THE SALUTATION, Phil 1:1-2

SALUTATION 1:1-2

As we open the epistle of Philippians, we read the salutation of the epistle. It was Paul’s habit to open most of his epistles with a salutation. The salutation is written in the normal form of a letter in the Hellenistic style.  This included: author, receiver, and greeting/blessing. Instead of signing a letter at the end like we do today, in Paul’s day the author put these items at the beginning of a letter. We have actual letters from the time showing this form. Deissmann gives us an example: Asclepiades, the son of ‘Charmogon, to Portis, the son of Peramis, greeting….”[1]

1. Author (1:1)

“Paul” is the author of the epistle. He is the greeter in the salutation. This is the Apostle of the Gentiles writing to a gentile church. Interestingly, Paul does not in this instance include the fact that he is an apostle, as he does in other letters (cf. Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1, 2 Cor. 1:1, Gal. 1:1, Eph. 1:1, Col.1:1).  Why? This is not really known, but most commentators say there was “no need to refer to his apostolic authority”[2] in this letter, evidence of a warm friendly relationship between them.

He also opens the letter by naming Timothy along with himself. He links Timothy with himself which could indicate co-authorship. However, most hold that this is not the case. The letter clearly indicates a single author by the use of the singular pronouns (I, me, and my, are found 51 times) used throughout the epistles, not the plural “we.”  The is a clear indication that only Paul was the author, but Timothy does act as co-greeter. Silva warns us however not to make light of this connection, it is more than just a gesture. He points out the link to give Timothy’s endorsement and influence to Paul’s words.[3] Timothy was well-known to the readers; theirs was a special relationship,[4] so the link would mean something and reinforce the words of Paul to the readers. Some hold that he was Paul’s stenographer.[5]

This special connection and link between Paul and Timothy is seen in the phrase, “servants of Christ Jesus.” Notice the plural—servants or bond-servants. This is a rare occasion, it is normally singular. The term is inclusive and refers to both Paul and Timothy. Both are servants of Christ. Hawthrone suggests that this indicates humble equality among them.[6] This is a good suggestion, since the book itself deals with humility and service is a major emphasis. Gromacki suggests that it was because of their unique relationship since Paul looked upon Timothy as a son. The word used is for served is edouleusen (related to doulos), meaning to serve as a slave. In the ancient world, sons born to slaves were automatically slaves also.[7] So Paul may be using the plural to indicate the closeness of their own personal relationship. Timothy, like his spiritual father, is a servant of Jesus Christ.

The word servant is the Greek word douloi. Paul lifts this word out of contemporary setting as being a repugnant concept, and lifts it to a place of honor. “In Christian parlance it not an insult, but the highest commendation possible” denotes Silva.[8] In the Septuagint it is used as a special term for the God’s ministers and people (Ex. 14:3; Num 12:7; Jer. 25:4; Ezek. 38:17; Zech. 1:6). It denotes being co-labors with God and being His instrument. They are chosen instruments entrusted with a task. While there is still the idea of ownership inherent in the term, it is not the emphasis. Humble service is the emphasis.  

2. Readers (1:1)

The second feature of a letter is that the readers or the receivers are named—the addressees. Philippians is the only letter that Paul addresses to both the congregation and the leadership. They are the identified under two names. First of all he uses the word saints. This word is used in almost every letter to indicate the congregation (cf. saints at Corinth). It is descriptive of all believers; they are saints (hagiazo).  The word means “set apart” or “set apart ones.” Loh and Nida discourage the translation of saints, saying it is misleading and should be rendered “people who worship God” or “people who are related to God.”[9] This completely disassociates the word from its root meaning and therefore I reject it. All believers have been “set apart” by and for God at the time of their conversions and continues throughout their lives. Thus, they are saints (set apart ones).  All believers are saints by calling (Rom.1:7). We are set apart “in Christ Jesus.” This denotes the sphere in which believers are set apart. “In Christ” denotes our position. We are set apart through God’s grace, not through any merit of ours, but because of His merit and work on the Cross. We are baptized into Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). Spiritually these believers are in Christ, but they also are physically in the city of Philippi.

