Philippians: What is the Occasion?

 

By: Steven Brice

 

 

 

 

 

BIBL 620 Advanced Introduction to the New Testament

Professor James Thompson

April 23^rd, 2012

Philippians: What is the Occasion?

The book of Philippians distinguishes itself within the biblical canon as a letter that is abundant with positives.  This document overflows with joy, encouragement, and empowerment.  Throughout this letter, the writer reveals traits of friendship, love, and appreciation toward his intended readers.  In fact, the letter begins with a common salutation (Philippians 1:1-2) and makes a transition to a segment of appreciation and joy for the partnership experienced in the gospel.  The writer writes “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now”[1] These verses give an indication that a mutual friendship exists between the two parties. Mary Getty adds to this perspective by stating, “These verses are rich in the beautiful thoughts typical of Philippians.  Thanksgiving, joy, solidarity of community in the gospel: these are ideas that reverberate throughout the epistle. Paul’s friends in Philippi give him cause for thanks.”[2] The opening of this letter sets the pace for the joy, encouragement, and empowerment that the author will continue to unpack throughout the letter.

It is the intention of this document to explore and add to the conversation of the purpose/occasion for the letter written to the Philippians and will explore a case study of the North side Church of Christ, making some critical analysis as well as make potential and relevant application.  In an attempt to discover the occasion of this letter, this document will explore the historical context, literary function, and the theological implications. This will lead to a concise awareness of the purpose to the letter to the Philippians. Paul in addition to expressing thanksgiving for the Philippians acts of friendship towards him, desired to exhort the Philippians to unity.

The Historical Context

The Authorship

The letter to the Philippians begins with a common salutation, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.”[3] Paul is the undisputed author of this letter. Scholars have rarely challenged the concept of Paul’s association with this.  The few that have challenged the belief question Paul’s full authorship for this letter. C.J. Bahr in his attempt to prove that Paul had a secretary to write parts of his letter to the Philippians declares “While Philippians has no specific statement about the hand of Paul, it will now be safe to assume that, as usual, he did write a part of the letter in his own hand.”[4] The letter however contains several personal pronouns that give some reasonable implications that there is a mono writer. No statements within the letter allow doubt that Paul wrote this.

The letter contains a considerable amount of evidence that permits little room for one to doubt the authorship of Paul.  In chapter one, as Paul begins the letter, he expresses an appreciation for their partnership in the gospel of Christ (verses 5-11), and he provides them an update on his present circumstances.  He informs them that his imprisonment has been beneficial in his attempts to spread the gospel.  He writes “I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ.”[5]  He speaks of his friends and co-workers (2:19-29).  Paul gives an autobiography in chapter 3:1-6 and he acknowledges the gift that the Philippians gave him in chapter 4:10-20.

The letter to the Philippians uses language and style identical to other letters strongly ascribed to Paul.  Paul’s mention of false teachers replicates his other writings where he discusses false teachers that were either in the midst or approaching God’s people. Ralph Martin concurs by stating the “Phrases, ideas, and allusions to opposition of false teachers that show up here also appear in letters unquestionably written by Paul (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians).”[6]

Date & Place of Writing

Within the text, Paul clearly mentions that he is current imprisoned for Christ and while imprisoned, the gospel has become known throughout the entire imperial guard or praetorium.  He writes, “…what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ.”[7] It is safe to conclude that Paul is in prison for the sake of the gospel.  Among scholars today there are discussions concerning whether Paul was writing from Rome, Caesarea, or Ephesus.

The date and place of the letter to the Philippians is a contested issue among many scholars.  There are several conclusions as to when and where Paul wrote the letter. In addition to the date and place, another topic of concern is if Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians in one setting.  Some scholars have contested that in chapter 3, where Paul speaks about false teachers and demonstrates that the readers need not consider the accolades of things done in the physical, gives a different style to the entire letter. Some scholars opine that the language and style of chapter 3 is completely different than the remainder of the letter. An on-going discussion between those who embrace the single-letter theory is currently talking place within the field. “Those who argue that Philippians consists of multiple letters claim that this shift in Ton and Stimmung exposes a seam between two originally separate sources. Even those who maintain a single-letter theory recognize the difficulty of this transformation in textual timbre.”[8] The question of the composition of Paul’s letter influences when and where Paul wrote this letter.

