The Letter to the Philippians

Philippians

Philippians

Come with me, if you will, to a place to the north east of Greece, to the area known as Macedonia. We are going to a town that was founded under the leadership of an Athenian General called Kallistratos. This new colony profited from its privileged location on the only route from the coastline to the mainland, close to abundant sources of water and with access to a wealth of agricultural goods, timber for shipbuilding, and rich gold and silver mines.

The Macedonian King Philip II (359-336 BC) took over the area in 356 BC. He fortified it with strong city walls, built the Theatre, installed Macedonian settlers, and renamed it Philippi. The Macedonian king carried out drainage works in the surrounding marsh- lands, which added to the total amount of cultivable land. Through intensive exploitation of the neighbouring mines, Philip turned the city into an important economic centre in the kingdom of Macedon. 

The period of the successors of Alexander the Great down to the final clash between the Macedonian kingdom and Roman forces was for the city of Philippi one of tranquillity and no active involvement in important historical events. 

Roman period

At the time of the Roman Republic, the great Roman road Via Egnatia, an important military and commercial road, which linked Europe to Asia, passed through Philippi and brought the city to the forefront of major historical events. 

In 42BC outside the city’s western walls there took place an event, which was a landmark for the history of the city, and, more importantly, for the history of the Roman Empire. This was the Battle of Philippi waged between the armies of the republicans Cassius and Brutus and the followers of Julius Caesar, Octavian and Marc Antony. The defeat of the republicans led to the end of the Roman Republic and opened Octavian’s road to the Empire

During the time they were camped in the plain of Philippi, both Antony and Octavian saw the strategic and economic importance of the city and the greater area.

In the years following the battle Philippi received new settlers who relocated from their lands in Italy to settle in the fertile Philippi region. These Roman colonists lived together with the local populations and were given parcels of land.

Thus, with a special tax free status of the ‘ius italicum’ a new aristocracy was established in the Macedonian city, which acquired a purely Roman character, reflected not only in its splendid edifices and art works but also in its inscriptions, which were written in the official language, Latin. In addition to the native population and Roman settlers, populations from Asia settled in Philippi — including many Jews — who brought with them a variety of religious traditions. The presence of new population groups in the region is confirmed by inscriptions found in the city’s cemeteries. 

Philippi had now become a Small Rome.

Among the people who lived there now was a small group of people, who met together to pray and to worship God. Some of them may have been Jews and they would meet together on the Sabbath. They may even have had some knowledge of this new Christian way of life from traders and travellers as they passed along the Via Egnatia from Asia to Europe. What we do know is that they prayed.

Let me take you now over the sea to the south east into Asia Minor. We come to a Town called Troas, or Troy as it had been in former times. The year is about 49 or 50 AD and here we find a group of travelling missionaries, among whom is Luke, the writer of Acts, Timothy, Silas and their leader Paul. They hadn’t intended to be there. They had tried to go to the province of Asia and then to Bythinia, but the Spirit of God had prevented them from doing so. Here they were in this coastal town of Troas, waiting to see what God wanted them to do next. We don’t know how long they stayed as biblical accounts are often foreshortened.

In Acts 16 v 9 we read this:

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

What better illustration could there be of God at work here. The small group of worshippers at prayer in Philippi and God already at work in preparing to meet the needs of that small group in the person of Paul himself. And what a part they were about to play in God’s bigger plan to bring the Gospel to Europe!

This is the encouraging thing about the church. We are part of a family here in our town and we may be in a small group within that family, but we must not lose sight of the fact that we are part of something much bigger. We are part of God’s plan to bring the gospel to the wider world.

Paul clearly understood now why the Spirit of God had led him to Troas. They set out at once over the sea to Neapolis on the coast and then to Philippi. There is a record of Paul’s visit to Philippi in Acts 16. He met with those who had been praying and we read of the conversion of Lydia and her household. We see how he freed a slave girl who was being abused and exploited by her owners. We see the problems this caused and how He and Silas were flogged and thrown in prison, but this episode led to the conversion of the jailer and his household.

When you read Paul’s letter to the Philippians, which he wrote from prison, but this time in Rome, you can see that Paul had developed a special relationship with them and they with him. Here was your dear friend who had come to you as an answer to prayer and who had taught you many things. Yet you had to watch helplessly as he was opposed and beaten and put in prison. It’s not hard to understand the genuine love and concern they had for Paul.

