Paul began this epistle by identifying himself and his companion and by wishing God's richest blessings on his readers.
"Almost all letters from the Greco-Roman period began with a threefold salutation: The Writer, to the Addressee, Greetings. Very often the next item in the letter would be a wish (sometimes a prayer) for the health or well-being of the addressee. Paul's letters, which generally follow this standard form, usually include a thanksgiving; in some of these, as here, he also includes a prayer-report. But in contrast to most of the ancient letters, which tend to be stereotyped, Paul tends to elaborate these formal items; and in so doing, everything Paul's hands touch come under the influence of the gospel, and thereby become distinctively Christian."9
1:1 Timothy was an associate of Paul's and may have served as his secretary as Paul wrote this letter (cf. 2 Thess. 3:17), but Timothy was not the co-author of this letter (cf. 1:3; 2:19-23). The Philippians knew him since he had been with Paul when Paul had founded the church in Philippi (Acts 16:1-12) and on subsequent occasions (Acts 19:22; 20:3-6).
Paul's lack of reference to his apostleship is in harmony with the overall emphasis of this epistle. This was a personal letter rather than one giving correction that needed apostolic authority behind it so the recipients would accept it and act on its instructions.
The writer characterized himself and Timothy as bond-servants (Greek douloi) of Christ, a favorite title of early Christian leaders (cf. James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1). It stressed the strong commitment of the Christian to his or her Lord. The Septuagint translators of the Old Testament used douloito describe Moses and other dedicated prophets (Ps. 105:26; Jer. 25:4; Amos 3:7) as did John when he described Moses (Rev. 15:3).
The apostle Paul was fond of addressing his fellow believers as saints (cf. Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Thess. 1:10; Phile. 5, 7). This title reflects the Christian's present justified standing before God though not necessarily his or her present sanctified standing in the sight of other people.
In no other of his epistles did Paul address the elders and deacons of the church specifically in the salutation. Perhaps they received special mention because Epaphroditus had come to Paul with money from the Philippian church (2:25) and or because friction existed within this church (4:2-3). These are the two offices of the church that Paul expounded elsewhere (1 Tim. 3; Titus 1).
"Even though these titles occur only here and in the Pastoral Epistles in the Pauline corpus, one should not construe this to suggest either that the other Pauline churches did not have such leaders or that this is a later development in his churches."10
Normally Paul appointed elders in the churches that he founded (Acts 14:23). This was an office that carried over from Jewish synagogue life.11The elders whom Paul appointed were probably Jewish converts who had good backgrounds in the Old Testament. The terms elder, overseer, bishop, and pastor all refer to the same office.
The deacons were the official servants of the church who functioned as the elders' assistants. This is the only place in the New Testament beside 1 Timothy 3 where a New Testament writer mentioned both elders and deacons together as the leaders of the church. Note that in Philippi there was a plurality of both elders and deacons in the church. At this stage in the growth of the church probably there was only one church in Philippi and there was a plurality of both elders and deacons in the one assembly.12
This reference to elders and deacons does not prescribe that there must be a plurality of elders and or deacons in every modern church. The verse is descriptive rather than prescriptive. However it does indicate that there was a plurality of official leaders in this church. In this respect the Philippian church was typical of many others in its day (cf. Acts 14:13).
"No evidence exists for a single leader as the head' of the local assembly in the Pauline churches."13
1:2 Grace and peace were Paul's favorite words of blessing in his epistles. He wished that God would bestow these gifts on the Philippians even more than He had. Grace refers to God's unmerited favor and divine enablement. Peace is the cessation of hostilities and the inner tranquillity that are the result of God's grace. Charis(grace) is a variation on the word usually used in Greek salutations, namely chaireinmeaning "greetings."Shalom(peace) was the traditional Jewish greeting that meant the full measure of divine blessing.
The source of these blessings is God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul believed that Jesus possesses full authority with the Father.
". . . How is one to begin to attack selfishness and disunity? By subtly showing from the very beginning that in the Church seniority and high calling do not put one Christian leader above another (Paul and Timothy together are one--they are slaves of Christ Jesus) and that church supervisors' are not above serving, but are by virtue of their office, called to serve (to be diakonoi) ministering to the needs of their fellows."14
Paul had been saying he hoped to be able to revisit Philippi and to minister to his original readers again in person. However, he was not sure that he could do that. This uncertain state of affairs led him to exhort them now that he had the opportunity. Whether he came to them or not, their duty was the same. In the following verses he emphasized the importance of certain qualities essential to conduct worthy of the Lord. He did this so his readers would perceive the importance of these traits and give them proper attention.
The apostle began this epistle by sharing some personal information about his situation in Rome (1:12-26). He now returned from his concerns for the Philippians (1:27-4:9) to his own circumstances (4:10-20). Notice the somewhat chiastic structure of the epistle. This epilogue balances the prologue (1:3-26).
"Nowhere else in all of Paul's letters nor in all of the letters of antiquity that have survived until the present is there any other acknowledgment of a gift that can compare with this one in terms of such a tactful treatment of so sensitive a matter . . .
"The very structure of this section makes clear what has just been said. It exhibits a nervous alternation back and forth between Paul's appreciation on the one hand (vv 10, 14-16, 18-20), and his insistence on his own independence and self-sufficiency on the other (vv 11-13, 17)."168
". . . Paul's point is that his joy lies not in the gifts per se--these he really could do with or without--but in the greater reality that the gifts represent: the tangible evidence, now renewed, of his and their long-term friendship, which for Paul has the still greater significance of renewing their long-term partnership/participation' with him in the gospel."169
Paul concluded this warm, positive epistle with some greetings and a final benediction. He did this to cement good relations with the Philippians and to point them again in closing to the Lord Jesus Christ. This closing section of the epistle balances the salutation that opened it (1:1-2).
4:21 The apostle wished that the Philippians would pass his greetings to every individual believer whom they would touch. He probably meant Christians in nearby towns as well as in Philippi. He used the same term to describe them as he employed in his opening greeting: "saints in Christ Jesus"(1:1). We have seen that the believer's position "in Christ"is an important theme in Philippians. Christ Jesus was both the source and focus of Paul and the Philippians' common life together.180
The brethren with Paul in Rome included Epaphroditus and probably Timothy. They would have also included the Roman Christians with whom Paul had contact and perhaps other fellow workers such as Luke.
4:22 "All the saints"probably refers to the Christians at Rome. Of these, some were employees of the imperial government. Paul had already referred to the praetorian guards some of whom had evidently become believers (1:13). Since Philippi as a colony had close ties with Rome, it is likely that some of the Roman Christians had friends in the Philippian church.
4:23 This benediction is similar to Paul's initial greeting (1:2; cf. Phile. 25; Gal. 6:18). God's bestowal of the unmerited favor and supernatural enablement of the Lord Jesus Christ on the spirits (persons) of the Philippians would enable them to succeed. God's grace would enable them to do all that the apostle had exhorted them to do in this letter. We need God's grace for this purpose too.
Paul's personal view of life lies at the center of this epistle structurally as well as conceptually (cf. 3:7-14). There he demonstrated what it means to adopt the mind of Christ. The great burden of this letter is that we need to make His attitude our own so we can join with other believers in partnership in the gospel. The partnership of the Philippians with Paul is still bearing fruit today through this encouraging epistle.
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