L'EPISTOLA AI FILIPPINI
introduzione
La città di Filippi fu costruita come posizione militare da Filippo il Grande di Macedonia per tenere sotto controllo i selvaggi Traci, che erano i vicini dei Macedoni. Successivamente divenne colonia romana di Augusto, a ricordo della sua vittoria su Bruto e Cassio. Non era una città molto importante. Gli ebrei non vi si erano affatto stabiliti, così che la città non conteneva una sinagoga. In Atti degli Apostoli 16:12 Filippi è chiamata “la città principale di quella parte della Macedonia.
Questo non significa che Filippi fosse la città principale di tutta la Macedonia, che era Tessalonica; ma Filippi era la città principale di quel distretto e la prima città in cui arrivarono Paolo ei suoi compagni. La testimonianza storica della visita dell'apostolo a Filippi e di come vi fu predicato il Vangelo, per la prima volta in terra europea, si trova nel libro degli Atti (capitolo 16). La conversione di Lidia, la sua ospitalità ai servi di Cristo, l'indemoniata e la sua liberazione, la sofferenza di Paolo e Sila a causa di essa, la loro preghiera e lode nella prigione, il terremoto, la conversione del carceriere e di sua casa, sono gli episodi interessanti e benedetti legati all'inizio della chiesa di Filippi.
L'apostolo probabilmente visitò questa città due volte dopo ( Atti degli Apostoli 20:1 e Atti degli Apostoli 20:6 ), sebbene i dettagli di queste visite non siano riportati nel libro degli Atti.
La chiesa di Filippi era molto legata all'apostolo Paolo. Non aveva bisogno di difendere il suo apostolato e la sua autorità, perché i Filippesi non erano stati colpiti dai falsi maestri giudaizzanti, che avevano provocato un tale caos in Galazia e Corinto. Questo doveva essere dovuto al fatto che c'erano pochi ebrei in quella città. Ma l'apostolo evidentemente temeva l'invasione dell'assemblea di Filippi da parte di questi falsi maestri.
Questo apprendiamo dall'avvertimento dato in Filippesi 3:2 . La chiesa stessa era povera e aveva molte prove e afflizioni; tuttavia, dalla loro profonda povertà, 2 Corinzi 8:1 altri santi bisognosi ( 2 Corinzi 8:1 ; Filippesi 1:28 ).
Avevano anche servito generosamente all'apostolo due volte poco dopo che li aveva lasciati ( Filippesi 4:15 ); ricevette la loro comunione a Tessalonica. La terza volta si erano ricordati di lui. Epafrodito fu il loro messaggero che portò il dono d'amore al prigioniero del Signore. In cambio l'apostolo ha inviato agli amati Filippesi un altro dono, questa bellissima Lettera, dettata dallo Spirito di Dio.
Scritto da Roma
Che questa lettera ai Filippesi sia stata scritta da Paolo sembra quasi impossibile da dubitare. “In effetti, considerato il suo carattere psicologico peculiarmente paolino, la totale assenza da esso di ogni possibile motivo di falsificazione, la spontaneità e il fervore delle sue effusioni di sentimento – deve essere un uomo audace che metterebbe in discussione la sua paternità” (Alford) . Eppure i critici sono audaci e non lasciano nulla di indiscusso e alcuni hanno messo in dubbio la genuinità di questo documento.
Inutile dire che l'Epistola non ha risentito di questa sciocca critica. L'antica testimonianza di Policarpo, Ireneo, Clemente Alessandrino e altri cita questa epistola come paolina e da lui scritta a Roma, durante la sua prigionia, di cui leggiamo in Atti degli Apostoli 28:30 .
Sorge la domanda in quale periodo della sua vita carceraria abbia scritto questa lettera. Non era proprio all'inizio, ma doveva essere verso la fine. I Filippesi avevano saputo della sua prigionia e avevano accumulato una somma di denaro che Epafrodito portò personalmente a Roma. Ed Epafrodito si era ammalato ei Filippesi avevano sentito parlare della sua grave malattia "vicina alla morte" ( Filippesi 2:30 ).
This sickness of their beloved Epaphroditus had been in turn reported to them (Filippesi 2:26) and the apostle heard how they had been grieved on account of it. All this necessitated a number of journeys from Rome to Philippi and back. This took a good many months. And furthermore, in the beginning of his stay in Rome he dwelt for two years in his own hired house and seemed to have perfect liberty (Atti degli Apostoli 28:30).
In his epistle to the Philippians he writes that he is in the praetorium and no longer in his own house. “But I would have you know, brethren, that the circumstances in which I am here turned out rather to the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds have become manifest as being in Christ in all the praetorium and to all others” (Filippesi 1:12, revised translation).
