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Bible Dictionaries
Philip
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
or PHILIP (Apocr. [Note: Apocrypha, Apocryphal.] ). 1 . Father of Alexander the Great ( 1M Malachi 1:1; 1Ma 6:2 ). 2. A friend or foster-brother ( 2Ma 9:29 ) of Antiochus Epiphanes, who received the charge (previously given to Lysias) of bringing up the young Antiochus Eupator ( 1Ma 6:14 ). On the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, Lysias took upon himself to proclaim young Eupator king (b.c. 164). The jealousy over this matter led to open hostilitles between Lysias and Philip. Philip was overcome by Lysias at Antioch and put to death. He is by many regarded as identical with 3. A Phrygian who (in b.c. 168). when left in charge of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes, was remarkable for the cruelty of his government ( 2Ma 5:22; 2Ma 6:11 ). Little more is known of him unless the details of his life he filled up by assuming his identity with the former Philippians 4 Philippians 4 . A king of Macedonia (b.c. 220 179) overthrown by the Romans ( 1Ma 8:5 ).
T. A. Moxon.
PHILIP (NT)
1. The Apostle ( Matthew 10:3 = Mark 3:18 = Luke 6:14 ); one of the disciples whom Jesus won at Bethany beyond Jordan in the morning of His ministry ( John 1:28-51 ). He was a fellow-townsman of Andrew and Peter ( John 1:44 ), and seems to have had a special friendship with the former ( John 6:8; John 12:21-22 ). He was of a timid and retiring disposition. He did not, like Andrew and John, approach Jesus, but waited till Jesus accosted him and invited him to join His company. Andrew and John found Jesus ( John 12:41 ); Jesus found Philip ( John 12:43 ). This characteristic gives some countenance to the tradition that the disciple who would fain have declined the Lord’s call that he might ‘go and bury his father’ ( Luke 9:59-60 = Matthew 8:21-22 ), was none other than Philip. Though somewhat slow of heart and dull in spiritual understanding (cf. John 14:8-9 ), he had his aptitudes. He had a turn for practical affairs, and, just as Judas was treasurer to the Apostolic company, so Philip was purveyor, attending to the commissariat (Bengel on John 6:5 ). If Andrew was the first missionary of the Kingdom of heaven, bringing his brother Simon to Jesus ( John 1:40-42 ). Philip was the second, bringing his friend Nathanael ( John 1:45-46 ). It is said that after the departure of Jesus he laboured in Asia Minor and was buried at Hierapolis.
2. The Evangelist. It was soon found necessary in the Apostolic Church that there should be a division of labour; and that the Twelve might give themselves without distraction to prayer and the ministry of the word, seven of the brethren were set apart for the management of the business matters of the Church ( Acts 6:1-6 ). Philip was one of these. He seems to have been a Hellenist, i.e . a Greek-speaking Jew; at all events he was a man of liberal sympathies, and he greatly helped in the extension of the gospel to the Gentiles. He was in fact the forerunner of St. Paul. During the persecution which followed the martyrdom of Stephen, he preached in Samaria ( Acts 8:4-8 ). He was instrumental in the conversion of the chamberlain of Candace, queen of Ethiopia, thus introducing Christianity into that historic heathen country ( Acts 8:26-39 ). On parting from the chamberlain he went to Azotus (Ashdod), and travelled along the sea-board, preaching from city to city, till he reached Cæsarea ( Acts 8:40 ). There he settled, and there he was still residing with his four unmarried daughters, who were prophetesses, when Paul visited Cæsarea on his last journey to Jerusalem. The two men were like-minded, and it is no wonder that Paul abode with him during his stay at Cæsarea ( Acts 21:8-9 ).
3. Herod Philip. See Herod.
David Smith.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Philip'. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdb/p/philip.html. 1909.
