Philip

Lover of horses. (1.) One of the twelve apostles; a native of "Bethsaida, "the city of Andrew and Peter" (John 1:44). He" readily responded to the call of Jesus when first addressed to "him (43), and forthwith brought Nathanael also to Jesus (45," 46). He seems to have held a prominent place among the apostles "(Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; John 6:5-7; 12:21, 22; 14:8, 9; Acts" 1:13). Of his later life nothing is certainly known. He is said "to have preached in Phrygia, and to have met his death at" Hierapolis. "(2.) One of the "seven" (Acts 6:5), called also "the evangelist" "(21:8, 9). He was one of those who were "scattered abroad" by" the persecution that arose on the death of Stephen. He went "first to Samaria, where he laboured as an evangelist with much" success (8:5-13). While he was there he received a divine "command to proceed toward the south, along the road leading from" Jerusalem to Gaza. These towns were connected by two roads. The one Philip was directed to take was that which led through "Hebron, and thence through a district little inhabited, and" "hence called "desert." As he travelled along this road he was" "overtaken by a chariot in which sat a man of Ethiopia, the" "eunuch or chief officer of Queen Candace, who was at that moment" "reading, probably from the Septuagint version, a portion of the" "prophecies of Isaiah (53:6, 7). Philip entered into conversation" "with him, and expounded these verses, preaching to him the glad" tidings of the Saviour. The eunuch received the message and "believed, and was forthwith baptized, and then "went on his way" "rejoicing." Philip was instantly caught away by the Spirit after" "the baptism, and the eunuch saw him no more. He was next found" "at Azotus, whence he went forth in his evangelistic work till he" came to Caesarea. He is not mentioned again for about twenty "years, when he is still found at Caesarea (Acts 21:8) when Paul" and his companions were on the way to Jerusalem. He then finally disappears from the page of history. "(3.) Mentioned only in connection with the imprisonment of John the Baptist (Matt. 14:3; Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19). He was the son "of Herod the Great, and the first husband of Herodias, and the" father of Salome. (See [481]HEROD PHILIP I.) "(4.) The "tetrarch of Ituraea" (Luke 3:1); a son of Herod the "Great, and brother of Herod Antipas. The city of" Caesarea-Philippi was named partly after him (Matt. 16:13; Mark 8:27). (See [482]HEROD PHILIP II.)

"(1.) Formerly Crenides, "the fountain," the capital of the" "province of Macedonia. It stood near the head of the Sea, about" "8 miles north-west of Kavalla. It is now a ruined village," called Philibedjik. Philip of Macedonia fortified the old "Thracian town of Crenides, and called it after his own name" Philippi (B.C. 359-336). In the time of the Emperor Augustus "this city became a Roman colony, i.e., a military settlement of" "Roman soldiers, there planted for the purpose of controlling the" "district recently conquered. It was a "miniature Rome," under" "the municipal law of Rome, and governed by military officers," "called duumviri, who were appointed directly from Rome. Having" "been providentially guided thither, here Paul and his companion" Silas preached the gospel and formed the first church in Europe. (See [483]LYDIA.) This success stirred up the enmity of the "people, and they were "shamefully entreated" (Acts 16:9-40; 1" Thess. 2:2). Paul and Silas at length left this city and proceeded to Amphipolis (q.v.). "(2.) When Philip the tetrarch, the son of Herod, succeeded to "the government of the northern portion of his kingdom, he" "enlarged the city of Paneas, and called it Caesarea, in honour" of the emperor. But in order to distinguish it from the Caesarea "on the sea coast, he added to it subsequently his own name, and" called it Caesarea-Philippi (q.v.).

"Was written by Paul during the two years when he was "in bonds" "in Rome (Phil. 1:7-13), probably early in the year A.D. 62 or in" the end of 61. "The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger, with contributions to meet the necessities of the apostle; and on his return Paul sent back with him this letter. With this precious communication Epaphroditus sets out on his homeward journey. "The joy caused by his return, and the effect of this wonderful" "letter when first read in the church of Philippi, are hidden" from us. And we may almost say that with this letter the church "itself passes from our view. To-day, in silent meadows, quiet" cattle browse among the ruins which mark the site of what was "once the flourishing Roman colony of Philippi, the home of the" most attractive church of the apostolic age. But the name and fame and spiritual influence of that church will never pass. To myriads of men and women in every age and nation the letter "written in a dungeon at Rome, and carried along the Egnatian Way" "by an obscure Christian messenger, has been a light divine and a" "cheerful guide along the most rugged paths of life" (Professor" Beet). "The church at Philippi was the first-fruits of European "Christianity. Their attachment to the apostle was very fervent," and so also was his affection for them. They alone of all the "churches helped him by their contributions, which he gratefully" acknowledges (Acts 20:33-35; 2 Cor. 11:7-12; 2 Thess. 3:8). The pecuniary liberality of the Philippians comes out very "conspicuously (Phil. 4:15). "This was a characteristic of the" "Macedonian missions, as 2 Cor. 8 and 9 amply and beautifully" "prove. It is remarkable that the Macedonian converts were, as a" "class, very poor (2 Cor. 8:2); and the parallel facts, their" poverty and their open-handed support of the great missionary "and his work, are deeply harmonious. At the present day the" "missionary liberality of poor Christians is, in proportion," "really greater than that of the rich" (Moule's Philippians," Introd.). "The contents of this epistle give an interesting insight into the condition of the church at Rome at the time it was written. "Paul's imprisonment, we are informed, was no hindrance to his" "preaching the gospel, but rather "turned out to the furtherance" "of the gospel." The gospel spread very extensively among the" "Roman soldiers, with whom he was in constant contact, and the" "Christians grew into a "vast multitude." It is plain that" Christianity was at this time making rapid advancement in Rome. "The doctrinal statements of this epistle bear a close relation to those of the Epistle to the Romans. Compare also Phil. 3:20 "with Eph. 2:12, 19, where the church is presented under the idea" of a city or commonwealth for the first time in Paul's writings. The personal glory of Christ is also set forth in almost "parallel forms of expression in Phil. 2:5-11, compared with Eph." "1:17-23; 2:8; and Col. 1:15-20. "This exposition of the grace" "and wonder of His personal majesty, personal self-abasement, and" "personal exaltation after it," found in these epistles, "is, in" "a great measure, a new development in the revelations given" "through St. Paul" (Moule). Other minuter analogies in forms of" expression and of thought are also found in these epistles of the Captivity.

Definition of Philip:
"warlike; a lover of horses"

Related Bible Dictionary Terms:
Herod Philip I    Herod Philip II