Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur
Week 7: Chapter 6 — Nathanael (Bartholomew): A Man Without Guile
Read Chapter 6 of Twelve Ordinary Men. Key passages: John 1:45–51.
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Nathanael is almost entirely unknown outside a single scene in John 1, yet in that scene Jesus pays him one of the most remarkable compliments in all the Gospels — and MacArthur unpacks what it means.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Nathanael's first recorded words are skeptical: 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' (John 1:46). MacArthur notes this was likely a regional prejudice, not a theological objection. What does it tell us that Jesus chose a man with such an initial disposition — and that He apparently held it against him not at all?
2.When Jesus sees Nathanael coming, He declares, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit' (John 1:47). MacArthur calls this one of the most remarkable character endorsements in Scripture. What does 'no guile' or 'no deceit' actually look like in a person's life? How rare do you think it is?
3.Nathanael's response — 'How do you know me?' — reveals that he is startled by being seen so clearly. Jesus' answer ('I saw you under the fig tree') immediately brings Nathanael to a breathtaking confession of faith. MacArthur sees this as a picture of how the experience of being truly known by God leads to genuine worship. Has the experience of being fully known by God ever moved you in a similar way?
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