The book of Philippians – The Back Story
Roman Prison: The Tullianum (Keep)
When we read scripture sometimes knowing the circumstances from which they were written can paint what we read in a totally different light. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is an excellent example of this.
It’s common knowledge that the Apostle Paul wrote the epistle of Philippians from a Roman prison. He was imprisoned twice. He wrote the books of Philippians, Colossians and Philemon during his first imprisonment. He wrote Ephesians and Second Timothy during his second. In Rome, the wealthy who were accused of a crime were kept under house arrest until their trial. Rarely were they sentenced to die because they had enough money to buy their freedom from a death sentence. However, for the poor, justice was usually swift and often times fatal. But for the most feared and hated, prison served as a holding place, usually until death. So everyone in a Roman prison was literally on death row.
The most famous Roman prison can still be visited today. It has been called by several names, one of which is the Tullianum. It’s commonly referred to as the Tullianum Keep. This is where the Apostle Paul was imprisoned -- twice. It is located outside the Forum Romanum buried at the foot of the Capitoline Hill. Ancus Marcius, the fourth king of Rome constructed this dark, damp and foreboding subterranean structure.
If you were to enter the prison today, you would follow a series of steps down from the Capitoline. On a sunny day, if you look ahead you will see the remains of the glistening white marble of the Forum. But when you take a left turn you will walk down another series of steps and find yourself at the entrance to the underground prison. It is a small room with a hole in the floor large enough for one body to enter at a time. This is the entrance to the dungeon which was added by Servius Tullius, the sixth king of Rome.
The dungeon itself is about 12 feet deep in the ground. At the time of Paul’s imprisonments, it was a disgusting place. It was vile. It was filthy. And the stench was toxic. It was into this room about six and half feet high, 30 feet long and 22 feet wide that prisoners, who were condemned to die, either by strangulation or starvation, were thrown. The Apostle Paul had the privilege of spending the last days of his life in this place.
What I’ve just describe is bad but it’s not the worst part. The Tullianum Keep was part of Rome’s sewage system. Paul was shacked to a column with his hands above his head in total darkness with human waste floating around his up stomach. Because Paul was a Roman citizen, he had the right to receive and answer mail. By law a guard had to unshackle him and briefly release him from the filth so he could answer his mail.
It was under these conditions that Paul received the courier from the church at Philippi. His response is the letter that we now have come to know as the epistle to the Philippians. We’re not going to read the entire letter but I encourage you do so. And when you do, read it from the perspective that the church leadership is wrestling with some difficult issues and is seeking Paul’s counsel and guidance for dealing with them.
Now I don’t know how often Paul received mail but imagine spending your days and nights – and not being able to tell the difference between them – waist deep in human excrement. It would not surprise me if some prisoners died from the stench alone.
We’re going to read some of Philippians this morning. And with this back story, I’m sure you are going to see this letter in a totally different light. I certainly did.
Philippians 1:1-6 –
(1) Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
(2) Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
(3) I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
So what does this tell you about what Paul was doing while in prison? He’s thinking about the church at Philippi.
(4) Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
(5) For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
Now listen to what he’s about to say while he’s in prison ladies and gentlemen.
(6) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Even in prison Paul is confident that God will complete the work He has started in him and in the church at Philippi. He was standing in filth up to his waste and shackled and yet he was speaking of God fulfilling His Word. Did you hear what I just said? Even in the midst of his situation Paul says God is going to keep His word. His relationship with Jesus outweighed everything else in his life. Paul understood that even in his situation God would not fail him. Jump down to verse 14.
(14) And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
(15) Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
(16) The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds.
Paul was up to his waist in human waste because of his unwavering and uncompromising stand for the gospel. Ladies and gentlemen, we are headed in that direction. There’s going to come a time, and I may not live to see it but our children will, that being a Christian will get you put into prison. It’s coming in America. It’s coming! And if you don’t think it’s coming your eyes are blind.
Paul is in prison because he refuses to compromise. He’s not blaming God. He’s not asking God why this happens. He knows why.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
(7) And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
(8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
(9) And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
What does this mean? “Paul, when you stop trying to take of it and lean on My grace and access it, then things will start to happen.” How do you access God’s grace? By saying “not my will but your will Lord. You tell me what I need to do in this situation. I’m going to stop trying to figure it out. Give me the grace and knowledge that I need.”
