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 In the
New Testament, Bartholomew is mentioned only in the lists of the apostles.
Some scholars identify him with Nathanael, a man of Cana in Galilee who was
summoned to Jesus by Philip. Jesus paid him a great compliment: "Here is a
true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him" (John 1:47b). When Nathanael
asked how Jesus knew him, Jesus said, "I saw you under the fig tree" (John
1:48b). Whatever amazing revelation this involved, it brought Nathanael to
exclaim, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel" (John
1:49b). But Jesus countered with, "Do you believe because I told you that I
saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this" (John
1:50b).
Nathanael did see greater things. He was one of those to whom Jesus appeared
on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias after his resurrection (see John
21:1-14). They had been fishing all night without success. In the morning,
they saw someone standing on the shore though no one knew it was Jesus. He
told them to cast their net again, and they made so great a catch that they
could not haul the net in. Then John cried out to Peter, "It is the Lord."
When they brought the boat to shore, they found a fire burning, with some
fish laid on it and some bread. Jesus asked them to bring some of the fish
they had caught, and invited them to come and eat their meal. John relates
that although they knew it was Jesus, none of the apostles presumed to
inquire who he was. This, John notes, was the third time Jesus appeared to
the apostles.
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