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Philippians Chapter 2
Verse 1 “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,”
Paul is saying, "Look, if there is anything at all to your Christianity ... !" If ... "This is rhetorical and in no way expresses doubt. Paul was appealing to those very things which he considered most certain in the area of their faith.
This was a common Hebrew method of making a statement in the affirmative, as when Jesus said, "If I go, I shall come again" (John 14:3), making the certainty of his going the pledge also of his Second Coming.
Similarly, Paul is making the certainty of their faith the foundation for unity.
Paul based this appeal for unity upon the foundational qualities of true Christianity and upon their highest and best characteristics as human beings.
Verse 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
There is nothing more destructive to the church than disunity and division. Paul urges them to maintain their unity. He expresses this plea in other letters as well.
Ephesians 4:4-6, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”
1 Corinthians 1:10, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
Satan’s most effective weapon against Christianity is disunity.
Verse 3, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;”
This is the mindset every Christian must work to achieve. Mature Christians are to go about their spiritual duties without regard to personal gain. Christians are servants and are expected to act like servants.
Paul is telling them not to be prideful, arrogant or selfserving. Every single Christian out there was important enough for Christ to die for. When individuals realize and place all others ahead of themselves in importance they have the mindset of Christ who put the lives of everyone ahead of his on the cross. Christ died for the beggar on the side of the street the same as He did for kings.
Verse 4 “do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
All Christians are expected to work for a living. It is necessary for them to look out for their own personal interests when providing for themselves and for their families. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-11
“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”
Paul is telling them to look out for the needs of others in the same way they look out for their own. Christians cannot pursue their own interests with disregard to the needs of others.
Verse 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
It’s all about attitude. Mature Christians are to not only go through the motions of being a Christian. Their attitudes must align with the attitude Christ demonstrated.
Verse 6 “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped”
The primary lesson for the Philippians here is that Christ gave them the ultimate example of attitude. Their attitude toward others should mirror the attitude of Jesus Christ.
The secondary lesson here is one of Jesus who existed in the form of God.
The Greeks had two words for "form," one of them referring to mere external appearance, as when a mirage takes the appearance of water ... the other suggests that the appearance is the true representation of the object itself. The word for form here signifies the reality of Jesus existing as God.
This is a positive statement of the deity of Jesus Christ. It includes the whole nature and essence of deity, and is inseparable from them. There are many other New Testament passages affirming the deity of Christ;
John 1:1-2, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 20:27-29, “Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
Colossians 2:9-10, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form”
Titus 2:13, “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus”
2 Peter 1:1, “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ”
1 John 5:20, “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
Hebrews 1:8-9
But of the Son He [GOD] says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER,
AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.
9 "YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS;
THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU
WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS."
One of the foundational beliefs of Christianity is that Jesus Christ is God. To deny the deity of Christ is to deny who He is and who He was. It was not some created being that came down here to die for us. It was none other than one of the three members of the Godhead. No other sacrifice would have been able to be acceptable to God and to satisfy His righteous demand for justice.
God did not just create someone to die for us. He died for us Himself. Verse 6 reads He was equal with God. In heaven before He chose to do this, He and God were equals.
Verse 7, “but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”
The Greek word for Emptied literally means ‘to make empty’
Philippians 2:7 in the NKJV reads, “but made Himself of no reputation…”
Christ did not empty Himself of His divine attributes and the nature of deity. The bible is clear that Jesus never sinned, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5. What Jesus emptied himself of was His equality with God the Father in Heaven.
Of importance to the divine plan is that Jesus emptied Himself. He chose to do this. He willingly did this so that the redemption of man could become a reality. He was not forced to do this. It was entirely His option on whether to willingly put off His equality with God the Father and do what He did for us.
Verse 8, “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Here in this verse we see another essential truth of the deity of Christ. Only a divine being could accept death as obedience. For ordinary men it is a necessity. The death of Christ was not something inflicted upon Jesus Christ, but the voluntary laying down of his life for the salvation of people. Jesus did not have to die for us. He surrendered His equality with God and placed Himself in an obedient or subservient role to God the Father. His obedience to God required Him to die so He humbled Himself and did it.
Verse 9, “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,”
Paul wrote of this to the Ephesian Christians as well.
