” “”Our knowledge of Jesus mostly needs a live experience": it was said today by the Pope during the Wednesday general audience, as he referred to the figure of Bartholomew, the Apostle of whom he outlined the human and spiritual profile, after saying that in the Gospels he “is never the central subject of any narration”. Just like Bartholomew who he said "is traditionally identified with Nathaniel, it is us who must be personally involved in an intimate, deep relationship with Jesus”. In his case, it was the episode of the "fig tree", when Jesus told him: “Before Philip called you, I saw you as you were under the fig tree”, quoted Benedict XVI. Nathaniel’s "confession of faith", which occurred upon such a revelation, was: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel”. This double definition of Nathaniel’s has its own special relevance went on the Pope because "it sheds light on a double, complementary aspect of Jesus’ identity: He is recognised both in His special relationship with God the Father, of whom He is the Only-Begotten Son; and in His relationship with the people of Israel, of whom He is declared King, the appropriate qualification of the awaited Messiah”.” “
