The New Testament in 90 Days

Now we turn the corner into chapter 3 of Philippians.  I have to admit that this chapter is memorable to me for at least one reason:  my uncle (amateur theologian) used to use it as an example of the colorful, earthy language in the Bible.  In chapter three Paul is trying to describe that it is really true, he is really willing to give up everything, everything, for the sake of knowing Jesus and being found in him.  He's not just willing to give up his sins and the things that weigh him down, but even the things he thought were valuable, his birthright as a Jew, his righteousness under the law.  All these, Paul says, he counts as "loss" or "rubbish", compared to Christ.  Except that he doesn't use the word "rubbish."  He uses the Greek equivalent of the word "shit."  At least, that's what my uncle told me, when I was an impressionable age.  (and now that I have studied Greek, I have discovered that he is right).  "We try to make ...

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, ...