Scholars who advocate for Paul’s writing from a Roman imprisonment argue that Paul was under house arrest and was able to receive visitation from friends.  The fact that Paul mentions the fact he was in the praetorium gives added evidence to the idea that he was in Rome.  Although praetorium existed in other places, traditionally scholars viewed that Rome was the more likely place for Paul because of his imprisonment.  This then leads to the idea that as Paul was writing to the Philippians he would not have seen his friends at Philippi because of the pending execution.  As Fitzgerald points outs, the major rebuttal for those who are not advocates of this theory would look at Rome as being a “great distance from Philippi (ca. 800 miles) and the consequent length of time necessary for the occurrence of the number of communications presupposed.…”[9] Due to the distance and lack of reliable transportation, it would be very challenging for Paul to receive and send messages to the Philippians.

Scholars who are proponents for Paul writing from Caesarea believes that the Paul description of his situation coexist more cohesively with the Luke’s account of Paul’s imprisonment in Acts. Luke says “When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him.”[10] In addition, Paul had a centurion to keep him in custody but still had the opportunity to receive visitors.[11] This appears to link perfectly especially since Paul is expressing thanksgiving within his letter to the Philippians for sending him gifts.  In addition to the sending of the gifts, the Philippians also sent Epaphroditus, which reveals that Paul though imprisoned could receive visitors.  This correlates with the conditions of Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea.  The theory, though, is also imperfect in a similar way as the proposed Rome imprisonment.  As one writer states, “the distance from Philippi (some nine hundred to one thousand miles by sea, and farther by land) also mitigates against the location.”[12]

Scholars who advocates for an Ephesus imprisonment propose that the distance between Ephesus and Philippi would promote frequent communication between Paul and the Philippians. In Acts, Luke records Timothy with Paul in Ephesus opposed to be with him in Rome or Caesarea.  This theory supports the notion that Paul was able to send Timothy to them and also share with the Philippians rapid updates concerning the welfare of Epaphroditus as he was sick while on his trip.[13]  The conjecture also alleviates the concern of Paul desiring to see the Philippians. This no longer would be an issue since an Ephesus imprisonment was an earlier account of his imprisonment than the account of Rome.  Although this theory appears to be a more feasible no account in Acts or any statement from Paul that gives evidence of an imprisonment in Ephesus.   Advocates for this theory consider the riot mentioned in Acts 19:23-41 as having some possible evidence of Paul being arrested and being put on trial.  However, no concrete evidence exists that Paul had an imprisonment for any length of time allowing the impression that Paul had time to be in communication with the Philippians.

Each theory of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, Caesarea, or Ephesus while writing the letter to the Philippians has its strengths and weaknesses.  Although it is clear that the letter to the Philippians was written when Paul was in prison, there is not enough evidence to truly figure out which imprisonment Paul was in.  From the account of Acts itself, it appears to be impossible to discern which location Paul was in.

The Church in Philippi

In Acts 16, during Paul’s second missionary journey, Paul accompanied by Timothy and Silas received a vision of a man of Macedonia pleading with him to go over to Macedonia to help them.  Paul was convinced that God called them to proclaim the gospel to them.  Therefore Paul “and those who accompanied sailed to go to Macedonia.  They reached a city by the name of Philippi which was the leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman Colony.”[14]  They dwelled in Philippi for a couple of days and when it was the Sabbath day, they went outside the city to look for a place to pray.

