Background

• Philippians - “A martyr’s letter to martyrs”

• Paul receives a vision from a man in Macedonia asking for help - Paul then travels to Macedonia and lands in Philippi

• Congregation of Philippi - First known congregation in Europe

• Philippi - in Macedonia

• Popular Among Military Retirees - After leaving the Roman army, they would buy land and farm

  • Philippi - very patriotic to Rome

• Prison Letter

• Purpose - Friendly letter to strengthen relationship between Paul and the congregation

Critical Issues: Composition

• Epaphroditus was in Philippi for awhile (2:25); Epaphroditus just arrived in Philippi (4:8)

• Might be a mash of 2+ letters

• Sudden shift in tone - “Beware of the dogs!”

• Bishops and Deacons did not exist but the words were used in Philippians

  • May have just meant generic terms (Bishop - Overseer; Deacon - Servant)

• Transliterate - put Greek word in English translation

  • Translator gets to choose which word to use so personal theology and bias can come into the text

    • Ex. Phoebe is a deacon in some versions but a servant in others

Themes: Christological Hymn

• Context - Humility of Christ

• Early Liturgy/Hymn - Preexistence of Jesus in the form of God before being born in human likeness and then exalted by God after the crucifixion

• Incarnation - God becoming man

• Hierarchy of God - God the Father, then the son, then the spirit

  • The idea of the “hierarchy of God” caused strain in Jewish communities rooted in monotheism

  • Monotheism - Belief in one God

• God Man - Being God and man at once (debated in the church)

  • Nestorius - Patriarch of Constantinople (5th Century)

    • To keep God from swallowing up the humanity of Christ, the two natures (divine and human) must be separated (like oil and water)

  • Cyril - Bishop of Alexandria

    • Calls out Nestorius for preaching heresy

    • The two natures in Jesus are distinct and joined in a hypostatic union

    • Hypostatic Union - union in one hypostasis (being)

  • Council of Chalcedon (451 CE) - approved of Cyril’s beliefs in the hypostatic union

  • Council of Chalcedon (451 CE) - Condemned Nestorius and his belief for being heretical

  • Syrian Church (Church in the East) - most ancient church

    • Syrian Church - does not follow the Council of Chalcedon’s beliefs and follow Nestorius still

• Athanasius - wrote On the Incarnation

  • when christ as god put on humanity, he elevated humanity to the status of the divine

    • we are broken as human beings but when Christ became human the image of god could be restored in us; death can be conquered now

Themes: Joy

• Paul is in prison but is encouraging Philippians to have joy

• Context - Judiasers (Must be Jews and follow the Law to be Christian), people proclaiming the Gospel with the wrong motives, materialistic people, opponents oppressing the church