Philippians: Week 1 (Thursday, August 9 2018)
Chapter 1: 1-11
The church at Philippi
Luke described the city called Philippi as a Roman ‘colony’ (Acts 16:12). The emperor Augustus allowed retired soldiers to live there after they had supported him in a battle in 31 BC. As a Roman colony, its citizens possessed the same rights and laws as those who lived in Italy. Paul and Silas, with Timothy and Luke, established the church there after they crossed from Asia into Europe (Acts 16:12-40). Paul visited Philippi again on his third journey (Acts 20:1-6). It was a group of Christians of whom Paul was very fond. He called its members his ‘joy and crown’ (4:1). The Christians in Philippi were not rich, but they supported Paul with more than one gift of money. They also gave money for the poor Christians in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
The purpose of Paul’s letter
Paul wanted:
1 to thank the Christians at Philippi for the gifts that they had sent him by Epaphroditus.
2 to inform the Christians at Philippi about his own circumstances. He also wanted to tell them that Epaphroditus had recovered from his dangerous illness. He was returning to Philippi.
3 to appeal for unity and for the end of quarrels in the church.
4 to warn them about false doctrine, especially that of Jewish Christians who insisted on circumcision for Gentiles.
5 to urge them to remain loyal to their faith and to stand firm against opponents.
Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter. He was not sure of the result of a trial. Some writers suggest that the prison was in Ephesus or Caesarea. But it is more likely that he was in Rome. He probably wrote this letter at the end of the two years that we read about in Acts 28:30.
Chapter 1
The greeting 1:1-2
v1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus. To all the believers in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the leaders and helpers. v2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 1 Paul begins his letter in the usual polite way that people wrote letters at that time. He was the author of the letter. He always used ‘I’. Timothy may have written it for him. We know that people very often used a secretary. (Romans 16:22 mentions Tertius.) Timothy had been with Paul when he established the church at Philippi (Acts 16). Paul mentions Timothy in his greeting to the Christians at Corinth (2 Corinthians 1:1) and Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1). The two other letters from prison also refer to Timothy (Colossians 1:1 and Philemon 1:1). He praises Timothy to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:10-11).
‘servants of Christ Jesus’. The word for ‘servant’ really means ‘slave’. Paul does not refer to himself here as an apostle, as he does in other letters. The Christians at Philippi knew him well. He did not have to emphasise his authority. Paul and Timothy were different in age. ‘Do not let anyone scorn you because you are young’ (1 Timothy 4:12). Paul had taught Timothy about the Christian gospel (2 Timothy 1:1). So they both had the same Master. Both were Christ’s ‘slaves’, with the same honour and responsibility to serve him.
‘all the believers in Christ Jesus’. Paul writes to ‘all’ and he uses this word many times. He prays for them all (1:4). He loves them all (1:7). He would like to be with them all (1:8). And he would like to stay with them all (1:25). His final greetings are to them all (4:21). He therefore reminds the Christians that divisions and quarrels are wrong. None of them was outside Paul’s interest in how well they were all living their Christian lives.
‘the believers in Christ Jesus’. The word that Paul uses for ‘believers’ actually means ‘holy people’. It means people whom God has put apart for himself.
‘in Christ Jesus’ means those who trust in Jesus. So they have his holy life inside them. So they must live a holy life. God is separate from human people because he is perfect. God called Israel to be a ‘holy nation’ (Exodus 19:6). He wanted them to show other nations what he is like. Christians too must be ‘holy’.
‘the leaders and helpers’ are church officers and officials. They are there to encourage the other Christians. They should also protect them. The Greek word for ‘helpers’ means ‘those who serve other people’. They are like the seven Christians whom the apostles appointed (Acts 6:1-6). They appointed them to distribute food to poor widows. These leaders and helpers may have organised the gift of money that the Christians at Philippi sent to Paul. Perhaps Paul mentions them in order to show their authority. Then they will be able to deal with problems in the church.
