Philippians: An overview

Context

Founding of the church

Paul receives a vision of a Macedonian man pleading with him.

Philippi is the first church founded in Europe

Paul finds a group of God-fearing women praying by the river and Lydia believes and then we have the story I told last week of Paul and Silas in prison

the converts we know of are Lydia and the prison guard

not a Jewish synagogue there so not many jews in Philippi

Paul is going to visit them at least three times that we know of.

They are giving church. Some churches Paul does not let them give to but he lets the Philippians. he sees them as partners not as a father like he does other churches.

The City

site of several important battles in roman history

Were given Roman citizenship

smaller city with farmlands surrounding it

mainly composed of former soldiers, Greeks, and merchants

on a roman road used for trade a lot

Cults

Imperial cult

traditional Greek cults

Egyptian cult, and Phrygian cult

Worshipping the Gods was almost inescapable

your job had a patron god, your family had a patron god, your city had a patron god. if you broke off from this any hardship was blamed on you. Also would make it hard to go over to an unbelievers house and eat with them.

Why and when is Paul writing

The Church was founded on Paul’s 2nd missionary journey

typically when Paul writes you a letter you are in trouble but not this one. there is some hints to something going on but nothing serious.

letter is a prison epistle. We think written in Rome around AD62

could be Caesarea or Ephesus but most likely Rome

This might be Paul's fav church

its his warmest and most personal letter The church had sent him a gift with Epaphroditus and Paul is basically sending a thankyou letter

E had gotten sick the church was very concerned over him so Paul writes this letter and sends him back

this is a letter of friendship

a report on Paul’s imprisonment

addresses two concerns Paul has Disunity and Judaizers

This is called the letter of Joy. It can be seen all over the book.

Partners in the Gospel

Philippians 1:3–5 “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,”

Jesus doesn't want robots but people to partner with in his redemption story. Just as Paul and the church team up so does Jesus.

Jesus is writing a story of cosmetic proportions and he wants you to be a part of it

Chains for the Gospel

Philippians 1:7–8 “It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

The circumstance does not change how Paul feels. Chains or free he loves and is thankful

He longs for and loves the church. We should have that same mindset.

Love Abounds in Knowledge

Philippians 1:9–10 “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,”

as we grow more in knowledge of God it should lead us to love him more. We cannot have love without knowledge and knowledge without love

it is for the purpose of knowing his will.