Philippians

Philippians is known for its expressions of joy. While it is written to a community with which Paul has good relations, the letter addresses a significant problem and issues some warnings. A problem of arguments between church leaders is evident in chapter 4. Paul calls these leaders by name, and so it is apparent that they are women. Paul’s acknowledgment and support of these leaders indicates that he encourages women leaders in his churches in ways that are surprising to many who think of Paul as a misogynist. Debated elements of the letter’s occasion include whether Paul addresses problems associated with teachers coming to his church who are imparting ideas that he rejects. Interpreters have found various types of intruding teachers, including those who insist on gentile observance of the law, those with an overrealized eschatology, and those who are antinomians. Some have found multiple groups of intruders. Others find only internal problems and warnings about teachers who may arrive. Some interpreters question the letter’s integrity. The unexpected turn at the beginning of chapter 3 and the delay in thanking the Philippians for the gift they have sent have been crucial factors for those who find multiple letters. Though early-21st-century scholarship has argued in favor of the three-letter hypothesis, most interpreters view Philippians as a single letter. Questions have also been raised about Paul’s exact location when he wrote Philippians, with Ephesus, Caesarea, and Rome as the more popular choices. If the letter is composed of multiple fragments, the parts may have been composed in different places. Philippians 2:6–11 is almost unanimously identified as a preformed piece. Its structure and origin continue to be matters for discussion. Additionally, interpreters continue to propose different hypotheses about how 2:6–11 functions in the argument of the letter. The Christology of this “hymn” has encouraged discussion of Paul’s theology in relation to it. Paul’s interpretation of persecution, calls that he makes to imitate Christ and fellow Christians, and his understanding of Judaism are among the more important issues that arise in connection with Philippians. This short letter has elicited many investigations of its social, political, and philosophical setting. The extent to which the letter employs elements of the friendship topos and how that illumines the letter’s meaning are also issues that have been debated. Investigations include the way Paul thanks the readers for the gifts they have sent him and the use of imitation in exhortation.