Philip was one of the original group of "seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom," (Ac 6:3) who were selected from amongst the Christian Hellenists, around the year 34, to assist in the daily distribution of food to their own widows. The Seven were presented by the full assembly of disciples to the Apostles. The Twelve, "after prayer, laid their hands on them." (Ac 6:6) These men, "Stephen, ... together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and ... Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism," (Ac 6:5) constituted the first group of Christian deacons. (Note. See article on St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr.)
Shortly after the commissioning of the Seven, Stephen was martyred and "a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem." (Ac 8:1b) Saul, the future Apostle Paul, played a principal role in the harassment of the Christians. The persecution was primarily directed at the Hellenists who "scattered to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria." (Ac 8:1c) It was in these districts that Philip rapidly distinguished himself as an outstanding evangelist.
"Once they had scattered, they went from place to place preaching the good news. And Philip went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people unanimously welcomed the message Philip preached, because they had heard of the miracles he worked and because they saw them for themselves. For unclean spirits came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. As a result there was great rejoicing in that town." (Ac 8:4-8)
"Now a man called Simon had for some time been practising magic arts in the town and astounded the Samaritan people." (Ac 8:9) He claimed that he was someone momentous and through his wizardry had gained a great following. However, when the townspeople "came to accept Philip's preaching of the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women, and even Simon himself became a believer. After his baptism Simon went round constantly with Philip and was astonished when he saw the wonders and great miracles that took place." (Ac 8:12-13)
Simon's conversion by Philip confirms the overwhelming success of the latter's mission. However, Simon's fascination with the wonders and miracles that took place was to lead him astray.
"When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, and they went down there and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit, for as yet he had not come down on any of them: they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (Ac 8:14-17)
"When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, with the words, 'Give me the same power so that anyone I lay my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.'"(Ac 8:18-19) For this effrontery, Simon was sternly rebuked by Peter. [It is from this incident and Simon's name that we derive the term 'simony' referring to the sin of purchasing or selling ecclesiastical preferments.] The conversion of Simon Magus appears to have been motivated more by a lust for power than by a conversion of heart. Indeed, Justin Martyr in his 'First Apology' notes that Simon Magus eventually claimed he was a god and had himself recognized as such among the Samaritans and also in Rome.
In the preceding passages, there is a curious separation of the baptisms under Philip and the bestowal of the Spirit (v. 16). Luke's concern is to subordinate the Hellenist's mission to "the apostles in Jerusalem." It is intended to indicate that the Holy Spirit operates only where there is communion with the apostles. They, as witnesses of the Resurrection, certify the continued activity of the risen Jesus on earth. That the apostles supported the spread of the Gospel in Samaria is emphasized in the continuation of the story.
"Having given their testimony and proclaimed the word of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news to a number of Samaritan villages." (Ac 8:25)
In the first phase of Christian expansion, Philip had brought the good news northward from Jerusalem into Samaria. In the next phase, he would carry it southward from Jerusalem towards the desert separating Palestine from Egypt. The initiatives of this mission, like the former, were God's. Philip once again showed his receptivity to the power and the direction of the Spirit.
"The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, 'Set out at noon and go along the road that leads from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road.' So he set off on his journey. Now an Ethiopian had been on pilgrimage to Jerusalem; he was a eunuch and an officer at the court of the kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia; he was her chief treasurer. He was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit said to Philip, 'Go up and join that chariot.' When Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' He replied, 'How could I unless I have someone to guide me?' So he urged Philip to get in and sit by his side." (Ac 8:26-31)
The passage of scripture the eunuch was reading was this: "Like a lamb led to the slaughter-house, like a sheep dumb in front of its shearers, he never opens his mouth. In his humiliation fair judgement was denied him. Who will ever talk about his descendents, since his life on earth has been cut short?" (Ac 8:33)
"The eunuch addressed Philip and said, 'Tell me, is the prophet referring to himself or someone else? Starting, therefore, with this text of scripture Philip proceeded to explain the good news of Jesus to him." (Ac 8:34-35)
"Further along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is some water; is there anything to prevent my being baptised?' He ordered the chariot to stop, then Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and he baptised him." (Ac 8:36,38)
Philip's baptism of the eunuch was remarkable for three reasons. (1) It is likely an account of the first Gentile conversion told in Hellenist circles. Luke may have left the religious status of the eunuch vague so as not to preempt Peter's conversion of the Roman centurion discussed in chapter 10 of Acts. (2) Eunuchs were not admissible into the racial and religious community of Israel. [Deut 23:1 A man whose testicles have been crushed or whose male member has been cut off must not be admitted to the assembly of Yahweh.] The baptism of the eunuch admits him into the community of the disciples of Jesus and illustrates that new life in Christ is available to all. It also fulfills a prophecy of Isaiah (56:3-5) promising that faithful would have a place in the kingdom. (3) The acceptance of the Gospel by a black African returning to his distant country is a potent symbol that the good news is truly finding its way to the end of the earth.
The Spirit was not finished with Philip.
"But after they had come up out of the water again Philip was taken away by the Spirit of the Lord, and the eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing." (Ac 8:39)
The verb describing Philip as being taken away by the Spirit is from the vocabulary of heavenly assumption. An early Western variant of the text renders the verse as "the Holy Spirit came down on the eunuch and the angel of the Lord carried Philip away." The sense is that Philip was literally transported through the sky to his next destination.
"Philip appeared in and continued his journey, proclaiming the good news in every town as far as Caesarea." (Ac 8:40)
Azotus is located north of Ashkelon, close to the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, Philip continued to proclaim the good news in the Gentile Hellenistic areas of the coastal plain from Azotus north to Caesarea Maritima.
Approximately 24 years after Stephen's death, in the year 58, we meet up with Philip once again. He is now living in Caesarea with his four daughters. His old enemy, Saul, now the apostle Paul, comes to visit him. Paul is making his fateful last journey to Jerusalem.
"The next day we left and came to Caesarea. Here we called on Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters who were prophets. When we had been there several days ..." (Ac 21:8-10)
Eusebius provides us with one additional mention of Philip. He quotes from an earlier work, dating from around 200, wherein Gaius in his 'Dialogue' with Proclus spoke about the death of Philip and his daughters. "After him there were four prophetesses at Hierapolis in Asia, daughters of Philip. Their grave is there, as is their father's."
References.
"The First Apology" by Justin Martyr. "The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. I"; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1989.
"The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine" by Eusebius; translated with an introduction by G. A. Williamson. Dorset Press, New York, 1984 [1965].
"The New Jerome Biblical Commentary", Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632, 1990.
[© Michael Closs, June 25, 1997]