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Philippians and Philemon: Prison Epistles, Part 2

  1. Lesson One
    Overview of Philippians (Philippians 1–4)
    22 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    Philippians: Suffering and Community (Philippians Review)
    22 Activities
  3. Lesson Three
    Overview of Philemon
    22 Activities
  4. Lesson Four
    Paul and Slavery (Philemon, Romans 6 Review)
    17 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  5. Lesson Five
    Social Impact
    9 Activities
    |
    4 Assessments
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

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Grab your Workbook Journal!

[Record your answers in the workbook provided at the beginning of this course.]

Sitting in prison and considering the possibility that he might lose his life for his faith, Paul contrasts life and death in the first chapter of Philippians, appearing to weigh the benefits of each:

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 
Philippians 1:21-24 NIV

  1. In your workbook complete each thought by filling in the column:
PhraseCompleted phraseCategory
To live is . . .Life
To die is . . .Death
To go on living in the body [is] . . .Life
To depart and be with Christ is . . .Death
[To] remain in the body is . . .Life
A Pattern of Life and Death in Philippians

See the completed table below from Philippians 1:21-24 NIV:

Phrase

Completed phrase

Category

To live is . . .

 Christ (1:21)

Life

To die is . . .

 gain (1:21)

Death

To go on living in the body [is] . . .

 fruitful labor (1:22)

Life

To depart and be with Christ is . . .

 far better (1:23)

Death

[To] remain in the body is . . .

 more necessary (1:24)

Life

Table adapted from: Dean Flemming, Philippians, 2009, p. 73.