A. How Paul wants the Philippians to live with each
other.
1. (1) The basis of Paul’s exhortation to the
Philippians.
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
a. Therefore: This draws
back to what Paul has built on in Philippians 1:27-30, telling the Philippians
how to stand strong for the Lord against external
conflicts. Now he tells them how to act against internal conflicts in the body of Christ.
b. If there is any: This introduces the basis for
Paul’s exhortation to unity, humility and love among believers. The idea is
that if the Philippian Christians have received the things he mentions, then
they have a responsibility to do what he is about to describe.
i. “It is extremely difficult to give the force
of these expressions; they contain a torrent of most affecting eloquence; the
apostle pouring out his whole heart to a people whom with all his heart he
loved, and who were worthy of the love even of an apostle.” (Clarke)
c. If there is any consolation in Christ: Paul asked this as a rhetorical question, knowing of course that there was great consolation in Christ. Every Christian should know the consolation of Christ.
i. Luke 2:25 says that one of the titles for Jesus as the Messiah is the Consolation of Israel. Paul could say in 2 Corinthians 1:5, For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. In 2 Thessalonians 2:16, Paul says that God has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. Of course there is consolation in Christ!
ii. “The Holy Spirit consoles, but Christ is the consolation. If I may use the figure, the Holy Spirit is the Physician, but Christ is the medicine.” (Spurgeon)
d. If there is any . . . comfort of love: This is Paul’s second rhetorical question in this passage, affirming the great comfort of love. Every Christian should know what it is to have Jesus give them the comfort of love.
i. 2 Corinthians 1:3 says that God is the God of all comfort. There is no way He cannot comfort us and no circumstance beyond His comfort. But this is more than comfort; this is the comfort of love.
ii. The word comfort in this passage is the ancient Greek word paraklesis. The idea behind this word for comfort in the New Testament is always more than soothing sympathy. It has the idea of strengthening, of helping, of making strong. The idea behind this word is communicated by the Latin word for comfort (fortis), which also means “brave.” The love of God in our loves makes us strong and makes us brave. Of course there is comfort of love!
e. If there is any . . . fellowship of the Spirit: This is Paul’s third rhetorical question in this context. Paul knew and valued the fellowship of the Spirit, and every Christian should know what it is to have the fellowship of the Spirit.
i. Fellowship is the ancient Greek word kononia. It means the sharing of things in common. We share life with the Spirit of God that we never knew before. The Holy Spirit fills and guides and moves in our lives in a powerful and precious way. Of course there is fellowship of the Spirit!
ii. “The Lord doth usually and graciously water the holy fellowship of his people with the dews of many sweet and glorious refreshings; so that they have a very heaven upon earth.” (Trapp)
f. If there is any . . . affection and mercy: Paul’s final rhetorical question assumes that every Christian knows something of the affection of God and of the mercy of God.
i. Paul mentioned these things in a manner that suggests to us that they should all be obvious parts of the Christian’s experience. To make his rhetorical point, he could have just as easily said, “If water is wet, if fire is hot, if rocks are hard” and so forth.
ii. Each of these gifts – consolation in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, affection and mercy – are communicated to us both in a direct, spiritual way from Jesus, and from Jesus through His people. But there isn’t any doubt that these are real gifts for Christians to really experience.
2. (2-4) The specifics of Paul’s exhortation to the
Philippians regarding love and humility among believers.
Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
a. Fulfill my joy: This speaks of a personal request. Part of the reason Paul wanted the Philippians
to take heed to his word was because they should know that it would make the
founding apostle of their church happy.
b. By being like-minded, having the same love, being of one
accord, of one mind: These together
all speak of the same idea; a deep, abiding, internal unity among the
Philippians.
i. This unity is the goal. What follows in Philippians
2:3-4 are descriptions of how to achieve and practice the unity mentioned here
in Philippians 2:2.
c. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition: This is the first step to this kind of unity. In the flesh, we are often motivated by selfish ambition or conceit. Much of what we do is not done out of love for others, but out of our own desire for “advancement” or “promotion” (selfish ambition).
i. Paul found it important to say selfish ambition.
