I cant think of anything better. The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Thats where we werelost, wandering aimlessly, not looking for God. Save 15% for life on BibleGateway+ with code SPRINGSTUDY15. Phillip should have known better he had lived with Jesus day in and day out, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for over 18 months. 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. In vs. 43 Jesus "found" (EdpltcKeL) Philip. 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. They had the same background, the same experiences in following our Lord. Change). Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Be prepared for that, but then be pleasantly persistent. Found me when I sought him not.. "Come and see," said Philip. But it does seem clear that the mention of Nazareth was an initial obstacle in Nathanaels mind. Or stoned to death. People may say: St. Little is written about him the Gospels and book of Acts. Before Philip invited his brother, already Jesus had an intention of calling the young man. Salem Media Group. Jesus calls us, even as he called Philip. Nathanael means "gift of God." El, e-l, is the name of God. In Nathanael, Christ had found a genuine and authentic believer. As we saw earlier we know that it was Phillip who introduced Nathaniel to Jesus. 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! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Finding Philip,(A) he said to him, Follow me.(B), 44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 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. What Do We Know about Nathanael the Disciple without Deceit. Notice, by the way, Philip says, We have found him, even though in reality its the other way around. After this, Nathanael would return with the remaining apostles to the upper room in Jerusalem, joining with them in prayer as they selected Matthias as a replacement for Judas Iscariot, who had recently hung himself (Acts 1:12-26). By his being lifted up on the cross, he raises us up from the depths of sin and death. We know this because when each of the Gospels lists the apostles they list Phillip and Nathaniel (or Bartholomew) together. Jesus proved that in His interactions with these men. From Philips perspective, this was a great discovery, and in his excitement he expresses it the best way he knows how: We have found him, the Messiah.. The ugly. 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. . John seems more interested in telling us who said what, and using Philips answer to set up Jesus miracle. He knew who look for. . How he really died, we dont know. In a letter to Pope Victor, Polycrates of Ephesus said: I speak of Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who is laid to rest at Hierapolis. The twelve apostles opted out of this position, and then a man named Philip was chosen to be one of the Seven (Acts 6:5). What you saw was what you got. He knew their hearts. Most accounts say that he was put to death by stoning in Asia Minor eight years after the martyrdom of James. Philip, then, came to Nathanael and said to him: "We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth" (John 1:45). Hes also clearly one of the Twelve in the Gospel of John, though John never explicitly lists them.This means Philip was one of the people who was closest to Jesus, and that he spent about three years living with him, witnessing his miracles, and hearing his teachings. To challenge his friends blind bigotry, Philip responded with a simple invitation. James (son of Zebedee and John's brother) was called as he was mending nets inside a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Phillip was good at finding ways to get out of doing things? No one comes to the Father except through me. Today I want you to see yourself as a Philip. Nathanael would be an Apostle, too. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. If we look at that phrase in the Greek, its translated as truly, genuine Israelite. The Apostles Philip and Nathanael. Indeed, in the Sacrament of the Altar, heaven and earth come together. Its the story of Philip and Nathanael, how they came to be disciples and follow our Lord. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! He found Nathanael, presumably someone he knew or had some kind of relationship with. He hadnt put on a show or pretended to be something he was not to impress anyone, let alone Jesus. And so it goes. Philip and Bartholomew are frequently mentioned together in the Synoptic Gospels, although Nathanael is never mentioned. Nathanael, also referred to as Bartholomew in the gospels, was one of Jesus original twelve disciples. Given the fact that Peter and Andrew were also from Bethsaida, and possibly even James and John, the sons of Zebedee, (John 1:44), the likelihood that many of the disciples knew each other, were close friends, and possibly even coworkers and fellow fisherman prior to meeting Jesus becomes more conceivable. 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. Philip died sometime in the first century, possibly around 80 AD. This is as good as it gets! Now Phillip had seen Jesus created wine out of water in Cana. Nathanael was one of the first to express belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God ( John 1:49 ). Philip and Nathanael were brothers as were Andrew and Peter. Jesus brings Philip to Himself personally and then Philip witnesses to Nathaniel and brings him to the Lord. Like the called out, Philip and Nathanael, may we, too be found faithful.c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Wednesday, March 10, 2010. . Instead he says "can anything good come out of Nazareth?" John writes, "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 1:45 ). In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida (1:43-44). And regardless of the fact that Jesus came from Nazareth, he was omniscient. Youll remember that John the Baptist pointed Jesus out to Peter, Andrew and John and then and they approached Jesus. Follow me, he says to each one of us. Whether Philips statement was foolish or simply bold, it gave Jesus another opportunity to directly assert his divinity, and help us understand his relationship to the Father. Lets look at his response to Phillip. How about you? 