Bible Study – Philippians – Week 2 – Part 1

We’re onto week 2 in our study of Philippians. Last week we got a little background on Paul in order to gain a better understanding of him before we dig into Philippians. These week, we’ll start with Paul’s visit to the Philippian church in Acts and then we’ll dive into the book of Philippians where we find Paul’s letter of encouragement to the church.

What’s interesting to note about the book of Philippians is that it’s one of four prison epistles (letters), meaning that Paul wrote this letter from behind bars. The other three prison epistles are Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. Paul wrote the most books in the New Testament, but since many of these books are rather short, we can say that Luke wrote the most words.

As you’re moving through this study, you might notice Paul referring to people as Jews, Hebrews, Israelites, and Gentiles. Let me share my basic understanding of these.

In Genesis 32:28, Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel.” Therefore Israelites are descendants of Jacob. Hebrew is a broader term, including the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The word “Jew” originates from the Biblical Hebrew word “Yehudi” meaning “from the tribe of Judah.” Today it’s used to describe all of the physical and spiritual descendants of “Israel” (Jacob).

This was their birth order (not including all children):
Abraham – father to Isaac
Isaac – father Jacob and Esau
Jacob (Israel) – father of 12 sons known as the 12 tribes of Israel
Judah – one of Jacob’s 12 sons

Gentile (Greek “ethnos”) is similar to our word “ethnic.” It means “non-Jew.”

The city of Philippi was named after Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. Paul’s visit to Philippi resulted in the first European church, with Lydia (who we’ll read about this week) being his first European convert.

Now let’s get started with this week’s study. If you haven’t picked up a free copy of the study guide yet, you can find a link at the bottom of this page. The study guide includes the reading schedule for each week.

And if you ever miss a post in this series, you can find the table of contents by clicking here.

You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife

P.S. Want to join in the discussion? Visit my facebook page on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, where I’ll post my thoughts and open up a discussion so you can post yours.

FAQ: How do I participate in this study?

It’s simple. If you haven’t done so already, download a copy of the FREE Bible study guide. You’ll find the download further down this page.

On Mondays I’ll have new printables for you (see links below) including scripture cards, questions, week-at-a-glance, and a coloring page. Friday is a recap of the week, and my thoughts on the study.

During the week, you’ll study at home, following the outline of the study guide. You can study alone or with a group of friends–well suited for either.

In addition to my posts here, you can find me on Facebook. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, I’ll post my journal entries and share my thoughts. I’ll also open up the discussion for you to share your thoughts.

Here is a link to my facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/timewarpwife

Note: You’ll also see a copy of my Bible Study/journal below (available at Amazon – affil link). This is an optional addition to the study. Unlike my previous journals, it contains everything in the study guide as well as the entire book of Philippians (KJV), coloring pages, thought-provoking questions, and my thoughts on the study. Not to worry however, if you’re using the free study guide (link below), you’ll still have access to all of this in the form of free printables, and Friday’s recap here on the blog.

P.S. See the colouring page below? Come back here on Friday to continue our study on “Philippians.” I’ll have another colouring page for you then!

ONLINE RESOURCES:

These are my favourite online Bible study tools!

Bible Gateway – Every version you can imagine is online
Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible
Looking for an easier commentary? Here’s the Concise Version
Other commentaries you might prefer
Interlinear Bible – I love this one!
Blue Letter Bible – Dig into the Hebrew and Greek
Bible Word Search