The portion that now comes before us might be termed the Epistle of
Christian experience. It is not characterized by the unfolding of
doctrine, as are the epistles to the Romans and the Ephesians: any
doctrine that it contains is brought in incidentally and not as the
main theme.
It is characterized by a spirit of great intimacy - for there was a
very strong bond of affection between Paul and the Philippian saints -
and by many personal details being given. Thus it comes to pass that in
it we are given an extraordinary insight into the Apostle's inner
spiritual history that is most edifying. We are permitted to scrutinize
his spiritual experience that we may understand what proper Christian
experience is, and discover how marvellously it worked out in a man of
like passions to ourselves. Under the most disadvantageous and
depressing circumstances it was a triumph.