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Stonework in ancient Philippi

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these studies were first written as full studies in 2007

Bible study for Philippians 1:1,2

Philippians 1:1,2 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

The opening of Paul’s letter to the Philippians reflects a warm and friendly relationship between Paul and the Christians there.  Paul had founded the church there a decade or so earlier.

It may be something of a surprise to begin this study with a passage as brief as this.  However, each phrase within these two verses at the beginning of Philippians is rich with meaning.  We may be used to reading these words quickly, but we should not forget the extraordinary power they had in their day.  They would have immediately arrested the attention of Paul’s readers. 

To begin with, Philippi itself was a significant city.  It was an important Roman administration centre for the region of Macedonia, standing at the cross-roads of commercial traffic between East and West, on the northern shores of the Aegean Sea.  It was a city of great contrasts, with people of many different beliefs, and the story of the founding of the church (Acts 16:11f.) describes considerable opposition to the Gospel.

Paul and Silas founded the church at Philippi (Acts 16:11f.) after being obedient to a vision to go to Macedonia.  They had just met Timothy at Derbe (Acts 16:1,2), and it is likely that he travelled with them to Philippi; this could explain why Timothy is mentioned here and also later in Philippians (2:19ff).  Paul and Silas were famously released from imprisonment at Philippi by an earthquake (Acts 16:18), and this led to the conversion of the gaoler and his household (Acts 16:25-34).  It was a dramatic start to the life of the church at Philippi, and the beginnings of a warm relationship with their founder, Paul.

The letter begins with Paul describing himself and Timothy as ‘slaves of Christ Jesus’ (1:1).  Firstly, this emphasises the supreme importance of Jesus Christ to the Gospel and to all Christians.  Paul keeps this focus throughout the letter, which contains one of the most remarkable descriptions of the work of Christ found in Scripture (2:1-11).  Secondly, by calling themselves ‘slaves’, Paul and Timothy presented themselves as wholly committed to the Lord and the service of the Gospel.  In their day, people understood that slaves lived in bonded service to their masters for the whole of their lives.

In comparison to this, Paul then addressed the Philippian Christians as ‘saints’ (1:1).  This means ‘holy ones’, and does not refer to special Christians with great faith!  In Paul’s day, all who accepted Christ by faith and were baptised were ‘saints’, and this reminds us that God makes His people holy in His sight.  We should not distance ourselves from this blessing!

Verse 2 goes on to address the ‘bishops’ and ‘deacons’ at Philippi.  Now today, these titles define clerical positions within the church, but there is a vast difference between this and Paul’s use of the words here.  The word ‘bishop’ simply means ‘overseer’, and the word ‘deacon’ means ‘helper’, in the sense that the Philippian church was run by a combination of people who had oversight and those who helped to do things.  There is much wisdom in this effective principle of organisation, and this is far removed from the complex status issues surrounding those who bear these titles today.  Scriptures certainly point us towards a far more healthy concept of church leadership than is sometimes found today, and it is based on the holiness of all Christians and the humble oversight and service of its leaders.

Lastly, the second verse contains the formal greeting of Paul to the whole church at Philippi, in which he says ‘grace and peace …’.  These words are found at the beginning and end of almost all of Paul’s letters, and they are clearly a special signature of his writing.  The two words combine the traditional Greek greeting of ‘grace’ implying favour and generosity, with the ancient Hebrew greeting of ‘peace’ (Hebrew ‘shalom’) meaning everything from ‘good health’ to ‘quiet living’!  The phrase ‘grace and peace’ is very familiar to Christians today but it is worth remembering that together, these words create a unique sense of harmony within the divided world of Jew and Gentile.

There is much to be found in these verses.  However, we must not forget that they are Paul’s warm greeting to every member of the Philippian church, people he regarded as the holy people of God at Philippi, beloved not just by him, but by the Lord.

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Paul and Timothy, slaves of our Lord Jesus Christ
• The ‘saints’ at Philippi
• The bishops and deacons
• Grace and peace, God and Jesus

Philippians 1:1,2 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

There are a number of issues to explore further, but amongst them are the use of the terms ‘saints’, ‘bishops’ and ‘deacons’.  Over the centuries, people have argued about the meaning of these words here, and you may have strong opinions about this yourself.  As we study this passage further, we will look at them not according to their use within the history of the church, but in the light of their use in this letter.  Paul’s purpose was to speak to the Philippian church about their own problems, and to encourage them to focus everything on their life in Christ.

Paul and Timothy, slaves of our Lord Christ Jesus

Philippians begins with Paul’s introduction of himself and his companion Timothy.  It is well known that the two of them were close, and he regarded Timothy as a junior associate, a ‘loyal child in the faith’ (1 Tim 1:2), having first come across him in Derbe during his travels (Acts 16:2).  Nowhere else, however, does Paul include him in his greetings to a church, and so this must be important.  One explanation of this has been that Timothy was in prison with Paul at the time of writing.  However, there is no historical or scriptural proof of this), or that Timothy even wrote the letter (this is at best, only an assumption).  It is best to assume that Paul and Timothy were in close fellowship at the time of Paul’s imprisonment, and Paul planned to send Timothy to Philippi.  This is the subject of a later paragraph in the letter (Phil 2:19ff) in which Paul writes as if to commend Timothy, asking the Philippians to receive Timothy as they would receive himself (2:22).

In verse 1 we come across the phrase ‘slaves of Christ Jesus’ which jars on our ears because it is not language we would use today.  It would be possible to translate this ‘servants …’, but it would not do justice to the word itself or the depth of meaning that this sentence contains.  Slavery is outlawed today, though it does exist in various insipid forms throughout the world; but in the Roman Empire, slavery was a fact of life and scripture mostly accepts it as such.  While this may offend us, we should be careful not to throw out what scripture means when the word is used, particularly when describing an aspect of our relationship with God.

Paul knew, as did anyone of his day, that slavery meant total subjection to the will of another person; a servitude in which there were no rights or freedoms because a slave was not simply at the mercy of a master for the purposes of work, but also for food, clothing and living.  When Paul used the term ‘slave of Jesus Christ’, he meant that he placed himself voluntarily and totally at the complete service of his ‘master’ Jesus Christ.  Indeed, the normal word for a ‘master’ who owned slaves in Greek was ‘kurios’ which we now translate and use as ‘Lord’; and we all know that Paul frequently called Jesus ‘Lord’ and have copied him by doing the same!  In this title, Paul talked of himself and Timothy as such slaves, as an example to all others who called Jesus ‘Lord’ (see also Romans 6:18-22; 7:1-6; Gal 4:8,9), and as an example to us.

