"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip [John 1:46]
In asking whether it was possible for the promised Messiah to come from Nazareth, Nathanael was not acting on the basis of evidence, not on the basis of examination out of which any such conclusion could be arrived at.
His conclusion was a result of prejudice.
What is prejudice?
Prejudice is a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
As human beings, we are more often than not, inclined to arrive at conclusions powered by prejudice rather than evidence.
In our day to day lives, we are too lazy to examine the subjects of daily contentions, because in our minds, there is nothing true about such subjects.
Have you examined the subject yourself? Have you considered its claim? What, like Nathanael, are you basing on to say any such subject cannot be true?
A man/woman comes in the name of God, and first time, you dismiss him/her as not true. Have you listened to him/her speak? Have you weighed the weight of their claim against the weight scripture? Upon what is your dismissal based? Color? Race? Origin?
Examples
In Africa, is, for example common for people to welcome a White Preacher but dismiss a fellow black preacher. Because, their minds are set down that ‘nothing good can come out of a fellow black man'. And such prejudice comes, not from knowledge of the other person, but of oneself. So you choose to weight the other person based on your own standards of what you believe your lot is capable or not capable of.
Aside from the fact that Nathanael harbored a local scorn and jealously against the small town of Nazareth, and besides the likelihood that his dismissal pointed to an ill repute about the people of Nazareth, understanding Nathanael’s negativity towards Nazareth and its inhabitants, has to be seen from the broader fact, namely that he was an Israelite, of whom moreover, Jesus would shortly say: “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit..”
Overall, Nathanael in dismissing the likelihood of a messiah coming from Nazareth was also indirectly looking down on his lot of Israelites, thus judging Jesus by his own perceived inability.
He can’t do it, because you yourself can’t do it!! How many times have you judged people using the standards of your own incapacitance?
Evidence
How many people, neighbors, relatives, friends, do you know of who dismiss Christianity as easily as they wave their hand?
How many ‘Nathanael attitude’ people do you know of? How do you deal with their prejudice?
How to respond
Come and see
In Philips response is found the classic answer for us to emulate as Christians. Rather than argue, rather than debate, rather than reason, yes, rather than speculate on the possibility of ‘something good coming out of Nazareth’, Philip opted for another approach.
“Come and see”. He said. And by that Philip challenged Nathanael to examine the matter himself, to see Jesus himself, listen to him talk, ask questions if he liked, probe, overall, to put aside all bias and prejudice, and make conclusions based on a balanced and candid self-inquiry.
That is the path for every Christian, wherever, whenever: argument and debate whence you aim to split and spit all scripture will not move a man of prejudice, but personal inquiry does.
There is not a question about that as Christianity has nothing to hide, but rather the world has everything to hide abut Christianity.
Any such person who is convinced to make personal inquiry will ultimately be satisfied from and by his own experience of the gospel and life of our Lord Jesus Christ
May the good Lord Jesus Christ of whom we witness and Testify, bless your life for reading and contemplating on his word