Day 341 Reading Schedule: Philippians1-4

Philippians 1: Paul's Thanksgiving and Prayer

[Overview]

This chapter is the beginning of Paul's letter to the Philippian church, and it clearly shows the true heart of a shepherd who wishes for the peace and spiritual progress of the Philippian believers even while in prison. Paul, who was imprisoned in Rome, informs the Philippian believers of the progress of his situation through this chapter, and reassures them who are worried about the changes in events taking place in Rome. The true appearance of a Christian, which flows consistently not only in this chapter but also throughout the entire book, is one of rejoicing even in suffering and adversity. Although Paul was in the extreme situation of imprisonment, he felt profound joy, and furthermore, he commanded the Philippian believers to rejoice several times. In this way, Paul delivers a very hopeful message to the Philippian believers through this chapter. The contents of this chapter are composed of a greeting (verses 1-2), Paul's prayer for the Philippian church (verses 3-11), preaching Christ (verses 12-18), courage and hope of faith (verses 19-26), and a life worthy of the gospel (verses 27-30). 

Philippians 2: Believers who must become one through humility 

[Overview] 

In the previous chapter, Paul comforted and assured the Philippian believers by expressing his feelings while imprisoned in a Roman prison. In this chapter, he changes the focus and gives them practical lessons on the ethical attitude of Christians. When Paul hears that there is a quarrel among the Philippian believers, he first commands them to be humble, and then reminds them of the fact that Jesus, who is the body of God, humbled himself to the point of abandoning the glory of heaven and wearing the dome of a lowly human being, thereby achieving salvation. In this way, the concepts of 'incarnation' and 'ascension', which can be said to be theologically very important topics, are dealt with in this chapter. The Christological content is recorded that Jesus was equal to God, but emptied himself, became a true human, and obeyed until death, and then received glory. The content of this chapter consists of a call to humility (verses 1-11), a call to sanctification (verses 12-18), and a recommendation for co-workers (verses 19-30). 

Philippians 3: The Race for Salvation 

[Summary] 

This chapter deals with Paul's stern warning to the adversaries who were causing confusion in the Philippian church. In other words, the Judaizers were invading the Philippian church like any other church and were blurring the purity of the gospel, so Paul could not help but add a stern warning in a controversial tone. The debate between Paul and his adversaries included in this chapter sheds light on the situation of the early church at the time and Paul's own position. In this chapter, Paul refers to his enemies as “dogs, evildoers, and circumcision,” and he strongly rebukes those who plot to Judaize. The content of this chapter is largely divided into two parts. In the first paragraph, Paul gives a strong warning to his enemies, reflects on his life, and preaches about the benefits of a new life in Christ (verses 1-14). In the second paragraph, he warns the Philippian believers to follow Paul’s example and hold fast to the truth, live with hope, and stay away from false teachers (verses 15-21). 

Philippians 4:  A Satisfactory Life in Christ 

[Overview] 

This chapter records that Paul conveys his love and gratitude to the Philippian believers along with some concluding advice for their spiritual growth. Unlike women in other regions, the women of ancient Macedonia, including Philippi, enjoyed many social privileges, such as owning personal property. Euodia and Syntyche, the women Paul mentioned in this chapter, must have been key figures who led the Philippian church in this social context. Therefore, their discord became a topic of conversation among people and had a considerable impact on the Philippian church. Paul wrote this chapter with the earnest intention of restoring a perfect community in the Lord by actively helping the Philippian church to reconcile them. The content of this chapter is largely divided into two parts. The first paragraph provides various comprehensive advices on the problems of the Philippian church (verses 1-9), and the second paragraph adds thanks for the gifts sent by the Philippian church and a final greeting (verses 10-23).