Partners in the Gospel (Phil 1:1-11)

Philippi (named after Philip 11, the father of Alexander the Great) was located in eastern Macedonia, in what is today part of Greece. At the time of Paul, Philippi was a Roman colony. As a Roman colony, the affairs of Philippi were managed as if Philippi were in Italy. The citizens of Philippi were also Roman citizens. Rome settled many veterans in Roman colonies such as Philippi, thus placing loyal citizens in strategic spots throughout the empire. The Egnatian Way, the main road between Rome and the East,
past through Philippi.

The apostle Paul first visited Philippi in around A.D. 51 on his second missionary journey. It was there that he planted the first Christian congregation on European soil. Read about Paul’s visit in Acts 16:6-40. You might want to consult a biblical map showing Asia Minor and Macedonia to locate the places mentioned in 16:6-12.

1. Why did Paul go to Macedonia?

Paul’s usual practice was to first go to the synagogue to proclaim the Gospel to those gathered there-Jews and Gentiles who worshiped God (Acts 13:14; 14:l; 17:l-3). Apparently there were so few Jews living in Philippi that there was no synagogue. So on the Sabbath, Paul and his companions went to the river where they expected to find a place of prayer.

2. Who were among those who believed the Gospel, were baptized, and thus became members of the church in Philippi?

Note that in 16:10 Luke, the author of Acts, uses the pronoun we, indicating that he was among Paul’s companions who accompanied him to Macedonia.

According to 16:1-3 who also was among Paul’s companions?

Apparently Luke stayed behind in Philippi when Paul and Silas were asked to leave, because he doesn’t use first-person pronouns (we, us) again until Acts 20:6, when Paul and his companions were again departing from Philippi after a later visit.

The believers in Macedonia sent support for Paul’s later ministry when he was in Corinth (2 Corinthians 11:7-9). And moved by God’s grace, the Macedonia believers, out of their poverty, contributed generously to the collection Paul was gathering for the poor Jewish church in Judea (2 Corinthians 8:1-5). A warm relationship developed between Paul and the believers in Philippi.

At the time of the writing of Philippians, Paul was in prison (Philippians 1:13). The traditional view is that Paul wrote this letter while imprisoned in Rome, along with the other captivity letters-Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians. While some scholars have proposed other circumstances for the writing of Philippians, the evidence found in Philippians seems to best fit with the traditional view that Paul was imprisoned in Rome. Paul expressed optimism that he might soon be released (Philippians 1:25; 2:24), which might indicate that the book of Philippians was written toward the end of his imprisonment, around A.D. 61. The Philippian believers heard about Paul’s imprisonment and again sent him support in the form of gifts (probably of money) and in the form of a man named Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25; 4:18).

Read about Paul’s Roman imprisonment in Acts 28:17-31.

Then read Philippians 1:1-11.

3. Paul describes himself and Timothy as servants (in Greek this word literally means “slaves”) of Christ Jesus (1:1). Paul addresses the believers in Philippi as saints, that is, as those who have been made holy.

How have they been made holy?

4. Paul’s greeting (1:2) is really a blessing. Why are grace and peace such important blessings for Christians (see Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:27; and Philippians 4:6-7)?

Note Paul’s coupling of Jesus with God the Father. God the Father and God the Son are the source of these blessings.

5. What is the reason for Paul’s joy as he prays for the Philippians (1:4-5)? Of what might Paul be thinking?

6. The good work to which Paul refers in 1:6 is salvation; this good work is evidenced by the Philippians’ partnership with Paul in the Gospel… 
In whom does Paul place his confidence that this good work of salvation would be brought to completion in the Philippians (1:6)? How does 1:7 support Paul’s point? What do these verses say about who is responsible for salvation from beginning to end?

7. Compare Philippians 1:9 with Colossians 1:8-9. Christian love is more than sentiment. What needs to inform that love?

8. What does Paul pray will result as love informed by knowledge and insight abounds in the lives of the Philippians (1:10-11)? Who is the source of their righteousness? What is the ultimate goal of living righteous lives, that is, of sanctification?