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. John, however, refers to the apostle almost exclusively as Nathanael in his gospel. What is known is that Nathanael was almost certainly martyred for his faith like the rest of the apostles, with the exception of John. 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. How can you say no? 48 How do you know me? Nathaniel asked. Philip was one of those people who could do math and his head. It is interesting to note how Andrew and John came to Christ through the faithful preaching of John the Baptist. 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? get to know the Bible better! Its culture was largely unrefined and uneducated. The Nathaniel was skeptical. 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. His answer shows us the contempt Nathaniel felt for the people of Nazareth. They had studied the Law of Moses and read the prophets. A fig tree near house provides a large, shady, protected place outdoors. 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. Go to Romans 9:6-7, the apostle Paul says, "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are deceit and Abraham.". Jesus immediately characterizes him as "an Israelite in whom is no deceit". Just like he finds us. However, from the beginning to the very end, Nathanael proved to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, a keen student of Scripture, and a bold witness to the power of Gods grace and forgiveness. Nathanael - The True Israelite Believed to Be the Apostle Bartholomew. All of your sins are forgiven. And when they come, what they will find here is Jesus giving out his gifts. [2][7] This is not supported by any early, reliable Christian tradition. Hes just pleasantly persistent, inviting Nathanael to find out for himself. It bothered them that the messiah and all his apostles came from Galilee. 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. We can cut through a lot of the fog and smokescreens and side issues when we point people to Jesus and invite them to meet him here at our church. All of this will be our focus in guiding your youth group through Episode . Thats how it was for Philip. 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. 43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. All rights reserved. He who has seen Me has seen the Father.. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Nathaniel was prejudice. Never heard of it. Or Luthern? How can you say, Show us the Father? Excitedly, he tells Nathanael, We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote. In other words, Philip is telling his fellow Jew, Nathanael, We have found the Messiah. The Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed Onethe promised deliverer prophesied in the Scriptures, the one who will fulfill all the promises God made to our fathers: Guess what, Nathanael? The Gospel of John recounts Philip's calling as a disciple of Jesus. Nathaniel knew the Old Testament. [5] Some scholars hold that Jesus' quote "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you", is based on a Jewish figure of speech, referring to studying the Torah. Like we sang earlier: Love that found mewondrous thought! Just short and sweet, Come and see. Philip doesnt engage Nathanael in a prolonged argument about the merits of Nazareth. Photo credit: Getty Images/Ascent/PKS Media Inc. Let me tell you about him. They were fisherman and worked alongside James and John. Okayalthough you can reclaim at least some of that joy. The first thing he does is to find Nathanael and tell him what happened. Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael. Matthews? Nathanael is described as initially being skeptical about whether the Messiah could come from Nazareth, saying: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Not linked to together using the conjunction and like we see what the brothers Peter and Andrew or James and John. We know Jesus called them all before the foundations of the world. 6 Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Follow me, learn from me, as my disciples. Or crucified upside down. And we should talk about them. Im guessing that unless youre talking to an orthodox Jew, you probably wont start out by saying, We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote. Thats going to go over most peoples heads. Sure his mind was tainted by prejudice, but his heart was pure. Those are all good. Can anything good come out of Nazareth? This question may have been precipitated by the lack of culture, unpolished speech and moral laxity sometimes attributed to Nazareth. Does God Really Work All Things Together for Good? We have found him! 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.. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. 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. Now what does Philip do next? Theres really not much we can say about Philip without speculating. 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. Trees were planted around houses to keep them cool and shaded. He went and found someone he could share his joy with. In each of the listings of the disciples, the names of Philip and Bartholomew are linked, which could mean they were good friends or even related. 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 . He might have been the same person as Nathanael. This recalls the story of Jacobs ladder. He was nothing but a carpenter son. Nathanaels story may not be chronicled in much detail. Andrew responded to the situation and brought Jesus a boy with 5 loaves and 2 fish. That would have been left to the more academically gifted students at the time. 48How do you know me? Nathanael asked. Next group comes James, Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. Phillip doesn't like maybes. 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. In John's Gospel, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida. Nathanael: Well, Philip went on to tell me that the "Messiah" he had found was from a little town called Nazareth. You will see greater things than these. Jesus here is telling Nathanael that he will see the divine power and blessing of God displayed in Jesus ministry time and time again. Peoples ears are closed to the gospel by many kinds of prejudice. There he is called, "Nathanael of Cana in Galilee.". He puts me right with God. Jesus wasn't physically present to see Nathaniel under the fig tree, and Nathaniel knew that. And what did Philip do? While its true that Nathanael had a heart to know God and an eager spirit, to Philips news, Nathanael responded, can anything good come out of Nazareth? (John 1:46). Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. Jesus called Philip, who had been a disciple of John the Baptist's ( John 1:43 ), and then Philip went and found Nathanael and told him about Jesus. This time were going to look through Phillip's eyes. . We have to assume that Nathaniel was still questioning whether Jesus is the true messiah. Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael asked. This comment has been removed by the author. The Nathaniel was a true spiritual offspring of Abraham. 2 In my Fathers house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. Remember how Phillip had announced in Nathaniel that he had found the messiah. Instead he told Jesus that I couldn't be done. Church tradition identifies Philip as the missionary to Greece, Syria, and Phrygia, but even early on, Philip the Apostle was frequently confused with Philip the Evangelist (also known as Philip the Deacon), which makes it hard to distinguish which details describe which Philip. In other words between all the disciples -- at least 12 of them and probably more like 70 -- all they had was eight months worth of a single laborers wages. We've already looked at this passage in detail when we studied Andrew. Second Sunday after the Epiphany There was nothing fake or insincere about him. Weve met him! That's group two. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. Remember that? Saw Nathanael Jesus certainly did. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Think of it this way: Think of where you would be without Jesus. The remaining disciples were called at another time. The Lord Jesus Christ is here in his church, where his gospel is preached, his word is taught, and his life-giving sacraments are administered. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wroteJesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see. John 1:43-46, He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life., Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? In fact, Jesus sees Nathanael approaching and he says, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit! Nathanael can tell that this Jesus somehow knows something about him, that he has divine insight. Prior to this eventful day, however, none of the Twelve had been ordained or set apart to their sacred office. How does he respond? 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. Now of course, there are many things about our congregation we can talk about, positive things, the various aspects of our life together: the camaraderie and the fellowship, the friendliness of our members, the potlucks and the friendships we enjoy. He who has seen Me has seen the Father. (John 14:8-9).Philip and Nathanael were ordinary men with an extraordinary calling. It was Jesus who found Philip! Here we receive a foretaste of the feast to come. The story begins with Jesus finding Philip and saying to him, Follow me. Notice that: Jesus finds Philip. Well, thats all right. Imagine that, this is the first time Nathaniel meets Jesus and Jesus calls him a true Israelite without deceit. The one who died for me and rose again, that I might live. Nathaniel however did not receive the message well. He had found the messiah. And they both probably had an earnest desire to see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Come on along! Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Now remember I just told you Jesus went to Phillip and said follow me, and then Phillip turns around and tells his buddy we found him. He had the ability to read Nathaniel's heart. The Bible doesnt tell us much, and even some of the most reliable early church writers were confused about who he even was. He was a founding Father of the early church and among the first to be martyred. Jesus was the son of a carpenter, unknown name, from a town that didn't have any connection to prophecy. The earliest reference in the West is in Rupert of Deutz (d. 1129). (Since Taco Bell wasnt an option.). In the synoptic gospels, the writers simply tell us these exchanges took place between Jesus and the disciples, and the dialogue cuts to the chase a little more. He found Nathanael, presumably someone he knew or had some kind of relationship with. In Luke and Matthew, an unnamed disciple asks Jesus if he can bury his father before following him. -- His response to Jesus to follow him was without hesitation. 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. 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. If you remember back to our study of Peter, Jesus didn't actually say follow me to Peter until the end of his earthly ministry (John 21:19) after his failure on the night of Jesus the trail. Was it the right thing to do? Though Cana itself was not a particularly remarkable village, Nathanaels disdain for Nazareth indicates a certain civic pride and pretension on the part of the Nathanael. As a Bible scholar, he could have said, but wait, the messiah comes out of Bethlehem not Nazareth.. (Micah 5:2) or he could have said, But scripture tells us that he rules from Jerusalem, not Nazareth. Our Lord uses us as his instruments to invite others, so that they can hear Christs call to faith and discipleship. "Son of Man" was one of our . How could he now say, "Show us the father"? And so Nathan-el, Nathanael is a gift of God. Its easy to read the gospels and Acts and not even notice that there are two different Philips. Bartholomew = son of Tolmai, probably to be identified with Nathanael. Houses could get full smoke and stuffy. He wanted to go by the book all the time. No thanks. Unless you looking for the shrine built upon the supposed location of where Jesus turned water into wine you probably wouldn't want to go there. These were either God-fearing Gentiles, or full-fledged Hellenistic Jews on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover. Same thing today. Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it? Philip was from Bethsaida, the same city as his friend Andrew. Nathanael was willing to leave both job and long-held religious beliefs and follow Jesus. Blog at WordPress.com.RSS 2.0Comments RSS 2.0, Philip and Nathanael: A Story of Witnessing (John1:43-51). Sort of like Merrillville. His response, displays Nathaniel's character. I want you to notice the expression Phillip used when he told Nathaniel about Jesus. The cross of Christ is our Jacobs ladder. What does the name Nathaniel mean biblically? You know what life is all about. Nathaniel got right away. The differences between John's account and the Synoptics' account are easily explained. Aside from the lists of apostles in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts, Philip appears in four narratives in the Gospel of John. Phillips closest companion is Nathaniel. In the verses before ours, John tells us that Andrew was one of two men who had been John the Baptist's disciples. Our final look at Phillip comes a short time after the Last Supper on the eve of the crucifixion. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. That's why Jesus asked Phillip where they could buy bread. But that was Philips spiritual side. His response to Jesus and reveals his character. He doesnt get sidetracked. How can you say, Show us the Father? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. He simply says, Come and see. Thats it. Let's go! The disciple named Philip was, along with Peter and Andrew, from Bethsaida in Galilee ( John 1:44; 12:21 ). Jesus went to find tentative Philip and Nathanael needed a little miracle to convince him that at least one good thing could come out of Nazareth. So if you wanted to escape the noise and the stifling atmosphere the house, you could go outside and rest under the fig tree. And he introduced the Jews to Jesus. "The Chaldeans confuse Bartholomew with Nathaniel," according to Giuseppe Simone Assemani. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. As John relates how the disciples were called, Philip and Nathanael were the 3 rd and 4 th men named as disciples. And at the same time, our Lord calls us to follow him in faith. Yes, Jesus is here, present in our midst. 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. Do you have the excitement and joy of a Philip? Join our email list, and well send you some of our best free resourcesplus well tell you whenever we make something new. The latter is preserved in the names Theodore and Dorothea. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. 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. While it's easy to gloss over this quick interaction, a few key insights into Nathanael's character can be gleaned from this verse. Let's see, one denari can buy 12 wheat biscuits. He belonged to the town to which Jesus was going (Cana of, Galilee, John 21:2 ). The same word introduces Simon Peter in vs. 41, and Nathanael in vs. 45. Phillip had a lack of vision. These were Andrew, John, Simon Peter, Philip, Nathanael, James, and Levi Matthew. Another says he was beheaded. Jesus died on the cross as our substitute, taking our sin and death on himself, thus opening heaven and eternal life to us. Because he had a Greek name. He is speaking to you today. Trust in God; trust also in me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. He was not a hypocrite. Jews in Jesus day looked down on the Galilean's. And yet James was the first to die, and John was the last. 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). Hear his personal care for you. First is verse 3: "Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector.". Christ came down from heaven, for us men and for our salvation. At this point Phillip speaks up and says, 8 Philip said, Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us., How could Phillip say such a thing immediately after Jesus had just told them that he and the father were one? Those are the great things that Nathanael will see in Jesus ministry. Can anything good come from there? Nathanael asked. 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. In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida (1:43-44). His prejudice caused him to be skeptical when Phillip told him that the messiah was the Nazarene. He wasn't what you would call foreword-thinking. Some people won't listen to a female minister. Some traditions tell of Nathanael being flayed alive in Armenia. Meaning:God has given. How dare he tell them what to do? [1] "Come and see," said Philip. (The other two Philips are both sons of King Herod the Great.). After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. The one who gives me eternal life as a free gift. Notice that: Jesus finds Philip, and then Philip finds Nathanael. So, yes, you do have something to tell others about, something absolutely exciting and joyful! 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. They even tried to take them to a cliff and throw him off. Who Was Herod? But theres good reason to believe there are probably two different people named Philip. )Most scholars believe that either Papias was talking about Philip the Evangelist (due to the reference to his daughters) and using the term apostle more broadly, or else Papias confused the two. Rather, Nathanael had developed a regional prejudice and bias against those from a nearby town, perhaps in the same way crosstown rivals might deride each other, or residents of Los Angeles and San Francisco might disparage each other. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Philip said, Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us. Jesus answered: Dont you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? 50 Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. Nathanael also became Jesus' disciple. Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. . Were about to discover that Phillip is not usually a very decisive person. You will see greater things than that. 51He then added, Very truly I tell you,[b] you[c] will see heaven open,(O) and the angels of God ascending and descending(P) on[d] the Son of Man.(Q).
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were philip and nathanael brothers