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
(10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Why did Paul take pleasure in all of that stuff? For Christ’s sake. He took pleasure in everything he suffered because he was doing it for Jesus. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not the church today. For the most part the church today is not going to go through anything for Jesus. It’s not worth it to them. They’re telling you how they’re going to finish.
I am not telling you that persecutions and trouble are what define you as a Christian. But they will help you understand who you are as a child of God. If you’re running then you’re no different than the person who is lost.
The person who is lost needs you not to run! They need you to take a stand! The person who is lost needs for you to call sin sin!
Paul says that what is happening to him is happening because he’s hitting Satan where it hurts the most – people are coming to the gospel. He also found joy in the fact that others found their voice and had the courage to speak God’s Word. How could he lead others to Christ while hanging by his wrists in human waste?
Paul had made a decision a long time ago and we see this in verse 21. “For to me to live be Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul determined a long time before being put in prison that his life will be lived for Jesus. For Paul, he had no other choice. He couldn’t live any other way. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain because of how he lived – because of how he finished!
So many of us are living for now. We don’t realize we have an eternity in front of us! We’re so focused on life now that we don’t see that until we start living the way the Bible says we are to live, it’s not going to get any better. They’re going to be lulled to sleep thinking everything’s okay and when they stand before Jesus on judgment day he’s going to say I don’t know you. He will be saying that to people who had confessed him as lord and savior and then lived a life of sin.
He’s not saying that to Barry. I can’t speak for anyone else but He….is….not….saying….that….to….Barry! And I pray to God that He won’t say that to you! I’m not getting a lot of Amens this morning.
In Psalm 18, in verses one and two it says:
(1) I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
(2) The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom will I trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Let’s continue. Jump down to verse 27.
(27) Only let your conversation [Only let how you live] be as it become the the gospel of Christ: [How we live is supposed to show people what the gospel is like. “For me to live is Christ.”] that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
(28) And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
(29) For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.
No, no, no, no Bro. Barry! No suffer. No suffer. Jesus said if you’re going to be my disciple you’re going to suffer. You have 70 years, 80 years, 90 years here. What is that compared to eternity? Are you willing to risk your eternity because you want to be satisfied and do what you want to do here? I’m not willing to do that.
Paul tells the believers what God expects of them. He says let the world know that you belong to Christ. He says be different. Stand. Don’t compromise on the gospel.
I got news for you ladies and gentlemen. When people tell you “love is love” that is a lie because they’re trying to justify two people of the same sex living together. That is not love. Do you know what love is? It’s really simple and it’s defined in the Bible. Jesus says if you love me you will keep my commandments!
There are a lot of people in the church who don’t have a problem with same sex unions and homosexuality. These “church folk” are going to have a problem with God! God says “You are My child and you think that’s okay? That is not okay. I don’t care how many ways you try to slice it. It is not okay.
Many the church are going to find out ladies and gentlemen that if they continue to believe that, they are not going to finish well. I know some of you hearing this morning. You are not liking it. I’m fine with that. I serve God. I’m fine with that. Hate me. Throw tomatoes at me. Just make sure you throw a salt shake too! I love salt on my tomatoes!
We, the church, needs to draw a line in the sand and say I’m not going to cross it. I don’t care what it costs me. If the Bible says something is wrong I’m not crossing that line. And Paul was in prison because he was telling people that what they were doing is wrong.
Jump down to chapter two and look at verse 14.
(14) Do all things without murmurings and disputings: [Why?]
(15) That ye may be blameless and harmless, take sons of God, without rebuke, [Where?] in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
(16) Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.
Where was Paul again? He was waist deep in human excrement waiting for his execution date. And yet he’s having to tell the believers to stop with the murmuring and disputings – to stop with the grumbling, faultfinding and complaining. Who were the people doing this to? God. Why were they doing this? They didn’t want to do His will.
Why is this important? If anyone is going to see Jesus and come to Jesus it will have to be through us. How we respond to life’s challenges will tell people one of two things: (1) he’s just like me or (2) he’s not like me. And when you’re not like that person, then he’s going to want to know why. But he is not going to ask that question when he looks in the mirror and sees you.
Let me say that again. He’s not going to ask the question about being different when he looks in the mirror and sees you. He’s looking in the mirror and seeing himself. Second Corinthians 3:18 says we are changed from glory to glory as we look in the mirror because we’re looking at Jesus. The more we look in the mirror the more we’re going to look like Jesus.
Philippians 3:1 – “Finally, My brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.”