Just as the Philippian Church had this special relationship with Paul, we in our own church have many opportunities to partner with others in the furtherance of God’s kingdom here and abroad. The Philippian Church has provided us with such an example of love and concern. Are we living up to that example? Are we doing all that we can to be informed about our co-workers so that we can support them more effectively in material needs and in prayer?

So let us now go to Lydia’s house. A letter has arrived from Paul and that is probably where they all met to listen to it. Who is there? There is Lydia, of course, and all her family. Lydia, you remember, was the business woman, the dealer in the rich purple fabric. There was the slave girl who had been freed from the demon that possessed her. There was the Roman jailer and his family. There was Euodia and Syntyche, two women who had helped Paul in his work in the town. In spite of some kind of falling out, they had come to hear the letter. There were members of Caesar’s household, probably Roman’s who had come to believe. And it may well have been Epaphroditus, who had brought the letter to them. He was the young man whom they had sent to take care of Paul’s needs, but who himself had become seriously ill. From rich to poor, cutting through all classes, the Church at Philippi clearly showed that the Gospel was for everyone, regardless of status or position.

I want you to imagine that you are part of that group of people. You may identify yourself with Lydia, or with a former Jew, who has become a believer. You may be the jailer, or member of his household. You may be that slave girl, set free from that spirit of divination. You may be a Roman or Greek convert. You may even be Euodia or Syntache, who have temporarily put aside your differences in order to hear for yourselves what Paul has to say.

You are keen to hear what he has to say.

 And what an encouragement to you when the letter is read.

Paul knows that they are concerned about him and he is concerned about their concern. There is a genuine love here:

Philippians 1:12 “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.”

And Paul is grateful for their prayers

Philippians 1:19 “for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.”

Paul doesn’t know in what way that deliverance will take place, but there is that wonderful verse:

Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

If he is to go on living it will be to lead a fruitful life in Christ, but if he is to die it will be to go to be with him. 

And he knows that the Philippian Christians continue to be anxious on his behalf, even though they have troubles of their own:

Philippians 1:30 “since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” In chapter 2 Paul reminds you that you are in Christ, you have experienced his love and have the Spirit to help you.

Paul will be encouraged and his joy will be complete when he sees the believers with the same mindset as Jesus. Christ has given himself to us fully. He was and is fully God, but he emptied himself and took on the very nature of a servant, became obedient even to death. 

And Paul urges you to continue to live in the right way.

Philippians 2:12 “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,”

Remember Jesus at the last supper, when he laid aside his outer garments, wrapped himself in a towel to perform the task that was usually given to the lowliest of servants. He knelt down and washed his disciples’ feet. When he had finished, he took off the towel, put on the garment again and resumed his place. And he said: I have given you an example. 

As you take on the mindset of Christ Jesus, as you follow his example, the God will work in you to enable you to do it.

Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

Paul is keen for them to understand how important their faith is to him:

Philippians 2:17–18 “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.” .

And then we see deep caring nature that Paul has for the community in Philippi and that they have for him. Think of Timothy and Epaphroditus. Of Timothy he writes:

Philippians 2:20 “I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare.”

And of Epaphroditus Paul writes:

Philippians 2:25–27 “But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.”

You know you care when it hurts to receive news that someone is in need or in trouble or is ill. This was the kind of genuine relationship that Paul had with this church.

The next part of the letter contains a reminder that our faith is in Christ alone. There is nothing that we can achieve or gain in life by ourselves that will bring us near to God. If there were anyone who by intellect of by effort could put himself right with God, Paul would have good reason to be that person. But all his achievements are like a pile of dung. Totally useless.

Philippians 3:8–9 “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

And then Paul wants to encourage the community at Philippi to press on. Using the analogy of a race, where you strain towards what is ahead, forgetting what is behind:

Philippians 3:13–14 “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

The goal is our citizenship in heaven.

Philippians 3:20–21 “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

God always has more for you to do

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

In Chapter 4 is Paul’s encouragement to stand firm in the Lord. Troubles and disagreements may come along as it seems to have done with Euodia and Syntyche. Here were two women who had worked alongside Paul in the Gospel work and yet now they need help. If not dealt with, these disagreements can develop into strongholds, which can keep us prisoners, spiritually.

Paul has given us tools with which to tear down or defeat these strongholds. The tools are worship, gentleness, prayer, thanksgiving, meditation, discipleship.