The first converts to Christianity in Philippi were Lydia and her household.  Lydia was from the city of Thyatira and sold purple clothing.  These garments were expensive. Romans however, loved the color of royalty; therefore, to seal purple clothing in Philippi which was a Roman colony was good for business. Lydia therefore might have had financial means.  Lydia being a wealthy woman might also have had a big house for her to invite the missionaries to come and stay at her house. Also some evidence suggests that the church was established in her home.  One writer states “to handle such an expensive product Lydia must have been a woman of means. The account in Acts supports this conclusion, for it implies that she had a spacious mansion in Philippi, perhaps a typical Roman town-house of the better class, one that had ample room to accommodate several guests.”[15]

One day, while Paul and the missionaries were going to a place to pray, they met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination.  This slave girl was good for business for her owners because she was a fortune-teller.  When the fortune-teller saw Paul and the missionaries, the bible says that she uttered these words “these men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.”[16] This slave girl did this for several days until Paul became annoyed and rebuke the spirit to come out of her in the name of Jesus.  This caused the slave-girl owners to be furious with Paul and the missionaries.  Therefore, the owners seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the officials.  The crowds joined in the riot and they beat Paul and Silas.  They threw Paul and Silas in prison where a jailer watched over them. During the time in prison, Paul and Silas began singing and praying, leading to the conversion of the jailer and his household.  The next morning, the city officials released Paul and Silas and asked them to leave the city.

Before departing, they went to Lydia’s home to see and encourage the brothers and sisters that were there.  Although distance kept Paul and the Philippians physically separated, Paul and the Philippians maintained their communication.  In Philippians 4:15-16, Paul mentions the fact that they were the only ones that supported him while he was in Thessalonica. When the Philippians heard of his imprisonment, they sent a gift with Epaphroditus, who was one of their members.  Epaphroditus became ill and nearly died.  As Paul writes in Philippians 2:25-30, Epaphroditus regained his health and planned to return to them. In addition, Paul planned to send Timothy and even hoped to visit them again.

Literary Form

The letter to the Philippians has a unique style of writing.  While the letter as similar language and style to his other letters. The entire letter appears to have has a tone that is different from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Galatians, and the Romans.  The tone is much milder and pleasant than any other letter Paul wrote within the biblical canon. Scholars have noted that some of the basis rhetoric style within this letter is friendship and the Christ hymn.

Letter of Friendship

From the beginning of the letter, there are traces of an intimate relationship between Paul and the Philippians.  Paul states “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.”[17] Here Paul states the fact that the Philippians collaborated and co-labored with him in the spreading of the good news of Christ.  In the same chapter, Paul gives them updates concerning his circumstances.  In addition, in chapter 4, Paul acknowledges the fact they were concerned about his condition.  As mentioned before, this letter has a different tone than any other letter Paul wrote within the biblical canon.  In discussing the uniqueness of this letter, one writer states

“Familial letters and letters of friendship often included reassurances and the writer’s well-being (1:12-26) and expressions of concern for the recipients (1:27-2:18). Paul uses the conventions of friendship not only as a way to reaffirm the relationship he shares with the Philippians, but because his imprisonment and the adversity the congregation faces represent real treats to the Philippians’ embodiment of the gospel.”[18]

Throughout the letter, Paul makes an ardent on unity.  In chapter 1, Paul encourages the Philippians to live life in such a way that it reflects the gospel of Christ.  After sharing with his friends an update on his life, and his feedback on those who preach the gospel with the wrong motives, Paul encourages his friends to be good faithful stewards of the gospel. He says “only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel…”[19] From this impetus, Paul exhorts them to be of the same minds reminding them of the blessings they have in Christ Jesus which should lead them to humble themselves to one another.[20] Afterwards, Paul paints the perfect picture of the humility by focusing their attention on the humility of Christ. In chapter 4, Paul transitions from a general and broad approach and begins using a more personal approach to to exhort them towards unity.  Paul states, “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggles beside me the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.”[21]

