Philippians

Fowl is one of the most genuinely distinctive theological readings of Philippians and is best used alongside rather than instead of a technical commentary. His most fruitful insight is his treatment of phronein not simply as “thinking” but as Christ-shaped practical reasoning—a comprehensive pattern of perceiving, judging, feeling, and acting. This allows him to connect Paul’s interpretation of his imprisonment, the call to order the church’s “common life” worthily of the gospel, Christ’s self-emptying, Paul’s autobiography, and the Philippians’ financial partnership into a remarkably coherent theological reading. His discussion of 4:10–20 is especially strong, showing how friendship in Christ transforms cultural assumptions about reciprocity, status, giving, and receiving. At times his political and contemporary theological applications extend beyond what the text itself can securely establish, but his best insights make other commentaries look different after reading him.

Very well done. Fowl reads carefully and attentively, focusing on the meaning and implications of the text. His theological reflections are interesting and challenging.

Fowl’s commentary was one of the earliest volumes in the THNT series. He models this series’ aims, since he was one of the chief architects of the “theological interpretation of Scripture” movement (along with people like Joel Green and Walter Moberly). In the “Theological Horizons” section of the commentary, Fowl devotes significant space to the theme of friendship in Philippians, and Christian theology. [Full Review]

[Full Review]