Philippians from a Messianic Perspective
To Evelyn, my great-granddaughter. Although she is only five years old now, may she grow in the fear of ADONAI. Lord, give her wisdom every day, and fill her with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. Guide her parents to love her and discipline her so she can make a decision to trust in You.
As John MacArthur states in his commentary on Philippians, people today are consumed by the passionate pursuit of happiness. Self-help books, motivational speakers, and advice columnists claim to offer the key to happiness, but for many people the door remains locked. Unable to control their circumstances, they find themselves instead controlled by their circumstances. When their job, relationship, or family fails to make them happy, they dump it and look for a new one. But on the merry-go-round of life, they can never quite seem to reach the brass ring. Having fruitlessly pursued happiness through pleasure and self-gratification, they arrive at the jaded view of life expressed by the Teacher in Ecclesiastes 1:2: Pointless, pointless, everything is pointless (see the commentary on the Life of Solomon to see link click Cc – The Failure of Earthly Things).
But if happiness, the fleeting feeling of exhilaration, is elusive . . . joy is not. Biblical joy, the settled conviction that God sovereignly controls the events of life for believers’ good and His glory, is available to all who obey Him. In fact, God commands believers to rejoice (2:18, 3:1, 4:4, cf. 2 Corinthians 13:11 and First Thess 5:16). As a result, divine joy is the theme of Philippians. The Greek word for joy, in both the noun and verb forms, appears a dozen times in its four chapters (1:4, 18, 25; 2:2, 17, 18, 28, 29; 3:1; 4:1, 4, 10).
The circumstances of both the writer and the recipients of this brief letter were not those that would be expected to produce joy and happiness. When the apostle Paul wrote this letter to his beloved Philippian congregation, he was a prisoner in Rome. Little in his turbulent life since his dramatic conversion on the Damascus Road three decades earlier (see Acts Bc – Sha’ul Turns from Murder to Messiah) would have been expected to produce joy. He had faced fierce and unrelenting opposition, both from Gentiles and from his unbelieving Jewish countrymen (Second Corinthians 11:23-30). After Paul’s arrest (see Acts Co – Paul’s Arrest in Jerusalem), and his subsequent journey to Rome (see Acts Cl – Paul’s Journey to Rome), he wrote Philippians in his fourth year of custody awaiting Emperor Nero’s final decision in his case.
The church at Philippi was a spiritually healthy congregation. They were productive and hard working. It was their blessed condition that prompted Paul to write this letter. The Philippians did not have the problems that the Corinthians or the Galatians had. They were solidly grounded in the Word of God, which they guarded so well. So, through the years they had become the delight of the apostle Paul. Nevertheless, they also had their share of problems. Its members were desperately poor, so much so that Paul was surprised at their contribution to the offering that he collected for the poor in Jerusalem (see Second Corinthians Bn – A Biblical Model for Giving). Like Paul, they were being persecuted for the cause of Messiah (1:27-30). Even worse, they were being attacked by false teachers (3:2, 18-19). On top of everything else, a feud between two prominent women in the congregation threatened to shatter the unity of the church (4:2-3, cf. 2:1-4 and 14). Yet, despite the circumstances of both the writer and recipients, joy permeates Philippians, so much so that it may be called the letter of joy. Those who study its teachings and apply its principles will, like the human author, learn the secret of having joy, peace, and contentment in every circumstance of life.
The city of Philippi: Philippi was an important city in eastern Macedonia (northeastern Greece). It was located on the fertile alluvial plain of the Strymon River, near the deep, swift-flowing river known as the Gangites (Acts 16:13). Philippi owed its importance to its strategic location along the Via Egnatia which ran right through Philippi. The city was also important because of the gold mines in the nearby mountains.
It was those same gold mines that attracted the interest of Philip II of Macedon (the father of Alexander the Great). He annexed the region in 356 BCE and fortified the small village of Krenides (“the little fountains” so named because of the nearby springs), renaming it Philippi (“the city of Philip”) after himself. After the Romans conquered Macedonia in the second century BCE, Philippi was incorporated into the Roman province of that name. The city languished in relative obscurity for more than a century until 42 BCE when it became the site of one of the most crucial battles in Roman history. In that battle known in history as the battle of Philippi, the forces of Antony and Octavian (Caesar Augustus in Luke 2:1) defeated the republican forces of Brutus and Cassius. The battle marked the end of the Roman republic and the beginning of the empire (the senate declared Octavian emperor in 29 BCE after he defeated Antony and Cleopatra in the battle of Actium in31 BCE). Antony and Octavian settled many of their army veterans at Philippi, which was given the coveted status of a Roman colony (Acts 16:12). Later, other Roman army veterans settled there.
As a colony, Philippi had the same legal status as cities in Italy. Citizens of Philippi were Roman citizens, were exempt from paying certain taxes, and were not subject to the authority of the provincial governor. The Philippians copied Roman architecture and style of dress, their coins bore Roman inscriptions, and Latin was the city’s official language (although Greek was the common language).