This is unique of Paul to mention these sisters after exhorting the entire readership chapter in 1 and 2 to be of the same mind. His personal exhortation to these sisters is relatively brief; however, their issue might have caused some disruption to the unity of the community of faith.  After Paul’s convincing explanation and appeal for the church to be of same mind in chapter 1 and 2 “the brevity of this argument can be attributed in part to the fact that Paul assumes that these women will have heard and learned from the earlier appeals for self-sacrificial behavior that produces unity.”[22] Paul emphasis on unity adds to the discussion on the traces of friendship within the letter. Both the broad and more personal urges reveal that Paul cherished unity and wanted his beloved friends to remember the importance of unity in Christ. Remembering the humility of Christ is the foundation of the unity of the Philippians.

The Christ Hymn

Philippians 2:6-11, traditionally referred to as the Christ Hymn exposes the foundation of unity, humility. Within this text, Paul paints a beautiful picture of humility and self-denial in the person of Jesus Christ.  The context of Paul’s hymn is his desire for his friends to remain united. He commands them to have the same mind in Christ Jesus.  Paul exhorts his friends to act in a way that shows genuine care for others, so much so that they should care for others more than they care for themselves.  Paul in exhorting them gives them to perfect example of humility for the benefit of others.

The mind of Christ was a tradition that Paul’s audience knew very well.  One writer in pointing out the stylistic form of the hymn writes, “the linguistic and stylistic evidence goes to show that the hymn was both pre-Pauline and a product of a Jewish-Christian community. There are features which make it likely that is was composed first in a Semitic tongue and later translated into Greek.”[23]  The first half of the hymn (2:6-8) tells the story of Christ’s incarnation, his denial of self and power, him becoming a slave in human form, him being humiliated, his obedience to God by way of dying a death on the cross. The second half of the hymn (2:9-11) explores the exaltation of Christ because of his humility.  He discusses Christ name being above all over names and the universal recognition of his Lordship.  Martin gives the indication that the hymn had a Semitic origin by focusing on the arrangement of the hymn having sections of threes.  He writes

“There are three stresses to a line (actually these is true only in his strophes I-IV), three lines to a strophe, three strophes to each part of the entire composition. The first half contains three steps downwards from the Lord’s heavenly state to His humanity and Servanthood and ultimately the humiliation of death itself. And there is the threefold division of the cosmos in v.10.”[24]

Thus, this familiar hymn recalls the whole story of God’s plan of salvation for the entire world through Christ.  The hymn in the context of Paul’s exhortation reminded his readers of the Lordship of Christ over their lives as well as giving them a standard for them to strive to reach in their endeavors to be more humble towards one another.  Paul wanted to relay to his friends that the story of Christ is the foundation of unity.

Rejoice

Another featured theme of the letter is joy and rejoicing. Paul stresses joy revealing the importance of it in his mind.  Within the letter, Paul often references to joy and rejoicing. To name a few, in chapter 1, Paul prays with joy for his friends; in chapter 2, Paul tells his friends to fulfill his joy by being of the same mind; in the same chapter, Paul tells his friends that he plans to send Epaphroditus in order that they may rejoice at seeing him again; in chapter 3, he tell them to rejoice in the Lord; in chapter 4, he commands them to rejoice in the Lord always; and as he concludes his letter, he tell them that he personally rejoice because their concern for him was revived. Throughout the letter to the Philippians, Paul demonstrates that joy and rejoicing is foundational to relationships and fellowship. According to Paul, the basis of joy is the relationship with God and one another, and the Philippians needed to embrace the joy that comes through those relationships. Paul’s reveals his own joy came through his relationship with the Philippians and the Lord. One writer in discussing friendship within the letter states

“Paul had the most delightful ties with his fellow workers. He had foes in plenty, but he also made friends fast and true. In the midst of this epistle Paul talks in a charming way about his plans for communicating with the Philippians, a human touch that breaks the strain of theological argument.  This epistle seems to have no formal or logical order. It flows along in the easiest and most natural way ad treats the weightiest topics and the most incidental with equal ease and grace.”[25]

Robertson points out the fact that the loving fellowship between Paul and the Philippians brought about a tone within this letter that is pleasant and calm.  Although Paul needed to address important issues to the Philippians, he was very confident that his friends would take heed to his exhortation, bringing Paul joy.

