John 1:45-51
That we know almost nothing about St Bartholomew (Nathanael) is perhaps a little liberating. There is space for our imaginations to read between the lines in the very short text from John. There are four things that I glean from this text: Nathanael is not afraid to make his point, he responds to an invitation, Jesus knows him, Jesus makes him an extraordinary promise.
I have a lot of sympathy with Nathanael needing to question Phillip’s certainty on having found the Messiah from Nazareth. Often when I question it is because something has unsettled me.
The moment of response to an invitation often marks the beginning of a new stage on our faith journeys. When I look back over my life I can pinpoint the times where I was invited to events, sometimes at quite short notice, that began to change my life. Nathanael has opened himself to God’s grace and change is inevitable.
That Jesus knows him and can say of him; ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ stops me in my tracks. And I find myself wondering what Jesus would say of me.
The promise that Jesus makes to Nathanael, ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’ is a vision of glory. Nathanael will witness Christ’s passion and resurrection before he fully understands what this means. This is what it means to be a disciple.
Our discipleship can take so many forms. Let’s pray that today the Psalmist’s words can be said of us:
“Your friends, O Lord, make known the glorious splendour of your reign.”