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Paul's letter to the Philippians is one of the most personal and applicable books in the New Testament. In this episode, we discuss the background of the letter, walk through the chapters, talk about the difficult passages, and end on some major takeaways.
Paul wrote this letter around 60 AD while he was imprisoned in Rome. He writes to encourage the church at Philippi and to thank them for their financial gift. Unlike several of the other letters, Philippians is not responding to major doctrinal disagreements. It is very affectionate, familial, and pastoral.
Key Themes in Philippians:
1) Joy that flows out of transformation in Christ
2) Christ-centered thinking
3) Paul’s affection for this church
4) Dependence upon God
Difficult Passages:
2:5-7 – God emptying Himself.
Jesus is fully God and fully man. But what does it mean that Jesus emptied himself? The object of Jesus emptying is himself – a posture. He emptied himself by taking on the form of a servant. Jesus became “nothing” in respect to what he is in order that he might die and save us. The context of this passage is humility – put on humility just as Christ your Savior put on humility.
4:2-3 – Who is the “true companion”?
Several take the Greek word for “true companion” and turn it into a name - Syzygus.
Some speculate that Paul had a wife in Philippi but there is no reason to believe that Paul was married. The most likely identity is that Paul was encouraging Epaphroditus to mediate the dispute between these two women. Epaphroditus was mentioned in chapter 3:25.
This letter is very applicable to every season in the Christian life. It speaks directly to the daily walk of the Christian with its admonishment to pursue joy in Christ.
For an in-depth look at the letter, check out this Preaching Guide at For the Church.
Brittany Proffitt lives in southern Ohio and holds a BA in Religion. She is passionate about Scripture and how God’s Word impacts individuals’ hearts and lives.
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