The Berean Table

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A narrated teaching walk through Philippians 1:1–2 — about 35 minutes. Press Begin the lesson and the slides advance with the narration; or explore silently with the arrow buttons.

1Philippians 1:1–2

Philippians 1:1–2 · A Teaching Walk Through the Passage

Grace and Peace to All the Saints

Grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ make all who are in Christ Jesus one holy, ordered people.

2Philippians 1:1–2

Opening Prayer

Open the eyes of our hearts

Our Father in heaven, we come to You in the name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the help of Your Holy Spirit. Speak to us now through the first words of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Open the eyes of our hearts, for apart from Your Spirit we cannot see the glory of Christ in the Scriptures.

Show us what it means to be servants of Christ Jesus, to be saints in Him, to be gathered under the care of those You have appointed, and to live from Your grace and in Your peace. Comfort us with the assurance that we belong to You in Christ, and that nothing can remove us from Him. Amen.

3Philippians 1:1–2

Where we are

A letter from prison to partners in the gospel

  • Author and setting: Paul, with Timothy at his side, writes as a prisoner in Rome, about AD 60–62, to a church he founded a decade earlier.
  • The city: Philippi, a Roman colony on the Via Egnatia, settled with veterans after 42 BC and proud of its Roman identity.
  • The letter’s shape: thanks for a gift, a report from prison, a call to unity with the hymn of Christ at its centre, warning, and farewell.
  • The pericope: the two-verse greeting, the letter’s overture, in which every phrase will be taken up again.
4Acts 16:11

Where we are · The road

From Rome to Philippi

Map: Philippi, a Roman colony on the Via Egnatia in Macedonia; the road and sea route that joined it to Rome, where Paul writes in chains; and the route by which Paul first reached it from Troas Rome Paul in chains, awaiting a verdict, c. AD 60–62 Philippi Roman colony in Macedonia; the church Paul planted on the second journey (Acts 16:11–40) Brundisium Dyrrachium Thessalonica Neapolis Troas Via Appia · Adriatic crossing Epaphroditus’ road to Rome (2:25; 4:18) Via Egnatia — Rome’s road across Macedonia Dyrrachium · Thessalonica · Philippi · Neapolis from Troas, by Samothrace (Acts 16:11)
Relief map: Nzeemin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (modern borders appear faintly). Routes and labels added.
5Acts 16:12

Where we are · The city’s story

A city proud of Rome

Philippi’s timeline: founded by Philip II, absorbed by Rome, refounded as a colony of veterans after the battle of 42 BC, evangelised by Paul on the second journey, and addressed by this letter from his imprisonment a Greek city a Roman colony a church of Jesus Christ 356 BC Philip II of Macedontakes the town andgives it his name 168 BC Rome defeats Macedon;the Via Egnatia soonruns through the city 42 BC Octavian and Antony winthe battle of Philippi;veterans settled as colonistsRoman law, Latin, citizenship c. AD 49–50 Paul arrives Lydia, the slave girl,the jailer (Acts 16)the first church in Europe c. AD 60–62 This letter Paul in chains in Rome;Epaphroditus brings the giftand carries the reply home A city proud of Rome hears that its true citizenship is in heaven (3:20).
6Acts 16:19–24

Where we are · The place

The forum where Paul was beaten

The forum of Philippi with the pillars of Basilica B, and the Pangaion hills beyond. Photo: Carole Raddato, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The forum of Philippi with the pillars of Basilica B, and the Pangaion hills beyond. Photo: Carole Raddato, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
7Philippians 1–4

Where we are · The letter

The shape of the letter

The shape of Philippians: greeting and thanksgiving, Paul’s circumstances, the call to a worthy life with the hymn of Christ at its centre, two examples, warning and pursuit, final exhortations, thanks for the gift, and farewell The letter in eight movements 1:1–11 Greeting and thanksgiving servants, saints, partnership, prayer 1:12–26 Paul’s chains and joy the gospel advances; to live is Christ 1:27–2:18 A life worthy of the gospel stand firm; one mind; Christ the pattern 2:19–30 Two living examples Timothy and Epaphroditus 3:1–21 Warning and pursuit no confidence in the flesh; press on 4:1–9 Final exhortations agree, rejoice, do not be anxious 4:10–20 Thanks for the gift content in every circumstance 4:21–23 Farewell greetings from Caesar’s household the centre · 2:5–11 Christ emptied himself, obeyed to death, and is exalted as Lord Every movement returns to the same key: joy in Christ, and one mind for the sake of the gospel (1:5, 27; 2:2; 3:1; 4:4).
8Philippians 4:18–22

