* According to Jerome (Epist. 103) and a Roman (quoted by near Hebron.
+The word εὐνοῦχος is sometimes ae to a high court- official, without implying castration (Gn 891 LXX); but this treasurer, owing to his employment in a confidential capacity under a queen, would most probably be a eunuch literally (see ἘΤΗΙΟΡΙΑΝ Evnvcn). Such a condition would prevent him from becoming 8 Rise ks of righteousness,’ but was not incom- patible with his admission to worship in the temple as a
prosel of the gate’ (Is 5645). The supposition that he was a Jew, rn in Ethiopia, is hardly consistent with the natural interpretation of the passage. The one argument in its favour,
0 Ὶ martyrolo; psius, iii. 3), the baptism took place at Bethsoron,
PHILIP
returning home, after worship in the temple, on the occasion, presumably, ot one of the great annual festivals. Philip's conduct in relation ta the eunuch notably exemplifies trustful obedience to Divine leadings (Ac 8537), alertness in availin; himself of missionary opportunity (830), and broad- minded disregard of national and religious preju- dice (8). The Ethiopian, as a descendant of Ham, belonged to a despised race (Nu 191, Am 97), and, if literally a eenitaty was inadmissible into the full caesar of the Jewish Church (Dt 231), Philip by the reception of this man into the Christian Church, virtually declared that disabilities of race and outward condition have no place there, but that all who believe in Christ are eligible for mem- bership and baptism.* It was probably Philip’s signal service to the cause of Church extension on these two occasions which led, at least in part, to the designation of him as the evangelist (Ac 218),
After the baptism of the Ethiopian, Phili evangelized the country between Azotus (Ashdod) and Cwsarea, which, according to tradition, was his birthplace (see documents quoted by Lipsius, Apokr. Apos. iii. 2, 40), and where eventually he took up his abode (Ac 218). There, along with four virgin daughters who were prophetesses,+ he was found residing, more than 20 years later, by St. Paul and his friends, who remained for some days as guests in his house, on their way to Jerusalem. During the apostle’s protracted imprisonment at Cesarea we may assume there would be much inter- course (Ac 24") between Philip and one with whose missionary zeal and broad ecclesiastical views the evangelist would be in full sympathy. Amon those who were in Cesarea along with St. Pa (at least during part of the time) was St. Luke (Ac 27?) ; and the details of Philip’s early evangel- istic ministry, recorded in Ac, were doubtless, at this time, communicated to Luke by Philip himself. The historical credibility, therefore, of the narrative in Ac 8 can be questioned only by those who dog- matically reject all records of what is supernatural ( Ac 87: 89) +
In 65 A.D. the revolt which developed into the
eat Jewish war broke out at Cxsarea ; and Philip, ike other Jewish Christians, would probably leave Palestine before the fatal issue. We are prepared, accordingly, for traditions which indicate his ulti- mate settlement elsewhere. These traditions are divergent. (1) The earlier connects the evangel- ist and his daughters with Hierapolis (see note Φ on p. 835%), but is rendered doubtful by the manifest confusion which existed as to the two Philips. It appears to the present writer much less worthy of acceptance than (2) the tradition which represents Philip, with his daughters, as settling at Tralles§ in Asia Minor, as performing
viz. that no such objection seems to have been raised to Philip's procedure as was made in the case of Peter and Cornelius (Stokes, Acts of the Apostles, i. p. 412), is met by the fact that the baptism of Cornelius and his household was notorious, having been, in a manner, publicly administered (Ac 1024. 33) ; whereas the Ethiopian was baptized without witneesee and the circumstances would probably, at the time, tecome known only to a limited and sympathetic circle.
* According to an old Ethiopic tradition, the eunuch is repre- sented as having evangelized the subjects of Candace or ae (Ludolf, Hist. 2thiop. iii. 1, 2; Niceph. Callist. Hist.
ce. ii. 6).
t Jerome (Epist. 108) states that the chambers of the four daughters were still shown at Czsarea in his day. An ancient Greek menologium Konoted by Lipsius, iii. 8) records their names as Hermione, Charitine, Irais, and Eutychiane. Her- mione is stated by the same authority to have practised medi- cine, and to have been thrown, without injury, into a caldron of boiling water in the reign of Hadrian.
Σ It is open for us, however, although not necessary, to re- gard the interventions referred to in 828. 89 as made through natural means; in the former case through a dream, in the latter through a divinely produced impulse of Philip's own mind (Stokes and Holtzmann, in locis).
§ This city is usually understood to be the more celebrated Tralles in Caria; but, if we suppose it to be the ~ther Tralles
PHILIP (HEROD)
there many miracles, and as becoming ἐπίσκοπος or ἐπίτροπος of the Church which he was mainly instrumental in building ae that ἘΠῚ ἔμπεδος Doroth. Synopsis ; Martyr. lit ; Joseph. Hymno- graphus; and other authorities quoted in Acta Sanctorum, xxi. p. 608 ff., and by Lips. iii. 2, 3). In favour of the latter tradition is the fact of its being associated, not like the former, with both Philips, but with the evangelist alone. Accordin