Lesson Two__The Letter to Philippians, Introduction and Salutation


Introduction

In this lesson we continue our introductory material concerning the Letter to the Philippians. We have looked briefly at the city of Philippi its historicity along with the established of the assembly of the Lord in that location as recorded in Acts 16.


SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EPISTLE

A. Philippians Is a Letter of Peace. Philippians is more peaceful than Galatians and more personal than Ephesians. There is no evidence that false teachers were a problem as in other letters.

B. Philippians Is a Christ Centered Letter.

The intimate character of Philippians. It contains much intimate personal matter like 2nd Corinthians but for different reasons! The personal pronouns "I," "me," "my," are found 120 times in Philippians.

C. Philippians Is a Christ-centered Letter___

Christ is preeminent throughout. He is mentioned nearly 50 times in 104 verses.

1. Christ our life__chapter 1

2. Christ our example__chapter 2

3. Christ our object__chapter 3

4. Christ our strength__chapter 4

D. Philippians Is a Letter of Love

1. They were remembered.

 "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,"1:3

2. They were held in Paul's heart.

 "For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in thedefense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.

 8For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus " (1:7-8)

3. They are loved and longed for.

 "Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved" (4:1)



E. Philippians Is a Letter of Joy

The theme of the letter: " I rejoice; do you rejoice."

1. Paul rejoiced despite his circumstances.

a. Even in prison.

 12Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,

b. Even in poverty and want.

 11Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

 12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

 13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Did a Roman sentry guard his cell? It only reminded him of that "peace of God" "that"

".....will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (4:6-7)

2. The theme of the epistle and Paul's life: "rejoicing in the Lord always."

a. The command:

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" 4:4

b. The assurance:

19And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

c. The reward:

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." 3:20-21

1) Rejoicing in evangelism and in facing death__chapter 1

2) Rejoicing in lowly service and in brotherhood__chapter 2

3) Rejoicing in imperfections and heavenly citizenship__chapter 3

4) Rejoicing in anxiety and privations___chapter 4


Note: The Key Verse in the Epistle to the Philippians.

"Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us." 3:17

THE SALUTATION (Philippians 1:1-2)

A. The Ancient Writing Style. The style of writing letters in biblical times: author (authors) to people being addressed, greeting.

1. "Artaxerexs, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings" (Ezra 1:2).

2. " Claudius Lysias, to His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings" (Acts 23:26-27).

B. The Writers by Name__"Paul and Timothy"

1. Timothy__a co-worker with Paul. He is associated with Paul because of his special connection with the Philippians. He had been a member of the missionary team that evangelized Philippi (Acts 16).

a. He had been converted apparently on the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13-14). See 1st Timothy 1:2__"To Timothy my true son in the faith."

b. On Paul's second journey he joined the team of Paul and Silas (Acts 16:1-3).

c. Timothy was a faithful co-worker with Paul and was often sent by Paul to teach and encourage congregations.

 "and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith," 1 Thess. 3:2

d. His devotion to the Philippians is demonstrated in chapter 2:20-22__

20For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.

 21For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

 22But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.

e. It was Timothy that Paul would write his last letter and beseech him to " do your best to come to me quickly" (2nd Tim. 4:9).

2. But the real author of this letter is Paul as guided by the Holy Spirit.

a. He writes in the first person singular throughout the letter.

b. He mentions Timothy in the third person when he is mentioned again (2:19-24). "I hope in the Lord to send Timothy to you soon...(v.19)

3. A Brief note on Paul:

a. He had been a persecuting Pharisee who was consumed with a passion to destroy the congregations of the Lord.

b. He had been converted to Jesus in Damascus after meeting the Lord on the way and being given instructions and told what to done on his arrival in the city.

c. He began preaching the faith he had once tried to destroy and went on preaching tours to evangelize the Roman world.

d. On the second recorded missionary journey he and his co-workers had preached and established the congregation at Philippi.

C. The Writers by Profession. "Servants of Christ."

1. Note that Paul does not call himself an apostle as he does in most of his letters. There is no need to stress his apostolic authority in Philippi. His authority is not an issue here and the relationship is tender and trusting.

2. The word for servants.

δοῦλος (doulos 1401)

1. servant -s

a slave, one bound to serve (from δέω (deō 1210) to bind) one whose will and capacities are wholly at the service of another (opposite to ἐλεύθερος (eleutheros1658), free). δοῦλος (doulos 1401) is used of the lowest scale of servitude, but when transferred to Christian service it expresses the highest devotion of one who is bound by love.

(a) with Θεοῦ (Theou) of God, or χριστοῦ (christou) of Christ, etc.

(b) Adjective, serving, bound to serve, in bondage.

2. bond [adjective]

a slave; the lowest word in the scale of servitude, strictly one born a slave.

3. bondman

a slave; the lowest word in the scale of servitude (compare servant), strictly one born a slave.

