1. _Ephesus:_ Capital of the Roman province of Asia and a great commercial center. The province was governed by 'proconsuls,' while Ephesus, as a 'free city,' had its town clerk, or keeper of the records, its 'asiarchs,' or officers appointed to preside over the public games; its court days, and its popular assembly, was three miles from the sea, and was on the banks of the navigable river Cayster. It was an important business center, much of the commerce between east and west passing along the great highway which connected Ephesus with the Euphrates. It thus became a natural center for the Christian Church in Asia Minor. The city was celebrated as the guardian of the image of Artemis or Diana, and there was a large manufacture of silver shrines of the goddess. The magnificence of her temple was proverbial. A large part of the site was excavated by Mr. J. T. Wood, 1863-71, who also discovered the site of the theater, a huge building capable of seating 24,500 people. Some of the inscriptions are to be seen in the British Museum." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 53.) 2. _Occasion and Object of the Epistle:_ The occasion of writing this letter was the opportunity that offered in the mission of Tychicus and Onesimus to the Church at Colossae, and the object is to show that the Gentiles had a standing in Christ as well as the Jews; that their call into the Church was no mere accident, that it was the eternal purpose of God to gather all into oneness, or one body, in Christ, and that except in this oneness the fulness of Christ would not be revealed. Thus the epistle sets before us, as has been said, Paul's doctrine of the Church, the Church in its unity, 'the completion of an edifice whose foundations had been laid in a past eternity, and which was to stand forever." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 73.) 3. _The Church at Philippi:_ "Philippi was a place of great importance. Surrounded by a fertile district, and possessing valuable mines, it also commanded the great highway from east to west, and was on this account attractive to St. Paul. The town which originally occupied the site was known as Krenides ('Fountains'); but Philip II of Macedonia having improved it, named it after himself. In St. Paul's time it was a Roman 'colony' (Acts xvi: 12), e. g., a settlement of veterans who had served their time in the army." (Bible Treasury, p. 142.) 4. _Occasion of the Epistle:_ "Epaphroditus had been the bearer of some pecuniary aid sent to St. Paul by the Philippians, and had thrown himself so vigorously into the work of Christ in the metropolis that he became alarmingly ill (Phil. ii: 30). On recovering, and hearing how anxious his friends in Philippi were, he proposed to return to them; and St. Paul felt that he could not allow him to go without putting in his hands a written acknowledgement of their kindness. Hence this letter was intended to be a simple letter of friendship." (Bible Treasury, p. 142.)