Description
This concise commentary focuses on the Greek text of Philippians, giving special attention to lexical semantics, syntax, and discourse. Interacting with the latest translations and Greek lexicons, as well as the best of commentators, Varner provides a straightforward exegesis of the Greek text. Ideal for those preparing to preach or teach Philippians, this focused and rich commentary will become a favorite to consult first.
Endorsements
“In an age of increasing Biblical illiteracy, one trend in commentaries of late is to not deal with the details of grammar, syntax, and Greek vocabulary sufficiently to make clear Paul’s meaning in a letter like Philippians. Presumably, this approach is meant to simplify things for the language-challenged readers. Happily, William Varner’s commentary on Philippians is the exception to this rule. If you want to know not only what Paul said to the Philippians but what he actually meant, Varner’s sane and helpful contribution will shed light on this much beloved and much belabored letter.”
Ben Witherington, III, Amos Professor of NT for Doctoral Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary
“This revised edition of Varner’s exegetical commentary on Philippians is highly recommended to scholars and students of Scripture. Leaving most introductory issues to other commentaries, Varner focuses on the linguistic features of the letter. His introduction to discourse analysis is particularly helpful to those unfamiliar with that discipline. Readers wishing to explore the language of a particular text are rewarded with a rich and nuanced discussion. The Glossary provides helpful definitions of the technical vocabulary of linguistics. Consulting this commentary is a must to understand the message of this small but important Pauline ‘epistle of joy.'”
Mark Wilson, Director, Asia Minor Research Center, Antalya, Turkey
Foreword
In the earlier days of social media, my Facebook discussion group “New Testament Textual Criticism” frequently received requests to post excellent queries pertaining to New Testament linguistics that were otherwise irrelevant to textual criticism. Such queries were consistently referred to William Varner’s Facebook discussion group “Nerdy Language Majors” (now renamed as Nerdy Biblical Language Majors. I began to view Nerdy Language Majors as a sister group to my textual criticism page, and I found Prof. Varner to be a congenial and authoritative conversation partner.
Varner’s Philippians: An Exegetical Commentary is one of a score of Philippians commentaries I consistently used in writing my monograph on the text of the letter. Of these twenty commentaries, Varner’s commentary had its own unique niche and was reliably helpful in various kinds of linguistic analysis. Those who read the Greek text carefully will invariably stumble on unfamiliar or less familiar elements, prompting them to ask, “What is this construction?” Varner’s very focused commentary provides accessible answers. Elsewhere, such answers are often buried in voluminous data in the larger commentaries, or maybe overlooked entirely. The layout in Varner’s commentary provides answers in quick fashion; the commentary is a tool that should be in reach while reading through the Greek text.
In any given passage, users of the commentary can confirm, for example, a particular word’s function with the proper grammatical terminology, or its typical meaning when used with one case and not the other. Varner very typically supports his analysis by references to important grammars or other advanced commentaries where the user can learn more. An essential tool for the twenty-first century, the commentary thus provides an advance from the old analytical Greek lexicons that earlier generations of seminary students used for grammatical parsing. It provides help far beyond what many digital Greek applications and software programs can offer.
The formatting and scope of this work is ideal for a shorter commentary. Varner writes brief and cogent summaries by section, including key exegetical information that most users will appreciate. Varner provides introductory discussions of recent developments in reading Philippians (e.g., discourse analysis, text-critical method, verbal aspect, and semantic analysis). As a committed Christ-follower, Varner also does not ignore the spiritual dimension of this letter which so emphatically urges believers to conform their thinking to the mind of Christ.
One might hope that companion volumes will be forthcoming to cover all of the New Testament, book by book.
Rev. James M. Leonard, PhD, Educator, The Garden Christian Academy, Cleveland, OH
Table of Contents
Foreword by Rev. James M. Leonard
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
Author
Provenance
Linguistic Background of Philippi
Literary Unity
Purpose/Occasion
The Language of Philippians
Discourse Analysis
Text-Critical Issues
Verbal Aspect and Aktionsart
Semantic Analysis
Spiritual Value
Analysis of Philippians One
Analysis of Philippians Two
Analysis of Philippians Three
Analysis of Philippians Four
Glossary
Bibliography
About the Author
William Varner teaches Bible exposition and Greek exegesis at The Master’s University. He has led more than fifty trips throughout Israel and has written more than a dozen books, some for laymen and some for scholars, including James: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Fontes, 2017), Anticipating the Advent (Fontes, 2020), and Passionate about the Passion Week (Fontes, 2020).
Endorsements
“The value in William Varner’s contribution lies in the nature of this relatively brief volume as a purely exegetical study. … Overall, Varner’s treatment of the text is truly helpful. … For a pastor preaching through Philippians, Varner’s book could easily become a resource to consult weekly during sermon preparation and could become a valuable study aid for exegetical study.” —Tim Valiante, Director, Haven of Grace Seminary, Negros, Philippines, in The Journal of Ministry and Theology 27, no. 2 (2023): 166-167
