Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 12:22
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
22. telleth Andrew ] Another Apostle with a Greek name. They were both of Bethsaida (Joh 1:44), and possibly these Greeks may have come from the same district. S. Philip seems to shrink from the responsibility of introducing Gentiles to the Messiah, and applies in his difficulty to the Apostle who had already distinguished himself by bringing others to Christ (Joh 1:41, Joh 6:8-9).
and again ] The true reading is Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Telleth Andrew – Why he did not at once tell Jesus is not known. Possibly he was doubtful whether Jesus would wish to converse with Gentiles, and chose to consult with Andrew about it.
Tell Jesus – Whether the Greeks were with them cannot be determined. From the following discourse if would seem probable that they were, or at least that Jesus admitted them to his presence and delivered the discourse to them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.] How pleasing to God is this union, when the ministers of his Gospel agree and unite together to bring souls to Christ. But where self-love prevails, and the honour that comes from God is not sought, this union never exists. Bigotry often ruins every generous sentiment among the different denominations of the people of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The news of their coming, and their errand, is brought to Christ by Philip and Andrew, who possibly might stumble at it, because they were Gentiles, and Christ had forbidden them to go into the way of the Gentiles; they therefore first acquaint him with the desire of those Greeks, before they bring them to Christ.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. Philip . . . telleth AndrewAsfollow townsmen of Bethsaida (Joh1:44), these two seem to have drawn to each other.
Andrew and Philip tellJesusThe minuteness of these details, while they add to thegraphic force of the narrative, serves to prepare us for somethingimportant to come out of this introduction.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew,…. The request the Greeks made to him, and this he did, that he might have his advice in this matter; and that not only because he might be a senior man as well as apostle, but because he was of the same town, and might know these men as well as Philip:
and again, Andrew and Philip told Jesus; after they had consulted together, whether it was proper or not, to move this thing to their master; since he had forbid them going in the way of the Gentiles, they agreed to acquaint him with it, that he might do his pleasure.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Andrew ( ). Another apostle with a Greek name and associated with Philip again (Joh 6:7f.), the man who first brought his brother Simon to Jesus (1:41). Andrew was clearly a man of wisdom for a crisis. Note the vivid dramatic presents here,
cometh (),
telleth (). What was the crisis? These Greeks wish an interview with Jesus. True Jesus had said something about “other sheep” than Jews (10:16), but he had not explained. Philip and Andrew wrestle with the problem that will puzzle Peter on the housetop in Joppa (Ac 10:9-18), that middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile that was only broken down by the Cross of Christ (Eph 2:11-22) and that many Christians and Jews still set up between each other. Andrew has no solution for Philip and they bring the problem, but not the Greeks, to Jesus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Philip – Andrew. They appear together in Joh 1:45; Joh 6:7, 8. Compare Mr 3:18.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1 ) “Philip cometh and telleth Andrew,” (erchetai ho Philippos kai legei to Andrea) “Philip then came and told Andrew,” not taking the whole responsibility on himself, perhaps with some uncertainty regarding why they wanted to see Him. He went and conferred with Andrew, who also was one of the twelve apostles, Mat 10:2-3, and who stayed with Jesus through His ministry, Act 1:13; Act 1:21-22.
2) “And again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.” (erchetai Andreas kai Philippos kai legousin to lesous) “And Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus,” reported to Him, gave Him their request. Andrew was also of Bethsaida, as well as Philip and Peter, Joh 1:44.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(22) Philip cometh and telleth Andrew.It is a striking coincidence, and perhaps more than this, that the Greeks thus came into connection with the only Apostles who bear Greek names; and may themselves have had some special connection by birth, or residence, or culture with Greek civilisation. The names have occurred together before (Joh. 1:44; Joh. 6:7-8): they were fellow-townsmen and friends. But Andrew was also brother of Simon Peter, and is one of the first group of four in the apostolic band. (Comp. Mar. 13:3.) The Greeks then naturally come to Philip, and Philip consults his friend Andrew, who is in a position of greater intimacy with the Lord than he himself is, and they come together and tell Jesus.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘Philip went and told Andrew, and Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus’.
