Waraka kwa Wafilipi

Waraka kwa Wafilipi ni kati ya vitabu 27 vya Agano Jipya katika Biblia ya Kikristo.

Kama vitabu vingine vyote vya Biblia, hiki pia kinatakiwa kisomwe katika mfululizo wa historia ya wokovu ili kukielewa kadiri ya maendeleo ya ufunuo wa Mungu kwa binadamu.

Habari Njema ilivyofika Filipi 
Kadiri ya Mwinjili Luka, Kanisa la Filipi (leo katika Ugiriki Kaskazini) lilikuwa la kwanza kuundwa na Mtume Paulo barani Ulaya. Akiwa shahidi wa tukio hilo, alisimulia hivi:
Mdo 16:11 Basi tukang’oa nanga kutoka Troa, tukafika Samothrake kwa tanga moja, na siku ya pili tukafika Neapoli; 12 na kutoka hapo tukafika Filipi, mji wa Makedonia, mji ulio mkuu katika jimbo lile, mahali walipohamia Warumi; tukawa katika mji huu, tukikaa siku kadha wa kadha. 13 Hata siku ya sabato tukatoka nje ya lango, tukaenda kando ya mto, ambapo tukadhani ya kuwa pana mahali pa kusali; tukaketi, tukasema na wanawake waliokutana pale. 14 Mwanamke mmoja, jina lake Lidia, mwenye kuuza rangi ya zambarau, mwenyeji wa Thiatira, mcha Mungu, akatusikiliza, ambaye moyo wake ulifunguliwa na Bwana, ayatunze maneno yaliyonenwa na Paulo. 15 Hata alipokwisha kubatizwa, yeye na nyumba yake, akatusihi, akisema, Kama mmeniona kuwa mwaminifu kwa Bwana, ingieni nyumbani mwangu mkakae. Akatushurutisha.

Mazingira ya barua 
Katika Matendo ya Mitume Luka hakusimulia mateso yote ya Mtume Paulo, kwa mfano alivyohukumiwa mwaka 56 hivi Efeso (1Kor 15:32; 2Kor 1:8-9).

Akiwa kifungoni huko alifikiwa na mjumbe toka Filipi aliyemletea msaada wa pesa na wa huduma kwa niaba ya Wakristo wa mji huo wa mkoa wa Makedonia.

Paulo kabla hajamrudisha alipenda kuwaandikia barua nzuri ya shukrani pamoja na kuwaeleza sababu ya kufungwa (Fil 4:10-20).

Barua ni nzuri pia kutokana na uhusiano wa upendo kati ya Paulo na Wakristo hao, ambao kati yao wanawake walishika nafasi ya pekee toka mwanzo (hasa Lidia wa Thiatira).

Tunaona wazi Paulo alivyokuwa na furaha hata kifungoni, kwa kuwa alizoea kuridhika na kila hali: kwake muhimu ilikuwa tu kumfikia Yesu Kristo.

Kama kawaida mawaidha hayakosekani, lakini si makali: hasa alihimiza umoja kwa kufuata mfano wa Yesu aliyejishusha kutoka Umungu wake hadi kukubali kifo cha msalabani. 

Kwa ajili hiyo alitumia maneno ya wimbo ambao unadhihirisha imani kamili katika umungu wa Kristo, ingawa ni kati ya zile za kwanzakwanza kutungwa (Fil 1:12-3:1a; 4:4-7).

Lakini kuna sehemu kali kuhusu wazushi ambayo inaanza ghafla (Fil 3:1b-4:1) na kufanya baadhi ya wataalamu wadhani kuwa barua jinsi ilivyo tangu karne I ni mshono wa barua mbili au tatu za mtume huyo kwa Wafilipi.

