The way of imagination

       As we read Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we can feel the tension in the apostle’s voice – on the one hand, there is his frustration with being “stuck” in prison, and unable to continue the “work of the gospel”, of evangelizing the empire of man with the good news of the kingdom of God.   We can sense this in Paul’s frequent expressions of his hope of imminent release (1.19; 2.23-24).   On the other hand, we can feel Paul’s deep inner peace, joy and contentment, accompanied by his sense of detachment from the outcome of his imprisonment, whether that be his execution by the imperial authorities or his release and continued apostolic work (1.20-26; 4.12-13).   Paul frequently uses sacrificial language as he describes his labour for the Lord as well as the generosity of the Philippians towards him (2.17; 4.18; cf. Rom. 15.16; Ps. 22.14).      More so than in his other letters, in the epistle to the church in Philippi,...

“[Jesus] answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.” (Mk. 1.38-39)        Preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons – or indeed, casting out demons in synagogues (cf. 1.21-28).   It’s an intriguing way to summarize what Jesus was doing as he walked around the villages of Galilee.   As a matter of fact, most New Testament scholars – even the skeptical ones – agree that Jesus had a reputation for being an exorcist.   Needless to say, Jesus had something of a habit of disrupting the sabbath routine in the synagogues he frequented (cf. 3.1-6).   As I read Mark’s narrative, I get the uneasy sense that had I been in attendance at a synagogue when Jesus made an appearance, I may indeed have taken the side of the Pharisees.   I mean, let’s be ...

     We can read about the founding of the church in the city of Philippi in The Acts of the Apostles 16.1-40.   This was the first Christian community that Paul established in Europe (prior to this, Paul had evangelized Cyprus and what is now Turkey).   Paul and his travelling companion, Silas, had been briefly imprisoned when they first proclaimed the gospel in Philippi (situated in Macedonia, northern Greece) during Paul’s second missionary journey.   As he writes this letter to the Christians of Philippi, Paul is once again in prison (“the same struggle” that he had had previously: Phil. 1.7, 28-30).   This imprisonment probably took place in the city of Ephesus (modern Turkey; cf. 2 Cor. 1.8-11).   Paul’s time in Ephesus, during his third journey, is described in Acts 19.1-41.      Paul begins his letter to the Philippians with a typical epistolary greeting: 1.1-2.   Paul then offers a prayer of thanksgiving f...