Naming and shaming? Between women in Philippians 4:2-3

Abstract

At face value, Philippians 4:2-3 may come across as Paul (the authority) talking down on Euodia and Syntyche. Παραχαλέω is often translated as "rebuke" or "plead", especially in Afrikaans translations (see 1933, 1953, 1983, 2020; Direkte vertaling, the word "vermaan" is used). According to Silva (1988:221), παραχαλέω is "an express and unquestionable rebuke, telling us a great deal about the seriousness of the Philippian problem". Naming these two women may be shaming them, since Paul refers to the "guilty" in the text. Should Philippians 4:2-3 be interpreted as violent, or is it a mere reflection of the reality of the church in Philippi? Into this dynamic, we bring the element of spatiality within the question of power dynamics, arguing that this method brings another lens onto this pericope. Space replicates power in societies. Accordingly, this article explores power dynamics and violence in Philippians 4:2-3 through the lens of spatial theory.