Philip

(lover of horses)—the name of several persons. (1) (1 Macc. 1:1; 6:2) Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, who reigned from 359 to 336 BC. (2) (1 Macc. 8:5) Philip V, son of Demetrius II and king of Macedon from 221 to 179 BC; the source incorrectly calls him Philip III. (3) (1 Macc. 6:14, 55–63) a trusted friend of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, appointed to supervise the young Antiochus V; he later struggled with Lysias for control. (4) (Luke 3:1; Matt. 16:13; Mark 8:27) Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra of Jerusalem.

He ruled Iturea, Trachonitis, and neighboring northeastern territories under Roman sovereignty, rebuilt Paneas as Caesarea Philippi, and refounded Bethsaida as Julias. His reign of about thirty-seven years was generally peaceful, and he died without an heir. (5) (Matt. 14:3; Mark 6:17) Herod Philip, a different son of Herod the Great and the first husband of Herodias, by whom he had a daughter, Salome; he held no tetrarchy. (6) (Acts 6:5; 8:4–40; 21:8–9) Philip the Evangelist, one of the Seven appointed in Jerusalem.

He preached Christ in Samaria, instructed and baptized the Ethiopian court official from Isaiah 53, evangelized from Azotus to Caesarea, and later received Paul in his home. His four unmarried daughters prophesied. Later tradition calls him bishop of Tralles; Orthodox tradition commemorates him on October 11 and January 4.