The name Bartholomew (Greek Bartholomaios) is from the Aramaic bar-Tôlmai, meaning “son of Tolmai.”1 Bartholomew is mentioned
by name in the New Testament only in the four lists of the apostles (Matt.
10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13) and is usually paired with Philip. He is
unnamed in the Gospel of John, wherein Philip is associated with Nathanael (1:43-49).
Also in John’s record Nathanael is in the company of other apostles (21:2) and among
the eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ (21:3-14) but not identified in the
Synoptics. Seeing that the name Bartholomew is actually a patronymic or surname that requires a personal name too (like “Simon
bar-Jonah”), it stands to reason that the apostle Bartholomew is Nathanael bar-Tolmai.
Nathanael (Bartholomew?) was informed by Philip
that the long-anticipated fulfillment of scripture’s messianic prophecies had
at last been realized in “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45).
This prompted Nathanael’s notorious remark, “Can anything good come out of
Nazareth?” (v. 46). Nathanael’s prejudiced mindset was probably due to the fact
that he was from the nearby Galilean town of Cana (John 21:3) and would no
doubt have been familiar with what appears to have been Nazareth’s disreputable
status at the time. Nazareth was a small, obscure village secluded in the hills
of Galilee that was never mentioned in the Old Testament or in the writings of
Josephus or in any other extant Jewish sources prior to the 3rd century AD.
While population estimates vary, in Jesus’ day the number of residents could
have been fewer than 500.2 Nathanael’s pessimistic observation,
coupled with the opposition and violence Jesus faced there,3 may
also suggest a comparatively wicked environment.
As far as Nathanael was concerned, Jesus
was an unlikely person from an unlikely place. As it turns out, however, Nathanael’s
preconceptions were misconceptions. The sensible and practical advice of Philip
was simply, “Come and see” (John 1:46b).4 Rather than relying on biased
assumptions, Nathanael needed to open his eyes and heart to what the Lord has
to offer. Jesus describes Nathanael as “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit”
(John 1:47), comparable to later descriptions of Saul of Tarsus (2 Cor. 11:22;
Phil. 3:5-6).
A basic demonstration of the Lord’s
supernatural foresight moved Nathanael to acknowledge Jesus as “the Son of God
… the King of Israel” (John 1:49). Yet Nathanael was assured by Christ, “You
will see greater things than these” (v. 50b). The implication is that Nathanael
would be a loyal disciple of Jesus, accompanying him during his earthly
ministry and witnessing many wondrous works. Being from Cana of Galilee, Nathanael
was most likely present when the Lord performed his first miraculous sign there
(John 2:1-11), and Nathanael would also be afforded opportunities to see amazing
things like lepers cleansed, the lame walking, the deaf hearing, the blind
seeing, and the dead brought to life (Luke 7:22; etc.).
According to tradition the apostle Bartholomew
traveled as far east as India, leaving behind a copy of Matthew’s Gospel
(Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. 5.10), and
also proclaimed Christ in Armenia (with Thaddeus Judas), Mesopotamia, Parthia,
Lycaonia, and Ethiopia. He is believed to have died as a martyr in Armenia by
being flayed alive and then beheaded or crucified upside down.5
Most of us wrestle with deep-seated presuppositions
that have the potential of blinding us to the truth. Like
Nathanael/Bartholomew, we ought to be persons of integrity and heed the simple admonition,
“Come and see.” With open minds and hearts, as we give honest consideration to
the available evidence, conviction will surely follow. And by stepping out in
faith and taking the Lord at his word, our faith will inevitably grow stronger
as we experience his providential working in our lives. Like
Nathanael/Bartholomew, may we faithfully continue in the service of God even unto
death.
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 It
has been suggested that the name Tolmai might be linked to the ancient Greek
name Ptolemy.
2 See E. Meyers and J. Strange, Archaeology,
the Rabbis, and Early Christianity (Nashville: Abingdon, 1981); cf.
“Nazareth” in the Anchor Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992).
3 Cf. Matt. 13:53-58;
Mark 6:1-6; Luke 4:16-30. Both the purpose and the experience of Christ on
earth (Matt. 9:11-13; Heb. 4:15) would add credence to the prospect of Nazareth
having been a somewhat depraved environment.
4 This
was a common rabbinic formula (particularly in the Talmudic writings and the
rabbinic commentaries on
the Torah known as the book of Zohar), conveying the principle of
seeking together for a solution.
5 In
later artistic impressions he is depicted with a flaying knife; in
Michelangelo’s Sistine painting of the final judgment, the flayed Bartholomew
is holding his own skin.
Related Posts: The 12 Apostles (Part 1)
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