The ‘saints’ at Philippi

Paul began his letter by introducing himself and his colleague Timothy; but he went on to address the whole church at Philippi, beginning not with any of the leaders, but with the whole congregation which he called ‘all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi’.  The first word in the Greek sentence was ‘all’, which emphasised the church as a being unity.  In this way, Paul made it clear that his message was not just for church leaders or for one group of Christians or another; it was for the whole church, without distinction or exception.  The leaders had no priority, because all were slaves of Jesus Christ, and all other roles were secondary; would that the church today expressed this truth with such clarity!

Paul described the whole of the church as ‘the saints’, in other words, ‘the holy ones’.  Up to this point in time, holiness was regarded in the Old Testament as a special gift of God.  For example, the priests were regarded as ‘holy’ because they had a special role in the life of God’s people (Ex 29:30 etc.), and the city of Jerusalem itself was described as ‘holy’ because it was the special dwelling place of God (Is 60:14).  Holiness was a property of God that he granted to people or things which had some special purpose.  Paul, for the first time in history, expressed the truth of what Jesus had done for all on the Cross by describing all believers as God’s ‘Holy’ people, in other words, His ‘saints’.  Holiness is therefore not about goodness or other human qualities, but the gracious gift of God to all believers.  It is utterly tragic when people persist with the view that sainthood is some spiritual quality attained only by a few; it is the gift of God to all who believe.

In the same sentence, Paul describes the ‘saints’ at Philippi as being ‘in Christ Jesus’.  This is a unique phrase of Paul’s which he uses more than 160 times in his letters to summarise everything he meant about our relationship with God through Jesus.  To say we are ‘in Christ’ means that we are in unity with our Lord and His purposes for the whole world, and we are a part of our Lord’s work as His instruments.  It also means that we find our fulfilment and destiny in Jesus because of His salvation, and in this sense we are ‘in Christ’, and not ‘in Adam’. Paul used these words throughout his letters to convey these deep and abiding truths, and he did this so successfully that Christians use the phrase today almost without thinking!

The bishops and deacons

The words ‘bishop’ and ‘deacon’ conjure up pictures of people of grand church office.  That is not as true for deacons as for bishops, but the reasons for these developments are historic.  The word ‘bishop’ comes from the Greek word ‘episcopos’ meaning ‘overseer’, and the word ‘deacon’ comes from the Greek ‘diakonos’ meaning ‘helper’.  The role of bishops has developed through history, and commonly means the most senior church official in an ecclesiastical region (often based on a city or town).  The word deacon has been used variously by churches for centuries, and has generally refers to a junior official or ‘helper’ within a church.  Frankly, the origins of these words and the offices they may represent are far removed from our modern practices.

The bishops and deacons in Philippi were certainly leaders, but they were regarded by Paul as slaves not just of Jesus Christ, but also of all the ‘saints’; that is, of everyone.  Such leadership was true to Jesus’ teaching about servanthood (John 13:1-11, for example), and utterly foreign to the pomp associated with these offices today despite the great humility of some who have held them over the years.  Some churches insist that there can only be one bishop within any area, yet even this bears no connection to Paul’s words here in Philippians, which refer to many bishops (plural) at Philippi.  Church officials with such titles were regarded as people who performed the necessary duties of organising the church, whether in money, for the distribution of alms or in the exercise of the gifts of leadership (see Ephesians 4:11).  It is certainly noticeable that bishops, deacons and elders (various church leaders today) are not included in any of the famous lists of spiritual gifts (e.g. 1 Cor 12:4-11).

It is best to make no connection between the way Paul speaks of bishops and deacons in Philippians and our use of these words today, but to find in them a general reference by Paul to those who had administrative and pastoral roles in the church, stressing that they were ’slaves’ of Christ. His reasons for doing this become clear later, as his letter increasingly emphasises the unity of believers.

Grace and Peace; God and Jesus

In the second verse of the first chapter of Philippians, Paul makes his greeting to the Christians at Philippi, again using words which have become very familiar to us today; ‘grace and peace …’.  If we could time-travel back to ancient times this phrase would seem strikingly odd to us.  The word ‘grace’ is the Greek word ‘charis’ which was generally used in the Gentile world as a greeting which expressed favour and good will.  In the Jewish world (as well as other more oriental cultures), the favoured greeting was the word ‘peace’ which we know as ‘shalom’ in Hebrew.  By putting the two words together, Paul expressed a greeting which brought together the ancient and the modern, the oriental and the Greek.  The words would have sounded most odd in the ears of those to whom he spoke; yet it was Paul’s favourite greeting, used at the beginning of nearly all his letters (Rom 1:7, 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3 etc.).

Paul added to this greeting that he brought it as from ‘God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ’.  In saying this, he made a statement of faith that the Jesus he believed in was indeed the Son of God, and was also the ‘Lord’, for whom his life was given in slavery.  It is also thought that Paul specifically described God as ‘the Father’ because Jesus mostly spoke about God in this way; as we see, for example, in the Lord’s prayer (Matt 6:9-13).  The whole greeting was a powerful expression of Paul’s own faith and his belief that the message of the Gospel was for all peoples, Jew and Gentile alike; and that through mutual service within the church as slaves of Christ Jesus, the Lord’s commission to spread the Good News would be fulfilled.

Philippians 1:1,2 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

There is far more Christian theology and teaching within these verses than we might think, and this is because simplicity often disguises depth and quality of thinking.  Paul did not write these words casually, but from the wisdom of his soul was able to write succinctly and profoundly.  We should at least dwell n the fact that Paul loved and valued the church at Philippi, and in an age in which it is fashionable to dislike the church and put it down, his warm words of greeting remind us to think again about our often negative attitude towards the people of God.

Firstly, Paul demonstrates key qualities of Christian leadership in the way he addresses the Philippians, for his opening words indicate that he places the service of the Lord and love for people at the forefront of his ministry.  Any leadership of God’s people that has lost sight of this godly priority has lost its way.  Leadership within the church, whatever titles and roles are necessary because of the way the church functions, needs to keep close to this scriptural wisdom if the church of God is to fulfil its mission in the world.

