The Apostle Paul wrote this letter (epistle) in accordance with the information that God and the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him.
Philippians 1:1 and 2:
1:1Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus - to all the holy-people in Christ Jesus, the (holy-people) being in Philippi together with overseers and ministers; .2grace to you and peace from God our Father and (our) Lord Jesus Christ.
This opening portion tells us whom this letter was from and to whom it was written. It was from Paul and Timothy – and Paul's description of both of them is that they were "slaves of Christ Jesus." He does not state that he is an apostle, but instead he draws attention to the truth that he and Timothy were slaves in service belonging-to Christ Jesus. They were bound to serve him. Paul acknowledges that Christ Jesus is their Master (Lord).
This service as slaves meant that their whole beings were at the service of (in service to) Christ Jesus who was their Lord/Master, and they carried-out this service by their own freedom of will. Wherever Paul and Timothy were and whatever they were doing they were to behave as slaves of Christ Jesus, not slaves serving anybody or anything else, even though at times during their lives they may have been physically-bound with physical chains to soldiers in prison! Even so, Christ Jesus was their Lord, the one whom they believed and obeyed and from-whom they took their instructions. During Biblical times, a master was obligated to take-care of his bond-servant (his slave) and the bond-servant was obligated to do all his master would ask of him. It was a mutually-beneficial relationship between the master and his slave.
Paul addressed this letter: to all (every one of) the holy-people (sanctified-people, Christians, saints, children of God) within Christ Jesus – again "Christ Jesus" is repeated giving him great emphasis. The word "holy" means: sanctified, set-apart from the state of being common, defiled or unclean against God. All of us holy-people are holy and are in Christ Jesus because we have received the gift of holy spirit which is the spirit of Christ in us. We are limbs/members of the one spiritual body of Christ.
Paul further explains to whom he is addressing this letter: the holy-people presently being in Philippi in conjunction with overseers (watchers, people who scope, holy-people who have been given the duty or function to have watchful-care and guardianship pertaining to all these holy-people in Philippi) and ministers (holy-people who serve to benefit others, not 'being-subject' to them but who do work to bring profit to others, who carry-out their day-by-day ministerial-duties, who have been given functions of service).
By revelation, Paul was making sure that all the Christians in Philippi knew that this letter was addressed to all of them. He had not excluded any Christian just because they may have had a specific function within the church in Philippi, or because they may-not have had any specific overseeing or ministering function within that church! Therefore they were all to read and hear and believe what was written in this letter and behave accordingly.
Continuing, Paul writes his salutation: grace (unmerited or undeserved favor) to you and peace (tranquil harmony without strife) away-from God our Father (the only true God is the Father of you, and of myself and Timothy, and of all holy-people, spiritually, because we all have received the spirit of Christ in us, holy spirit-life) and from the Lord Jesus Christ (who is Lord/Master of all of us).
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True Bible Study - Philippians
Difference between spirit and soul