Occasion and Purpose

After considering some of the historical context and the literary form of the letter, what is the purpose for Paul’s letter to the Philippians? Gorden Fee raises a significant question concerning Paul writing this letter.  He asks, “Would Paul have written this letter if Epaphroditus were not returning home, having now recovered from his illness?”[26] Gorden makes the argument that Paul would have continued writing this letter even if Epaphroditus was not able to deliver the letter to them because Paul was already planning to send Timothy ahead of him.  Therefore, Gorden believes that “the real purpose of the letter lies with the phrase ‘your progress in the faith’ (1:25), which for Paul ultimately has to do with the progress of the gospel, both in their lives and in their city.”[27] Although Gordon makes comments concerning unity among the Philippians and the opponents of Paul and the Philippians, Gordon places emphasis on the fact that Paul desiring to send Epaphroditus back to them and Paul’s desire to help the Philippians to grow in their faith.

William Hendriksen on the other hand examines the background of the epistle.  Hendriksen first considers Epaphroditus and the Philippians gift.  Paul was very grateful for the gift the Philippians had sent him.  Then, Hendriksen makes some assumptions that upon receiving the gift, Epaphroditus gave an update to Paul concerning the Philippians.  He states “Epaphroditus must also have brought a Report about conditions that prevailed in the Christian community which he had left.”[28] Next, according to Hendriksen, the Philippians church was concerned about Paul’s condition.  Paul was in prison for preaching the gospel; therefore they wanted to make sure they received updates concerning his well-being so that, perhaps they could meet his needs.  Finally, the church might have been concerned about Epaphroditus health since they have heard about him being very ill.

In considering the background of Philippians, Hendriksen shares four purposes for this letter.  First, Hendriksen argues that Paul wrote this letter to express his thanksgiving to the Philippians. The Philippians expressed their love to Paul by seeking to provide for some of his physical needs. Secondly, Paul desired to provide spiritual guidance.  Some opponents to the gospel and division of the Philippians needed addressed.  Paul focused on these issues with confidence that his friends would embrace them. Third, Paul desired to fill the hearts and mind of the Philippians with the spirit of joy. Throughout the entire letter, Paul exhorts them to have joy and he even places himself as an example of someone who has joy. Finally, Paul wanted to prepare the Philippians for the arrival of Epaphroditus. The Philippians sent Epaphroditus to send gifts to Paul and because of his courageous work, he deserved a homecoming from the Philippians.

Peter O’Brien adds to the conversation by stating, “The apostle appears to have had a number of purposes in mind.”[29]  O’Brien, unlike Gordon believes that Paul is not just addressing one issue.  Paul’s letter to the Philippians is a letter where Paul is free to talk with his friends.  Although, there is a structure to this letter, Paul is simply talking to his friends without a mono-purpose. O’Brien like Hendrikson notices four purposes for this letter written by Paul.  O’Brien argues that Paul wrote this letter to encourage the church to welcome Epaphroditus, to provide an update to his friends on his condition, to provide some insights and instructions concerning Paul’s opponent and the false teachers at Philippi, and lastly to encourage his friends to stand fast in the gospel and be unified.

