record does not show whether the initial proposal for the alliance came from Solomon or from Pharaoh. (See ALLIANCE.) Though, as stated, the identification of this anonymous Egyptian ruler is uncertain, Pharaoh Siamun is often suggested. Solomon’s likening the Shulammite maiden to a mare in the chariots of Pharaoh reflects the fame of Egypt’s chariots at that time.—Song of Sol. 1:9; compare 1 Kings 10:29.

Isaiah’s prophecy, written in the eighth century B.C.E., describes a confused, disconcerted state as existing or due to exist within Egypt and on the part of Pharaoh’s counselors. (Isa. 19:11-17) Secular history shows internal friction and disruption within Egypt from Isaiah’s time on into the following century. Though unfaithful Judah at times turned toward Egypt for military assistance, contrary to Jehovah’s word, boastful pharaohs proved to be like a ‘crushed reed’ providing no solid support.—Isa. 30:2-5; 31:1-3; Ezek. 29:2-9; compare Isaiah 36:4, 6.

PHARISEES

(Pharʹi·sees) [separated ones].

A prominent religious sect of Judaism existing in the first century C.E. Just when the Pharisees had their beginning is not precisely known. The writings of the Jewish historian Josephus indicate that in the time of John Hyrcanus (latter half of the second century B.C.E.) the Pharisees already formed an influential body. Wrote Josephus: “These have so great a power over the multitude, that when they say any thing against the king or against the high-priest, they are presently believed.”—Antiquities of the Jews, Book XIII, chap. X, par. 5.

Josephus also provides details concerning the beliefs of the Pharisees. He observes: “[The Pharisees] believe that souls have an immortal vigour in them, and that under the earth there will be rewards or punishments, according as they have lived virtuously or viciously in this life; and the latter are to be detained in an everlasting prison, but that the former shall have power to revive and live again.” (Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, chap. I, par. 3) “They say that all souls are incorruptible; but that the souls of good men only are removed into other bodies,—but that the souls of bad men are subject to eternal punishment.” (Wars of the Jews, Book II, chap. VIII, par. 14) Regarding their ideas about fate or providence, Josephus reports: “These ascribe all to fate [or providence], and to God, and yet allow, that to act what is right, or the contrary, is principally in the power of men, although fate does co-operate in every action.”—Wars of the Jews, Book II, chap. VIII, par. 14.

The Christian Greek Scriptures reveal that the Pharisees fasted twice each week, tithed scrupulously (Matt. 9:14; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33; 11:42; 18:11, 12) and did not agree with the Sadducees in saying that “there is neither resurrection nor angel nor spirit.” (Acts 23:8) They prided themselves in being righteous (actually, self-righteous) and looked down on the common people. (Luke 18:11, 12; John 7:47-49) To impress others with their righteousness the Pharisees broadened the scripture-containing cases that they wore as safeguards and enlarged the fringes of their garments. (Matt. 23:5) They loved money (Luke 16:14) and desired prominence and flattering titles. (Matt. 23:6, 7; Luke 11:43) The Pharisees were so biased in their application of the Law that they made it burdensome for the people, insisting that it be observed according to their concepts and traditions. (Matt. 23:4) They completely lost sight of the important matters, namely, justice, mercy, faithfulness and love of God. (Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:41-44) The Pharisees went to great lengths in making proselytes.—Matt. 23:15.

The main issues over which they contended with Christ Jesus involved sabbath observance (Matt. 12:1, 2; Mark 2:23, 24; Luke 6:1, 2), adherence to tradition (Matt. 15:1, 2; Mark 7:1-5) and association with sinners and tax collectors. (Matt. 9:11; Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30) The Pharisees apparently thought that defilement resulted from association with persons who did not observe the Law according to their view of it. (Luke 7:36-40) Therefore, when Christ Jesus associated and even ate with sinners and tax collectors, this prompted them to object. (Luke 15:1, 2) The Pharisees found fault with Jesus and his disciples because of their not observing the traditional washing of hands. (Matt. 15:1, 2; Mark 7:1-5; Luke 11:37, 38) But Jesus exposed their wrong reasoning and showed them to be violators of God’s law on account of their adherence to man-made traditions. (Matt. 15:3-11; Mark 7:6-15; Luke 11:39-44) Rather than rejoicing and glorifying God in connection with the miraculous cures performed by Christ Jesus on the sabbath, the Pharisees were filled with rage over what they deemed a violation of the sabbath law and therefore plotted to kill Jesus. (Matt. 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:7-11; 14:1-6) To a blind man whom Jesus had cured on the sabbath they said concerning Jesus: “This is not a man from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath.”—John 9:16.

