Philip, the Apostle

Philip, the Apostle (A.D.54) 

Philip was born in Bethsaida in Galilee. He is not to be confused with Philip, the evangelist in the Acts of Apostle who preached in Samaria and to the Ethiopian Eunuch. It is highly likely that the Apostle spoke Greek very well because, on one occasion when a few people from Greece wanted to meet Jesus Christ, they approached Philip. As Philip was aware of the writings of Moses in the Law and the Prophets concerning the Messiah, it was not difficult for the Lord to call Philip to discipleship. And when called by Jesus, Philip immediately followed Him and believed that Jesus was the prophesied one to Israel (John 1:45). Philip’s simple and practical mindset to an impossible challenge was revealed when the Lord tested him by asking, ‘Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?’ (John 6:5). Philip might have been affected greatly when his practical mindset was intentionally destroyed by the Lord, after witnessing a great miracle i.e., the feeding of the five thousand by the Lord Jesus Christ. Further, Philip did not understand what the Lord meant when He drew similarities between knowing the Father by knowing Him and seeing the Father by seeing Him. So, Philip asked specifically to show the Father which he felt was sufficient for the apostles. Christ’s answer to Philip was elaborate with an explanation that without doubt proclaimed that the Lord Jesus and the Father are not separate but one. Here once again, since Philip had asked the question, the answer might have touched him greatly. After the Lord’s ascension, Philip is never mentioned anywhere in the epistles except for a single verse in the book of the Acts of the Apostles which informs us that he was with the other apostles. 

Then there were other early writings which states that Philip worked closely with the other disciples and carried out evangelical works in Greece, Syria and Phrygia. His diligent works for the Lord in Upper Asia and his later martyrdom at Heliopolis in A.D. 54, in Phrygia, became strong testimony in the early churches. Another early writing about Philip is preserved in the apocryphal Letter written by Apostle Peter to Philip. The Letter believed to be written by Apostle Peter is asking Philip to join the other disciples at the Mount of Olives. Here, Philip was for some reason believed to be away on a solo missionary enterprise and was reluctant to join the rest of the Apostles. 

Another source of writing is the Acts of Philip written by an anonymous writer, probably by a contemporary of Eusebius which recounts the preaching and miracles performed by Philip during his ministry. It is written that Philip was sent along with his sister Mariamne and Bartholomew to preach in Greece, Phrygia, and Syria. The story goes like this that by performing a miraculous healing, Philip converted the wife of the proconsul of the city, which enraged the Proconsul who then had him, along with Mariamne and Bartholomew tortured and imprisoned. It is written that both Philip and Bartholomew were crucified upside down, and on the cross, Philip began to preach. The crowd moved by the preaching released Bartholomew, but Philip willing to die for the Lord insisted to be left alone on the cross. Whatever the legends are, we know that Philip suffered Martyrdom because of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

This straightforward practical man was transformed to such an extent by the Lord that he was able to lay down his life overcoming all practicality in life. The testimony of Philip nourishes me with these points: the Lord is above all practicalities and is greater than all laws and phenomenon in the world. Everything is subjected to Him and He is the master of all. He is the Word through which creation came into existence, hence the Sea will hold him, the wind will calm down, the dead will rise, bread will multiply on its own, and Sicknesses will vanish when the Master wishes it to be done. Amen