Philippians: Reformed Expository Commentary [REC]

Dennis E. Johnson (ThM, Westminster Theological Seminary; PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) taught New Testament and practical theology at Westminster Seminary California for more than thirty-five years. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America, the author of Him We Proclaim and of commentaries on Acts, Philippians, Hebrews, and Revelation (Triumph of the Lamb), and a contributor to several study Bibles and other books. He and his wife, Jane, live in Dayton, Tennessee.

Pastors aspiring to preach expositorily, take note! Philippians by Dennis E. Johnson is as good a source for such preaching as you'll ever get. This commentary has everything you'd want: uncluttered exegesis, cross-references to the rest of Scripture, and theological integration, but also historical background and parallels, literary references, illustrations from and applications to modern life, allusions to pop culture, local color, and warmth of personal testimony.
-Robert H. Gundry

Dennis Johnson's Philippians is a treasured contribution to P&R's Reformed Expository Commentary series. Not only does Johnson's experience as a preacher and teacher of preachers make these messages wonderful models of exposition, but also his expertise in biblical theology permeates every page. The Christ-centered focus is beautifully and powerfully interwoven throughout.
-Bryan Chapell

Only rarely does one come across a work that so successfully blends scholarship with clarity of exposition and pastoral application. One quickly becomes aware that the author has done his homework and done it well, carefully examining the exegetical options and reaching thoughtful conclusions...This work can easily and with pleasure be read through in a few sittings. Anyone who does so will not be disappointed.
-Moises Silva

Dennis Johnson's Philippians: To Live is Christ is a treasured contribution to P&R's Reformed Expository Commentary series. Johnson’s experience as a preacher and teacher of preachers not only makes these messages wonderful models of exposition, but also his expertise in Biblical Theology permeates every page. The Christ-centered focus is beautifully and powerfully interwoven throughout. -- Bryan Chapell, Chancellor, Covenant Theological Seminary

I am always glad to see commentaries that will help preachers. This one is sure to do that. It is beautifully and clearly written; that will help a preacher’s style. It is theologically, historically, and canonically accurate; that will help a preacher’s faithfulness. It pays great attention to details in the Greek text without being pedantic but it also shows how these little parts fit together to make a whole; that is what preachers are called to do. It is rich with individual insights that preachers will enjoy sharing. Its titles, captions, illustrations, and applications model what preachers should aspire to. Its courageous tackling of contemporary aberrations such as prosperity teaching will stiffen pastoral backbones to do the same. It condenses some of the best insights from other commentators and that will save a preacher’s precious time! I highly recommend it for preachers and those who listen to them. -- Greg R. Scharf, D.Min., Professor of Pastoral Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Pastors aspiring to preach expositorily (as all pastors should preach), take note! Philippians by Dennis E. Johnson is as good a source for such preaching as you’ll ever get—and as good an example of it as you’ll ever get, for it represents his own preaching. The commentary has everything you’d want: not only uncluttered exegesis, cross-references to the rest of Scripture, and theological integration, but also historical background and parallels, literary references, illustrations from and applications to modern life, allusions to pop culture, local color, and warmth of personal testimony. The chapter titles alone will whet your appetite. Use this commentary both for Philippians and also as a template for pastoral exposition of other biblical books. -- Robert Gundry, Scholar in Residence, Westmont College, Santa Barbara CA

“As a student of Dr. Johnson’s, I came to admire his insight into Scripture and his pastoral heart. Exemplifying the model of proclaiming Christ from all of the scriptures, this outstanding commentary on Philippians unpacks the treasures of the apostle’s teaching with profound skill that captivates the heart.” -- Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California

"Anything written by Dennis Johnson is well worth reading. He has been thinking about, preaching and teaching from Philippians for many years, so this work is all the more worth reading. It is filled with valuable insights into the biblical text and its practical consequences. This book is a true gem just like the man who wrote it." -- S. M. Baugh, Ph.D., Chairman, Department of Biblical Studies, Professor of New Testament, Westminster Seminary California

It is truly a delight for me to recommend Dennis Johnson’s Philippians: To Live Is Christ. Only rarely does one come across a work that so successfully blends scholarship with clarity of exposition and pastoral application. One quickly becomes aware that the author has done his homework and done it well, carefully examining the exegetical options and reaching thoughtful conclusions. No fanciful flights of imagination here. In an admirable way, however, the commentary itself is free from distracting technicalities, so that the reader comes away with a clear understanding of each section as a whole. Moreover, Johnson refuses to treat Philippians as an antiquarian document to be interpreted in isolation from contemporary culture. Instead, he approaches the epistle from the point of view of the modern reader and, as a result, manages to communicate its contents as a living message. In contrast to most commentaries, this work can easily and with pleasure be read through in a few sittings. Anyone who does so will not be disappointed. -- Moises Silva