of a river on a plain in the eastern border of
Proconsular Macedonia, and was made a colony by Augustus in memory of
his victory gained there over Brutus and Cassius. Compare Acts 16:12.
Its port was Neapolis on the AEgean sea about twelve Roman miles to the
southeast of it. Philippi was the first place in Europe where the gospel
was preached by Paul, who had been summoned across the sea to Macedonia
by a vision. Acts 16:9. This was during his second missionary journey,
about A.D. 53. A record of his labors and sufferings on that occasion is
given in Acts 16:12-40. In his third missionary journey he twice visited
Macedonia, sailing the second time from Philippi, that is, from its port
Neapolis. Acts 20:1, 3-6.

28. The _occasion_ of this epistle seems to have been the contribution
made by the Philippians to supply the apostle's necessities while a
prisoner in Rome. Chap. 4:10-18. That he was a prisoner is plain from
chap. 1:13, 14, 16. That the _place_ of imprisonment was Rome is
inferred from the general tone of the epistle, which shows that the
apostle was awaiting a decision of his case, in accordance with his
appeal to Caesar, with the confident expectation of a favorable result
(chaps. 1:19-25; 2:23, 24), and especially from the mention of Caesar's
household (chap. 4:22). From chap. 2:23, 24 we infer, moreover, that the
time for a decision of his case was at hand. The date of this epistle,
then, was about A.D. 63.

The apostle speaks very confidently of a speedy release and
restoration to the work of his apostolic office. Chaps. 1:19,
25, 26; 2:24. This language is important in connection with the
two closely related questions, that of a second imprisonment at
Rome and that of the date of the pastoral epistles. See below,
No. 35.

29. The _character_ of this epistle answers well to its occasion. It is
a free outpouring of the apostle's heart towards his beloved
Philippians, who had remembered him in his bonds and sent Epaphroditus
to supply his wants. He bestows upon them no censure, unless the
suggestion to Euodias and Syntyche be regarded as such, but commends
them for their liberality, exhorts them to steadfastness in the
endurance of persecution, and admonishes them to maintain a deportment
which shall be in all things such as becomes the gospel, the several
parts of which he specifies in the course of the epistle, but not in any
very exact order. It is in connection with these admon