The attitude that the Pharisees displayed showed that they were not righteous and clean inside. (Matt. 5:20; 23:26) Like the rest of the Jews, they were in need of repentance. (Compare Matthew 3:7, 8; Luke 7:30.) But the majority of them preferred to remain spiritually blind (John 9:40) and intensified their opposition toward the Son of God. (Matt. 21:45, 46; John 7:32; 11:43-53, 57) There were Pharisees who falsely accused Jesus of expelling demons by means of the ruler of the demons (Matt. 9:34; 12:24) and of being a false witness. (John 8:13) Certain Pharisees tried to intimidate the Son of God (Luke 13:31), demanded that he display a sign to them (Matt. 12:38; 16:1; Mark 8:11), endeavored to trap him in his speech (Matt. 22:15; Mark 12:13; Luke 11:53, 54) and otherwise tried to test him by questionings. (Matt. 19:3; 22:34-36; Mark 10:2; Luke 17:20) Jesus finally silenced their questionings by asking them how it would be possible for David’s lord also to be David’s son. (Matt. 22:41-46) The mob that later seized Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane included Pharisees (John 18:3-5, 12, 13), and Pharisees were among those that requested Pilate to secure Jesus’ tomb so that the body could not be stolen.—Matt. 27:62-64.

During the earthly ministry of Christ Jesus the Pharisees exerted such great influence that prominent persons were afraid to confess him openly. (John 12:42, 43) One of such fearful ones evidently was Nicodemus, himself a Pharisee. (John 3:1, 2; 7:47-52; 19:39) There may also have been Pharisees who did not manifest bitter opposition or who later became Christians. For example, the Pharisee Gamaliel counseled against interfering with the work of Christians (Acts 5:34-39) and the Pharisee Saul (Paul) of Tarsus became an apostle of Jesus Christ.—Acts 26:5; Phil. 3:5.

PHARPAR

(Pharʹpar) [perhaps, swift].

One of the two “rivers of Damascus” that Naaman considered superior to “all the waters of Israel.” (2 Ki. 5:12) The fact that Naaman mentioned the Pharpar second may indicate that it was the smaller stream. This river is usually linked with the Nahr el-ʼAʽwaj. Besides the Nahr Barada (identified with the Abanah), it is the only other independent stream in the Damascus area. But the volume of the ʼAʽwaj is about one-quarter that of the Barada. The smaller streams that unite to form the ʼAʽwaj take their rise on the eastern slopes of Mount Hermon and merge about nineteen miles (30 kilometers) SW of Damascus. From this point the river winds its way through a deep rocky channel until finally losing Itself in a swamp to the SE of Damascus. The airline distance spanned by this river (including its sources) is about forty miles (64 kilometers).

The major objection raised to the above identification is that the ʼAʽwaj is not actually a ‘river of Damascus,’ since it flows some eight miles (13 kilometers and more to the S of that city. For this reason some favor identifying the Pharpar with the Nahr Taura, a branch of the Nahr Barada. However, Naaman’s reference to Damascus could have included the plain of Damascus through which the Nahr el-ʼAʽwaj courses.

PHI

[Φ, φ].

The twenty-first letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding generally to our English “ph.”

Numerically, when accented (φ΄), it signifies 500, and when the subscript is added (,φ), 500,000.

PHICOL

(Phiʹcol).

Army chief of Philistine King Abimelech. Phicol accompanied Abimelech when covenants were concluded with both Abraham and Isaac. (Gen. 21:22, 32; 26:26, 31) As these two meetings were more than seventy-five years apart, however, “Phicol” might well be a title or name used for whoever held this office rather than there being one man in the position for so long. For similar reasons his king’s name may also have been a title.

PHILADELPHIA

[brotherly affection].

A city in W Asia minor having a Christian congregation to which one of the seven letters contained in Revelation was written. (Rev. 1:11; 3:7-13) The Lydian city of Philadelphia was situated on a hilly plateau S of the Cogamis River, about thirty miles (48 kilometers) SE of Sardis and fifty miles (80 kilometers) NW of Laodicea. It was built in the second century B.C.E. by Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, or his brother Attalus II (Philadelphus), after whom the city was named. The city lay at the head of a broad valley leading through Sardis to Smyrna on the seacoast. Roads connected it with the coast, Pergamum to the N and Laodicea to the SE. The city served as a doorway to the heart of Phrygia.

Philadelphia was the prosperous center of a wine-producing section, and its chief deity was Dionysus the god of wine. The area was subject to repeated earthquakes, one of which destroyed Philadelphia in 17 C.E. With financial aid from Rome the city was rebuilt and adopted the name Neocaesarea (New Caesarea), and, at a later period, Flavia. The site is now occupied by modern Alasehir. The ancient city was a center from which Hellenism spread in Asia Minor.

