Well, this is the final study in our reflections on Philippians. Thanks for staying with us through this little book. I’ve learned lots – I hope you have, too. Just as we are reaching the end of our study, most Australian States are starting to reduce COVID lockdown restrictions. Perhaps we’ve served our time and done our duty.

Our reading today starts with the mention of four people about whom we know almost nothing. There is someone Paul calls his “true partner”. We can only guess at who this might be, and it probably doesn’t matter much. There is Clement, who is but a name, but mentioned in grateful love. But whoever these are, they form a strong counterpoint to Euodia and Syntyche.

The ancient Greek world loved its athletics contests. There were regular Games in many cities, much as we enjoy sporting competitions in football or cricket or baseball. Corinth and Ephesus hosted Games from across the Empire, and of course, the Olympic Games were held every four years in Athens. Paul must have been familiar with these contests as he refers to them often in his letters. He uses examples from boxing, running, wrestling, prize-giving among others, to illustrate theological points in many of his letters.

In my younger years (I hope I have gained just a little wisdom with age – there’s no point getting old if you don’t also get wiser!)… I used to read this passage with some exasperation. The first paragraph is especially hard. It sounds a bit racist for modern ears, and Paul sounds like a bit of a boaster. Didn’t his mother tell him that self-praise is no recommendation?

I’ve read and re-read this passage looking for the right angle to come at it. The more I read it, the less I could find anything useful to say. I could have just pointed out that these two men, Timothy and Epaphroditus who helped Paul so much are good examples whom we should follow.

This passage contains one very difficult idea but then proceeds to set out some simple steps that we can do to carry it out.

You might be wondering why I’ve printed the reading in the pattern above. I’ve done it to show how it uses a memory or learning device that is used hundreds of times in the Bible and in other ancient documents. It’s called a chiastic structure.

I've made this reading cross the chapter divide because it seems to me to be all one thought in Paul’s mind. As you probably know, chapters and verses were not included in any of the original Old or New Testament documents. They were a much later addition in the Middle Ages, just to make the Bible more readable and searchable.

As I look back on my life, I can see so many things that have turned out just right for me. They didn’t always seem like that at the time, but with the passage of the years, I came to see that things which seemed to be a disaster at the time, turned out to have had side-effects or later consequences, for which I’ve been very grateful. Have you had similar experiences?

Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter. He refers to his bonds and chains several times throughout the letter. There are four words used in the first verse, each of which may benefit from a brief explanation: