To answer the question, “Who were the Philippians?” we must understand the historical and biblical context in which they lived. The apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians as a letter to the church at Philippi, one of his favorite church plants. His primary goal was to encourage them and thank them for their financial support. Paul’s words to the Philippians are just as relevant to us today as they were in the first century because they encourage faithfulness, humility, and gratitude even during persecution.
How the Church at Philippi Began
The city of Philippi in Northern Greece was named after Alexander the Great’s father, King Philip II of Macedon. It was the leading city of its district in Macedonia and was located on a Roman road called the Via Egnatia, which connected the eastern and western parts of the empire. The city was also close to gold mines and was a hub of business and culture. As a Roman colony with retired soldiers, there was a strong sense of Roman pride among the residents. This likely put the new believers at odds with many in the city, since they worshiped Jesus, not Caesar.
Paul started the church at Philippi on his second missionary journey, and it was the first church he planted in the Gentile world. Acts 16 describes how Paul, along with his traveling companions Timothy and Silas, arrived in the city and struck up a conversation with a woman named Lydia. She sold purple cloth, so she likely had economic means, as purple was a sign of wealth and status. Lydia responded to the gospel, and she and her household were baptized.
While they were planting the church at Philippi, Paul drove out a fortune-telling demon from a possessed slave girl. When her owners realized they could no longer make money off her demonic abilities, they had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown into prison. Even while bloody and bruised, Paul and Silas continued to share the gospel in jail, and the jailer was saved as a result. In fact, he and all his family were baptized.
While the church in Philippi began with Lydia’s family, the slave girl, and the jailer, it grew from there. As the church grew, its members also became acquainted with the persecution that came from living for Christ in the Roman world.
Paul’s Purpose in Writing the Philippians
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi between 60 and 64 A.D. while imprisoned in Rome. The church at Philippi sent a man named Epaphroditus to bring Paul a financial gift, and in response, Paul wrote the letter to thank them for their generosity and offer encouragement. He greeted the Philippians warmly, expressed his care for them, and shared his pride at hearing about their growing faith. He mentions that Timothy was also involved in sending the letter.
Epaphroditus had been extremely sick and close to death, and the people of the Philippian church had prayed for him. Paul was excited to send Epaphroditus to them because his presence would be a living answer to their prayers.
Paul recognized his life was likely on the line because of his witness, but he expressed purpose and peace in whatever God’s plan for him might be. Paul had a deep connection with the people and the church at Philippi, and he wanted to make sure he told them everything God had placed on his heart while he still had the opportunity.
Themes in Philippians
Instead of focusing on a central theme, Paul covered a variety of topics in his writing to the church at Philippi, including:
- Staying focused on advancing God’s kingdom.
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” — Philippians 1:21
Paul knew he would likely face Roman execution for his faith. After all, he was well acquainted with beatings and imprisonments, and he was in prison once again. Yet he was determined to advance the gospel with every breath God gave him, and he was at peace if God’s plan was to call him home to Heaven.
Paul wasn’t seeking affirmation or fulfillment from temporary earthly things. He was totally focused on doing God’s work. After all, he said he was pressing on “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
- The need for unity.
“Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” — Philippians 2:2
Paul took time to encourage Philippian church members Euodia and Syntyche to “be of the same mind in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2). He encouraged the church to “do all things without complaining and disputing (Philippians 2:14).” Paul knew that for the church at Philippi to advance God’s kingdom, they needed to be unified.
- The importance of humility.
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” — Philippians 2:3
Unity in the body of Christ isn’t possible without humility. Paul called on the Philippian believers to prioritize others, because this would increase their unity and effectiveness as a church. God has called the church to be a community that loves and cares for each other while also serving others.
- Rejoicing and experiencing God’s peace in all circumstances.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:6-7
There were many circumstances that could have caused the Philippians anxiety, yet Paul reminded them to give all their concerns to God and assured them that God would give them peace. He also encouraged them to remember all the blessings God had given them both individually and as a church. These words are especially notable because Paul himself was facing possible death, yet he learned how to have peace in Christ despite anything people did to him.
- Resisting false teaching.
“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” — Philippians 3:8
Paul warned the Philippians they would likely face false teachers who might try to distort the gospel. He encouraged them to remember the truths they had been taught, and he reminded them that salvation is a gift that can’t be earned. He listed everything in his life that the world would consider great achievements. Still, he said none of it mattered compared to his relationship with God. He wanted to leave a legacy for the church at Philippi that living a life for Christ is worth more than any physical achievement.
Imitating Christ’s Humility
Paul spent a key portion of the letter to the church at Philippi reflecting on Jesus’ humility and encouraged his readers to learn from Jesus’ example. He said because Jesus “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross,” God in turn “exalted Him and (gave) Him the name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:8-9).
The concept of the humble being exalted and the exalted being humbled was a major point of Jesus’ teachings while on earth. Jesus clearly taught that humility is essential to living a Godly life. Paul wanted to reinforce this as he taught the Philippians to be more Christ-like.
Why the Philippians Matter Today
The Philippians developed a strong faith in Christ even when experiencing difficult circumstances. Paul wrote to teach them about unity, joy, humility, and perseverance, which was deep material for a short book of four chapters. Yet these are all still things we need to grow in our faith today. We can learn much from Paul’s bold leadership of the early church.
When we understand early Christians like the Philippians were real people facing real hardship, we realize we can learn from their example and would be wise to apply Paul’s words to them. After all, if they learned to praise God and have peace even when times were tough, we can as well.