letters) from the Philippian Church may in some degree have sug- gested the course which his thought pursues. He feels thoroughly at home with his readers. Thoughts crowd in upon him as he writes. His reminiscences of Philippi supply secret links of connexion be- tween paragraphs which might seem isolated from one another, links of connexion which we can no longer trace. Many of his ideas he does not require to elaborate. A brief hint will bring his readers into touch with the Apostle’s mind.
It is quite plain, from a comparison of this with his other letters, that no Church held a deeper place in Paul's affection. This may be accounted for in various ways. Evidently the Judaising section of the Church had not, as yet, been able to gain a footing at Philippi, although there is little doubt that attempts must have been made. The Christians there refused to lend their ears to insinuations against their well-tried teacher and friend. They believed in the Gospel as Paul had presented it to them. This unflinching loyalty of theirs would be a genuine consolation to the Apostle amidst so many dis- heartening experiences endured through the fickleness of once pro- mising converts. No wonder that he calls them his joy and crown.!
But, besides, there was, in all likelihood, a certain frank open- heartedness, an affectionate simplicity of nature, which appealed directly to the mind of Paul. The Macedonians, as a people, had preserved the manners of a more artless time. They had suffered comparatively little from the corruption of an enervating age. They had maintained, perhaps, above all other parts of Greece, a healthy tone of life, a sturdy morality (cf. Renan, St. Paul, pp. 136-139). When the Gospel came to them they received it with a child-like responsiveness. And their appreciation of its worth remained no mere empty feeling. It took practical shape. No sooner had Paul left Philippi than they began to consider his needs and, with unhesi- tating generosity, to minister to them (see ch. iv. 15-16). And when the Apostle made his great collection for the poorer Christians at Jerusalem, the Churches of Macedonia amazed him by their liberality. It was natural that Paul should be drawn into a specially cordial intimacy with such a people. He had proved their loyalty; he had received numerous tokens of their affection. A man of his open and enthusiastic temperament would rejoice to find a Church to which he could unveil his heart without any doubts or misgivings.
The undertone of the Epistle is a deep, restrained joy. This Springs partly from his unalloyed satisfaction in the Christians
1On fidelity as characteristic of the Macedonian people see an interesting note in Lightfoot, Biblical Essays, p. 248, note 5.