Do you see this? Where is Paul? He’s waist deep in human waste and he’s saying our ability to rejoice has nothing to do with our circumstances. It’s a decision. How much do you love him?
Psalm 9:1 and 2 says “I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.”
“I sing praises to your name, O Lord, praises to your name.” Sing it with me. “For your name is great and greatly to be praised.” Hallelujah.
Look at verse 7. Let me go back up to verse 4.
(4) Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinkers that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more.
(5) Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
What Paul is doing here is verifying who he is. Many of the Jews could not do this because many of the documents were destroyed when the temple was destroyed in AD 70. Paul says he was “Hebrew of the Hebrews.” Paul, ladies and gentlemen, was on the fast track to begin the #1 religious leader of the Jews.
(6) Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is of the law, [I was] blameless,
(7) But what things [ladies and gentlemen that] were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
(8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
Knowing that Paul is in a place where he is waist deep in human waste, do you now better understand why Paul says what he says? “The life that I had before I met Jesus on the road to Damascus that day – being of the tribe of Benjamin, being a Pharisee on the fast track to serving on the Sanhedrin – they mean nothing to me now. They are temporary but the life I now life, it’s eternal!”
Jump down to verse 13.
(13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
(14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
(15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
(16) Nevertheless, Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
What Paul is describing here is probably one of the hardest things for most Christians to do, especially when you believe that serving God will cause you to miss out on “the finer things in life”. But that is not what Paul is saying here. In the Greek the word portrays the idea of something that you deliberately turn away from and forget or when used in the passive tense, something put aside, deliberately ignored, purposefully disregarded, and completely forgotten.
This word denotes, now listen to me, something that may have been true and important in the past but is no longer true and important today. Paul is saying that in order for him to reach forward he had to forget – he had to turn loose, he couldn’t look aback – at what he left behind.
There are so many in the body of Christ who can’t let go of the past. They reach back and bring it into the present and they allow it to be an anchor around their necks.
This reaching forward ladies and gentlemen, is not a one-time thing. It’s a continual choice we have to make every single day. Paul made a decision everyday to not let his past – who he was, what he did, and his bright future – have a say in his present.
Now I want you to see what Paul was seeing. When he used the term “reaching forth” he used the Greek word of a person running with all his might towards the finish line. If you’ve ever watched a track meet what happens when the runner gets to the finish line? As he approaches the finished line he either leans forward or sticks out his chest to be the first to cross. If the runner is to win the race, he has to run the race and complete the race. He has to finish.
Philippians 4:1. When I read this verse it almost makes me want to cry. “Therefore, My brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” Picture the emotions as Paul pens these final words. Stand fast my beloved. Make me proud.
Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Have you ever been around a sewage? Is there any reason to rejoice, especially when the next time you breath open air you’re probably going to die? But as Paul writes these words I can hear him saying “My dearly beloved, my joy and my crown, this is what I do every day! Everyday!”
Look at verse 6.
(6) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God,
(7) And the peace of God, which passers all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.
In the past I’d read these verses and think about someone who had gone through something and came out of it. I was wrong. Paul wrote these words in the midst of the trial.
He says, “Listen my dearly beloved, the ones I long for, my joy and my crown. Don’t allow yourself to get anxious about anything. Let me tell you what I have been doing for months. I tell my Father how thankful I am to be His child. I tell Him how thankful I am that I belong to Him. I tell Him that what I’m going through right now, I’d gladly go through it again if it means people will hear the gospel. Dearly beloved, when you do this, the peace of God will keep your hearts and minds on the source of your strength.”
As he hung in the Tullianum Keep Paul was at peace. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that his peace is what the guards saw and what drew them to wanting to know Jesus. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that his peace was the reason the gospel spread throughout the palace. And it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that it was his peace that convinced the believers that laying down their lives for Jesus was worth the price.
As he hung with his hands shackled over his head and as he wiggled his toes in the waist deep human waste I’m sure, absolutely positively sure, that verse 8 was his constant companion. I’m going to read verse 8 again, this time from the Amplified Bible.
“For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].”
Now verse 9 through verse 13.
(9) Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and hear, and see in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
(10) But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
(11) Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Oh my God. Did you read that verse with me? Do you understand what he is saying? “I have learned that in whatever situation I may find myself, I am going to be content.”
