Apostle Philip is listed fifth in the three lists of Apostles in the synoptic Gospels. Like John and Andrew he was also an earlier follower of John the Baptist. After Jesus asked Philip to follow him, Philip recruited Nathanael (John 1:43–51). A Jewish man from Galilee, Philip's Greek name is taken by some to have been given in honor of Philip the Tetrarch, who had been credited with making positive reforms in Philip's family's area under his administration.

Nathanael is thought by many to be another name for Bartholomew, his full name being Nathanael Bartholomew, meaning Son of Tolmai. John's Gospel identifies Nathanael as a friend of Philip, but all three of the other lists of disciples pair Philip and Bartholomew, omitting the name Nathanael. Bartholomew is likely his more formal name.

John also attributes a widely quoted line from the New Testament as coming from Nathanael, a reply to Philip's telling him that they have found the prophesied Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth: “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” But after meeting Jesus and hearing him call Nathanael “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” because Jesus had earlier noticed him under a fig tree (possibly praying), Nathanael was so impressed that he exclaimed, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.”