Kelly / Ortlund Philippians

A 12-Week Study
1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4335-4029-5
Verlag: Crossway
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 96 Seiten

Reihe: Knowing the Bible

The book of Philippians challenges Christians to remember their true identity as citizens of God's kingdom, especially when faced with difficult circumstances and painful trials. Helping us grasp the Apostle Paul's gospel-centered exhortation to endurance, this guide explains the biblical text with clarity and passion-encouraging us to joyfully imitate Christ in the midst of hardship. Over the course of 12 weeks, these studies explore books of the Bible and: - Ask thoughtful questions to spur discussion - Show how each passage unveils the gospel - Tie the text in with the whole story of Scripture - Illuminate the doctrines taught in each passage - Invite you to discover practical implications - Help you better understand and apply God's Word

Ryan Kelly (PhD, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is the pastor for preaching at Desert Springs Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and serves as a council member for the Gospel Coalition. Ryan and his wife, Sarah, have four children.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Kelly, Ryan

Ortlund, Dane

Leseproben

WEEK 2: THANKFULNESS
AND PRAYER FOR
THE PHILIPPIANS

Philippians 1:1–11

The Place of the Passage

Paul begins Philippians much as he does his other letters: a quick salutation, an expression of thankfulness, and a prayer. Within these first 11 verses there are hints of what’s to come in the rest of the epistle.1 That was a common structure for letter writing in Paul’s time.

The Big Picture

Paul celebrates God’s genuine work of grace in the Philippians, warmly thanking them for their partnership in the gospel, and praying for their future growth in the faith.

Reflection and Discussion

Read through the passage for this study, Philippians 1:1–11. Then consider and answer the following questions. (For further background, see the ESV Study Bible, pages 2280–2281, or visit www.esvbible.org.)

Knowing what you do about the major themes of Philippians (see Week 1), read verses 1–11 with those in mind. Do you see any ways in which these verses foreshadow what’s to come in the rest of the letter?

Paul addresses this letter to “all the saints in Christ Jesus . . . with the overseers and deacons” (v. 1). Look at the first couple of verses in other letters that Paul wrote to churches, such as Romans through 2 Thessalonians. What is unique about how he addresses the Philippians? What might be behind this?

Paul’s various arrests, imprisonments, and trials stretch through eight chapters in the book of Acts (Acts 21–28). He writes Philippians while imprisoned and with execution looming. Amazingly, his focus is squarely on the Philippians’ welfare. Do you see any indication in verses 1–11 as to why and how Paul can focus on thankfulness, joy, and the welfare of others, instead of on his own hard circumstances?

Paul’s language is extremely warm and personal in these verses (especially vv. 3–5, 7–8). Why? Was it mere courtesy? Was it based on time spent together? Or was there a still deeper connection? (Hint: notice the connecting language in vv. 5, 7, which introduces his stated reasons—e.g., “because . . . ,” “It is right . . . because . . . ,” “for . . .”)

The Greek word behind “partnership” (v. 5) is sometimes translated “fellowship.” Unfortunately, for many Christians today “fellowship” has connotations of merely getting together for food. So “partnership” is a better word, especially here. Remember, the Philippians prayerfully and financially supported Paul’s missionary work. They shared the gospel and shared in gospel work (see 3 John 6–8 for similar language). Remarkably, they even indirectly shared in Paul’s “imprisonment and . . . defense and confirmation of the gospel” (v. 7). What are some implications of this for you, your church, your giving, etc.?

In verse 6, Paul assures the Philippians that their spiritual state is proof of God’s “good work” in them. He also insists that if God “began a good work” in them, he “will bring it to completion.” How might these statements be simultaneously confidence-building and pride-crushing?

List some of the things that Paul is thankful for in the Philippians, in verses 3–7, and the things that he prays for them, in verses 9–11. Then read Paul’s prayers in Ephesians 1:15–23, Colossians 1:9–14, and 2 Thessalonians 1:3–12. What similarities do you see among these prayers?

Having looked at several of Paul’s prayers, what things do you see Paul emphasizing in his prayers? What kinds of things is he praying for? Why? How might Paul’s prayers differ from our prayers?

Read through the following three sections on Gospel Glimpses, Whole-Bible Connections, and Theological Soundings. Then take time to consider the Personal Implications these sections may have for you.