It is indicative of how uncertain the disciples were about things that Philip felt that he needed help in broaching the matter with Jesus. The question in his mind was, would Jesus be willing to give time to these Gentiles, even though they were God-fearers? (God-fearers were those Gentiles who were responsive to the teaching of Judaism without actually being willing to be circumcised and become proselytes). Or were they outside the scope of His ministry? This in itself confirms that Jesus’ teaching had stressed first His responsibility to Israel, as Mat 10:15; Mat 15:24 make clear, even though it had then expanded towards Gentiles in Sidon and Decapolis. The following verses were the assurance of their acceptance.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 12:22. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew, &c. From Philip’s not venturing to introduce the men himself, it seems probable that there was some difficulty in the case. Perhaps they were only “proselytes of the gate,” who, according to custom, could not be admitted into the company of Jews. See Act 10:28.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
Ver. 22. Andrew and Philip tell Jesus ] Therefore we may desire the saints departed to mediate for us to Christ, say the Papists. A pitiful poor argument. Illi sic garriant, nos aliter credamus. (Augustine.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22. ] Andrew (ch. Joh 1:45 ) was of the same city as Philip: and this reason of Philip conferring with him is perhaps implied in the . . . Bengel remarks on this touch of nature: “ cum sodali, audet .”
so . , Xen. Anab. ii. 4. 16.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Andrew. See App-141. Andrew belonged to the first group of the Apostles, Philip to the second.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22.] Andrew (ch. Joh 1:45) was of the same city as Philip: and this reason of Philip conferring with him is perhaps implied in the . . . Bengel remarks on this touch of nature: cum sodali, audet.
-so . , Xen. Anab. ii. 4. 16.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 12:22. , and telleth) Philip, from a feeling of reverence, feared alone [by himself] to introduce the Greeks: in company with a friend, he ventures to do so. [He deemed it a matter worthy of being well-weighed.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 12:22
Joh 12:22
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus.-[Andrew takes the lead. The request of these Greeks evidently assumed importance, for it is the occasion of a remarkable discourse. These men represented the Gentile world in its unrest, its hopelessness, its deep yearning for some divine Redeemer, to lift the helpless race out of its imbecility and despair, and guide it into nobler life.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Andrew: Joh 1:40, Joh 1:41, Joh 6:8
Andrew and: Mat 10:5, Mar 10:13, Mar 10:14, Luk 9:49, Luk 9:50
Reciprocal: Mat 10:2 – Andrew Mat 10:3 – Philip Mar 1:16 – Simon Mar 3:18 – Andrew Joh 14:8 – Philip Act 1:13 – Philip
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2
I have not seen any account of the previous association of Philip with Andrew, but they seem to have been close personal friends. Philip passed on to Andrew the request of the Greeks, and together they reported it to Jesus.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 12:22. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus. Why these Greeks should particularly address themselves to Philip; why Philip should be here described as from Bethsaida of Galilee; why Philip should tell Andrew; and why Andrew, as appears from the peculiar mode in which the communication is mentioned, should have been the spokesman of the pair, are questions to which it is not easy to give a satisfactory reply. It may be that Philip was the first disciple whom they met; that the mention of his place of residence is simply for more complete identification of the man; that the bond of companionship between him and Andrew may have been close (a circumstance that may also throw light on their proximity to each other at Joh 6:7-8); and that Andrew, always one of the first four apostles mentioned in the apostolic lists, may have stood in nearer relation to Jesus than Philip, or perhaps have been the more ready speaker of the two. The more, however, the Gospel of John is studied, the less shall we be disposed to be content with these explanations, or to think that there was nothing further in the mind of a writer so much accustomed to see even in apparently accidental and trifling circumstances deeper meanings than those which at first strike the eye. Such a meaning he may have seen in the facts which he now, after so long an interval, recalls. It is at least worthy of notice that in chap. 6 at the feeding of the 5000, which has undoubtedly a symbolical as well as a literal meaning, not only are Philip and Andrew the only two disciples named, but they there play exactly the same part as in the present instance; for Philip is first appealed to but is perplexed, while Andrew draws from Jesus the solution of the difficulty. Thus also in the incident before us, John may have beheld an analogy to the same scene, an illustration of the fact that both Jews and Gentiles shall be conducted by the same path to the bread of life. These hungering Greeks are like the hungering Jews when the loaves were multiplied, and those whose difficulties in the way of satisfying the latter were removed by the word of Jesus, are also those whose difficulties in the way of satisfying the former are removed by the same word.