Gresham, Charles R.

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LeavenVolume 5Issue 3 Philippians Article 51-1-1997Paul & Philippi: Historic Times and SignificantRelationshipsCharles R. GreshamFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leavenPart of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought,Theology and Philosophy of Religion CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Leaven byan authorized administrator of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Kevin.Miller3@pepperdine.edu.Recommended CitationGresham, Charles R. (1997) "Paul & Philippi: Historic Times and Significant Relationships," Leaven: Vol. 5: Iss. 3, Article 5.Available at: http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol5/iss3/512 Leaven, Summer, 1997PaulHistoric TimesWe don't handle dreams or visions well. In the con-text of our modem world, they must be explained biologi-cally or psychologically. Paul had no such problem andwas able to attribute dreams and visions to the supernatu-ral. Ever since that first encounter outside Damascus, Saulof Tarsus knew that the living God could break into hisexperience and speak and direct (Acts 9: 1-19; 22: 1-21 ;26:2-23). Ever since that day, he knew that Jesus, the risenLord, commanded his life.And Paul had no problems (as we do today) with iden-tity. He was a preacher, a teacher, and an apostle (I Tim2:7; 2 Tim 1:11), and his labors for his Lord centeredaround those roles. When he needed to invoke apostolicauthority, he did so without hesitation-as when he si-lenced the maiden with a spirit of divination in Philippi(Acts 16:18). When teaching was the order of the day,Paul could unfold God's purpose as revealed in Hebrewscriptures-as when he taught the Jewish women gath-ered for worship on the riverbank near Philippi (Acts16:11-15). But he could also preach-as when he spokeat Antioch of Syria on that first outreach journey with hisgood friend and encourager, Barnabas (see Acts 13: 1 andActs 14:26).StoryFresh with the clear consensus (as stated by Peter andJames at the conference in Jerusalem, Acts 15) that Gen-tiles need not become Jews in order to be Christians andrealizing more and more that he had a mission to suchGentile audiences, Paul, with Silas, Timothy, and perhapsPhilippi:Significant RelationshipsBy Charles Greshamothers (see Acts 15: 1-3), set out across the Asia Minorland mass to the more populous areas on the eastern shoresof the Aegean Sea.But Paul's enthusiasm could not silence the Spirit'sdirection. Paul presumed that he could move into the prov-ince of Asia and begin his evangelistic outreach, but theHoly Spirit, in some special way, forbade him to "speakthe word in Asia" (Acts 16:6). Moving north, the evange-listic party was forbidden by that selfsame Spirit to enterthe province of Bithynia. (Both of these provincial areaswould later be the focus of gospel preachers: Paul, inEphesus and Asia [see Acts 18:23-19:41]; others, inBithynia [see 1 Peter 1:1].)There was no other place to go but Troas, that ancientseaport on the Aegean. Though the Spirit had not permit-ted them to enter Asia or Bithynia, he apparently had notgiven specific direction as to what the party was to do.But direction came during the night as Paul saw a visionof "a certain man of Macedonia" calling out, "Come overto Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9). Luke tells the story(and may well have joined the preaching party at that time):"And when he had seen the vision, immediately we soughtto go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called usto preach the gospel to them" (Acts 16:10).Paul's entrance into the "colony city" of Philippi wasrather inauspicious. A Hellenistic Jew of the first order,yet, at the same time, immersed in the Jewish literature ofthe day (Phil 3:4-6; Acts 22:3-5; 26:3-8; 2 Cor 11:22-29; Gal 1:14), Paul would have known something aboutthe major cities of the Roman empire. He would have ex-1Gresham: Paul & Philippi: Historic Times and Significant RelationshipsPublished by Pepperdine Digital Commons, 1997pected (if not actually known) that there would be nofriendly Jewish synagogue where he could witness con-cerning his faith in the Messiah or teach the things aboutthe kingdom to which the Hebrew scriptures pointed (seehis later activity at Thessalonica and Berea, Acts 17:1-13).But the Sabbath was an important day for Paul andhis compatriots; expecting to find a place of prayer andworship outside the city near the riverside, Paul, Silas,Timothy, and Luke (and perhaps others) went and spoketo the women gathered there. There is no question thatthose Jewish women (Lydia and her household, and per-haps others) were to be seen as equal participants in thenew life that the gospel produced. Lydia and her house-hold were baptized as "the Lord opened her heart to re-spond to the things spoken by Paul" (Acts 16: 14). At herinvitation, the apostolic party stayed in Lydia's home.There is no indication how long the party remained inthe city of Philippi. For a number of days, Paul and hiscompanions were irritated by a young maiden possessedby an evil spirit of divination who was "bringing her mas-ters much profit by fortune telling" (Acts 16: 16). Paul be-came annoyed at this unwelcome publicity, even thoughby this evil spirit she was telling the truth-"These menare bondservants of the Most High God, who are proclaim-ing to you the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17)-and hecommanded the demon to come out from her. Sometimeafter this, her masters, unable to profit from her, seizedPaul and Silas; dragged them publicly before the authori-ties; and accused them, not of undermining their profit,but of being Jews (anti-Semitism") and of throwing "thewhole city into confusion ... proclaiming customs whichit is not lawful for us to accept or observe, being Romans"(Acts 16:20-21).There in the marketplace of Philippi, with the crowdcrying out against them (probably because of the racismreflected by the merchant men who had profited greatlyfrom this damsel's demonic activity), Paul and Silas werebeaten with rods. After many blows (perhaps renderingthem unconscious), they were thrown into the inner prisonwhere their feet were fastened in chains ("stocks"). Aboutmidnight (perhaps having just come to consciousness af-ter the severity of the beating), Paul and Silas began topray and praise God as the captive audience of other pris-oners listened to their praise.God's answer was an earthquake. It shook the foun-dations of the prison, opened an the doors, and unfastenedPhilippians 13every prisoner's chains. The jailer, awakened by this un-usual phenomenon, saw that the prison doors were open.Assuming that an the prisoners had escaped, he was aboutto commit suicide rather than answer to the magistrates'anger. But Paul cried out, "Do yourself no harm, for weare all here!" (Acts 16:28). The jailer could not believehis ears. He called for lights, rushed in, and fell to hisknees before Paul and Silas, trembling with fear andamazement.Bringing them out of the squalid and smelly prison,he asked the question (so often quoted out of context),"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). His at-tention had been arrested! He knew that something super-natural had occurred! He was aware that his life had beenprecariously saved. Now, he had to ask these agents ofother gods (had he heard the charge made against them?)what he must do to avert even greater tragedy-what hemust do to be saved. There is no indication that a jailer inPhilippi would have had any knowledge of Israel's God,nor of the Messianic Savior, Jesus, whom this God hadsent to bring redemption to all. No wonder Paul and Silasintroduced him to the "Lord Jesus." "Believe in him," theyresponded, "and you shall be saved, you and all of yourhousehold" (Acts 16:31).In order that the jailer and his people might believeintelligently, Paul and Silas spoke "the word of the Lordto him together with all who were in his house" (Acts16:32). The word produced response; at that same hour,the deep wounds of Paul and Silas were washed, and thejailer and all of his household were immersed (see Acts16:33-34).The next day the magistrates, having second thoughtsabout what had been done to the strangers, sent their of-ficers to tell the jailer to release them. When the jailer toldPaul and Silas that they were free to go, Paul refused toleave, demanding that the magistrates themselves comeand escort them from prison (and perhaps through the cityto Lydia's home). After all, they were Roman citizens andhad been treated terribly ("They have beaten us in publicwithout trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown usinto prison: and now are they sending us away secretly?"Acts 16:37). Hearing this, the magistrates did in fact comeand escort them out of prison, "begging them to leave thecity" (Acts 16:39).Some time later, after they had encouraged the breth-ren (and had given an object lesson to the whole city inthe interplay with the city magistrates!), they departed from2Leaven, Vol. 5 [1997], Iss. 3, Art. 5http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol5/iss3/514 Leaven, Summer, 1997Philippi to go to the provincial capital of Macedonia,Thessalonica (Acts 16:40).LessonsMany