Secondly, Paul’s brief comment about bishops and deacons has often been used as a ‘proof text’, quoted in support of the idea that the office of bishops and deacons is scriptural.  How sad it is that we use scripture like this!  A plain reading of scripture quickly yields the fact that Paul says nothing here about the structure of Christian leadership in the early church.  He simply refers to the leaders of the Philippians church as people who have oversight of the work of the church and help it do its tasks.  There is a vast gap between the utter simplicity of this reference and the inordinately complex church offices that are conjured in our minds today by these words.

Next, Paul’s characteristic greeting of ‘grace and peace’ has much to teach us today.  At the very least, they challenge us to have an open attitude of graciousness and peace towards all who we meet today, even if they are people we think of as cultural enemies.  Elsewhere in his writing Paul explains that God Himself has this attitude of acceptance towards sinful people, so we should take His example and follow His lead.  The words themselves are extensively used in Scripture and can teach us much.

Philippians 1:1,2 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. How easy do you find it to think of the people in your church as ‘saints’?  Is it always right so to do?
2. After reading this study, discuss with others what you feel about the role of bishops (overseers) in the life of the church today.
3. What words of greeting can we use today to demonstrate our open and loving approach to others, and also God’s acceptance of all who turn to Him in faith?

Personal comments by author

It is often thought right to aim to practice the simple truths of the early church.  However, it is possible to be led astray by this quest if this means turning our backs on the spiritual lessons learned by our ancestors.  Sp when Christians call for a return to the days of the early church, I hope they mean not only joy and liberty in the spirit, but also a generosity of heart and warmth of fellowship such as found in Philippians.  True fellowship is a precious thing, and it is not elusive if people accept that it is found in Christ, and Christ alone.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• What do you think about the church today?  Is it a ‘structure’ imposed upon people, which has little contact with real world?  Is it a building where worship takes place which testifies to the whole community? Come before the Lord in prayer to submit to Him your attitudes and feelings towards the church.
• Write down some of the common attitudes towards the church you have come across.  Compare these with what is to be found in scriptures, at least in this text, and ask yourself whether there is anything you should do to try and bridge the gap between what people think and what scripture says.

Final Prayer

Keep me in Your presence this day, O Lord.  Keep me close to Your side as I walk the path before me; then, when difficulty comes, may I have confidence to deal with everything in the way You would wish of me.  Thank You Lord;       AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 1:3-8

Philippians 1:3-8 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

These verses say much about Paul’s relationship with the Philippians.  He prayed for his friends there and clearly trusted their ability to proclaim the Gospel.

There is no doubt that Paul founded the church at Philippi (Acts 16), and this accounts for the evident warmth of this letter.  He begins by greeting the church (1:1,2) and then speaks about his prayers for them (1:3-6), emphasising their shared experiences of the evangelistic task.  Certainly, the fellowship at Philippi proved to be a springboard for the growth of the church in that region of the Roman Empire.

If you read the beginning of any of Paul’s letters, you will find that most of them include a phrase similar to that found here; ‘I thank my God every time I remember you in my prayers ...’ (Rom 1:9, 1 Cor 1:4, 2 Cor 1:11, Eph 1:16, Phil 1:4, Col 1:3, 1 Thess 1:2, 2 Thess 1:3, 1 Tim 2:1).  Moreover, this expression of thanks and prayer reflects something of the reason for each letter.  When Paul wrote to the Romans, for example, he prayed about coming to Rome and announcing the Gospel at the heart of the Capital; or when Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians), he prayed about spiritual riches and being focussed on Christ, before speaking strongly about Christian unity (1 Cor 1-3) and the spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12, 13).  So here in this reading, Paul writes to the Philippians about faithfulness and standing firm the proclamation of the Gospel (1:6), and we will find that this is a basic theme of the whole letter.  Later on, we will find that the Philippian Christians seem to have had some problems with Christian doctrine, but this had not damaged their relationship with Paul, and he was able to tell them the truth without the difficulty of personal animosities.

In this passage, we discover that Paul was in prison when he wrote this great letter (1:7).  Whilst writing, it was perhaps poignant for him to remember that he had been miraculously released from prison when he had first visited Philippi (Acts 16:26f.).  But now, this great evangelist who had once travelled freely around the Roman Empire was bound and unable to evangelise openly.  Yet this appears to have been God’s will for Paul, and his captivity meant that important letters of encouragement were written and Paul was able to pray for the work of the Gospel in churches throughout the Empire.  We cannot underestimate the value of these things.

Significantly, this passage shows that Paul prayerfully placed his trust in others to carry out the work he had started.  He was able to do this because from the beginning, the Philippians had shared ‘in the Gospel from the first day until now’ (1:5); they had also ‘shared in God’s grace with me’ (1:7).  This sharing gave Paul confidence that the work of the Gospel that had been started would be completed (1:6).  Now today, we live in a world in which great leaders frequently find it hard to stand back and trust others for what they once did, and perhaps out of false pride, some will not hand on to others the baton of leadership.  In contrast, Paul demonstrates here the godliness of trusting others with the work of God, and it we should learn from him.

We can also learn from Paul’s dedication to prayer, for through prayer, he was able to use the time available to him fruitfully.  The phrase ‘I never cease to pray with joy’ (1:4) could mean simply that Paul was joyful whenever he prayed for the Philippians.  However, this phrase is not straightforward and contains a hint of far more, and it could well indicate that Paul’s prayers were frequent.  He was able therefore to demonstrate the value of using every situation to serve God and others.

People can be tempted to think that passages such as this are merely the natural expression of sentiment at the beginning of a letter, but it contains some valuable insight.  Paul was not just a great evangelist and Christian leader, merely because of the churches he had founded.  He was a great man of God because he was able and willing to share the work of the Gospel and not dominate it.  Moreover, he used all the circumstances of life to work for the Kingdom, including imprisonment. 

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Thanks, joy and prayers
• Fellowship and sharing
• Sharing in suffering and the defence of the Gospel

Philippians 1:3-8 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

The structure of this passage is straightforward.  Paul begins his letter to the Philippians with a characteristic expression of joy and thanksgiving for the life of the church; and he goes on to offer prayers for them and showing insight into the whole New Testament understanding of Christian love and fellowship.  Above all, Paul insists that Jesus Christ is at the centre of both out fellowship and our witness as His people in the world.

Thanks, joy and prayers

If you have not read Paul’s letter to the Philippians all the way through, you will probably not know that the last part of the letter is taken up with Paul’s express thanks to the Philippian church for sending him a gift (4:10ff).  Indeed, it appears from this final passage of the letter that the Philippians gave Paul gifts on a number of occasions; ‘you sent me help for my needs more than once’ (4:16).  The picture we gain is of a church very much concerned to maintain Paul in his missionary journeys and attempting to make sure that he was able to operate his mission free from financial and other material worries.  Those who do missionary work today know how important it is for such matters to be dealt with properly, and it is not surprising that Paul sounds indebted to the church for their support. Some have wondered how a church so far from the rest of Paul’s areas of work could keep in such regular contact, but we show our ignorance of the world of the Roman Empire if we doubt its ability to transmit frequent and secure goods and messages.  The speed of messages throughout the known world was a key feature of this ancient and impressive civilisation, and we often fail to appreciate this.

The key theme at the opening part of Paul’s greeting of the Philippians is prayer.  The New Testament often uses a word for prayer which reflects the Old Testament idea of prayer as praise to God, coming from a word meaning ‘to bow down’ (Greek – ‘proskuneo’).  It is very noticeable that in these verses Paul uses a different word, the ‘de’esis’.  This word coveys the idea of request, and lies at the heart of what today we describe as ‘intercession’ or ‘petition’.  It was also a word that was used to refer to the formal prayers said by Jews (and others) at set times of the day.  Therefore, when Paul said that he remembered the Philippian church in prayer, it is most likely that he prayed for them specifically at those set times of prayer, using information he had from letters about what was going on.  Paul was no stranger to spontaneous or spirit-led prayer, but neither was he a stranger to regular and sustained formal prayer which disciplined him in his faith and the proclamation of the Gospel.  Have you had the experience of being profoundly encouraged when someone you respect says that they do indeed pray for you regularly?  Then you will know how the Philippians felt when reading this letter.

Paul prayed fervently and personally to God.  His opening words were ‘I thank my God …’, in which that little word ‘my’ reflects Paul’s personal assurance of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  It was a form of address to God which may have sounded outlandish to those who first heard it, especially Jews!  His prayers, whatever the circumstances under which the letter was sent and received, were a matter of joy for Paul (1:4).  As will become clear later, joy in the midst of suffering is a general theme of his letter, and either joy or rejoicing are mentioned over 14 times.  Today, we think of joy as being a brief emotion, something that has to be inspired or created by something!  However, the Greek word means something quite different, as it refers to a state of contentment and happiness due to having found peace.  Joy, for Paul, was therefore not an emotion or mood but a permanent characteristic of one who had found salvation in Jesus Christ!  This, surely, is a scriptural truth of great value, for it is God’s gift to us!

Fellowship and sharing

In verses 5 and 6, Paul’s letter turns towards the subject of fellowship, and our sharing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul was utterly convinced of the supreme value of the Gospel for all people, and he therefore measured all human experiences against it.  The Greek word he used for fellowship is ‘koinonia’, and although this is well known in Christian circles, its real significance in Paul’s letters often remains misunderstood.  The word generally refers to a common ownership of something of great value, and suggests that individuals place to one side personal issues for the greater value of what is possessed together; in this case, the Gospel.

I am aware that this study may be coming across as something of a ‘word study’, but a proper understanding of what scripture says about fellowship is essential.  Fellowship is not based upon common likes or dislikes, personality traits or even localities or areas, it is based completely upon our ownership of the Gospel which God has given us all through Jesus Christ.  If our church life is based on an idea of ‘fellowship’ which expresses, for example, our worship preferences or our likes or dislikes of various church leaders, then we have departed from the scriptural foundations of true fellowship. There is little theological disagreement about this, and therefore little room for us to try and wiggle our way out of this scriptural truth.  The value of the Gospel is far higher than anything else, and we must therefore declare, with intent and purpose, that what binds us together in Christ is greater than all the personal, earthly or cultural issues that divide us.  There is no other Gospel, however we organise our church life.

Paul’s world of mission across the expanse of the Roman Empire may have seemed farfetched to some in his own day, but the church at Philippi valued the Gospel so much that they were prepared to give generously to Paul without conditions and with complete trust (see 4:10ff and also 2 Cor 8:7,8).  In this way, the Gospel was proclaimed, even when Paul was in prison; the Philippians showed real Christian ‘koinonia’ through their gifts, and he showed them this same ‘koinonia’ in addressing them with love and affection even though they faced many problems as a church, both within their ranks, and from the enemy’s attacks on them ‘from without’.

If the church continued in this spirit of fellowship, of ‘koinonia’, Paul was confident that God would work through everything the Philippian church was doing.  There are a number of indications within Paul’s letter that there were problems within the fellowship at Philippi (see 1:15, 1:28, 2:14, 3:2 etc.) but he was confident that if the church kept the Gospel at its heart, then problems with opponents would be overcome.  For example, the ‘crooked and perverse world’ (2:15) and ‘enemies of the cross of Christ’ (3:17ff) would be overcome not through any merit of the church, but through its adherence to the fellowship of the Gospel.  Paul believed that God had given the Gospel to human hands, but it was something that remained in His ultimate control, and something that He would complete (1:5).  It was the practical evidence of the Philippian church’s ‘koinonia’ in caring for him that convinced Paul that the Lord was truly at work there.

Sharing in suffering and the defence of the Gospel

As Paul continued, verse 7 develops the same theme, with a sense of mutual care that is difficult to translate (as in verse 3).  Some versions of the Bible render this verse similarly to my translation: ‘it is right for me to think this of all of you who hold me in your heart’, and others render ‘it is right for me to think this of you as I hold you all in my heart’!  The Greek is quite unclear as to who is holding who in their heart; yet strangely, it hardly matters, for we feel that both must be equally true, because true Christian fellowship was surely at work.

