Nathaniel/Bartholomew Outline

John 1:43-51

John 1:43–51

King James Version Chapter 1

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

John 21:1–3

King James Version Chapter 21

After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. 2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

I. Nathaniel/Bartholomew.

A. The Meaning of his names.

1. Nathaniel. (his given name)

Ναθαναὴλ - Nathaniel means “God’s gift” - his given name

Nathanael (נְתַנְאֵל, Netan’el), meaning “God has given.” Michael Taylor

Nathanael means "God has given." So he is Nathanael, son of Tolmai, or Nathanael Bar-Tolmai. MacArthur

John 1:45 “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 21:2

“Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.”

2. Bartholomew. (his surname/family name)

The name “Bartholomew” (Βαρθολομαῖος, Bartholomaios) is a patronymic form derived from the Aramaic בַּר־ תַּלְמַי (bar-Talmai), meaning “son of Talmai.” Michael Taylor

Matthew 10:3

“Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;”

Mark 3:18

“Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,”

Luke 6:14

“Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,”

Acts 1:13

“And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.”

B. The ministry of his friend. vv. 45-46

Note: The call of Philip - vv. 43-45 - “The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

.1. Philip’s witness. vv. 45-46

King James Version Chapter 1

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Word Pictures in the New Testament John 1:45

More exactly, “Jesus, son of Joseph, the one from Nazareth.” - Robertson

Note: The faith and understanding of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Deuteronomy 18:15 ““The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—”

Note: The apostles were most likely students of the scriptures.

Philip was using the expression "son of Joseph" as a kind of surname—" Jesus Bar-Joseph, " just as his friend was "Nathanael Bar-Tolmai." - MacArthur

2. Nathaniel’s response. vs. 46

Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” ESV.

Word Pictures in the New Testament John 1:46

Literally, “Out of Nazareth can anything good be.” - Robertson

Word Studies in the New Testament II. The Self-Revelation of Christ to the Disciples (13:1–21:23)

It was a proverb, however, that no prophet was to come from Galilee (

a. His knowledge of the prophetic scriptures.

King James Version Chapter 5

2  But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah,

Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;

Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

b. His human prejudice (MacArthur).

The Judaeans looked down on all Galileans, but even the Galileans looked down on the Nazarenes. - MacArthur

Note: God can remove prejudice from the heart - Cp. Matthew and Simon the zealot; the early Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians.

Note: C. S. Lewis quote: “It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.” The Weight of Glory

Note: Bunyan’s The Holy War - John Bunyan understood the danger of prejudice. In his famous allegory The Holy War, he pictures the forces of Immanuel coming to bring the gospel to the town of Mansoul. They directed their assault on Mansoul at the Ear-gate, because faith comes by hearing. But Diabolus, the enemy of Immanuel and His forces, wanted to hold Mansoul captive to hell. So Diabolus decided to meet the attack by stationing a special guard at Ear-gate. The guard he chose was "one old Mr. Prejudice, an angry and ill-conditioned fellow." According to Bunyan, they made Mr. Prejudice "captain of the ward at that gate, and put under his power sixty men, called deaf men; men advantageous for that service, for as much as they mattered no words of the captains, nor of the soldiers." MacArthur

Mens ears are closed to the gospel by many kinds of prejudice—racial prejudice, social prejudice, religious prejudice, and intellectual prejudice. Prejudice effectively caused the majority of the Jewish nation to remain deaf to the Messiah. - MacArthur

Note: Philip’s response - “Come and see.” - ἔρχου καὶ ἴδε. - Invitation - not argument.

II. Nathaniel/Bartholomew’s Encounter with Jesus. vv. 47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”” ESV

King James Version Chapter 1

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

A. The Lord’s Assessment of Nathaniel/Bartholomew. vs. 47

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” ESV

King James Version Chapter 1

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

1. A true Israelite.

“Behold, an Israelite indeed”

ἴδε ἀληθῶς Ἰσραηλείτης

Jesus refers to him as "an Israelite indeed." The word in the Greek text is alethos, meaning "truly, genuinely." He was an authentic Israelite. MacArthur

Note: The two seeds (physical and spiritual)

Romans 9:6 “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,”

“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:” KJV

Galatians 6:15–16

“For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”

Romans 9:6–7

“But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.””

Romans 2:28–29

“For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”

Note: The difference between Jacob and Israel.

Genesis 32:22–32

“The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.”

Note: Jacob walked with a limp after this - most believers walk with a spiritual limp.

2. A guiless Israelite.

in whom there is no deceit! ESV

“in whom is no guile” KJV

δόλος οὐκ ἔστιν.

The Greek word for deceit, δόλος (dolos), implies cunning or guile. The compliment is reminiscent of Psalm 32: 2, “Blessed is the man... in whose spirit there is no deceit.” - Michael Taylor

B. Nathaniel/Bartholomew’s Response to Jesus. vv. 48-49

1. The Lord answers Nathaniel’s question. vs. 48

Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” ESV

King James Version Chapter 1

48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Note: The significance of Nathaniel being under the fig tree. Where is your fig tree?

Note: The fig tree was a secret place for Nathaniel.

Matthew 6:5–6

““And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

2. Nathaniel’s confession. vs. 49

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” ESV

Note: Peter - Matthew 16:16 “Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.””

Martha - John 11:27 “She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.””

Thomas - John 20:28 “Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!””

The crowds at the Triuimphal Entry - John 12:13 “So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!””

Psalm 2 clearly indicated that the Messiah would be the Son of God. - MacArthur

C. The Lord’s Response to Nathaniel/Bartholomew. vv. 50-51

Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”” ESV

King James Version Chapter 1

50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. 51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Note: you is plural in verse 51. Verily, verily - Amen, amen - truly, certainly, so be it

III. Nathaniel (Bartholomew) and Tradition.

Early church records suggest that he ministered in Persia and India and took the gospel as far as Armenia. - MacArthur

One tradition says he was tied up in a sack and cast into the sea. Another tradition says he was crucified. By all accounts, he was martyred like all the apostles except John. - MacArthur

According to early Church history and Eastern Orthodox tradition, Bartholomew carried the gospel to parts of Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Persia, India, and Armenia. - Michael Taylor

Perhaps the most enduring and gruesome tradition regarding Bartholomew’s martyrdom is that he was flayed alive. This narrative, preserved in apocryphal texts and hagiographic accounts, states that Bartholomew was martyred in Albanopolis, Armenia, where he was tortured and executed for converting the local king’s brother. - Michael Taylor