Where we are · The witness

The oldest copy of the letter

  • Papyrus 46, from about AD 200, is the oldest surviving copy of Philippians.
  • On this leaf the name Epaphroditus (4:18) and the phrase Caesar’s household (4:22) can still be read.
  • Polycarp of Smyrna wrote to the same church early in the second century and recalled the letter Paul had sent them.
  • Both witnesses stand within a century and a half of Paul’s imprisonment.
Papyrus 46, about AD 200 — the last verses of Philippians, ending "Amen," and the title "To the Colossians." Chester Beatty BP II, f. 90; public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Papyrus 46, about AD 200 — the last verses of Philippians, ending “Amen,” and the title “To the Colossians.” Chester Beatty BP II, f. 90; public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
9Philippians 1:1–2

Philippians 1:1–2 · ESV

The passage

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

10Philippians 1:1–2

The shape of the passage

The anatomy of the greeting

The anatomy of the greeting in Philippians 1:1–2: senders, recipients, officers, and blessing, each with its key term, filling the three-part form of a Greek letter The Greek letter form · sender · recipient · chairein, “greetings” Senders v. 1a · the sender Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus douloi — slaves, owned by their Master; no title of apostle claimed Recipients v. 1b · the recipient to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi pasin · hagioi · en Christō — all, holy ones, in Christ; two addresses at once Officers v. 1c · within v. 1b with the overseers and deacons syn episkopois kai diakonois — “together with”: inside the saints, not above them Blessing v. 2 · the greeting Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ charis · eirēnē · one apo — a Greek word and a Hebrew word, from one source Paul keeps the public form and fills every part; the one-word greeting becomes a two-part blessing with a stated source.
11Philippians 1:1–2

The shape of the passage

Four movements

  1. Servants of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:1a)
  2. To All the Saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi (Philippians 1:1b)
  3. With the Overseers and Deacons (Philippians 1:1c)
  4. Grace to You and Peace (Philippians 1:2)
12Philippians 1:1a

Section 1 — Key Insight · Philippians 1:1a

Servants of Christ Jesus

  • Paul and Timothy claim no title but servants (douloi), slaves owned by their Master (1 Corinthians 6:20).
  • Paul needed no apostolic claim before partners “from the first day” (1:5); Timothy stands beside him as a fellow slave.
  • “Servant of the LORD” was the honour of Moses, David, and the prophets, and above all of Isaiah’s Servant.
  • The word returns at the letter’s centre: Christ “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant” (2:7).
  • Everything in Philippians flows from this first confession: we are His.
13Philippians 1:1a

Section 1 — Application · Philippians 1:1a

Whose servant am I?

  • Ask daily not “What do I want?” but “What does my Lord require?” in work, home, and church (Colossians 3:23).
  • Bring a younger believer alongside you, as Paul set Timothy’s name beside his own.
  • Take comfort: the Master who owns you is responsible for you and will “bring it to completion” (1:6).
  • A warning: “servant of Christ” is no licence to lord it over others, nor to crush Christian freedom; the slave of Christ is His freedman (1 Corinthians 7:22).

Ask yourself: In what areas of my life do I still act as my own master rather than as a servant of Christ Jesus?

14Philippians 1:1b

Section 2 — Key Insight · Philippians 1:1b

To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi

  • Paul writes to all the saints; the letter’s repeated “all” is a deliberate rebuke to partiality and division.
  • Saints (hagioi) are not an elite but every believer, set apart by God’s calling rather than by attainment (1 Corinthians 1:2).
  • Israel’s title as a holy nation (Exodus 19:6) now belongs to a Gentile congregation in a Roman colony.
  • They are saints only because they are in Christ Jesus, joined to Him so that His holiness and life are theirs.
  • Two addresses: in Christ and in Philippi, a colony of heaven on Rome’s soil (3:20).
15Philippians 1:1b

Section 2 — Application · Philippians 1:1b

Saints in Christ, at home in the city

  • See every member of your congregation as a saint God has set apart; refuse to rank believers by gifts, wealth, or seniority (James 2:1–4).
  • Pursue holiness from your standing as a saint, not in order to earn it, “for it is God who works in you” (2:13).
  • Live fully in your city while drawing your identity, values, and hope from Christ alone.
  • A warning: status never makes conduct irrelevant, and “in Christ” is no excuse for detachment from the concrete local church.

Ask yourself: Do I regard every member of my congregation as a saint in Christ, or have I quietly ranked some believers above others?

16Philippians 1:1c

Section 3 — Key Insight · Philippians 1:1c

With the overseers and deacons

  • Philippians alone among Paul’s letters greets the church’s overseers and deacons by office.
  • They are named with (syn) the saints: members who bear a responsibility, not a class above the congregation.
  • Plural overseers in one church, and “overseer” and “elder” as one office (Acts 20:17, 28), ground the rule of a plurality of elders.
  • Deacons are a distinct office of mercy beside the overseers’ ministry of oversight and the word (Acts 6:2–4).
  • Both titles belong first to Christ, the Shepherd and Overseer of souls who came to serve (1 Peter 2:25).
17Philippians 1:1c

Section 3 — Application · Philippians 1:1c

Receiving the ordered church

  • Receive faithful elders and deacons as gifts of Christ’s care: honour them, submit to them, and pray for them (Hebrews 13:17).
  • Hold the offices to their biblical shape: elders who shepherd and teach, deacons who reach the widow, the sick, and the poor.
  • Godly men should ask whether Christ is calling them to serve His church in office, “a noble task” (1 Timothy 3:1).
  • A warning: neither a ruling class remote from the saints nor contempt for office in the name of every-member ministry; Paul’s syn forbids both.

Ask yourself: How do I treat the overseers and deacons of my congregation, and do I pray for them by name?

18Philippians 1:2

Section 4 — Key Insight · Philippians 1:2

Grace to you and peace

  • Paul turns the Greek greeting chairein into grace (charis) and keeps the Hebrew peace (shalom), binding Greek and Jew in one blessing.
  • Grace is God’s free favour to the undeserving; peace is the wholeness of a life set right with God.
  • Grace comes first because peace flows from grace: peace with God, the peace of God, and peace among God’s people (Romans 5:1).
  • One “from” joins God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as a single source, a confession of Christ’s deity.
  • The greeting fulfils the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24–26), now pronounced in Christ, who is Himself our peace.
19Philippians 1:2

Section 4 — Application · Philippians 1:2

Living on grace and peace

  • Begin each day by receiving grace and peace as gifts from the Father and the Son, not by trying to earn them.
  • Speak the apostolic blessing over your children, your friends, and your congregation.
  • Let the peace you have received from God become peace pursued with your fellow believers (4:2).
  • A warning: grace is not leniency and peace is not a feeling; the grace cost Christ’s blood, and the peace is first peace with God (Jeremiah 6:14).

Ask yourself: Do I begin each day by receiving grace and peace from God as gifts, or by trying to earn them?

20Philippians 1:1–2

The throughline

Every word of the greeting is first true of Christ

The throughline of Philippians 1:1–2: servants, saints in Christ, overseers and deacons, and grace and peace from the Lord, each phrase first true of Christ, running from the form of a servant to the name above every name Every phrase of the greeting is first true of Christ 1:1a · the greeting says servants of Christ Jesus and of Christ He “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant” (2:7) 1:1b · the greeting says saints in Christ Jesus and of Christ holy only by union with Him; “found in him” (3:9) 1:1c · the greeting says overseers and deacons and of Christ “Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25); He came “to serve” (Mark 10:45) 1:2 · the greeting says grace and peace from the Lord and of Christ Lord beside the Father, giving what only God gives; “our peace” (Eph. 2:14) the letter’s centre · 2:5–11 From the form of a servant to the name that is above every name The Master became a slave so that His slaves might become sons, and from Him every saint receives grace and peace.
21Philippians 1:1

For discussion

Questions for the group

  1. In what areas of my life do I still act as my own master rather than as a servant of Christ Jesus?
  2. Whom am I bringing alongside me in Christ’s service, as Paul brought Timothy?
  3. Do I regard every member of my congregation as a saint in Christ, or have I quietly ranked some believers above others?
  4. How does knowing that I am already a saint in Christ change the way I pursue holiness?
22Philippians 1:1–2

For discussion

Questions for the group

  1. How do I treat the overseers and deacons of my congregation, and do I pray for them by name?
  2. If I am a man in the church, am I willing to consider whether Christ is calling me to serve as an overseer or a deacon?
  3. Do I begin each day by receiving grace and peace from God as gifts, or by trying to earn them?
  4. Is there a fellow believer with whom I need to make peace, since we have both received grace and peace from the same Father and Lord?
23Philippians 1:1–2

Closing Prayer

Keep us in Christ Jesus

Gracious Father, we thank You for the truth You have shown us in these two verses. You have told us who we are: servants of Christ Jesus, saints set apart in Him, members of one body under shepherds You have given, recipients of grace and peace that come from You and from Your Son.

We confess that we have often wanted to be masters rather than servants, and that we have sought peace in circumstances rather than in Christ. Forgive us for His sake. Give us grace to serve gladly where You have placed us, to honour and pray for the overseers and deacons of our congregation, and to pursue unity with every saint. Keep us in Christ Jesus until the day of His appearing. Amen.

24Philippians 1:2

Philippians 1:1–2

Grace to you and peace

The Servant who took the form of a slave now stands beside the Father as Lord, and from Him every saint receives the grace and peace that make one holy people.

The full study, the summary handout, and more passages are at thebereantable.com — examine the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11).

About 35 minutes, narrated · open without narration
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Keyboard: ← → slides · space play/pause · T transcript. Scripture quotations are from the ESV®.