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Book of the New Testament From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Epistle to the Philippians[a] is a Pauline epistle of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle and Timothy is named with him as co-author or co-sender. The letter is addressed to the Christian church in Philippi.[3] Paul, Timothy, Silas (and perhaps Luke) first visited Philippi in Greece (Macedonia) during Paul's second missionary journey from Antioch, which occurred between approximately 50 and 52 AD. In the account of his visit in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Silas are accused of "disturbing the city".[4]
There is a general consensus that Philippians consists of authentically Pauline material, and that the epistle is a composite of multiple letter fragments from Paul to the church in Philippi.[5][6]: 17 These letters could have been written from Ephesus in 52–55 AD or Caesarea Maritima in 57–59, but the most likely city of provenance is Rome, around 62 AD, or about 10 years after Paul's first visit to Philippi.[7]
Starting in the 1960s, a consensus emerged among biblical scholars that Philippians was not written as one unified letter, but rather as a compilation of fragments from three separate letters from Paul to the church in Philippi.[6]: 17 According to Philip Sellew, Philippians contains the following letter fragments:
In support of the idea that Philippians is a composite work, Sellew pointed to the abrupt shifts in tone and topic within the text. There also seem to be chronological inconsistencies from one chapter to the next concerning Paul's associate Epaphroditus:
Another argument against unity has been found in the swiftly changing fortunes of Epaphroditus: this associate of Paul is at the point of death in chapter two (Phil 2:25–30), where seemingly he has long been bereft of the company of the Philippian Christians; Paul says that he intended to send him back to Philippi after this apparently lengthy, or at least near-fatal separation. Two chapters later, however, at the end of the canonical letter, Paul notes that Epaphroditus had only now just arrived at Paul's side, carrying a gift from Philippi, a reference found toward the close of the "thank-you note" as a formulaic acknowledgement of receipt at Phil 4:18.
These letter fragments likely would have been edited into a single document by the first collector of the Pauline corpus, although there is no clear consensus among scholars regarding who this initial collector may have been, or when the first collection of Pauline epistles may have been published.[6]: 26
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Today, a number of scholars believe that Philippians is a composite of multiple letter fragments. According to the theologian G. Walter Hansen, "The traditional view that Philippians was composed as one letter in the form presented in the NT [New Testament] can no longer claim widespread support."[5]
Regardless of the literary unity of the letter, scholars agree that the material that was compiled into the Epistle to the Philippians was originally composed in Koine Greek, sometime during the 50s or early 60s AD.[9]
It is uncertain where Paul was when he wrote the letter(s) that make up Philippians. Internal evidence in the letter itself points clearly to it being composed while Paul was in custody,[10] but it is unclear which period of imprisonment the letter refers to. If the sequence of events given in the Acts of the Apostles is to be trusted, candidates would include the Roman imprisonment at the end of Acts,[11] and the earlier Caesarean imprisonment.[12] Any identification of the place of writing of Philippians is complicated by the fact that some scholars view Acts as being an unreliable source of information about the early Church.[13]
Jim Reiher has suggested that the letters could stem from the second period of Roman imprisonment attested by early church fathers.[14][15] The main reasons suggested for a later date include:
The original manuscript or manuscripts of the epistle are lost, and the text of surviving copies varies. The earliest surviving manuscripts were made centuries later, and include complete and partial copies:
In Chapters 1 and 2 of Philippians (Letter B), Paul sends word to the Philippians of his upcoming sentence in Rome and of his optimism in the face of death,[19] along with exhortations to imitate his capacity to rejoice in the Lord despite one's circumstances.[20] Paul assures the Philippians that his imprisonment is actually helping to spread the Christian message, rather than hindering it.[21] He also expresses gratitude for the devotion and heroism of Epaphroditus, who the Philippian church had sent to visit Paul and bring him gifts.[22] Some time during his visit with Paul, Epaphroditus apparently contracted some life-threatening debilitating illness.[23] But he recovers before being sent back to the Philippians.
