Commentarius, auctore Symeone Metaphrasta
Standard abbreviation: Hypom. Phil.
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 808; CANT 251
Category: Apocryphal Acts
Related literature: Acts of Philip; Encomium on Philip, by Nicetas of Paphlagonia
Compiled by Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Hypomnema on Philip by Symeon Metaphrastes.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/hypomnema-on-philip-by-symeon-metaphrastes/.
Created December 2022. Current as of January 2024.
1. SUMMARY
Symeon’s account of Philip’s life and death draws from the Encomium on Philip by Nicetas the Paphlagonian, which retells the martyrdom of Philip from the Acts of Philip. The text begins with Jesus appearing in Galilee and meeting Philip in Bethsaida. Philip is said to have studied the books of Moses so that he would be ready to recognize the Messiah when he came. He then introduces Jesus to Nathaniel, as in John 1:43–46. The author then departs from his story of Philip to retell Nathanael’s dialogue with Jesus (John 1:47–51). John is also the source for another story of Philip: the apostle’s meeting with the Greek pilgrims in Jerusalem (12:20–24).
After the resurrection, Philip receives the gift of tongues at Pentecost and begins evangelizing. He goes to Asia Minor and brings multitudes to the faith through his preaching and healing. He also builds churches and ordains priests and teaches them to offer a bloodless sacrifice.
The most detailed portion of the text focuses on Philip’s martyrdom. The next city on his itinerary is Hierapolis in Phrygia. There he finds the people of the city worshiping the Viper. He prays fervently, invoking the name of Christ, and the Viper is killed. Philip then delivers a sermon about the true God. Soon after He continues to preach about Jesus. But the leaders become angry and seize him. They hang Philip up by his feet and torture him. God did not wish Philip to suffer alone, so Bartholomew, who had been preaching with Philip in Hierapolis, is hung up also, and Philip’s sister Mariamne consoles them.
Suddenly there is an earthquake and the people who were torturing the apostles are plunged into the earth. As they struggle to climb to the surface, they repent of their treatment of the apostles and beg for help. Moved to pity, Philip prays for them; then Jesus appears, and he brings them out of the abyss. The people want to free the apostles but Philip refuses assistance as he knew it was time for him to go. Before Bartholomew and Mariamne move on to other cities, they bury his body in an undisclosed place. The date of his death is given as 14 November.
Named Historical Figures and Characters: Bartholomew (apostle), Jesus Christ, Mariamne (sister of Philip), Moses (patriarch), Nathanael, Philip (apostle), Viper.
Geographical Locations: Asia, Bethsaida, Galilee, Hierapolis, Phrygia.
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Church Slavic
Franko, Ivan. Apokrifi i legendy z ukraïns’kich rukopisiv. 5 vols. Lviv: Nakladom Naukovoho Tovaristva îmeni Ševčenka, 1898 (vol. 3, pp. 170–73).
3.1.2 Greek (BHG 1527; Pinakes)
Athos, Monē Xenophōntos, 32 (Lambros 734), fols. 125r–131r (14th cent.) — beginning missing
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 1798, fols. 234–239 (12th cent.) ~ Pinakes; DigiVatLib
Bolland, Jean et al., eds. Acta Sanctorum, Maii. Vol. 1. Antwerp: P. Jacobs, 1680 (Latin translation by Daniel Papebroek, pp. 12–14; text of Vat. gr. 1798, pp. 733–35). 3rd ed. Paris: V. Palmé, 1866 (pp. 13–15; xi–xiii).
Migne, Jacques Paul. Patrologiae cursus completus: Series graeca. Vol. 115. Paris: Cerf, 1899 (reproduction of edition from Acta Sanctorum, 187–98).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 Latin
Lippomano, Luigi (Aloisius Lipomanus). Sanctorum priscorum patrum vitae numero centum sexagintatres, per gravissimos et probatissimos auctores conscripta. 8 vols. Rome: ex Officina Salviana and Venice: ad Signum Spei, 1551–1560 (Latin translation by Gentianus Hervetus, 2nd ed., vol. 1, pp. 388–91).
Surius, Laurentius. Historiae seu vitae sanctorum, juxta optimam coloniensem editionem. 1570–1575. 13 vols. Turin: Marietti, 1875–1880 (Latin translation, vol. 5, pp. 5–10).
3.3 General Works
Beck, Hans-Georg. Kirche und theologische Literatur im byzantinischen Reich. Byzantinisches Handbuch im Rahmen des Handbuchs der Altertumswissenschaft, II, 2. Munich: C. H. Beck, 1977 (2nd ed.) (pp. 570–75).
Bovon, François. “Les Actes de Philippe.” ANRW II.25.6 (1988): 4431–527 (description pp. 4444–45).
Høgel, Christian. Symeon Metaphrastes: Rewriting and Canonization. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 2002.
Lipsius, Richard A. Die Apokryphen Apostelgeschichten und Apostellegenden. Ein Beitrag zur altchristlichen Literaturgeschichte. 2 vols. Braunschweig: Schwetschke, 1883–1887 (see vol. 2.2, pp. 22–23).