Philip of Bethsaida
- James Collazo
- May 31, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Introduction
Philip of Bethsaida (Hebrew: Philippos mi-Beit Tzayda / Greek: Philippos apo Bēthsaida) was born around AD 10 in the Roman district of Gaulanitis. He came from the fishing village of Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Philip was one of the first disciples to follow Jesus (John 1:44; 12:21). He should not be confused with Philip of Jerusalem, whom the apostles chose as one of seven deacons to distribute food to widows (Acts 6:5).
Philip the Apostle
The synoptic gospel writers Matthew, Mark, and Luke included Philip among Jesus' twelve apostles without giving any further details about him (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14). John, however, provides a fuller account of Philip's calling: "Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, 'We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph'" (John 1:43–45).
Philip tended to look at situations realistically. When a crowd of five thousand had no food, Jesus asked him how they could feed everyone (John 6:5–6). Jesus already intended to multiply the loaves and fish, much like the prophet Elisha had done centuries earlier (2 Kings 4:42–44). Philip did the math and answered, "It would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" (John 6:7). Jesus used five loaves and two small fish to feed the entire crowd, revealing a power far beyond Philip's expectations.
Bringing People to Jesus
Like Andrew, Philip appears only a few times in the Bible, but each time he raises practical questions and helps people draw closer to God through Jesus. He often acted as a link between Jewish and Greek communities. Although he grew up in Galilee, he had a Greek name (Philippos, G5376, "lover of horses"), likely spoke Greek, and communicated well with Hellenistic Jewish pilgrims. When certain Greeks approached Philip to see Jesus, he consulted Andrew, and together they brought their request to Jesus (John 12:20–22). Their request prompted Jesus to speak about his approaching death and glorification.
During the Last Supper, Philip said to Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us" (John 14:8). Jesus replied, "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9–10). Philip's question prompted one of John's clearest statements concerning the relationship between the Father and the Son (see "Trinity: Jewish & Gentile Views"). Although the New Testament mentions Philip only briefly, his interactions with Jesus highlight important theological truths.
Bibliography
Commentaries
Bauckham, Richard. Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017.
Köstenberger, Andreas J. John. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004.
Monographs
Arav, Rami. Bethsaida: A City by the North Shore of the Sea of Galilee. Edited by Richard A. Freund. Kirksville, MO: Thomas Jefferson University Press, 1995.
Online Resources
Laurie, Greg. "The Apostle Philip: Bible Story and Significance."↗ Christianity.com. April 15, 2024.
Nelson, Ryan. "Who Was Philip the Apostle? The Beginner's Guide."↗ OverviewBible. June 10, 2019.
