Philippians, Colossians, Philemon
Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture Series Editors Peter S. Williamson Mary Healy Associate Editor Kevin Perrotta Consulting Editors Scott Hahn, Franciscan University of Steubenville Daniel J. Harrington, SJ, Weston Jesuit School of Theology William S. Kurz, SJ, Marquette University Francis Martin, Sacred Heart Major Seminary Frank J. Matera, Catholic University of America George Montague, SM, St. Mary’s University Terrence Prendergast, SJ, Archbishop of Ottawa
Philippians, Colossians, Philemon
Dennis Hamm, SJ
K
© 2013 by Dennis Hamm, SJ Published by Baker Academic a division of Baker Publishing Group P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287 www.bakeracademic.com Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hamm, M. Dennis. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon/Dennis Hamm, SJ; Peter S. Williamson and Mary Healy, general editors. p. cm.—(Catholic commentary on sacred Scripture) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8010-3646-0 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Bible. Philippians—Commentaries. 2. Bible. Colossians—Commentaries. 3. Bible. Philemon—Commentaries. 4. Catholic Church—Doctrines. I. Title. BS2705.53.H34 2013 227 .607—dc232013027280 Nihil obstat: Rev. Lam T. Le, STL Censor Deputatus January 30, 2013 Imprimatur: Most Rev. Walter A. Hurley, DD Bishop of Grand Rapids February 28, 2013 The nihil obstat and imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. There is no implication that those who have granted the nihil obstat or the imprimatur agree with the content, opinions, or statements expressed therein. Scripture quotations are from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC, and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Contents
Illustrations7 Editors’ Preface9 Abbreviations13 Introduction to the Prison Letters15 Paul’s Letter to Philemon27 Outline of Paul’s Letter to Philemon31 Paul’s Letter to Philemon and Everyone Else at His House33 Paul’s Letter to the Christians in Philippi61 Outline of the Letter to the Philippians70 Chiastic Outline of the Letter to the Philippians72 Greeting, Thanksgiving, and Joyful Intercession73 The Example of Paul in Chains81 A Call to Conduct Worthy of the Gospel89 The Best Example of All: Christ’s Self-Emptying Love and Service97 Paul Applies the Example to Christian Living107 Two More Examples: Timothy and Epaphroditus114 The Example of Paul’s Faithful Citizenship in Christ120 A Final Call to Unity and Joy139 Thanks and Final Greetings145 Paul’s Letter to the Christians in Colossae153 Outline of the Letter to the Colossians160 Greeting, Thanks to the Father, and Prayer162 Beloved Son of the Father, Head and Redeemer of All172 Paul Rejoices in His Ministry to the Gentiles184 5
Contents
The Wisdom of Christ versus the “Philosophy”194 You Have Died and Been Raised with Christ211 Let the Peace of Christ Rule in Your Hearts216 Work for the Lord and Not for Human Beings223 A Request for Prayer229 Commendations, Greetings, and Blessing233 Suggested Resources243 Glossary246 Index of Pastoral Topics252 Index of Sidebars254 Map255
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Illustrations
Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 4. Figure 5. Figure 6. Figure 7. Figure 8. Figure 9. Figure 10.
Saul/Paul’s conversion16 Denarius coin19 Papyrus 46 21 Roman home 28 Cast of a slave34 Forum of Philippi74 Painting of Christ crucified99 Ancient latrine126 Three Colossian churches157 Roman soldiers204
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Editors’ Preface
The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord. ... All the preaching of the Church should be nourished and governed by Sacred Scripture. For in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks with them; and the power and goodness in the word of God is so great that it stands as the support and energy of the Church, the strength of faith for her sons and daughters, the food of the soul, a pure and perennial fountain of spiritual life. Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum 21
Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us? Luke 24:32
The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture aims to serve the ministry of the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church. Since Vatican CouncilII, there has been an increasing hunger among Catholics to study Scripture in depth and in a way that reveals its relationship to liturgy, evangelization, catechesis, theology, and personal and communal life. This series responds to that desire by providing accessible yet substantive commentary on each book of the New Testament, drawn from the best of contemporary biblical scholarship as well as the rich treasury of the Church’s tradition. These volumes seek to offer scholarship illumined by faith, in the conviction that the ultimate aim of biblical interpretation is to discover what God has revealed and is still speaking through the sacred text. Central to our approach are the principles taught by Vatican II: first, the use of historical and literary methods to discern what the 9
Editors’ Preface
biblical authors intended to express; second, prayerful theological reflection to understand the sacred text “in accord with the same Spirit by whom it was written”—that is, in light of the content and unity of the whole Scripture, the living tradition of the Church, and the analogy of faith (Dei Verbum 12). The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture is written for those engaged in or training for pastoral ministry and others interested in studying Scripture to understand their faith more deeply, to nourish their spiritual life, or to share the good news with others. With this in mind, the authors focus on the meaning of the text for faith and life rather than on the technical questions that occupy scholars, and they explain the Bible in ordinary language that does not require translation for preaching and catechesis. Although this series is written from the perspective of Catholic faith, its authors draw on the interpretation of Protestant and Orthodox scholars and hope these volumes will serve Christians of other traditions as well. A variety of features are designed to make the commentary as useful as possible. Each volume includes the biblical text of the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), the translation approved for liturgical use in the United States. In order to serve readers who use other translations, the most important differences between the NABRE and other widely used translations (RSV, NRSV, JB, NJB, and NIV) are noted and explained. Each unit of the biblical text is followed by a list of references to relevant Scripture passages, Catechism sections, and uses in the Roman Lectionary. The