Philippians Flashcards
Historical Context of Philippians
Author: Paul
Date: 56 CE if from Ephesus, 61-62 if from Rome or 58-60 if from Caesarea (dating depends on the location of Paul’s imprisonment)
Place of Composition: Ephesus, Rome or Caesarea
Audience: Congregation at Philippi in north-eastern Greece
Unity:
Integrity:
Occasion or Purpose: To express his friendship with the Philippians and to thank them for their monetary support
The Church at Philippi
- Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians during a time of imprisonment, probably in Rome
- Located along the famous Egnatia Way, Philippi was the site of a key military victory by Augustus Caesar, and as a result it was declared a Roman colony, ensuring it immunity from taxation and drawing many veterans to settle there
- Philippi was the first city in present-day Europe where Paul established a Church
- The Church at Philippi had a special significance for Paul, since it was the first Church he founded in Europe
- Paul declares Jesus Christ his Lord
- How would Paul’s message be accepted by retired Romans who have fought for the Roman Empire their whole lives (many were patriotic nationalists)?
Lydia
One of the first converts Paul made in Philippi: Lydia, who according to Acts, was a merchant dealing with purple goods (luxury items e.g. clothes that were purple in colour)
The first convert was Lydia, and Lydia was a symbol that not all Christians in this early era were not poor, she was wealthy
There were some wealthy people attracted to the Christian faith who converted
Why was Paul once imprisoned at Philippi?
Acts tells us that Paul lead the potential converts to a body of water at Philippi to baptize them
- Paul and Silas were imprisoned there for exorcising a demon from a fortune-telling slave girl, but God miraculously delivered them, and they proclaimed the gospel to the Philippian jailer
- During this time, many things such as mental illness were attributed to demons
- She was no longer able to tell fortunes, and her owners began a riot
- That is the start of how the congregation began, and after he founded it, he moved on to his other congregations
- Paul likely visited the Philippians a few times after his initial departure, and they maintained active support for his ministry
- Philippians were generous in offering financial support for Paul to continue on his missions
Circumstances that Lead to Paul Writing Philippians (4 Reasons)
Paul wrote to the Philippians (also) from prison, prompted in part by his reception of their latest gift, sent with Epahrodtritus (himself a member of the Philippian congregation).
But the letter is far more than an extended thank-you not. Paul wanted to pass along the important news that Epaphroditus had recovered from a serious illness and that Paul was sending him along with hopes that he would soon visit with Timothy. (Timothy and Epaphroditus were also mentioned because they exemplified the Christ-centred, gospel-focused life Paul wanted Philippians to live.)
But not all was happy news in the letter. Paul himself also wanted to encourage the Philippians in their faith, and his imprisonment meant he could do that only through a letter. Even a house imprisonment (assuming Paul was in Rome) could have been a source of great anguish, particularily with the possibility of execution looming, and so Paul wanted to assure the church that he was in good spirits through his faith in Chirst.
He was also eager to thank the Philippians for their continued support: imprisonment carried with it a social stigma, and it would have been easy for the Philippians to turn their back on Paul at this point, but they remained faithful to him.
He is above all concerned that the Philippians continue to make progress in their faith. While there were no doubt conflicts within the congregation he Philippians appear to be a healthy contrast, in contrast to the Corinthians and Congregations.
Philippians 2:6-11
Studying the structure of a text is very important, because it gives rise to the central messages.
In Philippians, there is a “central poem” or “hymn” (song)
Philippians 2:6-11: The Messiah Poem
- This shows us that the Christians already had hymns about their faith and about Christ
- Paul likely copied this poem from early Christianity, he is likely not the author
- Genesis 1-3: Adam
- Isaiah 40-55: Suffering Servant
The Famous Hymn of Philippians 2:1-8
Paul talks about Jesus’ preexistence, already existing in the nature of God
Pre-existence: Jesus is the name given to a human person born of the Mary of Nazareth, but whatever this Jesus was before he was born, Jesus was already existing before he received the name Jesus, this form that became Jesus existed before the baby was born and shared the nature of God.
Usually the term (we meet in John’s gospel) used to describe Jesus’ preexistence is “LOGOS” (the WORD of God) which Christians eventually call “God, the son” (the second part of the holy trinity).
Human existence begins with our conception in our mother’s womb, but the form of Jesus existed before he was born into the human form.
This hymn is one of the earliest passages in the NT where the notion of pre-existence is present.
LOGOS →
human →
humbles himself as a servant →
even further humbles himself by dying on the Cross
Jesus becomes a suffering servant who is humiliated.
The logos of God accepted his crucifixion to the obedience of God
As opposed to Adam, who disobeyed God
Paul contrasts Jesus with Adam
Then, God raises Jesus to become the Lord of the universe
“Jesus the Messiah is the Lord! To the Glory of God the Father!”
UP → DOWN → UP again
The Famous Hymn of Philippians 2:1-8
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
ekenosen (noun) kenosis: he emptied himself and he detached himself from his divine status and became
human
Jesus had a high status and stooped down to the level of a slave by coming down and becoming human
The Famous Hymn of Philippians 2:1-8
And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
This is the absolute lowest point that anyone could go down to, there is no level lower than that. Only the worst people were crucified on crosses).
Imago Dei (Image of God): Paul contrasts Jesus with Adam, both were created in the image and likeness of God, but Adam wants to go further up the chain while Jesus emptied himself and goes down.
Paul is saying, be like Jesus (humble and obedient to God’s plan) and not like Adam because in Adam’s case, his effort to raise himself higher results in his banishment from the garden of Eden, while Jesus’ acception of humiliation and crucifixion is exalted by God.
The Famous Hymn of Philippians 2:1-8
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
The status of Jesus is the single-most important Christian belief
This is the operative worldview of all Christians
The root of it is this chapter, and specifically, this verse
The Famous Hymn of Philippians 2:1-8
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
God is making Jesus the King of all creation and the whole universe
Paul substitutes Caesar (the Lord) for Jesus Christ
When God finally reveals this truth, everyone will recognize that jesus is the Lord and God will be all-glorious
Adoptionistic Christology
Jesus’ life of obedience
God’s Adoption of Jesus
Christ’s Exaltion as the Messiah
Agency Christology
God’s sending (Divine Initiative)
Jesus’ Life
Christ’s Exaltion
Preexistence and the LOGOS
Logos Descent to earth Incarnation (Jesus in human form) Cross/Crucifixion Ascension to heaven Paraclete Spirit stays above and descents to Earth by living on in Jesus' followers (his body)
The THREE ways to read The Famous Hymn of Philippians 2:1-8
- Jesus is the “second Adam” or the “last Adam”
In Adam, we see a desire to be Godlike, but in Jesus, we do not see a desire to seek equality with God
Adam tried to put himself as the center of existence, up to inordinate sixe
We see the opposite in Jesus - Preexistence
The “Word”; the “Logos”
The Christ who was with God from the beginning emptied Himself to bring order among humanity
God became incarnate Jesus, Christ was prexistant, and emptied Himself of His divine qualities to become human in Jesus, and becoming human meant becoming vulnerable
God self-emptied and incarnate in jesus, was passionate not about power and control, but about justice and peace (distributive justice and nonviolence)
Kenotic (kenosis): “emptying” - Jesus is the Lord; Son of God; Savior of the World
Paul proclaims that Jesus is the Lord, the dominus, and it is not Caesar Augustus. Jesus is the Divine King, brought to save humanity. It is not the Empire of Rome. Jesus is the way, the path, of personal transformation.
