The Letter to the Philippians (The Pillar New Testament Commentary

Pillar New Testament Commentary

by G. Walter Hansen

In this commentary G. Walter Hansen offers rich exposition of the text of Philippians as well as wisdom and maturity in its application. In so doing he emphasizes  partnership --the social and corporate dimensions of community--in the progress of the gospel.

After a select bibliography, Hansen's introduction sets forth the historical setting of the church in Philippi, the nature and occasion of the letter, and a preview of two key themes--the gospel of Christ and the community in Christ. The commentary itself discusses Philippians in light of these themes, considering Paul's greetings, reports of gospel ministry, imperatives for citizens worthy of the gospel, recommendations of two Christ-like servants, and disclosures of his personal experience. Hansen's treatment as a whole is distinctive for the way it draws out and highlights the themes of partnership, citizenship, and friendship in Paul's Philippian letter.

"With themes and emotions so varied, the letter to the Philippians needs a commentator with a sure grasp and a warm heart. . . . Hansen writes with admirable clarity and simplicity, even when he is unpacking notoriously complex matters."
-- D. A. Carson (from the preface)

Genres: Theology, Reference, Christian, Spirituality

392 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Greg Mathis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read through this volume while preaching through Philippians. As many know, this series positions itself between the uber academic and the strictly pastoral. The upshot is that this work is nearly perfect for sermon prep if the pastor is interested in an academically rigorous volume that doesn't sacrifice application. The Greek words are transliterated, making the content somewhat more accessible to those not familiar with the languages. Sufficient interaction with contemporary scholarship is offered, yet without getting so bogged down in the "7 options for interpreting this verse" that the reader never knows where to land.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute best commentary on Philippians I have ever read! Perfect combination of solid exegesis, gospel-centrality and pastoral warmth.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Philippians, is an New Testament commentary, written by G. Walter Hansen and published by Eerdmans Publishing. This commentary is one of the finest volumes in the Pillar New Testament Commentary Series by famed editor D.A. Carson. This is a series which is synonymous with superior exegesis and excellent application and this volume continues the legacy. The Philippians volume is one of the most articulate and practical modern commentaries on the letter to the Philippians. While Hansen is no stranger to Biblical commentaries this is his first foray into this renowned commentary series.

Philippians, has three main sections the typical general introduction, and then followed by an group of insightful treaties on the theology of the letter to the Philippians, followed by an exegetical commentary on Philippians. With regard to the general introduction it is the typical study into the introductory matters of the letter to the Philippians while demonstrating its place within scripture as a whole. The introduction is neither long nor relatively short at twenty pages, Hansen interacts with modern, older, and critical works. This is a serious scholarly work which dives into contextual as well as the as the different mythological approaches to study this book, a needed aspect when studying the letter to the Philippians.

In reference to the commentary section on the text of this historical narrative, Hansen takes great care in carefully showing the original context of passage while applying it directly to the modern day reader. He also uses his the TNIV as a translation, something this whole series does, but also interacts with other translations and inserts his own translation when he differs with all other translations, which demonstrates his depth of knowledge of the text itself.

With regard of recommending in, Philippians, to others I would whole heartily recommend this commentary to students of scripture, with one caveat. By this I mean I recommend this work to Pastors, Bible Teachers, Bible College Students, and to some extent Laymen, there is enough scholarly weight to this work to understand a particular issue in the text while giving aid to pastors in preaching the text. The caveat is to the laymen that is looking for a devotional commentary this is not a devotional type of commentary and it would be hard to use it as such. There are many commentaries about the letter to the Philippians available at this moment but Philippians of the Pillar New Testament Commentary series is one of the greatest treatments on the Biblical book that has ever been.

This book was provided to me free of charge from Eerdmans in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.

Philippians: Pillar New Testament Commentary

© 2009 by G. Walter Hansen

Publisher: Eerdmans

Page Count: 392 Pages

ISBN: 978-0802837370

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid academic commentary on Philippians. As with other commentaries in the Pillar series, I feel like it belabors points at times. Overall, this was extremely helpful in certain areas at explaining the text. I'd recommend it.

[Luke Schmeltzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the most pastorally helpful commentary I used while preaching through Philippians. It was a bit more concise than others and dealt well with the historical context, exegesis, theological implications, and possible application of the text.

[Andrzej Stelmasiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I have most major commentaries on Philippians (17 on my shelf when I have started preaching through this letter, I got rid of a few in the meantime).
Nijay Gupta doesn't think it's essential, but I beg to differ. This was singlehandedly the most useful commentary, especially where all others were of little help. His strength is in looking at 'friendship' and the way he does that is not imposed, but when it's there, it's enlightening.
I've read it cover to cover, and if I were to have just one, that would be my first choice. O'Brien, Silva, and the rest don't come close. Preaching goldmine, especially when it comes to looking at human character and how it's the gospel that changes everything. So yes, really loved it!

[Paul Wichert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another excellent volume in the Pillar series. For me it has just the right amount of textual/exegetical detail and provides enough theological discussion to assist in interpretation. Written in 2009, it has a lot of interaction with the major commentaries and other historical works. The commentary is based on the Greek text, but the details of grammar and syntax are are usually placed in the footnotes. A very solid, enjoyable read.

[John Kaess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent commentary

[Rick Dobrowolski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good commentary. Not the best on the book, but solid.