Word Writers Philippians

Holy Guidance... Handwritten on Your Heart The book of Philippians calls you to see beyond your present circumstances and discover the authentic joy awaiting you in Christ. Get ready to explore this uplifting book through the tried-and-tested inductive study method—with an added writing step to help you treasure each word! In this exciting Bible study (complete with devotions, questions, and blank pages in the back), you will... READ—Find out what these verses say. REFLECT—Discover what these verses mean. RESPOND—Apply these verses to your everyday life. WRITE—Rewrite these verses to better remember them. As you dive into Philippians you will learn what God's Word says about walking in humility and claiming your eternal hope. * * * The Word Writers series helps you experience Scripture in a deeper way—on your own or with a group—through studying and writing verses word by word.

"Have this mind among yourselves..." Everyone needs examples. We all need mentors we admire and after whom we can pattern our lives. Without them, we will not mature. Philippians is a letter full of good examples. Paul, Epaphroditus, and Timothy are all portrayed as exemplars. But none is more important than Jesus himself. In Self-Giving Love, Dean Flemming shows how Jesus and the story of his self-emptying love are the very heart of Philippians. This ultimate example provides a lens for clearly seeing the rest of the letter. By emulating Jesus' radical love, we will become mature, foster unity, and find joy. Self-Giving Love presents the message and themes of Philippians in a concise and accessible guide, with probing questions for reflection and discussion.

Relationship Wisdom... Handwritten on Your Heart The book of Ephesians calls you to carry on with a rich understanding of God's love and the strength to serve those around you. Get ready to explore this magnificent book through the tried-and-tested inductive study method—with an added writing step to help you treasure each word! In this exciting Bible study (complete with devotions, questions, and blank pages in the back), you will... READ—Find out what these verses say. REFLECT—Discover what these verses mean. RESPOND—Apply these verses to your everyday life. WRITE—Rewrite these verses to better remember them. As you dive into Ephesians you will learn how God intends for you to walk in His love and power, daily drawing closer to Him. * * * The Word Writers series helps you experience Scripture in a deeper way—on your own or with a group—through studying and writing verses word by word.

The four chapters of Philippians contain some of the most-quoted and beloved passages in Scripture: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," "Rejoice in the Lord always," "Do not be anxious about anything," "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." Yet in our familiarity with the Apostle Paul's words to his favorite church, we must be careful not to miss the deeper themes, says commentator R. Kent Hughes. Themes such as the robust fellowship and unity that Paul shared with the Christians at Philippi based on their mutual commitment to the gospel. Theirs was a partnership we rarely see today--between people who were bound together in the great cause of unfurling the gospel flag in cities, countries, and other cultures--undergirded by Paul's central call to let their "manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ." It was a joyous cause, a unity, a manner of life that should be ours as well. The characteristics of such true Christian conduct and spirit are detailed throughout this epistle and this commentary, with every aspect ultimately centering in Christ. Hughes's faithful exposition and application will reveal how much Philippians is about Christ and about people in Christ Jesus, as well as about people who are in the joyful fellowship of the gospel together because they are in Christ.Part of thePreaching the Wordseries.

This rich, inviting volume illumines Paul s letter to the Philippians through evocative juxtapositions of visual images, poetry, and other worship-related arts with theological reflections, prayers, and more. The book s multidimensional approach creates abundant space for unhurried contemplation, whether in individual reflection or group study. It invites readers to dwell with Philippians to slow down, to explore the texture and palette of Paul s message in a deliberately measured way, to be drawn into the mystery, beauty, and life-changing power of this joyful biblical letter. In this beautiful book, a vast communion of artists, theologians, historians, poets, and worshipers surrounds one letter from the Apostle Paul. Rich selections from the work of these witnesses provide varied opportunities for both newcomers and lifelong Bible readers to envision and encounter God s Word in fresh ways. When received with attention and pondered in prayer, the resources gathered here can expand imagination, deepen discernment, and encourage faithful living. Dorothy C. Bass American Christians are in too much of a hurry. We miss out on most of what is right in front of us. When this most is in the Bible, our faith and obedience and prayer are impoverished. This conversation with Philippians slows us down to a stroll so we can take it all in God s word not as instruction but as companion. All of us need this. Eugene H. Peterson This wonderful commentary makes Philippians come alive in new ways. The combination of rich visual experience with creative written commentary has made me a more engaged biblical dweller ! Richard Mouw This beautifully produced book, through its skillful interweaving of images and texts, allows the Apostle Paul to speak in fresh and unexpected ways. A striking and original initiative. Jeremy Begbie Not much in our frazzled life encourages us to slow down and savor God s presence in Scripture. The images, prayers, and reflections in this beautiful book work this miracle. Dwelling with Philippians is slow food for the spirit! Keep it beside you, pray with it, give it to your friends, your family and especially to your pastor! William Dyrness

A companion series to the acclaimed Word Biblical Commentary Finding the great themes of the books of the Bible is essential to the study of God's Word and to the preaching and teaching of its truths. These themes and ideas are often like precious gems: they lie beneath the surface and can only be discovered with some difficulty. While commentaries are useful for helping readers understand the content of a verse or chapter, they are not usually designed to help the reader to trace important subjects systematically within a given book a Scripture. The Word Biblical Themes series helps readers discover the important themes of a book of the Bible. This series distills the theological essence of a given book of Scripture and serves it up in ways that enrich the preaching, teaching, worship, and discipleship of God's people. Volumes in this series: Written by top biblical scholars Feature authors who wrote on the same book of the Bible for the Word Biblical Commentary series Distill deep and focused study on a biblical book into the most important themes and practical applications of them Give reader’s an ability to see the "big picture" of a book of the Bible by understanding what topics and concerns were most important to the biblical writers Help address pressing issues in the church today by showing readers see how the biblical writers approached similar issues in their day Ideal for sermon preparation and for other teaching in the church Word Biblical Themes are an ideal resource for any reader who has used and benefited from the Word Biblical Commentary series, and will help pastors, bible teachers, and students as they seek to understand and apply God’s word to their ministry and learning.

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.

Gordon Fee's study on Paul's letter to the Philippians is a contribution to The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Prepared by some of the world's leading scholars, the series provides an exposition of the New Testament books that is thorough and fully abreast of modern scholarship yet faithful to the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God.