Bartholomew came as a reluctant seeker, brought to Jesus byPhilip, who couldn’t wait to spread the word about the Messiah.Bartholomew’s initial response to news about Jesus was a mixture of skepticism and sarcasm: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). As he had done the day before when meeting Simon, Jesus greetedBartholomew with perceptive and challenging words. Jesus immediatelylet Bartholomew know that He really understood him. Imagine a persongreeting you with, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is nodeceit!” (John 1:47). Bartholomew was stunned. “How do You know me?” he blurted.Jesus had just identified his central impulse. He didn’t feel complimented;he felt completely known. He was curious about how Jesus did it; towhich Jesus responded with a description of Bartholomew’s locationwhen Philip found him. Jesus’s perception was enough to convince Bartholomew that Philip was correct. This was in fact the Promised One.And he said so: “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King ofIsrael!” (John 1:49). Jesus received Bartholomew’s declaration with thepromise that he would eventually have many more reasons for recognizing the Son of God. Bartholomew was one of the group of five apostles who began tofollow Jesus shortly after His wilderness experience.
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