When considering the historical context and the literary form, Paul has several agenda’s in writing this letter. It is emphatically true that Paul desires to share with his friends his current condition, exhort them to rejoice, and be on guard for the dogs that are in Philippi.  Paul has however, a specific focus and intention for writing to his friends. Paul’s focus is to exhort Euodia and Syntyche to live in harmony.  Throughout the letter, Paul makes general statements concerning his opponents (chapter 1), the need to be of the same mind (chapter 2), and the dogs (chapter 3). However in chapter 4, Paul not only exhorts the sisters to live in harmony, but ask the church to help these women as they have struggled with Paul in the work of the gospel. Although the length of Paul’s exhortation to these sisters is relatively short, Paul had confidence that the letter itself would be enough for them to embrace his commands.  For Paul to mention these two women in a letter addressed to bishops, deacons, and members of Philippi[30] adds to the seriousness of this letter exhortation to unity. Therefore, in addition to writing to express thanksgiving to the church for their generosity, Paul had a strong desire to exhort his friends to unity in Christ Jesus.

Theological Implications

Paul’s letter to the Philippians is a letter of encouragement, exhortation, and empowerment. Paul’s agenda is to exhort his friends toward unity on the basis of Christ and his story.  The Christ hymn in chapter 2 is Paul’s ultimate method to grabbing the heart, minds, and attention of the Philippians in order for them to strive toward unity.  The Christ hymns appears as the glue that ties the entire letter together. Every section Paul writes within the book has a relational tie to the Christ hymns.  Paul sharing his updates on his condition and his response to his opponents relates to the Christ hymn. Paul’s exhortations to the Philippians to live according to the gospel and for them to be of the same mind connect to the Christ hymn. Paul’s spiritual guidance for dealing with the false teachers in Philippi ties to the Christ hymn. Paul’s exhortation for them to rejoice and his reflections on him being content is links to the Christ hymn.

Therefore, there is a theological implication springs from this study.  The foundational basis of Christian unity is Christ’s humility and Lordship. Disciples of Christ must humble themselves under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  This humility within the heart of the members that will benefit the entire church would cause the members to be self-less.  Paul exhorts readers to place others higher than they do themselves. Paul charges them to put their personal preferences second and the desires of others as primary. As Johnson writes,

“The fellowship of Christians is a unity that issues forth from the Holy Spirit, being expressed through self-sacrifice and self-emptying love toward the other. The friendship of Jesus with God, of Jesus with humans, of Paul with the Philippians, of Timothy and Epaphroditus with Paul, and, finally even of the Philippians with Paul, all illustrate this same pattern: not counting oneself above the other leads to service for others.”[31]

To help give a practical perspective on the idea of Christ being the center of Christian unity, let us use the Northside Church of Christ as an example.

Northside Church of Christ

The Northside Church of Christ is a church that resides in suburban North Carolina.  Long-time members who have labored in the church many years comprise the majority of this eldership-led church. The church is located twenty miles from a growing metropolitan city named Charlotte. With many changes occurring surrounding the church, the Elders decided to hire a new pulpit minister by the name of John. John’s job as the new pulpit minister was to oversee the growth of the church through preaching and new members outreach. Within the case story, John appears as a preacher with vision.  He has been the preacher for the Northside church of Christ for two years and is responsible for the changes that have occurred.  He foresaw the changing climate of the communities surrounding the church.  Therefore, he knew what changes the church needed to embrace and implement in order for the church to be relevant within the community.

John, the visionary and progressive leader, observed the world surrounding the church.  It appears that John has studied the community and glimpsed what the community will look like in the future.  John, who the eldership hired to oversee the growth of the church, recognizes that in order for the church to grow numerically, the church must grow out of some traditions and embrace a more relevant culture.

When there is a need for growth, a leader like John understands that the responsibility of
growing a church is not solely the job of one man.  In order for a church to grow spiritual and numerically, it takes an army of ministers of Christ who live and work in the Kingdom of God. Witnessing the life of God in the Kingdom then invites the called and commissioned to serve as ambassadors and servants of Christ to accomplish the work of God in community. Therefore, John decided to hire additional individuals to collaborate with him as he helped guide the people of God to the work and life of God in that community.  John encouraged the church’s Elder-ship to hire Jack and Bob to serve in different ministries, and because of the additional staff, the worship, demographics, and attitude of the congregation began to change.

