And so Jesus not only is the King of Israel, he is the king who ushers in the everlasting kingdom of heaven in our midst. By the grace of God, Nathanael was chosen to follow Christ. 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. 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). This comment has been removed by the author. Cana, Nathaniels home town was a side trip from everything. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. How can we get there., The disciples think theyre going to the Fathers house soon, and Jesus responds, If you really know me, you will know my Father as well., Philips basically trying to demonstrate his faith by saying, I dont even care about the details. 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. Philip then probably went with Jesus and found Nathanael at or near Cana ( John 1:48 ). Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Because his heart was sincere his faith was real. Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us no details about Nathaniel's background, character, or personality. That is our starting point, and it is a dead end. Phillip was already in the presence of the living and eternal God. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. They didn't believe that messiah could come out of Nazareth. In fact, its possible that Philip the Apostle was confused with Philip the Evangelist as early as the first or second century. Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and Never heard of it. Or Luthern? 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. Others hint of the apostle being tied up in a sack and thrown into the sea. Nathanael would be an Apostle, too. What am I talking about? Philip and Nathanael: Friends to All | BibleTalk.tv Come and see. That's why they responded so quickly to 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. After Philip finds Nathanael and tells him they have found the Messiah, the One who was promised in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, Nathanael makes his way to see this Jesus. The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Thats where we werelost, wandering aimlessly, not looking for God. Philip was from Bethsaida, the same city as his friend Andrew. 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. 10 Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? Yes, the Lord just may use our mouth to do the inviting! Those are the great things that Nathanael will see in Jesus ministry. We can conclude that he interpreted it literally because it was so easy for him to believe that Jesus was the messiah. It was a kind of private outdoor space -- perfect for meditation, reflection, and solitude. Jesus is calling you to be his disciple. Jesus answered, I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Associated Bible Students of Central Ohio - Apostlebook_05 Its the story of Philip and Nathanael: A Story of Witnessing. Now today let their story become your story also. 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). I know what you were doing. Find out what you will discover on this adventure of faith. Come and see! (John 1:46). After Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John, he finds Philip: The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. 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 [Read John 1: 43-51], Philip and Nathanael were brothers as were Andrew and Peter. . Its really saying the same thing. As John relates how the disciples were called, Philip and Nathanael were the 3 rd and 4 th men named as disciples. Not just that Jesus could see him under a fig tree. Then Philip identifies this Messiah by name, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. But notice Nathanaels response: Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Apparently Nathanael, as one well-versed in the Scriptures, knew that there was no particular prophecy linking the Messiah to the city of Nazareth. So we know that like Philip, Andrew and Simon, Nathanael was from the region of Galilee, and specifically he was from the town of Cana. 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. Philip and Nathanael, on the other hand, are listed jointly in John's tale. Weve met him! 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). Who Were the 12 Disciples (Apostles of Jesus)? Their Names and Facts Can anything good come from there?(I) Nathanael asked. Simon and, probably, James were brought to Jesus by their brothers. Clement of Alexandria, who lived in the second and third century, claimed that this unnamed disciple was Philip: If they quote the Lords words to Philip, Let dead bury their dead, but do thou follow me . He belonged to the town to which Jesus was going (Cana of, Galilee, John 21:2 ). He is the way and the truth and the life for everyone, include you. Now you dont have to dump the whole load in the first conversation, but you can at least say something, just like Philip did when he basically told Nathanael: We have found him, the one who makes all the difference in life.. 4. The First Disciples (John 1:35-51) | Bible.org In John 1:46-50, Nathanael is introduced to Jesus for the first time. The bad. Maybe the excitement has worn off. Remember that? 46Nazareth! Jesus cross is our Jacobs ladder. 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.. Were about to discover that Phillip is not usually a very decisive person. You are the Son of God! If anything will put some excitement and joy into your life, this will. Well, Phillip has my job. 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. Nathanael declares, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! All four of these disciples of Jesus were from the town of Bethsaida. "Come and see," said Philip. His Greek name is Bartholomew. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 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. It is Elohim, a portion of Elohim. His response to Jesus and reveals his character. And what did Philip do? He doesnt get sidetracked. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Why is the order of Jesus' calling His disciples different in some of This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. As Jesus predicted in John 1:51, they were present at the ascension of Jesus and saw heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. They were able to observe first-hand that Jesus is the bridge between earth and heaven. The cross of Christ is our Jacobs ladder. We have to assume that Nathaniel was still questioning whether Jesus is the true messiah. 48How do you know me? Nathanael asked. 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? We see that Philip and Nathanael were faithful servants of Jesus who had questions and concerns, doubts and fears. 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. The one who died for me and rose again, that I might live. In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is introduced as a friend of Philip, from Bethsaida (1:43-44). And at the same time, our Lord calls us to follow him in faith. The disciple named Philip was, along with Peter and Andrew, from Bethsaida in Galilee ( John 1:44; 12:21 ). It is interesting to see Jesus characterization of Nathaniel, 47 When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him, Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.. How could he now say, "Show us the father"? 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? Bartholomew = son of Tolmai, probably to be identified with Nathanael. Nathanael also became Jesus' disciple. It says in John 21:2 that Nathanael was from Cana not Bethsaida. To this Jesus replied, before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you(John 1:49). (LogOut/ How can you say, Show us the Father? 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 ). So dont be afraid or ashamed to invite your friends and neighbors, your family membersanyone who needs Jesusinvite them to come and see. Come and meet Jesus here at St. Matthews. How dare he tell them what to do? Nathanael: Oh, Hello! 01/14/18 "Call and Response: Philip and Nathanael" Who was Philip in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Just seeing the Father will be enough for us.. The principal obstacle to the identification of Philip as the Baptist's disciple is the failure of the Gospel to supply that identification. The latter is preserved in the names Theodore and Dorothea. What you saw was what you got. He went and found someone he could share his joy with. ., Caius the Presbyter (a Christian writer in the third century) wrote: And after this there were four prophetesses, daughters of Philip, at Hierapolis in Asia. Phillip had a lack of vision. Photo credit: Getty Images/Ascent/PKS Media Inc. Its culture was largely unrefined and uneducated. Change). Obviously Phillip knew that scripture was important to Nathaniel. The Nathaniel was a true spiritual offspring of Abraham. The Acts of Philip provides the earliest, most detailed account of his martyrdom, but again, its hard to say how much we can trust it. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus divinity. No, he probably ran through a list of rules of regulation in his mind and tried to figure out whether Jesus should talk to these Gentiles. Its the story of Philip and Nathanael, how they came to be disciples and follow our Lord. Nazareth on the other hand was a rough town. This suggests that both Phillip and Nathaniel knew the Old Testament prophecy. Fun fact: Johns desire to tell us who said what is the reason Thomas got stuck with the infamous moniker, Doubting Thomas. For some reason Practical Philip didnt catch on, though. Phillip had to get beyond human limitation. For less than $5/mo. Lets look at his response to Phillip. 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.. . You may meet resistance when you tell others that you have found Jesus and his gifts present here at St. Matthew Lutheran Church. No thanks. Okayalthough you can reclaim at least some of that joy. Follow me. Hear the authority in his voice. Philip and Bartholomew are frequently mentioned together in the Synoptic Gospels, although Nathanael is never mentioned. 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. Nazareth was the smallest, most unimportant town I could think of. Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it? When Jesus appeared to Philip, Philip quickly identified Him as the chosen Messiah and the one he and Nathanael had read about in the Old Testament. He in turn went and found his brother Simon, who would come to be called Peter. Notice that: Jesus finds Philip, and then Philip finds Nathanael. Philip the Apostle - Wikipedia 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. Four of those mentions are just lists of the apostles. 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. 50 Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. What did Andrew do? Prejudice cuts a lot of people off from the truth. Matthew received his calling as Jesus was leaving Capernaum. However Nathaniel was not impressed at first glance with Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. In John 6, we read the story and of the feeding of the 5000. 