Apostle Philip Series

#9~Apostle Philip: 2-1-14

Today if the Lord be willing, we'll continue our study to do with the 12 apostles, and so today, we'll think on and talk a little bit about the apostle Philip.

---------

* "Philip" is the name of 4 men in the N.T.

1. One of the twelve apostles of Christ.

-----

2. Herod Philip I (Mark 6:17) was the son of Herod the Great and Mariamne. -- He was the father of Salome and the husband of Herodias, who left him for his half-brother Herod Antipas.

--------

3. Herod Philip II was the son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra. - He married Salome, the daughter of Herod Philip I - and Herodias. - He improved the town of Paneas and renamed it Caesarea. -- It was later called Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13) to avoid confusion with Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea.

------

4.Philip the evangelist, he was a great man of God, he was one of the seven men chosen to serve the early church, known today as "deacons" these seven were reported to be "full of faith and the Holy Spirit" you can read that account in "Acts 6:1-5."

~ This same Philip, the deacon, became an evangelist, and in Samaria preached the gospel, worked miracles, and brought many to faith in Christ. ~ ~ Read "Acts 8:5-13"

~Probably the most noted conversion as a result of Philip the evangelist ministry, was the Ethiopian Eunuch, an official under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians. (Acts 8: 26-39). ---- For the sake of time we'll not read those scriptures at this time, we don't want to get away from our main subject today; "Philip the apostle."

-------------------------------------------

~ The death of Philip the apostle occurred during the reign of the Roman Emperor Titus (79-81 AD). --- Philip died because of his preaching and subsequent conversion to Christianity the wife of a Roman Proconsul. ---

"Proconsul" was much like a governor of a province of Rome.

~Tradition say's the Roman Proconsul sentenced Philip to torture and death, and Philip was crucified, (the Greeks say head downwards), and then stoned to death.

~ Philip preached in Phrygia and died a martyr at Hierapolis, in south central Turkey. -- Hierapolis means, the "Sacred City"

-----------------------

~ "Philip" is a Greek name, meaning "lover of horses." He probably also had a Jewish name as well, because all twelve apostles were Jewish. --- But his Jewish name is never given. ~~ Perhaps Philip came from a family of Hellenistic Jews.

~ Hellenistic Jews were Jews that were born some place other than Israel, they were still Jews, but not native born, such as Barnabas a Levite, he was born in Cypress, --- and Paul was born in Tarsus in modern southeast Turkey, or ancient Asia Minor in the area called Cilicia during the first years of the Christian era.

--------

~Philip came from the town of Bethsaida, the town of Peter and Andrew.

>John 1:43-44 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

~ I want us to notice the words "The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, [and findeth Philip]" --- this tells us that Jesus went looking for Philip, and found him. -- Jesus knew that Philip would be an eager and willing disciple.

~ Philip & the others had been looking for the Messiah because he told Nathaniel in John 1:45 We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write,

~ The Lord found Philip, but Philip felt he found the Lord; both things were true from the human perspective. -- But from a biblical perspective, we know that God's choice is the determinative one.

> John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,

~ Because Philip was from Bethsaida,[house of fishing) - the same town of Peter and Andrew, they most likely grew up knowing each other, along with the brothers James and John as well, as they all lived in the same general area around Capernaum.

> Mark 1:16-19 Now as HE walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon* and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

17And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

18And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. 19And when he had gone a little further ** thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

--------

~ The first three Gospels record Philips name (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; and Acts 1:13). --- Philip is always the 5th named in all four accounts.