SEARCH FOR THE 12 APOSTLES #9

 SEARCH FOR THE 12 APOSTLES  #9

Philip the Apostle

Preached to Israelites

by McBirnie Ph.D.

PHILIP

     How DID A JEW get such a name as the Greek, '"hilip"? The

name means "Lover of horses." The Philip best known to history is

that of Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great.

Alexander conquered Palestine and left behind him a lasting Greek

influence, especially in northern Galilee. Besides, in the first

century there was a local King in the province of Ituraea, (named

after the original Philip, no doubt) called, "Philip the Tetrarch," 

who raised the status of Bethsaida to be the capital of the province. 

Philip the Apostle was probably named in honor of the Tetrarch, 

who had, some ten years before the future Apostle's birth, done so 

much for that region and Bethsaida where he was born. The Greek 

influence in Philip's life and ministry is most significant. Budge says 

Philip was of the tribe of Zebulon.

     Jesus found Philip and said to him, "Follow me!" (John 1:43) This

young, liberal Jew, certainly with some Greek influence in his

background, could be useful to the Master who would command His

gospel to be taken to the Greeks as well as the Jews.

     Philip went out immediately to find his friend Nathaniel.

"We have found Him of Whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets,

wrote; Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph," he said (John

1:45).

     It was Philip who later introduced certain Greeks to Christ.

(See John 12:20-33) He was mentioned at the feeding of the five

thousand, and again at the Last Supper (John 8:5-7). 

     It is impressive that all the references to Philip are in John's

gospel. John was a fellow Galilean, who lived in the neighboring

village of Capernaum on the shore of the sea. He was, no doubt, a

close friend to Philip.

     According to "Sacred and Legendary Art" (p.249):

"After the ascension, he travelled into Scythia, and remained

there preaching the Gospel for twenty years; he then preached at

Hierapolis in Phrygia, where he found the people addicted to the

worship of a monstrous serpent or dragon, or of the god Mars

under that form. Taking compassion on their blindness, the

Apostle commanded the serpent, in the name of the cross he held

in his hand, to disappear, and immediately the reptile glided out

from beneath the altar, at the same time emitting such a hideous

stench that many people died, and among them the king's son fell

dead in the arms of his attendants: but the Apostle, by Divine

power, restored him to life. Then the priests of the dragon were

incensed against him, and they took him, and crucified him, and

being bound on the cross they stoned him; thus be yielded up his

spirit to God, praying, like his Divine Master, for his enemies

and tormentors." (by Mrs.Anna Jameson).

(Some Roman Catholic additions, using the cross, but could well

have basic foundation of truth - Keith Hunt)

     Jean Danielou affirms: "Papias had written some 'Expositions

of the Oracles of the Lord,' in which he had collected traditions

about the Apostles from people who had known them, and he tells

us, in particular, that he has heard the daughters of the Apostle

Philip speaking in Hierapolis; so we can believe as certain the

information he gives us that the Apostle Philip lived in

Hierapolis. Later the 'Montanist Proclus' declared that it was

not the Apostle Philip but the deacon of the same name, the

person described in the Acts as having stayed in Caesarea, whose

four daughters remained virgins and uttered prophecies. (HE 111,

31,4). 

     But Polycrates of Ephesus, at the end of the second century,

confirms what Papias says, and it is certainly the Apostle Philip

who died at Hierapolis (HE III,31,3). Two of his daughters had

remained virgins and also died at Hierapolis; the others married

(HE 111,29,1) and one died at Ephesus (111,31,3).

     Other facts seem to confirm this link between Philip and

Phrygia. This region is close to that of the Apostle John. It is

remarkable that Philip plays a specially important part of the

Gospel of John, written at this time, toward the end of the first

century. "Moreover a Gospel of Philip has been found at Nag-

Hammadi. It is Gnostic in Character and certainly of later date,

but its contacts with the Asiatic theology of Irenaeus and the

Asiatic Gnosticism of Mark the Magus are very remarkable. 

There also exist apocryphal 'Acts of Philip' which praise virginity.

Finally it should be noted that Hierapolis received no letter

either from Paul or John, whereas the neighbouring cities of

Colossae and Laodicea received letters; perhaps this is because

Hierapolis was Philips fief." ("The Christian Centuries," Jean

Danielou, p.40).

     On five occasions this writer has visited the amazing

remains of the Turkish city of Hierapolis, the former health

resort where Philip's tomb is still to be found. 

    A great chemically impregnated spring of lukewarm water still 

sparkles out of the rocks and forms an enormous crystalized falls 

over the side of a mountain, almost as large as Niagara. In Biblical 

days this was a spa, visited by sick people from all over the world 

of that time. It no doubt served as a strategic mission spot from

which to spread the gospel to many visitors, and thence many

lands. There is no reason whatever to doubt that Philip was able

to minister effectively in this Roman-Greek city, nor that he

did, indeed, die here. He was ideally suited for a ministry to

those who spoke Greek, and died in an area that was at that time

still largely Greek in culture, though ruled by Rome.

