Re: Phil 4:12

From: Thomas Bond (lpbond@pldi.net)
Date: Wed Mar 25 1998 - 19:32:56 EST


Jim West wrote:
 
> Now, my question, do others think that Paul here implies that he has been
> dipping in the well of the mystery religions and has tasted a little water
> from them all? I.e., has Paul tried them all and settled on Christianity?

An important part of Philippians is the presence of friendship imagery.
Part of that genre was understanding when a person needed friends, in
adversity or in prosperity. This also involved how a person should act
as a friend, or toward a friend, with respect to these different
conditions. A realy true friend would not want the other to suffer
because of empathizing. Paul, being in prison, was trying to play the
part of a good friend. His is also doing this when later in this same
section of Philippians he indicates that he did not really "need" their
gift. True friendships were not based upon utility.

However you may interpret it, I believe the genre of this section is
from the ethical category of friendship.

Thomas Bond
lpbond@pldi.net



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