The gospels tell us very little about the disciple named Nathanael. In fact, he is not even listed as Nathanael in the first three gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke call him Bartholomew. It’s only John who refers to him as Nathanael.

However, it’s a pretty safe bet that we are talking about one and the same person, because Bartholomew was actually a last name. “Bar” means “son of”—thus, “Bartholomew” literally means “son of Tolmai.” Nathanael, son of Tolmai.

But even though we don’t have much information about the man himself, we are given more details concerning Nathanael’s call than any of the other disciples. According to John’s Gospel, it was Philip who first brought Nathanael to Jesus. “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote. It’s Jesus from Nazareth!”

To which Nathanael sarcastically responds, “You’re kidding, right? Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Now, in terms of scripture, Nathanael makes an excellent point. The Old Testament never mentions Nazareth as a place of messianic importance. In fact, the Old Testament doesn’t mention Nazareth at all. It had produced no great priests, no kings, and no prophets—so how likely is it that the Messiah would come from there?

Of course, the other thing you need to consider is that Nathanael was from Cana … and Cana and Nazareth were neighboring villages. If there had been high-school football in those days, these two towns would have been the fiercest of rivals. So it could be that Nathanael is a little biased when it comes to Nazareth.

Whatever the reason for Nathanael’s skepticism, Philip has the perfect answer—“Come and see for yourself!” And as Nathanael approaches, Jesus announces, “Here is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit” (some translations use the word “guile”). But either way, it seems as if the quality that most characterizes Nathanael is that he is forthright.

In other words, if you’re looking for an honest opinion, then Nathanael is your man. He will tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He doesn’t have a hidden agenda … he’s not trying to mislead or impress anyone … he is secure enough to speak his mind, regardless of how his candor is received.

If you are like me, you have probably known a Nathanael or two in your life. They are the ones who are honest to a fault—sometimes brutally so—which is why they are very rarely elected to public office. But in a world where there is so much misinformation, political spin, and false advertising, I sometimes wish that we had a few more Nathanaels.

I realize that the truth can hurt. But as Jesus himself reminded us, the truth is also the only thing that can “set you free.”