Philippians

Garland’s contribution is especially valuable for understanding how Philippians works as a coherent letter. He sees Paul’s repeated concern with phroneō—the community’s mindset—and the problem of emerging disunity as connecting material that can otherwise seem miscellaneous, and he traces an illuminating alternation between negative and positive examples: rival preachers and Paul, Christ, the wilderness generation, Timothy and Epaphroditus, confidence in the flesh and Paul’s renunciation, and finally the enemies of the cross. This gives 2:6–11 a compelling role within the letter: Christ is not an imported theological digression but the supreme pattern of the humility Paul seeks to cultivate. Garland’s claim that the Euodia-Syntyche dispute stands near the centre of Paul’s pastoral concern may be stronger than Bockmuehl or some others would allow, but it produces an unusually coherent and pastorally useful reading of Philippians.

Garland on Philippians is Gold! I really enjoyed this shorter intermediate level work. It is brief, learned and gets right to the point. I found myself agreeable with Garland more than any other commentator, and yet he abounds in background knowledge to fill out his conclusions. His writing is clear and might I even say, it is conducive to worship, as Garland is constantly directing the Christian in light of the text... It's like sitting with an elderly mature Christian as he instructs you in the way to go.

David Garland is an accomplished New Testament scholar and commentary writer who has now written a fantastic commentary on Philippians. If you purchase this book you also get a commentary on Ephesians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon by several different authors (some of which are highly respected scholars). Quite the deal! The REBC series ranges from semi-technical to devotional in its commentary content. I classify Garland’s commentary as semi-technical... [Full Review]

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