The church at Philippi: The Philippian church was the first church Paul founded in Europe. The apostle came to Philippi on his second missionary journey (see Acts Bu – Paul’s Second Missionary Journey) being directed there by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh in a most dramatic way (see Acts Bx – Pau’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia). Though the initial converts were Jews or Jewish proselytes (see Acts Bb – An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah), Gentiles made up the majority of the congregation. That there was no synagogue in Philippi (or else the women Paul initially encountered would not have been meeting outside the city on the Sabbath) is evidence that the city’s Jewish population was small. Two dramatic conversations, those of the wealthy proselyte Lydia (see Acts By – Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi), and a jailer (see Acts Bz – Paul and Silas in Prison), marked the birth of the church.
The Philippians had a deep affection for Paul, as he did for them. Though they were poor, they alone supported him financially at one state of his ministry (4:15). Now, after many years, they had once again sent the apostle a generous gift in his time of need. Half a century later, the Philippian church would show the same generosity to the church father Ignatius, who passed through their city on his way to martyrdom at Rome. Paul wrote his letter to his beloved Philippian congregation to thank them for their generous gift (4:10-19), explain why he was sending Epaphroditus back to them (2:25-30), inform them of his circumstances (1:12-26), and warn them about the danger of false teachers (3:2 and 18-19).
The human author: The divinely inspired text of Philippians introduces Paul as the author (1:1), thus making his authorship indisputable. In fact, except for a few radical nineteenth century critics, the Pauline authorship of Philippians has never been questioned. Today most scholars, no matter what their theological persuasion, accept it as a genuine Pauline letter. Internal evidence will appear to most readers to prove that Paul is the author beyond any doubt. This evidence is of two kinds, positive and negative. On the one hand, the letter completely reflects Paul’s mind and character even in the finest details. On the other hand it offers no motive which could have led to a forgery. Only the natural outpouring of personal feeling as a result of his immediate circumstances makes any sense. The information the writer gave about himself (3:4-6) harmonizes perfectly with Paul’s life. Lastly, the writings of early church fathers attest to Pauline authorship.
Date and place of writing: Paul wrote Philippians in 61 ACE (see the commentary on Galatians Ae – The Dates of Book in the B’rit Chadashah) from prison along with Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon. Until the end of the eighteenth century, the church accepted that the four “Prison Letters” were written during the apostle’s imprisonment in Rome (see Acts Df – Paul’s Keeps Spreading the Good News). In recent times, however, both Caesarea and Ephesians have been proposed as alternative locations. The evidence that Paul wrote Philippians from Rome is impressive. The terms praetorian guard (1:13) and Caesar’s household (4:22) are most naturally understood as references to the emperor’s bodyguard and servants stationed in Rome. The details of Paul’s imprisonment as recorded in Acts harmonize well with those in Philippians. Paul was guarded by soldiers (Acts 28:16 and Philippians 1:13-14), allowed visitors (Acts 28:30 and Philippians 4:18), and was free to preach the gospel (Acts 28:31 and Philippians 1:12-14). That there was a large church in the city from which Paul wrote (1:12-14) also favors Rome. The church in the Imperial capital was undoubtedly much larger than that in either Ephesus or, especially Caesarea. However the most convincing argument that Paul wrote Philippians from Rome lies in the decisive nature of the verdict the apostle expected. He would either be set free, as he confidently hoped (1:19 and 24-26, 2:34) or be executed (1:20-21 and 23). Either way, the decision in his case would be final, and there would be no appeal. That fact appears to rule out both Caesarea and Ephesus, since as a Roman citizen Paul could, and did, exercise his right to appeal to the emperor from those cities (see Acts Cw – Paul’s Appeal to Cesar).1
The historic occasion: When the Philippian believers heard about Paul’s imprisonment at Rome, they sent Epaphroditus who may have been their pastor, to minister to him. Epaphroditus personally comforted Paul, expressing to him the affection of the believers at Philippi. And he brought Paul a financial contribution from them so that his confinement would be more comfortable (4:18). Three times before – twice when Paul was at Thessalonica, and once when he was at Corinth (Philippians 4:15-16 cf Second Corinthians 11:9) – the believers ministered to his needs. Thus, the book of Philippians was a thank-you letter for their generous gifts. While Epaphroditus was in Rome, he became so sick that he almost died (2:27). After recovering, he took Paul’s letter back to the church at Philippi.
