The book of Philippians
The Book of Philippians
What is the book of Philippians about?
The book of Philippians is an upbeat letter from Paul to the believers at Philippi. The primary purpose of the letter was to thank the Philippians for the gift they had sent him upon learning of him being jailed in Rome.
In this letter he also reports on his own circumstances, encourages them to stand firm in the face of persecution, reminds them of humility and unity, and to warn against the Judaizers (Christians who thought necessary to adopt Jewish customs and practice) among them.
The city of Philippi was named after King Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. Being a Roman colony mean that the citizens here were also citizens of Rome itself. Many of the Philippians were retired military men who had been given land. Because it was a Roman colony, it may explain why there were not enough Jews there to permit the establishment of a synagogue.
Who wrote the book of Philippians?
The author of the book of Philippians is the apostle Paul, along with Timothy (1:1).
Who is the audience?
The believers in Phillipi, a prosperous Roman colony.
Timeframe Philippians was written:
Written sometime around AD 61.
"In short" (One sentence summary):
In the book of Philippians, Paul writes to encourage the Christians at Philippi to live joyfully in every circumstance.
Fun facts about Philippians/Did you know?
Paul also points out a feud between two women, Euodias and Syntyche, but does not take sides. Rather, he encourages others that are closer to the situation to promote reconciliation between the two. It must have been a big fight for Paul to have mentioned it!
