Acts 16:6-24 (Introduction to Philippians, 1)

1.   Who wrote Philippians? Paul and Timothy, 1:1.  Timothy may have written the letter as Paul dictated.  At the time Paul was in prison.  Paul’s imprisonments:

a.   In Philippi, Acts 16:16-40 

b.   In Ephesus, 1 Corinthians 15:32

c.   In Caesarea, Acts 24-26 

d.   In Rome, Acts 28:16,30-31

e.   In Rome again, 2 Timothy 1:8,12,17; 4:1-1

Most feel Philippians was written during the first Roman imprisonment, though a good case is made for the Ephesian imprisonment.

2.   To whom was this letter written? The Church at Philippi, 1:1

a.   Philippi was originally known as Crenides (Greek for “fountains”, referring to the many springs in the area) but was renamed after and by Philip of Macedon (father of Alexander the Great).  It was 10 miles from Neapolis (the end of the Egnation Road, the famed military road of 490 miles that connected Rome with Macedonia and Achaia (Athens, Corinth, etc.). 

b.   From the Greeks it passed to the Romans (along with all of Macedonia) & nearby was fought an important Roman battle in 42AD.  At that time it was made a Roman colony, which made it a piece of Rome transplanted.  Veterans of battle were settled there.  A Roman colony involved 3 things:

                         i.    libertas (self-government).

                        ii.    immunitas (freedom from paying tribute to Rome).

                       iii.    ius italicum (rights of those living in Italy). 

c.   The Philippians were very jealous and proud of their status.  The city rulers called themselves praetors (“magistrates” in the AV, Acts 16:20-22) and were accompanied by lictors (officials who carried rods to beat offenders, Acts 16:22), imitating the Roman pattern. 

d.   The church at Philippi was founded by Paul (Acts 16), being the first church established on European soil.  Paul was called in a dream to come over to Macedonia and help us (v9).  Upon reaching the city, he found no synagogue (not enough Jews) and so went to the place of prayer (v13) near the Angites River.  His first convert was a business woman named Lydia; later converts included the jailer and his household (v33).  Others are mentioned in Phil. 2:25 and 4:2-3.  It was predominantly a Gentile church, although they were being bothered by Judaizers, those Jewish Christians who taught that Gentile converts had to follow the Old Testament Law.