Faith & Reason Nexus

AUTHOR: Paul

TIME WRITTEN: A.D. 60-61, from Rome during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment

POSITION IN THE BIBLE:

• 50th Book in the Bible
• 11th Book in the New Testament
• 6th of 21 Epistle Books (Romans – Jude)
• 10th of Paul’s 13 books
• 16 Books to follow it

CHAPTERS: 4
VERSES: 104
WORDS: 2,002

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT PHILIPPIANS:

• Unique Nature: Philippians is unique among Paul’s letters as it is not written to correct doctrinal issues but as a “thank you” letter to the church at Philippi for their continued support of Paul’s ministry.
• Background: Paul, along with Timothy, Luke, and Silas, first visited Philippi around A.D. 51, approximately eleven years before he wrote the letter. The church at Philippi was the first congregation Paul established on the continent of Europe.
• Key Themes: The words “joy” and “rejoice” appear around 16 times in the letter, reflecting the tone of encouragement and gratitude throughout the book.
• Epaphroditus: This member of the Philippian church carried Paul’s letter from Rome back to Philippi.
• Paul’s Macedonian Call: During his second missionary journey, Paul received the “Macedonian Call” in Troas, which led him to begin his work in Philippi.
• Prison Epistles: Philippians is one of four “Prison Epistles” written by Paul during his imprisonment in Rome. The other three are Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon.
• First Converts in Europe: Lydia and her household were among the first converts to Christianity on the European continent, signifying the beginning of Paul’s mission in Philippi.
• Paul’s Visits: Paul returned to Philippi during his third missionary journey, further strengthening the bond between him and the church.
• City of Philippi:
• Named after King Philip II of Macedonia (father of Alexander the Great) who took the city in 356 B.C.
• Conquered by the Romans in 168 B.C., it was later transformed by Octavian into a Roman colony and a military outpost.
• Major Themes by Chapter:
• Chapter 1: Christ is our LIFE. (Philippians 1:21)
• Chapter 2: Christ is our EXAMPLE. (Philippians 2:5)
• Chapter 3: Christ is our HOPE. (Philippians 3:7)
• Chapter 4: Christ is our STRENGTH AND SOURCE OF SUPPLY. (Philippians 4:13)
• Notable Verse: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)