Philippi was founded in the 356 BC by Philip II, King of Macedon. It was here in 42 BC that Cassius and Brutus—conspirators in the assassination of Julius Caesar—were defeated by Anthony and Octavian, making it a Roman colony consisting of about 700 square miles.
It was home to a small number of Jews when Paul entered the city on his second missionary journey in 49/50 AD. So few, in fact, that they didn't have a synagogue. He was guided there by a vision of "a man from Macedonia." (Acts 16:9) Paul and his team met some Jewish women gathered at the Gangitis River outside the city, who were celebrating Shabbat worship. Lydia, a merchant from Thyatira, was there and converted to Christianity at the preaching of Paul. (Acts 16)
Later, Paul and Silas would be arrested, beaten, put in prison, and experience a miraculous deliverance in Philippi.
Paul visited the city again in 56/57 AD. Paul's letter, the Epistle to the Philippians, dates around 54/55 AD.
Comments
Post a Comment