References (10)
Philip
and Bartholomew [Bartolomaios, Hebrew name, "son of Talmais". This is probably the same person as Nathanael, who is mentioned together with Philip, see . In that case, he came from Cana, see ],
Thomas [Hebrew word meaning "twin", see ; ]
and Matthew, the tax collector (publican) [the author of this gospel],
James, son of Alphaeus,
and Thaddaeus [Judas, not Iscariot],
Andrew,
Philip [Greek word meaning "one who loves horses"],
Bartholomew [also called Nathanael],
Matthew,
Thomas [Hebrew word meaning "twin," see ; ],
James, son of Alphaeus,
Thaddaeus [Greek word meaning "one who has a warm heart" or "beloved child". He was also called Jude, son of James; he probably changed his name to avoid being associated with Judas Iscariot],
Simon "the Zealot" (fanatic, zealot, nationalist, Selot) [literally "Simon the Canaanite," the Aramaic equivalent of the Greek term "Zealot," both words meaning "the devoted, zealous, fanatical," may also indicate that he was involved in the Jewish resistance movement against the Roman Empire before becoming a disciple of Jesus],
Simon, whom he also named Peter,
and his brother Andrew,
and James,
and John,
and Philip,
and Bartholomew [also called Nathanael],
Philip sought out Nathanael and said to him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law
(Torah – Gk. nomos) and the prophets wrote about – Jesus of
Nazareth, the son of Joseph
[adopted]."
Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of
Nazareth?"
Philip answered, "Come and see."
[Jesus was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth in Galilee, which was a city of ill repute. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of being called a Nazarene, see . The prophets speak of the root shoot (Hebr. netzer), which is similar to Nazareth, see ; ; . The derogatory term Nazarene is also fulfilled in how Jesus was despised, see ; . Philip's response is not an argument but an invitation to meet Jesus himself.]Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, here is a true
(real, genuine) Israelite, in whom there is no deceit
(falsehood)."
[Nathanael is a Hebrew name meaning "God gives" or "gift from God." He came from the town of Cana in Galilee, see . Jesus makes a comparison with Nathanael's ancestor Jacob. The name Jacob means "deceiver, one who lies in wait and attacks." The literal meaning is "he who holds the heel," see . The name described Jacob's character before God gave him a new name – Israel, see . The name Israel has several meanings: "to struggle with God" or "God struggles for us," "God reigns" or "to reign with God." Jacob saw a ladder reaching to heaven in a dream, see . Jesus is that ladder, .
Nathanael is probably the same person as the disciple Bartholomew. It was not unusual to have several names. He is always mentioned together with Philip, see ; ; .]Nathanael asked him, "How do you know me?" [How do you know these things about me?]
Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were still sitting under the fig tree, I saw you."
[The fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel, see ; ; . Sitting under the fig tree was a rabbinical image for praying and studying Scripture. One's own fig tree also refers to one's own home, see ; . The fig tree, with its broad, thick leaves, provided good protection from the sun. Something in Jesus' answer must have caused Nathanael to go from being a skeptic to becoming a believer, see . Nathanael, who had traveled down to the Jordan Valley to listen to John the Baptist's teaching, was probably familiar with the rabbinical teaching on prayer, which said, "He who prays and does not pray for the coming of the Messiah has not yet prayed."]
Nathanael said, "Rabbi (teacher), you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel!"
The following
[seven] people were gathered:
Simon Peter,
Thomas, called the Twin
(Gk. Didymus),
Nathanael, from
Cana in
Galilee,
the sons of Zebedee
[James and John] and two other disciples of Jesus.
[The two other disciples who are not named may have been Andrew and Philip. They are mentioned together in and .]When they arrived, they went up to the upper room where they used to be
(had a habit of gathering):
Peter and James
and John
and Andrew;
Philip and Thomas,
Bartholomew [also called Nathanael] and Matthew;
James, the son of Alphaeus,
and Simon the Zealot
[Zealot literally means "the devoted, zealous, fanatical," and may imply that he was a member of the Jewish resistance movement against the Roman Empire.] and Judas, the son of James.
[Three groups emerge when the apostles are listed. Peter, Philip, and James are always mentioned as the first names in each group, see ; ; . In the original text, all names except Peter, Philip, Bartholomew, and James are preceded by the Greek kai, the word "and". A linguistic detail for grouping.]