Not all ambition is selfish
ambition, and there is a good ambition
to glorify God and serve Him with everything we have.
d. Let nothing be done through . . . conceit: This
is the second step to this kind of unity. Conceit is
thinking too highly of one’s self, of having an excessive self-interest and
self-preoccupation. It could be more literally translated “empty glory.”
i. A dictionary definition of conceit is “An excessively favorable opinion of one’s own ability, importance, wit,” and so forth. When we do things feeling we are so important, or so able, or so talented, we are out of God’s will. We are working against the unity Paul is pleading with them to have.
e. In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than
himself: This third step to the kind
of unity described in Philippians 2:2 is completely contradictory to the
attitude of the world, because lowliness of mind is about the least attractive thing to the thinking of this world.
i. The ancient Greeks considered lowliness of
mind to be a fault, not a virtue. “The
pagan and the secular idea of manhood is self-assertiveness, imposing one’s
will on others; when anyone stooped to others he did so only under compulsion,
hence his action was ignominious [disgraceful]. The Christian ethical idea of
humility could not be reached by the secular mind; it lacked the spiritual
soil.” (Lenski)
ii. “In pagan writers generally, the word had a
bad meaning, ‘abject, grovelling.’ But when it comes into the New Testament,
its meaning is ennobled.” (Wuest)
iii. “The apostle knew that, to create concord, you need
first to beget lowliness of mind. Men do not quarrel when their ambitions have
come to an end.” (Spurgeon)
f. Esteem others better than himself: This rebukes much of the culture’s concept of self-esteem.
The Bible knows nothing of the idea that we should - and must - carry with us
an attitude of confident superiority in every situation, and knows nothing of
the idea that this is the foundation for a healthy human personality.
i. While we recognize the intrinsic value of every
human life, we can’t deny that the low self-esteem of some is justified, and based in reality. When we are in rebellion
against God, it is fitting for us to have a low self-esteem.
ii. As we esteem others better, we will naturally have a concern for their needs and concerns. This sort
of outward looking mentality
naturally leads to a unity among the people of God.
iii. If I consider you above me and you consider me
above you, then a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone
is looked up to, and no one is looked down on.
g. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests,
but also for the interests of others: Here the thought is completed.
As we put away our selfish ambitions, our
conceit, and our tendencies to be high-minded and self-absorbed, we will
naturally have a greater concern for the interests and needs of others.
i. Paul doesn’t tell us that it is wrong to look out for our own interests, but that we should not only look out
for our own interests.
B. Jesus, the ultimate example of humility.
Many regard
Philippians 2:5-11 as a hymn of the early church that Paul incorporated into
his letter. Some commentators go so far as to suggest stanza and verse
arrangements for the “hymn.” This is possible, but not a necessary conclusion;
Paul was capable of such inspired, poetic writing himself (example: 1
Corinthians 13). For reasons which we will examine later, this passage is often
known as the kenosis passage.
1. (5) Paul applies the lesson before he states it.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
a. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:
Paul will, in wonderful detail, describe for us
the mind of Jesus in the following verses. But here, before he
describes the mind of Jesus, he tells us what we must do with the information.
i. “Paul does not give all that is in the mind
of Christ in these verses. He selects those qualities of our Lord which fit the
needs of the Philippians at that moment. . . . This lack of unity among the
Philippian saints became the occasion for perhaps the greatest Christological
passage in the New Testament that sounds the depths of the incarnation.”
(Wuest)
b. Let this mind be in you: It is all too easy for us to read the following description of Jesus and admire it from a distance. God wants us to be awed by it, but also to see it as something that we must enter into and imitate. Let this mind means that it is something that we have choice about.
i. Remember also that this mind is something granted to us by God. 1 Corinthians 2:16 says that we have the mind of Christ. But let this mind shows us that it is also something we must choose to walk in. You have to let it be so.
2. (6a) Jesus was in the form of God.
Who, being in the form of God,
a. In the form of God: This describes Jesus’ pre-incarnate existence. We must
remind ourselves that Jesus did not begin His existence in the manger at
Bethlehem, but is eternal God.
b. Being: This is
from the ancient Greek verb huparchein,
which “describes that which a man is in his very essence and which cannot be
changed. It describes that part of a man which, in any circumstances, remains
the same.” (Barclay)
i. “Paul, by the use of the Greek word
translated ‘being,’ informs his Greek readers that our Lord’s possession of the
divine essence did not cease to be a fact when He came to earth to assume human
form. . . . This word alone is enough to
refute the claim of Modernism that our Lord emptied Himself of His Deity when
He became Man.” (Wuest)
c. Form: This translates the ancient Greek word morphe.
It “always signifies a form which truly and fully expresses the being which
underlies it . . . the words mean ‘the being on an equality with God.’”
