Master, show us the father

Philip and James, like the rest of the Apostles, live and walk with Jesus.

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They struggle in understanding his teachings and in perceiving the fullness of his identity, hence their entreaty: “Master, show us the Father” (v 8).

Jesus answers their plea by challenging their faith: “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves” (v 11).

They would rise to that challenge after the resurrection of the Lord. Empowered by the Spirit of the risen Christ, they became bearers of the Good News.

Philip's mission was supposedly in the ancient Eurasian region. One line of tradition says that he was martyred by crucifixion.

James rose to prominence as one of the leaders of the early Church, accompanying its growth and opening to the Gentile world (Gal 1:18-19; Gal 2:9 and Acts 15).

He was believed to be martyred in Jerusalem when he refused to refute that Jesus was the Christ.