him your heart and soul today as we pray

Let’s pray