Bible
Study Means to Read Carefully – Part One
While in the
process of reading and studying the Bible it is not unusual to find
understanding of terms or concepts that were previously missed. I’d like to share an example similar to one
that you also might have encountered. This
example relates to the Bible figure Philip.
I recalled
first encountering that name “Philip” when it was listed among the names of the
12 Disciples chosen by our Lord Jesus as He was beginning His Earthly Ministry.
(Matthew 10: 4; Mark 3: 18; Luke 6: 14; and John 1: 43) Like most Christians I didn’t give his name
much notice because it was not familiar compared to those of Simon Peter, James
and John. I had just mentally grouped him in with Bartholomew, Nathanael,
Thaddaeus, and the others.
The fact that
Jesus personally chose Philip meant that there was truly significance to his
being numbered among “the Twelve”. The
Scripture recorded that on the day after Jesus changed Simon’s name to “Peter”,
“Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him,
‘Follow me’.” (John 1: 42-43)
Very
noteworthy was the Scripture’s next several verses in which Philip then found
Nathanael and brought him to Jesus. The verbal exchanges between Philip and
Nathanael, and then between Nathanael and the Lord Jesus provide important
context for future Scripture. They
reveal the mindset of the two predominant opposing views in the Nation of
Israel regarding Jesus being their long-awaited Messiah. (John 1: 44-51) Philip had a key role.
We next heard
of Philip several chapters later. He and the other disciples traveled with
Jesus, being followed by “multitudes” who had witnessed the Lord’s miracles.
This set the stage for the Lord’s next miracle of the “feeding of the 5,000”,
of which many / most Christians have
heard. The Scripture recorded the following:
“5 When
Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith
unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And
this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth
of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.” (John
6: 5-7)
The Lord
Jesus had asked Philip a direct, pointed question to “prove” (Strong’s # 3985,
meaning “test”) how he would respond. Of
the 12 Disciples, Jesus chose Philip,
and his response was a practical one, based on his natural, human point
of view. Philip did not take into consideration the potential for the
miraculous intervention that would follow.
Perhaps the Lord Jesus was using this example to show even His strongest
followers / believers that they should always consider the potential for one of
His miracles, no matter how seemingly unlikely. Again, Philip played a key role
in this teaching.
Later, during
the final days of the Lord Jesus’ Earthly Ministry, and shortly before His
suffering and Crucifixion, Philip is mentioned again. It was the time of the Feast of the Passover,
and large numbers of Jews from around the known world had come to Jerusalem to
worship. Among them were some Gentiles, most likely curiosity seekers. The Scripture recorded:
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And there were certain Greeks (Strong’s # 1672, meaning
Gentiles) among them that came up to worship at the feast: |
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The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida
of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. |
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Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and
Philip tell Jesus. |
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And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the
Son of man should be glorified. |
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Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat
fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth
forth much fruit.” |
(John 12:
20-24)
Philip was key to this conversation
because of his reluctance to take the Greeks / Gentiles to see Jesus. He had
undoubtedly remembered Jesus’ first command to His new Disciples, that they
were to: “Go not
into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the
Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel”. (Matthew 10: 5-6)(Bold emphasis
added) After seeking advice from Andrew,
together they went to ask Jesus for His definitive guidance regarding the
potential meeting.
Jesus used this opportunity to explain to them (and especially to
us today) part of the purpose of His Coming, and the outcome of His Death as it
would impact us. It was not yet time for the Gentiles to hear His message.
Israel was the focus of the “Gospel of the Kingdom”. Jesus was about to give His Life to pay for
the sins for all of us. As the “Son of
God”, through death He would bring forth large numbers of “sons of God”, both
Jew and Gentile. (Romans 8: 14-17; Galatians 3: 26; Ephesians 1: 1-6; etc.)
So far, we have followed Philip along with the other Disciples but
also viewed his individual contributions. From that point on, after the Lord’s
death, burial and resurrection, Philip was grouped among the disciples present
during the Ascension (Acts 1: 1-15), and on the Day of Pentecost when all the
120 followers / disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2: 1-4)
The Bible’s next specific mention of Philip by name came some time
later. Following the Pentecost, literally thousands of new disciples were added
to the Jerusalem Church. (Acts 2: 41)
That led to the Scripture providing the record below. [I am highlighting
it because these verses are keys to why I chose the title of this post.]
6 And in
those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a
murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were
neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the
multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should
leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye
out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,
whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves
continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the
whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy
Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and
Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the
apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. (Acts 6:
1-6)
I had not noticed the key points in these verses that gave
necessary clarification about Philip. Can you find them?
In Part Two of this post I will provide a further discussion on
Philip. and why I used this example to
reflect my title: “Bible Study Means to Read Carefully”.
Dr. W. A. (Bill) Robinson
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