Bartholomew
Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus.
Biography
Bartholomew appears in all four apostolic lists in the New Testament (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13), always paired with Philip, suggesting a close association between the two. Most scholars identify him with Nathanael of Cana, whom Philip brought to Jesus in John 1:45–51. If this identification is correct, his first encounter with Jesus was marked by Jesus' supernatural knowledge of his character, calling him 'an Israelite in whom there is no deceit', prompting Nathanael's immediate confession of Jesus as the Son of God. He was present at the post-resurrection appearance by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:2) and was among those gathered in the upper room awaiting Pentecost (Acts 1:13). Tradition credits him with missionary work in India and Armenia, where he reportedly suffered martyrdom.
Significance
Bartholomew-Nathanael represents the transition from sincere Jewish piety to full Christological faith. His initial skepticism: 'Can anything good come from Nazareth?', followed by immediate, wholehearted confession models honest intellectual inquiry resolved by personal encounter with Christ. Jesus' promise of seeing 'heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man' (John 1:51) links Bartholomew to the fulfillment of Jacob's vision at Bethel, signaling that Jesus is the true meeting point between heaven and earth. His faithful presence through resurrection appearances and Pentecost underscores the continuity of the apostolic witness.
Verse Appearances (4)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]