Day 59: Philippians 1-2. Epistle of Joy
These four short chapters Paul writes to the Philippians while he is in prison somewhere. Some people think he is I'm prison in Rome, other suspect an earlier imprison meant. The church in Philippi, which is not a wealthy community, has sacrificed several times in order to send Pau help, and this letter is a thank you note.
For a man in prison, Paul is in incredibly good spirits. He puts a good construction even on those who oppose him (those who are preaching Christ, but not from good motives( saying to the Philippians that it matters not what the motives are, only that people are preaching and hearing the gospel. While he is imprisoned, he also encourages them, for he considers that they too live in difficult circumstances (their poverty) and he tells them to look to Christ as they live together in community. So they are to serve each other, becomes slaves to one another, as Christ became a slave to us, in order to set us free.
Remember in Ephesians, when Paul wrote, "Be imitators of God, as beloved Children"? Here, in Philippians 2, is what he means by that. It is that bending down, that humble service to one another, being slaves to one another, to set each other free. Do not reach up toward God, but reach down to one another.
Philippians 2:6-11 is often called "The Christ hymn"; it could possibly be a quote from an early Christian hymn. It expresses the downward ascent of Jesus, who gave up equality with God to walk with us, even to death, and whose name is now exalted above every other name. This downward ascent Paul notes is a mark of the Christian life.
For a man in prison, Paul is in incredibly good spirits. He puts a good construction even on those who oppose him (those who are preaching Christ, but not from good motives( saying to the Philippians that it matters not what the motives are, only that people are preaching and hearing the gospel. While he is imprisoned, he also encourages them, for he considers that they too live in difficult circumstances (their poverty) and he tells them to look to Christ as they live together in community. So they are to serve each other, becomes slaves to one another, as Christ became a slave to us, in order to set us free.
Remember in Ephesians, when Paul wrote, "Be imitators of God, as beloved Children"? Here, in Philippians 2, is what he means by that. It is that bending down, that humble service to one another, being slaves to one another, to set each other free. Do not reach up toward God, but reach down to one another.
Philippians 2:6-11 is often called "The Christ hymn"; it could possibly be a quote from an early Christian hymn. It expresses the downward ascent of Jesus, who gave up equality with God to walk with us, even to death, and whose name is now exalted above every other name. This downward ascent Paul notes is a mark of the Christian life.
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