rich lessons can be drawn from this narrativeset out by Luke the evangelist (and historian). That is thenature of biblical material. It has a general message aboutGod's invasion of planet Earth through his son and throughthose prepared by him to take that gospel message to theends of the earth. But it also provides a lesson for eachinterpreter. That does not mean that the overall messageis itself relativistic; it does mean that all secondary inter-pretations are not only based on what the text actuallysays, but they are also drawn from the concerns of theinterpreter in light of the original meaning of that text.I believe that relationships were primary in all of Paul 'smissionary efforts. The chief relationship was with God,evidenced in so many passages of Paul's letters, but par-ticularly in Luke's narrative in the book of Acts. Paul wasopen to God's leading through the Spirit; he was obedientto the guidance of God however that guidance might come.That close relationship with the divine also drove himto intercessory prayer. "I thank my God in all my remem-brance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my ev-ery prayer for you all," he wrote to the beloved Philippiancongregation (Phil 1:3-4). Such prayer, whether offeredduring a busy schedule of gospel preaching or in the soli-tude of a cell, reflected full trust in the living God andbelief that this God who had "begun a good work in[them]" would "perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus"(Phil 1:6).It was that relationship that gave Paul the proper per-spective by which he could judge the reality of the times.He could rejoice even at preaching motivated by jealousyor a desire to worsen his situation, because the gospel wasbeing preached and defended (see Phil 1:12-18). It wasthat relationship that caused Paul to look at all previousaccomplishments as but "rubbish" and to focus his atten-tion upon "Christ, and the righteousness which comes fromGod on the basis of faith" (Phil 3:4-9). It was that rela-tionship that helped him learn to be "content in whatevercircumstances" he found himself (Phil 4: 11-13). It wasthat relationship that Paul saw as providing for all of hispeople, so that he could close his beautiful epistle withthis assurance: "And my God shall supply all your needsaccording to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus"(Philippians 4: 19; note especially the pronominal posses-sive "my" in this passage and others).Paralleling Paul's relationship with the living God washis relationship with people. For one who is pictured asan antifeminist, Paul began his work in Philippi with agroup of women-Lydia, the "God fearer," and her asso-ciates. It was the Lord who "opened her heart," but it wasPaul who had spoken the truth (Acts 16:14). We can specu-Paralleling Pauls relation-Ship with the living Godwas his relationship withpeople.late that the Philippian church was dominated by women;in fact, the congregation was urged by Paul (in his epistleto the church) to "help these women" who had shared hisstruggle in the cause of Christ. Euodia and Syntyche (twoof the women who had shared with Paul) were encour-aged to "live in harmony with the Lord" (Phil 4:2-3). Ifwe count noses, these two women (and what about Lydiaand her people?) equal the two men, Clement andEpaphroditus, who are the only men (other than Timothyof the apostolic party) mentioned in Paul's letter (see Phil4:3 and 2:25-30).That vital relationship that Paul had with these Chris-tians in Philippi (both men and women) was enough tocommand their financial support. We don't know how longPaul stayed in this Roman colony, but it was long enoughto develop a deep, abiding affection that immediately be-came a base of support. Listen to him: "And you your-selves also know, Philippians, that at the first preachingof the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no churchshared with me in the matter of giving and receiving butyou alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift morethan once for my needs" (Phil 4: 15-16). Undoubtedly, itwas this openhanded generosity to which Paul referred inthe Corinthian correspondence when he wrote of the"grace" of giving as seen among the Macedonian Chris-tians. Out of genuine affliction-and who could deny theopposition to both Jews and Christians in this colony cityand in the province generally (see Acts 14:5-9)--and outof poverty, they gave liberally. Paul himself was surprisedat this overflowing liberality, but he saw the key in thefact that "they first gave themselves to the Lord" (2 Cor8:5).Now, they were supporting him again. Their patternof giving had