Paul, however, writes from the position of one who was a prisoner; speaking of ‘my imprisonment and the defence and confirmation of the Gospel’ (1:7) which through fellowship, he saw as shared by the Philippian church.  This sentence is also very interesting, for Paul used two legal words ‘defence’ and ‘confirmation’ which would have been used in the formal legal proceedings against Paul and its presentation to the Imperial authorities in Rome.  The details of this are technical, but his use of these words adds to the sense that Paul saw even his trial and its consequences as part of God’s gracious plan for his life and the furtherance of the Gospel.  He also knew that the charge against him included the possibility of a death sentence.  This is something he spoke of in other letters as well as that to the Philippians, for example ‘I pray therefore that you may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.’ (Ephesians 3:13); also ‘I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake.‘ (Col 1:24).  It was an extraordinary statement of confidence in the purposes of God and the fellowship of the church under the most extreme personal pressure.

Philippians 1:3-8 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

The words of this letter of Paul may seem to us at first to be warm and heartening, and indeed they are.  Yet they hide an astonishing confidence in the ultimate purposes of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a confidence in the fellowship of the Church when it is based on the one true Gospel.  This is a great challenge for us today, who live in an age when the body of Christ is torn apart by divisions of every kind, based on everything from personal preference to culture.  The greetings Paul gives to the churches in his letters, together with the famous prayer of Jesus in John 17 are surely a powerful challenge to all Christians today to work together for the sake of the Gospel we proclaim to a divided world.  Satan has worked hard to divide Christians from each other and make it appear that we are more divided than the sinful world we seek to claim for Him.  He is wrong, and we need to show this in concrete and practical ways.  This is one reason why this website avoids any particular reference to the church in which I am ordained as a minister of the Gospel.  I am not ashamed of my church or of anyone else’s, but I am concerned that people today make quick assumptions about what they will and won’t hear from this or that Church source, and my purpose is to proclaim Gospel truth, not the doctrine or practices of any particular part of God’s church.

These verses also contain other challenges.  They invite us to maintain regular and disciplined prayer, for example (see notes on verses 3 and 4) and they speak of the duty of God’s people to provide the sustenance of those who work for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that they do not have to face hardship.  These are serious issues with immediate and direct consequences.  However, the foremost challenge of this scripture must surely be the call to our common heritage and fellowship in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which alone will sustain us to the day of the Lord when Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:3-8 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. Is joy just an emotion?  Share your experiences of joy and also the wide variety of circumstances in which you are joyful.  What does joy mean to you?
2. What does Christian fellowship mean to you, and how can this be strengthened?
3. In a group, each person should write down one sentence to summarise the Gospel.  Share these sentences and discuss what you find within them.

Personal comments by author

I find such passages of scripture deeply challenging, and if you read these studies regularly, you may have noticed my regular references to the importance of unity amongst God’s people.  However, it is scripture which constantly raises this matter, and I insist that the scriptures tell us that the church of God is always far less than it could or should be if it does not reflect the unity of God Himself.  The Bible offers us no other way for the effective proclamation of the Gospel than to be united in Christ, but few think this is worth pursuing!  It is astonishing!

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• How could you apply any of the Scriptures you have read today?  These verses constitute a powerful challenge to our attitudes to fellowship and related issues of church life today.  Ask the Lord to help you change your attitude and feelings about the church.
• Can you say with conviction that the Gospel is the overriding factor in everything you do within your church fellowship?  Pray about this and seek more fellowship in your church, not less.

Final Prayer

You have led us through this day, O Lord.  You have led us through things we knew about, and experiences we had not known were coming, and You have been there all the time.  Forgive us for when we have doubted You or ignored Your presence, and give us joy again when this day ends; through Jesus Christ we pray.    AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 1:8-11

Philippians 1:8-11 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

This is Paul’s prayer for the church at Philippi.  It is a fascinating and succinct guide to Christian living, which is well worth our careful attention.

After a short introduction (1:8), this reading contains Paul’s prayer for Philippian church, and it is full of the same sense of warm fellowship we found in yesterday’s passage.  Paul speaks of feeling ‘deeply’ for his friends, and his feelings are expressed within a prayer (1:9-11).  This prayer is all one sentence, and it flows from one topic to another, but it conveys far more than mere sentiment.  It is a heartfelt call to the Philippians to put into practice the Gospel they have received, and do this for the praise and glory of God.  They are called to ‘produce the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ’ (1:11).

This all sounds very encouraging when first read, but because we are familiar with these words, it is easy for us to read them too quickly.  Our familiarity then means that we do not stop to consider carefully why Paul has written as he has.  These verses speak about love overflowing ‘more and more’ (1:9), about discernment (1:9), and also being ‘pure and blameless in the day of Christ’ (1:10).  Now we can all sing such phrases in songs of praise, but all who wish to get to grips with God’s Word will want to try and understand far more.

To begin with, Paul makes a series of prayerful requests (1:9,10), leading up to a climax, as follows

• That love may overflow ...
• That this may result in ‘knowledge’ and discernment
• Which leads to discernment in what is right and wrong
• So that the individual may be blameless before Christ

Each step is significant, and the whole pathway is a helpful guide to spiritual living.  Paul’s prayer suggests that the primary rule of Christian living is to act with love at all times.  Of course, Paul says a great deal about love within his letters and we can imagine that he said similar things within his preaching.  In general, his teaching is that love is not a sentimental human prop, but a tough, realistic and effective way of life that yields results.  Here, he says plainly that by overflowing with love in every aspect of life, the Christian will grow in knowledge of the things of God and gain the power of discernment of what is right and wrong.  This is a high prize indeed, and one to which we should surely aspire.

Paul’s prayer goes further than this, however, because it seems to have in mind a time in the future when Christians will stand before God to receive His judgement.  He prays that they will be found blameless ‘in the day of Christ’ (1:10), which surely means the day of His return.  Now in the first century, Christians did not distinguish between the day of Christ’s return and the day when someone might die, as we distinguish between them today.  For the individual, whichever came first would be a day of judgement before God and meeting with the risen Christ, and the early Christians were not afraid to think forward to such a time with joy and anticipation.  Here, Paul prays that when this time comes, his Philippian friends will be ‘pure and blameless’ (1:10) before God, and able to demonstrate the ‘fruit of righteousness’ (1:11), based on a life of godly living.

