Background Study in Philippians

With this installment, we begin a study in Paul’s Epistle to the church at Philippi in Macedonia.  In order to understand this church and Paul’s connection with it we need to consider the travel journal of Dr. Luke who accompanied Paul, Silas, and Timothy to Philippi.  This is found in Acts.

1)      Acts 16:1-40 is a record of a portion of Paul’s second missionary journey accompanied by Silas.  Their path led through Galatia (in modern Turkey) where they met Timothy and then together went on to Troas—near Troy—where they joined Luke.  In response to a divine vision, they crossed the Aegean Sea to Macedonia where the foursome ministered in Philippi until Paul and Silas were unjustly imprisoned and then quickly released when they discovered his Roman citizenship. Notice the “we” passages penned by Luke that start in Troas and end in Philippi—but restart later.

a.       Four major ministry events at Philippi in Acts 16 are background for the book of Philippians.

                        i.         The first event is meeting the women at the place of prayer by the river where Lydia is       converted.  She begs for the opportunity to offer hospitality to them.

                      ii.         Next, we have the demonized slave girl’s unwanted advertisement and her exorcism.

                    iii.         Then, Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned for tampering with someone’s                “property” and silencing their cash cow.

                    iv.         Finally, the Lord intervenes while Paul & Silas are singing, and an earthquake opens the    prison doors.  This leads to the conversion of the jailer.  Ultimately, they are freed            when their Roman citizenship is discovered.

b.          The four ministry team members at Philippi are Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy.

2)         In Acts 17 apparently Timothy as well as Luke stayed in Philippi while Paul and Silas went on to Thessalonica. Note 17:2 that they stayed there about three weeks in Philippi.

3)         In Philippians 4:15-16 the church at Philippi sent funds to Paul while at Thessalonica (their very next stop down the road) more than once.

4)         In Acts 18:1-11; 2 Corinthians 11:7-9 we learn that as Paul went on to Corinth after a short visit to Berea and Athens – where Timothy and Silas rejoined them from Philippi and along with another couple – Aquila and Priscilla -- taught for eighteen months. While there—in Corinth in the province of Achaia (today, southern Greece)—they again received ministry funds from the “churches of Macedonia” – likely referring to Philippi, Berea, and Thessalonica in the province of Macedonia.  (But notice, only Philippi is ever actually specifically mentioned as a giving church).

5)         In Romans 15:25-26; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 (with Acts 18:23); and 2 Corinthians 9:1-5, 12-13 Paul traveled through Corinth in his second missionary journey and until the end of his third missionary journey he began planning a fundraising campaign for the needy churches in Jerusalem and Judea touting the Philippian’s spirit of giving as an example to all the other churches.

6)         In Acts 18:18-23 Paul completes his second missionary journey and reports back to his home church at Antioch in the province of Syria (in modern Syria) and begins his third missionary journey. Meanwhile, he continually brags about Philippi and the “churches of Macedonia.”

7)         In Acts 19:1-10 it is on this third trip that Paul ministers in Ephesus (modern Turkey facing the Aegean Sea) for more than two years.

8)         In Acts 20:1-6; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 Paul left Ephesus – knowing he wouldn’t see them again – and crosses over to Macedonia whose churches (probably primarily Philippi) had begged to be able to participate as he begins collecting the planned relief funds.

9)         In Acts 21:17-19 Paul eventually returned to Jerusalem with the relief funds and a report on the ministry to the Gentiles – and likely their gift was exhibit “A”.

10)      In Acts 21:27-25:12; Philippians 4:10 Paul was imprisoned at Caesarea for two years, but Philippi was unable – some translations say “lacked an opportunity” though they desired – to help financially.  Perhaps sacrificial giving toward the Jerusalem relief effort left them scraping the bottom of the barrel for some time.

11)      In Philippians 4:18 after being transferred (and transshipped!) to the prison at Rome—a very lengthy and harrowing journey—while awaiting trial before Caesar, the Philippians were finally able to send Epaphroditus with funds for Paul’s needs.

12)      In Philippians 3:2, 18-19; 4:6, 19 Epaphroditus brought questions about various ministry opponents and concerns about being able to continue helping while they were in poverty.

13)      In Philippians 2:19-30 the church at Philippi also hoped he could use Epaphroditus to assist him and send Timothy back to them.

14)      In Philippians 2:25-30 Paul decided instead to keep Timothy and send a letter back with Epaphroditus answering their concerns.  This is the letter to the Philippians that we now read.

[Research:  Some of this information was gleaned from Dr. Daniel B. Wallace' unpublished introduction to Philippians.]

© Eric Thimell 2018