As we continue in our study of the Philippian letter, we see that Paul addresses the age old problem of fussing and fighting among God''s covenant people. This is one of the reasons I know Paul is writing to a real church, not a mythological one. Paul begins verse 2 trying to persuade and coax two sisters in Christ Jesus from acting up in the church family. It seems that Euodia and Syntyche were having a terrible time of agreeing on anything, except that the other was wrong.

From the various scholars and commentators that I have read, they all seem to agree that when this letter reached the church family at Philippi it was most likely read aloud in front of them. I can almost see them now, each sitting on the front pew, both on different sides, looking sheepish as they heard their names r…