Nathanael Who?

Two Cities

Nazareth, the home of Jesus

John 1:46 “46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.””

Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb

Revelation 21:11–12 “11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed—”

Two accounts of a man

the casual cynic

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

the believer

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

an extraordinary transition

This is all we know of Nathanael Son-of-Ptolemy

He was from Cana.

He may have been a bit of a wiseacre

vis. his dig at Nazareth.

He made a profound act of faith after meeting Jesus.

But, there may be more

There are a few apocryphal accounts

“The Preaching of Saint Bartholomew”

“The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew”

“The Acts of Saints Bartholomew and Saint Barnabas”

They are fanciful and full of colorful storytelling

Unlike the Gospels which

are more like Sgt. Joe Friday

‘Just the facts, Ma’m’.

But they are unanimous in their accounts of the Apostles’

persistent preaching and

martyrdom

I know that some of us are and have been illustrious, but I think that most of us will be like Saint Bartholomew: mostly faithful, mostly anonymous workers in Christ’s vineyard. But, please God, we may receive from Christ the reward of our labors.

“God doth not need

Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best

Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state

Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed

And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest:

They also serve who only stand and wait.”