Philippians overview

Imagine being thrown in jail just for something you said.

Now imagine that jail wasn't a comfortable modern Western jail where you have human rights, but more of a damp hole in the ground. Every limited movement aches from the stocks holding you down.

What emotions would you feel about your captors? What about God for allowing this to happen?

That was exactly the situation of the Apostle Paul when he wrote the letter to the Chuch in Philippi. And his response? Joy!

Let's dive in and explore the book as well as how Paul could have this reaction.

The Basic Background of the Letter to the Philippians

A few key facts before we get into the content of the letter.

The letter is attributed to the Apostle Paul (Phil 1:1) although he only refers to himself as "Paul" in this letter. It is one of the 7 letters that the majority of scholars agree he wrote (although some sceptical scholars doubt his authorship on all the epistles!).  

It is considered to be one of his "prison epistles" (along with Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon) as he is writing from prison (Phil 1:13). We suspect it was during his first imprisonment in Rome (Acts 28) and so was probably written around AD 61.  

Why did Paul Write Philippians?

The book of Philippians is written to the group of believers in Philippi (Phil 1:1). Philippi was a Roman city in modern-day Greece.

This was a location and church that Paul was intimately familiar with as he visited and planted a Church on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:12-15). This helps explain Paul's familiar tone and personal topics with the church. It also helps aid our view of why he wrote this letter.

When we see his opening prayer which twice states that he

1. Is sure that God will complete what he has started in the church (Phil 1:6)
2. prays they will be presented pure and blameless (Phil 1:10)

We see a theme of Paul encouraging his friends through their troubling circumstances (Phil 1:4) and gratefulness for their fellowship and support.  

So it seems that Paul is looking to finish his own race well and encourage his friends to do the same. And that's why he wrote this letter — to give his friends an update and encourage them in their faith so they would finish well.

Key themes in Philippians

It's impossible to read Philippians and miss the theme of Joy.

Paul mentions joy 8 times and rejoice 8 times (ESV translation). Despite his sufferings and theirs, Paul encourages the church to find and remember the joy they have in Christ.

One way Paul says they can add to his joy is by being of one mind (Phil 2:2).

This is another key theme in the book. Paul encourages the church to be united in love and ministry. In fact, he ties this unity with living a life worthy of the Gospel in Philippians 1:27.  

This unity should lead to the next of the key themes: Humility.

Paul encourages the church to put each other before themselves as Christ did on the Cross (Phil 2:5-8). This is the type of humility God want. It's not one where we deny our abilities out of self-doubt. Instead, we use our talents and skills for each other's benefit and not our own self-promotion.

The final key theme is to keep preserver and grow in spiritual maturity.

Paul lays out this purpose at the start of the letter

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Phil 1:9–11)

and picks up on it again later in the letter calling on them to stand firm in one spirit (Phil 1:27), to hold fast to the word of life (Phil 2:16), to walk in Paul (and other elders) example (Phil 3:17), to stand firm in The Lord (Phil 4:1).

Paul's references to their suffering are perhaps the reason for this final theme, but it may also be that Paul is wary that he may not be around for much longer and so offers some final words of encouragement.

Applying Phillipans today

While we may not face the same order of suffering as Paul and the church in Philippi, we can still learn from his letter.

We live in an age of growing discontentment and depression, where sarcasm and pessimism are increasingly the norm. To rejoice (especially in The Lord) during these times is an act of defiance to our culture.

Likewise, humility is a rare trait in the age of personal brands and influencers.

Humblebraging is the norm on social media and much of self-help is about being our best, and putting ourselves first. I don't believe self-care is completely evil but it can go amok and become self-obsession.

In the age of narcissistic leaders and more and more church scandals, we need more humility.

Perhaps this can help the trend of deconstruction that rejects perseverance.

While it's important to make our faith our own and question the baggage put on our faith as we grew up, we shouldn't lose sight of Jesus. Focusing on him even in our doubts is the path to a deeper maturity.  supporting and praying for one another in our spiritual journeys

Rejoice in The Lord

I had to conclude with the main theme of the book: Rejoice in The Lord.

It really is incredible how passionate and joyful Paul is during his sufferings and it all comes from his faith and identity in Christ. I pray that you too will have the same Joy and find it in Christ.  

Amen.