Who Was Nathanael in the Bible — In Biblical Context

The Biblical Context

Nathanael, whose name means 'God has given,' is traditionally identified with Bartholomew (meaning 'son of Tolmai') in the apostolic lists. He came from Cana of Galilee, the village where Jesus performed His first miracle at the wedding. His first encounter with Jesus is recorded in John 1. Philip found Nathanael and told him, 'We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' Nathanael's skeptical reply has become famous: 'Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?' This was not mere prejudice but reflected the common disdain for Nazareth, an obscure village with no prophetic significance. Philip's response was wise: 'Come and see.' When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He declared, 'Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!' Nathanael was astonished and asked how Jesus knew him. Jesus answered, 'Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.' This statement revealed Jesus' supernatural knowledge and struck Nathanael's heart. The fig tree in Jewish tradition was a place of quiet meditation and prayer. Whatever private spiritual experience Nathanael had under that fig tree, Jesus knew it, and Nathanael recognized immediately that he was in the presence of the Son of God. He exclaimed, 'Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.' Jesus promised him that he would see even greater things — angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man, a reference to Jacob's ladder fulfilled in Christ. Nathanael is last mentioned in John's Gospel when Jesus appeared to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias after the resurrection. Tradition holds that he preached in Armenia and was martyred by being flayed alive. Nathanael's story shows that honest doubt, when brought to Jesus, can become strong faith, and that Jesus sees and knows us in our most private moments.

Where It Sits in Scripture

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