Here, Paul uses the phrase ‘fruit of righteousness’ to mean the evidence of a life lived for Christ Jesus, in His service and the service of others.  It is of course important to remember that this fruit of righteousness is not what saves people, for people are saved by Jesus Himself on the basis of their faith in Him.  The disciplines of daily living can never be presented as proof that someone is ‘saved’, they can only be proof that someone who has been saved has obediently put that faith into action, and lived for Christ.

So this passage is a summary prayer asking that God’s people might fulfil their calling and eventually stand faultless before God, and it contains more than a hint at how this result may be achieved.  There are many good summaries of Christian living in the New Testament (e.g. Rom. 12:1,2, Eph. 3:16-21 etc.) , and this one is worth remembering with the rest.

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Calling God as a witness  (1:8)
• A prayer for love and its consequences
• Knowledge and discernment
• The challenge to show the fruits of righteousness

Philippians 1:8-11 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

Our task today is to look more closely at Paul’s brief opening prayer for the Philippian church, a fellowship to which he felt so close.

Calling God as a witness  (1:8)

What is remarkable about verse 8 is the way in which Paul calls God as ‘witness’ to what he has just said about his affection for the Philippian church.  For a Jewish person, calling God as witness was just not done, for that was equivalent to breaking the third commandment; ‘You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God’ (Ex 20:7), commonly spoken of as ‘you shall not take the Lord’s name in vain’.  This much misunderstood commandment forbade a Jew from using the name of God to verify an oath or from calling on the Lord as a witness, as Paul does here, and he would have known this well.  What therefore would make Paul say something that could be badly misunderstood like this in his own day?  The answer lies in the Gospel relationship with God through Jesus Christ that Paul preached and believed.  If we look closely at what Paul said, he not only showed familiarity with God by calling him to witness to his affection for the church at Philippi, he also declared that his sentiments came from Jesus Christ Himself! (see end of verse 8).

This extraordinary verse could only come from Paul’s powerful sense of the presence of Christ with him ‘as God’ during the formal prayer times he had for the Philippian church (see yesterday’s study). In this private prayer, he believed that his unity in true fellowship with the Philippian church was something that was founded on the Gospel and the will of God, and he therefore used these powerful words to convey his belief that what he was saying to the church was God’s will.  We read verse 8 almost casually in the midst of what Paul says, but it is a remarkable declaration of confidence in the Christ and the Gospel.

A prayer for love and its consequences.

Paul’s prayer for the church begins in a way that appears to us to be typical of other prayers in the New Testament, asking the Lord for love, the supreme gift of the Holy Spirit, to be poured out in abundance on the church ‘that your love may overflow even more and more …’ (1:9).  Elsewhere, Paul’s famous ‘hymn of love’ (1 Cor. 13) describes love as the supreme gift of the Holy Spirit, and in Romans 8, Paul talks of the unsurpassed love of God with these words; ‘who will separate us from the love of God …’ (Rom 8:35) showing us that the source of all love is God Himself.  Again and again the New Testament emphasises the significance of love, in particular the love of Jesus on the Cross and the love of God shown in his resurrection. There was no better way to begin a prayer for a church so close to Paul’s heart.

But the love talked about in the New Testament is not sentimental love, sexual love, family love, or any other love based on emotional attachment.  The word used uniquely by the New Testament to convey the love of God is the Greek word ‘agape’ which is distinct from all these forms of love.  ‘Agape’ is characterised by two things, firstly an unchanging, faithful and undeservedly positive attitude towards others, and secondly, some specific, practical expression of that love.  God’s love for us is ‘agape’ love because it had all these characteristics and was demonstrated in the life and death of Jesus (Romans 5:8).  Jesus Himself urged us all to show these same qualities of love to each other (John 13:34).

Paul knew what he was talking about when he talked about ‘agape’ in his prayer for the Philippians, and his prayer was twofold; firstly, that love would not only ‘overflow’ from the church to others, but that it would do so ‘more and more’; Paul’s prayer was something of a call to both pastoral care and evangelism!  Secondly, however, this ‘agape’ love had to be shown in some way, and this is indicated by the two important words at the end of verse 9; the overflowing of love should result in ‘knowledge’ and ‘discernment’.  These words stop us in our tracks. They may not have been the first thing that entered our minds when thinking about the love of God and its Gospel benefits!

Knowledge and discernment

Here, knowledge does indeed mean knowledge of the mind, but it also means knowledge about God.  It is sometimes suggested today that knowledge and faith are somehow incompatible, and that whilst faith is all important, knowledge as such is secondary to what we mean by faith in Jesus Christ.  That is not what the Bible says, here or anywhere else.  When the Spirit of God moves amongst people, one thing that invariably happens is that those touched by the Lord find they have a desire to know more about God, through prayer, through reading God’s Word, the Bible, and through talking to other Christians. The acquisition of knowledge about the Lord is a direct consequence of the work of God in the heart of the believer, and this natural truth is an important part of Paul’s prayer.

Alongside knowledge, Paul mentions the gift of discernment, which means ‘to decide what is of genuine value … in the day of Christ’ (1:10).  The gift of discernment is listed as one of the spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:10) and is closely linked to the idea of Wisdom in the Old Testament (see Deut 4:6; Prov. 1:5 etc).  Discernment is commonly thought of as the ability to perceive what is of God and what is not; whether of evil or of the world.  Here, in Paul’s prayer for the Philippian church, he talks of it as a gift of God which enables us to perceive not just the difference between good and evil, but ‘what is … of value’ (1:10) in God’s eyes.  There are, for example, many good things that any of us might do at any moment, so discernment is about knowing the difference between what God wants us to do and what He wants us to leave alone!

When described like this, discernment is a really helpful gift, and is something that we would all value.  We can often feel that there are so many things that need our attention, so many people who need help, so many causes that need assistance or finance, for example, we do not know which should be given priority.  But we cannot escape the question about what should be given our priority, and this is where the gift of discernment comes in.  On the one hand, it is built on godly knowledge built up over years, and on the other hand, it is a gift of God through which He can inspire us to know the truth.

The challenge to demonstrate the fruits of righteousness

Such ‘knowledge and discernment’ are the direct result of the overflowing of love in the heart of a believer or in a church fellowship such as that at Philippi. They are the practical demonstration of that love as it becomes rooted in the hearts, making the believer ‘pure and blameless in the day of Christ’ (1:10).  Paul’s prayer for his beloved Philippian church was that not only would they respond to the Gospel and the love of God, but they would allow it to spill over in their lives, and thus grow in knowledge and discernment. In this way they could be confident that their work for the Lord was indeed His will.

