Introduction to Philippians

Take time to read through the full letter today.

About Philippians

Philippi is a town situated on the "Via Egnatia," the main road from Italy to the eastern part of the Roman Empire. It was easily accessible by sea. In the century before Paul's visit, it had been the scene of a great battle during the Roman civil war when Octavian and Antony defeated Julius Caesar's assassins Brutus and Cassius. Octavian (later Augustus) settled some of his veterans there and rewarded the inhabitants with Roman citizenship, which carried important privileges.

Paul was at Troas, in the Roman province of Asia, modern-day Turkey, when he had a vision of someone in Europe begging him to come and help. With Luke, who seems to have joined him at Troas, and his companions Silas and Timothy, he came to Philippi, and the Christian gospel came to Europe.

You can read about what happened next in Acts 16. All this happened in the year 49-50 A.D.

About ten years later, he writes to the Philippians to thank them for the money they sent him. Paul was in prison at the time, probably in Ephesus. (In ancient Rome, prison was not used as a sentence but only to hold people before trial. If they were subsequently found guilty the sentence would be a fine, exile, or death.) He had no idea what would happen to him. Bear that in mind as you read what he says to the Philippians.

This letter is a gem. There are no serious problems in the church. Notice how often Paul mentions joy. Notice what he has to say about fellowship. Notice his gratitude. He shares with the Philippians the most intimate secrets of his own soul. Paul, the theologian, was also a very real person. Here is Christian faith in action. Not just the Philippians but Christians everywhere can rejoice in this letter and learn from what he had to say to them.