By David Wright
Paul, along with Silas and Timothy, established the Philippian church on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:12-40). Apparently, most of the new converts were non-Jewish. The absence of a synagogue in the city (v. 13) indicated that few Jews lived in the area. In addition, the names of the Philippians mentioned in Paul’s letter to the church (Epaphroditus, Euodia, Syntyche, and Clement) pointed to a predominantly Gentile congregation.
The city of Philippi was a Roman military colony (Acts 16:12). Its citizens “enjoyed the same rights and privileges as if their land were part of Italian soil” (New Bible Dictionary, ed. I. H. Marshall et al., p. 918). Civic pride spilled over into the Philippian church and caused disunity. Imprisoned in Rome, Paul received financial assistance from the congregation (Phil. 4:10-18). In his letter he thanked his friends for their generosity, but he gently rebuked them for failing to live and work together in harmony.
The Philippians needed to humble themselves. Paul said that a Christian’s “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Phil. 2:5-7, NIV). Jesus was fully God. He enjoyed all the splendor and glory of heaven. But he voluntarily relinquished his exalted position to serve others, and even died on a shameful Roman cross for them (v. 8).
When Christians adopt the Savior’s humble attitude, peace reigns in the church. It was this unity that Paul longed for when he appealed to the Philippians. “Do nothing from selfishness or conceit,” he wrote, “but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3-4).
