Saint Philip Characteristics
Characteristics of Apostle Philip
Characteristics of Saint Philip who was born in Bethsaida like St. Peter and St. Andrew and is often referred to as Phillip the Apostle to distinguish him from the Phillip that occurs in Acts.
Phillip was slow to recognize Jesus; however, once he found Jesus, he quickly shared His greatness with his friend Nathanael Bartholomew.
Characteristics of the 12 apostles prove while Andrew was practical, strong-minded, and naturally, the type of man to win over the impulsive, head-strong Peter; the slower Philip, versed in the Scriptures, appealed more to the critical Nathanael and the cultured Greeks.
Philip was very cautious, deliberate, and desirous of submitting all truth to the test of sensual experience.
Both Phillip and Bartholomew are frequently named together as they frequently appear together and speak together in the bible.
Phillip is not mentioned a great deal throughout the bible, and not too much is known about him in-depth.
Apostle Philip Characteristics
A deacon
The twelve apostles, as we saw, were all men who had known Jesus during the time of His public ministry and were witnesses to His resurrection. Because of this, they had a special place and ministry in the early Church, teaching and sharing with others the things that Jesus had shared with them.
As the Church grew, however, the administrative tasks became such great management of the offerings, food distribution to widows, etc. They decided to appoint seven men (deacons) to take over this work and thus enable them to concentrate on ministry work. Philip, who was also an evangelist, was one of those appointed.
Anointed by God
The basic qualification for being a deacon in the early Church was that he should be a man who was full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit. We do not know when Philip received his own experience of the infilling of the Spirit, but the evidence of that infilling is recorded for us in detail.
When persecution breaks out against the Christians in Jerusalem, they are scattered into different regions roundabout (see map below), and the effect of this is more widespread evangelism.
When Philip visits Samaria and preaches Christ, many are converted, and healed and such is the effect of his anointed ministry that the city is filled with overflowing joy.
Characteristics of Saint PhilipMet a Magician
In Samaria, where Philip was preaching, a magician called Simon built up a great reputation among the people through his practice of magical arts. Philips anointed message, together with the supernatural evidence that accompanies it, convinces Simon of the truth of the Gospel; after that, he professes conversion and is baptized.
When the Apostles Peter and John arrive and lay hands on the converts to receive the Holy Spirit, Simon offers them money to be given the same power. Simon is sternly rebuked and told to repent of his wickedness which arises from a heart that is not right before God.
Led by the Holy Spirit
As Philip continues his evangelistic mission in Samaria, where he is ministering to thousands, he is bidden by an angel to leave the area and travel south to meet one man, an Ethiopian eunuch. The eunuch had been to Jerusalem to worship and, while there, had purchased a scroll of the prophecy of Isaiah, which he was reading as he returned home along the Gaza road in his chariot. The Spirit instructs Philip to run to the chariot and ask the man if he understands what he is reading.
Apostle PhilipSpreads the Gospel
His special assignment was successfully completed, and Philip is caught up by the Spirit and returns to his wider evangelistic work. Starting at Azotus (Ashdod), he travels northwards up the coast, preaching in every town until he reaches Caesarea, where he seems to have made his home. Philips evangelism embraced both Jews and the half-Jewish Samaritans.
This was a major step because Jews have no dealings with Samaritans (John 4:9). It marked a turning point in carrying out Jesus’ command to the disciples to witness in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)
A Godly Household
Philip, we are told, had four unmarried daughters who lived with him in his home in Caesarea.
His wife is not mentioned in Lukes’s account and may have been dead by the time Paul and his party, which included Luke, stayed in their godly and hospitable household.
Many years before the great outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, the prophet Joel had predicted that when the Holy Spirit fell, one of the results would be that your sons and daughters will prophesy (Joel 2:28).
All four of Philips’s daughters had received this supernatural ability, and doubtless, many in the early Church had cause to thank God for the influence of the home and family of Philip.
Saint Philip stained glass windowPhilip was Practical
It also would appear from Johns’s account of the Feeding of the Five Thousand that Philip may have been in charge of the supplies and food, the road manager of sorts. He was the kind of guy who was practical, always thinking about the bottom line.
And on this occasion, Jesus, trying to stretch Philip’s faith, posed a question to him as the crowd gathered: Where shall we buy bread that these may eat? (John 6:5). Philip responded, Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.
Philip didn’t do so well on that test. He wasn’t the first to have the most faith, but he was a follower of Jesus, who God used.
Summary Characteristics of Saint Philip
Philip is mentioned in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) as the man from Bethsaida, a disciple of John the Baptist. Both Philip and Andrew appear together in the listings of the apostles found in the gospels and the Book of Acts. In the Book of John, he is portrayed as one who had a deep understanding of the Old Testament prophecy and the coming Messiah; also, he demonstrated a heart for missions (John 1:43; John 1:44; John 1:45; John 1:46).
However, he struggled with spiritual insight evidenced in his converse with Christ at the feeding of the five thousand
#1. Which city was officially hand healed by Philip?
#2. Where did Philip go immediately after the ascension of Jesus?
#3. Phillip is found along which apostles in the lists in the first three Gospels and Acts?
#4. Who is apostle Philip always confused with?
#5. How did apostle Phillip die?
#6. Philip was a disciple of who before following Jesus?
#7. What is the meaning of the name Philip in Hebrew?
#8. Where is St. Phillip Buried?
#9. Which apostle is Philip always listed together with?
#10. Which city governor's wife was he+aled by the apostle Philip?
Results
Resources Characteristics of Saint Philip
https://gbible.org/doctrines-post/the-12-apostles/
https://www.exploringlifesmysteries.com/twelve-disciples/#thaddeus
https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/apostles.cfm
https://www.christianity.com/jesus/life-of-jesus/disciples/what-do-we-know-about-the-apostle-philip.html
