REFLECTIONS TODAY

Today we honor St. Bartholomew. His name means “Son of Tolmai.” 

The Bartholomew of Matthew, Mark, and Luke describes the man known in the Gospel of John as Nathanael. Bartholomew is often paired with Philip. They could have already been old friends when Jesus came and invited Philip to follow him. Here Philip in turn seeks to introduce Jesus to Nathanael. Philip seems eager to follow Jesus. Nathanael is skeptical, especially because Jesus is from a backwater village of Nazareth. Being so small, Nazareth was then the last place one would expect anything interesting to happen. Nathanael’s question is prejudiced. He assumes that Nazareth could not produce much of worth, let alone “the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets” (v 45). Philip’s response is not to argue, but simply to invite. He already knows that talking about Jesus is nothing like meeting him in person. When Jesus demonstrates his supernatural wisdom, Nathanael proclaims him as the “Son of God” and “the King of Israel” (v 49). Jesus responds by predicting even more spectacular signs and refers to himself using the term “Son of Man,” an important figure in Jewish prophecy (v 51). 

Philip’s strategy of inviting Nathanael is wise. He does not argue but says, “Come and see” (v 46). Clever arguments rarely win people to the Gospel, but an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ can change one’s life forever.

Gospel • John 1:45-51 

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.