Philippians (The Two Horizons New Testament Commentary | THNTC)
Overview
In this fine new commentary on Paul's letter to the Philippians, Stephen Fowl notes that for the great premodern commentators of the Christian tradition, the literal sense of Scripture is always regulated by theological concerns. Thus, unlike commentaries that simply append theology to historical criticism, Fowl's volume displays disciplined attention to the text of Philippians in ways that enhance rather than frustrate theological inquiry. While Fowl engages the great scholars of the past, John Chrysostom and Thomas Aquinas among them, he also draws a novel theology of friendship from Paul's letter and unpacks how the teachings of Philippians might be embodied today by Christians in the West.
- Insight from some of today's top theologians and biblical scholars
- Perfect for students, pastors, those in the academic world, and laity
Top Highlights
“Rather than seeking freedom from anxiety through self-mastery, Paul’s admonition presumes that freedom from anxiety comes only through prayerful, grateful acknowledgment of dependence on God.” (Page 183)
“Thus, the most significant aspect of this passage is its demonstration of Paul’s ability to see his circumstances in a particular way. Paul has developed the skill of accounting for his situation in such a way that he is able to see God at work and to see that the gospel advancing in the midst of what others (perhaps others in Philippi) might have viewed as disastrous and humiliating circumstances.” (Page 36)
“Rejoicing in the Lord requires that one be formed to perceive things in very particular ways, ways that run counter to the conventional patterns of perception. Further, it would appear then that rejoicing is not something that Christians will simply do as a matter of course. Instead, it results from a disciplined formation of our ways of thinking and acting in the world.” (Page 182)
“We might do well to follow Wayne Meeks’s paraphrase: ‘Base your practical reasoning on what you see in Christ Jesus.’4 In my translation I have amplified this to note that practical reasoning is a pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.” (Page 90)
“He is not simply relating news about himself. He is trying to shape the way the Philippians view that news.” (Page 37)
- Title: Philippians
- Author: Stephen E. Fowl
- Series: The Two Horizons New Testament Commentary
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Print Publication Date: 2005
- Logos Release Date: 2011
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible. N.T. Philippians › Commentaries
- ISBNs: 9780802825513, 0802825516
- Resource ID: LLS:TWOHOR71PHP
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-05-15T15:39:27Z
Reviews
3 ratings
Christopher
10/28/2019
Great commentary on Paul's letter to the Philippians. The author (Stephen E. Fowl) focuses on what the original text says and what it is saying to the original readers (the Philippians).
Faithlife User
12/1/2014
I can't say enough about the value of this book in its commentary on the text of Philippians. Lexical and syntactical issues are not discussed in tremendous detail (consult O'Brien in the NIGTC series to take care of essentially all of those), but this commentary absolutely shines in the explanation of the text's meaning, both for the original audience and then in drawing out the timeless truths found in each passage. You can tell the author spent a long time thinking carefully through the text and he explains it very, very well. I don't recall anything on introductory matters, and I can't speak for the author's view of Scripture overall or how Philippians relates in detail to many other books of the Bible. But in dealing with the text of Philippians, the author has done a fantastic job and Bible teachers would be very well served to use this in their preparation to teach and preach.
Paul Cable
2/19/2014