The purpose of Philippians: The initial reason for writing, as indicated, seems to have been to thank the Philippians for their love gift. But Paul took the opportunity to address some of the problems in their church. Apparently rivalry and personal ambition were present among some in the congregation (2:3-4 and 4:2). The Judaizers were also gaining a foot-hold (3:1-3). In addition, an antinomian tendency was creeping into the church (3:18-19). Zuck, pages 647-648. However, in the final analysis, 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. This is why Epaphroditus carried the letter with him back to Philippi, why Timothy would follow on shortly, and why Paul would return East rather than go West once he was released.2
The central role of the Messiah: On anyone’s reading, Messiah plays the absolute central role in Paul’s life and thought, and nowhere is that more evident than in Philippians. For Paul, living means living for Messiah, and dying is even better (1:21), for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (Second Corinthians 5:8). His ultimate goal in life was to be with Messiah (1:23), because everything else is considered rubbish only fit for dogs (3:8). Therefore, Paul declares: I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Messiah Yeshua (3:14). For him, everything in life that mattered was either in Messiah or through Messiah in some way or another.3
What is a Messianic Synagogue? A Messianic synagogue is a place for both Jews and Gentiles who believe that Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) is the promised Messiah of the Jewish Scriptures. As a Messianic synagogue we also hold to the essential doctrines of the Bible, both in the TaNaKh (the Old Testament) and the B’rit Chadashah (the New Testament), such as mankind’s need for spiritual redemption, and the provision of ADONAI through the life, death, and resurrection of Yeshua as the Messiah (Isaiah 53 and Hebrews 9). What is distinctive about our congregation is that while we believe in Yeshua, we also believe in maintaining the inherent Jewish roots of the faith. Hence, we celebrate the biblical festivals (see the commentary on Leviticus Dw – God’s Appointed Times) as well as many of the customs which are consistent with the Scriptures. For us, the Messianic synagogue is a practical way to express the B’rit Chadashah faith within the Jewish cultural framework from where it originated (Kehilat Ariel Messianic Synagogue, San Diego, CA).
Key verse: For to me, to live is Messiah, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).
The use of ADONAI: Long before Yeshua’s day, the word ADONAI had, out of respect, been substituted in speaking and in reading aloud for God’s personal name, the four Hebrew letters yod-heh-vav-heh, variously written in English as YHVH. The Talmud (Pesachim 50a) made it a requirement not to pronounce the Tetragrammaton, meaning the four-letter name of the LORD, Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey, since the ancient manuscripts do not give any vowel sounds, and this remains the rule in most modern Jewish settings. In deference to this tradition, which is unnecessary but harmless, I will be using ADONAI where YHVH is meant. In ancient times when the scribes were translating the Hebrew Scriptures, they revered the name of YHVH so much that they would use a quill to make one stroke of the name and then throw it away. Then they would make another stroke and throw that quill away until the name was completed. His name became so sacred to them that they started to substitute the phrase the Name, instead of writing or pronouncing His Name. Over centuries of doing this, the actual letters and pronunciation of His Name were lost. The closest we can come is YHVH, with no vowels. The pronunciation has been totally lost. Therefore, the name Yahweh is only a guess of what the original name sounded like. Both ADONAI and Ha’Shem are substitute names for YHVH. ADONAI is more of an affectionate name like daddy, while Ha’Shem is a more formal name like sir. Therefore, Jews, being respectful of the Third Commandment, use these words as replacements. The Talmud explains, “In the Sanctuary, the Name was pronounced as written; but beyond its confines a substitute Name was employed (Tractate Sotah VII.6). God has only one name, YHVH. All His other “names” like ADONAI Elohei-Tzva’ot, ADONAI Elohim, ADONAI Nissi, ADONAI Tzidkenu, and ADONAI-Tzva’ot, merely reflect His attributes.
Contrary to what some religious groups believe today, no one can say with confidence how to pronounce God’s Name. The “name” Jehovah, for example, is a made-up word by a Franciscan monk in the dark ages. He took YHVH, and inserted vowels between the known letters to invent a new word: YeHoVaH. Jews never, NEVER, use this made-up word. The last book of the B’rit Chadashah tells us that when Yeshua returns to the earth, He will reveal the Name that no one knew but Himself (Revelation 19:12). It seems best to leave this lost pronunciation unresolved until the Messiah comes.
The use of TaNaKh: The Hebrew word TaNaKh is an acronym, based on the letters T (for “Torah”),N (for “Nevi’im,” the Prophets), and K (for “Ketuvim,” the Sacred Writings). It is the collection of the teachings of God to human beings in document form. The term “Old Covenant” implies that it is no longer valid, or at the very least outdated. Something old, to be either ignored or discarded. But Jesus Himself said: Don’t think I have come to abolish the Torah and the Prophets; I have not come to abolish but to complete (Matthew 5:17 CJB). I will be using the Hebrew acronym TaNaKh instead of the phrase the Old Testament, throughout this devotional commentary.
The Use of the phrase, “the righteous of the TaNaKh,” rather than using New Testament saints: Messianic synagogues, and the Jewish messianic community in general, never use the phrase Old Testament saints. From a Jewish perspective, they prefer to use the phrase, “righteous of the TaNaKh.” Therefore, I will be using “the righteous of the TaNaKh,” rather than Old Testament saints throughout this devotional commentary.
Leave A Comment