(Expositors)
i. “Morphe is
the essential form which never alters; schema
is the outward form which changes from time to time and from circumstance to
circumstance.” (Barclay)
ii. “‘God’ has a form, and ‘Jesus Christ’ exists in
this form of God.” (Lenski)
iii. Wuest explains that the ancient Greek word
translated form
is very difficult to translate. When we use the word form we think of the shape of something; but the ancient
Greek word had none of that idea. It is more the idea of a mode or an essence; it is
the essential nature of God, without implying a physical shape or image. “Thus
the Greek word for ‘form’ refers to that outward expression which a person
gives of his inmost nature.”
3. (6b) Jesus did not cling to the privileges of deity.
Did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
a. Did not consider it robbery: The ancient Greek in this phrase has the idea of
something being grasped or clung to. Jesus did not cling to the prerogatives or
privileges of deity.
i. Wuest defines the ancient Greek word
translated robbery
as, “A treasure to be clutched and retained at all hazards.”
b. To be equal with God: It wasn’t that
Jesus was trying to achieve equality
with the Father. He had it, and chose
not to cling to it. Jesus’ divine nature was not
something He had to seek for or acquire, but it was His already.
i. Lightfoot wrote that it was not “a prize which must
not slip from His grasp, a treasure to be clutched and retained at all
hazards.” Jesus was willing to let go of some of the prerogatives of deity to
become a man.
4. (7) Jesus made Himself of no reputation.
But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
a. But made Himself of no reputation: The more common (and well-known) translation of this is
that He emptied Himself. From the ancient Greek word emptied (kenosis) came
the idea that Jesus’ incarnation was essentially a self-emptying.
i. We must carefully think about what Jesus emptied Himself of. Paul will tell us
plainly in the following verses, but we must take care that we do not think
that Jesus emptied Himself of His deity in any way.
ii. Some develop the kenotic theory of the incarnation to the point where they insist
that Jesus divested Himself of many of the attributes of deity - such as
omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, and even suffered the elimination of
His own divine self-consciousness. Yet Jesus did not (and could not) become “less God” in the incarnation. No deity was subtracted (though he did renounce some
of the rights of deity); rather humanity was added to His nature.
iii. “During his humiliation, as God and equal with the Father, was no encroachment on the Divine prerogative; for, as he had an equality of nature, he had an equality of rights.” (Clarke)
iv. “His condescension was free, and unconstrained with the consent of his Father . . . the Son of the Highest can, at his own pleasure, show or eclipse his own glorious brightness, abate or let out his fullness, exalt or abase himself in respect of us.” (Poole)
v.
“Even as a king, by laying aside the tokens of his royalty, and putting on the
habit of a merchant, when all the while he ceaseth not to be a king, or the
highest in his own dominions.” (Poole)
b. Taking the form of a bondservant: This describes how
Jesus emptied Himself. Though he took the form of a bondservant, Jesus did not empty Himself of His deity or of any of
His attributes; or of His equality with God. He emptied Himself into the form of a bondservant, not merely the form of a man.
i. Taking (the
ancient Greek word labon) does not
imply an exchange, but an addition.
c. Coming in the likeness of men: This further
describes how Jesus emptied Himself. We can think
of someone who is a servant, but not in the likeness of men. Angels are servants, but not in the likeness of men.
In fairy tales, Aladdin’s Genie was a servant,
but not in the likeness
of men.
i. The word for likeness here may refer to merely the outward form of something. While
Jesus did have the outward form of humanity, the outward form reflected His
true humanity, which was added to His deity.
ii. “It was a likeness, but a real likeness, no mere
phantom humanity as the Docetic Gnostics held.” (Robertson)
5. (8) The extent of Jesus’ self-emptying.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
a. He humbled Himself and became obedient: Jesus humbled Himself when He became obedient. This was something that Jesus could only experience by coming down from the throne of heaven and becoming a man. When God sits enthroned in heaven’s glory, there is no one He obeys. Jesus had to leave heaven’s glory and be found in appearance as a man in order to become obedient.
i. One key to Jesus’ obedience on earth was the endurance
of suffering. This again was something He could only learn by experience after
the incarnation. As it is written: though
He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
(Hebrews 5:8)
ii. Indeed, He humbled Himself.
· He was humble in that he took the form of a man, and not a more glorious creature like an angel.
· He was humble in that He was born into an obscure, oppressed place.
· He was humble in that He was born into poverty, among a despised people.
· He was humble in that He was born as a child instead of appearing as a man.
· He was humble in submitting to the obedience of a child in a household.
