Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 12.djvu/32

 PHILIPPIANS

PHILIPPIANS

energetically worked, gave PhOip an annual revenue of more than 1000 talents. In 168 b. c. the Romans captured the place. In the autumn of 42 b. c. the celebrated battle between the triumvirs and Brutus and Cassius was fought on the neighbouring marshy plain. In the first conflict Brutus triumphed over Octavius, whilst Antony repulsed Cassius, who com- mitted suicide. Unable to maintain discipline in his army, and defeated twenty days later, Brutus also took his life. The same year a Roman colony was established there, which after the battle of Actium took the name of Colonia Augusta Julia Philippensis. AYhen St. Ignatius of Antioch and the martyrs Zosi- mus and Rufus were passing through Philippi, St. Ignatius told the Christians of that town to send a letter of congratulation to the faithful of Antioch. They therefore wrote to Polycarp of Smyrna, asking him at the same time for the writings of St. Ignatius. Polycarp answered them in a letter, still extant, which was written before the death of St. Ignatius.

Although the Church of Philippi was of Apostolic origin, it was never very important; it was a suffragan bishopric of Thessalonica. Towards the end of the ninth century it ranked as a metropolitan see and had six suffragan dioceses; in the fifteenth century it had only one, the See of Eleutheropolis. The Archdiocese of Cavala was reunited to the metropolis in Decem- ber, 1616. In 1619, after a ^-iolent dispute with the Metropolitan of Drama, Clement, the titular of Philippi, got permission to assume the title of Drama also, and this was retained by the Metropolitan of Philippi until after 172 1, when it was suppressed and the metropolis of Drama alone continued. In the "Echos d'Orient", III, 262-72, the writer of this article com- piled a critical hst of the Greek titulars of Philippi, containing sixty-two names, whereas only eighteen are given in Le Quien, "Oriens christianus", II, 67-70. Some Latin titulars are cited in Eubel, "Hierarchia catholica medii a-vi", I, 418; 11,238; 111,291; Le Quien, op. cit., Ill, 1045. In the middle of the fourteenth century, Philippi is mentioned in connexion with the wars between John V, Pala>ologus, and Cantacuzenus, who has left a description of it (P. G., CLIV, 336). The ruins of Philippi lie near the deserted hamlet of Filibedjik, fifteen kilometres from Cavala, in the vilayet of Salonica; they contain the remains of the acropolis, a theatre anterior to the Roman occupa- tions, a temple of Sylvanus, and numerous sculptured rocks bearing inscriptions.

Leake, Northern Greece. III. 215-23; Smith. Did. of Gr. and Rom. Geog., 3. v.; Segnitz. De Pkilippensibiu tanquam luminaria in mundo (Leipzig, 1728); Hoog. De catus chrislianorum Philip- pensis condiiione prima (Levden, 1S23) : Heuzet, Mission archeolo- gigue de MacMoine (Paris. 1S76). 1-124; Mertzides, Philippes (Constantinople. 1897). in Greek; Tom.ischek, Zur Kunde der Hcemus-Halbinsel (Vienna, 1897), 77; Filuon in Did. de la Bible. 8. V.

S. V.ilLHE.

Pbilippians, Epistle to the. — I. Historical Circumstances, Occasion, and Character (see also Philippi). — The Philippians, who were much en- deared to St. Paul (i, 3, 7; iv, 1), had already on former occasions and under various circumstances sent him pecuniary aid, and now on learning of his imprisonment at Rome (Acts, xxvii-xxviii) they sent to him Epaphroditus, one of their number, to bear him alms and minister to his needs (ii, 2.5-29; iv, 18). St. Paul rccei\-ed him gladly, rejoicing in the affec- tionate and Christian sentiments of the Philippians (iv, 10-19), and in the generally satisfactorj' condition of their (Church a,s reported to him by Epaphroditus. It may be that Epaphroditus had been the Apostle's companion and assistant at Philippi (ii, 2.5); at least he became such at Rome (ii, 30), but he fell danger- ously ill and wa.s at the point of death (ii, 27). This news was distressing to the Philippians. and as soon as he recovered he was eager to return home (ii, 26). Paul therefore hastened to send him (ii, 26-28) and

profited by the opportunitj' to confide to him a letter to the faithful and the heads of his Church. In this letter, probably written by Timothy at his dictation, Paul expresses the sentiments of joy and gratitude which he cherishes in regard to the Philippians. This is the keynote of the letter. It is an outpouring of the heart, breathing a wholly spontaneous and paternal intimacy. In it the loving heart of the Apostle re- veals itself completely, and the affectionate tone, sin- cerity, and delicacy of the sentiments must have charmed its readers and won their admiration and love. Hence this letter is much more epistolary in style than the other Epistles of St. Paul. Familiar expressions of joy and gratitude are mingled with dogmatic reflexions and moral exhortation, and it is useless to seek for orderly arrangement or strict sequence.

On the other hand, although the general condition of the Church of Philippi was excellent and St. Paul did not have to deal with grave vices, there were nevertheless certain things which were not altogether satisfactory or which aroused apprehension. Paul had heard that the pride and vainglory of some, espe- cially of two women, Evodia and Syntyche, had aroused misunderstandings and rivalries. Moreover a greater and more serious danger threatened them, perhaps on the part of Judaizers, who, though there is no need to assume their presence or propaganda at Philippi itself, had, it seems, disseminated their baneful doc- trines throughout the neighbouring regions. Hence the exhortations to fraternal charity and concord as well as to disinterestedness; these exhortations (i, 8, 27; ii, 2, 3, 14, 16; iv, 2 sq.) Paul bases on exalted dogmatic considerations taken from the example of Christ, and he also proposes to them the example of his own way of thinking and acting, which had but a single object, the glory of God and Christ. But when he warns the Philippians against the Judaizers he returns to the tone of deep sorrow and unmitigated indignation which characterizes the Epistle to the Galatians.

II. Analysis. — For the reasons stated above a defi- nite plan or clear division must not be sought in this Epistle. The Letter is a succession of exhortations and effusions which may be collected under the following heads: —

A. Introduction. — After the superscription, in which he addresses himself to bishops, deacons, and faithful (i, 1-2), St. Paul rejoices in the excellent condition of the Church of the Phihppians and gives thanks that by their alms they have shared in the merits of his captivity and the spread of the Gospel (3-8) ; he loves them all with an intense love, ardentl.v desiring and urgently entreating that God would deign to complete in them the work of perfection (9-11).

B. Body of the Epistle. — (1) Paul begins by giving news, as a whole vers* satisfactory — with regard to his own situation and that of the Church in Rome. But what he relates concerning himself must ha\-e been meant for a tacit but no less eloquent appeal to abne- gation and detachment, for Paul depicts himself as seeking in all things not his own glory or personal ad- vantage, but solely the glory of Christ. His captivity becomes to him a cause of joy, since it avails for the propagation of the Gospel (i, 12-14) ; what does it mat- ter to him that some preach the Gospel out of un- worthy zealotry, provided Christ be preached? (15- 18); given a choice of life and death he knows not which he prefers, life which permits him to do good for souls, or death, which shall be a testimony for Christ and shall unite him to Him (19-25). He thinks, how- ever, that he will be set freeandmay still labour for the spiritual progress of the Philippians.

(2) He exhorts them more directly to lead a life worthy of the Gospel (i. 27a), and especially to con- cord and abnegation (i, 27b-ii, 4) (i) by the example of Christ Who being in the Divine form and possessing