Heidegger's Bible Handbook: Philippians: Inscription

1. The Epistle is inscribed to the Philippians. Philippi was the first city of part of Macedonia. Saint Paul, stirred up by God to visit it, did many things there.

This Epistle was written πρὸς Φιλιππησίους, to the Philippians, or all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are ἐν Φιλίπποις, at Philippi, σὺν ἐπισκόποις καὶ διακόνοις, with the Bishops/Overseers and Deacons, Philippians 1:1. Now, the city of Philippi was the πρώτη τῆς μερίδος τῆς Μακεδονίας, the first of part of Macedonia, either with respect to situation, being on the near side of the river Strymon, which was dividing Macedonia from Thrace, or with respect to dignity, for which Saint Paul, stirred up by a Macedonian Man standing near to him in a vision of the night, and thus by God, departed from Troas, by way of Samothracia and Neapolis, Acts 16:9-11, etc. In this city, Lydia was converted, the Spirit of Python was expelled, Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and cast into prison, the jailer was converted, and Paul and Silas were honorably led out by the Magistrate.