begun shortly after Paul and his party left3Gresham: Paul & Philippi: Historic Times and Significant RelationshipsPublished by Pepperdine Digital Commons, 1997Philippi (although Luke may have stayed in Philippi toguide these new Christians, as evidenced by the absenceof "we" sections). The giving had continued as appealswere made to these "daughter" churches to support theneedy in Jerusalem and Judea (see 2 Cor 8, 9). Now it hadbeen "revived" out of concern for Paul's imprisonment.That concern had always been there, Paul states, but thesebelievers had "lacked opportunity" (Phil 4: I~ 11).Finally, this experience in European evangelizationhad brought increasing self-understanding to Paul. My un-derstanding of the apostle is that he was somewhat impa-tient-seen, I think, in Luke's account of Paul's activitiesin the book of Acts. It may well be that God's refusal toallow him to enter Asia (Acts 16) was designed to teachhim patience. He did enter Asia some two or three yearslater; but then, God's timing was right and a great minis-try resulted that shook that pagan city to its core (see Acts19). By the time he wrote the Philippian letter (perhapsfrom prison in Rome, some nine or ten years later thanwhen he first proclaimed the gospel in Philippi), he wasable to say, "I have learned to be content in whatever cir-cumstances I am" (Phil 4:11).A self-understanding, grow-ing out of a genuine "waiting" for God's direction, hadcome to Paul so that he could use his prison experience topenetrate Caesar's household (Phil 4:22; I: 13).One might ask if the former Saul of Tarsus, presentedby Luke in the book of Acts (or referred to by Paul him-self in such passages as Philippians 3), could have writtenthat first chapter of the letter to the Philippians. In light ofhis relationship with Elymas (or Bar-Jesus), the magicianat Paphos (Acts 13:6-12), or his role in the Conference atJerusalem (Acts 15), or his break with Barnabas over JohnMark (Acts 15:36-39), how can one explain Paul's "re-joicing" that, even if the motive was "envy or strife," Christwas proclaimed (Phil 1:12-18)? The only answer is thematurity of which Paul was so conscious as he penned thebeautiful illustration in Philippians 2. He was desirous thathis readers have not only the "humility of mind," but alsothe attitude that Jesus possessed as he left heavenly gloryto become truly human and give himself as a sacrifice atPhilippians 15Calvary (see Phil 2: 1-11). Paul himself possessed thatmind. "We have the mind of Christ," he exulted as he ad-dressed the fleshly-minded of Corinth (1 Cor 2: 1-16); hehad learned this in his personal relationship with the Lordof glory.Such self-understanding and maturity of faith gavePaul the wisdom to use one of the greatest of human giftspossible in that political context-his Roman citizenship.Paul used that gift in Philippi, as we have seen; he used itonce more in Jerusalem, when he was about to be beatenand perhaps given over to the Jews for destruction (Acts21-23). Not only did he avert an illegal beating (Acts22:25-29), but his use of the gift ultimately took him toRome (Acts 23: 11), where both Paul and the Lord wantedhim to be (see Rom 1:9-13; 15:22-29).So we do learn many practical lessons from Paul andhis relationship with the Philippians. Others could be addedto the above (particularly if we were to become morespeculative), but Paul's own statement in Philippians 3:17-21 helps us to see these lessons against the backdrop ofthe essential nature of the Cross and the assuring realityof the future:Brethren, join in following my exampleand observe those who walk according to the pat-tern you have seen in me. For many walk, of whomI often told you, and now tell you even weeping,that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whoseend is destruction, whose god is their appetite,and whose glory is in their shame, who set theirminds on earthly things. For our citizenship is inheaven [we are a "colony" ofheaven],from whichalso we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord JesusChrist; who will transform the body of our humblestate into conformity with the body of His gloryby the exertion of the power that He has even tosubject all things to Himself.CHARLES R. GRESHAM is retired professor, Kentucky ChristianCollege, Grayson, Kentucky.4Leaven, Vol. 5 [1997], Iss. 3, Art. 5http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol5/iss3/5

Paul & Philippi: Historic Times and Significant Relationships

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Paul & Philippi: Historic Times and Significant Relationships

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