‘Grace and peace’. The Greek word ‘charis’, grace, means God’s generous free gift. He gives it because of His love for people. They do not deserve it and they cannot earn it. ‘Peace’ is like the Hebrew word ‘shalom’, that Jews still use as a greeting. People become at peace with God because of the work and sacrifice of Jesus, and at peace with each other. All good gifts come from God (James 1:17). Both grace and peace come from him. ‘Our Father’ reminds Christians of the honour that they have as members of God’s family.
‘The Lord Jesus Christ’ brings his Father’s grace and peace to men. The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘the person who saves’. Jesus came as a human being in order to rescue men and women from sin. The name ‘Christ’ means the Anointed Man, who is both king and priest. As ‘Lord’ he is now in the place of honour with God. He is the Master to whom everyone should give loyal service.
Paul gives thanks to God 1:3-8
v3 I thank my God for you every time that I think of you. v4 And I thank God every time that I pray for you all. I pray with joy. v5 This is because you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now. v6 God began this good work in you. And I am sure that he will continue it. He will do so until it is complete. It will be complete on the day of Christ Jesus. v7 It is right for me to think about you all in this way. That is because I think about you always with love. And you have all shared with me in this honour that God has given me. You have shared it now that I am in chains. Before that, I was defending and establishing the gospel. And you shared with me then too. v8 God is my witness that my great love for you is the love of Christ Jesus himself.
Verse 3 Paul emphasises his personal faith by saying ‘my’ God. Some translations say that Paul thanks God because the Christians at Philippi think about him. Verses 3 and 5 mean that he thanks God for two things. He thanks God for the gift of money. But he also thanks God for their spiritual help as they pray for him.
When Paul was in Philippi, several of them helped him. They helped him as he told people the good news about Jesus (4:3).
Verse 4 The word ‘joy’ is typical of this letter and Paul uses it many times. Although Paul is in prison, he still has very much joy.
Verse 6 Paul had brought the *gospel to Philippi. But he still realised that it was God’s work. He knew that God would continue his grace to the Christians at Philippi. What God has begun, he will complete. The ‘day of Christ Jesus’ is the day when Jesus comes again.
Verse 7 ‘in chains’ means ‘in prison’ and may describe actual chains.
‘defending and establishing the gospel’ has two possible meanings:
1 Paul’s work as he explained the gospel before his arrest, and
2 his appearance in front of a judge. He ‘defended’ the gospel. (He answered those who had doubts about it.) Also, some people accused the gospel of things that were not true. He answered those people too. He ‘established’ it, when he stated its true meaning. This may have been the first part of his trial.
Verse 7-8 Paul writes about his great love for the Christians at Philippi. They have shared with him by sending him more than one gift of money (4:16). They still share with him by their prayers. They still share God’s grace with him.
Paul’s prayer 1:9-11
v9 I pray all the time that your love will keep on increasing in knowledge and spiritual intelligence. v10 This is so that you will be able to approve the best things. I want you to be free from anything that is not pure. I want you to be without blame until the day when Christ returns. v11 I want you to have the true goodness that only Jesus Christ can give. As other people see this goodness in your lives, they will give honour and praise to God.
Verse 9 Their ‘love’ is not yet perfect. An increase in their knowledge of God will increase their love for each other. And ‘spiritual intelligence’ will also help them to decide which things are really important.
Verse 10 ‘approve’ translates a special word. People used it when they tested coins or metal. They must approve only what has passed the test. The word ‘pure’ means genuine or sincere. The words ‘without blame’ mean that they have not caused other people to do wrong things.
Some translations show that ‘until’ the day does not mean ‘until the time’. Instead, it means ‘in preparation for’.
Verse 11 Paul wants the Christians at Philippi to show the good results of Christ’s life in them. Paul calls these results ‘fruit’ in Galatians 5:22. It can only come by Jesus Christ. Apart from him, Christians can do nothing to produce such fruit (John 15:5). It is only this fruit that brings honour and praise to God.