We read in Jn 1:43 -46 of the impulsive reaction of Nathaniel who is told of Jesus :
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me"...Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Now, Micah 5:2 has this prophecy:
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days
But, that does not as such, prevent Nazareth from bringing out something good. But if Nathaniel whom Jesus termed as true Israelite in whom there is no deceit, and to whom the Lord promised that he would see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, was prejudiced against Nazareth, there would have been something in his mind.Was it the absence of OT prophesies in favor of the town, or was it some `local wisdom' that prevailed among the Jews ? My question therefore is: What according to Catholic scholars, was the reason behind Nathaniel's prejudice against Nazareth ?
