Sharing Christ in Joy and Sorrow: A Theology of Philippians

by Chris Bruno, Thomas R. Schreiner (series_editor), Brian S. Rosner (series_editor)

An Introduction to the Theology and Themes of Philippians

“To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). This bold and countercultural statement captures the central message of Philippians. In this New Testament letter, Paul offers practical advice for godly living and encourages believers to stay connected to the gospel amid hardship. Because the church shares in the sufferings of Christ, believers can experience joy even in suffering as they wait for the Lord to make all things new. 

In this volume of the New Testament Theology series, author Chris Bruno explores the theology and themes of Philippians and highlights how this letter fits into broader biblical theology. Through clear and engaging examinations, Bruno expounds on predominant themes—the church’s union with Christ, the church as ambassadors of the kingdom, the gospel proclaimed and opposed, the hope of life with Christ, and suffering with joy. 

For Those Interested in Biblical  Ideal for college and seminary students, pastors, and professors  Helpful Bible Study  A great companion to commentaries on Philippians  Part of the New Testament Theology  Other volumes include Ministry in the New Realm; United to Christ, Walking in the Spirit; and more 

112 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence from the introduction: When I was completing this book, my dad was hospitalized with late stage cancer. As I write these words, I'm sitting in his hospital room while we prepare for the Lord to take him home.

First sentence from chapter one: Any study of Philippians must begin with Christ, for his person and work pervade the letter from beginning to end.

Sharing Christ in Joy and Sorrow is primarily for an audience of pastors, elders, seminary students, those who take theological study deep, deep, deep. It is not necessarily ideal for the average Christian who enjoys reading and studying the Bible yet doesn't have the background and experience to be scholars. Crossway certainly publishes books for a wide audience--some more scholarly, some more approachable. They do commentaries for example that would be a good fit for the 'average Christian.'

In the introduction, Chris Bruno gives readers a preview of what to expect in each chapter....

I quote...

*We will begin in chapter 1 by considering the humiliation and exaltation of Christ in Philippians 2:1-11 as foundational for much of the letter. From this we will see how Paul, the Philippians, and all Christians are called to imitate Christ in joy and sorrow.
*Chapter 2 will look more closely at union with Christ, a theme that appears over twenty times in the letter and is foundational for all of Paul's instructions for the church. We will see the central role that union with Christ plays in the theology of Philippians, from beginning to end.
*In chapter 3, we will see that Paul calls the church to unity and shared humility because of its shared union with Christ (Philippians 2:2-3) As a result, the church ought to recognize and honor the pastors and teachers that God uses in her midst (Philippians 2:19-30). In addition, the church is an outpost of the coming kingdom, not Rome (Philippians 3:20-21); therefore it ought to strive for unity among its members (Philippians 4:2-3) and with other congregations (Philippians 4:14-19).
*Chapter 4 considers Paul's instructions about gospel proclamation in view of both our union with Christ and his robust confidence in the sovereignty of God in salvation (Philippians 2:12-13).
*In chapter 5, we will see how the hope of Christ's return and the new creation animated our life in this age.
*In chapter 6, we will conclude by considering how Paul calls the Philippians to ongoing joy through suffering.

I read the book in one day. Perhaps that was a mistake on my part. Perhaps I should have taken the time to read each chapter through several times. Would it have helped me? Maybe. Maybe not.

Readers should definitely be prepared for foot notes, more foot notes, and even more foot notes.

I do love the book of Philippians. While this one is not particularly the right fit for me, it certainly appears to be well-researched, supported through end notes, and with a strong focus on connecting everything back to Scripture itself. For the right reader, this one might be beneficial.

[Emily Waits (emilylovesreading_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Thank you to @crosswaybooks for my gifted copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.]

Favorite Quotes:

“For the believer, our foundational identity and fundamental reality is union with the suffering and exalted Christ.”

“We share with Christ in joy and in sorrow, knowing that just as He underwent sorrow and pain in order to experience victorious joy, so also all who are united to Him share in His sorrow with the confidence that we too will share the joy of His exaltation–both now and in the age to come. May the Lord give us grace to rejoice as we share in the deeper and fuller experience of union with Christ.”

This short title (84 pages) seeks to offer biblical encouragement to believers from the book of Philippians and point them to the beauty of union with Christ in joy and in suffering.

Though the book is short, the author was able to do a fairly deep dive into theology. Not only does the book discuss the union of Christ in joy and suffering to believers individually, the author also discusses what this means for the church as a whole and its witness as ambassadors for the gospel in the world.

I would let potential readers know that this book does have a scholarly feel when reading. There is a lot of more academic language and a lot of footnotes. I want to be clear that I believe that the contents of this book are worth the time and effort to read, but I also want you to be aware. I’m here to help books find their correct audience. 🙂

Philippians is one of my favorite books of the bible, and I’m always excited to dive deeper into the theology within. If you’re looking for a deeper dive into the themes of joy in suffering in Philippians, and you want a biblical theology text with solid exegesis, I’d be happy to recommend this title to you!

[Frances Lary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Greek alongside the scriptural phrases, and I personally liked the footnotes as it shows the author does have a heart for studying God’s Word and reads well. There were parts that seemed repetitive, but overall this was a good, simple read.

“Just as we walk through suffering together, we can also have deep joy in Christ together, both now and in the age to come. May the Lord give us grace to see both joy and sorrow in our union with Christ, and let this grace increasingly shape us into the image of Christ as we anticipate life with him forever.”

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Bruno makes a good argument for the centrality of union with Christ as the heart of the theology of Philippians. Joy, community, suffering well; all of these are grounded by being “in Christ.” A helpful primer for those looking to teach or preach the book.

[Chris Chasty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to theology in Phillipians. The bits about union with Christ in Joy and suffering were particularly helpful!