Overview Article
How do you live as a Christian in a non-Christian world? How do you respond when those around you are hostile to your faith? Paul wrote this poignant letter to encourage the persecuted Christians of the church in Philippi and to strengthen them in the difficulties they faced. Paul wrote while in prison—he, too, was suffering for his faith—but he demonstrated that a Christian can have joy in Christ regardless of the circumstances.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 12
- Christ (Jesus) 49
- Lord (Jesus) 27
- Jesus 24
- Benjamin 2
- Caesar (Nero) 2
- Epaphroditus 2
- Israel 2
- Timothy 2
- Clement 1
- Euodia 1
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Places 3
Key Terms 82
Themes
The Christ Hymn: Christ’s Divine Nature 6 The passage in Philippians 2:6–11 is often called the Christ Hymn. This section reveals what early Christians believed about Jesus Christ. The hymn shows that early Christians believed Jesus existed before his birth o... The Day Is Coming 4 Jesus prophesied three future events in the Synoptic Gospels: One event was his own death and resurrection ( Mark 8:31 ; 9:31 ; 10:33–34 ). This had already happened before the Gospels were written. Living for Christ 3 The apostle Paul writes from prison, “ For to me, to live is Christ ” ( 1:21 ). Why should Christians commit their lives to Jesus Christ? Christians recognize that they owe everything to Christ. This includes their sa... Pride and Humility 3 Pride is a feeling people naturally have when they succeed or achieve something. Many people in the world value being recognized and famous (see 1 John 2:16 ). However, pride comes from thinking too much about yoursel...
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Christian Joy 2 In the final hours of his life, Jesus wanted his disciples filled with his joy (see John 15:11 ; 16:20–24 ). Joy is a common topic in many of the apostle Paul's letters and is a key theme in Philippians. Paul often en... Complaints 2 The Bible teaches that complaining is often wrong. For example, God judged the Israelites for complaining about their difficulties in the wilderness ( Numbers 14:27–37 ). The Job complained a lot and received God's re... Passing On Authority and Responsibility to a New Leader 2 The role of a Christian leader is to serve and endure difficulties for those they guide ( Mark 10:35–45 ). For the apostle Paul, good leadership meant setting an example like Jesus Christ. Jesus's death on the cross w... Pure Worship 2 From the start of God's relationship with Israel, he provided ways for their worship of him to be pleasing to him ( Exodus 20–40 ; Leviticus 1–8 ). One of the Lord's main goals for his people is to guarantee they offe... The Ascension of Jesus 2 When Jesus went up to heaven, he gave his apostles their final instructions and authority for their work ( Acts 1:6–11 ; Luke 24:45–53 ). This event (the ascension) prepares the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit a... Christian Giving 2 Generous Christian giving shows true grace. We see this in "our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich" ( 2 Corinthians 8:9 ; P... Circumcision in the New Testament 2 Circumcision, which is the removal of the male foreskin, was common in the ancient Near East (see Jeremiah 9:25–26 ). For Jews, it held religious importance as a sign of the covenant (special agreement) God made with... The Old Life and the New Life 2 When people become Christians, they unite with Jesus and share in his death and resurrection. Their old life, marked by sin, ends with Jesus. They start a new life through his power within them (see Romans 6:3–14 ). G... Baptism 1 Baptism has been a key part of Christianity since it began ( Acts 2:38 ). In Judaism, "baptism" and "baptize" referred to a religious cleansing ceremony. The law of Moses required water to cleanse people from ceremoni... Christian Suffering 1 We should not be surprised when we experience suffering ( 1 Peter 4:12 ). Christians who live differently by obeying God should expect the culture to respond with hostility. We should expect mockery, bad treatment, fa... Circumcision 1 Many ancient cultures practiced circumcision, the removal of the male foreskin (see Jeremiah 9:25–26 ). God chose circumcision as a sign of a covenant (special agreement) that focuses on descendants. God promised to m... David's Response to Unfriendly Leaders 1 As David became successful, King Saul became his enemy. The Lord rejected Saul because of the king's unfaithfulness, and the Holy Spirit's anointing then rested on David ( 1 Samuel 15:1–16:14 ). When Saul needed someo... Dealing with Conflict 1 God's people often experience conflict. It either comes from those outside of God's people who are against God. Or it comes from those within God's people who cause trouble. Dealing with conflict needs wisdom and care... Enjoying God’s Gifts 1 The Teacher (the main speaker) in Ecclesiastes often concludes that we should enjoy life because it is a gift from God (see Ecclesiastes 2:24–25 ; 3:12–13 , 22 ; 5:18 ; 6:9 ; 8:15 ; 9:7–9 ; 11:7–10 ). Even when life s... Faith and Good Deeds 1 Jesus did not teach that we are saved by doing good things ("works"). Instead, he taught that we need to be changed on the inside. This change (or conversion) happens when God works in us through his grace. When God c... Giving up Rights 1 Paul consistently teaches that Christians should be willing to give up their personal rights and freedoms for the good of others and for the spread of the good news about Jesus. He does not command Christians to defen...
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Outline
Use of the Old Testament in Philippians
1 quotations from 1 Old Testament books
Total quotations 1
Connected books 1
Most-connected book Isaiah 1
All References
| Philippians | OT Passage | Compare |
|---|---|---|
| Philippians 2:10–11 | Isaiah 45:23 | Compare |
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