· He was humble in learning and practicing a trade – and a humble trade of a builder.
· He was humble in the long wait until He launched out into public ministry.
· He was humble in the companions and disciples He chose.
· He was humble in the audience He appealed to and the way He taught.
· He was humble in the temptations He allowed and endured.
· He was humble in the weakness, hunger, thirst, and tiredness He endured.
· He was humble in His total obedience to His Heavenly Father.
· He was humble in His submission to the Holy Spirit.
· He was humble in choosing and submitting to the death of the cross.
· He was humble in the agony of His death.
· He was humble in the shame, mocking, and public humiliation of His death.
·
He was humble in enduring the spiritual agony of
His sacrifice on the cross.
iii. We can imagine that it was possible for the
Son of God to become man and pay for the sins of the world without this great
humiliation. He might have added the humanity of a 33-year old man to his
deity. He might have appeared before man only in His transfigured glory, and
taught men what they needed to hear from Him. He might have suffered for the
sins of man in a hidden place of the earth far from the eyes of man, or on the
dark side of the moon for that matter. Yet He did not; He humbled Himself, and did it
for the surpassing greatness of our salvation and His work for us.
b. To the point of death, even the death of the cross:
This states the extent of Jesus’ humility and
obedience.
i. Crucifixion was such a shameful death that it was
not permitted for Roman citizens (such as the people of Philippi). A victim of
crucifixion was considered by the Jews to be particularly cursed by God
(Deuteronomy 21:23 and Galatians 3:13).
ii. Robertson called the death of the cross “The bottom rung in the ladder from the Throne of God.
Jesus came all the way down to the most despised death of all, a condemned
criminal on the accursed cross.”
iii. Even the death of the cross shows that there is no limit to what God will do to
demonstrate His love and saving power to man; this was and forever will be the
ultimate. “What must sin have been in the sight of God, when it required
such abasement in Jesus Christ to make an atonement for it, and undo its influence and malignity!”
(Clarke)
iv. “The lower he stoops to save us, the higher we ought
to lift him in our adoring reverence. Blessed be his name, he stoops, and
stoops, and stoops, and, when he reaches our level, and becomes man, he still
stoops, and stoops, and stoops lower and deeper yet.” (Spurgeon)
c. Even the death of the cross: All of this was a great display of the power of Jesus.
Remember that because of Paul’s past experience among the Philippians, they
were tempted to think of God’s power as
being expressed only in exaltation and deliverance and not in terms of
glorifying God through humble service and endurance.
i. In this, Paul reminded the Philippians that his
current place of humble circumstances (his Roman imprisonment) could still show
forth the glory and power of God, even as Jesus did in His humility.
C. Jesus, the ultimate example of exaltation after
humility.
1. (9) The exaltation of Jesus Christ.
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
a. Therefore God has also highly exalted Him: This is the general heading for the material in the next
three verses. These words describe how God has exalted Jesus. Indeed, highly exalted could also be translated “super exalted.”
i. “The Greek elegancy imports superexalted, or
exalted with all exaltation.” (Poole)
ii. “Now, just pause over this thought – that Christ did
not crown himself, but that his Father crowned him; that he did not elevate
himself to the throne of majesty, but that his Father lifted him there, and
placed him on his throne.” (Spurgeon)
b. Given Him the name which above every name: This not only gives Jesus the Divine name Yahweh, but
also implies that God has declared that Jesus has the character and person
above all others, when we consider the importance of the Hebrew concept of the name.
i. This verse, with its clear statement of Jesus’
deity, is powerful ammunition against those who deny the deity of Jesus Christ.
There is no higher name than Yahweh, and Jesus has that name.
2. (10-11) The subjection of the whole creation to
Jesus.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
a. That at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow: Not only is
Jesus exalted by the Father, but the whole world is brought into submission to
the Son.
i. “Paul does not imply by this a universal salvation,
but means that every personal being will ultimately confess Christ’s lordship,
either with joyful faith or with resentment and despair.” (Kent)
b. Those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under
the earth: This conveys the absolute
totality of all creation recognizing the superiority of Jesus Christ.
i. In this, Paul draws on the idea of Isaiah 45:23: I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone
out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee
shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. Notice that in Isaiah, it is to
Yahweh that all knees bow and tongues confess. In Philippians it is to Jesus,
showing that Jesus is Yahweh.
