Who are God’s holy people, overseers and deacons? (1:1)
The word holy refers to those dedicated to God—all who believe in Jesus, regardless of their character or spiritual maturity. Overseers and deacons refer to church leaders. In the language of Paul’s day, deacon meant “servant.” Whereas overseers led prayer and the ministry of the word, deacons led by serving in other areas of church life.
What work in us will God finally bring to completion? (1:6)
God will complete the work of salvation when Christ returns. If we trust in Christ, we are already fully saved. But God’s work in our lives continues until the day of Christ Jesus—the time when Christ returns. Only then will we be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1Jn 3:2).
What is the day of Christ Jesus? (1:6, 10)
This is the day of Jesus’ return, when our salvation will be complete (see previous note) and when God will judge those who have rejected him and receive those who have trusted in him (2Th 1:9–10).
How was Paul connected to the palace guard? (1:13)
The palace guard was the Roman military or police force who guarded Paul while he awaited trial (Ac 28:16). Paul did not hide his message about Jesus from them but used the opportunity to plant the gospel in the center of Roman imperial power (Ac 28:31).
How did Paul’s imprisonment encourage believers to speak out? (1:14)
Courage can be contagious. The world of the early church was not always friendly to the gospel. But even during great hardship, Paul ignored the potential negative consequences and shared the message anyway. His example challenged other believers to be just as bold in proclaiming the gospel.
Why were there rival factions among the Christians? (1:15–18)
Rival factions in Rome tried to take advantage of Paul’s imprisonment. Paul’s opponents were motivated to preach more aggressively, hoping to take over Paul’s place of prominence. Perhaps they wanted to prove that their message was somehow better than Paul’s. They may have wanted to make Paul, mired in legal difficulties, look bad so they would look good.
Why did Paul seem to condone insincere preachers? (1:18)
Paul was tolerant toward preachers whose hearts were not entirely pure (v. 15) but who preached Christ nonetheless. He was not indifferent toward false teaching, nor was he excusing immoral or hateful behavior. But he knew that Christ could be preached even out of the mixed motives found in imperfect human beings. What really mattered, Paul insisted, was that the news of Christ was being preached.
How were the Philippians suffering for Christ? (1:29)
We don’t know the details of the Philippians’ suffering. We do know that Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison when they first preached in Philippi (Ac 16:19–24). It’s possible that other believers were facing similar opposition.
Do like-minded Christians have no disagreements? (2:2–5)
No, Christians can have differing opinions and disagree with each other about some things. To be like-minded need not suggest marching in lockstep. This is instead a call to have attitudes like Christ—loving and accepting one another despite our differences. In fact, God delights in our diversity; he made every person unique. But we should all be like-minded in our obedience to Christ and in our care for others.
What did Jesus give up to come to earth? (2:6–7)
Before his days on earth, Jesus enjoyed complete equality with the Father (Jn 1:1–2, 14). Even in human form his essential nature remained unchanged; he was still God (Jn 5:18). Yet he voluntarily laid aside the privileges and glory of heaven and humbled himself by being made in human likeness in order to take away the sins of the world.
Will those in hell worship God? (2:10)
Under the earth is the realm of the dead. Heavenly or spiritual beings, the inhabitants of earth and those who have died will all give honor and praise to Jesus. Those under the earth will glorify Christ as they submit to the final judgment (Rev 20:13).
Will every person eventually be saved? (2:11)
Even though God will bring unity to all things … under Christ (Eph 1:10), not all people will be saved. Some will go away to eternal punishment (Mt 25:46) because they belong to [their] father, the devil (Jn 8:44). Those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel … will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord (2Th 1:8–9). What this passage teaches is that all will eventually recognize and confess Christ’s lordship. It will be too late for salvation however.
Why does this sound like we have to work to be saved? (2:12–13)
Even though God planned for and initiated the work of our salvation, he calls us to respond to his grace. The “work” of salvation, though finished on the cross, is still being completed in individuals (1:6). God’s grace is fully accomplished in our lives as we learn to follow Christ, acknowledging his call by our surrender and obedience to him. As the Holy Spirit works within us, we are able to work out [our] salvation.
Why was Paul so negative about other Christians? (2:21)
Though he may have been speaking of human beings in general, Paul had earlier had a falling out with his coworker Barnabas over the readiness of John Mark for service (Ac 15:36–40). In fact, during Paul’s second imprisonment (AD 67–68), Paul confirmed this statement by saying that at his first legal defense everyone deserted [him] (2Ti 4:16). Perhaps these circumstances frustrated him to the point of making this negative statement.
Who were the dogs and whom were they mutilating? (3:2)
The dogs were the false teachers who insisted that salvation required both trust in Jesus and adherence to Jewish traditions, including circumcision (Ac 15:1). Paul called them mutilators because they were compelling Gentile converts to be circumcised, saying that faith in Christ alone was not enough to have a right relationship with God.
What was the purpose of circumcision? (3:3)
See the article Why did God command circumcision? (Ge 17:10).
Why did Paul think it was worthless to be faultless? (3:6–8)
At one time, Paul believed he could satisfy God’s requirements by keeping religious rules, but he changed his mind after meeting Christ. He came to see that legalism—a list of dos and don’ts—can never achieve genuine righteousness. God makes us righteous when we trust in Christ (Ro 1:17). We can’t make ourselves righteous, no matter how diligent our efforts.
