Perspectival outlines of the epistle to the Philippians
| HOPE IS THE NECESSARY FOCUS OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY | back to top |
Hope in the Work of God on Our Behalf back to top
- He who began a good work in you will finish what He started until the day of Christ Jesus (1:6)
- It is God who works in us to will and to act according to his good purpose (2:13)
- God exalted him to the highest place with a name above every name (2:9)
- By power to control everything, he will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his (3:21)
- God is able to meet all of the giver's needs according to his riches in Christ (4:19)
Hope Manifested in Unity and Humility back to top
- Stand firm in the spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel (1:27)
- Be like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose (2:2)
- Do nothing out of selfish ambition and vain conceit (2:3)
- In humility, consider others better than yourselves (2:3)
- Each should look not only to his own interestes, but to the interests of others (2:4)
- On the basis of Christ's humility, we should work out our salvation with fear & trembling (2:12)
- Do everything without grumbling and complaining in order to be blameless children of God (2:14)
- Believers, who put no confidence in the flesh, but worship by the Spirit, are the circumcision (3:3)
- Let your gentleness be evident to all (4:5)
- Paul's doxology, to our God and Father be glory forever! (4:20)
Hope Manifested in Patient Perseverence back to top
- For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (1:21)
- Stand firm without being frightened in any way of those who oppose you (1:28)
- It has been granted on behalf of Christ for you to believe, and also to suffer (1:29)
- Children of God shine like stars in the universe, holding out the word of life (2:15,16)
- The Backdrop for the children and the word is this crooked and depraved generation (2:15,16)
- Rejoice in the Lord (3:1)
- Those who are mature will have their knowledge clarified (3:15)
- The caveat is to live up to what they have already obtained (3:16)
- Us: Citizenship in heaven, eagerly await Savior from there - Lord Jesus Christ (3:20)
- We should stand firm, not as earthly citizens, but as heavenly citizens (4:1)
- Rejoice in the Lord always (4:4)
- Prayers and petitions should be accompanied by thanksgiving (4:6)
- Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, bring requests to God (4:6)
- Then the peace of God which surpasses understanding will guard your heart in Christ Jesus (4:7)
- Think on the noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praisworthy (4:8)
- Whatever has been learned or received or heard from Paul, put into practice (4:9)
Hope as Modeled by Paul, His Companions, and Christ back to top
- Because of Paul's imprisonment word went out to the entire palace guard (1:13)
- Because of his chains, many have been encouraged to speak the word more courageously (1:14)
- Our attitude should be modeled after that of Christ himself (2:5)
- Christ was in very nature God, but didn't consider it something to be grasped (2:6)
- Christ made himself nothing and took the very form of a servant (2:7)
- Christ, made in the likeness of man, humbled himself and became obedient to death on a cross (2:7,8)
- At the name of Jesus every knee in heaven earth and under the earth will bow to Jesus (2:10)
- Every tongue will confess the Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (2:11)
- Timothy looks out for Christ's interests more than his own (2:21)
- Timothy has served Paul in the gospel as a son with his father (2:22)
- Epaphroditus as he risked his life for the gospel (2:29,30)
- Paul encourages the Philippians to follow his example (3:17)
- Paul encourages them to take note of those who live according to the pattern he presented (3:17)
- Whatever had been learned or received or heard from Paul, was to be put into practice (4:9)
Hope Contrasted with the Hopeless Enemies of the Cross back to top
- This is a sign that they will be destroyed, but you will be saved (1:28)
- Watch out for the dogs who do evil, mutilators of the flesh (3:2)
- Paul's acknowledgement that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ (3:18)
- Enemies of the cross: Destiny- destruction, God- stomach, glory- shame, mind on earthly things (3:19)
| A COMMUNITY IN NEED OF A UNIFIED GOAL FOR MATURITY | back to top |
The Philippians Admonished to Proper Conduct back to top
- If Paul is poured out for them, they ought to rejoice with him (1:18)
- Philippians encouraged to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of Christ (1:27)
- Philippians have been united with Christ and having fellowship with the Spirit (2:1)
- Philippians have experienced the tenderness and compassion of knowing Christ (2:1)
- Paul's plea for Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord (4:2)
- Paul's appeal to the loyal yokefellow to assist them in their disagreement (4:3)
The Philippians Admonished to Discern What is Best back to top
- Paul's prayer that their love might abound more and more in knowledge & depth (1:9)
- Aounding love is for the purpose of discerning what is best (1:10)
- Discerning what is best is in order to be blameless until the day of Christ (1:10)
- Abounding in love and discernement is to the glory and praise of God (1:11)
- Discerning what is best is in order to be filled with the fruit of righteousness through Christ (1:11)
- All the mature should take a similar view of not yet obtaining the goal, but pressing forward (3:15)
- God is able to meet all of the giver's needs according to his riches in Christ (4:19)
The Philippians Encouraged by Their Participation with Paul back to top
