Philip The Apostle
Philip, from the Greek name (pronounced) fil-ip-pohs, was one of the twelve apostles (not to be confused with Philip The Evangelist). He was from Bethsaida, as were at least two of the other apostles, the brothers Peter and Andrew. Although apparently not one of the apostles in The Inner Circle, Philip was more prominent, at least as far as the Bible record is concerned, than some others of the Twelve - a result more of personality than greater ability or righteousness. Not all had Peter's very forward "in your face" character (something that he seemed to grow out of, based what is written about and by him later in the New Testament), but all, with the obvious exception of Judas Iscariot, were equal, then ("one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren," Matthew 23:8 KJV), and in the future ("that ye may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel," Luke 22:30 KJV and "the wall of the city [i.e. the New Jerusalem, see The City To Come] had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb," Revelation 21:14 KJV).
Philip The Apostle
Philip was one of the Twelve:
"Now the names of The Twelve Apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot" (Matthew 10:2-4 KJV)
Philip was called the day after Peter and Andrew; Philip then told Nathanael that the long-ago prophesied Messiah had come:
"The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter."
"Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth [see Nazarene], the son of Joseph." (John 1:43-45 KJV)
False prophets demand "blind faith" from their followers because they have nothing to back up what they say and teach. Jesus Christ never required that from anyone; faith in the Messiah has always been based on proof, such as when Jesus provided Philip, and all of the others, with the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand near The Sea Of Galilee:
"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? And this He said to prove him: for He Himself knew what He would do."
"Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little."
"One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?"
"And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, He said unto His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost."
"Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a Truth that prophet that should come into the world." (John 6:5-14 KJV)
The proof continued after His Resurrection; Philip was among those who witnessed the Christ's ascension from "the mount called Olivet," The Mount Of Olives:
"To whom also He showed himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me."
"And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud [see The Clouds of Heaven] received Him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven."
"Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day's journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren [see Mary's Other Children]." (Acts 1:3-14 KJV)
Fact Finder: Jesus Christ had apostles and disciples. What's the difference between an apostle and a disciple?
See Disciples and Apostles