In many religious organizations, when there is a need for change, spiritual leaders typically encounter resistance.  The changes within the church resulted in it growing out of a traditional church with an older demographic towards more contemporary setting, attracting younger and more diverse group of people. For this reason, the lifelong members of this church were highly upset and spoke with the Eldership concerning John’s leadership.  The senior saints intentionally chose to stagnate the progressive pace of the congregation by going to the elders.  These long-time members obstructed the changes in an attempt to stop the fast pace development of the church.

In an elders’ meeting, Mary and Wayne, the voices of the senior saints, brought their trepidation to the elders concerning the changes occurring within the church.  The older generation felt uncomfortable with the contemporary songs within worship. These contemporary songs in worship opened the doors for a younger generation to come and meet God from their cultural perspective.

In addition to contemporary songs sung in worship, the church felt uneasy with opening their doors and welcoming a group of people that were not like them. For example, Bill, an Elder saw an African American family in their midst during worship. John explained to all those who were in the elders meeting that he was not targeting any particular people or race, but he would talk with anyone who was willing to engage in dialogue.  John was interested in ministering to all kinds of people rather than worry about the color of someone’s skin.  Bill in replying to John informed him that the Northside Church of Christ is a segregated church and that it would always be one.  The attitude of several of the members of the church showed that there were interested in meeting their own needs oppose to participating in the work of God.

In conclusion, If Paul we were to write “the letter to the Philippians”, Paul might have removed some of the soft tone words he used within the original letter and utilized a stronger tone to exhort the entire church to embrace the Christ hymn.  The members of the Northside church must realize that their interest is secondary to not only what others may desire but also to the will and work of God. It appeared that their desires were so strong that over-shadowed the story of Christ in that he died for all so that all might receive salvation. The occasion and purpose of this letter would serve as a disciplinary tool for this church. Paul’s desire for the church to embrace the same mind is based on the Christ hymn. The unity among the Northside church and the acceptance of all men with different personalities and preferences must be predicated on the Christ hymn.

 

Bibliography

 

Bahr, G. J. (1968). Subscriptions in the Pauline letters. Journal Of Biblical Literature, 87(1).

Fee, Gordon, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1995.

Fitzgerald, John T. “Place and Date of Composition.”Page 322 in Philippians, Epistle to the. Vol. 5 of The

Anchor Bible Dictionary. Edited by David Noel Freedman. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Garland, David E., Longman, Tremper, The Expositors Bible Commentary Vol. 12. Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 2006.

Getty, Mary, Philippians and Philemon, Wilmington, 1980.

Hawthorne, Gerald F., & Martin, Ralph P. “Authorship.” Word Biblical Commentary: Philippians. Vol 43.

Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004.

Hendrikson, William, New Testament Commentary: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and

                 Philemon. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1962.

Hendrikson, William, New Testament Commentary: John, Vol 2. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1983.

Johnson, Luke, The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation, 3^Rd Ed. Minneapolis: Fortress,

2010.

Martin, Ralph P. The Hymn of Christ: Philippians2:5-11 in Recent Interpretation & in the setting of Early

                Christian Worship. Downer Grove: InterVarsity, 1997.

O’Brien, Peter, The Epistle to the Philippians: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Grand Rapids: Wm.B.

Eerdmans, 1991.

Reed, Jeffrey T. 1996. “Philippians 3:1 and the Epistolary Hesitation Formulas: The Literary Integrity of

Philippians, Again.” Journal Of Biblical Literature 115, no. 1: 63. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed April 20, 2012).

Robertson, Archibald. Paul’s Joy in Christ. Nashville: Broadman, 1960.

 

Saunders, Stanley P. “Christian Friendship and the story of Jesus Christ” Page 504 in vol. 4 of The New

Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by Katharine Doob Sakenfeld. 5 vols. Nashville: Abingdon, 1992.

Witherington, Ben, Friendship and Finances in Philippi: The Letter of Paul to the Philippians. Valley Forge:

Trinity, 1994.

---