What can Christians do to become more like Jesus? (3:7–11)
Changes in behavior always start with a radically new way of thinking, because what we believe shapes what we do. The same is true of becoming more like Jesus (Ro 12:2). Therefore, in order for us to change our thinking, we must learn about the spiritual treasures that are part of our salvation—things like freedom in Christ, free access to God’s rich spiritual resources, the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the immeasurable love of God. The Bible says that as followers of God, we have every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3).
As Christians we become more like Jesus by drawing on these Christ-given riches to enable us to behave like the new creations that we are (2Co 5:17). We determine to be humble, loving, pure, grace-giving people. When we make mistakes and bad decisions, we confess our sins and repent, which keeps our relationship with the Lord strong. When we discover our weaknesses, we draw on God’s wisdom and power for help.
No one can become more like Jesus without having close relationships with other believers. As the body of Christ, Christians need one another to grow. We need a church in which fellow believers are speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15) and in which the Bible is being preached so we know how to do works of service in Jesus’ name (Eph 4:12). In addition, Christians have always found that practicing spiritual disciplines—such as regular Bible reading, prayer, fasting, solitude and giving, among others—provide deep insights into their own souls and open pathways into Christlikeness.
Finally, we must reckon with God’s discipline (Heb 12:6). As a loving Father, God sometimes invests in our growth by allowing us to experience painful situations that arrest us in our sinfulness, reveal our weaknesses and build into our lives a deeper reliance on Christ and his Word (Heb 12:4–13).
What is righteousness, and how does it become ours? (3:9)
Righteousness is the state of being “in the right” in relation to God. Sinful humans are by nature unrighteous because our sin separates us from God. But when we place our faith in Christ alone, we are justified—we are declared righteous by God (Ro 3:21–24). In this sense, righteousness refers to the status of a right standing before God. God conveys this gift through Christ because of Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection.
Did Paul want to be a martyr? (3:10)
Not necessarily. Paul believed that identifying with the sufferings of Christ was part of trusting in Christ for salvation. Suffering with Christ in this life precedes the glory we will share with him in the life to come (Ro 8:17). To become like Christ in his death means to die to our old sinful ways of living (Ro 6:5–7).
Why was Paul straining toward something future? (3:13–14)
Life in Christ involves a tension between two equal but contrasting truths. By faith believers have already received God’s full acceptance, so we can be fully confident in our salvation. But we know we are not yet perfect. Paul’s goal was the complete knowledge of Christ, both in the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings (v. 10). When the goal was reached, the prize would be fully his.
What have we already attained? (3:16)
Paul’s central, all-consuming passion was to know Jesus more and more. Here he admitted that he had only scratched the surface of all there is to know and that a gap existed between what he knew about Jesus (what he had already attained) and how he lived that out. So he was reminding his readers and himself that simply knowing isn’t enough; we are to imitate what we see in Jesus (2:5).
Who were these enemies? (3:18–19)
They were the dogs (v. 2) who opposed the cross of Christ by promoting circumcision. Their god is their stomach means that Jewish laws on food had crowded out their personal knowledge of God through faith in Christ. The phrase glory is in their shame is likely a blunt way of asserting that these enemies took pride in their circumcision.
What will our resurrection bodies be like? (3:21)
Immortal bodies will replace our mortal bodies; our lowly bodies will be transformed into glorious bodies. See What will our resurrected bodies be like? (1Co 15:42–58) and the article What do we have to look forward to? (1Co 15:35–57).
Can we choose to think lovely thoughts? (4:8)
How can we control the thoughts that come uninvited into our minds? Paul was not talking about fleeting impressions that invade our thinking. Thoughts of temptation or discouragement can come unannounced. But we can discipline ourselves, making conscious choices to contemplate good things. Reading uplifting Bible verses and meditating on them, making a mental checklist of God’s attributes, counting our blessings—these types of things can get our thoughts on the right track.
Was Paul that good or was he that arrogant? (4:9)
Paul was chosen and equipped to share Christ’s blessings with the Gentile world (Ac 9:15; Eph 3:7). Good role models were rare in pagan centers like Philippi. While Paul knew he was not perfect (Php 3:12), he also knew he had much to offer struggling Gentile believers in the way of instruction and example. He told them to do as he did—not because he was arrogant but because he led a life of integrity.
What does God give us strength to do? (4:13)
God gives us strength to do everything he desires us to do. In Paul’s life it meant that God had given him the ability to be content whether he had plenty or overwhelming need. God’s grace will sustain us no matter where he leads us—even when we lack material things.
Will God meet needs like health, food, shelter and long life? (4:19)
All things come from God, including health and the basic necessities of life. But when such things are lacking, God still provides what we really need. Jesus said to concern ourselves with the kingdom of God—the most important thing—and not worry about our physical needs (Mt 6:31–34). All [our] needs must be seen in the light of what the Father gave the Son. In the end, Christ received grace to live—and die—to honor God. Whether we face trouble, hardship, persecution or danger, we can always depend on Jesus (Ro 8:35–39). He is enough.
What Christians were in Caesar’s household? (4:22)
Those who belong to Caesar’s household refers to employees of the emperor Nero. Some of those employees had become sympathetic to the gospel—perhaps even converts—as a result of Paul’s influence (1:13). When Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, Nero (emperor of Rome from AD 54 to 68) had not yet become hostile to Christians. It appears that at the time of Paul’s writing, Nero’s employees could support the Christian cause without incurring the wrath of their employer.