Introduction to the Book of Philippians
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Introduction to the Book of Philippians
Introduction to the Book of Philippians
We’re in a new book of the Bible this morning.
Last week we completed the letter to the Ephesians.
This morning we’re beginning our new series in the Book of Philippians.
It seems today we don’t think we have enough of everything. People want more. More money. More time. More peace. More Instagram followers...
But there is something we need more of...
And that’s “Christian contentment.”
Paul addressed the issue of contentment in his letter to the Philippians when he wrote in Philippians 4:11,
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
So, we’re going to spend the next few weeks learning how to be content with what we have.
Let’s read Paul’s greeting to the Philippians in Philippians 1:1-2:
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This morning’s message is going to be an introduction to the letter.
It’s possible that the four chapters of Philippians have provided more favorite quotes and sound bites than any other section of Scripture of similar length. Here are some of my favorites:
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
It is likely that some of these verses are some of your favorite verses too.
Paul’s letter to the Philippians is sometimes called “The Epistle of Joy.” In fact, the verb “rejoice” (chairo) appears ninety-six times and the noun “joy” (chara) appears fifty-nine times in the New Testament. These two words appear thirteen times in Philippians. However, the joy that appears in Philippians is a particular kind of joy—the joy of contentment even in difficult circumstances. Paul’s contentment—and his joy—shines vividly when we recall the background to his letter.
We’ll look at...
1. The Setting of the Letter
2. The Authors (1:1a)
3. The Recipients (1:1b)
4. The Salutation (1:2)
I. The Setting of the Letter
I. The Setting of the Letter
Paul planted the Philippian church, and it was the first church he planted in Europe (Acts 16:6-40).
The first convert in Philippi was Lydia, a seller of purple goods. (An entrepreneur)
The second convert was demon-possessed fortune-telling slave girl. Her conversion upset her owners because her conversion lost them their livelihood, and they had Paul and Silas imprisoned. But God intervened miraculously. ( Lowest rung of society)
And the third convert was the Philippian jailer and his entire family. (Blue collar worker)
Paul probably visited Philippi several times after his first visit, and the Philippian church was perhaps his favorite church.
Most likely Paul wrote to the Philippian church after his third missionary journey and his imprisonment in Rome. He wrote this letter to the Philippians in about 62 AD in response to a financial gift that he had received from them. He wanted to thank them, and also to pass along the news that Epaphroditus (a member of the Philippian church) had recovered from a serious illness (2:25-30), and that he was sending him back to them so that he could give them news of Paul.
II. The Author of the Letter (1:1a)
II. The Author of the Letter (1:1a)
Philippians 1:1 (NKJV)
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,
Paul’s letter to the Philippians follows the typical format of a letter in the first century. The author was listed first, then the recipient, followed by a brief greeting.
Paul identified the authors in verse 1a when he wrote, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus….” Philippians is one of thirteen letters written by Paul that have survived and are in the New Testament.
Timothy is not really a co-author; he is rather a colleague, and most likely the secretary who received Paul’s dictation. Paul made no mention here of his apostolic authority, but simply mentioned that he and Timothy were servants of Christ Jesus.
Speaking of his life before becoming a follower of Jesus, Paul wrote later in this letter in Philippians 3:4–11:
4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul had amazing credentials. And yet, after his conversion to Christ, he counted them as rubbish. What he had viewed as great positives in his life, he now saw as a negative. He had come to receive a righteousness from God that is received by faith alone. And he was wonderfully converted!
Timothy also had received a righteousness from God that is received by faith alone. In fact, he was Paul’s son in the faith (1 Timothy 1:2). He had become a cherished colleague and co-laborer in the gospel. Several years later, Paul wrote two letters to Timothy, which survive and are in the New Testament as First and Second Timothy.
Paul said that he and Timothy were servants of Christ Jesus.
The word “servants” (douloi) means “one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will being altogether consumed in the will of the other.”
Ordinarily, it meant a person who was a slave of someone else.
However, when Paul used it in his relationship to Christ Jesus, he meant to indicate that his service was one of permanent gratitude and devotion to his Lord and Savior.
