The Church in Philippians to 2 Thessalonians

This is Part Next in my series, How do the apostles refer to the church? Today I am looking at Philippians to 2 Thessalonians. Why so many? They are shorter epistles, and with the exception of Colossians, have fewer references to church. Here we go!

The Epistle to the Philippians

Paul doesn’t have a lot to say about the church in Philippians, perhaps because it is one of his most personal epistles.  Twice he refers to them as saints, once as the children of God, and once as we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit. This last is very provocative. There were people, known today as Judaizers, who were telling the Philippians that in order to be truly saved they had to become Jews. By saying, we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, he is applying Old Covenant speech, which described Israel, to the church. The Philippians didn’t need to become anything, they were that thing!

But the most common term is brethren. It occurs 8 times, and 6 times refers to the Philippians.

The Epistle to the Colossians

Colossians is similar to Ephesians in many ways, yet distinct. The epistle is addressed to:

1:2 the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse.

Saints is used 4 times, brethren only 2 times.

Church occurs 4 times. Twice as identified with the body, once as the church which is in his house and once as the church of the Laodiceans.

Body the word occurs 7 times, but not all of them refer to the church

1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
The emphasis in Ephesians is on the body of Christ, whereas in Colossians it is on Christ the head of the body. And it clearly shows here.

1:21-22  yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
This is not a reference to the church, but as in Ephesians there is a sort of blending of Christ’s body on the cross and Christ’s body the church. For example, in this verse, the body of his flesh, refers to his body on the cross. BUT in just two verses we read:

1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
In Ephesians and Colossians the line between the body of his flesh and his body the church is not very clear.

2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
This is not Christ or the church.

2: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
This is very interesting. The body is that which casts the shadow, which is Christ himself, but Christ came via the incarnation, taking a body, and his truth and fulness are now found in the church, which is his body.

2:19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
This is clearly the church. And as in Ephesians he has moved from mere metaphor. The increase or growth of the body is of God, but the means of growth is by each member contributing to the body. We are in this together.

 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
This is not Christ or the church.

3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Again, a simple and solid reference to the church. He doesn’t say body of Christ, it is just one body.

Colossians, like Ephesians, is very close to the way people refer to the church today as the body of Christ, yet Paul’s language is more robust than ours today.

The Epistles to the Thessalonians

1 & 2 Thessalonians are among the earliest of Paul’s epistles. Both are addressed to the church of the Thessalonians, in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; both mention the churches of God (church occurs 4 times, twice in each epistle). The most common designation is brethren, 16 times in 1 Thessalonians, 7 times in 2 Thessalonians. I repeat, we need to recapture this view of the church as well as the terminology.

Next: The Church in 1 Timothy to Philemon