LESSON 1

The Apostle Paul, Philippians, and Choosing Joy

Welcome to the letter to the Philippians, an epistle that flows with joy, inspires gratitude, and shares many truths about Jesus. Writing while imprisoned, Paul expresses joy and gladness nineteen times in this short book. He sees his circumstances as nothing compared to the wonder of knowing Jesus.

Philippians provides examples of Christians to imitate, delights in opportunities that even imprisonment afforded for sharing the gospel, and expresses the apostle Paul's gratitude for the support of his friends in Philippi. His perspective is not of a victim but of a thankful missionary who uses every opportunity to advance faith in Jesus and show appreciation to people who have supported him.

Ever mindful of the need for others to have faith in Jesus Christ, Paul shares a creed, also known as the kenosis passage or "Christ Hymn" (Philippians 2:9-11). It lays out basic facts about Christ from his preexistent glory to his sacrifice on the cross as our exalted Lord.

Paul encourages his dear friends in Philippi to live in harmony as the community of Christ. He urges these faithful followers to focus on living their faith and understanding that their true citizenship lies in heaven. This means choosing a positive attitude and finding contentment in all circumstances. Paul wants believers to look forward to the glory of God in eternity and to trust that God will strengthen them and satisfy their needs on earth. Paul also wants to inspire them to share their faith.

Authorship

Early Christians accepted that Paul wrote the book of Philippians and sent it as a letter from himself and his friend Timothy, as revealed in the letter's opening verse. The book's style and content are consistent with Paul's other known writings. Thirteen of the epistles in the New Testament are attributed to Paul, making up nearly half the total number of books in this portion of Scripture. Philippians is one of his four letters written from prison, and he wrote it to church members and leaders in Philippi, an ancient city in Macedonia. It's one of his most personal letters.

Bible scholars who focus on the New Testament letters attributed to Paul study even passages within them to determine if any are pre-Pauline texts (known to Paul but not originally composed by him) or post-Pauline (added into his letter after he wrote it, also called interpolations). Scholars continue to debate the original authorship of verses 2:6-11, but no one describes this passage as post-Pauline, and many scholars believe it was part of an early hymn known to Paul and thus pre-Pauline.2 This is not the only occasion where Paul and other New Testament writers drew from outside sources.3 But in this section of Philippians, the hymnal fragments show that the Christian belief in Jesus' exalted divine nature and status predated Paul's ministry and likely became entrenched in the church in its earliest years.

External evidence for Paul's authorship of Philippians comes from the writings of Polycarp of Smyrna (ca. 69-ca. 155), Irenaeus (ca. 120-ca. 200), Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150-215), Tertullian (ca. 155-ca. 220), and other church fathers. The internal and external evidence for Paul's authorship of this letter is so persuasive that "the vast majority of those who study the NT today are certain that Paul was responsible for Philippians."4

How do you know who really sent you an email, text, or letter? Besides the sender's name or signature, what about the writing or contents might reveal the identity of the sender?

Scholars study the patterns, style, and phrases of Paul's writing to help decide if he really wrote certain epistles and passages. What's your impression of Paul's character from any of his letters you have read or studied?

THE EXTRA MILE

Consider Paul's tone and style. Philippians is a very personal letter and less formal than his other epistles.5

Next to each of the following passages from Paul's letters, note the reasons he gives for the letter, the tone he uses, and the way he introduces himself:

Romans 1:1-10

1 Corinthians 1:1-13

Philippians 1:1-7

1 Timothy 1:1-7

What are some of the similarities you noticed?

What differences did you observe?

What are some different approaches you use for communicating with people?

What causes you to be more serious or use a tone of reprimand?

What leads you to use a warm or joyful tone?

The Letter's Recipients

Paul addressed this letter to the church in Philippi that he started on his second missionary journey between 49 and 52 CE, detailed in Acts 16-18. He wrote the letter to be read publicly to all the believers in Philippi. Paul returned there on his third missionary trip (Acts 20:1). Generally, Paul looked for a synagogue where he could preach to Jews, but Philippi served as a Roman outpost, and too few Jews lived there to establish a synagogue (16:13). According to Jewish tradition, it took ten Jewish men to establish a synagogue.6

Philippi's rich history began when King Philip, the father of Alexander the Great (king of the ancient Greek kingdom or Macedon), took the town in 356 BCE, renamed it, and expanded it. The city was known for its fertile fields and nearby gold mines in the mountains to the north. In 168 BCE he captured the city. In 42 BCE, the Roman forces of Mark Antony and Octavian, loyalists to the assassinated Roman ruler Julius Caesar, defeated those of the assassins, Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassias, outside the city of Philippi. "In celebration of the victory the city was made a Roman colony with the special privileges this involved."7

Many retired Roman soldiers lived in Philippi and received special privileges in exchange for helping to guard the city. About eighty years before Paul's first trip to Philippi, the Roman government granted land there to retired soldiers. Their presence added to the patriotism among the people and led to a term for the area called "The Romanness of Philippi." People prized Roman citizenship there, dressed in Roman clothing, and spoke Latin.8 Paul's mention of his Roman citizenship and the rights that accompanied it led to his eventual release from prison in that city (16:35-40).

People Paul met in Philippi included Lydia, a merchant of purple cloth who housed him (vv. 11-15, 40); a Roman jailer, who almost committed suicide because he thought Paul and Silas had escaped after an earthquake and who ended up believing in Jesus through their ministry (vv. 25-36); and a slave girl Paul healed of demonic possession (vv. 16-18). The strange mix of people Paul encountered reflected the mix of residents in that region. In fact, the population included Thracians, Greeks, and Romans, and archaeological discoveries reveal the people's diverse religious beliefs and practices.9

Scholars estimate the population of Philippi during the first century at ten to fifteen thousand, with the majority of people being slaves, farmers, and service workers. Before the city became a Roman colony, its culture was Greek. As the population became more Romanized, it didn't lose its Greek roots and expressions. Even the Greek language was still used along with Latin.10

What is the mix of people in your local area? Include ethnicities, nationalities, religious perspectives, education levels, and other factors that contribute to the mix.

Given the population make-up in your area, what challenges have you faced when trying to communicate or arrive at a shared understanding?

THE BACKSTORY

Paul's first visit to Philippi marked his first time in Europe. He had planned to revisit the places he went to on his first missionary journey (15:36, 41), but an extraordinary vision from God changed his plans (16:9-12). The vision included a plea for help from a man from Macedonia, and it brought Paul to Philippi and opened the doors to start a church community there. Commenting on this event, New Testament scholar Richard Longenecker writes:

Authentic turning points in history are few. But surely among them that of the Macedonian vision ranks high. Because of Paul's obedience at this point, the gospel went westward; and ultimately Europe and the Western world were evangelized. Christian response to the call of God is never a trivial thing. Indeed, as in this instance, great issues and untold blessings may depend on it.11

Silas (15:22, 40; 16:16-19) and Timothy (16:1-3) accompanied Paul on the first visit to Philippi. Luke, who was likely a resident of Philippi, also joined Paul's missionary team as indicated by the "we" language that begins in 16:10. (Luke was the writer of Acts, so by using "we," he includes himself among the travelers.)12

Archeology and history show that the Philippian community of Christians continued to grow after they were first established. Evidence of a Basilica to Paul with a baptistry indicate the community must have been large by the time Constantine allowed freedom of religion in 313 CE. In the second century,...