It has been conjectured that there was something to St. Nathanael or activities under the fig tree that made Jesus allude to him as “an Israelite in whom there is no misdirection.” This would assist with making sense of Nathanael’s surprise, as essentially, having seen Nathanael under the fig tree doesn’t be guaranteed to mean otherworldly prescience or anything wonderful. Jesus’ notice of “no misleading” surprised Nathanael; it focused on how Jesus understood his internal thought processes.
Nathanael, whose name is spelled Nathaniel in the Bible, was one of the devotees called by Jesus (John 1:43). Bartholomew was Nathanael and was from Cana in Galilee (John 21:2) and was brought to Jesus by his companion, Philip, who additionally became one of Jesus’ supporters.
Nathanael was one of the first to communicate confidence in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (John 1:49). His name signifies “God has given” in Hebrew. Curiously, Nathanael is referenced in the Gospel of John; the other three good news stories recognize him as “Bartholomew.”
Read also: True Cross. How did St. Helena find the Cross?
Biography of Nathanael
[table id=132 /]
Read also: History of the Apostle Saint James the Greater
Is there a saint Nathan?
In John’s gospel, Nathanael is alluded to by name two times, first to start with (1:45-51) and second in the last section of the gospel (21:2). On both of these occasions, there is an equal reference to St. Peter; not an occurrence (as we will find in the accompanying sections).
According to historical accounts, Saint Nathan is St. Nathanael. He is a missionary of Christ, one whom little is known about. He is alluded to just in St. John’s gospel (1:45 and 21:2), the remainder of the four good news accounts of the New Testament.
Albeit the ecclesial custom wishes to distinguish him from the messenger Bartholomew [possibly, to legitimize the shortfall of his name in the concise gospels], it stays significant that St. John calls him Nathanael [despite the way that John knew about the brief stories of good news and the specific references to Bartholomew: Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19 and Luke 6:12-16].
Read also: Was Jesus born in a cave?
What is St Nathanael the patron saint of?
Most Bible researchers accept Nathanael and Bartholomew were indeed the very same. Bartholomew’s name is a family assignment, signifying “child of Tolmai,” implying that he had another name. Nathanael means “endowment of God” or “provider of God.”
According to biblical accounts, St. Nathanael is the patron saint of children. Also, he was one of the first twelve missionaries of Jesus Christ. Very little is expounded on him in the Gospels and the book of Acts. We learn about him from a strange experience with Jesus Christ wherein the Lord announced that Nathanael was an honorable model Jew and a man open to crafted by God.
In the brief Gospels, Bartholomew follows Philip in the Twelve arrangementsPhilip in arrangements of the Twelve. In the Gospel of John, Bartholomew isn’t referenced in any way; Nathanael is recorded after Philip. Moreover, Nathanael’s presence with different supporters at the Sea of Galilee after Jesus’ restoration recommends that he was one of the first Twelve (John 21:2) and an observer of the revival.
Read also: What is Edom called today?
Key Verse related to Nathanael
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
What is St Nathanael known for?
It is accepted that, after Pentecost, Bartholomew brought together Philip to teach the gospel in Turkey and Asia Minor. He later carried the uplifting news to India and is remembered to have passed on as a saint in Armenia.
Nathanael is known for his main image of three blades addressing his grisly passing. Because he passed on, St. Bartholomew became the benefactor holy person of butchers, leather treaters, and calfskin laborers, who strip the stow-away creatures before the corpses are shipped off to the butcher.
Conventional hagiography indicates that he was criticized and executed there for changing the ruler over entirely to Christianity. Because of this horrible story, Saint Bartholomew is, in many cases, portrayed close by his excoriated skin (or cut-off the head) in craftsmanship, including “The Last Judgment” by Michelangelo.
Read also: Who was Hanani in the Bible?
Was Nathaniel one of the 12 apostles?
Nathaniel is first acquainted with us in the good news of John. Jesus had recently started His public service and was beginning to assemble supporters. As of now, Nathaniel was living in Cana (John 21:2).
Nathaniel was one of the twelve significant pupils and apostles of Jesus Christ. In the holy book, he is depicted as “an Israelite to be sure, in whom there was no trickiness” (John 1:47).
In the Bible, Nathaniel is depicted as a dedicated and faithful devotee of Jesus. He illustrates somebody who stayed focused on Jesus despite uncertainty and doubt.
Read also: What the Bible says about the Resurrection of Lazarus?
Primary Takeaways
- Some consider this Saint Nathan to be Bartholomew, whom Philip brought to Christ as if Nathan were the same as Bartholomew – Nathan by name, but with a nickname, or as it were, after his father, he was called Bartholomew, that is, the son of Ptolemy; for the word “cousin” in the Hebrew language is rendered “son,” as Christ also said to Saint Peter the Apostle: Blessed are you, Simon cousin Jonah, that is, the son of Jonah.
- After receiving the fiery tongues of the Holy Spirit, it fell to his lot, together with the Apostle Philip, to go to Syria and Upper Asia to preach the word of God. So they both went to those parts, sometimes walking together, sometimes parting through the cities. And then, meeting again; with their teaching, they brought many people back to salvation.
- So, at one time, St. Philip separated from St. Bartholomew and went to the parts of Asia Minor. To preach the word of God to the savage peoples of Lydia and Mysia, God commanded St. Bartholomew, who was in other cities, to go to Philip’s help.
Read also: Who was King Joash in the Bible?
Conclusion
The call of Philip and Nathanael to teach is kept in the primary section of John, starting in stanza 43. Jesus went to Galilee and observed Philip first, who then, at that point, went to Nathanael, his companion. Philip will let Nathanael know that he had found “the one Moses expounded in the Law, and about whom the prophets likewise composed — Jesus of Nazareth, the child of Joseph” (John 1:45). Nathanael was skeptical. He said, “Nazareth! Could anything great at any point come from that point?” (Stanza 46). This doubt was justifiable; around then, Nazareth was a dark little slope town, remote and of no result.
Read also: How is God described in the Old Testament?
It was not refined or alluring, an incredible inverse. It was anything but a spot anybody anticipated the Messiah should come from. Regardless of his suspicion, Nathanael followed Philip to meet Jesus. When the Lord saw Nathanael coming toward Him, He said, “Here really is an Israelite in whom there is no misleading.” Nathanael acknowledged this depiction as evident and thought about how Jesus knew his personality, having never met him. Jesus made sense of: “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip referred to you as.” At that point, Nathanael quickly perceived Jesus as Christ, considering him the “Child of God” and the “lord of Israel.”
If you want to test your biblical knowledge about this holy apostle, Saint Bartholomew, please access the following link: Bible Quizzes about The Holy Apostles.
Bibliography
- Aronson, J. K. (2022). When I use a word… St Bartholomew—onomastics and reputation. BMJ, 376.
- Whitney, T. (2004). Reflection for Tuesday, August 24, 2004: St. Bartholomew.
- Owen, J. B. (1866). ST. BARTHOLOMEW, THE TYPE OF CANDOUR. Quiver, 1(39), 612-615.
- Willmington, H. (2019). God-Ordained Leaders-Apostles.
- Hill, C. E. (1998). The identity of John’s Nathanael. Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 20(67), 45-61.
