Introduction to Philippians

Historical Context

Philippi is a city and the mentions of this city are few in the New Testament. In Acts 16:11-12, it is said that Paul and his fellow-travellers "loosed from Troas, came with a straight course to Samothracia and Neapolis, and from thence to Philippi." It was at this time that the "Lord opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the things which were spoken by Paul," and that the jailer was converted under these circumstances.

In Acts 20:1-6, it appears that Paul again visited Philippi after he had been to Athens and Corinth and when he was on his way to Judea. Then from Philippi he went to Troas. In 1st Thessalonians 2:2, Paul alludes to the shameful treatment that he had received at Philippi and that because of it he passed onto Thessalonica to preach there.

Significance of Philippi

Alexander the Great had a father whose name was Philip and this is who the city is named after. It was called Dathos before this and some suggest that it was also called Crenides based on the fact that it was surrounded by springs and rivulets that descended from the local mountains. Interestingly, if you are a fan of the show Gold Rush, what is around when rivers and streams are or were present? Gold or silver, right?

Well apparently Philippi was once sought after because it was rich in precious metals – and then was abandoned. Alexander the Great came in and repaired and adorned it, and named it after his dad. It was famous in Greek literature for having been the place where several battles were fought in the civil wars of the Romans; and, among other things, was the decisive battle between Brutus and Antony. It was at Philippi that Brutus killed himself.

It was about fifteen or twenty miles from the AEgean Sea, in the neighborhood of Mount Pangeeus. We don’t know of the size of the city when Paul preached there. Apparently when Macedonia became subject to the Romans, the advantages of living there increased the population and the city flourished. In addition to this, it served as a direct passage between the Asian continent and the European which aided in its popularity.

Battle and Aftermath

As said, however, the city is best known for being the location of a victory that decided the fate of the Roman empire, which was obtained by Augustus Caesar and Antony over forces led by Cassius and Brutus (who led what was called the republican party). In great wartime theater, Antony overwhelmed Cassius and thinking all was lost took his own life, which caused Brutus to tearfully state in his deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. that he was “the last of the Romans.”

But the fight was not done. Twenty days after Cassius' suicide Brutus entered into a second battle where he himself was successful in his location but the rest of his army fell in defeat. Brutus escaped with a few others, slept in a cave, and then seeing that all was irretrievably lost, ordered Strato, one of his attendants, to kill him. Strato initially refused, but seeing that Brutus was determined, he held his sword, turned his face, and Brutus fell upon it. All of this at Philippi to whom Paul will pen his letter to the Christians who lived there.

Gospel in Philippi

Geographically, Philippi was the first place in Europe where the gospel was preached. And the Gospel was first preached there by Paul and Silas in some interesting circumstances. In Acts 16:9 Paul was called by a remarkable vision to go into Macedonia, and the first place where he preached was Philippi, which, as stated, was part of it. The first person to whom he preached was Lydia, a seller of purple, who was from Thyatira, located in Asia Minor. She was converted, and received Paul and Silas into her house, and entertained them hospitably.

In consequence of Paul's casting out an evil spirit from a "damsel possessed of a spirit of divination," by which the hope of gain by those who kept her in their employ was destroyed, the populace was excited, and Paul and Silas were thrown into the inner prison, and their feet were made fast in the stocks. Here, at midnight, God interposed into the situation in a remarkable manner. An earthquake shook the prison; their bonds were loosened; the doors of the prison were thrown open; and their keeper, who before had treated them with peculiar severity, was converted, and all his household.

Paul's Connection to the Philippians

Family were baptized. It was in these very circumstances that the gospel was first introduced into Europe – at Philippi. After the tumult, according to Acts 16:40, and after the conversion of the jailer, Paul was honorably released and soon left the city. He subsequently visited Macedonia before his imprisonment at Rome and it is believed that he then went to Philippi. It is believed that after his first imprisonment at Rome, he was released and returned and visited the churches which he had founded. In this epistle (at chapter 1:25 and 2:24) he expresses a confident hope that he would be released and would be permitted to see them again; and there is a probability that his wishes were accomplished.

Evidence of the Epistle's Origin

There is pretty good evidence that this epistle or letter was written by Paul from Rome. This is deduced because

1. In verses 13-14 in the first chapter Paul says that he was in "bonds."

2. Not only that but in verse 13 he says that his "bonds were manifested in all the palace;" a phrase which would naturally suggest the idea of the Roman capitol; and then in Philippians 4:22, he says, "All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household."