ii. Those under the earth: “Either the dead,
who are hid in the earth, and shall be raised by the power of Christ . . . or,
devils, and wicked souls.” (Poole)
c. Every knee should bow . . . every tongue should confess: The
combination of tongues confessing and knees
bowing gives evidence that the idea is
a complete submission to Jesus, both in word and in action, and one that is
required of all.
i. The totality of this recognition of Jesus’ deity and
exaltation has caused many to envision this happening in formal way after the
final judgment, when every creature, in heaven and hell, is required to bow
their knees and make the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord.
d. That Jesus Christ is Lord: From this we can say that there is a sense in which Jesus returned to heaven with more than He had when He left. Not only did He return with His humanity still added to his deity (although a resurrected humanity), He also returned with the recognition planted among men of who He was and the worship He deserved - something unknown until the Incarnation and the full revelation of His person and work.
i. “He has always (in Paul’s view) shared in the Divine
nature. But it is only as the result of His Incarnation, Atonement,
Resurrection and Exaltation that He appears
to men as on an equality with God, that He is worshipped by them in the way in which Jehovah is worshipped.”
(Expositors)
ii. “He might have used the miraculous powers inherent
in His Divine nature in such a way as to compel men, without further ado, to
worship Him as God. Instead of that He was willing to attain this high dignity
by the path of humiliation, suffering and death.” (Expositors)
iii. All this must be seen in reference to the
humiliation described in Philippians 2:6-8; our tendency is to long for the
exaltation, but to forsake the humiliation.
e. Jesus Christ is Lord: The confession of Jesus Christ as Lord reminds us to consider the great significance of this
word kurios, especially as it was be
understood by the early church, who used the lxx
as their Bible - where kurios was
consistently used to translate the tetragrammaton, standing for the name Yahweh.
i. We also should not miss the significance that at a
later time in the Roman Empire, all residents of the Empire were required to
swear an oath of allegiance to the Emperor, declaring that Caesar is Lord, and burning a pinch of incense to an image of the
emperor. Though the Roman state saw this only as a display of political
allegiance, Christians rightly interpreted it as idolatry - and refused to
participate, often paying with their lives.
ii. Paul has no doubt who is really Lord - not the
Caesar whom he will stand trial before; Caesar
may be a high name, but it is not the name above all names, the name which
belongs to Jesus Christ!
f. Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father: Remember
that Paul did not give this description of Jesus in Philippians 2:5-11 simply
for the theological education of the Philippians.
·
He gave it to
equip them to endure the hardship they were experienced.
·
He gave it help
them to understand Paul’s hardships.
·
He gave it to help
them to practice real Christian unity in the midst of hard times.
i. This picture of Jesus has
helped them to understand how to assess the ministry of Paul, which seemed weak
at the present time.
ii. This picture helped them to
understand the context of God’s revelation of power - how God delights to show
His power through humble actions.
iii. This picture has equipped
them to act in a way towards each other that will promote unity in the body of
Christ.
iv. This picture has shown them
how to follow Jesus’ pattern of patient, humble obedience - something Paul will
call them to continue in the following verses.
D. Paul’s exhortation to
the Philippians.
1. (12) Working
out your own salvation.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
a. Therefore . . .
as you have always obeyed: We
should not miss the connection between the obedience Jesus showed (Philippians 2:8) and the obedience Paul expected of Christians as followers
of Jesus (Philippians 2:12).
b. Work out your own salvation: We know that Paul did not mean “work so as to earn your own salvation.” Such a statement
would contradict the whole of Paul’s gospel. What Paul did mean is to call the Philippians to put forth real effort into their
Christians lives. This is not to work their
salvation in the sense of accomplishing it, but to work out their salvation - to see
it evident in every area of their lives, to activate
this salvation God freely gave them.
i. Therefore, “These words, as they stand in the New
Testament, contain no exhortation to all men, but are directed to the people of
God. They are not intended as an exhortation to the unconverted; they are, as
we find them in the epistle, beyond all question addressed to those who are
already saved through a living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Spurgeon)
c. Work out your own salvation: There is a sense in which our salvation is
complete, in the sense that Jesus has done a complete work for us. Still there is also a sense in which our salvation is
incomplete, in that it is not yet a complete work in us.
i. “The believer must finish, must carry to conclusion,
must apply to its fullest consequences what is already given by God in
principle . . . He must work out what
God in His grace has worked in.”