And, finally, we come to the section: learning to be content, whatever the circumstances. The church in Philippi was always eager to hear news of Paul and it distressed them whenever they heard that he was in need or in difficulty. More than once they sent aid to him, and sometimes they were the only church community to do so. What a wonderful commitment they had made. From their point of view, this was an open ended, lifelong commitment. Whenever there was need, they would be there to help. There was no sense in which it was to be time limited or dependent on whether they had the resources to draw on. This commitment was based on their deep, genuine care.

If we look at our own Church fellowship we can ask of ourselves the same things. What are the things that we want to support? What is our support based on? Is it out of deep, genuine care? Or is it out of a sense of duty? Are we supporting because we think we ought to, or because that’s what Christians are meant to do? Or are we supporting because we really want to. We see the work we are supporting as part of the same work that we are involved in – the work of the Gospel, and those we support are partners with us in that work.

It had been something like two years since the Philippian Church had last had news of Paul. Imagine their distress when they were told that he was in prison in Rome, probably chained to a guard.

You are that Philippian Church. What are you thinking as you hear these verses? Philippians 4:10 “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.”

Philippians 4:11 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

Philippians 4:12 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:14 “Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.”

Paul, in prison, yet he is glad that he is able to thell them how much he appreciates their concern for him. He was anxious to take away their anxiety. His thoughts were not for himself or his circumstances. Paul has learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

That reminds me of the prophet Habakkuk, who at first found himself almost overwhelmed by circumstances and cried out to God: Why aren’t you doing anything about this? I’ve been calling out to you day after day and you won’t answer; maybe you are not even listening. Read the story for yourself, when you are sitting on your chair; it’s just a few chapters long. At the start of the book, Habakkuk is defeated by circumstances, but in the end he is triumphant over circumstances.

Look at these verses from Habakkuk

Habakkuk 3:17 “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,”

Habakkuk 3:18 “yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.”

Habakkuk 3:19 “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.”

That’s the secret of contentment that Paul had discovered: Whatever the circumstances, rejoice and that theme of rejoicing permeates this letter.

Look at verse 13

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

This verse is often taken out of context to mean that whatever we choose to do we will be successful because God will help us to do it. But let’s look at it more closely and in its context. Paul is chained to a Roman soldier; his future looks bleak from a human perspective; he does not know what the future holds for him. I don’t think he is hoping  for another earthquake like the one when he was in prison in Philippi.

So what is Paul saying here? This really is a statement of victory because he is in Christ. The words “can do” really mean “I am strong” I am strong in my union with Christ. I am strong because of my union with Christ. In every situation I can do well because of my place in Christ. I am strong in all situations because of my union with Christ.

That’s why he was able to say as in verse 11

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

That’s an important message that Paul wanted the Philippian Church to take hold of. Whatever the circumstances, whatever the situation, if you are rooted in Christ, you will be content, you will be strong, because it is not your own strength that will carry you through. It is the strength that Jesus gives you.

Paul, in his travels, has gone through many experiences. There have been many hardships and periods of need, but also periods when he has had more than enough. As long as they have known Paul, the Philippian Church have always sought to help him in whatever way they could. Paul calls their support 

a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

Perhaps they thought they were just sending aid to Paul, but Paul tells them that their gifts were to God.

It was their partnership with him that enabled Paul to take the gospel into the heart of Europe. Paul has experienced God meeting all his needs and he encourages the Philippian Church to take hold of that message for themselves; to really know that that same God, his God and their God will also meet their needs.

We need to take verses 19 and 20 together

Philippians 4:19–20 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

This is not a promise of prosperity, nor is it a blank cheque. In context, the Philippian church, perhaps sacrificially, gave to Paul. Their only motivation was to try to see that Paul had what he needed, and in that sense it was a gift to God. 

Here’s what one commentator wrote:

“You met my need, and God is going to meet your need. You met one need that I have, but my God will meet all of your needs. You gave out of your poverty, but God will supply your needs out of His riches in glory!” And we come to Paul’s Final Greetings

Philippians 4:21–22 “Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.”

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

There is no doubt that Paul shared with the Christians in Rome his knowledge of the Church in Philippi. There is nothing that suggests that this desire to send greetings is superficial. That’s a challenge for us, too, isn’t it. Are we building genuine relations with those groups with whom we are connected/ or do we maintain a certain distance.

“We’ll support you financially, but we won’t go much beyond that.” I’ll leave that challenge in the air. 

As for the Church in Philippi, I’m sure that when they read the letter for the first time, they were relieved and encouraged and at the same time anxious and concerned for Paul. I’m also sure that they left Lydia’s house with a deeper knowledge of their faith and were inspired to press on to win the prize, knowing that they had chosen the right path and that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ would be with them.