Clerestory Windows Series: Bartholomew

Open Bibles before him, book marks exactly as we have them on our lectern, and a flaying knife to signify his martyrdom. Tradition tells us that he was beheaded in Armenia because of his faith.

What do we know about Bartholomew? The first three Gospels always place him alongside Philip in the apostolic lists, suggesting that they were at least close friends, possibly even relatives. John doesn’t mention Bartholomew at all, but rather Nathanael. Bartholomew is not a first name, but rather a surname. Since Bartholomew must have had a first name, some authorities believe that it could have been Nathanael, making the Bartholomew of the synoptic gospels and the Nathanael of John the same man, Nathanael Bartholomew.

What kind of person was he? John gives us a clue. When Philip tells him about how the writings of Moses have been fulfilled, that the Messiah has come from Nazareth, Nathanael’s immediate reaction to ask, "What good could come from there?"

You see, Nazareth at the time was little more than a wide spot in the road. It wasn’t mentioned in Old Testament or the Talmud. It was an insignificant city. Messiahs don’t come from places like that, they come from important places like Jerusalem. How could something great come from such a place? Nathanael was a victim of his own prejudices and bigotry. He almost missed a chance to meet the man who would become one of, if not the, most influential person in human history, because of preconceived notions of how the world was supposed to work. He closed himself to the possibility that God would choose to work outside of the rules of his society, until Jesus taught him otherwise.

Our society once taught us that women weren’t smart enough to lead, that they should stay quiet in church because they had nothing of value to offer. The female ministers, elders, deacons and members of our church have proven this wrong. Many ethnic minorities were not heard because our societal prejudices told us that they were inferior, but we now know this is also not true. In my own life, God even chose to work through a close friend, who happened to be gay, to teach me how to see the face of God in all the people around me.

That’s what we can learn from Nathanael. Don’t let your prejudices close your heart and mind to the power of grace. Don’t let humankind tell you who God will work through, because God doesn’t have to play by our rules.

Brandon Gilliam

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