(Muller)
ii. “Some professors appear to have imbibed the notion
that the grace of God is a kind of opium with which men may drug themselves
into slumber, and their passion for strong doses of sleepy doctrine grows with
that which it feeds on. “God works in us,” say they, “therefore there is
nothing for us to do.” Bad reasoning, false conclusion. God works, says the
text; therefore we must work out because God works in.” (Spurgeon)
ii. “He exhorts as if he were an Arminian in addressing
men. He prays as if he were a Calvinist in addressing God and feels no
inconsistency in the two attitudes. Paul makes no attempt to reconcile divine
sovereignty and human free agency, but boldly proclaims both.” (Robertson)
d. Your own salvation: This tells us to give attention to our own salvation.
Sometimes we show great concern for the work of God in others, and not enough
for His work in us. We should care about the souls of others, but this care
must begin with our own soul.
e. With fear and trembling: Paul’s idea was not that we should live our Christian
lives with a constant sense of fear and terror, but that we should live with a
fear of failing to work out your own salvation.
i. We work out our salvation with fear and
trembling; but it doesn’t have to be the fear of hell or damnation.
It may instead be the righteous and awe-filled reverence of God every believer
should have. It doesn’t have to be the trembling of a guilty sinner; it should instead
be the joyful trembling
of an encounter with the glory of God.
f. Now much more in my absence:
In context, Paul asked for this Christian work ethic (not a works
ethic) to be promoted all the more because of his absence.
2. (13) God’s work in you.
For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
a. For it is God who works in you: Paul here gave the reason why Christians must work out
their salvation with fear and trembling - because God is working in them.
i. We take comfort in it: God who works in
you. “Grace
all-sufficient dwells in you, believer. There is a living well within you
springing up; use the bucket, then; keep on drawing; you will never exhaust it;
there is a living source within.” (Spurgeon)
b. God . . . works in you: The idea is that since God has done and is doing a work
in the Christian, the Christian therefore has a greater responsibility to work
diligently with fear and trembling regarding their own salvation and walk with
the Lord. God’s work in us increases
our responsibility; it doesn’t lessen
it in any way.
i. Those that take God’s sovereignty and working and
use them as an excuse for inaction and lethargy are like the wicked and lazy
servant of Matthew 25:24-30.
ii. Those that are really God’s servants use their
understanding of His sovereignty and omnipotence as a motivation for greater,
more dedicated service to Him.
c. Both to will and to do: God’s work in us extends to the transformation of our will,
as well as changing our actions (to do). Yet
in light of the original exhortation to work
out your own salvation, this is not a passive transaction.
d. For His good pleasure: This is the motive behind God’s work in our life. He does so because it
gives Him pleasure
to do it.
3. (14-16) Practical ways to obey Paul’s exhortation.
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
a. Do all things without complaining and disputing:
There is a good deal of dispute among
commentators as to if this complaining and disputing refers to problems among the Philippians (such as
mentioned in Philippians 2:1-4) or if this refers to their attitude towards
God. Perhaps they resented God because of their present conflict (Philippians
1:27-30).
i. Because Paul specifically used terms that were used to describe Israel’s complaining towards God during the Exodus, it is probably best to see the complaining and disputing as including their attitude towards God. Spurgeon gives three examples of things we must not murmur against:
· The Providence of God
· One another
·
The ungodly world
ii. In this command, the emphasis falls on the words all things, which is actually the first word of the verse in the
ancient Greek text.
iii. “Dispute not with God; let him do what seemeth him
good. Dispute not with your fellow Christians, raise not railing accusations
against them. When Calvin was told that Luther had spoken ill of him, he said,
‘Let Luther call me devil if he please, I will never say of him but that he is
a most dear and valiant servant of the Lord.’ Raise not intricate and knotty
points by way of controversy.” (Spurgeon)
b. That you may become blameless and harmless, children of
God without fault: Through the display of a non-complaining spirit, we
show ourselves to be true followers of God.
i. Harmless can have
the thought of “pure” or “unalloyed.” But the translation as harmless is also justified (it is the
same word used in Matthew 10:16).
ii. “ ‘Be ye blameless and harmless,’ says the
apostle. The Greek word might be translated ‘hornless,’ as if ye were to be
creatures not only that do no harm, but could not do any; like sheep
that not only will not devour, but cannot devour, for it were
contrary to their nature; for they have no teeth with which to bite, no fangs
with which to sting, no poison with which to slay.” (Spurgeon)
c. In the midst of a crooked and perverse generation: This seems to refer back to Deuteronomy 32:5: They have corrupted themselves; they are not
His children, because of their blemish: A perverse and crooked generation.
