PHILIPPIANS: INTRODUCTION TO THE LITERARY STRUCTURE

A more complete, referenced version of this analysis will be sent to anyone requesting it at elmerphd21@hotmail.com.

Of the many organization schemes proposed for this letter, Craddock formulates the symmetrical pattern shown below.

Salutation (1:1-2)

    Thanksgiving (1:3-11)

        Autobiographical Disclosure (1:12-26)

            Exhortations (1:27-2:16)

        Autobiographical Disclosure (2:17-3:1a)

            Exhortations (3:1b-4:9)

    Thanksgiving (4:10-20)

Closing (4:21-23)

Reumann reviews several additional (semi-)symmetrical structures for the book, but concludes by rejecting all of them since they “vary and often contradict each other.” An alternative method of analysis by assigning classical rhetorical categories to each section of the letter results in even more disagreement among its proponents, as amply demonstrated by the examples he provides.

The present proposal is a minor variation of Craddock's structure, tweaked so that the section divisions coincide better with the majority consensus and a firmer internal structure for each division results.

Figure 1: Structure of Philippians

I. Introduction (1:1-2)

II. Thanksgiving and Prayer (1:3-11)

III. Paul's situation (1:12-26)

IV. Exhortation (1:27-2:16)

III'. Paul's situation (2:17-3:1a)

IV'. Exhortation (3:1b-21)

II'. Thanksgiving and Prayer (4:1-20)

I'. Conclusion (4:21-23)

This structure finds some confirmation from Muller's contention that 2:6-12 and 3:17-4:1 constitute the twin peaks of this epistle and Furnish's statement that 2:6-11 is located “at the theological and rhetorical center of Philippians.

Sections I (1:1-2) and I' (4:21-23)

The limits of these two bracketing divisions for the letter are rather obvious and need no elaboration. Verbal parallels between these two sections include “grace,” “Lord Jesus Christ,” “Christ Jesus,” and the only appearances in the epistle of the word “saints.” Edart notes that the Introduction is composed of dyads (Paul and Timothy, the saints and overseers, grace and peace, and God and Jesus Christ). In that context, note that in the Conclusion, greetings are sent from “the friends” and “all the saints.”

Section II (1:3-11)

Language common to this section includes “prayer” [1:4 (2x), 9], “Jesus Christ” (1:6, 8, 11), “the day of (Jesus) Christ” (1:6,10), “right(eousness)” (1:7,11), a seven-fold occurrence of “all,” and references to “the day” in vv. 5, 6 and 10. “God” appears as an inclusio for the section at 1:3 and 1:11. Various internal divisions of this section into two parts have been proposed (with a break after vv. 7 or 8) as well as into three parts (with a bridge consisting of either 1:7-8 or 1:7a). The prayers that compose this literary unit follow the pattern of dealing, in turn, with past, present and future issues – a pattern that will be encountered elsewhere in Philippians.

Section II' (4:1-20)

A roughly chiastic structure unifies these concluding verses of the body of the letter.

Figure 2: The Structure of Section II'

A. Introduction: stand firm in the Lord (4:1)

B. Co-workers in the Gospel (4:2-3)

C. Rejoice; Let your requests be known to God (4:4-7)

D. Think on these things (4:8-9)

C'. I rejoice; God strengthens me (4:10-13)

B'. Co-workers in the Gospel (4:14-18)

A'. Conclusion: God will supply every need (4:19-20)

The center of emphasis in this whole unit falls on the famous semi-poetic admonition in v. 8 and the following doxology of v. 9 which parallels the conclusion of Section II'. Since the passages after D repeat earlier thoughts in Section II', the word “finally” introducing D is seen to be entirely appropriate.

Sections II and II'

Various portions of these two sections have been previously proposed to be in parallel relationship with one another.  These two passages hold in common the general subject of Paul's partnering relationship with the Philippian church, mention of Paul's imprisonment, the parousia, and a strong emphasis on prayer. Both sections end with a doxology giving glory to God (1:11; 4:19-20).

Section III (1:12-26)

This section begins with a phrase we have seen Paul use in other epistles to initiate a new thought: “I want you to know, brethren.” The key word “progress/advance” appears as an inclusio in vv. 12 and 25. “Christ” appears without a further designation seven times in this section. One way of subdividing III is according to personal events in Paul's life using the past (1:12-13)-present (1:14-18)-future (1:19-26) pattern noted above for Section II. But an alternative scheme is shown below, based on key phrases that appear in each sub-unit.

