Saint Bartholomew, Bar-Tolmai or son of Tolmai, was one of the twelve
Apostles called to the apostolate by our Blessed Lord Himself. His name is
more adequately rendered by his given name, Nathanael. If one wonders why
the synoptic Gospels always call him Bartholomew, it would be because the
name Nathanael in Hebrew is equivalent to that of Matthew, since both in
Hebrew signify gift of God; in this way the Evangelists avoided all
confusion between the two Apostles. He was a native of Cana in Galilee, a
doctor of the Jewish law, and a friend of Philip.
Philip, advised by
Peter and Andrew, hastened to communicate to his friend the good news of his
discovery of Christ: “We have found Him whom Moses in the Law, and the
Prophets, wrote! Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said
of him, “Behold a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile.” (Cf. John
1:45-49) His innocence and simplicity of heart deserved to be celebrated
with this high praise in the divine mouth of Our Redeemer. And Nathanael,
when Jesus told him He had already seen him in a certain place, confessed
his faith at once: “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of
Israel!”
Being eminently qualified by divine grace to discharge the functions
of an Apostle, he carried the Gospel through the most barbarous countries of
the East, penetrating into the remoter Indies, baptizing neophytes and
casting out demons. A copy of the Gospel of Saint Matthew was found in India
by Saint Pantænus in the third century, taken there, according to local
tradition, by Saint Bartholomew. Saint John Chrysostom said the Apostle also
preached in Asia Minor and, with Saint Philip, suffered there, though not
mortally, for the faith. Saint Bartholomew’s last mission was in Greater
Armenia, where, preaching in a place obstinately addicted to the worship of
idols, he was crowned with a glorious martyrdom. The modern Greek historians
say that he was condemned by the governor of Albanopolis to be crucified.
Others affirm that he was flayed alive, which treatment might well have
accompanied his crucifixion, this double punishment being in use not only in
Egypt, but also among the Persians.
Reflection: The characteristic virtue of the Holy
Apostles was zeal for the divine glory. A soldier is always ready to defend
the honor of his prince, and a son that of his father; can a Christian say
he loves God if he is indifferent to His honor?
Sources: Dictionnaire de la Bible, Ed.
F. Vigouroux (Letouzey et Ané: Paris, 1912), Vol. 5, “Philippe, Apôtre”;
Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler’s
Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger
Brothers: New York, 1894).
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