- They share in God's grace with him, whether in chains or defending and confirming gospel (1:7)
- Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry (1:15)
- Some preach out of love, understanding the importance of Paul's chains (1:16)
- Some preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, in order to stir up trouble for Paul (1:17)
- Paul understands that the better is to remain alive for the sake of the Philippians (1:24)
- Paul knows he will remain for the sake of the Philippians growth and joy in the faith (1:25,26)
- The Philippians shared in the struggles of Paul (1:30)
- If Paul is poured out like a drink offering on behalf of the faith of the church he rejoices (2:17)
- Paul's evaluation of Timothy - no one who takes a genuine interest in their welfare (2:19,20)
- Timothy is thus chosen to find out how the Philippians are doing on Paul's behalf (2:23)
- Epaphroditus longing for them; distressed because of their knowledge of his sickeness (2:26)
- Encouragement to welcome Epaphroditus as he risked his life for the gospel (2:29,30)
- These women at odds have contended with Paul for the sake of the gospel (4:3)
- Paul rejoices in the Philippians renewed concern and gifts to him (4:10-13)
- Paul praises the Philippians for sharing with him (4:14)
- Paul looks forward to what will be credited to the Philippians account on behalf of their gift (4:15-19)
| PAUL AS A MODEL OF HOPE AND ENDURANCE | back to top |
Paul's Devotion and Prayer for the Philippians back to top
- Paul's prayer of thanksgiving for the Philippians partnership with Him (1:3-5)
- Paul's right to feel this way, he hold the Philippians in his heart (1:7)
- Paul longs for them with the devotion of Christ (1:8)
- Paul's prayer that their love might abound more and more in knowledge & depth (1:9)
- Paul is encouraged by the Philippian prayers and the Spirit of Jesus (1:19)
- Paul is torn between further fruitful labor in the body, or the joy of dieing and being with Christ (1:22-26)
- Paul understands that dieing and being with Christ is far preferable (1:23)
- Paul was spared, and anxious to send him back to relieve their anxiety as well (2:27,28)
- Paul wants to be found righteous in Christ by faith, without a righteousness by the law (3:9)
- He wants to know Christ, in death and suffering, in life and the power of the resurrection (3:10,11)
Paul's Model of Ministry for the Philippians back to top
- Paul's imprisonment has served to advance the gospel (1:12-14)
- Paul rejoices in the preaching of Christ from either pure or false motives (1:18)
- Paul is convinced that what has happened will be his deliverance (1:19)
- Paul expects sufficient courage so that Christ will be exalted in his body, by life or death (1:20)
- Paul is eager in his hope of not being ashamed (1:20)
- It is no problem, present circumstances accepted, for Paul to exhort them to rejoice (2:1)
- If Paul is poured out like a drink offering on behalf of the faith of the church he rejoices (2:17)
- Paul lists his reasons to take confidence in the flesh if merited (3:4-6)
- Paul willingly loses everything that was to his benefit in the flesh in order to gain Christ (3:7)
- Paul considers his credentials dung, and has lost all things in order to gain Christ (3:8)
- Paul does not consider himself to have gained it, but he presses on toward the goal (3:12)
- Paul forgets what is behind, presses forward to win the prize for which God has called him (3:13,14)
The Company Paul Keeps back to top
- Paul's evaluation of Timothy - no one who takes a genuine interest in their welfare (2:19,20)
- Timothy looks out for Christ's interests more than his own (2:21)
- Timothy has served Paul in the gospel as a son with his father (2:22)
- Timothy is thus chosen to find out how the Philippians are doing on Paul's behalf (2:23)
- Paul's evaluation of Epaphroditus - brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier sent by them (2:25)
- Epaphroditus longing and distress because of their knowledge of his sickeness (2:26)
- Encouragement to welcome Epaphroditus as he risked his life for the gospel (2:29,30)
| DIACHRONIC OVERVIEW | back to top |
The Believer's Goal of Hope back to top
- So that you might be pure and blameless until the day of Christ (1:10)
- Paul's confidence that he will have sufficient courage to glorify Christ in body in life or death (1:20)
- To depart and be with Christ is much better, but to remain with you is more necessary (1:23,24)
- Those who oppose you will be destroyed; You will be saved by God (1:28)
- The Philippians perseverance is linked to Paul's ability to boast in the day of Christ (2:16)
- Paul is concerned for the Philippians well being to show he did not run the race in vain (2:16)
- Paul desires to attain to the resurrection of the dead (3:11)
- Paul does not consider himself to have obtained perfection, but presses forward to the goal (3:12-14)
- Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a savior from there (3:20)
The Believer's Perseverance in the Work of Salvation back to top
- Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (2:12)
- You are to be blameless children of God in the midst of a crooked and depraved generation (2:15)
- The children of God shine like stars in the universe as they hold out the word of life (2:16)
- The destiny of the enemies of Christ is destruction because their mind is on earthly things (3:19)
The Work of God on the Believer's Behalf back to top
- He who began a good work will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ (1:6)
- God works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (2:13)
- Our bodies will be transformed to be like his glorious body (3:21)