Evidently there were Jews there, Revelation 3:9 mentioning “those from the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews.” Perhaps these worked against the faithful Christians in the city by trying to win back Christians who were Jews by birth or to persuade them to retain or take up again certain practices of the Mosaic law. The attempt was unsuccessful, Jesus commending the Christians for their endurance. He encouraged them to “keep on holding fast.”—Rev. 3:9-11.

PHILEMON

(Phi·leʹmon) [Gr., loving].

A Christian slave owner associated with the congregation at Colossae. His house in this city of southwestern Asia Minor served as a meeting place for the congregation there. Philemon proved himself to be a source of refreshment to fellow Christians and an example in faith and love. The apostle Paul regarded him as a beloved fellow worker. (Philem. 1, 2, 5-7; compare Colossians 4:9 with Philemon 10-12.) Paul’s desire to lodge with Philemon reflects favorably on this man’s hospitality.—Philem. 22; compare Acts 16:14, 15.

Apphia and Archippus seem to have been members of Philemon’s household, as they are also addressed in Paul’s personal letter to Philemon. Apphia was perhaps Philemon’s wife, and Archippus may have been his son.—Philem. 2.

It appears that Philemon became a Christian through Paul’s efforts. (Philem. 19) However, since Paul had done no preaching in Colossae itself (Col. 2:1), Philemon may have become acquainted with Christianity as a result of the apostle’s two-year activity in Ephesus, when “all those inhabiting the district of Asia [which embraced Colossae] heard the word of the Lord.”—Acts 19:10.

Sometime before receiving Paul’s letter, Philemon had been deserted by his slave Onesimus. This runaway slave possibly even stole funds from his master to finance the voyage to Rome, where he later met Paul and became a Christian.—Philem. 10, 11, 18, 19; see SLAVE.

PHILEMON, LETTER TO

A letter written by the apostle Paul with his own hand and addressed primarily to Philemon. (Vss. 1, 2, 19) It must have been composed sometime after the start of Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome (probably about 60/61 C.E.), for the apostle entertained the hope of being “set at liberty.”—Vs. 22; see ONESIMUS; PHILEMON.

The apostle’s purpose in writing this letter was to encourage Philemon to accept his runaway slave Onesimus back kindly. Rather than using his apostolic authority to command him to do so, Paul appealed on the basis of love and personal friendship. (Vss. 8, 9, 17) Knowing Philemon as a man of faith and love, Paul was confident that he would receive his formerly useless, but now Christian, slave back as he would the apostle himself. (Vss. 10, 11, 21) This is especially noteworthy, since Philemon had the legal right to mete out severe punishment to Onesimus.

Besides providing an actual example illustrating the beauty of Christian kindness, forgiveness and mercy, the letter tells us something about the early Christians. They assembled in private homes, called one another “brother” and “sister” (vss. 1, 2, 20), prayed for one another (vss. 4, 22) and were encouraged by the faith and love manifested by fellow believers.—Vss. 4-7.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

I. Salutation addressed to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus and the congregation in Philemon’s house (Vss. 1-3)

II. Philemon’s love and faith a source of joy and comfort to Paul, moving the apostle to mention Philemon in his prayers (Vss. 4-7)

III. Paul’s intercession in behalf of Onesimus (Vss. 8-22)

IV. Concluding greetings (Vss. 23-25)

See the book “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial,” pp. 239, 240.

PHILETUS

(Phi·leʹtus) [beloved].

A first-century apostate from Christianity whom Paul implicates with Hymenaeus as false teachers concerning the resurrection, and subverters of the faith.—2 Tim. 2:17, 18.

PHILIP

(Philʹip) [lover of horses].

1. One of the earliest disciples among the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Philip is mentioned by name solely in the lists of the apostles. (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14) John’s account alone gives some detailed information about him.

Philip was from the same hometown as Peter and Andrew, namely, Bethsaida, on the N shore of Galilee. Upon hearing Jesus’ invitation, “Be my follower,” Philip did much as Andrew had done the day before. Andrew had searched out his brother Peter (Simon) and brought him to Jesus, and Philip now did this with Nathanael (Bartholomew), saying: “We have found the one of whom Moses, in the Law, and the Prophets wrote, Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth. . . . Come and see.” (John 1:43-49) The statement that “Jesus found Philip” may indicate some prior acquaintance between them, as do Philip’s words to Nathanael, inasmuch as Philip gave Jesus’ name, his family and his residence. Whether any connection other than friendship existed between Philip and Nathanael (Bartholomew) is not stated, but in Biblical lists they are usually placed together, Acts 1:13 being the exception.