Epistle to the Philippians

From The Bible Dictionary - Pauline Epistles:

Epistle to the Philippians. The church at Philippi was the earliest founded by Paul in Europe (Acts 16:11–40). His first visit ended abruptly, but he was not forgotten, and his converts sent him supplies not only while he remained in the neighborhood, but also after he had moved on to Corinth (Philip. 4:15–16). He passed through Philippi six years later (Acts 20:2) on his way from Ephesus to Corinth, and again on his return (Acts 20:6) from Corinth to Jerusalem. When the news of his removal to Rome reached the Philippians, they sent one of their number, Epaphroditus (2:25), to minister to him in their name. The strain of work in the capital proved too severe, and Epaphroditus had to be invalided home (2:26–30), taking with him the epistle to the Philippians. Its main purpose is to express Paul’s gratitude and affection, and to cheer them under the disappointment of his protracted imprisonment.

Analysis of Philippians

1. Salutation, thanksgiving, and prayer on their behalf (1:1–11).
2. Personal: dealing with the progress of the missionary work (1:12–26).
3. Exhortation to unity, humility, and perseverance (2:1–18).
4. Paul’s own plans, and those of Timothy and Epaphroditus (2:19–30).
5. Warning against false teachers (3:1–4:9).
6. Thanks for their assistance, and conclusion (4:10–23).