Stephen E. Fowl, Philippians. The Two Horizons New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008. Pp. 254, paperback. $20.00.
Philippians, by Stephen Fowl, represents the fourth commentary published in the Two Horizons New Testament Commentary series (the others being: 1 Peter, 2 Peter & Jude, Colossians & Philemon). From first page to last, the work is unlike many other commentaries. Introductory issues such as authorship, dating, provenance are addressed only in passing. Secondary literature is (admittedly) given only cursory treatment (p. 7). The text is treated in its canonical form as is. Apart from these lacunae and beyond the comments on specific chapter and verse, Fowl includes a final section which summarizes the payoff of theological reflection with respect to one aspect of Pauline theology in Philippians: friendship.
Fowl contends that a theological reading of Philippians can help generate a rich theology of friendship by: (1) demonstrating that friendship must be based upon the character of the triune God as displayed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (p. 209); (2) showing that seeking the benefit of others is a decisive way in which Christ displays the form and glory of God to us (p. 215); (3) helping each other understand and narrate their lives in the context of God’s economy of salvation (p. 218); and, (4) offering an account of the striking emphasis on joy in Philippians (p. 233).
What is evident throughout the entire work is the paradigmatic role for which Fowl understands Phil 2:5-11. These verses account for roughly fifteen percent of the commentary proper and serve as the theological grounding for Fowl’s theology of friendship. Problematic to Fowl’s theological reading, however, is the extremely binitarian nature of this (alleged) pre-Pauline hymn. That is, Fowl’s reading of this text attempts to place it within a Trinitarian understanding and yet Phil 2:5-11 concerns only the identity of Jesus in relation to God. The Spirit, although mentioned in Phil 2:1, is not readily apparent in this marked section. To be sure, Fowl’s development of the nature of the triune God as expressed through Jesus still stands. However, the connection to friendship becomes cloudy if the character of the Triune God is to be understood on the basis of this passage alone.
Fowl’s development of how Paul works to help the Philippians understand and narrate their lives in relation to God’s economy of salvation provides a basis for understanding one’s own suffering in the world. In fact, within the context of suffering for the sake of Christ, Paul finds grounds for rejoicing (cf. Phil 2:18-19). For just as God is seen to be God in both the exaltation and humiliation of Christ, it is at this conjunction that believers also ground their relationship with each other.
The proliferation of the writing of commentaries in the modern era has, perhaps, yielded a situation where readers are “embarrassed by riches.” Yet, in the sea of commentaries being written, only a select few endeavor to blend exegetical work with the task of theological reflection. The former being marked by technical discussions of grammatical-historical exegesis; the latter being concerned with how texts are to be interpreted theologically. Fowl’s Philippians blends both tasks in one helpful volume, offering fresh insights and a constructive model for future commentators in this new series.
You can buy the commentary here.
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