Session Ten

Friday, January 8, 2010

 Philippians 1:12-18
Our passage for this session is part of a larger unit that runs from
1:12-1:26. This is indicated by what is called an “inclusio”. This is
a literary devise of repetition used to bracket a thematic section and
emphasize the section’s main subject.

Greek word for “advance” in verse 12 is the same word used for
“progress” in verse 25. The main subject of our larger section is the
progress of he gospel both externally

Friday, January 8, 2010

 Function of the Section
Four different “functions” of Philippians 1:12-20:

1. Rhetorical
2. Historical
3. Theological
4. Moral

Friday, January 8, 2010

 Function of the Section
Rhetorical Function
Verse 12 begins a common section in a friendship letter . . .
information as to the sender’s well being. Note that Paul talks
about how the gospel is doing, not how he himself is doing!

Why doesn't Paul use this section in its usual way?

“To the question how it is with him the apostle must react with
information as to how it is with the gospel”
Karl Barth

Friday, January 8, 2010

 Function of the Section
Historical Function
This section also serves as a “missions report”, providing current
information on the situation.

Why do you think Paul gives an update on the progress of the

gospel?

Friday, January 8, 2010

 Function of the Section
Theological Function
This section provides a theology for dealing with unfavorable,
unwelcome, and undesirable circumstances. Seeing all things in
light of our new priorities that come from being in Christ is the key.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 Function of the Section
Moral Function
This section provides a pattern for the Philippians to follow as they
respond to their own unfavorable, unwelcome, and undesirable
situations. Paul describes how he is responding to the Empire
(external) and to the rivalry from other believers (internal). This
serves as an example for the Philippians who are experiencing
similar things according to verse 30.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “All that has happened” v12
Events Overview (Leading up to Rome Acts 22-28:10. Time in
Rome Acts 28:11-30)
1. Riot
2. Two year imprisonment in Caesarea
3. Appeal to Caesar
4. Threat on his life
5. Shipwreck on the way to Rome
6. House arrest, restricted freedom
7. Impending trial

Resource
Chronology of Apostle Paul's Journeys and Epistles
www.matthewmcgee.org/paultime.html

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “Imprisonment has served”
Paul’s undesirable circumstance is not in control, it is not a “master”
but merely a servant to God’s higher purpose . . . the progress of
the gospel.

If Paul’s ultimate priority was his own happiness and well being, he
would have every reason to feel that the situation was in control
because it would be preventing his goal.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “Advance the gospel” v12
Here, the gospel is making “quantitative” growth . . . it is being
heard by more and more people. In verse 26 (the other bracket in
the inclusio) it is making “qualitative” growth . . . it is bearing fruit in
the lives of those who have embraced it.

Colossians 3:6
All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it
has been doing among you since the day you heard it and
understood God's grace in all its truth.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “Advance the gospel” v12
The gospel cannot be hindered by physical containment. During
Paul’s last imprisonment (following the one presently being
discussed) he wrote to Timothy:

2 Timothy 2:8-13
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from
David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point
of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “As a result . . .” v13
Paul now shares two ways in which his imprisonment has indeed
caused the gospel to make progress.
1. The Praetorian guard has been introduced to the Jesus story
(v13).
2. Existing Christians in Rome are encouraged to speak the word of
God with new boldness (v14).

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “Praetorian guard” v13
The Cohortes Praetoriae were the regular military bodyguard of the
Emperor, their mission to act as the guarantors of his security --
though all too frequently, the Guard proved fickle in the loyalty of
their commanders and soldiers.  While prone to violently unmake as
well as make emperors based on personal considerations such as
service benefits and monetary recompense, the Guard linked their
fortunes to the survival of the imperial office.  As for the Emperor
himself, the Praetorians were loyal as long as he did not threaten
their interests.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 The Praetorian Guard, as they have become popularly known, were
formally organized by Octavian following his final victory over
Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony).  In a symbolic gesture, Octavian --
who was soon to receive the title Augustus ("The Revered One")
and become the first Roman emperor -- combined the surviving
cadres of Antony's and his own bodyguard troops, called in Latin
cohortes praetoriae, into the structured arm we know as the
Praetorian Guard.

