Jesus Calls Philip and Nathaniel

John 1:43–51
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Next Jesus brings Philip personally to Himself and tells him “Follow me” (v. 43). Philip, Nathaniel, and Peter were all from the same town (v. 44). Then Philip goes to Nathaniel and brings him to Jesus (v. 45). (Bible scholars believe that Nathaniel and Bartholomew are the same person. John never mentions Bartholomew in his Gospel and the other three writers named Bartholomew and not Nathaniel). At first Nathaniel was a doubter because he did not believe anything good could come out of Nazareth (v. 46). However, when Jesus told him what he (Nathaniel) had been doing, he was convinced (vv. (vv. 48-49). When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false” (v. 47).

It is interesting to note how Andrew and John came to Christ through the faithful preaching of John the Baptist. Peter and James came to the Lord because of the personal soul-winning of their brothers. Jesus brings Philip to Himself personally and then Philip witnesses to Nathaniel and brings him to the Lord. “Son of Man” was one of our Lord’s favorite titles for Himself and is used some 83 times in the Gospels (vv. 50-51). This speaks of Jesus’ deity and humanity.

Application

“So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher (Rom. 10:14)? I want to be preaching and sharing the Word of God as long as I have a clear mind and my body will allow me to do it.