John gave Philip a big part

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

	St. Philip the Apostle When: First century Where: Palestine What: Apostle Feast: May 3

One baptismal responsibility of Christians is to evangelize. Jesus gave his disciples this mission in his final appearance before the Ascension: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. Baptize them ..." (Mt 28:19).

Philip the Apostle, who was one of Jesus' first followers, took that command seriously long before that.

According to John, Jesus selected Philip the day after he chose Peter. And the first thing Philip did after Jesus said, "Follow me," was to begin evangelizing.

Philip, who prior to that may have been a disciple of John the Baptist, immediately went to find Nathanael, whom he told, "We have met the man spoken of by Moses in the Law, and by the prophets: It is Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."

Nathanael's reply is one most people know, even if they don't know who said it: "Nazareth! Can anything good come from Nazareth?" To which Philip answered, "Come and see." Jesus rapidly won over Nathanael (Jn 1:42-51).

Philip was born in Bethsaida, Galilee. He is listed as one of the apostles in Mt 10:3, Mk 3:18, Lk 6:14 and Acts 1:13. But John is the only evangelist to give Philip a speaking role and Philip makes the most of it.

For example, in the story of the Loaves and Fishes, Jesus sees an enormous crowd following him and asks Philip: "Where are we to buy bread to feed these people?" Philip replies, "Two hundred denarii [200 days wages] would not buy enough bread for every one of them to have a little" (Jn 6:5-7). Jesus responds by working the sign that fed the masses with plenty of leftovers.

Philip's next speaking part comes when Greeks ask him to introduce them to Jesus. Philip goes to Andrew and the two tell Jesus, who says: "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly I tell you, a grain of wheat remains a solitary grain unless it falls to the ground and dies; but if it dies it bears a rich harvest. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life" (Jn 12:20-25).

Philip's last speaking role comes in Jn 14:8-9, when he asks: "Lord, show us the Father and we ask no more." Jesus says: "Have I been all this time with you, Philip, and you still do not know me? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. Then how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me?"

The only other time Philip is mentioned by name is after the resurrection when he is listed among the disciples gathered in the Upper Room awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:13).

Tradition says that Philip preached in Greece and that under the Emperor Domitian he was crucified upside down at Hierapolis.