Paul meant that modern Christians should not be
like rebellious Israel, who were constantly complaining and disputing with God during the wilderness sojourn.
d. Among whom you shine as lights in the world: This is not an encouragement to do something; it is a
simple statement of fact. Christians are
lights in the
world; the only question is, “How brightly do they shine?”
i. “Not lights
merely, but luminaries,
heavenly bodies. But this can hardly
be satisfactorily given in an English version.” (Alford)
ii.
We are to fulfill our place as lights in the world:
· Lights are used to make things evident.
· Lights are used to guide.
· Lights are used as a warning.
· Lights are used to bring cheer.
·
Lights are used to make things safe.
iii. Paul knew that the lights were in a bad
place. Instead of excusing the lights for not shining, Paul knew that their
position made it all the more important that they shine. Being in a dark place
is a greater incentive to shine.
e. Holding fast the word of life: The phrase holding fast could also be translated holding forth. Both meanings are true and Paul could have meant it in this dual sense. We hold fast - in the sense of holding strong - the word of life, and we also hold forth the word of life.
i. “It is not so much the conduct of the Philippians
that justifies the assertion that the shine as luminaries, it is their having life’s Word. This Word makes them
luminaries irrespective of what the world judges about it and about those who
have it.” (Lenski)
f. So that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not
run in vain or labored in vain: The
idea that Paul’s work might some how end up to be in vain was a troublesome
thought to him. He knew that his work really abided in people, so that if those people did not continue on strong with the
Lord, there was a sense in which his own ministry was in vain.
g. In the day of Christ: Paul looked forward to the day of Christ, and on that day he wanted to see and to know that his work was fruitful.
This was something he could only be assured of if the Philippians continued to
walk with the Lord.
i. This is the true heart of a shepherd: to have few
burdens for one’s self, but many for others; to not be content with one’s own
relationship with God, but also longing to see others walking with the Lord.
4. (17-18) Paul as an example of his own exhortation.
Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.
a. Poured out as a drink offering: Paul here alluded to a practice among both Jews and
pagans in their sacrifices. They often poured out wine (or sometimes perfume)
either beside (as in the Jewish practice) or upon (as in the pagan practice) an
animal that was sacrificed to God or pagan gods.
i. This is the drink offering, which accompanied another sacrifice, that is
mentioned in Numbers 15:4-5 and 28:7.
ii. The grammar of I am being poured out is in the present
tense. With this Paul indicated the possibility that his execution may be
immanent.
b. On the sacrifice and service of your faith:
The ancient Greek word translated service is leutrogia. It meant, “Service to God or
His cause . . . any priestly action or sacred performance.” (Muller) Therefore
in this verse we have a sacrifice, a priest, and an accompanying
libation that makes the sacrifice even more precious.
i. Since the sacrifice and service were connected with the faith of the Philippians, it is best to see Paul’s picture describing them as
the “priests” and their faith as the “sacrifice,” to which Paul added (and
thereby enriched) his martyrdom as a drink offering.
c. I am glad and rejoice . . . you also be glad and rejoice
with me: Paul looked forward to what might
be his imminent martyrdom, and expected the Philippians to be glad and rejoice with
him. Paul wasn’t being morbid here, asking the
Philippians to take joy in something as depressing as his death. Yet he did ask
the Philippians to see his death as something that would bring glory to God.
This is a theme repeated from Philippians 1:20.
i. Paul’s life was going to be a sacrifice for Jesus
Christ, either in life or in death. This was a source of gladness and joy for
Paul, and he wants the Philippians to adopt the same attitude.
ii. Again, we come to the consistent theme of
Philippians: joy. But this is joy based not on circumstances (quite the
opposite, really), but based in the fact of a life totally committed to Jesus
Christ.
E. Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus.
1. (19-22) Paul writes about Timothy and his soon
anticipated visit.
But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.
a. But I trust in the Lord: This showed Paul’s heart of true reliance upon the Lord. He wanted to see
Timothy among the Philippians, but recognized that it would happen God’s way
and in God’s timing.
b. That I also may
be encouraged when I know your state: Paul didn't expect problems from
the Philippians, as if they were one of his problem churches. Instead, he
expected that he would be encouraged when I know your state.
i. Contrast this with the attitude Paul conveyed to the
Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 13:2-3. The Corinthian church had much worse
problems than the Philippian church had.
c. Who will sincerely care for your state: When Paul sent Timothy he sent his best, a man who
showed a pastor’s heart and had greater concern for his sheep than for himself.
i. Paul recognized just how rare this kind of heart was
when he observed all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ
Jesus.
