1:1
It is believed that Paul had good relations with the church in Philippi. This is one of the few letters where Paul does not introduce himself as an apostle. This is probably one of the earlier letters, and it is likely that questions of Paul’s authority had not become an issue yet, unlike in Galatia and Corinth where he was under attack. Though Paul’s life was far from trouble free, and there were some troublemakers. Timothy is specifically mentioned alongside Paul in the introduction, and it is likely that Timothy was held in high regard by the church at Philippi. Another somewhat unusual feature of the introduction is the mention of “overseers and deacons”. There are various explanations offered for their inclusion, none of them are wholly convincing, so it may be best not to read too much into it. Throughout the letter there is a stress on servanthood, and Paul introduces himself and Timothy as servants of the Lord Jesus. If we ever forget that we are servants of Christ any ministry that we have is likely to go awry.
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