Meaning of the Name Philip
The Greek name Philippos means 'lover of horses' ('philos', loving, plus 'hippos', horse); it was a common Greek name, borne also by the kings of Macedonia.
Origin
The name Philip is of Greek origin.
Who is Philip in the Bible?
Philip is the disciple from Bethsaida who calls Nathanael to Jesus with the words 'Come and see.' In the farewell conversations his request 'show us the Father' receives the famous answer in John. Acts also tells of Philip the evangelist, who bears the same name.
The story of Philip in the Bible
Philip comes from Bethsaida, the town of Peter and Andrew; according to John, Jesus himself calls him to follow. Philip immediately finds Nathanael and tells him they have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the prophets in their books: Jesus of Nazareth. To Nathanael's doubt that anything good can come from Nazareth he offers only an invitation: come and see. On the day five thousand are fed, Jesus tests him by asking where bread could be bought for the crowd, and Philip answers that two hundred denarii would not be enough. In the farewell conversations he makes a heartfelt request: show us the Father, and that will be enough for us. Jesus' reply is among John's most famous sayings — Philip has been with him all this time, and whoever has seen him has seen the Father. Acts also tells of the evangelist Philip, who bears the same name: on the road down to Gaza he meets an Ethiopian official, explains the Isaiah passage the man is reading, tells him about Jesus, and baptizes him.
Is Philip mentioned in the Quran?
The name Philip does not appear in the Quran, which speaks of Jesus' disciples collectively as the 'hawariyyun'; Philip's story is told in the New Testament, in the Gospel of John and the book of Acts.
Verses where Philip appears
- John 1:43-46 —
On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him,…
- John 14:8-9 —
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do…
- Acts 8:26-40 —
But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.” He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a…