Marejeo

 Barclay, William. 1975. The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. Rev. ed. Daily Bible Study Series. Louisville, Ky.: Westminster.
 Barnes, Albert. 1949. Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Enlarged type edition. Edited by Robert Frew. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker.
 Black, David A. 1995. "The Discourse Structure of Philippians: A Study in Textlinquistics." Novum Testamentum 37.1 (Jan.): 16–49
 Blevins, James L. 1980. "Introduction to Philippians." Review and Expositor 77 (Sum.): 311-25.
 Brooks, James A. 1980. “Introduction to Philippians.” Southwestern Journal of Theology 23.1 (Fall): 7–54.
 Bruce, Frederick F. 1989. Philippians. New International Biblical Commentary. New Testament Series. Edited by W. Ward Gasque. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2002.
 Burton, Ernest De Witt. 1896. “The Epistles of the Imprisonment.” Biblical World 7.1: 46–56.
 Elkins, Garland. 1976. “The Living Message of Philippians.” Pages 171–80 in The Living Messages of the Books of the New Testament. Edited by Garland Elkins and Thomas B. Warren. Jonesboro, Ark.: National Christian.
 Garland, David E. 1985. “The Composition and Unity of Philippians: Some Neglected Literary Factors.” Novum Testamentum 27.2 (April): 141-73.
 Hagelberg, Dave. 2007. Philippians: An Ancient Thank You Letter – A Study of Paul and His Ministry Partners’ Relationship. English ed. Metro Manila: Philippine Challenge.
 Hawthorne, Gerald F. 1983. Philippians. Word Biblical Commentary 43. Edited by Bruce Metzger. Nashville, Tenn.: Nelson.
 Herrick, Greg. “Introduction, Background, and Outline to Philippians.” Bible.org.
 Jackson, Wayne. 1987. The Book of Philippians: A Grammatical and Practical Study. Abilene, Tex.: Quality.
 Kennedy, H. A. A. 1900. “The Epistle to the Philippians.” Expositor’s Greek Testament. Vol. 3. Edited by W. Robertson Nicoll. New York, NY: Doran.
 Lenski, Richard C. H. 1937. The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, and to the Philippians. Repr. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2001.
 Lipscomb, David and J.W. Shepherd. 1968. Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Rev. ed. Edited by J.W. Shepherd. Gospel Advocated Commentary. Nashville, Tenn.: Gospel Advocate.
 Llewelyn, Stephen R. 1995. “Sending Letters in the Ancient World: Paul and the Philippians.” Tyndale Bulletin 46.2: 337–56.
 Mackay, B. S. 1961. “Further Thoughts on Philippians.” New Testament Studies 7.2 (Jan.): 161-70.
 Martin, Ralph P. 1959. The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Ed. By R.V.G. Tasker. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1977.
 Martin, Ralph P. 1976. Philippians. New Century Bible Commentary. New Testament. Edited by Matthew Black. Repr. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans.
 McAlister, Bryan. 2011. “Introduction to Philippians: Mindful of How We Fill Our Minds.” Gospel Advocate 153.9 (Sept.): 12–13
 Mule, D. S. M. (1981). The Letter to the Philippians. Cook Book House.
 Müller, Jacobus J. 1955. The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Ed. By Frederick F. Bruce. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1991.
 Pelaez, I. N. (1970). A Epistle on the Philippians. Angel & Water;reprint, Angels new books, ed. Michael Angelo. (1987). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, s.v. "Philippians, Letter to the"
 Reicke, Bo. 1970. “Caesarea, Rome, and the Captivity Epistles.” Pages 277–86 in Apostolic History and the Gospel: Biblical and Historical Essays Presented to F. F. Bruce. Edited by W. Ward Gasque and Ralph P. Martin. Exeter: Paternoster Press.
 Roper, David. 2003. “Philippians: Rejoicing in Christ.” BibleCourses.com. Accessed: 3 Sept. 2011.
 Russell, Ronald. 1982. "Pauline Letter Structure in Philippians." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 25.3 (Sept.): 295–306.
 Sanders, Ed. 1987. “Philippians.” Pages 331–39 in New Testament Survey. Edited by Don Shackelford. Searcy, Ark.: Harding University.
 Sergio Rosell Nebreda, Christ Identity: A Social-Scientific Reading of Philippians 2.5–11 (Göttingen, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2011) (Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments, 240).
 Swift, Robert C. 1984. "The Theme and Structure of Philippians." Bibliotheca Sacra 141 (July): 234-54.
 Synge, F.C. 1951. Philippians and Colossians. Torch Bible Commentaries. Edited by John Marsh, David M. Paton, and Alan Richardson. London: SCM, 1958.
 Thielman, Frank. 1995. Philippians. NIV Application Commentary. General Editor. Terry Muck. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.
 Vincent, Marvin R. 1897. The Epistle to the Philippians and to Philemon. International Critical Commentary. Ed. By Samuel R. Driver, Alfred Plummer, Charles A. Briggs. Edinburgh: Clark, 1902.
 Vincent, Marvin R. Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament. 4 vols. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, n.d.
 Wallace, Daniel B. “Philippians: Introductions, Argument, and Outline.” Bible.org.
 Walvoord, John F. 1971. Philippians: Triumph in Christ. Everyman’s Bible Commentary. Chicago, Ill.: Moody.

Viungo vya nje

Tafsiri ya Kiswahili
  Agano Jipya kwa lugha ya Kiswahili

Ufafanuzi
 Letter to the Philippians Online Reading Room: Commentaries and other resources (Tyndale Seminary)
 Letter to the Philippians Online Reading Room: Commentaries and other resources (BiblicalStudies.org.uk)
 Letter to the Philippians Online Reading Room : Commentaries and other resources (NTGateway.com)
 Letter to the Philippians Online Reading Room: Commentaries and other resources (TextWeek.com)
 Bible.org introduction to Philippians 
 Sermons on Philippians
 

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Mtume Paulo
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