In order to help understand the book of Philippians we need to know well Acts chapter 16. It tells us much about the people and the place of Philippi.
- Luke joined Paul, Silas & Timothy (from "they & them" to "we & us")
- There was apparently no synagogue in Philippi as Paul went to the riverside where he supposed there would be a 'place of prayer'
- Lydia seems to be the first one in this part of Europe to receive the Gospel
- She then was baptized
- Her transformation was immediately shown by her inviting Paul and group to her home
- Paul was 'greatly annoyed' by a slave girl who had an evil spirit. He commanded the evil spirit to leave her, which it did, this gained Paul & Silas a beating and jail.
- About midnight while Paul & Silas were praying and singing hymns there was an earthquake. Prison doors were opened, chains were broken. This was a MAJOR crisis for the jailer who drew his sword and was going to kill himself. He was stopped by Paul and asked "What must I do to be saved?"
- The jailer became a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ
- He was baptized
- His transformation was immediately shown by his loving care in washing the wounds and caring for Paul & Silas
Helpful things to remember about Philippi.
- It was a Roman colony situated about 10 miles in from where Paul & Silas landed
- It was on the main highway between Asia and Europe
- Philippian citizens were very proud of being Romans and despised the Jews
- Paul was a Pharisee, the strictest sect of the Jews
- Philippians was written about 30 years after the the LORD's death on the cross
- Paul seems to have a deeper love for the Philippian believers than we detect in his other Epistles
- Lydia - likely one of the first European converts
- Philippian jailor - tried to kill himself while Paul & Silas were under his care, convert to Christianity
- Slave girl with an evil spirit whom Paul set free
- Epaphroditus - Fellow worker of Paul, messenger sent from Philippi to Paul, risked his life for Paul
- Eudian & Syntache - Women who co-labored with Paul, needed some help resolving problems between them
- Clement - fellow worker of Paul likely helped establish church at Philippi
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