The epistle opens using a formula found in other Paul's epistles, here with the introduction of himself and Timothy as Christ's "slaves" ("bondservants") as in Romans 1:1.[24]
Verse 1:1 is translated in the New King James Version as:
"Bishops and deacons" could be translated as "overseers" and "helpers";[26] their functions in the church were not the same as they would later become.[27]
Verse 1:2 is translated:
The wording is identical to Ephesians 1:2.[29]
This is a common feature in Paul's epistles.[27] Except in Galatians, Paul thanks or blesses God for the good things he has heard about a particular church in the beginning of his letters.[30] In this epistle, Paul mixes it with his prayer for the church (1:3–4) and with joy (1:5), "a combination he will recommend in 4:6".[30] Lutheran pietist Johann Albrecht Bengel says that the whole letter can this be summarised: "The sum of the epistle is, I rejoice, rejoice ye".[31] Similarly Paul writes to the Thessalonians: Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.[32]
This section deals with Paul's condition during the confinement in a Roman administrative center, where he could still preach the gospel.[27] It consists of two subsections with distinctive keywords: the first subsection (verses 12–18) was marked off with two words, "progress" (prokope; verse 12) and "confidence" (verse 14), whereas the second subsection (verses 19–26) has the inclusio markers "joy", "progress" and "trusting".[33]
Verse 1:21 is translated:
"To die is gain": that is, when a believer dies one enters into the presence of God, where fullness of joy is, and immediately with Christ, which is far better than being alive here. This common interpretation is shown by the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopian versions, which read, "to die (or "if I die"), it is gain to me".[35]
This section centers on Paul's appeal for unity of minds and hearts among the people, which can be expressed by four phrases: two using the keyword phronein ("of the same mind" or "of one mind"), then agape ("love") and sumpsuchoi ("united in soul" or "being in full accord").[36] Maintaining his reference to the joy which Paul already feels in respect to the Philippians (verses 1:4 and 1:25), he speaks of this joy being "made full, like a measure".[37]
Verse 2:1 is translated in the King James Version:
Meyer notes Paul's use of "four stimulative elements", which are assumed to apply and are not conditional.[37] H. C. G. Moule notes that the word "bowels", as in the King James Version, was not used in any English version before 1582,[39] and offers "tender mercies and compassions", as in the Revised Version (1881), as better wording:[40] likewise the New International Version (1973 onwards) refers to "tenderness and compassion.[41]
Chapter 2 of the epistle contains a famous poem describing the nature of Christ and his act of redemption:
Who, though he was in the form of God,
- Did not regard being equal with God
- Something to be grasped after.
But he emptied himself
- Taking on the form of a slave,
- And coming in the likeness of humans.
And being found in appearance as a human
- He humbled himself
- Becoming obedient unto death— even death on a cross.
Therefore God highly exalted him
- And bestowed on him the name
- That is above every name,
That at the name of Jesus
- Every knee should bow
- Of those in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth.
And every tongue should confess
- That Jesus Christ is Lord
- To the glory of God the Father.