2. (23-24) Paul repeats his desire to come to the
Philippians in person, not only to send Timothy to them.
Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.
a. I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly:
Perhaps Paul was being careful to avoid the
accusation, “Paul wants to send Timothy because he really doesn’t want to be
here himself.” He clearly told the Philippians that he also wanted to come.
3. (25-26) Paul writes about Epaphroditus and his
coming to the Philippians.
Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
a. I considered it necessary to send to you: This undoubtedly meant that Epaphroditus took this letter
to the Philippians. It seems that Epaphroditus came
to Paul from the Philippians as a messenger, and he became sick while he was
with Paul.
b. My brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier: Paul gave these important titles to Epaphroditus. He
was a man Paul valued as a partner in the work of ministry.
i. There are three special relationships here mentioned:
·
Brother speaks of
a relationship to be enjoyed.
·
Worker speaks of
a job to be done.
·
Soldier speaks of
a battle to be fought.
c. Your messenger and the one who ministered to my need:
This means that Epaphroditus brought a gift of
financial support from the Philippians to Paul (Philippians 4:18).
i. Ministered has in
it the idea of a priestly service. When Epaphroditus brought the support money
from the Philippians to Paul in Rome, he brought a sacrifice.
d. Because you heard that he was sick: Epaphroditus was concerned because the Philippians
learned of his sickness and worried about him. The return of Epaphroditus would
give them peace of mind that their valued brother was in good condition.
i. It would also help Epaphroditus because he was longing
for you all and was distressed. He
greatly longed to see the Philippian Christians.
4. (27) Epaphroditus’ sickness and his recovery.
For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
a. For indeed he
was sick almost unto death: The sickness of Epaphroditus was no small thing; it was
almost
unto death. Yet God had mercy on
him and he recovered.
i. There is nothing in the text to indicate that this
was a miraculous healing, but Paul still saw God’s hand of mercy in his
recovery.
b. Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow: God’s mercy to Epaphroditus was also mercy to Paul. If
Epaphroditus had died, Paul would have had sorrow upon sorrow, not only because a valued brother, worker, and
soldier for Christ was no longer on this earth. He would also have sorrow upon
sorrow because it all happened
when Epaphroditus came on behalf of the Philippians to minister to Paul’s
material and spiritual needs while Paul was in prison in Rome.
5. (28-30) Paul’s instructions to the Philippians on
how to receive Epaphroditus as he returns to them.
Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.
a. I sent him the more eagerly: Paul was eager to re-unite the Philippians with their
beloved brother Epaphroditus, and reminded the Philippians to give him proper
recognition when he returned (hold such men in esteem).
i. Probably, the Philippians sent Epaphroditus not only
as a messenger, but also to be a personal attendant to Paul on behalf of the
Philippians. When illness prevented Epaphroditus from doing this, he may have
seemed like a failure (perhaps even a malingerer) in the eyes of the
Philippians. Paul assured them this was not the case; in fact, it was just the
opposite - Epaphroditus served above and beyond the call of duty.
b. Because for the work of Christ he came close to death: It was for the work of Christ that Epaphroditus came close to death. Even though his work was mostly that of being a messenger and not anything particularly spiritual, it was still the work of Christ.
c. Not regarding his life: The willingness to put the work of Christ first and his own personal safety and concern second
displayed the noble heart of Epaphroditus.
i. The ancient Greek phrase not regarding his life uses a gambler’s word that meant to risk everything on
the roll of the dice. Paul wrote that for the sake of Jesus Christ,
Epaphroditus was willing to gamble everything.
ii. In the days of the Early Church there was an
association of men and women who called themselves the gamblers, taken from this same ancient Greek word. It was their
aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those who were ill with
dangerous and infectious diseases. Often, when plague struck a city the heathen
threw the dead bodies into the streets and fled in terror. But the gamblers buried the dead and helped the
sick the best they could, and so risked their lives to show the love of Jesus.
iii. “It seems plain from this expression that
Epaphroditus’ illness was the consequence not of persecution but of
over-exertion.” (Lightfoot)
d. To supply what
was lacking in your service toward me: Epaphroditus did this by actually bringing the support that the Philippians
gave. There was a lack in all the
Philippians’ generosity and good intentions until the gift finally made its way
to Paul’s need.
i. We should have the heart that there is something lacking in our service until the job is done. We should not be
satisfied with good intentions or a half-done job.
© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission