Starting the Conversation on Philippians

As Barbara and I talked about Philippians together last week we looked again at the history behind the letter. Remembering some of the larger Roman history and the history of Philippi as a colony of Rome helped us as we thought about Paul’s letter.

The Bible history from Luke’s account in Acts 16 helped even more, of course. As we read and talked about that chapter, we saw events and themes in Paul’s first visit to Philippi. The history of how the church started helped us understand his letter from prison back to the church ten years later.

In Acts 16 the Spirit of God seems to hustle the apostles up to Troas. Then in a dream he guides them into Macedonia and on to Philippi. So, Paul and those with him, know that the Spirit is at work even before they arrive. (Philippi was a town with a unique history for Rome. Years before the Roman civil war was fought there after Julius Caesar’s assassination. We will attach some notes about that in a bit.)

As Barbara and I talked through the chapter, we could see Paul confronting the major cultural forces at work in Philippi. We could not help but notice the difference in how Acts 16 felt to us and the way we usually look at what Philippians teaches.

Acts 16 felt tumultuous, very active and ‘external.’ Paul’s preaching the gospel stirred up all sorts of violent responses and also great spiritual progress in the town. Then thinking about how most of us have been taught about Philippians, we realized our modern take on the ‘personal’ aspects and discipleship emphasis was only a part of what Paul was teaching us about how Jesus produces joy in our lives.   

Somehow all the cultural disruption in Acts was hidden or somehow slipped away as we studied Philippians through a discipleship lens. But as we talked it became clear that holding on to both the cultural force and uproar in Acts 16 and the deep gospel discipling in Philippians prompted a new conversation on rejoicing. These ideas hinted at a broader view of the letter and how we rejoice in the Lord.

Josiah:

Of course when I read Philippians in the past I knew the history of Acts. That was essential historical background. But connecting the cultural confrontation in Acts and the discipleship content of the letter now seemed to make things clearer and more current for me. And noticing how I had emotionally or mentally separated the feeling of disruption and suffering in Acts from the teaching in Philippians has given me something to pray about and think about for my joy and rejoicing.

Barbara:

Putting Acts 16 alongside Philippians helped me realized that I have somehow made joy in Jesus a work that I do rather than a response to who Christ is and what he is doing in the world and in me. These ideas are  giving me lots to think about, relief from being in charge of my joy, and a different way to engage the book.