Philippians 13 Essay

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Introduction Philippians 4:13 is one of the most popular verses in the Bible. The verse can be found printed on T-shirts, plastered on bathroom stalls, and tattooed across the chests of Christians. However, this verse is also one of the most misinterpreted and misused verses in the Bible. To understand the true meaning and interpretation of this verse, one must analyze the verse within its context and within the three worlds of the Bible: the historical-culture world, the literary world, and the contemporary world.
1. Historical-culture world
The letter of Philippians was written by the apostle Paul while he was in prison and awaiting trial. It is uncertain exactly when and where Paul wrote this letter, but textual clues such as references to the imperial guard or praetorium (Philippians 1:13) and to the emperor’s household (Philippians 4:22) leads one to believe that this letter was written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome around 61 …show more content…
In poetic form, Paul describes what it means to be content in every situation. Paul writes, “I know what it is to have little and I know what it is to have plenty” (The New Oxford Annotated Bible, Philippians 4.12) Because Paul is thanking the Philippians for their gift, it is best to interpret this in terms of economic deprivation rather than spiritual affliction. Paul learns that the secret to living a content life, whether poor or prosperous, is becoming dependent on the enabling power of Christ (O’Brien 523). When Paul writes in verse thirteen, “I can do all things,” he really means that he can remain content in both good and bad circumstances. A key phrase in verse thirteen is “through him who strengthens me.” Paul reveals that the secret of his “independence was his dependence upon Another” (Metzger et al. 201). Paul’s self-sufficiency came from being in a relationship with One who is truly

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