People of the Bible
Who Was Philip the Apostle in the Bible?
Philip was one of the twelve, called directly by Jesus, who brought Nathanael to Him and asked to be shown the Father.
When Jesus found Philip and said, follow me, Philip went at once and hurried to find Nathanael, inviting his skeptical friend simply to come and see. He shows the instinct of a new believer to share what he has found.
Philip appears again wondering how to feed the crowd, and in the upper room asking Jesus to show them the Father, only to hear that whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father. His honest questions drew out some of Jesus' clearest words.
Key verses
“Philip saith unto him, Come and see.”John 1:46, King James Version
“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”John 14:9, King James Version
A key moment
Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father, and Jesus answers that to see Him is to see the Father, unveiling that God is fully present in Christ.
What we learn
We learn that honest questions are welcome to Jesus, and that the simple invitation to come and see remains one of the most powerful ways to share Him.
How Philip the Apostle points to Jesus
Philip's request, show us the Father, drew from Jesus the astonishing claim that He is the perfect revelation of God. To meet Christ is to meet the Father, which is why Philip could tell Nathanael simply to come and see.
Common questions
Where is Philip the Apostle in the Bible?
The Gospel of John, chapters 1, 6, and 14.
What can we learn from Philip the Apostle?
We learn that honest questions are welcome to Jesus, and that the simple invitation to come and see remains one of the most powerful ways to share Him.
The same God who met Philip the Apostle is near to you today. Step inside The Living Bread to read the Scriptures, pray, and walk with the family of God.