Philippians: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition

by Dean Flemming

Publisher:

Beacon Hill

, 2009

Overview

One of the shortest of Paul’s letters, Philippians is perhaps the most beloved by the church. No doubt, this is due in part to its high concentration of memorable passages that constantly challenge and encourage the people of God. What is more, the letter glows with affection and joy. The imprisoned Paul who writes Philippians is not hard to love. But we should not allow the letter’s warm and pastoral tone to mask its theological importance. Philippians is practical, but it is hardly “lightweight.” It holds some deeply theological reflections, particularly about Christ and the cruciform character of life in Christ.

Philippians is arguably Paul’s most personal letter. It gives us an intimate glimpse into the self-understanding of this incarcerated apostle to the Gentiles. Paul airs his inmost thoughts, tells his personal story, and testifies to his burning passion to know Christ his Lord and to make Him known. He also reveals his deep love and affection for this church, which has faithfully partnered with him in ministry from its earliest days.

But this letter is not about Paul. Above all, Philippians is concerned with the advance of the gospel and the formation of a local Christian community—a congregation that faces pressures from both inside and outside the church. Paul’s theological response to his own situation and that of his audience yields a Christ-centered letter that continues to shape Christian communities today. Dean Flemming moves verse-by-verse through Philippians after providing an in-depth introduction.

Key Features

• The latest scholarship from notable experts in the Wesleyan tradition
• Convenient introductory material for each book of the Bible including information on authorship, date, history, audience, sociological/cultural issues, purpose, literary features, theological themes, hermeneutical issues, and more
• Clear verse-by-verse explanations, which offer a contemporary, Wesleyan-based understanding derived from the passage’s original language
• Comprehensive annotation divided into three sections: 1. Background elements behind the text 2. Verse-by-verse details and meanings found in the text 3. Significance, relevance, intertextuality, and application from the text
• Insight into theological issues, word meanings, archaeological connections, historical relevance, cultural customs, and more
• Expanded bibliography for further study of historical elements, additional interpretations, and theological themes

Contributors

• Alex Varughese
• Roger Hahn
• George Lyons
• Joseph Coleson
• Robert Branson
• Jim Edlin
• Kent Brower
• Jeanne Serrão

Praise for the Print Edition

Dean Flemming has written what should become "the commentary of first reference" on the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians. He is thoroughly conversant with all of the serious scholarship on Philippians to date. But he makes scholarship easily accessible to average readers and points them to further reading on subjects he must treat in summary fashion. I highly recommend this commentary.

—George Lyons, Professor of New Testament, Northwest Nazarene University

Product Details

• Title: Philippians: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition
• Author: Dean Flemming
• Series: New Beacon Bible Commentary (NBBC)
• Publisher: Beacon Hill Press
• Publication Date: 2009
• Pages: 256

About Dean Flemming

Dean Flemming (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) is Professor of New Testament and Missions at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas. A missionary educator for more than 20 years, he formerly taught at Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary in the Philippines and European Nazarene College in Buesingen, Germany. He has written extensively on the subject of contextualization, as well as the New Beacon Bible Commentary on Philippians. He is an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene and has pastored churches in Ohio and Japan.