Philippians

1
Philippians

• Ode to Joy!
• from a jail cell.

2
City of Citizens

• This is perhaps the most personal of all Pauls
  letters
• written to a church he had established in
  Philippi
• founded by Phillip of Macedon around 358 BC
• in province of Macedonia located on the Via
  Egnatia a major east-west road linking Rome
  with Byzantium
• center of a Roman colony which gave its populace
  privileges including citizenship

3
History of the Town

• Philippi was destroyed during the civil wars that
  troubled the end of the Roman Republic
• Octavian rebuilt the city and established it as a
  military outpost
• ius italicum special privileges given
• buy and sell property
• were exempt from land and poll taxes
• were entitled to protections of Roman law

4
Proud Philippians

• were very proud of their exalted status as Roman
  citizens w/special privilege
• twice Paul capitalizes on this
• Only conduct yourselves (politeuesthe) in a
  manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (127)
• For our citizenship (politeuma) is in heaven . .
  . (320).
• Paul reflects their civic status and reminds them
  that they now have an even higher citizenship
• Paul chose Philippi because of its strategic
  location and repute

5
The Founding of the Church

• is described in Acts 166-40
• confirms the prominent role of women (Phil 42-3)
• Paul maintained a cordial relationship with this
  church they supported his ministry
• at the time of writing, he was in prison,
  possibly in Rome or Caesarea Maritima or Ephesus.
• Written between 52 (Caesarea) 62 (Rome)

6
Reason to Write

• Why did Paul write this?
• immediate occasion was the availablity of a
  carrier for the letter.
• Travelers were asked to carry letters when they
  were headed somewhere.
• Epaphroditus, a member of the church in Philippi,
  had earlier brought their support-gift to Paul
• After a terrible illness, he was well and
  returning

7
The Deeper Reasons

• The Philippians had heard of Pauls imprisonment
  and were concerned
• Paul wants to assure them of his undiminished joy
  even in Jail
• also, of his confidence regarding the outcome
  (112-26)
• to express gratitude for their gift and
  friendship (410-20)

8
Problems in Philippi

• The church in Philippi faced some problems
• some persecution by non-Christian authorities
  (17, 27-30)
• Paul wanted to encourage them with example and
  exhortation to stand fast
• there are also some opponents persons who
  present a different gospel (32!!)
• enemies of the cross (318-20)

9
Who were these enemies?

• Jewish missionaries?
• antinomians preached freedom moral constraint?
• Jewish Gnostic perfectionists who claimed
  spiritual and moral superiority
• pneumatics who believed they had already been
  raised to new life?
• several of the above?
• Pauls remarkable equanimity (115-17 cf Phil
  32 and Gal 16-10 and 2 Cor 11)

10
A Rhetorical Device?

• maybe Pauls language is rhetorical with no
  specific group in mind
• a familiar rhetorical strategy
• common among moral exhortations
• contrasting behavior of friends
• and behavior of enemies
• the absence of a sustained argument or clarity
  about what thought
• supports this interpretation

11
Internal Problems Euodia and Syntyche

• repeated admonitions to think the same thing
  (23, 5 315, 19 42) point to some tensions
  w/in the congregation
• 42 is addressed to Euodia and Syntyche
• active leaders in the church
• no mention of the source of the tension
• the issue pervades of unity pervades the letter
• may be a primary reason for writing
• not a personal matter but something affecting the
  whole community

12
The Virtues of Faith

• virtues like affection, loyalty, sharing, harmony
  and reciprocity suggest that the letter can be
  best understood as a letter of friendship
• an established type of correspondence
• friendship had a contractual and even competitive
  nature

13
The Christ Hymn

• Phil 26-11 is an early Christian hymn which Paul
  quotes
• who wrote it and what was the source of the ideas
  expressed?
• many think Paul himself was the author
• some suggest, based on style and vocab, there was
  another author
• read passage
• Where do the ideas come from?

14
The Christ Hymn

• the gospel tradition of Jn 133-17 provides an
  almost perfect model for what Paul says
• Jesus washed his disciples feet because
• he knew that the Father had given everything into
  his hands
• and that he i\himself had come out from God and
  was going back to God (133)

15
Theological Themes

• Philippian hymn begins saying that Jesus, being
  in the form of God and yet not taking advantage
  of his being equal with God, took the form of a
  slave, and did the work of a servant (26-8)
• note importance of the Christology
• incarnation, humanity, obedience, pre-existence,
  equality with God
• importance to moral injunction have this mind
  among you

16
Pauls Life Motto

• should be the motto for all believers
• For me to live is Christ to die is gain (121)
• the condition of those who die in the Lord is one
  of conscious happiness beyond anything experience
  on earth
• raises the question of the need for the
  resurrection of the body or for a new body from
  heaven.
• Gods commitment to the physicality of our lives.

17
Work out your own salvation

• work out your own salvation with fear and
  trembling, for it is God who is at work in you
  (212-13)
• Paul may be referring not to ones eternal
  destiny
• but to the health of the Christian community
• torn apart by pride, conceit and selfishness
  (25-11)
• need to follow Christs example and humble
  themselves and work obediently for the benefit of
  the Church
• When they do this, they are cooperating with God
  who is already at work

18
Doctrine of Sanctification

• 38-16
• holiness is described as an ever-increasing
  apprehension of the surpassing worth of Jesus
  Christ by the Christian
• Paul is an example of conformity to the cruciform
  pattern of 26-11
• nothing is allowed to destroy or diminish this
  apprehension
• dia pisteos Christou (v. 9) objective or
  possibly subjective???
• sanctification allows room for life-time growth

19
Whatsoever things are true

• Lambuth motto
• read 44-9
• right after the Euodia and Syntyche appeal
• salvation doesnt automatically have a
  therapeutic impact on the emotions
• importance of telling yourself the truth
• also think about whatever is honorable, whatever
  is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing,
  whatever is commendable, if there is any
  excellence, anything worthy of praise, think
  about these things.

20
Theme of Joy

• written in prison, but has a Rejoice! theme
• joy is not so much a feeling as it is a settled
  state of mind characterized by peace
• an attitude that views life in all its ups and
  downs with equanimity
• a confident way of looking at life that is rooted
  in faith in the living Lord of the church
• joy is an understanding of existence that makes
  it possible to accept both elation and
  depression, delight or dismay
• joy allows one to see beyond any particular event
  to the sovereign Lord who stands by all events.