A. Speaking the word with boldness (1:12-14)

        B. Proclaiming Christ (1:15-18a)

A'. Speaking the word with boldness (1:18b-26)

Section III' (2:17-3:1a)

This section can be diagrammed as follows:

A. Rejoice (2:17-18)

B. The sending of Timothy (2:19-24)

                                    B'. The sending of Epaphroditus (2:25-28)

A'. Rejoice (2:29-3:1a)

There is some controversy regarding the proper placement of Phil. 3:1, with some connecting it to the previous verses. Others feel that it serves to introduce the following section while still others treat it as a “seam” or “hinge” verse.  The present division in the center of the verse, as in NRSV, has been chosen to maintain the verbal echo in 3:1a of “rejoice” in 2:17,18,28. The commands to rejoice in 2:17-18 and 3:1a thus serve as an inclusio for the section.

Sections III and III'

The most obvious parallel between these two separated passages in Philippians is that both deal with details from Paul's personal life. Both sections begin with references to Paul’s imprisonment.

Section IV (1:27-2:16)

A look at the recurring themes within this passage shows that they can be grouped in a symmetrical fashion.

A. Stand firm that Paul might hear; opponents of the faith (1:27-30)

B. Have the mind of Christ (2:1-5)

C. Hymn to Christ (2:6-11)

B'. God is at work in you (2:12-13)

A'. Hold fast that Paul might be proud; a perverse generation (2:14-16)

The center of this section is the glorious hymn rightly praised throughout the ages.

Section IV' (3:1b-21)

One possible diagramming of this chapter is based on the various pronouns it employs:

YOU A. Brethren...warning against evil-doers (vv. 1b-2)

                    WE B. We who worship God (v. 3)

                            I C. Paul's own example (vv. 4-14)

                     WE B'. We who are mature (vv. 15-16)

            YOU A'. Brethren...warning against enemies (vv. 17-19)

[WE Conclusion (vv. 20-21)]

Section IV' is introduced by the unexpected word “finally,” which has puzzled many scholars, as previously mentioned. Its appearance here is entirely appropriate since Section IV' is indeed the final unit of the body of the letter (see Fig. 1). Parenthetically, the same word appears in the middle of Section II'.

Sections IV and IV'

These parallel units hold in common their five-part chiastic organizations and the theme of believers' identification with their Lord. There is a strong feeling that all or part of Philippians 3:4-11 harkens back to the hymn of 2:6-11 and may even provide a missing portion of it.  The identity of the opponents in ch. 3 is a matter of some controversy. Reumann states that they are not those persons described in 1:15-17 or 1:28.  However, the structural parallelism between IV and IV' could be used to argue for identity with those in the latter verse.

The harsh tone of IV' rather than signaling that this passage was once a separate letter is actually anticipated by Paul’s comments in the parallel Section IV (see 1:28 and 2:14).

Other Structural Observations

First to be noted is that doxologies figure very prominently in this letter, and its six allusions to God's “glory” appear at key junctures of its structure: the conclusions of sections II (1:11) and II' (4:19, 20), the center of IV (2:11) and the end of IV' (3:19, 21).

The organization of the letter pictured in Fig. 1 demonstrates that it can be divided into two equal parts: 1:1-2:16 and 2:17-4:23. A study of word frequencies reveals that the compound designation “Jesus Christ” appears predominantly in the first half of the letter while “Christ Jesus” is more common in the second half. In fact, a division at Phil. 2:16 results in exactly seven occurrences of “Jesus Christ” in 1:1-2:16 and seven of “Christ Jesus” in 2:17-4:23. This same twofold division also places the clearest indication of Paul's impending death at the beginning of the second half (2:17-18), possible confirmation of Childs' contention that the material in this letter has been purposely shaped so as to function canonically as “a last will and testament of the martyred apostle.”

Most every commentator on the Epistle to the Philippians identifies the major theme to be that of joy. In this context it should be noted that of the roughly 16 references to joy or rejoicing in the letter, ten appear in the opening or closing verses of the eight sections identified in Fig. 1. Despite this fact, the book’s non-focused structure tends to confirm Hendricksen’s pronouncement: “What holds these subjects together is not this or that central theme but the Spirit of God...”