Ephesians 1:19-23
“These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,”
Jesus indeed surrendered or emptied Himself of His equality with God. But when He had willingly finished the task given Him, God elevated Him above everything and everyone.
Verse 10, “so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:10
In the name of Jesus "In the name of" means "by the authority of," and one thing in view here is that prayers should be offered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This great title by which Jesus came to be known in the early church was Lord, which was kurios:
When Jesus was called Kurios (Lord), it meant he was the Master and Owner of Life, the King of kings, the true Lord in a way which heathen gods could never be; he was nothing less than Divine. These words speak of the absolute and total supremacy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This can also be applied to the final judgment where Paul wrote in Romans 14:11-12, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME,
AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD."
So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
Verse 12, ”So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; “
First, this verse, when taken for what it says, completely destroys the heresy of being saved by faith alone. One cannot read this passage of scripture and with any honesty whatsoever make a plausible case for salvation by faith alone. It ranks right up there with James chapter 2 which states in words impossible to misunderstand: James 2:24, “ Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”
Philippians 2:12
Work out your own salvation. Though salvation is through Christ it must be worked out by obedience (Hebrews 5:8). With fear and trembling. That is, earnest anxiety. Work out your own salvation. Christ's work of atonement is finished ...
“Your own salvation”; it is each man's own work; no human friend, no pastor, not even an apostle, can work it for him. With fear and trembling.
The Christian must have an eager, trembling anxiety to obey God in all things. Salvation is of life and death importance.
Jude, the half brother of Jesus wrote in Jude 3, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.”
In Ephesians 6:5, Paul wrote, “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ”
Salvation is serious business. The mature Christian understands this and diligently strives to live a life of obedience to God because failure to do so results in serious consequences.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-12, “and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed — for our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, “
Verse 13, “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
God indeed works in and through the obedient. God has left the maintenance and spreading of the Gospel to mankind. It is upon our shoulders that the work of God is seen the world. God’s works are seen through the actions and lives of the obedient. When Christians are living an obedient life, it is God working through them.
Proponents of salvation by faith alone frequently claim this verse teaches God does all the work man is supposed to do and man can set by passively and let God do all the work. Such could not be further from the truth. Verse 13 begins with the word “For”. This word ties the two verses together into a single thought. If Verse 13 actually meant that God does all the work, then verse 12 makes no sense.
One’s salvation is dependent upon working in obedience to God’s instructions. Paul illustrates this best in Romans 2:6-14, “who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.“
Let’s take a little time here and discuss the relationship of works and faith. Proponents of salvation by faith alone make the argument that works cannot save. In the proper context they cannot. But under no circumstances can we ever make the fatal error of thinking works are not a necessary component of faith.
Firstly if works were completely unnecessary then belief would not be necessary. The Hebrew writer makes this fact crystal clear in chapter 11:6-7,
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Paul specifically referred to faith as a work in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 which reads, “We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love…”
And then again in 2 Thessalonians 1:11 which reads, “To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power”
Paul considered faith to be a work. So if Paul’s teachings on works and faith meant that works were unnecessary, then he contradicted himself. Moreover, if works of any kind are not necessary, then no one would need salvation. Everyone would be saved regardless of how they lived or how they believed because faith is in itself a work as expressed by Paul.
What falls upon the diligent Christian now is to examine works and determine what their role in salvation is.
There are more than one kind of works. There are works of righteousness and works of human contrivance. Matthew 7:21 gives us an example of both.
Matthew 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.”
Jesus declares in this passage that only those who do the will of the Father will be permitted to enter the kingdom of Heaven. These are works of righteousness in obedience to God’s will.
Jesus goes on to say that many will plead their case for entrance with prophesies, casting out demons and performance of miracles. These are examples of works of human contrivance. We are not required to do any of these things in the gospel age. These are not works in obedience to God’s will, therefore they are useless in obtaining salvation in any way shape or form. Jesus even went on to say they were practicing lawlessness. The King James Version renders this as iniquity. Those who try and contrive their own works and expect those works to gain entrance into the kingdom of God will be rejected on the basis of committing lawlessness. In other words, they were making up their own laws and expecting God to accept them.
So we can rightly put works of human contrivance in the category of being not only unnecessary but counter productive for the purposes of salvation.
So what about works of righteousness? These are works in obedience to God’s will that Jesus expressly said were necessary in Matthew 7:21, to enter the kingdom of Heaven. How do they fit in to salvation?
