Bartolomew in no guile

24 August JOHN 1:45-51 FEAST OF BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE Nathanael (called "Bartholomew" in the synoptic gospels) was skeptical when Philip told him that Jesus was the promised Messiah of God. The scriptures said that the messiah would come from David's city, Bethlehem in Judah (Mi 5:1), not from a lowly place like Nazareth in Galilee. Philip invited Nathanael to come and judge for himself. Jesus overcame Nathanael's doubts by a demonstration of supernatural knowledge, knowing his thoughts and actions: "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree" (v 48). Jesus said that Nathanael was guileless, a "true Israelite" like Jacob, the first to bear the name "Israel" (Gn 32:29). Even though Jacob was a man of deception, he witnessed angelic beings ascending and descending to heaven (Gn 28:12). Nathanael would see even greater things in the death and resurrection of Jesus .(Kay Murdy). Saint Bartholomew. From the various Readings in the Monastic Lectionary, John Henry Newman, Saint Bede Theaphanes Cerameus and St John Chrysostom, I found the writing of Saint Bede affectionate with the guileless ness of Bartholomew/Nathanael. From a homily by Saint Bede (Horn. I, 17: CCL CXXIl, 123-124) When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him he said of him: Here is a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit. Notice here that when God who knows our hearts praises anyone, he affirms that that person is free from deceit, but not from sin. There is no one on earth so righteous that he always does what is good and never sins, but we read of many who have been without deceit, that is, who have lived in simplicity and purity of heart; indeed, this is how all believers are taught to live. Scripture says: Think of the Lord with uprightness, and seek him in simplicity of heart; and the Lord's own words are: Be as cunning as snakes, and as guileless as doves. Such was Job, a model of patience, of whom it is written that he was an honest and upright man. Such was the patriarch Jacob, of whom it is said: Jacob was an honest man and lived in tents. And because since his conscience was clear and blameless he deserved to see God, he was called Israel, which means "one who sees God." Such was our Nathanael. Because he followed the same blameless way of life as the patriarch, the Lord deemed him worthy of the patriarch's reward. Here, he said, is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. Here is a true descen­dant of the patriarch who saw God, one who is found to be guileless like the patriarch himself. What a fine omen for one coming to God and longing to see him! Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. And this man who desires to see God is praised for his purity of heart· by none other than God himself who tests our minds and hearts, and he is declared to be an Israelite, that is, a descendant of the man who saw God. Oh what a great hope for us Gentiles who have come to the faith, for these words of our Redeemer make salvation accessible to us as well! Since the true Israelite is one whose life is free from deceit, all those Jews who have fallen from the simplicity of their patriarch by holding guile in their hearts have now lost the name of Israelite even though they are Israel's descendants; and we ourselves have been adopted as Israel's offspring because despite our Gentile origin we follow in his footsteps by true faith and purity of mind and body. For according to the Apostle's teaching, Not all Israel's descendants are true Israelites, nor are all Abraham’s descendants his real children. Scripture says: It is through Isaac that your name shall be carried on. In other words, it is not those born in the course of nature who are God's children; it is the children born in fulfilment of God's promise who are regarded as Abraham's descendants.