The idea which runs throughout today's reading is that the people are not living up to the standards set for them. They have the outer semblance of worship, but do not behave in ways that are truly righteous. They show no justice and plot evil. God will forgive those who turn to him, but the people do not seem to care.
Today's reading also contains an interesting passage which reminds me of yesterday's description of the armor of the faithful:
[The Lord] put on righteousness as his body armorNew Testament
and placed the helmet of salvation on his head.
He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance
and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.
New book today, and we're back in genuine Pauline territory. Before I get to the usual background, I want to say that the Wikipedia article for Philippians is not very good. It does not have the same level of detail and organization that most of the Wikipedia articles have had.
Note to self: someday, if I have time and remember, I should go back and make it so that all of the Wikipedia articles for Bibles have the same core organization (e.g., discussion of authorship should be in a consistently named section rather than sometimes being in one of "Authorship", "Composition", the general overview, or elsewhere).
So what does Understanding The Bible
have to say by way of introduction,Paul's letter to the church at Philippi, the first church established in Europe, contains important biographical information about the author and his imprisonment (at either Rome or Ephesus). An unusually warm and friendly missive, it includes Paul's quotation of an early Christian hymn that depicts Jesus as the opposite of Adam -- a humbly obedient son whose denial of self leads to his heavenly exaltation.Pretty straightforward, which makes sense for a pretty short letter.
Paul praises his relationship with the Philippian church and prays for the continued growth of the members of that church. He then talks about the preaching of his fellow believers at the location of his imprisonment. Paul then expresses a death wish (so that he can be with Jesus) that is tempered by his desire to help others and spread the gospel.
Psalms and Proverbs
There are some Bible verses that people quote to each other for comfort. Public service announcement, this should not be one of them:
If you fail under pressure,
your strength is too small.
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