The Price of Partnership in the Letter of Paul to the Philippians: "Make My Joy Complete"

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Mark A. Jennings challenges the consensus that there is no clear single purpose that shapes the entire epistle to the Philippians; instead arguing that there is significant evidence for Paul to have written the letter with the sole intent of persuading the church to maintain its exclusive partnership with him and his gospel mission. Jennings examines each section of Philippians with standard historical-critical methods, rhetorical criticism, and social-scientific methods. Establishing that Pauls argument is rooted in three fundamental tenets, emphasis is first placed on koinonia, and the agreement that Paul and the Philippians had entered into regarding his apostolic mission. Second, Jennings looks at the repeated proofs that Paul offers, that simultaneously affirm the ordained superiority of his apostolic mission and repudiate the claims of his rivals. Third, Jennings analyses the issue of finances in the epistle, discussing how Paul rhetorically transforms the Philippians financial support into a salient indicator that they esteem his gospel mission authentic. Finally, whereas other scholars have argued that Paul entreats the Philippians to be steadfast in their commitment to the gospel of Christ, Jennings proposes that Paul urges the church to be steadfast in their commitment to his gospel of Christ. Jennings then considers how this seemingly small distinction has profound ramifications for understanding the letter, and shows the gap between these interpretations.

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On the whole, Jennings offers an insightful and fresh approach to Pauls Letter to the Philippians that forces scholars to take seriously the central role that Paul himself occupies in the letter. Jennings has shown how Paul, without becoming a display of selfish egocentrism, utilizes his own role as gospel worker par excellence to affirm the Philippians renewed participation in his gospel work and to commend them to remain faithful to that uniquely Pauline mission so that they might together enjoy the eschatological victory of their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. * Society of Biblical Literature *
[T]he author succeeds in an overall interpretation of Phil as a letter, which is convincing overall, since it focuses on and emphasizes the argumentative stringency in the Pauline style of writing. Instead of - as is so often the case in exegesis - starting from situationally fragmented Pauline thinking and writing, the author tries to raise the dynamic process of that communication situation from which Paul addresses the community in Philippi. This perspective on the Phil is refreshing, beyond the question of whether and to what extent one agrees with the author with regard to the evaluation of the introductory questions. (A Bloomsbury Translation) * Biblische Notizen *

Author Bio

Mark A. Jennings is Visiting Professor of New Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, USA.