The Holy Apostle Philip, Bound with his Head to a Pillar, and Stoned, in the Year 54

Philip, a native of Bethsaida, in Galilee, had a wife and daughters of very honorable life. John 1, verse 44; John 12, verse 21; Euseb. Hist. Eccles. book 3, chapters 30 and 31. [n101-1]

He was found by Christ, and called as His disciple to follow Him. This he did so faithfully that when he found Nathanael, he brought him to Christ, telling him that he had found the One of whom Moses and the prophets had written, namely, Jesus of Nazareth, the true Messiah. John 1, verse 45.

From then on, Philip constantly followed Christ, listening to His admonitions, and seeing the miracles He did in the service of the word of God; so that Christ ordained him an apostle, and sent him out to preach the Gospel, first to the scattered sheep of the house of Israel; which, like his fellow apostles, he did. Matthew 10, verse 3; Luke 6, verses 13 to 15.

The Lord esteemed him as one of His greatest friends; for at the glorious miracle of the feeding of five thousand, Christ, in order to test him, consulted him, saying, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" (John 6, verse 5).

He was also kindly instructed by the Lord when he asked to see the Father; for Christ said to him,

Philip, he who has seen me has seen the Father, and so on. John 14, verses 8 and 9.

Once when certain Greeks wished to see Jesus, and asked him to obtain them access to the Lord, he came with Andrew and told it to the Lord, who answered, "The hour has come, that the Son of man should be glorified" (John 12, verses 20 to 23).

This pious and godly apostle remained with the Lord, even to His suffering; and, after their dispersion, when Christ had arisen, he stayed with his brothers, until they, according to the promise of Christ, received the Holy Ghost, after His ascension. Luke 24, verses 32 and 33; Acts 2, verse 4.

After the distribution of the countries, he taught several years in Scythia, where he planted many churches; and since Syria and the upper part of Asia fell to his particular share, he laid the foundations of faith in many of these cities. Pet. de Nat. book 4, chapter 107. Nic. book 2, chapter 39. [n101-2]

Finally he came to Phrygia, and performed several signs at Hierapolis. There the Ebionites, who not only denied the divinity of Christ but also worshiped idols, held stubbornly to their blasphemous doctrines and idolatry, and did not listen to this pious apostle of Christ, but seized him, fastened his head to a pillar, and stoned him; death followed, and he thus fell asleep in the Lord. His body was buried in the city of Hierapolis, mentioned above. Konst tooneel, van veertigh heerlijke afbeeldingen Christi, ende sijner Apostelen, and so on. In the life of Philip. Bybelsch Naemboeck van P. J. Tzeisk, letter P, on the name Philippus, folio 762, column 2. [n101-3] Also, Introduction to the Martyrs' Mirror of the Baptists, printed in the year 1631, folio 35, column 1.