Stephen Waechter
NGRK 505
May 25, 2025
Historical Context for Philippians 2:1-11
In order to understand the Philippians 2:1-11, it is necessary to learn about the historical
and cultural contexts surrounding both the passage and the rest of the letter. Relevant information
that will help the reader understand Philippians 2:1-11 are the letter’s authorship, the occasion of
the letter, the history of the recipients, and their views of slavery, humanity, and crucifixion.
The text is found in a letter written to Christians in Philippi from a man named Paul (Phil.
1:1, English Standard Version). The Paul in this letter is assumed to be the person written about
in the Book of Acts. He was an accomplished Jewish Pharisee (Phil. 3:5-6, Acts 26:5) who
persecuted the Early Church (Acts 8:3, 26:10-11) but was converted to Christ (Acts 9:1-20).
From his conversion, Paul forsook all his accomplishments for the sake of Christ (Phil. 3:7-8)
and became a missionary (Acts 13:2). The letter’s familial language and repeated calls for the
church to act on Paul’s sake (Phil. 1:27, 2:1, 12, 19, 3:17) indicate that Paul is likely the same
person who established the Philippian church.
The Philippian church was established during Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts
16:12-38). Paul and the Philippian church seem to have a loving relationship as demonstrated by
the tone of the letter and familial words (Phil 1:8, 1:12, 2:12, 3:1, 3:13, 3:17, 4:8) as well as their
continued support of Paul’s ministry through giving of gifts, the letter being in response to a
recently received gift (Phil 4:14-16). Paul indicates he is writing his letter from prison (Phil.
1:13-14). The text does not indicate where Paul was imprisoned but it assumed that he is in
Rome from the mention of the imperial guard (Phil. 1:13) and Caesar’s household (Phil. 4:22) as
well as from the account of Paul’s Roman imprisonment found in Acts 28:16. This information is
one of the occasions that causes Paul to write his letter.
Relevant contexts for Philippians 2:1-11 are Paul’s imprisonment, the time period’s
understanding of humanity, and the culture’s views of slavery and crucifixion. Paul shares that he
is joyful in prison because the gospel is spreading because of it (Phil. 1:12). He requests the
Philippians to complete his joy by being unified (Phil. 2:1). In his call for unity, Paul mentions
the mind of Christ as being one of a slave, man, and one crucified (2:5-8). The historical and
cultural significance of Christ’s mind is crucial to understanding Philippians 2:1-11. Therefore,
the Dean is recommended to research the historic-cultural significance to slavery, humanity, and
crucifixion.
