Who was Nathanael in the Bible?

One of whom the Lord said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." He answered, "Whence knowest thou me?" The Lord told him that he had seen him under the fig tree, where probably he had been in some exercise of soul Godward: we may gather this from Ps. 32:2, 5, as one in whom is no guile is one who confesses his transgressions to the Lord. At once Nathanael said, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." John 1:45-49. John 21:2 speaks of Nathanael, of Cana in Galilee, who was with the apostles when they went fishing. This is doubtless the same person. It is thought by many that Nathanael was an apostle, and was the same as Bartholomew, whom John never otherwise mentions.

Nathanael. Readily welcomed, and speedily won, who was this Israelite in whom was no guile? The Evangelist calls him Nathanael here and in chapter 21, and never mentions him by any other name. He was, we learn, a native of Cana of Galilee; but no other New Testament writer introduces a Nathanael. So it is a very common opinion, that he was the same as Bartholomew. In the three Synoptic Gospels we meet with a Bartholomew as one of the Twelve, who follows always just after Philip, and from Matthew we learn he was coupled with Philip, when the Lord sent out the Twelve two and two to preach. Very natural would it be, that Philip and Nathanael should be coupled thus together. And as Bartholomew is a patronymic, so probably not the personal name of the individual, there is no valid reason, why Nathanael and Bartholomew should not be the same person. Considering, too, that the others, of whom we have just read, were of the number of the Twelve, it would be nothing surprising if Nathanael was also of that chosen band.

Assuming, then, that Nathanael of John is the Bartholomew of the synoptical Gospels, we proceed with what we know of his history. Like the rest of the apostles, he was a Galilean; he was "of Cana in Galilee." We have seen in a former paper, that he was first conducted by Philip to Christ. On his approach, he was greeted by the Lord with the most honourable distinction, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." He was, no doubt, a man of true simplicity and integrity of character; and one that "waited for redemption in Israel." Surprised at our Lord's most gracious salutation, and wondering how He could know him at first sight, "Nathanael saith unto Him, Whence knowest Thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the figtree, I saw thee." Solemn, yet blessed thought! he stood before One — a man — in this world, who knew the secrets of his heart and ways. Nathanael was now fully convinced of the absolute deity of the Messiah, and owns Him in His higher glory as "the Son of God" as well as "the king of Israel."

The character of Nathanael and his call are considered by many as typical of the remnant of Israel without guile in the latter day. The allusion to the fig-tree — the well-known symbol of Israel — confirms this view of the passage; and so does his beautiful testimony, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel." The spared remnant, seen and known by the Lord, will thus confess their faith in Him, as the prophets most fully show. And all those who thus own the Messiah shall see His universal glory as the Son of man according to Psalm 8. That coming day of widespread glory is anticipated by our Lord in His concluding remarks to Nathanael: "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." Then will the heavens and the earth be joined together, as if by Jacob's ladder. But we must now return to the direct history of our apostle.

The most distinct and conclusive passage as to his apostleship is John 21. There we find him in company with the other apostles, to whom our Lord appeared at the Sea of Tiberias after His resurrection. "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," who probably were Andrew and Philip.

(6) Bartholomew. This was the apostle's patronymic, that is, his family name, or surname; and it occurs in all four lists. Nathanael was, most probably, his personal name, signifying the "gift of God." He confessed the Lord before His public ministry as Son of God and King of Israel (John 1:49). Bartholomew is not mentioned by John, who, however, includes Nathanael of Cana when naming others of the apostles after the resurrection (John 10 11:2). Of him the Lord said, "Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile" (John 1:47).

Bartholemew is the patronymic, meaning son of Tolmai; his personal name was Nathaniel (gift of God).

One of the twelve apostles, who is not referred to by name except in the lists of the twelve. Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13. Probably identical with Nathanael: cf. John 1:45; John 21:2,

In each case where we find the apostles listed, there is a different order, though in Matthew and Luke they are linked in twos, which implies a witness, though we may be sure there is more than this involved, such as the Word of God committed to them having the authority of God in it. Judas is mentioned at the end as the traitor. Of course the Lord knew him fully when He chose him, but this is designedly a solemn warning to anyone who would dare to nurture a wicked, deceitful heart in dealing with the things of God. Bartholomew is evidently Nathaniel of John 1:45.

The heart of the blessed Lord is moved with compassion in seeing the crowd milling in aimless confusion as sheep without a shepherd. Have we not often felt similarly in observing the crowds on today's city streets? Let us then take to heart His urging His disciples to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send forth laborers into His harvest. There is no lack of work for them, yet they are few, which is as true today as it was then.When He instructs us to pray, He fully intends to answer such prayer, as we see now in His sending forth His twelve disciples. It is precious to see Him exercising authority to communicate authority to them over evil spirits, sickness and disease; for He is far more than God's servant: He is Lord. In fact, He sends forth the very servants whom He had instructed to pray that He would send laborers into His harvest. The names are given here in groups of two. Simon Peter is called "the first"' being particularly gifted as a public evangelist and a leader. Andrew follows, though it was he who brought Peter to the Lord (Jn.1:41-42). James and John were brothers. Bartholomew is evidently Nathanael, who was brought by Philip to the Lord (Jn.1:46-47). Thomas is linked with Matthew, who writes this Gospel. Lebbacus (surnamed Thaddeus) is evidently Jude the brother of James (Lk.6:16; Jude 1). Of most of these we have very little history, in contrast to the somber history of Judas Iscariot. But they are chosen from the lowly classes of men, to emphasize the power and grace of the King Himself in empowering them. (Paul, introduced later as apostle to the Gentiles, and to reveal the truth of the assembly, was in contrast a man of outstanding intellect and learning.)

Bartholomew. It has been very generally believed both by ancients and moderns, that the history of Bartholomew lies concealed under another name. That he was one of the twelve apostles is perfectly clear from the Gospel narrative, though nothing more is said of him than the bare mention of his name. In the first three Gospels Philip and Bartholomew are mentioned together; in John's Gospel, it is Philip and Nathanael. This circumstance has given rise to a very common conjecture, that these are but different names for the same person. Nothing was more common than this among the Jews. For example, Simon Peter is called "Bar-jona," which simply means — the son of Jona. "Bar-timeus" again, means the son of Timeus; and "Bar-tholomew" is a name of the same class. These are merely relative, not proper, names. From this custom being so general among the Jews, it is often extremely difficult to identify persons in the Gospel history.

Verses 45-51. Now we come to Nathanael. He was a simple saint of God. The Lord bears him witness: "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." In saying, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" it is plain that Nathanael already, through grace, was a lover of righteousness, and a hater of iniquity; and the Lord, in grace, recognises it in "the Israelite indeed, and without guile." This character, in its perfection, is seen in Christ Himself with God's appreciation of it. "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." (Ps. 45.) Nathanael says to Him, "Whence knowest thou me?" a very different question from that of the two disciples, "Where dwellest thou?" and belonging to a different character of thought or state of soul. The desire to know about the Lamb of God from His own lips, is not the same thing as to find that we are known already by One whom we know not — Him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth. "Such knowledge is too wonderful" for him, He can only be God who knows him in this way ("when thou wast under the fig-tree I saw thee"), and he is in His presence. "I will praise thee," seems then to have been the language of his soul. (Ps. 139.) There is a sound of worship in his words, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the king of Israel." A beautiful answer, through grace, to the words spoken in grace, "an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." The Saviour and the sinner bear testimony to each other. Surely it was a day of grace! That was a fine outburst from a heart prepared, by the sweet energies of the Spirit, for the reception of the new testimony, for the reception of the Lord Himself. Of redemption, or of divine righteousness, or of the Spirit's presence as its seal, Nathanael as yet knew nothing; but a new nature was there already, with its feelings and capability of answering to the formative action of the Holy Spirit. "Because I said, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou?" Nathanael had owned Him, according to the glory of Psalm 2, as Son of God and King of Israel. The Lord told him he should see greater things than these, he should see Him in the glory of the Son of man, over all the works of creation, according to the testimony of Psalm 8, the angels of God ascending and descending upon Him, a glorious and wondrous position for Man. (Eph. 1:22.) In the day of His lowliness and humiliation, the heavens had opened to Him personally, and He saw the Spirit, as a dove, descending and coming upon Him. He received the Spirit as Man, as sealed of God in the position He had taken. Again, the heavens open to Him that angels may ascend and descend upon the Son of man. If in the day of rejection He received the Spirit from the Father for Himself; in the day of His ascension He receives, a second time, the Spirit from the Father that He may send Him to others. When His Person simply is in view, glory can add nothing to, nor humiliation take aught from it.