Philippians
61 AD from
Purpose:
Thank them for the gift
The Book also tells them:
About his
situation
Encourage them
in their own persecution
Stresses the
importance of humility and unity
Warn against
a) Judaizers—legalists
b)
Antinomians– free sinners
The City
Located on Via Egnatia
To south was the
After the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC Anthony ordered
some Roman soldiers to settle in
In 30 AD Octavian forced some Italians to give up their
homes and go live in
Roman soldiers from the Legions settle in
The city grew and filled with retired Roman soldiers.
These citizens where given the “Italic right”. This meant that the citizens of Philippi
where treated as if they where on soil
in
The city obtained the highest Roman honor for a
city.
This gives new meaning to Paul’s words in
Phil.
1:27— “conduct yourselves” is “politeuesthe” (present imperative middle) means “to be a citizen, to conduct oneself as
a citizen. Paul is alluding to the fact
that the city of Philippi had the Roman staus of colonia, which meant that the
city was a mini-Rome with many Latin inscriptions.” (Linguistic Key)
Phil.
3:20— “citizenship” “politeuma” (noun) means
“citizenship. The word means either the
state, the constitution , to which as citizens we
belong, or the functions which as citizens we perform” (Linguistic Key)
Very few Jews there. Too few to have a
synagogue. Thus, the god-fearing
women had been meeting at the River.
1:6—Ephesians 5:25-27,
1:9—love abounds with knowledge and insight
1:10—discern God’s will “what is best”
- pure and blameless until the day
1:11—filled with fruit from Christ
1:13—Paul’s crime is clear—he follows Jesus. This got the gospel some attention and
discussion
1:14—because everyone is talking about it believers are
responding and answering questions
1:17—some are competing with Paul, but are still
advancing the gospel
1:26—Paul is convinced he will be delivered to continue
1:27—Conduct yourself in this
colony of earth according to our standard of life in heaven—conduct not wealth.
Qualities
of an Ambassador: 2
Corinthians 5:20
I.
Ambassadors do not appoint themselves. Appointed by Christ.
II. An
ambassador does not support himself. God supplies all our needs.
(Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 4:19)
III. An
ambassador is not a citizen of the country where he is
sent. We are citizens of heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
IV. An
ambassador has instruction in written form. We have the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16)
V. An
ambassador cannot take insults personally; he is
accepted or rejected not on his own merit but because of who he represents
(John 15:19-21)
VI. An
ambassador does not enter a country to profit himself (2 Corinthians
5:15)
VII. An
ambassador is a personal representative of someone
else; everything he does and says reflects on the one who sent him. (John
13:35; 17:18-23; 20:21)
VII. An
ambassador’s perspective is service; his prospect is reward. (Matthew
5:12; 2 John 8; Revelation 22:12)
IX. An
ambassador is recalled when war is declared. (2 Thes 2:1-12)
2:1-4
Lilke minded
Same
love
One in
spirit
One in
purpose
Avoid
selfish ambition
Aviod vain conceit
Act in
humility
Consider
others better
Look to
the interest of others
2:5-11 Attitude should be like Christ
“being” already existed.
The word is not eimi “ I
am” but is “hyparchon” “to be, to exist, and which
means an uninterrupted existence
“very nature” is morphe means that
which is essentially and intrinsic to a thing
1:7
“made himself nothing” aorist indicative active of kenos “to empty
, to make empty, to make of no effect. The
word does not mean He emptied Himself of His deity, but rather He emptied
Himself of the display of His deity for personal gain.”
“very nature” morphe
“likeness” is omoiwma and is a
phrase that expresses the fact that His mode of manifestation resembled what men
are. He appeared to be a man. John tells us, as does Paul, he was a man.
“he humbled himself” means his ministry was self
imposed. He restricted himself to
fulfill God’s plan. Humility and service
begins in the mind.
Exalted
from the lowest place to the highest
2:12 Work out your salvation
2:19-30—Commends two men to
serve them: Timothy and Epaphroditus
3:1—Appears to begin a closing
3:2—Legalizers
3:17—Antinomianism