The Joy of Reading Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

Reading Philippians as a gateway to Paul's character and thought.

Though impressed by the incisive “wisdom” of “our beloved brother Paul … in all his letters,” the writer of 2 Peter candidly admits, “There are some things in [these letters] hard to understand” (3:15–16). Many modern readers—including faithful Bible readers—would readily agree, with not a few adding, “Some of the bits we think we understand are hard to accept (like Paul’s views on women, family life, sexuality, end-times)! Of course, the acceptance problem may be complicated by misunderstanding, misreading. In any case, plowing through the apostle Paul’s writings can be a hard slog to find the pearls of wisdom.

Though my scholarship has focused primarily on the Gospels and Acts (with some delightful detours into the Song of Songs), my doctoral supervisor was a leading Pauline scholar; I’ve tried to keep up with major trends in Pauline studies; and I’ve regularly taught Paul’s letters in university, seminary, and congregational settings throughout my career. I love and admire St. Paul—even as I continue to wrestle and argue with him at points and try to help frustrated students and parishioners appreciate and apprehend his life-giving message, his good news: the gospel of Christ according to Paul.

Many scholars, church leaders, and laypersons across Christian history would prize Paul’s missive to the Romans most highly, for good reasons: it is Paul’s longest, deepest, most analytical exposition of his Christ-centered faith. But for the same reasons, Romans is also Paul’s most demanding and debated work—well worth the effort but not everyone’s cup of tea.

Since my earliest days in ministry and academic biblical study, I have found the most accessible, attractive, and practical gateway to Paul’s character and thought (the man and his message) to be his concise letter to the Philippians—for at least four reasons:

  • Philippians showcases a primarily congenial rather than contentious Paul that emerges in other letters (most notably Galatians). Overall, Paul expresses warm feelings of longing, solidarity, and partnership (koinōnia) with the Philippian congregation, brimming with mutual joy and gratitude. Such positivity is especially remarkable, given that Paul writes the Philippians from prison under a possible death sentence (though he remains optimistic about release). This is not to say that Paul has turned all soft and sentimental in his dire predicament. He still offers vital pastoral counsel to the believers, exhorting them to remain strong in the faith, obedient to Christ, and wary of those who might lead them astray. But he does so in a spirit of love, humility, and judicious authority, not heavy-handed authoritarianism.
  • Likewise, Philippians features a deeply connected rather than isolated and divisive Paul. This Paul is no maverick, self-sufficient, “I-alone-can-fix-it” hero but rather an interdependent, giving-and-receiving minister (4:15) sharing-together (sygkoinōneō) in Christ both joys (“rejoice together [sygchairete] with me,” 2:18) and woes (struggles/distresses, 1:30; 4:14) with the whole Philippian assembly, particular coworkers (synergoi) like Epaphroditus, Euodias, Syntyche, and Clement (2:25–30; 4:2–3, 18), and indeed all creation (2:11)! Even toward rival gospel preachers who aim to take advantage of his incarceration to advance their own selfish ambitions, Paul adopts a mature, gracious, and joyous perspective rather than a defensive, argumentative posture: “What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true, and in that I rejoice” (1:15–17). 
  • A major wellspring of prisoner Paul’s steadfast faith, hope, and love in Philippians is his contemplative spiritual practice—not a set meditative or mystical regimen as such (though Paul likely engaged in daily prayer rituals)—but an overall thoughtful, reflective mindset guided by “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (1:19). And certainly not a cold, hyper-stoical tamping down of warm sympathetic feeling with cool detached reason—but a dynamic, peaceful interface of “hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,” suffusing and “surpassing all understanding” (4:7). Ten times in this short letter Paul uses the verb phroneō, connoting attentive thinking and feeling about important matters and people. The core goal is to “let the same mind[set] be in you that was in Christ Jesus,” which  steers Christ’s passionate life across eternity—from creation to incarnation to exaltation (2:5–11). Contemplation (thinking, feeling) inspires action (willing, doing) (4:8–9). Mindset affects lifestyle, the very life of Christ: “Living is Christ” (1:21).  
  • Finally, we encounter a notably contented Paul, echoing 2 Corinthians 9:8–10 and 1 Timothy 6:6–8, but most remarkable in Philippians, again, because of his present ordeal of imprisonment. Contentment in confinement: not an easy disposition to maintain (remember the anxious COVID quarantines) and not something Paul came by naturally.  He candidly admits, “I have learned to be content with whatever I have … In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need” (4:11–12), not least in a Roman jail cell facing possible death. Please tell us, Paul, this amazing “secret” to contentment you’ve learned! Right on cue, he declares, “I can do all things through him [Christ] who strengthens me” (4:13)—arguably the most cited verse in Philippians for personal encouragement, though often extracted from its context. Paul does not offer this “can do” statement as a magic formula for success or mantra to channel the power of positive thinking. It provides a Christ-centered framework (mindset) for accepting all life situations, good and bad, with grace and gratitude, relying on Christ’s strength—the same strength that sustained Christ through his human life and death on earth—“even death on a cross” (2:8). Not a passive, dispassionate resignation but an active, ebullient (joyous!) determination to do what can be done for self and others in and through Christ.

No doubt other readers would highlight additional themes in Paul’s evocative letter to the Philippians. But I hope these four elements whet your appetite to delve into this inspiring correspondence for yourself so that we might all rejoice together with Paul and the Philippian believers for the marvelous true “riches in Christ Jesus” God provides (4:19).

Trending Articles