(12) I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
“But let me tell you something my beloved, my children, my joy, my crown…”
(13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Paul tells the believers “You know what I’ve taught you and you’ve received it. Now it’s time for you to put all of it into practice. You saw me do it. Now you must do it. Do it and the peace that I have right now here in all of this filth, you will have it too.”
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to stop praying for things to change. It time to stop believing things are going to change. It’s time to make them change! The Bible says you have that ability.
It’s time to stop waiting on God. God is waiting on you. God is not going to make His children do anything. He’s already given us the ability to take care of. Stop praying to God to do for you what He’s already given you the ability to do. You don’t pray to God to give you access to Heaven. You tell Heaven what you want!
As I read them, verses 11, 12 and 13 to me they are among the most powerful verses in all of scripture when you take into consideration who the Holy Spirit gave them to and the circumstances. Paul says he has learned to be content.
Let me tell you something ladies and gentlemen. This was not a lesson he learned as he was in the Tullianum Keep. This is the lesson he drew strength from while in the Tullianum Keep. How many of you can say you can be content in all situations? Barry is not there yet but I know what’s available.
Contentment is such an underappreciated and undervalued virtue ladies and gentlemen. And Paul’s contentment came from knowing that because he was born again he had access to all the strength he needed to get through this situation.
Remember the instructions the Lord gave him about the thorn in the flesh? My grace is sufficient! Paul could handle the excruciating pain of hanging with his hands shackled above his head day after day month after month. He could handle the constant darkness day after day month after month. He could handle the human waste and the stench day after day month after month. I cannot image what Paul went through. But this I know: the same strength that he relied upon, we can rely upon.
Philippians 4:19 is our last verse. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
We often hear this verse used when we have a material or physical need. But I want you to think about Paul. What was his need at the time he wrote this verse? What riches did he need to draw upon? Based on what we’ve read this morning, I can name at least four:
• The riches that would help him to forget his past and put it in its proper place. You have to know that day after day month after month Satan was whispering in Paul’s ear. “You are of the tribe of Benjamin, the fiercest and most war like tribe in Israel. Now look at you. Waist deep in Rome’s bathroom. You were a rising star Paul, one of the best Hebrew minds in Israel. Now look at you. I can’t stand to smell you. And the law, Paul you were on your way to being a Pharisee that generations would talk about. Now look at you. What a fool you were to give all that up for Jesus.” Day after day you can’t tell me Satan didn’t do this.
• The riches that would remind him that the prize is in sight and his sacrifice was worth it. “I know that all of my sacrifices – I have a savior who is going to remember all of them. Every single one.”
• The riches that would give him comfort and joy. As he writes his final words can’t you see Paul in tears? Can’t you see the realization hit him that he’s never going to see the brethren he calls dearly beloved again?
• The riches that would give him peace. Why would he need peace? I think about my father when he died. He was diagnosed with cancer in January and was given five months to live. He succumbed to the cancer in November. Now listen to me, he died one week after I told him “Daddy, we will be all right. You can go home now.” He did one day after my brother Rodney told him to go home. My father went home the next day in peace. He knew his children would be all right.
Let’s close with Second Timothy 4, verses 6 through 8.
(6) For I am not ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
(7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, [How are you going to finish ladies and gentlemen? How are you going to finish?] I have kept the faith. [What enabled Paul to finish his course? He kept the faith!]
(8) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
One of my favorite movies is the Scorpion King. Dwayne Johnson and his brother are hired assassins. They had been captured and were about to be executed. Johnson looked at his brother and said “Die well my brother.”
Paul, ladies and gentlemen, when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, knew his life would not end the way it would have ended had he pursued the life of a Pharisee. He knew when he accepted Jesus there were going to be some hard days. He knew there were going to be some paths he wouldn’t want to walk. But he knew “this is what I signed up for!”
So many in the church today don’t realize that is what we also signed up for when we told Jesus we wanted him to be our Lord and Savior. But so many of us are not living that way. That’s too hard. People aren’t going to like me. People are going to disagree with me.
How are you going to finish? Are you going to finish as a whimper in the face of Satan’s attacks? Are you going to be like the dog that runs with his tail between his legs?
Or are you going to be like the lion that roars and says “Not today Satan. Not tomorrow either! This is my kingdom. This is my jungle. Satan you’re not going last long here.”
Paul signed that contract the moment he said “Lord what would you have me to do?” You also signed that contract ladies and gentlemen.
I thank God that I’m talking to a group of people who are allowing the contract to be enforced in their lives. Praise God!