"The Montanist Proclus argued that the tombs of the four

daughters of Philip, all prophetesses in New Testament times,

were still to be seen at Hierapolis in Asia" ("Augustus to

Constantine," R.Grant, p 166).

TRADITIONS CONCERNING THE MINISTRY AND 

BURIAL OF ST. PHILIP

     There have been some spirited arguments as to whether or not

St.Philip ever visited France. There is little doubt that Philip

died at Hierapolis which is close to Laodicea and Colossae, both

Biblical cities. The church history of the Byzantine era indicates a 

great deal of Christian activity in these three towns.

     As Christianity spread throughout Asia Minor (now Turkey) it

is evident that much missionary work soon made Asia Minor a

nominally Christian country. Since Colossae and Laodicea are both

important cities of the New Testament, it is evident that the

gospel got an early start in this area. Colossae, which is 16

miles from Hierapolis, was the location of a highly developed

church during the lifetime of the Apostle Paul and the location

of the church to which St.Paul wrote his letter to the

Colossians.

     By the time St.John wrote the book of the Revelation, nearby

Laodicea was the site of a church which doubtless had been

founded by St.Paul and which had, by St.John's time, matured to a

position of great wealth and influence. If the tradition of St.

Philip's preaching in Scythia (south Russia) is true, it certainly is 

not unreasonable to believe that he may have eventually returned 

to Asia Minor, where he would have been in proximity to his old 

friend, St.John, who was located in Ephesus.

     Since John, in the book of the Revelation, refers to the church

of the Laodicians, which was just six miles from Philip's place

of ministry in Hierapolis, there can be no historical reason for

doubting that St.Philip indeed ministered and died in Hierapolis.

     It is in the stories of St.Philip that history and tradition

come so close together as to validate and illuminate each other.

     There are some strong later traditions also that St.Philip

visited France. Before we look at the documentation, we should

understand that the Gauls of France first emigrated from Galatia

in Turkey. Since the ministry of St.Philip most definitely took

him to Galatia, of which Hierapolis was a city, we are on rather

firm ground in supposing that this was the area of most of his

ministry. Traditions regarding a visit of St.Philip to France

(Gaul) seem to be based upon a mistake which confuses Gaul 

with Galatia, since the two names are related.

     But it would seem the argument would work the other way as

well. If the Gauls of France are to be traced to an emigration

from Galatia, why would it not be completely reasonable for St.

Philip, as a missionary to the Galatians, to also have traveled

to France to be a missionary to their kinsmen, the Gauls? The

burden of proof is, of course, upon those who contend that this

is what happened. But as to its reasonableness and possibility

there can be little doubt.

(The Gaul's were Israelite people from the lost House of Israel -

Keith Hunt)

     As every school boy knows, Gaul was conquered by Julius

Caesar who killed more than a million men in the process. Gaul,

in Caesar's time, had large cities and was evidently civilized

enough for Caesar to enjoy living there for almost ten years.

This conquest took place about 80 years before the ministry of

St.Philip. During that time Roman civilization and culture were

fully established. It was from Gaul that Caesar attempted to

conquer England twice, and it was from Gaul that Claudius did

accomplish this task.

(Not so, England and Britain were never conquered as such. The

British ALLOWED the Romans to live there, but Rome never

conquered Britain. The Scottish Pics never even allowed Roman

armies to live in Scotland. Hence the famous Adian's Wall was

built in the North of England to keep the Sottish pics from

coming down and vanquishing the Roman armies. It's all in studies

on my website. And before that, as McBirnie says, Caesar

attempted to conquer England TWICE and failed! - Keith Hunt)

     It would have been incredible if the Gospel had not penetrated 

Gaul rather thoroughly by the climax of the Apostolic Age.

     The only Apostle whom tradition associates with France is

St.Philip. Although there are sub-apostolic figures such as Mary

Magdalene, the sisters Mary and Martha, and Lazarus their

brother, who are identified with Marseilles in France. In fact,

their tombs are shown there to this day.

     With the realization, therefore, that the confusion between

Gaul and Galatia may have led some early church writers astray,

let us look at the traditions of St.Philip in France.

"(I) Isidore, Archbishop of Seville, A.D.600-636, whom Dr.William

Smith (Dictionary of Christian Biography) calls 'undoubtedly the

greatest man of his time in the Church of Spain ... a voluminous

writer of great learning ... He had also a trained and cultivated

mind' wrote thus: 'Philip of the city Bethsaida, whence also came

Peter, preached Christ to the Gauls, and brought barbarous and

neighbouring nations, seated in darkness and close to the

swelling ocean, to the light of knowledge and port of faith.

