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Topic:
The Book Of Philippians -- A Brief Overview, Part 2 Of 2
In regard to the book of Philippians, the church at Philippi was the
first-fruits of European Christianity. Their attachment to the apostle
was very fervent, and so also was his affection for them. They alone of
all the churches helped him by their contributions, which he gratefully
acknowledges (Acts 20:33-35; 2 Cor. 11:7-12; 2 Thess. 3:8). The
pecuniary liberality of the Philippians comes out very conspicuously
(Phil. 4:15). "This was a characteristic of the Macedonian
missions, as 2 Cor. 8 and 9 amply and beautifully prove. It is
remarkable that the Macedonian converts were, as a class, very poor (2
Cor. 8:2); and the parallel facts, their poverty and their open-handed
support of the great missionary and his work, are deeply harmonious. At
the present day the missionary liberality of poor Christians is, in
proportion, really greater than that of the rich" (Moule's
Philippians, Introd.). The contents of this epistle give an interesting
insight into the condition of the church at Rome at the time it was
written. Paul's imprisonment, we are informed, was no hindrance to his
preaching the gospel, but rather "turned out to the furtherance of
the gospel." The gospel spread very extensively among the Roman
soldiers, with whom he was in constant contact, and the Christians grew
into a "vast multitude." It is plain that Christianity was at
this time making rapid advancement in Rome. The doctrinal statements of
this epistle bear a close relation to those of the Epistle to the
Romans. Compare also Phil. 3:20 with Eph. 2:12, 19, where the church is
presented under the idea of a city or commonwealth for the first time in
Paul's writings. The personal glory of Christ is also set forth in
almost parallel forms of expression in Phil. 2:5-11, compared with Eph.
1:17-23; 2:8; and Col. 1:15-20. "This exposition of the grace and
wonder of His personal majesty, personal self-abasement, and personal
exaltation after it," found in these epistles, "is, in a great
measure, a new development in the revelations given through St.
Paul" (Moule). Other minuter analogies in forms of expression and
of thought are also found in these epistles of the Captivity.
From: Easton's Bible Dictionary. Fair Use. Presented for educational
purposes only.
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