In addition, Paul singles out “the overseers and deacons.”  Grammatically the phrase can refer either to two different groups, or a single group which are referred to as bishops as well as deacons.[10]  The word “overseer” (bishop-KJV) is the Greek word episkopos which is a compound word epi (over) and skopos (sight), thus literally meaning oversight or overseer. Jesus Christ, of course, is the head overseer of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). Here it refers to one who is a leader in the church. The other term “deacon” is the Greek word diakonois, and primarily means a servant, or one who serves. Serving lies at the heart of this word. They are those who assist in ministry (cf. Acts 6:2-3). It is best to see overseer and deacon as referring to two different leaders. In 1 Timothy, Paul gives the qualifications of bishop and deacons as two separate offices (1 Tim. 3:1-13).  

Bishops are those who are the pastoring and teaching elders within the church. The term is used synonymously and interchangeably with pastor (poimen) and elder (presbuteros) in the New Testament. Paul summoned the Ephesian elders (presbuterous) telling them “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers (episkopous) to feed (poimainein) the church of God” (Acts 20:17, 28 cp. 1 Peter 5:1-2). Thus the term overseer is a term that indicates the general responsibility of an elder or pastor. He oversees the church by being a shepherd and feeding (teaching) the congregation. Elder denotes his official position, oversight is his responsibility, and teaching is his method of feeding the flock. Today we use the shepherding term of Pastor for this person.

It should be pointed out that the reason for singling out the leadership is not that clear in this epistle. The best suggestion is Paul is preparing them for the rebukes and criticism given in the letter.[11] However, this is not done in other epistles that give rebukes and criticism to other churches. So it remains unclear and speculative.  What is clear is that Paul does distinguish them from the congregation, but does not address them over the congregation, but in conjunction with them.[12] The letter is addressed to both equally and intended for the congregation as a whole.  

3. The Greeting (1:2)

The third item in letters of the time, is the greeting or blessing. This is Paul’s standard formula of greeting his readers. This formula is almost a prayer as well and a greeting or blessing. The greeting can be divided into two parts:

Content of the Greeting (“Grace and Peace). The blessing is two-fold: First is grace, which is the unmerited favor of God. Grace always is mentioned first; this formula is never reversed. This is logical because in saving grace, it is always before peace. There are many types of grace. There is saving grace (Eph. 2:8-9), which they have already experienced. Then the sanctifying grace (Titus 2:12); sustaining grace (Rom. 5:2); both which is continual in the life of a believer. They are to grow in the sanctifying and sustaining grace, which is linked with the activity of God. This stresses the daily grace of God in the life of a believer.

Second, is peace. In salvation the believer has peace with God (Rom. 5:1). Peace is the result of grace. However, there is a continual need for the peace of God in the life of a believer. It is the peace of God which guards us as believers (Phil 4:17). We have peace with God through grace; peace with God is the result of God’s sanctifying and sustaining grace.

The source of Grace and Peace (“from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”). The source of this greeting or blessing is from a twofold source: God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice there is only one preposition; “from,” which links the two together as a common source. This denotes coordination of God and Christ as the co-source of grace and peace. Christ is as much of the source as God the Father. They work in conjunction and in harmony with one another as the source of grace and peace. They are equals.

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[1]  Deissmann quoted by Gerald F. Hawthorne, WBC:PHILIPPIANS, 2.

[2]  Peter T. O’Brian, NIGTC: COMMENTARY ON PHILIPPIANS, 45.

[3]  Moises Silva, WEC: PHILIPPIANS, 39.

[4]  J.B. Lightfoot, ST. PAUL’S EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS, 81 calls it as constant and intimate.

[5]  Gene Getz, A PROFILE OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY, 18.

[6]  Hawthorne, 4.

[7]  Robert G. Gromacki, STAND UNITED IN JOY, 23.

[8]  Silva, 40.

[9]  I-Jin Loh and Eugene A Nida, A TRANSLATORS HANDBOOK ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS, 6.

[10]  Hawthorne, 7

[11]  Silva, 42.

[12]  Hawthorne, 7-8