Text: John 1:43-51
Introduction
When the lesson is about a particular name, it is always interesting to me to look up what the legends say was that name’s fate. By legends, I mean a series of books, mostly from the third century or later so well after the actual time, usually called the Acts of say Peter or Paul or of the Saints. These are not the Biblical book of Acts, but that was definitely a model for their naming. But if you pick up one of these works you often find yourself in a Comic Book, or David would probably make me say Graphic Novel. The tend to emphasize the grizzly.
But today’s name is the oddball. Nathanael is not listed as a disciple in Matthew, Mark and Luke. His only mention is in John. He gets connected to the name Bartholomew. Bartholomew in those other gospels is always paired with Philip, and the name itself is a patronymic – Bar, son of, Talmai – so it was probably not a given first name. So, the legends send Nathanael Bartholomew to Armenia where he converts the young King. Then, the King’s brother captures him and orders him killed – by flaying followed by crucifixion upside down. These legends have lent themselves to the artistic tradition, as Bartholomew/Nathanael has often been sculpted or painted with his skin as his clothes. More reputable, Eusebius the early church historian in the 4th century, and St. Jerome, both record Bart Nathan heading to India.
But that is it. You can almost understand the hole that the legends fill. Can an apostle just drop out of the record? Don’t we have to know what happened?
Text
But as much as our curiosity is stirred, we want to know what the end was like, that isn’t the point of John’s narrative.
John makes a pair of Philip and Nathanael, but I think a close read pays back. The text is immediately after the calling of another pair – Andrew and Peter. And Philip is chained in with them. He was from the same city. Jesus said to him “follow me”, and that was enough. But then Philip goes searching for his buddy. And when he finds him, Philip gives to Nathanael his testimony. And Philip’s testimony has three parts:
a)“We’ve found the one Moses and the prophets spoke about.” This is simply a testimony to the promised messiah. But the nature of that messiah to Philip is then elaborated.
b)“Jesus of Nazareth”. In Philip’s understanding Jesus’ origin in Nazareth of Galilee is important. Remember where he is from. This Jesus isn’t some hoity-toity messiah, he’s our messiah. It is a strain that will run right through Palm Sunday. The Galilee vs. Jerusalem conflict, the prophet of the people vs. the corrupt temple. An attempt to see or turn Jesus into a populist movement.
c)And “the son of Joseph”. This might be the most incomplete fact. John’s gospel starts off with that majestic prolog which we read at Christmas time. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…glory as of the only son of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.” Even the Baptist’s witness was here is the lamb of God…the Son of God. But Philip’s witness is this is Joseph’s son.
Philip’s discipleship journey has started with a nugget of truth – yes, this is the one Moses and the prophet’s spoke about – but he hasn’t bothered to actually listen to what Moses and the prophets said. And at this point it isn’t important to him. But that doesn’t stop Philip from going and telling Nathanael.
Now Nathanael has a different reaction. “Nazareth, can anything good come from there?” Nathanael, knows the problems with his buddy Philip’ witness. The prophets wrote that the messiah would come from Bethlehem.
Philip has no answer of his own to Nathanael’s skepticism, but he knows what he’s seen. And so he invites him, “come and see”.
Philip is a picture of faith, but of a type that we all fall victim too sometimes. We take the things we like – like the idea of a messiah – but then me make that idea conform to what we want to see. We might even be completely disinterested in learning more, because that might force us to confront the ways we’ve constructed our own messiah, our personal Jesus. The way that we want Jesus to fit in our box, instead of conforming ourselves to his image. Something popular against that cross.
And that is the point of Jesus’ comments about Nathanael. Nate wasn’t willing to suspend what Moses and the prophets said to get the messiah he wanted. Instead Nathanael is “a true Israelite, in who there is no deceit.” Or that least that is what Nathanael thought about himself, too quick for Philip’s facile faith. But even though Nathanael is going to demand an explanation about the Nazareth item, which will clear up the “son of Joseph” item as well,he also has an incomplete understanding. In fact, I think it is probably best to read this short section as a bit of joking irony that plays on the Old Testament story of Jacob.
Jacob, the name itself, can mean cheat. Jacob would cheat his brother Esau. With the help of his mother, he’d cheat is blind dad Isaac. With the help of his two wives, he’d get back at his cousin and cheat Laban. Jacob’s life was one of guile and deceit. It was one of growing up with promise of God in the tents of Abraham and Isaac, and not believing a word of it. Stealing it just because. But then, on the run because of his cheats, God would enter his life and he’d see the famous ladder, Jacob’s ladder of angels ascending and descending. He’d wake up and say “Surely God is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” He’d wake up and eventually God would make his name no longer cheat but Israel.
Here comes of true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. Sure, Philip, let’s go and see the messiah, from Nazareth.
And after hearing Jesus’quick take, “how do you know me” so well. [Snarky voice]
Well, before Philip here called you, I saw you under the fig.
Rabbi, great answer, nobody could guess that with such precision. You must be the Son of God. The King of Israel.
“Because I said to you I saw you under the fig tree you believe?”…Greater thing that this you will see. Truly, Truly, I say to you, you will see what Jacob saw.
Nathanael, You will come to know the God is here. You will come to know the depth of the truth of the words you have spoken.
Christology
This Son of God is not just a human messiah. But the Word who was with God in the beginning. The one through whom all things were made. This son of God is not a Cyrus or Solomon sent to build or rebuild a temple. This son of God is the one who filled the temple. This son of God is the one who makes that temple obsolete. This King of Israel is not Joseph’s son, the heir born of blood and the will of man. This King of Israel is the seed in the stump of Jesse. This King of Israel is the righteous branch.
This Son of God and King of Israel is not a joke, but a fulfillment. His own people would not receive him, but all who would receive him he give the right to become children of God.
The law was give through Moses, and that law is good and wise. But in this one comes grace and truth.
You’ll see that when you witness Calvary. You’ll see that when the angels ascend and descend onthe Son of Man. You’ll see that when because of that cross, you can leave the shame of sin that we cover with our fig leaves.
Moral
If Philip’s is a faith that is too willing to bend God to its desires. Nathanael’s, I think is an unearned skepticism. A knowing of all the answers, when we are actually much closer to Jacob. God is right in front of us, and we don’t know it.
But God can work with both of those.
If we are like Philip, too prone to reading our desires into God, the good news is that life will probably correct us. The prayer is that this correction not erase our faith. That our faith is refined, but not all burned away. This is what is available thought prayer, study and trial – the living of the Christian life.
But if we are like the Nathanael I’ve painted, the answer is to hear the word, “come and see”. Put aside the irony and skepticism for the day and ask God to see those greater things. His double amen – truly, truly – I think stands. If we accept the invitation, we will see heaven opening.
Conclusion
Maybe the merging of Batholomew and Nathanael is too neat a solution to a 13th disciple. Before we take that risk on faith, we want to know the conclusion. But our conclusion is not given to us. If we are to become a true Israelite, if we are to have our names changed, we have to see this Son of God.
The desire of the Father is that we have faith in his Son. For some that is easy, it just has to be refined. For others, that itself is the challenge. Take the leap. Come and see. Let the light into your heart. A smoldering wick he will not quench.
Did Nathanael do so? I don’t know. But maybe that is the point. We don’t know, we don’t live by knowing. Philip’s knowing was all wrong, but on the right way. We don’t live by knowing, we live by faith. You believe on such small things? You will see greater things than those. You will see the heavens open. A small yes to this one, opens the flood of grace and truth. Come and see. Amen.