Philippians, Colossians, & Philemon (Life Application Bible Commentary | LABC)
Overview
As Paul traveled throughout the Romans Empire preaching the gospel, teaching new converts, and establishing churches, he developed close relationships. To keep in touch with these friends and to instruct them further in the truth, he would write letters. God used Paul and his letters, now contained in the New Testament, to communicate his message to those first-century believers and beyond, reaching to us today. Three of these epistles-Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon-are an interesting collection. In Philippians, Paul reveals his fervent desire to know Christ, in Colossians he shows that Christ is preeminent over all, and in Philemon he makes an appeal for a runaway slave, who became a Christian. As you study these epistles that come from the heart of Paul, may you be encouraged to know the Christ whom Paul knew.
About the Series
The Life Application Bible Commentary series provides verse-by-verse explanation, background, and application for every verse in the New Testament. In addition, it gives personal help, teaching notes, and sermon ideas that will address needs, answer questions, and provide insight for applying God’s Word to life today. The content is highlighted so that particular verses and phrases are easy to find.
Each volume contains three sections: introduction, commentary, and reference. The introduction includes an overview of the book, the book’s historical context, a timeline, cultural background information, major themes, an overview map, and an explanation about the author and audience.
The commentary section includes running commentary on the Bible text with reference to several modern versions, especially the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version, accompanied by life applications interspersed throughout. Additional elements include charts, diagrams, maps, and illustrations. There are also insightful quotes from church leaders and theologians such as John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, A. W. Tozer, and C. S. Lewis. These features are designed to help you quickly grasp the biblical information and be prepared to communicate it to others. The reference section includes a bibliography.
Top Highlights
“But Paul’s attitude teaches us an important lesson: Our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances. Paul was full of joy because he knew that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with him.” (Page 112)
“Paul knew that a person’s thoughts determine who that person is, his or her attitudes, and how he or she acts toward others. What do you spend time thinking about? With what do you fill your mind?” (Page 117)
“Paul saw the Christian life as a process. While believers are considered righteous when they accept salvation, their entire lives are marked by growth toward Christlikeness.” (Page 98)
“Thanksgiving focuses on the attitude of one’s heart in approaching God. Prayer combats worry by creating in us a thankful heart. Believers should come to God in prayer, thankful for the opportunity to even approach him, for his tremendous blessings already bestowed, and for the certainty that he will answer his children. When believers focus on God’s great love for them and the many prayers he has already answered, they will have no room for worry about whether he will continue to answer. Requests refers to directly asking God’s help regarding specific needs. Prayer combats worry by building trust.” (Page 115)
“While selfish ambition and conceit can ruin unity, genuine humility can build it. Being humble involves having a true perspective about ourselves in relation to God (see Romans 12:3), which in turn gives us a correct perspective on our relationships with others. Being humble does not mean that we should put ourselves down, tell everyone how bad we are at everything, and refuse to acknowledge any good in ourselves. Instead, humility is a healthy respect for who God is, and then a healthy respect for ourselves because of what God did on our behalf.” (Page 54)