Post by Josh on Oct 6, 2010 17:52:31 GMT -8
Post your comments, questions, and discussion starters on Philippians chapter 1 as replies to this post.
We're going to start a study on Philippians on Oct. 31st. Read and post along with us!
Themes
The characteristic note of Philippians is Joy, which is ironic because Philippians was written from prison where the author was held on a capital charge!
Philippians is about faith triumphing over adversity. It’s about rejoicing whatever happens because you believe that God redeems all things.
Philippi
Philippi was a community that Paul had a very happy relationship with (contrast with Corinth). They were a community he was proud of. There was no major problem in the church that Paul addressed in this letter (though there were some minor ones, as we see in Phil. 4:2-3)
Paul had originally visited Philippi in about 50 AD on his second missionary journey after the spirit of the Lord had steered them him away from Asia Minor and to the continent of Europe through a dream. Read Acts 16 and notice how Timothy and Luke joined Paul on his second missionary journey just before he first arrived in Philippi.
Stats on Philippi: it was a fairly small city (10,000) in Macedonia. It was a Roman colony and it’s citizens enjoyed the benefits of Roman citizenship (many were Romans though most were Greeks) There were virtually no Jews there (in the city or in the church).
Paul in Rome under house arrest (Acts 28)
This book was written about 12 years later when Paul was in prison in Rome after appealing to the Emperor in regard to the charges the Jews had brought against him in Jerusalem. He was probably waiting for a trial. This may very well have been the same time the book of Luke was being prepared (early 60s).
Why Paul wrote Philippians
Paul seems to have written this epistle in order to allay concerns about himself and Epaphroditus (a member of the Philippian church sent to his aid), and to strengthen the Philippians in their own persecution. Paul also apparently wanted to make some things clearer concerning his various opponents.
We're going to start a study on Philippians on Oct. 31st. Read and post along with us!
Themes
The characteristic note of Philippians is Joy, which is ironic because Philippians was written from prison where the author was held on a capital charge!
Philippians is about faith triumphing over adversity. It’s about rejoicing whatever happens because you believe that God redeems all things.
Philippi
Philippi was a community that Paul had a very happy relationship with (contrast with Corinth). They were a community he was proud of. There was no major problem in the church that Paul addressed in this letter (though there were some minor ones, as we see in Phil. 4:2-3)
Paul had originally visited Philippi in about 50 AD on his second missionary journey after the spirit of the Lord had steered them him away from Asia Minor and to the continent of Europe through a dream. Read Acts 16 and notice how Timothy and Luke joined Paul on his second missionary journey just before he first arrived in Philippi.
Stats on Philippi: it was a fairly small city (10,000) in Macedonia. It was a Roman colony and it’s citizens enjoyed the benefits of Roman citizenship (many were Romans though most were Greeks) There were virtually no Jews there (in the city or in the church).
Paul in Rome under house arrest (Acts 28)
This book was written about 12 years later when Paul was in prison in Rome after appealing to the Emperor in regard to the charges the Jews had brought against him in Jerusalem. He was probably waiting for a trial. This may very well have been the same time the book of Luke was being prepared (early 60s).
Why Paul wrote Philippians
Paul seems to have written this epistle in order to allay concerns about himself and Epaphroditus (a member of the Philippian church sent to his aid), and to strengthen the Philippians in their own persecution. Paul also apparently wanted to make some things clearer concerning his various opponents.