Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, written by Paul from prison in the middle of the first century, were addressed to specific Christian communities facing concrete challenges. What did these letters mean at the time, and what do they mean for us today? In this addition to the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, seasoned New Testament scholar Dennis Hamm explores the significance of these letters and their enduring relevance to the life and mission of the church. Based on solid scholarship yet readily accessible, the book is enriched with pastoral reflections and applications and includes sidebars on the living tradition and biblical background.

"With updated bibliography"--Copyright page.

New in the Acclaimed Paideia Commentary Series Two respected senior New Testament scholars examine cultural context and theological meaning in Philippians and Philemon in this addition to the well-received Paideia series. Paideia commentaries explore how New Testament texts form Christian readers by attending to the ancient narrative and rhetorical strategies the text employs, showing how the text shapes theological convictions and moral habits, and making judicious use of maps, photos, and sidebars in a reader-friendly format. Students, pastors, and other readers will appreciate the historical, literary, and theological insight offered in this practical commentary.

One in an ongoing series of esteemed and popular Bible commentary volumes based on the New International Version text.

Paul's letter to the church at Philippi is a moving insight into early Christianity. No letter displays Paul's fondness for a church as much as Philippians, and this passion is accompanied by a profound sense of thanksgiving for the church and its generosity. In this letter, Paul reminds the church of the first day they heard the gospel, the present persecution that they experience in their imperial context, and their true reality as citizens of heaven. Jesus Christ grounds this eschatological framework as the one whom God has lifted up. But in Philippi Paul also faced opponents, and the interpretation of the letter requires that the reader understand these people whose vision of Jesus was other than Paul's. The short letter to Philemon tells the story of a Christian slave named Onesimus. Through this appeal on Onesimus's behalf, Paul illustrates how the moral vision of social hierarchies, such as the one between slave owner and slave, are dismantled in Christ. He calls Philemon and Onesimus into a reconciliation that points to their shared participation in Christ. Together, these two letters show Paul's vital passion for the church and the bonds that held early Christians together in their faith. The New Testament Library offers authoritative commentary on every book and major aspect of the New Testament, as well as classic volumes of scholarship. The commentaries in this series provide fresh translations based on the best available ancient manuscripts, offer critical portrayals of the historical world in which the books were created, pay careful attention to their literary design, and present a theologically perceptive exposition of the text.

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS) series has been widely praised. Now all 17 volumes covering the New Testament are available as a specially priced set. Acclaimed by leading Catholic scholars and popular Bible teachers, the CCSS offers just the right level of commentary for Catholic students of the Bible. Its attractive packaging and accessible writing make this a set to own--and to read! Each volume relates Scripture to Christian life today, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help pastoral ministers, lay readers, and students understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively in teaching, preaching, evangelization, and other forms of ministry.