The Christian community at Philippi distinguished itself in liberality. On the apostle's first \ i-il be was hospitably entertained by Lydia, and when he aft< r- wards went to Thessalonica, « here hi- reception appears to have been of a very mixed character, the Philippiaus sent him supplies more than once, anil were the only Christian community that did so (Phil. iv. 1.".'. They also contributed readily to the collection made for the relief of the poor at Jerusalem, which Paul conveyed to them at his last visit (2 Cor. viii. 1 6). Ii would seem as if I hey sent further supplies to the apostle after hi- arrival al Rome. The necessity for these appear- t.i have been urgent, and some delay to have taken place in collecting the requisite fond-: so that Epaphroditus, who carried them, risked hi- life in the endeavor to make up for lost lime (fikxpi SavaTOV ijyyiatv Tzapa- QovKtvoapiroQ n) vc\/y. 'ivn avairXnpwoy rb vfiiLv varipnua rtjg -ni.r ui Xurovpyiac, Phil. ii. 30). The delay, however, seems to have somewhat stung the
.apostle at the lime, who fancied hi- beloved flock had
forgotten him (see i\. 10 17'. Epaphroditus fill ill wiib fever from hi- efforts, ami nearly died. On recov- ering he became home-ick. and wandering in mind (aSnuovwv) from the weakness which is the sequel of fever; and Paul, although intending soon to scud Tim- othy t<> the Philippian Church, thought ii desirable to
lei Epaphroditus go without delay tO them, who had
already heard of bis sickness, and carry with him the letter which is included in the canon one which was written afreT the apostle's imprisonment at Rome had lasted a considerable lime. Some domestic troubles connected with religion had already broken out in the
c nity. Eupdias and Syntyche, who appear to be
husband and wife, are exhorted to agree with one an- other in i he mailer of their common faith; ami the for- mer is implored to extend hi- sympathy to certain fe- male- (obvioush familiar both to Paul and to him) who did good sen ice to the apostle in hi- trial- at Philippi, and who in some waj or other appear to be the occasion oi the disagreement between the pair. Possiblj a claim on the pan of these females to superior insight in spir- itual matters maj have caused some irritation: for the
apostle i lediately got'- on to remind hi- reader- thai
the peace ot (oid i- something superior to the highest iut< Uigence I i p tp v aa rrai ra i i i.
PHILIPPI
90
PHILIPPI
It would seem, as Alford says, that the cruel treat- ment of the apostle at. Philippi had combined with the charm of his personal fervor of affection to knit up a bond of more than ordinary love between him and the Philippian Church. They alone, of all churches, sent subsidies to relieve his temporal necessities" (Phil, iv, 10, 15, 18: 2 Cor. xi, 9; 1 Thess.ii, 2; Alford, Greek Test, Prol. iii, 29). The apostle felt their kindness; and during his imprisonment at Rome wrote to them that epistle which is still in our canon. This epistle indicates that at that time some of the Christians there were in the custody of the military authorities as sedi- tious persons, through some proceedings or other con- nected with their faith (Jifiiv t\apin$i] to virip Xpiarov, ov fiuvov to tig a'vTbv iriortveiv aWa Kai to VTrlp av- tov iraaxuv tov avrbv aywva ixovrtc olov uotrt h> ifxoi icaivvv cckovsti ti> tfioi, Phil, i, 29). The reports of the provincial magistrates to Rome would of course describe Paul's first visit to Philippi as the origin of the troubles there; and if this were believed, it would be put together with the charge against him by the Jews at Jerusalem which induced him to appeal to Caesar, and with the disturbances at Ephesus and elsewhere; and the general conclusion at which the government would arrive might not improbably be that he was a danger- ous person and should be got rid of. This will explain the strong exhortation of the first eighteen verses of chapter ii, and the peculiar way in which it winds up. The Philippian Christians, who are at the same time suffering for their profession, are exhorted in the most earnest manner, not to firmness (as one might have ex- pected), but to moderation, to abstinence from all prov- ocation and ostentation of their own sentiments (/iijdiv Kara ipiSdav fiTjSs Kei'odo$iai>, ver. 3), to humility, and consideration for the interests of others. They are to achieve their salvation with fear and trembling, and without quarrelling and disputing, in order to escape all blame — from such charges, that is, as the Roman colo- nists would bring against them. If with all this pru- dence and temperance in the profession of their faith, their religion is still made a penal offence, the apostle is well content to take the consequence — to precede them in martyrdom for it — to be the libation poured out upon them the victims (a Kai (nrevdofiai iiri tij Svcsia Kai XeiTovpyia ri)c ■"itTTiuic, Vfiuv, xa'Pa' Kai avy\aipio ttckjiv vfuv, ver. 17). Of course the Jewish formalists in Philippi were the parties most likely to misrepresent the conduct of the new converts; and hence (after a di- gression on the subject of Epaphroditus) the apostle re- verts to cautions against them, such precisely as he had given before — consequently by word of mouth : " Beware of those dogs" — (for they will not be children at the ta- ble, but eat the crumbs underneath) — " those doers (and bad doers too) of the law — those flesh -manglers (for circumcised I won't call them, we being the true circum- cision, etc.") (iii, 2, 3). Some of these enemies Paul found at Rome, who" told the stori/ of Christ insincerely" (KarriyyuXav oi>x ayvwc, i, 17) in the hope of increasing the severity of his imprisonment by exciting the jealousy of the court. These he opposes to such as "preached Christ" (iKi]pv%,ar) loyally, and consoles himself with •the reflection that, at all events, the story circulated, whatever the motives of those who circulated it. See Walch, Acta Paiili Philippensia (Jen. 1726); Todd. Tht Church at Philippi (Loud. 1864). See Philitpians, Epistle to.