Bible Discussion Thread

INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS (Part 1):

I. ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Paul and Timothy. It is written by Paul mainly. But he also signs Timothy on. He has Timothy with him. He has Luke with him. But he says Paul and Timothy are the authors of the letter. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.

II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:

To the church in Philippi. Philippi became the first European city to receive the gospel.

III. THE HISTORY OF PHILLIPI:

The city of Philippi was founded in 357 BC by Philip II of Macedon who established and founded Philippi. And he is the father of Alexander the Great. Of course, his name being Philip, he named it after himself. Philippi was a city of Macedonia in Northern Greece. It was some 700 miles from Rome and enjoyed full Roman citizenship privileges.

Philippi cooperated so much with the Romans coming in and capturing the land, that Rome turned around and rewarded them by giving them full Roman citizenship and privileges, just like the city of Rome itself.

This is why some of the military from the Roman armies settled in Philippi, because full Roman citizenship and privileges was given to them. It was called "Little Rome" to the people of the day because Philippi was a small version of Rome itself. 700 miles, remember that figure because I'll share something else here in a minute.

Hello Jesse

A bit of history about the city of Philippi.

The city was first established by people of Thasos, Greeks from a nearby island. It's initial name was Crenides. After Philip of Macedon conquered the place he renamed it after his name, Philippi ( in grk Philippoi, the -oi ending is plural). During the Roman times it became an important city and a Roman colony. It was colonised twice. The first time was by Octavian Augustus and Mark Antony after the battle of Philippi. The second time was again by Octavian Augustus after the battle of Actium. That second time retired Roman soldiers inhabited the city. During the Roman era was a one of the most important Roman cities in Greece. Later after the Roman era the city lost its initial glamour and became an unimportant town and was renamed its initial name, Crenides, as it is called since then. Today it is a small town. Not much has been left from those times. An ancient theatre, the acropolis of the city (a fortified hill), a prehistoric settlement, and some minor things.