books of Irenaeus against Gnosticism, and the ten books of the Philosophumena of Hippolytus;
and this patent fact is the best proof of their apostolic origin.§ 97. The Epistle to the Philippians.
The Church at Philippi.
Philippi was a city of Macedonia, founded by and called after Philip, the father of Alexander
the Great, in a fertile region, with contiguous gold and silver mines, on the banks of a small river
and the highway between Asia and Europe, ten miles from the seacoast. It acquired immortal fame
by the battle between Brutus and Mark Antony (b.c. 42), in which the Roman republic died and
the empire was born. After that event it had the rank of a Roman military colony, with the
high-sounding title, "Colonia Augusta Julia Philippensis."^1177 Hence its mixed population, the
Greeks, of course, prevailing, next the Roman colonists and magistrates, and last a limited number
of Jews, who had a place of prayer on the riverside. It was visited by Paul, in company with Silas,
Timothy, and Luke, on his second missionary tour, in the year 52, and became the seat of the first
Christian congregation on the classical soil of Greece. Lydia, the purple dealer of Thyatira and a
half proselyte to Judaism, a native slave-girl with a divining spirit, which was used by her masters
as a means of gain among the superstitious heathen, and a Roman jailer, were the first converts,
and fitly represent the three nationalities (Jew, Greek, and Roman) and the classes of society which
were especially benefited by Christianity. "In the history of the gospel at Philippi, as in the history
of the church at large, is reflected the great maxim of Christianity, the central truth of the apostle’s
teaching, that here is ’neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female, but
all are one in Christ Jesus.’ "^1178 Here, also, are the first recorded instances of whole households (of
Lydia and the jailer) being baptized and gathered into the church, of which the family is the chief
nursery. The congregation was fully organized, with bishops (presbyters) and deacons at the head
(Phil. 1:1).
Here the apostle was severely persecuted and marvellously delivered. Here he had his most
loyal and devoted converts, who were his "joy and crown." For them he felt the strongest personal
attachment; from them alone he would receive contributions for his support. In the autumn of the
year 57, after five years’ absence, he paid a second visit to Philippi, having in the meantime kept
up constant intercourse with the congregation through living messengers; and on his last journey
to Jerusalem, in the spring of the following year, he stopped at Philippi to keep the paschal feast
with his beloved brethren. They had liberally contributed out of their poverty to the relief of the
churches in Judaea. When they heard of his arrival at Rome, they again sent him timely assistance
through Epaphroditus, who also offered his personal services to the prisoner of the Lord, at the
sacrifice of his health and almost his life. It was through this faithful fellow-worker that Paul sent
his letter of thanks to the Philippians, hoping, after his release, to visit them in person once more.
The Epistle.(^1177) Augustus conferred upon Philippi the special privilege of the "jus Italicum," which made it a miniature likeness of the
Roman people, with "praetors" and "lictors," and the other titles of the Roman magistrates. Under this character the city appears
in the narrative of the Acts (16:12 sqq.), where "the pride and privilege of Roman citizenship confront us at every turn." See
Lightfoot, pp. 50 sqq., Braune, and Lumby.
(^1178) Lightfoot, l.c., p. 53.
A.D. 1-100.