Cornelius a Lapide

Philip findeth Nathanael, &c. “Not by chance,” as Cyril saith ; u but he sought him with great diligence, for he knew that he was a very diligent searcher of the Scriptures.” It would appear that he found him at Cana of Galilee, which was the native place of Nathanael, as is plain from chap. xxL 2. Nathanael, his friend and comrade. You will inquire who was this Nathanael ? 1. Claudius Espenseus, commenting on 2 Tim. iv., says that Nathanael was the same as Ursicinus, the first Bishop of Bourges. 2. The Greek Menaea says that Nathanael is the same as the Apostle Simon the Cananite. He is there commemorated on the 22d of April as follows : “ The Holy Apostle Nathanael, which was Simon Zelotes, of Cana in Galilee, where Christ at the marriage feast turned the water into wine.” He is also commemorated in the Menaea on the 10th of May. 3. and more probably, Rupertus and Jansen in this passage think Nathanael is the Apostle Bartholomew. They show this, firstly, because the other Evangelists always join together Philip and Bartholomew, as John here joins Philip and Nathanael Secondly, because we nowhere read of Christ’s calling Bartholomew, unless it were this call of Nathanael. Thirdly, because the other three Evangelists who make mention of Bartholomew make no mention of Nathanael, and vice versd with S. John. Fourthly, because S. John Digitized by V^rOOQie 76 S. JOHN, c. t. (xxi. 2) associates Nathanael with the Apostles Peter, ThomaS, James, and John in fishing, and the vision of Jesus. It would seem therefore that he was an Apostle, and yet it is not apparent who else he could be if he were not Bartholomew. Fifthly, because Bartholomew does not seem to be a proper name, but only to signify that he was the son of Tolmai ; and his proper name seems to have been Nathanael. Sixthly, because Christ said of Nathanael, Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile. And then Christ promises him a vision of angels ascending and descending upon Himself Christ therefore seems to have specially loved him, and to have chosen him for a friend and Apostle. S. Augustine, however, dissents from this view, because he thinks Nathanael was a doctor of the Law. He discoursed with S. Philip out of the law. But Christ did not choose for His Apostles men learned in the Law, but rude and ignorant fishermen. To this it may be replied that Nathanael was a student, but not a doctor of the Law. Just as Philip, Andrew, and Peter all discoursed out of the Law concerning the coming of Messiah. If, however, Nathanael was not an Apostle, he was certainly a disciple, wherefore L. Dexter ( Chron . ad A.D. 101) says, “ Nathanael, one of the seventy disciples of the Lord, sleeps in Treuga, a city of Spain,” now called Leon. Another writer adds that he slept in the Lord on the 30th of November. Nathanael means in Hebrew the gift of God or God gave^ or given by God ; in Latin, Adeo-datus. The prince of the tribe of Issachar in the time of Moses was called Nathanael (Num. i. 8). It may be that our Apostle was descended from him, and took his name. Jesus of Nazareth , the son of Joseph. For Nazareth is only three hours distant from Cana, so that Nathanael of Cana might easily know of Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph’s son, as he was commonly reputed to be. V er. 46. — Nathanael said unto him , &c For Nazareth of Galilee was a place ignoble and obscure, and despised by the Jews. Wherefore the Pharisees say (vii. 57), Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. “ How Digitized by V^rOOQie ATTRACTIVENESS OP CHRIST. 7t then, O Philip, canst thou think that Christ is sprung from Nazareth, especially when Micah foretold that Christ was to spring from Juda and David, and to be bom at Bethlehem?” So S. Chrysostom, who adds, “ He shows therefore both knowledge of the Scripture, and simplicity of disposition, as well as a vehement desire for the coming of Christ in that he did not despise Philip’s words. For he knew that Philip might be deceived with regard to things to be commemorated in his country.” And Philip was partly wrong; for though Christ was conceived at Nazareth, He was born at Bethlehem, of which Philip was at this time ignorant Come and see. Syriac, Come and thou shalt see : “ I will not dispute with thee about Nazareth, but come, see and hear Jesus : and you shall experience what I have experienced, that you may be ravished with His love, and believe that He is the very Christ” Listen to S. Chrysostom. “Philip does not tell him how He is the Christ, and how the prophets have foretold, but he leads him to Jesus, knowing that he will not go away from Him if he tastes His words and His doctrine. If you only see Him, he says, if you only speak with Him, you will at once agree with me.” “We ought to believe,” says Cyril, “ that there was a certain unspeakable loveliness in the words of Christ which attracted the minds of the hearers by its great sweetness.”