The praetorium was the place where the praetorium guards were kept, next to the palace of the Emperor Nero. He had now been put in stricter confinement and felt his bonds more severely (Filippesi 1:18). The Epistle must therefore have been written by him after the Epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon, that is, about the middle of the year 63 A.D.
The Epistle of Christian Experience
Philippians is put in our Bibles between Ephesians and Colossians. A better arrangement is to put this Epistle after Colossians. The Epistle to the Ephesians shows the believer's position in Christ and what he possesses in Him; Colossians reveals the glory of Christ as the Head of the body in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily. Philippians also speaks of Christ, but not in a doctrinal way.
It is an Epistle which describes the walk and the life of one who has apprehended his position in Christ and walks therefore in the power of the Spirit of God. It shows what manner of lives those should live on earth who are saved by grace and who are waiting for glory. The epistle assumes the knowledge of what the salvation of God is. We therefore find nothing said about justification, peace with God or assurance of salvation.
The word “salvation” as used in Philippians has nowhere the meaning of salvation by grace in the sense of deliverance from guilt and condemnation. Philippians shows us what true Christian experience is in the power of the Spirit of God. The words “sins” and “sin” are not found in this Epistle. The true believer knows that his sins are put away and that the old man was crucified with Christ.
The question of deliverance from the guilt of sin and from the power of sin, as so blessedly revealed in Romans, does not enter into true Christian experience. True Christian experience is to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and to manifest Christ in that walk. This the Epistle to the Philippians reveals from beginning to end. The name of our Lord is used over fifty times in the four Chapter s. He is the believer's life; Christ must be always before the heart and He must be made known by the believer in his life, following Him as the pattern and looking to Him as the goal.
The words “joy” and “rejoicing” are used eighteen times in Philippians. It is the Epistle of rejoicing. “He went on his way rejoicing” is the description of the experience of the eunuch after he had believed on the Lord. The true believer's way should be one of constant rejoicing. The whole atmosphere of this Epistle is that of joy, and so the believer in whatever earthly circumstances he may be placed should manifest the joy of the Lord.
Paul, the great apostle, and now the prisoner of the Lord, as years before in the Philippian prison, sends forth from the Roman prison the triumphant song of faith and holy joy. There is not a word of murmur or complaint. it is “counting it all joy” and “glorying in tribulation.” He had Christ; He knew Christ; Christ was his all; he knew himself in His hands and the glorious goal was ever before him and the Holy Spirit filled him therefore with joy. And such should be the experience of every believer.
The word Philippians means “those who love horses.” The racehorse in fullest energy stretches its neck to reach the goal. This epistle describes also the Christian race. This is especially seen in the third chapter where the energy and holy ambition of the new life to win Christ, to attain and to reach the goal is given. The Epistle likewise reveals the real affection and fellowship which exists between the servant of the Lord and those who have received blessing through his ministry. The annotations of this precious little Epistle contain many hints on the true Christian experience and walk.
The Division of Philippians
The division into four Chapter s is the correct one. As stated in the introduction it is true Christian experience which this little Epistle unfolds, showing the motives which should govern the believer in his life, the energy he should manifest, the resources which are at his disposal and the victory over all circumstances through Christ. The Christian in a normal, spiritual condition as seen in this Epistle has been aptly described as on a journey with an object before him, which is Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is therefore the theme of each chapter. Hence we have four aspects of the true Christian life and experience.
In the first chapter Christ is made known as the all-controlling principle of the life of the believer. Christ is our life; He indwells the believer, and true Christian life and experience is to live for Him and be fully controlled by the Lord. “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Filippesi 1:21).
In the second chapter Christ is seen in His humiliation and obedience as the believer's pattern. The One who passed through this life, who left the glory to humble Himself, who was obedient unto death, the death of the cross; He who endured the cross and despised the shame, who is now exalted at the right hand of God and has a name which is above every name, is to be constantly before the believer's heart.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Filippesi 2:5). In the third chapter Christ is the bright object and the final goal before the believer. In the energy of the new life the believer reaches out after that goal, never satisfied with anything else. It is the desire to win actually Christ, to lay hold of that for which he has been laid hold of by Christ.
“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection from the dead” (Filippesi 3:10). In the fourth chapter we learn that Christ is enough for all circumstances. The believer, who, like the great apostle, can say, “for me to live is Christ”; who ever follows His path of self-humiliation and obedience, constantly reaching out for the goal, will find that Christ is sufficient for all earthly circumstances.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me” (Filippesi 4:13). This then is the division of this brief but most important and practical Epistle:
I. CHRIST, THE CONTROLLING PRINCIPLE OF THE BELIEVER'S LIFE (ch. 1)
II. CRISTO, IL MODELLO DEL CREDENTE (cap. 2)
III. CRISTO, L'OGGETTO E LA META (cap. 3)
IV. CRISTO, FORZA DEL CREDENTE, SUFFICIENTE PER TUTTE LE CIRCOSTANZE (cap. 4)