Saints Philip and James

James, Son of Alphaeus: We know nothing of this man except his name and, of course, the fact that Jesus chose him to be one of the 12 pillars of the New Israel, his Church. He is not the James of Acts, son of Clopas, “brother” of Jesus and later bishop of Jerusalem, and the traditional author of the Letter of James. James, son of Alphaeus, is also known as James the Lesser so as to avoid confusing him with James, the son of Zebedee, also an apostle known as James the Greater.

Philip: In Galilee, Philip came from Bethsaida, the same town as Peter and Andrew. Jesus called him directly, seeking out Nathanael and telling him of the “one about whom Moses wrote” (Jn 1:45).

Like the other apostles, Philip took a long time to realize who Jesus was. On one occasion, when Jesus saw the great multitude following him and wanted to give them food, he asked Philip where they should buy bread for the people to eat. Saint John comments, “[Jesus] said this to test him because he knew what he was going to do” (Jn 6:6). Philip answered, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little [bit]” (Jn 6:7).

John’s story does not denigrate Philip. On the contrary, these men needed to see the clear distinction between humanity’s total helplessness apart from God and the human ability to bear divine power by God’s gift. John and Phillip were to be the foundation stones of the Church.

On another occasion, we can almost hear the exasperation in Jesus’s voice. After Thomas had complained that they did not know where Jesus was going, Jesus said, “I am the way. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (Jn 14:6a, 7). Then Philip said, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us” (Jn 14:8). Enough! Jesus answered, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9a).

Possibly because Philip bore a Greek name or was thought to be close to Jesus, some gentile proselytes came to him and asked him to introduce them to Jesus. Philip went to Andrew, and Andrew went to Jesus. Jesus’s reply in John’s Gospel is indirect; Jesus says that now his “hour” has come, that in a short time, he will give his life for Jews and Gentiles alike.