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). 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. Wide open stand the gates!. In Luke and Matthew, an unnamed disciple asks Jesus if he can bury his father before following him. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We know this because after the resurrection these apostles returned to Galilee with Peter and resumed their fishing trade (John 21 ). Most Bible scholars believe Nathanael and Bartholomew were the same person. He reappears (as "Nathanael of Cana") at the end of John's Gospel, as one of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared at the Sea of Galilee after the Resurrection. He found Nathanael, presumably someone he knew or had some kind of relationship with. When you know the Lord, it affects the way you speak and act and live. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Follow me, Jesus says to each one of us. But Phillip is the first disciple whom Jesus physically sought out, as well as the first one to whom Jesus actually said, "follow me". That would have been left to the more academically gifted students at the time. After all Nazareth was full of uncultured people. How does he respond? Follow me, learn from me, as my disciples. You are the King of Israel! Jesus replies: Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. Acts 6:24. All of this will be our focus in guiding your youth group through Episode . Nathanael was one of the first to express belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God ( John 1:49 ). It was Jesus who found Philip! Saw Nathanael Jesus certainly did. 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. Your changed life, your verbal witness, your faith evident in your lifethis becomes a witness to others. 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." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything . You would be lost and helpless and hopeless, headed to hell. He was not a hypocrite. But even a Galileans looked down on the Nazarene's. And so Nathan-el, Nathanael is a gift of God. We already looked at the passage were Philips says show us the father. Who was Bartholomew in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Nathanael appears.) Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? John 14:610. Jesus immediately characterizes him as "an Israelite in whom is no deceit". The Philip we call the Evangelist or the Deacon is first mentioned in Acts 6 when the church selects seven people to distribute food. How well could you feed 5000 people? 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.. NIV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story, NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Revelation, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NIV, Verse Mapping Bible, Comfort Print: Find Connections in Scripture Using a Unique 5-Step Process. The Bible doesnt tell us much, and even some of the most reliable early church writers were confused about who he even was. Second Sunday after the Epiphany I want you to notice the expression Phillip used when he told Nathaniel about Jesus. Cana itself is located only a few miles north of Jesus hometown in Nazareth and just a few miles west of Bethsaida, where Nathanaels good friend Philip was from (John 1:44). 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. Maybe he didnt think very highly of that town, we dont know. Sure his mind was tainted by prejudice, but his heart was pure. No doubt Phillip had already begun counting heads. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see!. As we discussed earlier, these Greeks may have come to Philip because they knew him, or simply because he had a Greek name and spoke Greek the best. Philips personality, led him to say, I don't think we can do that., 7 Philip answered him, Eight months wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!. Jesus is telling them in this clearest possible language that he is God and to know him is to know the father. Heaven and earth meet in him. In Johns gospel, the author mentions that Jesus had sought out Philip shortly after calling Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be His disciples (John 1:43). Dont you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? We need to take a little rabbit trail here in so that you can get the scope of his prejudice. 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. No? Because he had a Greek name. Hes just pleasantly persistent, inviting Nathanael to find out for himself. How about you? One record says he died of natural causes. We want to point people to Jesus. 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. )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. You know what life is all about. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. Their tomb is there, and that, too, of their father.. They had the same background, the same experiences in following our Lord. It should be noted that James and John had the same father, Zebedee (Matthew 10:2) and Peter and Andrew were brothers (Matthew 10:2). The Synoptics describe the actual calling of these men to . Philip was one of those people who could do math and his head. And that was enough to convince Nathaniel that he was messiah. "Philip and Nathanael: A Story of Witnessing" (John 1:43-51) Salem Media Group. 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. Finding Philip, he said to him, Follow me. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. You have a sure hope to carry you through all the trials and afflictions of this life. Finding Philip, he said to him, Follow me.. There's no reliable record about how he died. Phillip eventually got the message. Christ came down from heaven, for us men and for our salvation. His name means "God has given" in Hebrew. By all accounts he was martyred like the rest of the apostle's, except John. Nathanael means "gift of God." El, e-l, is the name of God. But ultimately, above all, when we talk about our church, we want to talk about the one who is the very heart and center of our church, the churchs whole reason for existence. [Jn 1:43] Philip is described as a disciple from the city of Bethsaida, and the evangelist connects him with Andrew and Peter, who were from the same town. The Holy Gospel for today, from John 1, takes place very early in Jesus ministry, when he was first gathering his disciples. (The other two Philips are both sons of King Herod the Great.). Jesus died on the cross as our substitute, taking our sin and death on himself, thus opening heaven and eternal life to us. He was in charge of arranging meals and logistics for Jesus and his disciples. Theres really not much we can say about Philip without speculating. You too will be a Philip, filled up with the joy and excitement that comes from knowing the Lord. Does the we in Philips declaration mean that he, Andrew and Peter (who may have already known each other in Bethsaida) had found the Lord? Nathaniel is also called Bartholomew, which is a Hebrew name meaning God has given". John 1:35-46 "Come and See"Real Discipleship In vs. 43 Jesus "found" (EdpltcKeL) Philip. Not linked to together using the conjunction and like we see what the brothers Peter and Andrew or James and John. Jesus first disciples Nathanael does come and he does see. John seems more interested in telling us who said what, and using Philips answer to set up Jesus miracle. Can anything good come out of Nazareth? You likewise may encounter objections when you start to tell someone about Jesus. (Since Taco Bell wasnt an option.). (LogOut/ . Stromata. They were fisherman and worked alongside James and John. Yeshua in its Aramaic form. This recalls the story of Jacobs ladder. If you are traveling from the Mediterranean to Galilee you would pass through Nazareth. Jesus couldn't have known where I Nathaniel had been or what he had been doing and unless he had been omniscient. Philip and Nathanael | If I Walked With Jesus He knew who look for. Phillip, on the other hand still hadn't gotten at two years later. No one comes to the Father except through me. Like Andrew, Philips first reaction after meeting Jesus was to go tell someone about him. 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. The earliest identification of Nathanael with one of the Twelve Disciples is found in the 2nd-century Epistula Apostolorum, where he is identified with or takes the place of James, son of Alpheus. 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? And they both probably had an earnest desire to see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. And he did. Or I know that you take your devotion time every day before you go to work to study the scriptures. So its very strange to see Phillip eagerly accept Jesus offer to follow him. Nathanael was from Cana in Galilee ( John 21:2) and was brought to Jesus by his friend, Philip, who also became one of Jesus' disciples. He was also present at the Day of Pentecost, where he and the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). No hope to sustain you. In all likelihood they probably studied scripture together. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. But that was Philips spiritual side. He didn't know what to do. (3) Philip is closely connected with Nathanael and also with Bartholomew. Prejudice is feeling base. They were both disciples of John the Baptist who preached to Israel of the coming deliverer. Remember how Phillip had announced in Nathaniel that he had found the messiah. 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." by Ryan Nelson | Jun 10, 2019 | Bible characters | 2 comments, Philip the Apostle was one of the 12 main disciples of Jesus Christ. Nathanael confesses something here that was even more than he may have known at the time. But it does seem clear that the mention of Nazareth was an initial obstacle in Nathanaels mind. But Jesus came and sought us out. 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. Despite these thoughts and feelings, however, they continued to be positive instruments in the hands of God. Nathanaels name is never directly mentioned again in the New Testament. He knew that he had longed to know God, sitting alone under the fig tree to study His Word. He knew his prejudice. But theres good reason to believe there are probably two different people named Philip. Most accounts say that he was put to death by stoning in Asia Minor eight years after the martyrdom of James. In other translations, Jesus refers to him as the one in whom there is no guile.. 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. In fact, it is your life! As a man, in the flesh, Jesus takes our place, both in keeping Gods law and in taking the laws punishment on sinners. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Jesus questioned Philip about how they would feed the large multitude at the Sea of Galilee. 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.
Newry Court News,
Covid Poop Smells Weird,
Eperformax Referral Bonus,
Articles W