Day 18: New Testament Letters (Historical Context)

The New Testament letters are some of the most accessible parts of the Bible. They  were written by early Christian apostles (or representatives of Jesus) who were  appointed to spread the good news about him to the ancient world. And they are  addressed to a "you," which makes any reader feel like they are being directly  spoken to by the people who were closest to Jesus. What could be better?  But if you read these letters at any length, you know that they are full of sections  we may experience as inspiring (Paul's bit about the foolish wisdom of the cross in 1  Corinthians 2), puzzling (Paul's discussion of hairstyles in 1 Corinthians 11), or off-  putting (Peter's depiction of obedient slaves and wives in 1 Peter 2-3). Passages like  these remind modern readers that these letters are ancient texts written in a  language and culture vastly different from our own.  However, it's precisely by honoring the historical context of the New Testament  letters that we can learn how to wisely read them and see how they can speak a  powerful message to our own time and place. The apostles were heralds of the good  news of Jesus as the risen King of the world, and they believed this message had  the power to transform people and whole communities (see Paul's exposition of this  theme in Colossians 1-3 and Ephesians 2-4). But because they lived in the first-  century Roman world, the specific cultural issues and challenges they wrote about  are not identical to our own.  This means we need to learn about life in the ancient Roman empire to gain a  deeper understanding of why the apostles said what they said. We also need to  search each letter to understand what circumstances in each church community  prompted the writing of the letter in the first place. Once we see that Paul's letter to  the Romans was written to a church divided along cultural and racial lines, or that  Peter's letter was sent to churches facing shame and persecution for following  Jesus, we can better interpret these letters.  In these letters, we get to watch the apostles navigate the challenges of their day  with the good news that the risen Jesus is the King of the world. And if Jesus is still  King of the nations, we must address the unique issues of our own time and culture  with the same message. And who better to guide us than the people who  surrounded Jesus himself? The ancient words of the apostles, when they're read in  historical context, are full of divine wisdom to guide followers of Jesus in every  generation.  A baseline skill in reading the letters is to read them as a unified whole. Today’s  reading will be through one epistle—but don’t worry, it’s a short one! While reading,  look for any explicit statements about the purpose of the letter or the situation that  motivated the author to write the letter.

Philippians 1

1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and
deacons:

2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I
always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day
until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry
it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and,
whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in
God’s grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of
Christ Jesus.
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and
depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure
and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that
comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel
12Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has
actually served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout
the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14And
because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in
the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of
goodwill. 16The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense
of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely,
supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18But what does
it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or
true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and God’s
provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my
deliverance. 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will
have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,
whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am
to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I
choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with
Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the
body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you
for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again
your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
Life Worthy of the Gospel

27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will

know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of
the gospel 28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a
sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by
God. 29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him,
but also to suffer for him, 30since you are going through the same struggle you saw I
had, and now hear that I still have.

Philippians 2

Imitating Christ’s Humility

1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any
comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and
compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same
love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own
interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own
advantage;
7rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence,
but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear
and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his
good purpose.
14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless
and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then
you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of
life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in
vain. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and

service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too
should be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered
when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like him, who will show genuine
concern for your welfare. 21For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those
of Jesus Christ. 22But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son
with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23I hope, therefore,
to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24And I am confident in the Lord
that I myself will come soon.
25But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker
and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my
needs. 26For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him
only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I am all the more
eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may
have less anxiety. 29So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor
people like him, 30because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to
make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.

Philippians 3

No Confidence in the Flesh

1Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write
the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2Watch out for those
dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the
circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put
no confidence in the flesh— 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have
more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal,
persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
7But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is
more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage,
that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own
that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the
righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10I want to know Christ—
yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,
becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection
from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I
press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and

sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward
the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

15All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some
point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up
to what we have already attained.
17Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have
us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18For, as I have often told
you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the
cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their
glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in
heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by
the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our
lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Philippians 4

Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity
1Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and
crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
2I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
3Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have
contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of
my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Final Exhortations
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be
evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every
situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent
or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received
or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be
with you.
Thanks for Their Gifts

10I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed,
you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this
because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned
the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do all this through him who gives me
strength.

14Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15Moreover, as you Philippians
know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from
Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving,
except you only; 16for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than
once when I was in need. 17Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be
credited to your account. 18I have received full payment and have more than
enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts
you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
19And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ
Jesus.
20To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
21Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me
send greetings.22All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who
belong to Caesar’s household.
23The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.