Philippians (Word Biblical Commentary)

✍ Scribed by Gerald F. Hawthorne, Bruce M. Metzger (editor), David Allen Hubbard (editor), Glenn W. Barker (editor)

• Publisher: Zondervan Academic
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 385
• Edition: Revised
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.

Overview of Commentary Organization

• Introduction—covers issues pertaining to the whole book, including context, date, authorship, composition, interpretive issues, purpose, and theology.
• Each section of the commentary includes:
• Pericope Bibliography—a helpful resource containing the most important works that pertain to each particular pericope.
• Translation—the author’s own translation of the biblical text, reflecting the end result of exegesis and attending to Hebrew and Greek idiomatic usage of words, phrases, and tenses, yet in reasonably good English.
• Notes—the author’s notes to the translation that address any textual variants, grammatical forms, syntactical constructions, basic meanings of words, and problems of translation.
• Form/Structure/Setting—a discussion of redaction, genre, sources, and tradition as they concern the origin of the pericope, its canonical form, and its relation to the biblical and extra-biblical contexts in order to illuminate the structure and character of the pericope. Rhetorical or compositional features important to understanding the passage are also introduced here.
• Comment—verse-by-verse interpretation of the text and dialogue with other interpreters, engaging with current opinion and scholarly research.
• Explanation—brings together all the results of the discussion in previous sections to expose the meaning and intention of the text at several levels: (1) within the context of the book itself; (2) its meaning in the OT or NT; (3) its place in the entire canon; (4) theological relevance to broader OT or NT issues.
  • General Bibliography—occurring at the end of each volume, this extensive bibliographycontains all sources used anywhere in the commentary.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Editors’ Preface
Author’s Preface to First Edition
Preface to Revised Edition
Abbreviations
Commentary Bibliography
General Bibliography
Introduction
Authorship
The Integrity of Philippians
The Recipients and Their City
Place and Date of Writing
Paul’s Opponents and the False Teachers At Philippi
Paul’s Purposes for Writing Philippians
Outline of Philippians
Aspects of the Theology of Philippians
Text of the Letter
Exegesis and Rhetorical Analysis, With Special Reference to Philippians 2:6–11
Christology In Philippians
Text and Commentary
I. Introductory Section (1:1–11)
A. Salutation (1:1–2)
B. Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:3–11)
II. News and Instructions (1:12–2:30)
A. News About Paul (1:12–26)
B. Instructions for the Church (1:27–2:18)
1. To Stability In the Faith (1:27–30)
2. To Harmony and Humility (2:1–4)
3. Kerygmatic Center of the Letter: Christ, the Supreme Encouragement to Humility and Unselfishness (2:5–11)
Excursus: On Kenosis
4. Application: To Obedience, With Paul As Model (2:12–18)
C. News About Timothy and Epaphroditus and Their Role As Models (2:19–30)
1. About Timothy (2:19–24)
2. About Epaphroditus (2:25–30)
III. Digression: Warning Against False Teachings With Paul’s Experience and Life As a Model to Follow (3:1–21)
A. Warning Against Circumcision and Pride In Human Achievements (3:1–3)
B. Paul’s Own Life, Past and Present: An Answer to Opponents (3:4–11)
C. Warning Against Perfection Now (3:12–16)
D. Paul’s Life: A Model to Imitate (3:17)
E. Warning Against Imitating Other Teachers (3:18–19)
F. Paul’s Hope In the Future and Unseen (3:20–21)
IV. Exhortations to Harmony and Joy (4:1–9)
V. Gratitude Expressed for the Philippians’ Generosity (4:10–20)
VI. Conclusion (4:21–23)
Index of Modern Authors
Index of Principal Topics
Index of Biblical and Other Ancient Sources