It is clear that Paul is in prison at the time he wrote the letter to the Philippians. But his captivity did not diminish his desire to share the gospel with those around him. This passage reveals the depth of his efforts

You can see it for yourself in Philippians 1:13-14:

For some, there may have been some questions about why Paul was in prison. But it didn’t take long for people to see just what the real reason was. His imprisonment was not for a political or civil crime, but because of his adherence to the gospel and the spread of its message.

In fact, because of his imprisonment, the whole palace guard knows of Paul’s mission, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Originally, the term Paul uses here for the palace guard meant the leader’s tent in a Roman encampment. Later it came to mean the governor’s palace, and even the emperor’s palace. This use is even evident in the New Testament, referring to Pilate’s residence in Jerusalem and Herod’s palace in Caesarea. But Paul’s use adds another level of meaning to this word.

Paul’s use seems to shift from the residence to the residents. When he says “the whole palace guard,” he is speaking about the people there, and is confirmed by the next phrase, “and everyone else.” Paul was in prison, but there were plenty of people around. Many of these would have been the guards watching him. These may have been the emperor’s guards, if he was imprisoned close to that palace, but it seems more likely that it was a provincial governor’s residence, outside but close to Rome. This would be where political or judicial issues would have been resolved for the most part. Paul would likely have been held here until his appearance before Caesar.

Regardless of where this may have been the next verse gives the most important point in this passage. Because of Paul’s imprisonment, other believers have been encouraged to be more bold as the proclaim the gospel. It seems that there was a hesitancy among the believers to share their faith, due to fear of persecution. Paul’s jail term served to encourage them to be more courageous.

The interesting part of this is Paul’s use of the word “most.” It appears that even in these circumstances, there were some that held back from sharing the gospel. This is a problem that has plagued the church from the very beginning.

Paul’s courage is infectious. And his willingness to suffer fore the sake of Christ inspired the church, and still does.

Today, we have a pretty easy time as believers in western society. However, there are many around the world who can continue to take heart from Paul’s circumstances, knowing that if Paul can continue to believe and proclaim the gospel in the midst of difficulty, then so can they.

And so can we.

Be bold.

Be courageous.

Question: What inspires you to share the faith in spite of difficult circumstances? Is Paul, and others like him, an inspiration to you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.