nathanael Summary and Overview

given or gift of God, one of our Lord's disciples, "of Cana in Galilee" (John 21:2). He was "an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile" (1:47, 48). His name occurs only in the Gospel of John, who in his list of the disciples never mentions Bartholomew, with whom he has consequently been identified. He was one of those to whom the Lord showed himself alive after his resurrection, at the Sea of Tiberias.

(gift of God), a disciple of Jesus Christ, concerning whom, under that name at least, we learn from Scripture little more than his birthplace, Cana of Galilee, #Joh 21:2| and his simple, truthful character. #Joh 1:47| The name does not occur in the first three Gospels; but it is commonly believed that Nathanael and Bartholomew are the same person. The evidence for that belief is as follows: St, John who twice mentions Nathanael, never introduces the name of Bartholomew at all. St. Matthew, #Mt 10:3| St. Mark, #Mr 3:18| and St. Luke, #Lu 8:14| all speak of Bartholomew but never of Nathanael. If was Philip who first brought Nathanael to Jesus, just as Andrew had brought his brother Simon.

NATHAN'AEL (gift of God), a native of Cana of Galilee, John 21:2, and an Israelite without guile, as stated by our Lord. John 1:47. He was conducted by Philip (immediately after his call) into the presence of Christ. He went an incredulous Hebrew, with the words on his lips, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Jesus, however, at once convinces him that he is the Messiah by the exhibition of his omniscience, declaring that he had seen Nathanael under the fig tree before ever Philip had called him. Nathanael confesses him to be the Son of God and the King of Israel. The name Nathanael occurs only in John. For this reason, combined with the fact that John never mentions the name of Bartholomew, it is generally supposed that the two are identical.

("God given".) Hebrew Nethaneel. Of Cana in Galilee (John 1:47; John 21:2). Three or four days after the temptation, Jesus when intending to "go forth into Galilee findeth Philip and saith, Follow Me." Philip, like Andrew finding his own brother Simon (John 1:41), and the woman of Samaria (John 4:28-29) inviting her fellow townsmen, having been found himself by Jesus, "findeth" his friend Nathanael, and saith, "we have found (he should have said, we have been found by: Isaiah 65:1; Philemon 3:12 ff, Song of Solomon 1:4) Him of whom the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph" (he should have said the Son of God). (For the rest, see BARTHOLOMEW.) Tradition makes Nathanael to have been the bridegroom at the marriage of Cana, to which he belonged.