What do we know about Nathanael (see John 1:45–51)?

This text is from a letter written by David Gooding in 2008.

We know very little about Nathanael. He seems to have been one of the early disciples in the North, in Galilee. He was obviously a very pious Jew. When Philip came excitedly and told him, 'We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph', Nathanael thought this was a very unlikely story. What Philip should have said was 'Jesus of Bethlehem'; for that is where the Messiah was born, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Micah 5.

When he came to Christ, Christ pointed out to all who cared to hear that Nathanael was a true descendent of the patriarch, Israel. In Nathanael there was no guile. What he thought, he spoke out quite plainly. (It was otherwise with Jacob, his ancestor, who was full of guile.) To Nathanael, then, our Lord revealed himself as possessing, like God, awareness of Nathanael's existence, and where exactly he was when he was under his fig tree.

When Nathanael confessed our Lord as the Son of God, he probably would have been using the title in the same way as the rabbis would have used it: he was recognizing our Lord as Messiah, Son of God, in that sense. Hence, he adds, 'Thou art the King of Israel'. Then our Lord promised him that he would see the fulfilment of Jacob's vision (see Genesis 28:12–16).

Yours sincerely in Christ,