Philippians: Christ, the Source of Joy and Strength

MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series

by John F. MacArthur Jr.

The people in the city of Philippi who received this letter from their friend, Paul, were suffering from two of Christianity’s greatest adversaries: self-sufficiency and complacency. While writing this letter from a Roman prison cell, Paul was able to provide a unique perspective on these enemies of our faith. Even as he faced horrific trials, Paul continued to encourage his brothers and sisters by declaring that his imprisonment was reason for joy.


 


This letter also includes Paul’s concerns for the church regarding spiritual and practical matters, such as unity and false teachers. He urges the believers to maintain their spiritual commitment and integrity as well as to continue to grow in Christ.


 


The MacArthur Bible Studies provide intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture. Each guide incorporates extensive commentary, detailed observations on overriding themes, and probing questions to help you study the Word of God with guidance from John MacArthur.

Genres: Reference, Christian, Theology, Christian Living, Christianity

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

John F. MacArthur, Jr. was a United States Calvinistic evangelical writer and minister, noted for his radio program entitled Grace to You and as the editor of the Gold Medallion Book Award-winning MacArthur Study Bible. MacArthur was a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker, and served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California beginning in 1969, as well as President of The Master’s College (and the related Master’s Seminary) in Santa Clarita, California.

Reviews

[Sarah White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate this commentary in a lot of ways. It is extremely accessible to believers who desire a deeper understanding of God's Word without being uncomfortably scholarly. MacArthur walks through Philippians phrase by phrase, providing insight into the meaning and application of each theme through helpful cross-references and contextual (especially historical context) information that the average lay person probably would not already know. It can be used as a reference book or read from cover to cover without feeling burdensome. The tone of the book is comfortable enough that I felt I could sit down to read a chapter and understand what was going on without thinking, "OK, so now that my eyeballs have touched those words, time to figure out what he's trying to say." Always a blessing.

My main critique is that while often ideas and concepts are supported through other Scriptural texts, sometimes statements are made without much of a foundation. At one point, MacArthur discusses Paul's statement: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me". He connects this statement to Paul's complaint about his "thorn in the flesh" in 2 Corinthians 12. MacArthur argues that Paul relies on the suffiency of Christ's grace through that situation. Yes, absolutely true. But he also mentions in passing that the thorn was probably a demonic influence. Ok, possible. But he provided no evidence pointing to that fact, which I found bothersome. It's possible I'm just being nit-picky (since the book as a whole is not concerned with this issue), but it just felt like a pretty bold claim to make without backing it up in any way.

Overall, really helpful read for clarifying challenging bits and extending your thinking. Would recommend 👍

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner by John MacArthur. He explains every verse, tells how it fits into the whole of the book, as well as the entire Bible. There are plenty of Greek word explanations, as well as cultural references, and of course, personal application.

[Amanda Betts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this personally while studying Philippians with a group of ladies, and found it to be a helpful tool.

[Elizabeth Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with my girls Bible study group. Enjoyed diving into Philippians together.

[Laura McCarter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, fruitful Bible Study book. Completely interactive with brief, easily accessible commentary on the text and many questions with ample lined, blank space for answers. We used it for a ladies Bible study and it was easy to complete each of the twelve chapters before the week's discussion and meeting time. I was unsure about the fruitfulness of a few of the questions, and there could certainly be more in depth commentary than this book provides, but overall it is an excellent choices for a group or even personal Bible Study.

[Keyla Rhoades · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75. This book was ok. Overkill with the footnotes, definitions but generally on point. I liked it had different sections in each reading that focused on different components/reflections but at times it felt repetitive and there were times I was left baffled by the questions- wasn’t sure what they were getting at, and neither were my study group friends. I learned a fair amount but it was dry material for sure

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

insightful points and questions!

Sometimes I miss to think of certain verses, (e.g. why is there a doxology on 4:20”), but the writer asked this question so that I have to stop and appreciate more of GOD’s provision and wisdom!!

[Tiffany C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these bible studies by MacArthur! The commentary in the book is wonderful!

[Jacob O'connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up to research Philippians 3:8, "I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ". I was doing a word study on that word "garbage".  It's often translated "dung", but I think both fall short of what Paul was trying to accomplish.  I think he was going full Bobby Knight on the Philippian church.  Wouldn't be the first time. Paul could be outright shocking in his pointedness (consider 5:12).  I wonder if the modern church is just a little too prudish.