2025/04/21
192. The Seven Disciples and the Seven Letters (Seventh Letter)
As discussed previously, among the seven disciples who encountered the risen Jesus while fishing on the shore of Lake Tiberias, one of the "two others of his disciples were together" (Jn 21:2) was Andrew, the brother of Peter. Next, we will examine the other disciple, who corresponds to the "angel of the church in Laodicea" in the seventh letter of the Book of Revelation.
Those male disciples mentioned by name in the Gospel of John are Peter, Andrew, Philip, Nathanael, Thomas, Judas Iscariot, and (the other) Judas. Among these six disciples, excluding those already mentioned as the "seven disciples" by the Sea of Tiberias, we have Philip, Judas Iscariot, and (the other) Judas. Considering that John the Evangelist stresses that Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter (cf. Jn 1:44, 12:21), this disciple can be identified as Philip.
Philip met Nathanael and immediately brought him to Jesus (cf. Jn 1:45–46). The words Philip spoke to Nathanael, "Come and see" (1:46), are equivalent to the words Jesus said when he saw Andrew and another disciple of John the Baptist following him: "Come and see" (1:39). As a fisherman, he was an intuitive person like his fellows. He must have had confidence in his intuition. However, this attitude sometimes dulls one's sense of grasping the essence of things behind the surface. Even after experiencing the sign of turning water into wine (cf. 2:1-11), the sign of healing the official's son (cf. 4:43-54), and the sign of healing the sick (cf. 5:1-9) with Jesus, and hearing Jesus' teachings accompanying these signs, Philip remained unaware of his tendency.
The Gospel states, "Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, 'How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?' This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do" (Jn 6:5–6). Philip answered, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little" (6:7). However, this answer did not lead to Jesus multiplying the bread and fish for the crowd. Thus, Philip witnessed Andrew's brilliant answer, which catalysed Jesus to perform the sign (cf. 6:9). At that moment, He must have become aware of his inclination. And we can see that he began to overcome it in the next scene.
When Jesus went up to Jerusalem, some Greeks came and said, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus" (Jn 12:21). This meant that Jesus' reputation had reached distant places through the crowds, beyond his disciples, as it says, "The crowd that had been with him when he called Laz'arus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness" (12:17). Jesus' ministry, of which he had said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt 15:24), was coming to an end. The first to receive the request from the Greeks was Philip. However, he did not pass it on directly to Jesus. "Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus" (Jn 12:22).
And at the Last Supper, along with Thomas and Judas (not Iscariot), he asked Jesus questions like a child and drew many words from him (cf. Jn 14:5–24). The process of Philip's growth is also ours, believers. Therefore, the sender of the seventh letter of Revelation is described as "the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation" (Rev 3:14) so that we can become more open to him, unlike previous letters. He says, "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth" (3:15–16). We believers today have no words to respond to these words. That is because they are true. How does one become "lukewarm"?
Everyone acts with a sense of "I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing" (Rev 3:17), which is essential for self-sufficiency and self-realisation. This sense simultaneously places them in a state of "not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked" (3:17). They are hiding their true selves from themselves. That is what creates a lukewarm state in them. Therefore, the sender of the letter continues: "Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see" (3:18). Then he encourages us saying, "Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent" (3:19). Where will this "buy from me" be realised? Where does the "I reprove and chasten" take place? It is where we practise the training of the Book of Revelation, which includes these seven letters.
To be continued
Maria K. M.