We will find out later that Paul said all this for a purpose.  Like many churches today, the Philippian church was full of dissention and uncertainty, and Paul’s prayer was designed to show them the way forward.  The prayer concludes with what sounds more like a challenge from a preacher than a prayer, for it strongly suggests that those who follow his advice will ‘produce the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ’ (1:11).  The fruit of righteousness in this context is clearly the proclamation of the Gospel which was always Paul’s goal.  For him, everything was secondary to the work of proclaiming the Gospel which declared God’s righteousness for all through Jesus Christ (see, for example, 1 Cor 1:18ff or Phil 1:15ff).

Philippians 1:8-11 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

Paul’s prayer for the Philippian church is one that teaches us much, and is extremely valuable.  As time has gone by and the church has become institutionalised, many feel that the quality of overflowing love Paul wrote of has been lost.  This is too simplistic a view, of course, for none of us can ever know the full truth of what is done in the name of our Lord Jesus by His followers; these things are hidden in the heart of God and only partially seen by us.  Part of the discipline of love is to accept that we do not know everything!

What each of us can do is to assess how our own church fellowships measure up to the quality of ‘agape’ love that Paul prays for the Philippian church.  It may be that we fall short, either in the overflowing of love, or the increasing of that overflowing, or in our knowledge of the Lord, or in discernment of His will.  All of these are connected, and all are crucially important for the Gospel we preach and our walk with the Lord.

This message may well be a hard one for us to face, for it is easier to point the finger than to accept our own failings.  The challenge however, starts with love.  The Lord longs to give us all a heart of love as we submit to the love our Saviour has shown us, and once true ‘agape’ love has been planted in us, and we can find this nowhere else except in Christ, then we are transformed.  The prayer Paul prayed for the Philippian church can become our own experience as we earnestly seek knowledge about the Lord, and practice the discernment that enables us to be fruitful in the proclamation of the Gospel.  It is a tragedy that too many Christians have been sold a version of Christian faith that falls far short of such abandonment to the will of God, and too many people read scriptures such as these as if they applied to others, and not themselves.

The reason Paul’s letters are in the Bible is because they show the truth of God’s Word for us all.  Our task is to get to know more of God’s Word and the God who gave it; then we will be able to exercise the gift of discernment and show real agape love throughout our lives.

Philippians 1:8-11 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. Paul talks of his regular prayers for the church at Philippi.  Have you ever felt prayed regularly and in earnest for a church fellowship?  Share this in your group?
2. Think of ways in which love ‘overflows’ from the church of God, and consider how it can do so even more.
3. Discuss what you mean by the word ‘discernment’.  Give example to each other of when you have exercised discernment, and encourage one another.

Personal comments by author

I have often been led to pray for a church, and then wondered why it is that God has placed it on my heart.  The promptings of the Spirit are something we get to know over a period of time by being open to what He might say, even acting on ‘impulse’, accepting that we may be right or wrong, but the Lord knows what He is doing.  The most important thing for us to do is to love other people, especially other Christians, and have a sense of concern for their health and well being.  This is a challenge for us today when most people feel it is easier to be critical of churches than lovingly accepting of them!

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• In what way does love flow out of you through the things you do for God and for others?  I know this is a difficult question to answer, but sometimes, scripture presents us with such challenges all too sharply.  Try to be conscious of your words and actions so that you reflect the Lord in all you do.
• Pray for those who find it hard to accept things from others in the life of the church, and become isolated because people will not deal with them.  If you recognise anyone in your fellowship by this description, do your best to help them.

Final Prayer

You are merciful and kind to each of us, Lord Jesus.  You know the nature of our sin and yet You forgive; You know the consequences of our actions, and gently lead us on the right path.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your generosity; however, if we are ever obstinate, please deal with us with power and authority!    AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 1:12-18

Philippians 1:12-18 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

Paul rejoices that his imprisonment means that the Gospel has become known amongst Roman soldiers, even if some other preachers are envious of his work.

This is a fascinating passage, and it offers us a glimpse of Paul’s thoughts about imprisonment and the proclamation of the Gospel.  Remarkably, we read that Paul was able to rejoice in his captivity, for just like every circumstance of life, he was able to use this as an opportunity to preach about Jesus.  Paul goes on to comment on the motives of those who preach, and he questions the integrity of some of his followers who he accuses of preaching ‘through envy or rivalry’ (1:15).  Yet Paul brushes aside all personal animosity to give thanks for the supreme value of the Gospel (1:18).  This passage is a powerful example of the teaching of Scripture, which tells us that nothing is more important than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and nothing is more important for the individual than receiving it, and proclaiming it.

The starting point for what Paul says here is his comment about being held captive by the ‘Imperial Guard’.  Now this strongly suggests that he wrote this letter while awaiting a hearing before the Emperor in Rome.  Towards the end of his life, Paul was charged by some Jews in Jerusalem with subverting the authority of the Emperor, and the story at the end of Acts suggests that there was some delay before this hearing was held (Acts 28:16-31).  However, Paul does not mention the Imperial Guard here just so that we might be able to date his letter!  He wrote about them in order to encourage his readers to rejoice in the opportunity he had been given to make the Gospel known to these elite professional soldiers of the Roman army!

It seems that Paul was a little self-conscious when boasting about spreading the Gospel through the Imperial Guard.  Perhaps he felt that some who read his letter would accuse him of pride.  Certainly, it seems as if Paul had some enemies who opposed his ministry, and they even made his circumstances in prison more difficult (1:17).  We can only guess at who such people might be, but it is possible that he is speaking about Jewish Christian preachers.  They would have preached the Gospel of Jesus but opposed Paul openly, thus giving fuel to the accusation for which he was being imprisoned, which was that Paul was someone who created division and dissent.   

Paul cuts to the chase, and he identifies the sins of those who opposed him as envy, rivalry (1:15), self-centred ambition, insincerity and devious intent (1:17).  This is a dire list of sins, and they are worth thinking about, even now.  Normally, we might expect Paul to condemn these sins out of hand, but he does not do this.  Instead, he stands back from any harsh judgement of his opponents and says, ‘what really matters?  Only this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way’  (1:18).  So why does Paul stand back from condemning sin here?  His point is that the Gospel becomes known when it is preached, whoever does the preaching, and the Gospel is more important than its messenger. 

