LEARNING DAILY

John 1:45-46, Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

After Philip is called by Jesus to “Follow Him”, Philip finds Nathaniel and tells him about Jesus. Nathaniel is from Cana which is close to Nazareth, giving a pretty sarcastic remark about Jesus coming from Nazareth. Calling someone a “Nazarene” would be like saying someone is a “country bumpkin” today. It was saying someone from there would not amount to anything. How could a person from Nazareth be the Messiah then? There was no argument recorded, only Philip telling Nathaniel to, “come and see”.

Perhaps Believers can learn from this when talking to someone about Jesus! John MacArthur suggested, in Twelve Ordinary Men “Philip did not appeal to Nathaniel on the basis of how Jesus might make his life better, he spoke of Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies.” He continues, “it appears that all the apostles, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, were already seekers of divine truth before they met Jesus”. The Holy Spirit had already been drawing them causing their hearts to be open to truth and hungry to know it. John 14:6 states, “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Salvation is not a process; it is a person. No one just accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior. The Holy Spirit has been at work in their heart, drawing him/her to Jesus Christ.

"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" MacArthur characterizes Nathaniel as “A student of Scripture…a man of spiritual interests…a person that was faithful, diligent, and honest in his devotion to the Word.” That characterization would certainly be how I would like to be known for! But MacArthur went on, “He was also human, with human characteristics. Nathaniel’s question about Jesus coming from Nazareth was not a biblical question; it was based on sheer bigotry revealing contempt for the entire town of Nazareth. It was a rough town with a culture that was largely unrefined, uneducated, and looked down on by the Galileans.” How often do you look down on someone because of where they live, who they associate with, how they are dressed, or for whatever reason?

Each Believer needs to react the way Jesus did to Nathaniel. He said in verse 47, “Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" How many times have you heard or read that Jesus looks at the heart? Jesus did not need anyone to tell Him or educate Him about human nature or other people’s thoughts (Read John 2:25). Nathaniel had “written” Jesus off because He had come from Nazareth. The comment by Jesus when He saw Nathaniel “speaks volumes about Nathaniel’s character…he was human, he had sinful habits, his mind was tainted with prejudices, but his heart was not poisoned by deceit” (MacArthur).

When Nathaniel questioned Jesus about how He knew him, Jesus replied He had seen him while he was still under a fig tree (verse 48). “Jesus was telling him that He knew his heart. I knew what you were doing. I saw your secret place. Jesus knew the sincerity of Nathaniel’s character” (MacArthur). It was then that the light must have gone on in Nathaniel’s heart for he declared Jesus as the Messiah.

Early church records indicate that Nathaniel ministered in Persia, India, and as far as Armenia. There is no reliable record of his death.

Do you recognize anything of Nathaniel’s character in yourself? Jesus looked into the heart of Nathaniel; He has looked into your heart as well and chose you to “Follow Him”. Jesus knows you for who you are and knows what you have done. He loves you anyway!