It reminds one of an Old Testament slave who refused to leave his Master, but would rather continue serving him.
The Mosaic Law stated that
5 But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.
Even though Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians while he was in prison in Rome, and therefore he was a prisoner of the Roman Empire, he did not view himself as a “prisoner of Rome.” No, he always viewed himself as belonging exclusively to Jesus Christ. He might be imprisoned by Rome but he belonged to Christ.
Do you view yourself as a servant of Christ Jesus? Do you see yourself as one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to Jesus, with your will being altogether consumed in the will of Jesus? Is your service one of permanent gratitude and devotion to your Lord and Savior?
III. The Recipients of the Letter (1:1b)
III. The Recipients of the Letter (1:1b)
Paul addressed this letter
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
The Bible is clear that all Christians are “saints.” The Roman Catholic Church has a category for “saints” who are people who have met certain criteria.
They consider them a sort of “super Christians.” However, that is not what the Bible teaches. All Christians are “saints.” Biblically, a “saint” is simply a person who has been set apart by God for God. It has nothing to do with how good a person is; it has simply to do with the fact that a person now belongs to God.
And the reason Christians are saints is because they are in Christ.
It is Christ’s perfection, his righteousness that has been imputed (credited) to believers (Romans 4:22-24).
I like what John MacArthur says about this: “A Buddhist does not speak of himself as in Buddha, nor does a Muslim speak of himself as in Mohammed. A Christian Scientist is not in Mary Baker Eddy or a Mormon in Joseph Smith or Brigham Young. They may faithfully follow the teaching and example of those religious leaders, but they are not in them. Only Christians can claim to be in their Lord, because they have been made spiritually one with him (cf. Romans 6:1–11).”
Paul addressed this letter not only to the saints but also to “the overseers and deacons.” The “bishops” or overseers are the elders in the church. They have the responsibility of teaching, shepherding, guarding, and protecting the saints. The deacons have the responsibility for the practical service in the church. Both overseers and deacons are to meet high spiritual qualifications that Paul would later set down in his letter to Timothy (in 1 Timothy 3:1-13). The primary distinction between overseers and deacons is that elders must be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2).
I notice that Paul expects his letter to be read to the congregation, with all the saints, as well as the overseers and deacons present.
IV. The Salutation (1:2)
IV. The Salutation (1:2)
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This was Paul’s common greeting in his letters to the churches (see Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:2; Colossians 1:2-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:2).
John MacArthur summarizes Paul’s meaning well: “The saving, eternal grace that is granted to penitent, believing sinners is the supreme divine gift, and everlasting peace is its greatest blessing. The source of both is God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This salutation expresses Paul’s abiding love and concern for the faithful believers in Philippi and serves as an introduction to the many specific causes for rejoicing that he mentions throughout this tenderest of all his epistles.”
Conclusion
Let us rejoice that we are in Christ.
I mentioned earlier that the words “rejoice” and “joy” are found thirteen times in Philippians.
However, the word “Christ” is found thirty-seven times in Philippians. No other noun occurs more than the word “Christ” in this letter.
Philippians is about Christ. Christ is at the heart and center of Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
Philippians is about people in Christ (2:29; 3:1; 4:4, 10).
Philippians is about people who are in fellowship of the gospel because they are in Christ.
Philippians is about people who have found contentment in Christ (4:11).
And undergirding our relationship to Christ in Philippians is joy. See how Paul expresses it in various verses in Philippians:
• 1:4b: “making my prayer with joy”
• 1:18b: “Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice”
• 1:25b: “your progress and joy in the faith”
• 2:2a: “complete my joy”
• 2:17-18: “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me”
• 2:28b: “that you may rejoice”
• 2:29: “So receive him in the Lord with all joy”
• 3:1a: “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord”
• 4:1a: “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown”
• 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice”
One commentator notes, “Philippians evokes a particular joy. It is the joy of Christ and joy from Christ. It is a joy that effervesces in the dark places of life. It is available for those ‘in Christ,’ who stand together as they partner in the fellowship of the gospel.”
Let us ask God to enhance our experience of this joy in our study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians.