How did Philip instantly recognize Jesus and what kind of revival did blunt Bartholomew experience?
1) Philip the Apostle’s Revival
Can someone who knows the Bible well instantly recognize Jesus?
Called with similar words to other disciples, “Follow Me” (John 1:43 NASB), Philip instantly recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah and answered Nathanael’s skepticism, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:46 NKJV) And Philip was named among the twelve disciples (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Acts 1:13). Challenged by Jesus, Philip was tested regarding feeding the multitude, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” (John 6:5 NLT) Jesus replied to another comment from Philip, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us” by telling him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:8 ESV) Included in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox sources is a logical answer to a mystery not answered in the Bible. Philip the Apostle and Philip the Deacon are two different people.
Philip was attacked by the chief priest, but they were struck blind, and he preached the gospel in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey, according to traditional history. In Hierapolis, through prayer he was saved from a giant snake which was worshipped by local pagans; it died. Martyrdom was his fate for this affront to a local deity, but while he was being crucified the earth opened up, swallowing a large number of people, and Bartholemew who survived his crucifixion baptized many.
Rejoice, lovers of God, that some instantly recognize our Savior, and that revival can spread far and wide through them.
2) Revival for Bartholomew (Nathanael)
What can we learn from Bartholomew, one of the twelve (Mark 3:14-19; Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:13) and an acquaintance of Philip (John 1:45-46)?
Bartholomew is a nickname or surname, meaning the son of Talmay or Tholomaios. Is it common for someone to have various names even today? A person may often use a family name at home and a more formal name elsewhere. Name: Bar (son of) Tholomaios, is most likely Nathanael. For us, it is also not strange that a person can be known by several names. Nathanael set an example of faith in his outburst, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49 NKJV).
Nathanael was also not one who spoke in politically correct hypocrisy or polite pretense. A comment that would today be criticized as impolite or bigotry, Nathanael asked in blunt personal honesty, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46 ESV) Man has different values than God, because Jesus said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!” (John 1:47 NASB) Without the flattering words that sometimes pass as tact or condescending dishonesty, we might be better able to handle the truth. Deceit is a hallmark of our world in politics, advertising, education, nationalism, science and even in church where people “tell the seers, ‘Stop seeing visions!’ They tell the prophets, ‘Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies.’ ” (Isaiah 30:10 NLT).
So, we see Bartholomew (Nathanael) as a man of blunt honesty instead of tactful but dishonest double-speak, a man who already knew what to look for in the coming Messiah, and recognized Him straight away. What about us, do we know the scriptures well enough to recognize where Jesus is today? About knowing the Bible, how many of us even study it today? Our Bibles are often on a shelf gathering dust. Faith “comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (Romans 10:17 NIV).
Rejoice, lovers of God, that some people love truth so much that they will cut through the pretense of our hypocritical world and bluntly state what is needed for revival.
Like Philip do we know our Bibles well enough to instantly recognize where Jesus is and is truth more important to us like Bartholomew than political correctness?
