Philip and Nathanael

Before Jesus

Philip: his name means Friend of Horses

Was from Bethsaida the city of Andrew and Peter, he likely was one of many from Galilee that went to hear John The Baptist.

John 1:44 HCSB

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.

It is possible that Philip was also a fisherman thought this is not known for certain.

Philip’s name was Greek. Pointing to the possibility that he may have been of Greek decent adding to the name is what we know of the mixed Jewish / Gentile population in Bethsaida.

One other Apostle had a Greek name Andrew.

Nothing is mentioned of Philips parents.

Nathanael: His name means God Has Given

He was likely a fisherman, we know he is from Galilee

John 21:2 HCSB

Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of His disciples were together.

He is considered to be synonymous with Simon son of Clopas and Bartholomew

The Bartholomew connection

With Jesus

Philip: The first disciple to be called with the words Follow Me.

John 1:43 HCSB

The next day He decided to leave for Galilee. Jesus found Philip and told him, “Follow Me!”

It is also important to note that Jesus went after Philip look what it says again in vs. 43. Jesus found Philip . That term is not used unless one is looking for something or someone.

Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus.

John 1:44–45 HCSB

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law (and so did the prophets ): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!”

It is likely that Philip was a cautious disciple by that I mean he wanted proof he was interested in real world numbers. We find this in the one time Jesus speaks to Philip directly.

John 6:4–7 HCSB

Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. Therefore, when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward Him, He asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so these people can eat?” He asked this to test him, for He Himself knew what He was going to do. Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.”

Jesus is testing Philip seeing how much he was willing to let go of what he knew concretely and step out into a realm of deeper faith. Philip does the math though telling Jesus look here’s the thing it’s going to cost loads of many . Of note Andrew passes the test by bringing a boy with loaves and fish to Jesus.

Moving back to the possibility that there was some Greek in his lineage we find a group of Greeks coming to Philip.

(HCSB) — 20 Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

Philip shows his reliance on what he can see as opposed to the faith that Jesus is wanting from the disciples in

John 14:8–11 HCSB

“Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own. The Father who lives in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.

While this is what we know of Philip before and during Jesus ministry there are some other possibilities and traditions.

According the the genealogies of the 12 apostles Philip was from the house of Zebulun.

Clement of Alexandria credits Philip being the unknown disciples asking permission to go and bury his father.

Matthew 8:21–22 HCSB

“Lord,” another of His disciples said, “first let me go bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Nathanael: Was brought by Philip to Jesus.

John 1:45 HCSB

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law (and so did the prophets ): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!”

Nathanael studied scripture, we know this because of what he said in vs 46 of the same chapter.

John 1:46 HCSB

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered.

Far from being a slam on Nazareth this shows the knowledge that Nathanael had of the area it was not a very important place in the grand scheme of things. That he went with Philip speaks to his openness to finding out the truth for himself.

Jesus answers all of Nathanael’s questions with his answer.

John 1:47–49 HCSB

Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said about him, “Here is a true Israelite; no deceit is in him.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered. “Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

At this point Nathanael is all in. The proof he needed was there. He is only mentioned one other time in the gospels.

John 21:1–3 HCSB

After this, Jesus revealed Himself again to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed Himself in this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of His disciples were together. “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

It is thought that Nathanael is also Barthnolomew

There are three principle reasons..

1. Nathanael is never mentioned in the synoptic gospels. (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and Bartholomew is never mentioned in the Gospel of John.

2. Philip is closely connected with Bartholomew in the Synoptics and with Nathanael in John.

3. the fact that most of the other apostles bear two names. Arguments are also adduced to identify him with Simon the Cananean (compare SIMON). Nathanael has also been identified with Matthew and Mattbias (based on the similarity of name-meanings), with John the son of Zebedee, with Stephen, and even with Paul.

(3) the fact that most of the other apostles bear two names. Arguments are also adduced to identify him with Simon the Cananean (compare SIMON). Nathanael has also been identified with Matthew and Mattbias (based on the similarity of name-meanings), with John the son of Zebedee, with Stephen, and even with Paul.

After Jesus

Philip is not mentioned again in scripture after

Acts 1:13 HCSB

When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

the Apocryphal book Journeying of Philip the Apostle have him Travel through Lydia and Asia settling in Hierapolis. According to Polycrates Philip was buried with his two daughters. According to an Appendix included in the apocryphal book The acts of Philip he and Bartholomew were both crucified upside down and that Philip preached the Gospel from his Cross.

Nathanael: (Bartholomew) Tradition states he went on missionary journeys to India and Armenia.

His martyrdom has been looked at in two ways. the first being the one mentioned above crucified upside with Philip, the other tradition being beheading and skinned alive.