Putting it All Together
Before we put it all together, we want to take the interpretation and thoughtfully apply it to our lives. For more info on this, see Application for reference.
Philippians 1:3-11 Final Product
Daily Interpretive Paper: Philippians 1:3-11
Step 1: Genre
Phillipians is an epistle.
Step 2: Generic Conception
Paul is declaring his love and thankfulness to the faithful Philippian church and also exhorting them to continue to “be pure and blameless for the day of Christ”.
Step 3: Observations
Literary:There is a continuation of the theme of thankfulness “I thank my God”, “I hold you in my heart”, “I yearn for you with the affection of Christ”. We see a causation in “he who began… will bring it to completion.” There is an explanation from Paul in verse 7 that explains why he feels these emotions for the church, because they are “partakers with me of grace.”
Grammatical:God is the pronoun in “He began a good work in you and will bring it to completion.”
Historical:We know Paul first visited the Philippians on one of his missionary journeys(Acts 16) and we read that many came to believe in Christ through Paul’s message. Paul normally went to the synagogue first in each city he arrived in, however, he did not do this in Philippi which indicates there may have been no synagogue and likely little Jewish influence. Paul was beaten and thrown into prison and then miraculously freed. When he mentions his imprisonment, the Philippians would be very familiar with his time in jail and the miraculous way he was freed. The Philippians were not just bystanders watching what Paul was doing, they were actively in partnership with him both in sharing the gospel and also in his imprisonment.
Cultural:Paul wrote this letter to thank the Philippians for a gift they had sent him since he was imprisoned. Philippi was clearly hostile towards christianity, which gives us a better understanding of the sincerity that Paul speaks of when he is saying how thankful he is of the Philippian church and their faith. Paul speaks in such a way that shows they are equals with him, he is not above them in any sort of way, in verse 7 they are“partakers” with him in his imprisonment and the sharing of the gospel.
Step 4: Interpretation
Paul is expressing his thankfulness for how the Philippian church has been faithful in partnering with him in both his sufferings and in the sharing of the gospel and he then exhorts them to let their love abound so that they may “be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”
Step 5: Application
I recently had surgery and I have been on the receiving end of many dinners from members of my church. Paul’s thankfulness for the gift and faith of the Philippians reminds me of how I need to be vocal in my thankfulness and appreciation towards those who have been bringing me dinner, reminding them and encouraging them in their faith. Often times I can burden my own shoulders with becoming more mature in the faith. I think that if I am disciplined enough or do enough things I will be “better”, however, I need to remember that it is God who has began this good work and me and it is He who will bring it to completion. I can trust in his ability, and not have to rely on my own.