Nathaniel (meaning "Gift of God" or "Giving of God" in Hebrew, and identified as Bartholomew the Apostle) was astonished by the way Jesus greeted him upon first sight, calling him "an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." Although Nathaniel initially doubted Philip, claiming that no prophet could come from the insignificant town of Nazareth, he soon found himself drawn to Jesus by His unexpected affection and understanding.
In His greeting, Jesus captured Nathaniel's entire personality, recognizing
him as a person without malice. Nathaniel’s sincerity, openness, curiosity to
learn, humility, lack of prejudice, and deep understanding of the Scriptures
were all encapsulated in that greeting. Nathaniel was astonished by Jesus’
knowledge of his inner thoughts and reflections, unraveled with just a few
words. Sitting under the fig tree—a term used to describe the meditative study
of the Scriptures—signified Nathaniel’s contemplative nature. Jesus revealed
that He understood the perplexities and ambiguities that weighed upon
Nathaniel’s heart. Nathaniel immediately realized he was in the presence of
none other than the Son of God.
Nathaniel represents every disciple who encounters Jesus personally. All
confusion and doubt vanish when Jesus enters one's life. Like St. Paul, such a
disciple would declare, “Who can separate me from the Lord?” Nathaniel also
symbolizes those in today’s world who are bewildered by various ideologies and
perspectives. Amidst conflicting viewpoints, stability and peace are found in
Christ.
In Shakespearean criticism, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is often seen as a
figure representing the modern individual, grappling with ambiguity and
confusion—emotions expressed in his famous soliloquy, “To be or not to be.”
Thomas Merton, similarly, found himself caught in a web of conflicting
ideologies. Yet, when Jesus touched his life, he abandoned the conveniences of
modern life for the seclusion of a monastery, where he encountered Christ in
all creation: “The trees indeed love You without knowing You. The tiger lilies
and cornflowers proclaim their love for You, unaware of Your presence. The dark
clouds drift slowly across the sky, musing on You as children who play, unaware
of their dreams... yet in their midst, I know You and know Your presence.”
Nathaniel invites each of us who have encountered Jesus personally to say
with conviction, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God, the King of Israel.”
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