Abstract:The translocal links between early Christian communities have been mentioned in various contexts, predominantly in comparisons between these groups and the various associations of the ancient world. This article raises some of the methodological issues involved in studying these links (what links are there apart from Paul who stands in their centre?) and examines the direct and indirect references to them in Philippians. Apart from the links established through Timothy, they appear in the context of the "fellowship in the Gospel" (1:5), the generous exchange of information, including the sending of Timothy and Epaphroditus, in mutual prayer and in the visits of Paul and his co-workers, who are not only related to Paul, but also appear as emissaries of the churches from which they originate. These links also become apparent in the extensive travelling that is presupposed before, during and after the composition of Philippians, in the activities of the opponents mentioned in Philippians 3, and in financial support, greetings and mutual longing. The final section sketches the significance of such intercongregational links for various quests, such as their rhetorical function in Pauline discourse and plausibility, the unity of New Testament theology, New Testament ecclesiology, Paul's conception of space, and as raw data for social-network-analysis approaches to early Christianity.

中文翻译：

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übergemeindliche Verbindungen im Urchristentum nach dem Philipperbrief

摘要：早期基督教社区之间的跨地域联系在各种背景下都被提及，主要是在这些群体与古代世界各种协会之间的比较中。这篇文章提出了研究这些联系所涉及的一些方法论问题（除了站在他们中心的保罗之外，还有哪些联系？）并检查腓立比书对它们的直接和间接引用。除了通过提摩太建立的联系之外，它们还出现在“福音中的团契”（1:5）的背景下，慷慨地交换信息，包括派遣提摩太和以巴弗提，相互祈祷和保罗的访问和他的同工，他们不仅与保罗有血缘关系，而且还作为他们起源的教会的使者出现。这些联系在腓立比人组成之前、之中和之后的广泛旅行中，在腓立比书 3 中提到的对手的活动中，以及在经济支持、问候和相互渴望中也变得明显。最后一部分概述了这种会众间联系对各种探索的重要性，例如它们在保罗话语中的修辞功能和合理性、新约神学的统一性、新约教会学、保罗的空间概念，以及作为社交网络的原始数据——早期基督教的分析方法。