Afterwards he was stoned and crucified, and died in Hierapolis, a

city of Phrygia, and having been buried with his corpse upright

along with his daughters rests there.'" (De ortu et obitu Patrum,

Cap.LXXIII 131).

"(2) Cardinal Baronius. (Annales: Tom 1, Ann. Christi Claudii

Imp.2, Sec.32) narrates, 'Philip the fifth in order is said to

have adorned Upper Asia with the Gospel, and at length at

Hierapolis at the age of 87 to have undergone martyrdom, which

also John Chrysostom hands down, and they say that the same man

travelled over part of Scythia, and for some time preached the

Gospel along with Bartholomew. In Isidore one reads that Philip

even imbued the Gauls with the Christian faith, which also in the

Breviary of Toledo of the School of Isidore is read. But we have

said in our notes to the Roman Martyrology that 'to the

Galatians' must be corrected in the place of 'to the Gaols.' But

the learned Archbishop Ussher says, 'I am not at all satisfied

here with the conjecture of Baronius in transferring the

statements of Isidore from our Gauls to the Galatians of Asia;

much less with the temerity of a recent Editor of the works of

Isidore, Jacobus Breulius, in substituting Galatians for the

Gauls in the text itself, without any reference to the ancient

reading.'" (Brit.Ecc.Antiq, Cap.11).

"(3) Bede, born about A.D.673. Archbishop Ussher also tells

(Antiquities, Cap.2) that 'Bede (or whoever was the author of

'Collections and Flowers') also assigned Gaul to Philip at the

foot of the 3rd tome of his works."

"(4) Freculphus, Bishop of Lisieux in France, A.D.825-851, wrote

('Tom posterior Chronicorum,' Lib.II, Cap.IV), 'Philip of the

City of Bethsaida whence also came Peter, of whom in the Gospels

and Acts of the Apostles praiseworthy mention is often made,

whose daughters also were outstanding prophetesses, and of

wonderful sanctity and perpetual virginity, as ecclesiastical

history narrates, preached Christ to the Gauls.'" He then

proceeds to quote Isidore.

"(5) St. Epiphanius, A.D.315-407, Bishop of Salamins, 'one of the

most zealous champions of orthodox faith and monastic piety'

(Smith's Dict.of Christ. Biog. ), wrote: 'The ministry of the

divine word having been entrusted to St.Luke, he exercised it by

passing into Dalmatia, into Gaul, into Italy, into Macedonia, but

principally into Gaul, so that St.Paul assures him in his

epistles about some of his disciples - 'Czescens,' said he, 'is

in Gaul.' In it must not be read, 'in Galatia' as some have

falsely thought, but 'in Gaul.' Pere Longueval remarks that this

sentiment was so general in the East, that Theodoret who read 'in

Galatia' did not fail to understand 'Gaul' because as a matter of

fact the Greeks gave this name to Gaul, and the Galatians had

only thus been named because they were a colony of Gauls

('Memoire de P Apostolat de St.Mansuet' (vide p.83) par 1'Abbe

Guillaume, p.II)." ('St.Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury,' Rev.

Lionel Smithett Lewis, p.112-114) Mr.Lewis is incorrect in

supposing Galatia to have been colonized by the Gauls. It was the

other way around.

     Polycrates (194 A.D.) wrote, as we have said, a synodical

letter against Victor Bishop of Rome in which he says that he

"follows the authority of the Apostle John and of the ancients."

Also he adds, "Philip, one of the twelve Apostles, sleeps at

Hierapolis" ('The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers,' Jerome, Second

Series p.372). Thus we may look with confidence upon Hierapolis

as the place of the death and original entombment of St.Philip.

     Whether Philip visited France and returned to Galatia where

he died or whether he never went to France at all cannot, of

course, be absolutely proven in the light of the late date of the

writers we have quoted above.

     However, this much we know, that Pope John the Third

(560-572) acquired the body of St.Philip from Hierapolis and

interred it in a church in Rome. He called it, "The Church of the

Holy Apostles Philip and James." A current guide book published

by that church and written by Emma Zocca, ("la Basilica," p.8,

9,23) traces the history of the church building back to the 8th

century. The church is now known as "The Church of the Holy

Apostles," but that name is traced to only the 10th century. The

longer-named "Church of the Holy Apostles Philip and James" 

was the earlier title. Today one can see the bones of the Apostles 

in a large marble sarcophagus under the altar and in a reliquary

room behind it. There are to be seen also the fragments of bones

of other Apostles in the same room.

(A big "maybe" here is in order. Maybe the church of Rome has

some fragments of bones of some apostles. The church of Rome 

does go back to the first century A.D. - they CAME OUT OF the 

true apostolic Church of God. But I'll still say it is a BIG "maybe"

just as they thought they had the "shroud" of Jesus, see the

study on that called "The Shroud of Turin" - Keith Hunt)

                            ..................

Entered on my Website December 2007