 


a. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Cor. 6:19-20)


b. But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

(Rom. 6:17-18)

3. But the term "Servant" is also a term of dignity. In the OT people who were chosen and used by God were called "servants of the Lord."

a. " Moses the servant of the Lord." (Joshua 1:1)

b " Joshua the servant of the Lord." (Judges 2:8)

c. " David his servant" (Psalms 78:70).

d. " David my servant" (Psalms 89:3).

e. " My servants the prophets" (Jeremiah 7:25)

f. " Your servants the prophets" (Daniel 9:6)

g. " ....his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).

4. It is therefore a great honor to be a servant of God, and Paul was glad to speak of himself and of Timothy as "servants of Christ Jesus."

5. This attitude of servant hood was taught by Jesus.

25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.

 26"It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,

 27and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;

 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Matthew 20: 25-28

D. The Recipients of the Letter__Saints

"To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi" (v.1).

1. The word "saint"

ἅγιος (hagios 40)

1. holy

from ἅζομαι (hazomai) to have veneration and awe.ἅγος (hagos) is reverence and the object of it, henceἅγιος (hagios 40) is what belongs to the same, and denotes holy, sacred. As that could not be sacred which was polluted, purity becomes part of the meaning. ἅγιος(hagios 40) is that which is sacred, and that only can be sacred which is not unclean. [Holiness was taught to the Jews by a series of comparisons, in which purity pervaded all the ceremonies of the Law.

2. saint

reverence, and the object thereof; hence, holy, sacred; an attribute belonging to the God of Revelation and Redemption. Also used of men and things in that relation to God required by His revealed character. The Spirit of God, as the organ by which He reveals Himself, it for this reason called ἅγιον (hagion), at every stage of revelation. Then, it is used substantively of angels, or holy ones, and of things which stand in peculiar relation to God; also of men who have, as the ground of their life, Christ as ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ (ho 3588 hagios 40 tou theou) (Mar 1:24. Luk 4:34, etc.) and πνεύμα ἅγιον(pneuma 4151 hagion). 

3. pure

the reverence due to such purity, holy.

In phrases:

ἅγια ἁγίων (hagia hagiōn) holiest of all

ἅγια (hagia) holy.

ἁγίων (hagiōn) of holies.

πνεῦμα (pneuma 4151) the wind, the breath breathed forth, the element of life, predicated of man and beast the life-principle springing from God, spirit.

ἅγιόν (hagion 

 

This word does not refer to sinless people nor to special people who have been elevated to "sainthood" after they are dead. As noted above it means holy and pure. Here are some examples.

a. "To all in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be saints." Rom. 1:7).

b. "To the assembly of God at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be Holy...." (1st Cor. 1:2).

c. "To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus" (Epn. 1:1).

d. "To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse" (Col. 1:2).

As these letters indicate, the "saints" were far from being sinless or even perfect.

2. The word refers to being "set apart" or "consecrated" for God's use.

a. In the OT objects such as the altar, the ark of the covenant, the lamp-stand and the tabernacle were sanctified, consecrated and set apart for holy use.

b. The nations of Israel was separated by God from all other nations and set apart as His holy, covenant people.

1. 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."

Exodus 19:5-6


2. "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

c. Jesus sanctified Himself (John 17:19). He consecrated Himself, separating Himself to the special task of providing salvation for all by His atoning death.

3. Christians are now sanctified, set apart for God with special obligations as His chosen people.

a. "But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" 1 Peter 2:9


b. "but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."1 Peter 1:15-16

4. We should also note that they were saints "in Christ Jesus." Christians have been baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27), and they live and are "rooted and built up in Him" (Col.2:6-7). They "rejoice in the Lord," have "joy" in Jesus Christ__"stand firm" in Him and can do all things through Him.

E. Co_recipients of the Letter. "Together with the overseers and deacons."

1. The overseers are the same as the elders (Acts 20:17, 28). They are also called shepherds or pastors (Acts 20:28 and 1st Peter 5:1-4).

2. There was a plurality of these elders, overseers or pastors in the Philippian congregation. In each case where they are mentioned in the NT, this is always the pattern__overseers (bishops), plural, overseeing a congregation, singular.

3. Deacons were special servants in the congregation. See 1 Tim. 3:8-13 for their qualifications.

F. Paul and Timothy's Greeting

"Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (v.2).

1. Grace is free, spontaneous, unmerited favor. Notice the Greek word is charis__our English word "charity."

άρις (charis 5485)

1. grace

a kind, affectionate, pleasing nature and inclining disposition, either in person or thing. Objectively it denotes, personal gracefulness, a pleasing work, beauty of speech, etc. Subjectively it means an inclining towards, courteous or gracious disposition, friendly willingness; on the part of the giver of a favour, kindness, favour; on the part of the receiver, thanks.

[The word denotes specially, God's grace and favour manifested towards mankind or to any individual, which, as a free act is no more hindered by sin than it is conditional upon works. It is the grace of God, because it denotes the relation assumed and maintained by God towards sinful man. It is joined with Christ, because it is manifested in and through Him.

"And are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24).

2. Peace is the fruit of such activity of forgiven sinners.

 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 5:1

3. The order must always be first grace and then peace. There can be no peaced with God before the sinner is forgiven by grace.

4. The best we can wish for others is that God's grace and peace be theirs.




Continued later, Lane