In Acts 10:34-35 Peter declared, “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” The King James Version renders this verse thus:
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
Works of righteousness absolutely have a place in our salvation. Jesus declared that without them one cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven and Peter declared that those who perform works of righteousness are accepted with God. The inferred opposite in that verse is that those who do not work righteousness will not be accepted with God.
The answer lies in what works can and cannot do.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-10
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
This verse of scripture is one of the most used verses in support of salvation by faith without works. Grace is God’s role in our salvation. Everything God did and is doing now to secure our salvation is because of His graciousness. The greatest example of this grace is the death of His Son on the cross for our sins. His grace, that compelled Him to act on our behalf is the gift and nothing anybody could ever do could possible compel God to intervene on our behalf. No man can ever boast that Jesus died for us because of anything we did. What God did for mankind was His and His alone without any contribution on our part.
Grace is God’s role in our salvation and faith is ours. We respond to God’s gracious offer of salvation through faith. For by what God did for us we are saved through our response in faith.
From this verse, righty understood we learn that our works cannot produce God’s grace. Our works cannot compel God to act in our behalf as He did. That was His gift to us.
Another passage of scripture that is used to support the idea of salvation without works is Titus 3:4-8,
“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
God’s mercy is an expression of His gracious nature toward us. Nothing we can ever do can compel God to be merciful to us. He was merciful to us and sent His son to die for us while we were yet sinners, (Romans 5:8). The whole plan for man’s salvation was conceived before time even began, (Ephesians 1:4-5). There is no way that kind of mercy could ever be a product of works of righteousness.
Paul expresses that we’re justified by His grace in verse 7 which means justified by what God has done on our behalf. If the conclusion is going to be drawn that God’s grace in this context is available without conditions then not even faith would be necessary. God’s grace is defined as God’s benevolent disposition that compelled Him to act on our behalf. It is also known as God’s unmerited favor. Nothing we can do can earn or merit God’s grace. Works cannot save us by procuring God’s mercy or by compelling God to act graciously on our behalf. But that fact in no way means our works of righteousness are not necessary.
Works of righteousness cannot circumvent the cross of Christ. John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
The works of the old law of Moses cannot save us.
Galatians 2:15-1715 "We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”
Acts 13:38-39
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
KJV
The law of Moses was completely unable to provide freedom from Sin. The only way to make it to heaven through the the law of Moses was to keep it perfectly with no sin. Once you sinned, it was unable to provide forgiveness. The only thing it could do was to provide temporary atonement or appeasement. Only through the death of Christ under the system of faith we live under now can there be any freedom from sin. The works of the old law could not provide forgiveness of sin. The only thing the old law could do was to condemn. That is why it was called the law of sin and death.
In the gospel age we live under the law of Christ. Referred to as the law of liberty in James 1:25 and 2:12, because it can provide the freedom of sin that the old law of Moses was incapable of.
Sadly on the side of the salvation by faith only advocates there are those who believe the inability of the works of the law of Moses translates over into the law of Christ. It is believed that under Christ there is no law. If this were true no one would be lost for without law there can be no transgression.
Galatians 6:2
“Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”
Romans 3:27, “Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.”
Faith contains law because it contains instructions that must be followed. The law of Christ must be fulfilled. Under the system of faith we live under today, there is no ritual such as existed under the law of Moses. With the exception of Baptism and the Lord’s supper, there are no rituals that must be performed.
All of the commandments under the law of faith are for the protection, edification and benevolence of both Christians and non-believers. The work of the body of Christ is Evangelism, Edification and Benevolence. Everything we are commanded to do is in the best interests of one another. Those who refuse to live in accordance with God’s will fail to love both God and their fellow mankind.
In conclusion of this detraction of salvation by faith only, it is evident that there are more than one kind of works. There are useless works which are works of man’s invention and works of the old law of Moses, none of which have any power to save. And there are works of righteousness in obedience to God’s will that can never earn or merit salvation. They cannot circumvent the cross of Christ. They cannot place God into a position where He owes us anything. They cannot repay Jesus for the life He gave to save us. There are many things works cannot accomplish but they are necessary nonetheless.