Also, there is reference to the length of time Paul had been in Rome BEFORE writing this epistle and this is configured on some evidence relative to his being sick there, of which the Philippians had been made aware. The passage of this information would have taken a long time and so it is believed that this epistle was written toward the end of Paul’s imprisonment, which helps us with the dating of it. Also, after having his residence at Rome for a considerable length of time Paul, in this very epistle says that the situation was about to be resolved, that (In Philippians 2:23) he anticipated that the matter would soon be determined – but he wasn’t certain – so that opens the dating of the epistle up a bit. In any case, these circumstances seem to suggest that the epistle was written during a period when Paul’s imprisonment in Rome was about to end.

Timing of the Writing

From all of this, it is thought that the Epistle was written about 61 or 62 AD but before 64 and the great Roman war involving Nero. Had Paul written this after 64 AD, when the tides turned on Christians completely, it is unlikely that Paul would have omitted the persecution and wars and would have presented his treatment in Rome as far more deleterious than what he does here.

In other epistles, as we have seen, Paul has felt it necessary to address the believers harshly. We’ve seen this in his letters to Corinth and to Galatia. This is not the case in his letter to the church at Philippi. Here he seems to write more as a kind father of the flock rather than as an apostle. There is a great sense of gentleness and kindness and love from him here than what we see in his more authoritarian letters of the past.

Philippians 2:25 tells us that the letter was carried by Epaphroditus, who appears to have been a resident at Philippi and a member of the church there, and was sent by the same to Paul (according to chapter 4:18) to bestow their thanks and love and gifts upon him during his imprisonment. While “Epa” was there he got sick (according to 2:26,27) and once he recovered Paul told him to return to Philippi. As a means to inform the believers there and to reward or respond to them for their love toward him Paul wrote this letter.

So, let’s see what he has to say:

1. Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

2. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

4. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

5. For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

7. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in

Overview of Philippians 1:1 and Church Leadership

The broadcast focuses on examining a passage from Philippians and delves into the roles of bishops and deacons in the early church. It highlights the importance of these roles and how they were perceived in biblical times.

Paul's Greeting

Verse 1 addresses the start of Paul's letter to the Philippians. Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, write to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, including the bishops and deacons. This inclusion suggests that Paul intended his letter for the entire church community, not just the leaders.

Paul's frequent collaboration with others in his letters is evident here, indicating Timothy's presence with him in Rome, possibly to support Paul in his trials. Timothy's connection to the church at Philippi during its founding also justifies his mention.

Interpretation of Bishops and Deacons

Paul’s salutation mentions "bishops and deacons," which raises the question if he ever addressed a letter solely to these leaders. This marks the only instance in the Bible where both are mentioned together, emphasizing the collective guidance required for all church members.

The term bishop, derived from "episkopas," translates to overseers, and while translations vary, they consistently identify leaders safeguarding church interests. The plural use of the term suggests multiple people could hold this title, challenging its current hierarchical use in some denominations.

Historical Perspective

According to Jerome, a presbyter was equal to a bishop until religious divisions altered church governance, leading to the election of one leader from the presbyters. The city of Philippi being a single entity indicates a limited number of such leaders.

Jerome, known for translating Greek into Latin, highlighted a misunderstanding. Many believed that the apostolic structure, including episkopas, should persist post-apostles, arguing against maintaining this practice by emphasizing the Holy Spirit's role in guiding believers.

The Role of Deacons

The term "deacons" first appears here in the New Testament. The Greek counterpart is more commonly translated to "minister" or "ministers," appearing throughout other biblical references, yet emphasizes service and assistance within the church community, parallel to more formalized leadership roles.

The Role of Servants in Early Church Structure

6:4; 11:15,23; Galatians 2:17; Ephesians 3:7; 6:21; Colossians 1:7,23,25; 4:7; 1st Timothy 4:6; “servant and servants,” in Matthew 22:13; 23:11; Mark 9:35; John 2:5; 12:26; Romans 16:1; and deacon or deacons here in Philippians 1:1 and 1st Timothy 3:8,12.

The word best means “servants, and is then applied to the ministers of the gospel as being the servants of Christ, and of the churches. Therefore it came to especially means those who had charge of the alms of the church and who were the overseers of the sick and the poor. This is probably the sense of the word used here as they are obviously distinguished away from the Bishops.

