John 12:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"We wish to see Jesus." Philip comes to Andrew, as to one older than himself, and tells him this. But Andrew also does not decide this on his own, since he had already heard: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles" (Mt 10:5). Therefore, after speaking with Philip, he brings the matter with him to the Teacher. Both of them told Him about it.

Philip, out of humility and good order, speaks to Andrew as to one higher than himself. Andrew does not undertake the report or decide this by himself. Taking Philip with him, he dares to report it to Jesus. Such good order and mutual love prevailed among them. What, then, does the Lord do?

But Philip remembered that the Lord had said to them: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans,” Mt 10:5. He feared that he might seem to offend Christ by bringing unbelievers to Him. He did not know that the Lord, in His gracious providence, had forbidden the disciples to go to the Gentiles only until the Jews had first rejected the grace given to them. He speaks to Andrew, as one more zealous and capable in this matter. Andrew approves it, and both announce it to the Lord. By acting prudently in this way, Philip teaches us that it is not good to speak casually with those above us, even if the matter seems good. Rather, we must consult the discerning about what should be done.

Behold, the Jews seek to kill Him, while the Gentiles seek to see Him. Yet among the Jews there were also those who cried out: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!” Jn 12:13. Some from the circumcision, others from the uncircumcision, like two waves rushing toward one another, come together into one faith in Christ with the kiss of peace. Let us hear what the Lord answered to this. See, the Jews wanted to kill Him, while the Gentiles wanted to see Him. Yet among the Jews there were also those who cried: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!” Jn 12:13. And now we, some from the circumcised and others from the uncircumcised, have approached from two sides like the walls of a house. Joined by the kiss of peace into the one faith of Christ, let us hear the voice of the cornerstone.

Among the numerous crowds of visitors to Jerusalem gathered for the feast were Gentiles who confessed faith in the true God. At appointed times they came to the temple to offer sacrifices and prayers, probably as proselytes of the gate. Jesus' solemn entry into Jerusalem and His other actions compelled them to pay particular attention to Him. In His word their souls could find satisfaction. They wished to know Him personally, but did not dare approach Him directly. Therefore they asked one of the disciples, Philip, to present them to his Teacher.

After the rather brief account of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, the Evangelist John tells of the desire of certain Greeks, pagans who had accepted the Jewish faith, to see Jesus. These Greeks had evidently already been greatly prepared for faith in Jesus Christ by accounts of His miracles and teaching. They had also heard of the hopes that the people placed in Him. Now, when they saw the reception that the people gave the Lord, their faith was kindled still more. They desired to draw near to Jesus Christ and personally express their faith before Him. This is how their desire to see Jesus must be understood, on the basis of Jesus Christ’s discourse. In it He reveals His insight that these Greeks are representatives of the pagan world turning toward salvation.

Not daring to trouble Jesus at such a moment, Philip consulted with Andrew, and then together with him reported to Jesus the desire of the Greeks.

When the disgraceful bustle of trade ceased, the temple again took on its usual appearance. The suffering came to Christ, and He healed them. Listeners pressed upon Him by the hundreds, marveling at His teaching and eagerly catching every word from His mouth. Among the other listeners, certain Greeks drew attention. Interested by the discourse and by reports about the extraordinary preacher, they even wanted to speak with Him personally. This was reported through the Apostle Andrew. According to tradition, they were envoys from Abgar V, king of Edessa. Having heard of Christ’s extraordinary works and of the danger threatening Him from the leaders of the Jewish people, Abgar offered Him refuge in his dominions.

Philip tells Andrew about it. Philip feels the importance of this occasion and does not decide to fulfill the Greeks’ request by himself. He reports it to one of the Lord’s most trusted disciples, whose name constantly stands among the first in the lists of the Apostles, Mt 10:2 and parallels. Andrew also seems to have been closer to Philip, Jn 6:5-8. Then, after consulting together, they tell the Lord about the Greeks’ request. Probably Andrew conveyed the request of the Greeks, which is why his name stands first. The reason for Philip’s hesitation was probably this: the Lord had said of Himself that He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Mt 15:24. He had also sent the Apostles only to them, Mt 10:5-6. Philip therefore did not know how to act regarding the request of the Greeks, who were not Jews, cf. Chrysostom and Theophylact.

Of the many circumstances of these three days in the life of Christ the Savior, the Evangelist John the Theologian notes only the discourse and prayer of Jesus Christ to God the Father occasioned by the Greeks’ desire to see Jesus. By the name Greeks, or Hellenes, the Hebrews generally meant all Gentiles, regardless of their belonging to one or another nation. The desire of the Gentiles, evidently proselytes, that is, those who had accepted from the Hebrews faith in the one true God, to see Jesus marked the beginning of the Gentiles’ conversion to the faith of Christ. This was according to Christ’s prophecy: “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring. And they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one Shepherd,” Jn 10:16. Therefore Jesus Christ said: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified,” verse 23.

Verses 20-22. John sets forth as a special event that the Greeks wished to see Jesus. Who were these Greeks? They were not Hellenists, or Jews living among pagans. Such people, of course, would have approached Jesus freely, together with the Palestinian Hebrews. In St. John, “in Greek” means in the Greek language, Jn 19:20. Thus these Greeks were Greeks, but, as St. John says, they “came up to worship at the feast,” verse 20. They were the so-called σεβομενοι ελληνες, God-fearing Greeks, Acts 17:4, or σεβομενοι προσηλιται, God-fearing proselytes, Acts 13:43. They were those among the pagan Greeks who, having understood the emptiness and falsehood of idolatry, accepted the Jewish belief in the one true God.

Why, some ask, did they turn to Philip? The conjecture is not groundless that the Apostle, who bore the purely Greek name Philip, especially attracted the Greeks. First, they expected to find in him someone half akin to them, and perhaps someone who spoke Greek. It may well be that the Apostle who bore a Greek name was brought up in a family to which the Greek language and customs were not foreign. Perhaps that family even had Greek relatives. The Greeks who had come to Jerusalem did not dare appear before the Lord’s face without first asking His permission. But Philip too did not dare speak of this to the Lord without consulting the first-called Apostle Andrew. Andrew may have been the oldest in years among the Lord’s disciples.