Philippians

Philippi, the chief city of Macedonia (Acts 16:12), was the first European city visited by Paul. He passed through Philippi on both his second and third missionary journeys. Paul’s epistle to the Philippians was written at a later date from prison in Rome.
Previous epistles of Paul—Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians—take up doctrinal or moral issues. Here, the subject matter is very different, for it considers the Christian experience. It reminds us of Joseph’s exhortation to his brethren: “So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way” (Gen. 45:24).
The word “sin” never appears. Salvation, when mentioned, is not the salvation of the soul, nor is it merely deliverance from circumstances, for glory is always its end. Salvation is spoken of as the full result in glory (for example, Phil. 1:19). We are seen journeying through the wilderness, through a world unchanged, but we are changed. We have no home here, for we are pressing toward the mark “for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14 JND). Consistent with this, the name of Jesus is peculiarly associated with this epistle, and the title “Jesus Christ” occurs throughout. He is our example.