Epistle to Philippians in Easton's Bible Dictionary
was written by Paul during the two years when he was "in
bonds"
in Rome (Phil. 1:7-13), probably early in the year
A.D. 62 or in
the end of 61.
The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their
messenger, with
contributions to meet the necessities of the
apostle; and on his
return Paul sent back with him this letter. With
this precious
communication Epaphroditus sets out on his homeward
journey.
"The joy caused by his return, and the effect of
this wonderful
letter when first read in the church of Philippi,
are hidden
from us. And we may almost say that with this letter
the church
itself passes from our view. To-day, in silent
meadows, quiet
cattle browse among the ruins which mark the site of
what was
once the flourishing Roman colony of Philippi, the
home of the
most attractive church of the apostolic age. But the
name and
fame and spiritual influence of that church will
never pass. To
myriads of men and women in every age and nation the
letter
written in a dungeon at Rome, and carried along the
Egnatian Way
by an obscure Christian messenger, has been a light
divine and a
cheerful guide along the most rugged paths of life"
(Professor
Beet).
The church at Philippi was the first-fruits of
European
Christianity. Their attachment to the apostle was
very fervent,
and so also was his affection for them. They alone
of all the
churches helped him by their contributions, which he
gratefully
acknowledges (Acts 20:33-35; 2 Cor. 11:7-12; 2
Thess. 3:8). The
pecuniary liberality of the Philippians comes out
very
conspicuously (Phil. 4:15). "This was a
characteristic of the
Macedonian missions, as 2 Cor. 8 and 9 amply and
beautifully
prove. It is remarkable that the Macedonian converts
were, as a
class, very poor (2 Cor. 8:2); and the parallel
facts, their
poverty and their open-handed support of the great
missionary
and his work, are deeply harmonious. At the present
day the
missionary liberality of poor Christians is, in
proportion,
really greater than that of the rich" (Moule's
Philippians,
Introd.).
The contents of this epistle give an interesting
insight into
the condition of the church at Rome at the time it
was written.
Paul's imprisonment, we are informed, was no
hindrance to his
preaching the gospel, but rather "turned out to the
furtherance
of the gospel." The gospel spread very extensively
among the
Roman soldiers, with whom he was in constant
contact, and the
Christians grew into a "vast multitude." It is plain
that
Christianity was at this time making rapid
advancement in Rome.
The doctrinal statements of this epistle bear a
close relation
to those of the Epistle to the Romans. Compare also
Phil. 3:20
with Eph. 2:12, 19, where the church is presented
under the idea
of a city or commonwealth for the first time in
Paul's writings.
The personal glory of Christ is also set forth in
almost
parallel forms of expression in Phil. 2:5-11,
compared with Eph.
1:17-23; 2:8; and Col. 1:15-20. "This exposition of
the grace
and wonder of His personal majesty, personal self-
abasement, and
personal exaltation after it," found in these
epistles, "is, in
a great measure, a new development in the
revelations given
through St. Paul" (Moule). Other minuter analogies
in forms of
expression and of thought are also found in these
epistles of
the Captivity.
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