The victor Constantine, who became the first Christian emperor,

exacted revenge on the Praetorians for their loyalty to his enemy by
disbanding the Guard entirely.  In their place as the Emperor's
bodyguard, Constantine established the Scholae Palatinae,
composed of his own trustworthy troops, mostly of Germanic origin.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 The legacy of the Praetorian Guard, as elite but unscrupulous
guardians of an imperial regime, survives into our own modern age
as a paragon of military amorality.  Not bound by ethics, the Guard
and their commanders, the Praetorian Prefects, regularly abused
their power and access to the emperor in order to extort
concessions, to murder with impunity, and to repress dissent.  For
more than three hundred years, the corps of Praetorians protected
even the most venal of rulers without question, so long as their
greed and ambition were served.

Material copied from http://www.romanarmy.com/cms/content/view/

67/75/. This link has several pages on the background of the
Praetorian Guard.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “In chains for Christ” v13
An alternative rendering of the phrase is presented by Moises Silva:
“My chains in Christ have become manifest”

Being “in Christ” means that Paul shares in his sufferings (Phil 3:10-11)
and considers himself a prisoner of the Lord (Eph 3:1) not of Caesar.
The “in Christ” concept has already been introduced in 1:1 to describe
the identity of the Philippian Christians.

The purpose of Christ’s suffering was the advancement of God’s

redemptive work . . . Paul sees his current situation in the same light.
Sometimes being in prisoner of Christ is seen through the physical
chains of an oppressive human authority.

Paul’s imprisonment is not merely the result of his proclamation of the

gospel but actually a means of proclaiming it.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 Two Emboldened Groups v15-17
Two groups were encouraged to preach the word of God more
courageously and fearlessly:

Paulʼs Friends Paulʼs Opponents

out of good will out of envy and rivalry

in love from selfishness, not sincerely

knowing supposing

that I am put here for the that they can stir up trouble for
defense of the gospel me while I am in chains

in truth in falsehood

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “What does it matter?” v18
Paul was experiencing another unfavorable, unwelcome, and
undesirable situation . . . this time from other CHristians.

Once again, the thing that caused him to have a Christ-like

response was that he kept in mind the higher calling of causing the
gospel to make progress . . .

“The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives
or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

The Apostle Paul

Philippians 1:18

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “I am put here” v16
When Paul was initially seized in Jerusalem Jesus told him that he
would Go to Rome . . .
Acts 23:11.
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take
courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must
also testify in Rome."

Going back even further, we can see that Paul’s suffering role befor
Gentiles was actually made know back at his initial encounter with
Jesus
Acts 9:15-16
But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen
instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and
before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must
suffer for my name.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “I am put here” v16
This was really the pinnacle of his calling . . . especially when we
understand that he was going before the Caesar . . . the Lord and
savior of the Gentile world.

Friday, January 8, 2010

 “stir up trouble for me” v17
Consider the alternate rendering that preserves the word play in the
original.
“supposing they will add pressure to my chains”

We really don’t know who these people were but they seem to be
preaching the right gospel just with wrong motives.

“More likely, the problem came from the dynamics of the Roman
church and Paul’s relationship to it. Possibly the situation
resembled Corinth (1:12) where the various factions rallied around
one greet leader or another. The situation in Rome was pluralistic,
no great Christian leaders were there before Paul arrived, so there
was no primary apostle. Perhaps many vied for the position or, at
the least, did not want someone from the outside claiming
status” (Melick 76)

Friday, January 8, 2010

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 Sow What?
As we consider Paul’s attitude toward undesirable,
unfavorable, and unwelcome circumstances we see that
the ultimate cause of making Christ known changes his
whole perspective.

1. When we respond to our unpleasant circumstances

with anger, disgust, and bitterness, it is likely that we do
not have the correct ultimate goal in mind. If this
happens take time to evaluate what you are most
committed to and replace it with the progress of the
gospel!

Friday, January 8, 2010