VIII. NATHANAEL, a Disciple of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.1 Philip meeting with Nathanael, told him; we have found the Messiah promised by Moses and the Prophets, who is Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Joseph. Nathanael ask’d him, Can any thing good come out of Nazareth? Philip bid him come and see. Jesus seeing Nathanael coming towards him, says, There’s an Israelite indeed, without Artifice or Disguise. Nathanael asked him, How can you know me? Jesus answered him, Before Philip called you, I saw you under the Fig-Tree. (‘Tis believed that Jesus saw him in Spirit, as he was praying in secret under this Fig-Tree, and begging of God the Manifestation of the Messiah.) Nathanael then said to him, Master, thou art the Son of God, and the King of Israel. Jesus answered him, dost thou believe, because I saw thee under the Fig-Tree? Thou shalt see much greater Things than these. John xxi. 2.
Many have thought that Nathanael was the same as St. Bartholomew, as we have taken notice under the Article of Bartholomew; and if it be so, as it is very likely, we should not distinguish one from the other. The Evangelists, who mention St. Bartholomew, say nothing of Nathanael; and St. John, who mentions Nathanael, takes no Notice of St. Bartholomew. We read at the End of St. John’s Gospel, that our Saviour after his Resurrection manifested himself to St. Peter, St. Thomas, to Nathanael and the Sons of Zebedee, as they were busy fishing in the Lake of Gennesareth. We know no others Circumstances either of the Life or Death of this Holy Man. There are some2 that believe he was the Bridegroom at the Marriage of Cana in Galilee.
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