Gospel Glimpses

SALVATION BELONGS TO THE LORD. That is what Jonah concluded after God sent him to the Ninevites to preach repentance and had him swallowed by a fish when he ran away from the task (Jonah 2:9). God’s saving plan for them and for us began in eternity past (Eph. 1:4–5). Salvation starts with God, not us. If left to ourselves, we would never seek God (Rom. 3:11). Paul was not in search of Jesus that day on the road to Damascus; Jesus went looking for him (Acts 9:1–6). So too the Philippian Gentiles were not searching for the true God when the gospel was first preached in their city (Acts 16). Lydia, though religious, believed Paul’s message only because the Lord “opened her heart” (v. 14). The same is true of you, if you’re a Christian: it was God who began the work in you, and thus it is he who will surely complete it (Phil. 1:6).

SUPERNATURAL CONFIDENCE, JOY, AND LOVE. Especially in light of his many persecutions and present imprisonment, it is astounding how steadily joy-filled, thankful, and selfless Paul is in Philippians. As we shall see throughout Philippians, these were supernatural realities for Paul, attitudes tied to his experience of God’s grace and the innumerable benefits that were his in Christ. His confidence and joy were rooted in eternal truths, not mere circumstances. He was unswervingly confident because Christ is unshakably faithful. And Paul was effervescent in his love for other believers because the gospel showed him Christ’s love and taught him to love in imitation of it.

Whole-Bible Connections

THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST. Paul assured the Philippian church that their salvation would be brought to completion “at the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6). He also prayed that the Philippians would be found “pure and blameless” in “the day of Christ” (1:10). For hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, the Old Testament promised the hastening of this day—“the day of the LORD” (Isa. 13:6; Joel 2:1; Amos 5:18). The prophets spoke of this “day” sometimes as a day of salvation and sometimes as a day of judgment. The New Testament reflects this distinction. In Acts 2:16–21 Peter insists that the “last days,” spoken of by Joel, have now come with Jesus and his Spirit. In that sense, the “day of the Lord” has already come. However, the apostles also wrote of this “day” as still a future event (Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10). This is the day of Jesus’ return, his second coming. Just as the cross was a day of salvation and judgment (as Jesus paid for mankind’s sins by bearing God’s wrath), so his second coming will also be a day of final salvation for some and final judgment for others (2 Thess. 1:7–10).

FOR GOD’S GLORY AND PRAISE. God saves us for his “glory and praise” (Phil. 1:11). Paul uses the words glory and praise like a repeated chorus in Ephesians. There he writes that our adoption is “to the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph. 1:6) and our inheritence and saving hope are “to the praise of his glory” (vv. 11–12). Of course, this is not unique to Paul or the New Testament. It was clear throughout the Old Testament that glory and praise are, and always were, integral to God’s character, and, hence, integral to his plan. For instance, he said through the prophet Isaiah, “For my name’s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you” (Isa. 48:9). This will also be the eternal anthem of heaven: “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory” (Rev. 19:7).

Theological Soundings

PRAYER. What is prayer? On one level, prayer is simply talking to God about what is in one’s mind at the moment. But on a deeper level, there are many things going on that are very theological because they are essentially responses to God. For starters, prayer is possible only because of the intricate, eternal, historical plan of God to save sinners in and through Jesus. Prayer is speaking to God in praise about who he is—and he is infinitely glorious. Prayer is thanking him for what he has done—and he has done innumerably wonderful things. Prayer is speaking to God about his plan, asking him to do what he promised to do. Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1 is a model of a loving, worshipful, thoughtful, God-centered prayer. In many ways, he simply fleshes out what our Lord taught us to pray: that God’s name would be hallowed, his kingdom keep coming, his will be done, and we be kept from temptation (Matt. 6:9–13).

PERSERVERANCE OF THE SAINTS.2 Paul assures the Philippian church that the saving work that God began in them would be brought “to completion at the day of . . . Christ” (Phil. 1:6), and he also prays for the same (v. 10). In the following chapter, he speaks of the same concept in a slightly different way: he prays that the Philippians will always be found “holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ” he would not prove to have “run in vain” (2:16). These verses reflect a tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility that is felt all through Philippians (see also, e.g.,...