Due to its unique poetic style, Bart D. Ehrman suggests that this passage constitutes an early Christian poem that was composed by someone else prior to Paul's writings, as early as the mid-late 30s AD and was later used by Paul in his epistle. While the passage is often called a "hymn", some scholars believe this to be an inappropriate name since it does not have a rhythmic or metrical structure in the original Greek.[42] This theory was first proposed by German Protestant theologian Ernst Lohmeyer in 1928, and this "has come to dominate both exegesis of Philippians and study of early Christology and credal formulas".[43]
Some find the Christ poem significant because it strongly suggests that there were very early Christians who understood Jesus to be a pre-existent celestial being, who chose to take on human form, rather than a human who was later exalted to a divine status.[44][42]
While the author of the poem apparently believed that Jesus existed in heaven before his physical incarnation, there is some debate about whether he was believed to be equal to God the Father prior to his death and resurrection. This largely depends on how the Greek word harpagmon (ἁρπαγμόν, accusative form of ἁρπαγμός) is translated in verse 6 ("Something to be grasped after / exploited"). If harpagmon is rendered as "something to be exploited," as it is in many Christian Bible translations, then the implication is that Christ was already equal to God prior to his incarnation. But Bart Ehrman and others have argued that the correct translation is in fact "something to be grasped after," implying that Jesus was not equal to God before his resurrection. Outside of this passage, harpagmon and related words were almost always used to refer to something that a person doesn't yet possess but tries to acquire.[42]
It is widely agreed by interpreters, however, that the Christ poem depicts Jesus as equal to God after his resurrection. This is because the last two stanzas quote Isaiah 45:22–23:[45] ("Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess"), which in the original context clearly refers to God the Father.[42] Some scholars argue that Philippians 2:6–11 identifies Jesus with God from his pre-existence on the basis that allusions to Isaiah 45:22–23 are present all throughout the poem.[46]
Two of Paul's helpers, Timothy and Epaphroditus, are introduced and the reasons for their journey are explained in this part, mainly to show Paul's affection to the people of Philippi.[47]
In Chapter 3 (Letter C), Paul warns the Philippians about those Christians who insist that circumcision is necessary for salvation. He testifies that while he once was a devout Pharisee and follower of the Jewish law, he now considers these things to be worthless and worldly compared to the gospel of Jesus.[48]
Paul tells his own story and says how he "emptied himself" for Christ's sake and how his ultimate goal was now to follow the "upward call of God" (verse 14) to the end. Paul describes how his values had changed since becoming a follower of Christ. Jesuit theologian Robert Murray describes this process as a "transvaluation of values", using a phrase adopted from the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche.[47]
Verse 3 is translated:
Verse 3:5 is translated:
Verse 3:8 is translated:
Translator J. B. Phillips,[55] commentator Robert Murray, the New Revised Standard Version and the Jerusalem Bible connect verse 1 with the final section of the previous chapter, as the conclusion of Paul's main exhortations in chapters 2 and 3.[56] Commentator Joseph Benson says "certainly it should not have been separated" from chapter 3.[57]
Paul argues that it is right to be good citizens, but "our citizenship (politeuma) is in heaven".[58] The section calls on the Philippians to be co-imitators of himself; the Greek word συμμιμηταί (summimetai) is "not elsewhere preserved".[59]
In Chapter 4, Paul urges the Philippians to resolve conflicts within their fellowship.[60] In the latter part of the chapter (Letter A), Paul expresses his gratitude for the gifts that the Philippians had sent him, and assures them that God will reward them for their generosity.[61]
Throughout the epistle there is a sense of optimism. Paul is hopeful that he will be released, and on this basis he promises to send Timothy to the Philippians for ministry,[62] and also expects to pay them a personal visit.[63]
Paul asks the two diakonoi, Euodia and Syntyche, female leaders of different house-groups in Philippi, "to be of the same mind" (to think, phronein, "the same").[56]
Verse 4:3 is translated:
Paul addresses one of the leaders responsible for the church.[65] Benson suggests he is probably addressing Silas, "for Silas had been his yoke-fellow at the very place".[57]
According to Paul, the cure of the troubles in the church is to recall "the charismatic joy of their first coming to faith", just as he told the Thessalonian church that "in spite of persecutions you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).[56]
Paul acknowledges the support from the church in Philippi, describing it as "a sacrifice pleasing to God", and prays that God will take care of their needs, before closing the epistle with a mention of "Caesar's household" ("emperor's household") in verse 22, probably as a hint (cf. Philippians 1:13) of the success Paul in obtaining Praetorian contacts.[66]
Verse 4:13 is given in the New King James Version:
The Greek word Χριστῷ (Christō, "Christ") is found in the majority[68] of older manuscripts,[69] but others lack explicit reference, so are rendered as "him".[70]
Portions of Philippians are used in various Christian lectionaries for regularly scheduled Bible readings.
"Philippians 3:20-21" is a song title in the album "The Life of the World to Come" inspired by these verses that was released by the American band The Mountain Goats in 2009.[71]
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