Catholic Saints Podcast: "St. Bartholomew"

Host: Dr. Ben Akers (Augustine Institute)
Guest: Dr. John Seehorn (Professor of Theology and Scripture)
Date: August 24, 2025
Episode Theme:
A deep-dive exploration of St. Bartholomew—the Apostle known also as Nathanael in the Gospels—focusing on his scriptural portrayal, the apostolic calling account in John, and the theological implications behind key biblical passages.

Overview

This episode, released on St. Bartholomew’s feast day, delves into all the New Testament references to this lesser-known Apostle. Dr. Ben Akers and Dr. John Seehorn guide listeners through the biblical texts, explore why Bartholomew is traditionally identified with Nathanael, and unpack theological insights from John’s Gospel, tying Old Testament prophecies to the encounter between Jesus and Nathanael.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Was Bartholomew? The Scriptural Context

[00:34–01:54]

• Bartholomew’s name appears in lists of the Twelve Apostles (Matthew 10:2, Mark 3, Luke 6, Acts 1).
• No independent stories or dialogue involving Bartholomew; he’s simply “in the list.”
• The identification of Bartholomew with Nathanael is rooted in tradition and some biblical reasoning.

Quote:
"Bartholomew is not actually a personal name... Bartholomew is just sort of like a Greek version of what probably in Hebrew would have been Bartholomei, so that's actually not kind of like what we would think of as a first name."
— Dr. John Seehorn ([03:54])

2. Why Bartholomew and Nathanael May Be the Same Person

[02:01–05:28]

• “Bar” in Bartholomew means “son of,” hinting at a second name.
• Nathanael appears only in John’s Gospel (John 1, John 21), yet not in apostolic lists.
• Bartholomew is always paired with Philip in Synoptic lists, just as Philip invites Nathanael in John.

Quote:
"Nathaniel, who's mentioned only in John 1 and John 21, doesn't show up on the lists of the 12... and yet that's really odd that we have this long story about Jesus calling him... that at least suggests that maybe Nathanael really was one of the 12."
— Dr. John Seehorn ([04:25])

3. The Calling of Nathanael: “Come and See”

[05:28–12:27]

• Reading John 1:43–51 step by step.
• Philip, called by Jesus, eagerly finds Nathanael, echoing “found by Christ, go and find others.”
• Nathanael’s skepticism: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46), reflecting local rivalry and scriptural irony.

Quote:
"Philip has encountered Christ and now wants to go and help somebody else find Jesus."
— Dr. Ben Akers ([09:25])

• “Come and see” as a model for evangelization—proposal, not imposition.
• Philip uses the same words Jesus spoke to Andrew (“come and see”), demonstrating authentic discipleship.

Quote:
"We are called to evangelize as well, to be invitational, to invite someone to come and meet Jesus, to propose the gospel. Don't impose the gospel."
— Dr. Ben Akers ([12:17])

4. Jesus’ Revelation to Nathanael: Irony and Prophecy

[13:09–14:49]

• Jesus greets Nathanael: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (John 1:47).
• This references the patriarch Jacob—renamed Israel—who was infamous for his deceit, yet Nathanael is one “with no deceit.”
• Jesus’ wordplay alludes to Nathanael’s true-heartedness and Old Testament narratives.

Quote:
"There's a real irony here... the great father of Israel is known as someone who's incredibly shrewd, actually. Incredibly full of guile. Incredibly full of deceit."
— Dr. John Seehorn ([13:51])

5. The Fig Tree and Messianic Promises

[14:49–19:25]

• Jesus tells Nathanael, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael is startled, instantly confessing, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
• The fig tree symbolizes Messianic hope (Zechariah 3:10) and moments of prayerful longing for redemption.
• “Son of God” and “King of Israel” are messianic titles rooted in the Davidic covenant (Psalms 2, 89).

Quote:
"You are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation, and I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. This is one of a number of passages in the Old Testament where the king is seen as, in a special way, the Son of God."
— Dr. John Seehorn ([18:03])

6. Branch, Nazareth, and Prophetic Fulfillment

[19:25–25:58]

• Discussion of messianic prophecies: “Branch” (Heb. netzer) in Isaiah 11:1, Zechariah 3.
• Matthew’s Gospel (“He shall be called a Nazarene”) possibly refers to “netzer,” making Nazareth “Branch Town”—a reason why something good comes from Nazareth.

Quote:
"You could almost translate Nazareth as like, Branchville. So to get back to Nathaniel, we can put the pieces together, right? He hears this reference to the fig tree... and all of a sudden he understands how something good can come from Nazareth."
— Dr. John Seehorn ([25:58])

7. No Deceit: The Honest Seeker of God

[26:18–27:13]

• Psalm 32:1–2: “Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”
• St. Augustine: To be without guile is not to be sinless, but to honestly seek God’s forgiveness.

Quote:
"What it means for him to have no deceit is that he doesn't lie about having no sin. He knows he needs a physician."
— Dr. John Seehorn ([26:51])

8. Jacob’s Ladder and Jesus as Heaven’s Gate

[27:13–29:19]

• Jesus’ final words to Nathanael reference Genesis 28—Jacob’s vision of angels ascending and descending.
• Jesus reveals himself as the true “house of God,” the meeting point between heaven and earth—a new Bethel, the new and greater temple.

Quote:
"Not only is he the Davidic Messiah, the true King of Israel... he is actually the very meeting place of heaven and earth. He himself is the true temple of God."
— Dr. John Seehorn ([29:09])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Evangelization:
  “To propose the gospel. Don’t impose the gospel.” — Dr. Ben Akers ([12:17])

• On Scriptural Irony:
  “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Yeah, the greatest—God, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us here in Nazareth.” — Dr. Ben Akers ([10:01])

• On Bartholomew’s Identity:
  “Nathaniel, who's mentioned only in John 1 and John 21, doesn't show up on the lists of the 12... that at least suggests that maybe Nathanael really was one of the 12 [Apostles].” — Dr. John Seehorn ([04:25])

• On Honesty Before God:
  “What it means for him to have no deceit is that he doesn't lie about having no sin. He knows he needs a physician.” — Dr. John Seehorn ([26:51])

Important Timestamps

• 00:34 – Introduction to Bartholomew in the Gospels
• 03:54 – Exploring the name “Bartholomew” and its implications
• 05:28 – Reading John 1:43–51 (Calling of Nathanael)
• 09:25 – Lessons on evangelization from Philip's example
• 10:01 – Nathanael’s question: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
• 14:49 – Jesus’ greeting: “An Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile”
• 18:03 – Messianic connections: Son of God, King of Israel, Davidic covenant
• 25:58 – Nazareth as “Branch Town”; fulfillment of prophecy
• 29:09 – Jesus as the new Temple, the union of heaven and earth

Tone & Language

The conversation is friendly, scholarly, and full of scriptural references, with moments of humor and lightheartedness, especially regarding local rivalries and biblical irony. The dialogue is invitational, curious, and steeped in the Catholic tradition of reading the Old Testament in light of Christ.

For Listeners

This episode guides you beyond Bartholomew’s “silent” presence in the apostolic lists, uncovering his role in biblical theology as Nathanael, an honest seeker deeply aware of God’s promises. Through Scripture, typology, and tradition, Dr. Akers and Dr. Seehorn reveal how encountering Christ transforms skepticism into faith and how, in every evangelization, disciples are first found by Christ before inviting others to ‘come and see.’