They came to Philip, who was from Bethasaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
John 12:20-26
Gentiles wanted to meet Jesus, and they had to course their request through Philip, who in turn went to Andrew, who accompanied Philip to Jesus.
This detail is an introduction to what will be the unique role of the Twelve. They will be the foundation of the community that will profess faith in Jesus. Through the years, the Church therefore traces origins to the Twelve, for which reason the Church will have as a mark that of being “apostolic.”
Some group of Christians nowadays preach that we do not have to go through intermediaries. “Go direct,” they would say. But isn’t this presumptuous? Even in the Old Testament, God made use of “go-betweens,” sinful and imperfect though they be. All — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Moses, David — had their own marks of sinfulness, yet God chose to use them to carry out His plans. In the New Testament, even going to Jesus is not a “direct approach.” Jesus Himself refers to His person as the “Way” that leads to the Father (cf John 14:6).
God willed things this way to remind us that there is always a gap between Him and us. We always have to go to Him with great humility. Our familiarity with God should never remove our sense of awe and unworthiness when we’re face-to-face with His divinity. Hence, reverence and contrition should always be part of our relationship with God. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles. -- Luke 6:12-13
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. -- Ephesians 2: 19 - 22