Apostolic Organization of the Early Church

What we can say about this is the local churches were organized by the apostle Paul himself and there can be no doubt that it was organized on the "truly primitive and apostolic objective." To suggest that these appointments were ever to be the way Jesus wanted his church to continue on for the past 2000 years is refuted by:

The fact that nowhere does the New Testament suggest this, That instead the New Testament proved that the set up was to be temporary until the end of that age, That if we are to assume the church ought to have Bishops and Deacons we ought to also assume that the church ought to have living Apostles who, while protecting the church with guidance and wisdom, also continue to both testify of the risen Lord and die for their witness. Additionally, the so-called order is nothing short of chaotic and without any rhyme or reason today – unless its feigned and fabricated.

Paul's Consistent Greetings

So Paul continues, and says:

2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is common phraseology used by Paul as we see the same words used in Romans 1:7; 2nd Corinthians 1:2; and 1st Peter 1:2. I won’t belabor the point, but Paul is always calling God the Father and Jesus the Lord – without much variation in the writings he provides. And having called God the Father now says:

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, (I thank “my God” notice, for my every recollection of you is the better Greek). Seven times in his epistles Paul refers to God as My God, which is a very possessive intimate expression. And he thanks them for every remembrance of them (verse 4)

4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

This is an emphatic expression which suggests that anytime and always Paul remembered them in his prayers. Because he uses the phrase, “for you all” it seems to mean that he knew each of them individually and not just as the collective church. This is a supposition so perhaps not – but Paul does use the word all frequently and the emphasis seems to mean each of them. His prayerful request was that they would have joy.

5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

Funny, but reading this it seems pretty straightforward – but the commentators and scholars have some very different opinions about this line. Many suggest that it refers to the fact that they participated in the blessings of the gospel from the first day that he preached it until the time when he wrote this epistle. Others suppose that it refers to their constancy in the Christian faith. And others still believe it refers to their liberal giving and contributing to the support of the gospel; to their participating with others, or sharing what they had in common with others, for the maintenance of the gospel.

While not as obvious, this last application appears to have the best contextual support because it accords with the scope of the epistle and with what the apostle mentions in the last chapter (Philippians 4:10-12,15-18). Additionally, the word, koinonia means communion or what is commonly shared and this speaks directly to them sharing in common their material blessings with both each other and with Paul. This is how the term is used in Acts 2:42; 1st Corinthians 1:9; 10:16; Philemon 1:6 and in Romans 15:26 and 2nd Corinthians 9:13 is means distribution and contribution alike. And then he adds to verse 5

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

This passage is a big one for believers today to quote.

Faith and God's Good Work

As a personal favorite passage, I trust in the passage and its contents fully in my life and have tested its value over the years. God is faithful, rest assured, and does step in and come through for us to finish the work that He started in us. Most of you have heard of the message I got personally from God on a bike trail at the Huntington Beach pier one night years ago. He said:

You ride and I’ll build. The two words are sort of nuanced and tough to understand – especially then – but I have come to understand it now as, “you do what you do and I will make sure it grows or is received by others.” I’ve trusted this and have peddled, and he has built things up along the way.

The Requirement of Faith

In the midst of the message of the passage is the requirement of faith. We know and trust that God has started or “begun” a work in us. That is something most of us recognize as believers. The question is do we continue to trust that He will be the one who continues to do what He started? Often, we get impatient and try and do it ourselves, like Sarah sending in her handmaiden to Abraham. But God will make good on his promises and is not slack concerning them. That is the essence of the passage. Paul giving it to them seems to mean the same thing. He tells them to “be confident“ it’s strong language and it means to be FULLY persuaded or convinced. For Paul to say this he had to be fully confident himself on the matter.

Assurance of God's Work

Be fully confident of what?

“That he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the DAY of Christ.”

The "good work" Paul speaks to here appears to plainly refer to the Good Work of regeneration, of changing lives, of liberating and setting free. Paul here affirms that the one who started that work in the first place was God. It’s something to stick on – God is the originator of the work going on within us. We do not initiate it. We receive what He has to offer and unless He offers it; we cannot conjure it up. This fact is made clear in John 1:13 where we read that while Jesus' own rejected him:

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

He reaches, he invites to believe and only in this do we choose to believe and receive. The rebirth from above does not come by our natural birth, does NOT come by genealogy or race, does not come by our will and desire to follow rules – the regeneration begins with Him and what He starts, Paul makes clear that He will continue to do it.

The idea that God reaches to us first and that human beings have nothing in them to desire him is the foundation of the first principle of the Reformers TULIP – which stands for total depravity. I concur with this letter, acknowledging that unless God reached out to us first none of us would care to know or pursue Him. Additionally, what Paul adds here is that while God initiated what is in us, He also abides with each of us never letting what He started go. I agree with this – but with the added caveat that we must be willing and wanting him to carry on. Not capable, not equipped, nor able to carry on ourselves, but desirous that He will not leave us – even when we personally fall back into sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. or darkness.

