Nathanael
Two disciples who didn’t have two names? Do you know who they are?
Why study the Apostles?
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;”
Ephesians 2:19-20 KJV
“Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
John 1:45 KJV
“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 KJV
“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”
John 5:46 KJV
Nathan El “gift of God” or “God gives.”
Nathanael was of Galilee
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... Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.”
John 21:2 KJV
The Place of Jesus’s First Miracle
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“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:”
John 2:1 KJV
Nathanael had to have been a student of Scripture because he was aware of the Messiah coming.
The first action of Philip was to find Nathanael! He had to put forth some effort! And then when Philip spoke, he spoke from the Word of God and he pointed to Jesus Christ!
Nathanael Was Prejudice and a Skeptic But Philip Didn’t Argue
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“And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.”
John 1:46 KJV
Jesus said come and see me, not come and see the Christians.
“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
John 7:37 KJV
Jesus Already Knew Him
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“Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”
John 1:47 KJV
Jesus said that not only was Nathanael an Israelite physically but he was also one spiritually. He was not a hypocrite like the Pharisees or scribes.
Whether he was a hypocrite or not, all men need Christ.
He was an ignorant man. He knew of the Messiah but he didn’t know that Jesus had come until Philip told him.
“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:”
Romans 9:6 KJV
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:”
Hebrews 8:10 KJV
Jesus knows who you are; he knows all the questions in your mind; he knows your heart whether you are saved or not saved. If you really want to know if there is a Saviour that can save your soul:
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13 KJV
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”
Matthew 7:7 KJV
One day it will be too late.
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“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”
2 Thessalonians 2:11 KJV
“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:”
Isaiah 55:6 KJV
Nathanael was looking for the Messiah, but perhaps from Bethlehem, the city of David, or perhaps Jerusalem or some other place given in prophecy.
Nathanael Confesses Christ
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“Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.”
John 1:49 KJV
Philip Called Jesus Son of Joseph
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“Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
John 1:45 KJV
Some people find Christ right away, others may take years.
Some People Stumble Upon Jesus, Some Seek Jesus But the Reward is the Same
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“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
Matthew 13:44-46 KJV
Rabbi Means Master
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“Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?”
John 1:38 KJV
Nathanael May Have Been a Fisherman
