Author and Audience:
Philippians was written by Paul to Church members in the city of Philippi during his first Roman imprisonment.
Historical Background:
Philippi was located in eastern Macedonia (northern Greece) on a major highway that linked Rome and Asia. This was the first city in Europe to receive the gospel. A woman named Lydia and her household were Paul’s first converts there. Approximately ten years after his first missionary visit to Philippi, Paul was preaching the gospel as a prisoner in Rome. The Philippians, hearing of Paul’s situation, sent Epaphroditus bearing gifts for him. He was to stay with Paul and assist him as needed. But a life-threatening illness forced Epaphroditus to return home. Paul sent this letter of thanksgiving and counsel to the Philippian Saints sometime around A.D. 60–62.
Theme:
“This Epistle is a letter of friendship, full of affection, confidence, good counsel and good cheer. It is the happiest of St. Paul’s writings, for the Philippians were the dearest of his children in the faith. . . .
“. . . It admits us to [his] prison meditations and communings with his Master. We watch his spirit ripening through the autumn hours when patience fulfilled in him its perfect work”.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:
“Philippians . . . is a sweet and refined statement into which a number of gospel doctrines are woven. And our Bible is greatly enriched by its presence there”.
(Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 2:525)
Paul taught the people of Philippi to live a vigilant Christian life by humbling themselves, working out their own salvation, and pressing toward the goal of eternal life. He encouraged them with the truth that they could “do all things through Christ”.
Phillippians 1
• What kind of attitude do you think you would have if you were imprisoned for a crime that you did not commit?
• Have you ever been accused of a wrong you didn’t commit?
• How did you feel about being falsely accused?
Paul was imprisoned in Rome because of his belief in the gospel.
• Why do you think Paul felt the way he did?
Phillippians 2-3
• What did Paul give up to follow Christ?
• What did he gain?
• Why are some people willing to suffer “the loss of all things” for Christ?
• How can we develop that same faith?
Phillippians 4
A statement by Elder Milton R. Hunter, who was a member of the First Council of the Seventy:
“Our Savior declared to a modern prophet: ‘. . . He who doeth works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.’
“The peace spoken of in this modern revelation is the peace that results from a clear conscience. It is that peace which comes when one stands void of offense against God and man”.
(in Conference Report, Oct. 1966, 40; see also Mosiah 2:15; 4:3; D&C 135:4)
We, like Paul, can rejoice in our trials and be blessed with peace in this life through the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are roadblocks to obtaining this peace.
Elder James E. Faust, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, explained:
“One reason for the spiritual sickness of our society is that so many do not know or care about what is morally right and wrong. So many things are justified on the basis of expediency and the acquiring of money and goods. In recent times, those individuals and institutions that have had the courage to stand up and speak out against adultery, dishonesty, violence, gambling, and other forms of evil are often held up to ridicule. Many things are just plain and simply wrong, whether they are illegal or not. Those who persist in following after the evil things of the world cannot know the ‘peace of God, which passeth all understanding’.
(Philippians 4:7)” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1992, 5; or Ensign, May 1992, 6)