The Greek word Paul uses is “epitelesei” is in carrying the work forward God would perfect it. It’s an intensive form of the word, meaning that it would be carried through to the end and it occurs in a number of places in scripture, including:

In Luke 13:32 where Jesus says, "I do cures;"

In Romans 15:28, "when I have performed this;"

In 2nd Corinthians 7:1, "perfecting holiness;"

2nd Corinthians 8:6, "so he would also finish in you;"

Philippians 1:11, "perform the doing of it;"

Galatians 3:3, "are ye now made perfect by the flesh;"

Hebrews 8:6, "when he was about to make the tabernacle;"

The Day of Jesus Christ

9:6, "accomplishing this service;" and 1st Peter 5:9, "are accomplished in your brethren." Paul says that he (God) would do this, “until the day of Jesus Christ.” This is a phrase that Paul uses to describe the Second comingChrist’s return, fulfilled in 70 A.D., ending the old covenant—not the world. of Christ. It’s the phrase he uses in 2nd 2:2-3 in 2nd Thessalonians when he says to the believers then who were being misled that Jesus had already come and he tells them to:

2 “not be soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”

Take note here that Paul’s reasoning that He has not returned does NOT include the fact that some are still standing around or that nobody has written about it? He refers only to the signs relative to his return to prove that it hasn’t happened, which to me suggests that his return could, in fact did, occur without a bunch of worldwide catastrophic events to occur.

Perseverance and Salvation

Also, he will speak to this day in this epistle saying in verse 10, “That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.” And then again in chapter 2:16 we will read another reference from Paul that says: “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”

The day, as we mentioned last week, is known in scripture as “the day of Christ, That day, his day, the day of the Lord” because it was to be a day of His Triumph and Glory; the day when He would appear to His people and the day when Christ would gather his gorgeous bride of faithful suffering believers. Many reformed believe that this passage is proof not only of Total Depravity but also the P of Tulip, perseverance of the Saints, which is an old way of saying once saved always saved.

But I think this is reading into the text as it is a certainty that God would never drop the ball on finishing what he started, but in the two-way street of salvation and the freedom he bequeaths to human beings, he certainly allows us to defect. Part of the support I have for this position appears in the context of what Paul has said and is found in the first line of the next verse:

7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

The line, “Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all,” means, I am convinced that God will finish the work that he started in you BECAUSE I have a confident expectation that you will be saved. This very sentence proves that there is a potentiality for non-perseverance of the Saints.

Paul's Confidence in Believers

Just saying. So he says, in this mouthful to the believers and so in a paraphrase of mine: "There is a reason why I would have this hope of you – this confident expectation that you will be saved. And this reason is found in the evidence that you have all shown as Christians.” And he adds, “Because I have you in my heart” (which in the Greek could also mean, because you have me in your heart). The bottom line meaning is that Paul was warmly attached to them, and had experienced many proofs of their kindness; and that there was, therefore, a real passion in his wishing for their salvation. Their conduct towards him, moreover, in his trials, had convinced him that they were actuated by the Christian principle of love and it was proper that he should believe that they would be kept to eternal life.

The verse itself mentions that their love for him was manifest “both in his bonds,” meaning while he was a prisoner AND, he writes, in the defense, which probably speaks to the time when he made his defense before Nero, and was vindicated himself from the charges which were brought against him. And so it could mean

The Believers at Philippi

When all of this went down and others abandoned him, the believers at Philippi came to his aid. And he says, “and in confirmation of the gospel,” meaning, my efforts to defend the gospel, and to make it known they were sympathetic to his trials, or as he puts it, “ye all are partakers of my grace.”

Paul's Longing for the Philippians

And for the last verse for today he adds:

8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

With God as my witness I long worry think of you all, and we get a disconcerting phrase here: “In the bowels of Jesus Christ.” The word "bowels," in the Scripture, and unlike in our world, typically refers to upper organs not lower – like the heart and the lungs. The bowels therefore are described as having emotions and feelings, compassion and tender mercies. Therefore the heart not the intestines.

The Compassion of Christ

Therefore the allusion here is to the sympathy, tenderness, and love of the Redeemer; and probably the meaning is, that Paul regarded them with something of the affection which the Lord Jesus had for them. We can see thus far that this letter is very much personal and heart felt and less regarding instruction.

We will stop here.

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