To Live is Christ

Dennis E. Johnson, Philippians (P&R, 2013) Let me start off by giving the disclaimer that I am a Dennis Johnson fan. For me, he is one of those authors that if his name is attached to a book, I get that warm, cozy feeling and want to buy it. I think my first exposure to Johnson was Triumph of the Lamb, his commentary on Revelation. I refer back to it often. That seems to be the case with his books—I continue to use them as a resource after I have read them through. Johnson’s books are like an orchard of trees that always have ripe fruit ready to share. So if you haven’t read Him We Proclaim, or Counsel from the Cross (co-written with Elise Fitzpatrick), those are two trees that I also pick from often. Philippians is a part of P&R’s Reformed Expository Commentary series. I love the target audience of readers this series pursues. It is rich enough for the pastor preparing a sermon, accessible for a lay teacher of a Bible study, and satisfying for a housewife theologian like me who wants to go a little deeper in my devotions at home. As a matter of fact, that is exactly why I turned to this book. Now that I am taking a short teaching break from Bible Study, I miss the enrichment that I was receiving from preparing a lesson. I love going through a book of the Bible with good commentaries. And the Reformed Expository Commentary series has a pretty thorough process of editing, as well as a high standard for publication. While the authors of these volumes are exemplary pastors who have preached through the material in their commentaries, it doesn’t read like a compilation of sermons. As a result, I get the knowledge and experience of a professor of practical theology at WTS California (for this particular commentary) combined with the shepherding of a pastor who has labored through teaching and preaching this book of the Bible to his own congregation. Along with that, I have the security of knowing that his words have been filtered through series and testament editors. Dennis Johnson set out to prove Paul’s bold claim in Philippians that “to live is Christ.” The reader will notice how this theme is woven throughout Johnson’s passion and Paul’s letter. I was challenged to affirm and be thankful for this affirmation in all circumstances. This epistle is written while Paul is a prisoner in Rome, chained to a guard, awaiting his so-called “due process” as a Roman citizen. He was bound and taken in on false charges in Jerusalem, and sent to Rome when the Jews had taken a vow not to eat or drink until Paul was dead. Paul sees even this situation as an opportunity to serve Christ as he witnesses to the gospel in his trials and in the letters he writes from prison. Johnson gives enlightening background to Paul’s situation, as well as to the climate in Philippi when Paul was writing. The citizens in Philippi have been granted the coveted status of Roman citizenship. By explaining the meaning of some of the original Greek words that Paul uses in this letter, Johnson demonstrates how Paul uses this status that the Philippians value to teach about our citizenship in heaven and encourages them to unify as citizen-soldiers. He addresses some of the self-centeredness in this church with the analogy of “joyful slavery” in Jesus Christ, “the only master worth honoring” (Loc. 228). Along with the historical background, explanation of some important Greek words, and teaching importance of the metaphors Paul uses (I love that part), Johnson peppers this commentary with pastoral, personal applications. Some of the major themes in this epistle that I was both encouraged and challenged by are joy (which is mentioned 16 times in the 104 verses of the letter—Loc. 620), unity, service, sanctification, assurance, endurance, suffering, contentment, missions, and giving. I was personally enriched as Johnson shed new light on some popular verses that I thought had already been exhausted. He asks the reader some insightful and penetrating questions that led me straight to prayer. All the harmonies flowing throughout this book sing one melody—“to live is Christ.” I expect that I will carry this song in my heart as I move on to my next study. This is a great resource for anyone wanting to spend some time in Philippians.   *I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.