It is always helpful in Bible study to examine the purpose and occasion of each book of the Bible. Knowing who wrote it and to whom it was written, as well as the life situation that both the sender and recipients were in at the time of writing is super helpful!
\nWhile joy and humility are major themes in the epistle, neither are the main reason Paul wrote it.
\nActually, Philippians is a Thank You letter written by Paul to a suffering yet generous church that has supported him on several occasions during his missionary journeys. He thanks them for a recent monetary gift from the church delivered by Epaphroditus, and updates them on what's going on in his life. This epistle is comparable to a missionary update letter your church might receive from one of your missionaries.
\nUnderstanding the background, we can now dig into the text itself in the coming episodes.
\nIn the meantime, you can always check out my blog: In the Last Hour, or give my other podcast a listen: The Informal Reformers.
","author_name":"Steven Rohn"}