Letter 49

Isidore of PelusiumUnknown|isidore pelusium
From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: An inquirer
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Isidore distinguishes Philip the deacon from Philip the apostle.

The Philip who baptized the Ethiopian eunuch and instructed Simon the sorcerer was not the Apostle Philip, but one of the seven deacons chosen alongside Stephen [Acts 6:5]. This is an important distinction.

And on a related matter: all those ordained to the service of the Lord and enrolled in the ministry of the Church ought to resolve one another's disputes and answer one another's questions from their own learning, rather than seeking outside advocates for their own positions. But since they look only at their salaries and judge that church holiest which pays them most — making their belly their god [Philippians 3:19] — the divine teaching is blasphemed on their account.

Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.