exegesis that follows aims to explain in a clear and engaging way the meaning of the text in its original historical context as well as its perennial meaning for Christians. Reflection and Application sections help readers apply Scripture to Christian life today by responding to questions that the text raises, offering spiritual interpretations drawn from Christian tradition, or providing suggestions for the use of the biblical text in catechesis, preaching, or other forms of pastoral ministry. Interspersed throughout the commentary are Biblical Background sidebars that present historical, literary, or theological information, and Living Tradition sidebars that offer pertinent material from the postbiblical Christian tradition, including quotations from Church documents and from the writings of saints and Church Fathers. The Biblical Background sidebars are indicated by a photo of urns that were excavated in Jerusalem, signifying the importance of historical study in understanding the sacred text. The Living Tradition sidebars are indicated by an image of Eadwine, a twelfth-century monk and scribe, signifying the growth in the Church’s understanding that comes by the grace of the Holy Spirit as believers study and ponder the Word of God in their hearts (see Dei Verbum 8). 10
Editors’ Preface
A map and a Glossary are located in the back of each volume for easy reference. The glossary explains key terms from the biblical text as well as theological or exegetical terms, which are marked in the commentary with a cross (†). A list of Suggested Resources, an Index of Pastoral Topics, and an Index of Sidebars are included to enhance the usefulness of these volumes. Further resources, including questions for reflection or discussion, can be found at the series website, www.CatholicScriptureCommentary.com. It is our desire and prayer that these volumes be of service so that more and more “the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified” (2 Thess 3:1) in the Church and throughout the world. Peter S. Williamson Mary Healy Kevin Perrotta
Note to Readers The New American Bible, Revised Edition differs slightly from most English translations in its verse numbering of the Psalms and certain other parts of the Old Testament. For instance, Ps 51:4 in the NABRE is Ps 51:2 in other translations; Mal 3:19 in the NABRE is Mal 4:1 in other translations. Readers who use different translations are advised to keep this in mind when looking up Old Testament cross-references given in the commentary.
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Abbreviations
†
ACCS 8
Indicates that a definition of the term appears in the glossary Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament, vol.8, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, ed. MarkJ. Edwards (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1999) ACCS 9 Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament, vol.9, Colossians, 1–2Thessalonians, 1–2Timothy, Titus, Philemon, ed. Peter Gorday (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2000) BDAG A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd edition; revised and edited by Frederick William Danker, based on the 6th edition of Walter Bauer’s Griechisch-Deutches Wörterbuch (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000) Catechism Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd edition) CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CCSS Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008–) Lectionary The Lectionary for Mass (1998/2002 USA edition) LXX Septuagint NABRE New American Bible, Revised Edition NIV New International Version NJB New Jerusalem Bible NRSV New Revised Standard Version NT New Testament OT Old Testament RSV Revised Standard Version
Books of the Old Testament Gen Exod Lev Num Deut
Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy
Josh Judg Ruth 1Sam 2Sam
Joshua Judges Ruth 1Samuel 2Samuel 13
1Kings 2Kings 1Chron 2Chron Ezra
1Kings 2Kings 1Chronicles 2Chronicles Ezra
Abbreviations
Neh Tob Jdt Esther 1Macc 2Macc Job Ps Prov Eccles Song
Nehemiah Tobit Judith Esther 1Maccabees 2Maccabees Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs
Wis Sir Isa Jer Lam Bar Ezek Dan Hosea Joel Amos
Wisdom Sirach Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Baruch Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos
Obad Jon Mic Nah Hab Zeph Hag Zech Mal
Books of the New Testament Matt Mark Luke John Acts Rom 1Cor 2Cor Gal Eph Phil Col 1Thess 2Thess
Matthew Mark Luke John Acts of the Apostles Romans 1Corinthians 2Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1Thessalonians 2Thessalonians
1Tim 2Tim Titus Philem Heb James 1Pet 2Pet 1John 2John 3John Jude Rev
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1Timothy 2Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1Peter 2Peter 1John 2John 3John Jude Revelation
Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi
Introduction to the Prison Letters
We are about to read together three of the four letters of St.Paul commonly known as the Prison Letters—Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. These four are clustered under that label because they state that Paul writes them from some place of confinement. A fifth letter, 2Timothy, also presents Paul as writing from prison, but because it has been traditionally categorized with 1Timothy and Titus as a set of three called the Pastoral Letters, it is not usually grouped with the other Prison Letters. This commentary treats only three of the traditional Prison Letters—Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon—because the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture devotes a separate volume to Ephesians, which is so comprehensive as a summary of Paul’s theology that it warrants a commentary of its own. I will provide a separate introduction to each of the three letters. But before we begin to read individual letters, it seems useful to address a number of general questions these letters naturally raise—questions like the following: Where was Paul imprisoned when he wrote? Why was he imprisoned? Did the people of the first-century Mediterranean world write and read letters the way we do—and if not, how can we adjust our reading of these letters to better understand them? How do we make sense of somebody else’s mail? How did someone’s †occasional correspondence come to be recognized as the Word of God for all Christians? To begin with that last question, we get our main picture of Paul’s place in the growth of the early Church from Luke’s portrayal of him in the Acts of the Apostles. There we meet him as the zealous Pharisee Saul of Tarsus, who is part of the crowd stoning the first Christian martyr, Stephen (Acts 7–8). Though he is not himself throwing the stones, he is minding the cloaks of those who do. 15
