January 24 - Philippians

January 24 - Philippians

We'll look at one more letter that Paul wrote while in Rome, though we haven't actually gotten him there yet. Philippi was named after Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great and was established in 42 bc. This is the home of Luke and of Lydia. Paul visited them during his second missionary journey (Acts 16:11-40) and this was the first European city that he visited. This is where Paul and Silas were imprisoned and miraculously released.

The church that he established in Philippi would have been largely Gentile. In Acts 16:13, 16 we see no signs that there was a temple, since Paul generally spoke there first. This church supported Paul with significant financial gifts (Phil. 4:15-16). Epaphroditus had come from Philippi to offer support to Paul and was being sent back with this letter (Philippians 2:25-30, 4:18). Paul anticipates his release from prison in Philippians 1:19; 2:24 so that puts the date of this letter around 62AD.

Joy. It's all about joy.

The main theme of this letter was joy. Paul hoped to encourage his readers. Even though he was in prison and things seemed dark, Paul asked them to look beyond the immediacy of the prison cell to see how Christ could work.

Philippians 2:1-11 is a beautiful description of who Jesus is. Many believe that Phil. 2:5-11 were the words to a liturgy of the early church.

In Paul's later years, he spent more and more time in prison and less time with the churches that he had established. He had to communicate with them through his friends and through his letters. It was important that he continue to teach them as the newness of conversion wore off and the reality of everyday life set in. Philippians 3:3-11 is a very personal testimony. He follows it with verses that are very familiar to us. But, the teaching was important as people realized that he was teaching them not to look to some far-off future, but to live in the present as we move to the future.

Philippians 4 is filled with personal notes, but the depth of the teaching found in those notes is incredible. Passages that can easily become mundane to us have been written by a man passionate about helping his churches grow as Christians. Philippians 4:9 says "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it in to practice."

I pray that you find joy as you take time to read this letter.

Philippians 1:1-30
Philippians 2:1-30
Philippians 3:1-21
Philippians 4:1-23