Philip in scripture

• Named among the twelve

  • In initial naming – Matthew 10:1-4

  • In Jerusalem awaiting the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:13

  • Included whenever apostles grouped

    • The twelve

    • The apostles

    • Throughout New Testament

  • John 1:43-46

    • Jesus found him in Galilee

    • He was from Bethsaida

    • Philip was convinced that Jesus was the Messiah

    • Familiar with the Law and the Prophets

    • Told a friend about Jesus

    • Took his friend to show him

  • John 12:20-23

    • Greek Jews come to Philip

    • Told Andrew

    • They told Jesus

  • John 14:6-10

    • Philip replies to Jesus

    • “Show us the Father”

    • Jesus declares His oneness with the Father

  • John 6:1-7

    • Jesus asked Philip how much bread it would take

    • Philip quoted a price – about $25,000

    • Said that would not be sufficient

  • Acts 6:5; 8; 21:8

    • Some believe this Philip to be Philip the apostle

    • Acts 6:4; 8:9-19 contradict that idea

  • No other mention of Philip in scripture

• Philip in history and tradition

  • The name of Philip

    • Greek name meaning horse lover

    • Philip of Macedonia: horse lover

    • Philip the Tetrarch over Galilee

      • Resided in Caesarea some of the time

      • Rebuilt the city, named it Caesarea Philippi

  • Identity confusion

    • Many hold that Philip the apostle = Philip the evangelist

    • Makes tracking the traditions and history difficult

  • Why the confusion

    • Papias’ writings

    • Term “apostle” often used differently

      • The seventy of Luke 10:1, 17 often called apostles

      • Galatians 1:19; Acts 14:14

    • Some apocryphal writings

      • Gospel of Philip – gnostic in nature

      • Acts of Philip

      • Letter from Peter to Philip

    • Both martyred in Heiropolis

    • Much about Philip the evangelist confused as a result

  • At some point, went to Phrygia

    • Brought his sister Mariamne and Bartholomew

    • Healed Stachys, a blind man, and stayed in his house

    • By prayer, caused a serpent idol to die

    • Converted proconsul’s wife, enraging proconsul

    • All three condemned to die

      • Hanging inverted or upside-down crucifixion

    • Proconsul relented

      • Saved Mariamne and Bartholomew

      • Too late for Philip

    • Heiropolis mentioned by Paul – Colossians 4:13

  • Philip buried in tomb in Heiropolis

    • Excavations in 2011 found a tomb

    • Inscriptions and symbology indicate Christian

    • Name of Philip and indication of apostleship

    • No bones there

      • Taken to Istanbul in the 3rd century

      • Later taken to Rome