Jesus died for us and purchased us for a price. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
We have nothing to offer God that is not already rightfully His. Advocates of salvation by faith only promise a salvation without accountability. That’s the draw. That’s the appeal. If nothing had to be done to be saved, then nothing could be done to be lost. Our lives could be lived without accountability. Jesus denies this completely in John 5:28-29 where He said, "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”
Now back to Philippians…
Phil 2:14
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing; “
Grumbling means to mutter or to murmur or to complain, seeing the negative, pointing out what annoys us and sharing that with other people.
Usually, muttering includes a charge against those we think responsible for what we disagree with.
Now, the problem with grumbling or complaining is twofold. In the church it poisons the atmosphere.
Since nothing is perfect to begin with, it's easy to point out faults and weaknesses, and spoil whatever good there may be about a person or a situation.
It's easy to find what's not good in other people. Grumbling is contagious. Grumblers impose their negative attitude on those around them.
It’s a heavy burden to bear when one is trying to do good works in the Lord’s church, giving of their time and energy for the work of the Lord and someone is constantly complaining.
And then Paul mentions disputing.
There is nothing wrong with asking a question or trying to better understand a situation or something that's asked of us.
But in this case, however, the disputing is in a negative sense and is part of the grumbling and complaining.
Paul is referring to people who challenge or question or resist the actions of those engaged in good works.
Verse 15 , “so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,”
Paul goes on to explain how those who avoid these things will be viewed, both by God and mankind. Grumbling and disputing are both ways of demonstrating that the Christian is not blameless and innocent. Those who grumble and complain are viewed negatively.
The word innocent in the Greek is interesting. It can be translated as “unmixed” When we hear the word, unmixed, it sheds a whole new light on the attitude.
The idea is that even though Christians are in the world and constantly come into contact with worldly ideas and people and activities, they remain unmixed.
The Christian doesn't mix or blend in with the world. They are not influenced or affected by the world.
James 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-18, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people."
17 Therefore
"Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you."
18 'I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty."
Verse 16, “holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. “
Paul urges them to stay faithful so that his work, as a teacher and mentor as well as his personal suffering for the cause of the gospel, will not be for nothing.
Paul had given everything in his life, his health, his wealth, his freedom, he's in jail because of his role as an apostle. he's given everything for the cause of Christ.
The application for us today is that we remain faithful. Failure to do so will mean someone that gave up something in their life to bring us to Christ spent their efforts on us in vain.
Verse 17 “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”
Even though Paul was confident in his imminent release he looks to the future and his probable end as a martyr.
He sees the writing on the wall, things are not going good, he may win his case here, but he sees the tide
is shifting against Christianity in the capital and he foresees trouble ahead.
Paul knows if trouble with Christianity, the first to go are going to be the leaders.
In Jewish worship, a drink offering of wine was poured out on the side of the altar.
And this represented the fruit of man's work or labor that was offered to God. Paul says that he rejoices in the fact that his work, or ministry, on their behalf is and will probably be offered up in the future through martyrdom. He's going to be a sacrifice offered because of the work he has done.
And he encourages them to share his joy that God would grant him this final opportunity to serve and glorify them.
He's thinking if he dies for the faith, it is the best thing that God could have used him for. And he urges them to rejoice in this fact if and when it should become a reality.
Phil 2:19-30
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22 But of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 23 Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24 and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly. 25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 29 Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.
Verse 19 “But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition.”
In the two preceding verses, Paul contemplated his own martyrdom as a realistic possibility; but here the mood changed to one of hope and confidence, for his being able to send Timothy would mean that his state had improved enough to make this possible. Like any person in similar circumstances, Paul, from time to time, would have wavered between the extremes of despair and confidence. Note here that Paul anticipated still being alive at a time when Timothy would return with good news. Timothy had been with Paul extensively during his travels and was at the time indicated here performing some valuable service for the apostle. It would have been a genuine sacrifice for Paul to part with him for a journey to Philippi. Nevertheless, such was his concern for them that he was willing to do so.
Verse 20 “For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.”
Paul genuinely cares for and values both his friendship and fellowship with him in Christ. There’s no one like him.
Verse 21 “For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.”
It is rare indeed to find someone that gives their all to Christ to the point they will make such a journey on the behalf of the good of the kingdom. To leave one’s job and livelihood to set out in blind faith on a journey such as this is indeed a feat of pure faith. Those kind of Christians are rare indeed.
Verse 22 “But of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.”
Ye know the proof of him ... The whole world of New Testament churches in those days knew the proof of Timothy. The word translated "proof" was used of gold and silver that had been tested and could be accepted as current coin." Timothy had been with Paul in Philippi when that church was founded (Acts 16:1 ff); he was in Thessalonica and Berea (Acts 17:1-14), and in Corinth and Ephesus (Acts 18:25; 19:21,22); and even at the time Paul wrote this letter he was standing by Paul in Rome (Phil 1:1). Him therefore I hope to send ... Implicit in these words is the fact that Paul could not, at the moment, send Timothy. It is likely Aristarchus, Titus and Luke were all absent from Rome at this time," leaving only Timothy to look after Paul. Of course, Epaphroditus was available, and him Paul sent. I trust ... that I myself shall come shortly ... "This hope, in all probability, was fulfilled (Titus 3:12)
Verse 24
“and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.”
Paul is hoping he will be able to travel to see them. The uncertainty as to what whim might strike Nero was nothing to count upon. His future release is by no means certain, and the climate in Rome for Christianity was rapidly becoming more hostile. Paul is leaving it up to God whether he is able to travel to them.
Verse 25
“But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; “
EPAPHRODITUS Certainly Epaphroditus was a spiritual leader at Philippi, probably one of the elders. He had been commissioned by the church there to bring a gift of money to Paul and to remain with him for an unspecified time to look after Paul's needs and to assist in any way possible. While engaged in that service, he became dangerously ill, possibly from attending Paul during an illness, or from over-exertion. The friends of Epaproditus in Philippi heard of his illness, and became concerned and anxious regarding his condition. God graciously restored him to health. As was quite natural, he wanted to return to Philippi as soon as he became able to travel. Paul, in complete accord, sent him back, probably as the bearer of this letter, and heaping praise and commendation upon him.
Philippians 2:26
“because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. “
Was sore troubled ... "Erasmus said the Greek word so translated means to be almost killed with grief. It should be remembered that homesickness was certainly a factor in the grief of Epaphroditus, a homesickness that would have been grievously aggravated by his illness.
Philippians 2:27
“For indeed he was nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.”
Paul's ascription of Epaphroditus' recovery to the special providence and mercy of God is characteristic. All healing is of God; but there are some recoveries which give every evidence of having been granted by the Father in answer to prayer; and so, it seems, was the case of Epaphroditus.
Why did not Paul perform a miracle on behalf of Epaphroditus, instead of permitting the illness to continue?" The answer lies in the purpose of miracles, which were never given for the personal needs of God's apostles and preachers, but only for the purpose of "confirming the word" (Mark 16:20).
Timothy suffered from a stomach illness and Trophimus was left at Miletus sick, just as Epaphroditus was allowed here to suffer the normal course of his illness.
Philippians 2:28
“I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.”
Easing the mind of the Philippians and imparting gladness of heart to them meant more to Paul than any personal service he might have been able to derive by the continued attendance upon him of Epaphroditus."
Philippians 2:29
“Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor.”
Paul heaps commendations upon Epaphroditus and tells the Philippians to honor him for his service.
Philippians 2:30
“Because for the work of Christ, he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.”
Hazarding his life ... The word here actually means "gambling his life" for Paul's sake. "He was a brave man; for anyone who proposed to offer himself as an attendant of a man waiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to considerable risk of facing the same charge.
Philippians 3:1
“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. “
So far in this letter to the Philippian church, Paul has pronounced a blessing on these people.He has given them news regarding his personal status as he awaits trial in Rome.
And his plans to revisit them when he is freed from prison, which he feels is imminent.
We've talked about that in previous lessons. In the meantime, he commends them for their faithfulness and their generosity, and he encourages them to pursue greater Christian maturity.
And that's what this section is going to be about. He then proceeds to describe five examples of the maturity that all Christians should seek after.
First one, Christians should stand firm in the Lord and in the faith, despite trials, attacks and temptation.
The second thing he mentioned, imitate Christ.
Christians imitate Christ and not those in the world.
Thirdly, he says rejoice in trial.
Christians are not defeated by trials.
He tells them that Christians rejoice during trial knowing that the victory that awaits them and that the trials are simply a test of their faith.
This student of God's word gratefully acknowledges the work and scholarship of James Burton Coffman and Mike Mazzalongo's lessons on Paul's letter to the Philippians.