Nevertheless, the teaching here in this passage tells us that a preacher’s motives are of less importance than the Gospel itself.  Now this principle may sound strange to our ears because we are used to Scripture’s dire warnings about the perils of sin, but it strikes a careful balance.  While the Gospel is spread in a sinful world by sinful but redeemed people, we cannot expect that those who preach the Gospel are sinless, otherwise our pulpits will be empty!

Altogether, this passage is a remarkable example of the priority of the Gospel in all things, and Paul says that even the sins of the preacher are of secondary importance.  Of course, every preacher knows that Christ uses a sinful vessel to proclaim the Good News, and without such humility the Gospel is compromised.  For this reason, all of us who read Paul’s words must consider the challenge to stand with him and rejoice in the proclamation of the Gospel, however God chooses to do this, and through whoever He uses.

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Imprisonment … Rome? Ephesus? Caesarea?
• Paul’s welfare and the preaching of the Word
• Paul’s opponents, and his response

Philippians 1:12-18 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

The preaching of the Word of God always takes place in some ‘context’. By looking further into the text, we can learn more about how and why Paul preached and wrote as he did.  He was intent on exposing falsehood and believed in the purity of the Gospel.  His example has much to teach us.

Imprisonment … Rome? Ephesus? Caesarea?

The first interesting issue that arises from this text is the circumstances of imprisonment that could have led to what Paul described in his letter. Paul faced imprisonment many times, not least when he first came to Philippi (Acts 16:19ff, but see also 2 Cor 6:5ff).  Arguments have gone on for a long time as to whether Paul wrote this letter from Rome, where he was confined towards the end of his life (see Acts 28:16ff), or some other location at an earlier time.  Some have suggested that Paul was imprisoned in some other city of the Roman Empire during his travels such as Ephesus (where Paul appears to be in prison as he writes – see Ephesians 3:1, 4:1).

Most of the debates centre around our understanding of the work of the Praetorian or Imperial Guard specifically mentioned by Paul in this letter (1:13).  Their duties were centred around the court of the Emperor of Rome on Palatine Hill, and the Guard numbered several thousand senior and experienced soldiers.  This is enough for some to conclude that this letter was written from Rome, and this remains the most likely explanation of what Paul says here.

However, we should at least consider one other possibility.  The last six chapters of Acts contain the story of Paul’s captivity for several years in and around Caesarea before being taken to Rome, in which time he was guarded by members of the Praetorian Guard whose responsibility was to look after Paul, a Roman citizen, after his legal appeal to the Emperor (Acts 25:10ff).  During these years, Paul had an unprecedented opportunity to speak about the Gospel to senior Roman soldiers (Acts 23:16ff), the Jewish authorities and the Roman governor Felix (Acts 24), then Festus and King Agrippa (Acts 25,26).  It does seem as if Acts gives us a sufficient description of the circumstances surrounding this letter for us to consider that Paul may have written the letter not at Rome itself, but in the years of imprisonment just before he went there.  This is as far as anyone can go with the matter!

Paul’s welfare and the preaching of the Word

The world in which these events took place was a far more dangerous one than we know today.  Journeys were more hazardous and disease was more deadly.  One has the feeling from scripture that life was therefore valued more highly in those days because it could not be taken for granted.  Later on in Philippians, Paul mentions the travels of one of his fellow-workers, Epaphroditus (2:25, 4:18) who appears to have recently brought a gift to Paul from Philippi and whose life was in danger during recent journeys.  Certainly, someone had brought Paul a message that the people at Philippi were divided and there was difficulty within the Church.  It is possible that the church had heard of the imprisonment of Paul, and this allowed those within the congregation who had problems with him and his teaching the opportunity to make their voices heard.  Certainly, Paul writes later in his letter about some who were trying to teach the still young church that all Christians should be circumcised (Phil 3:2ff). Perhaps they felt emboldened to speak because Paul was ‘behind bars’ and more loyal Christians were disturbed.  We can imagine the situation.

The main thrust of Paul’s letter was therefore to offer reassurance to the loyal believers at Philippi.  Paul had already spoken to them with the warmest possible affection as he opened his letter (1:1-11), and now he urged them not to loose heart but to rejoice and be confident in the Gospel!  His first encouragement came by asking them to look not at their own situation, but at the global implications of what was happening.  They had begun by being worried that the Gospel was compromised at Philippi, but Paul was eager to inform them that everything was in God’s hands, for the Good News of Jesus was being discussed by all manner of people who would never have heard the Gospel had Paul not gone to prison (1:12-14). 

There was one other matter for rejoicing.  It may seem odd to us that Paul’s imprisonment should give other preachers confidence (see 1:14), for would they not also fear being placed in jail for preaching as openly as Paul had done?  We should remember that all this was happening only a few years after Jesus himself had been executed for preaching the Gospel and living a life of love.  There must have been an on-going concern amongst some that any brush with the authorities might lead to instant death, as had happened to Jesus.  By comparison, Paul’s imprisonment was indeed far less severe, and Paul had obtained a stay of execution by appealing to the Emperor, something that would have given hope to the whole Christian church; hope that the Emperor might allow the Church to become legal after Paul’s appeal!  This is only a realistic argument if you accept my point about Paul’s imprisonment at Caesarea, but it does seem to fit the situation.

The consequence of all this was an increase in ‘speaking the Word of God’ (1:14).  In different Bibles you will see that the words ‘of God’ are sometimes missing; there was clearly an ancient difference of opinion about the original text of Paul’s letter, but it is nevertheless quite clear that the ‘Word of God’ spoken of here was not scripture, but the activity of declaring the Gospel (1:14).  It is unhelpful for us to think of this as ‘preaching’, for the verse refers to any means of communication of the ‘Word of God’, and is closer to what we mean by ‘evangelism’.

Paul’s opponents, and his response

It is not easy to see within the way Paul has written his letter, but he was obviously responding to information about people in the church who were teaching ‘against’ him and seeking to add to or alter the Gospel he had brought to Philippi.  Paul makes a comparison between his opponents (1:15) and those who remained loyal to him, even though he was absent and had probably not preached at Philippi for many years.  He speaks of those who preach ‘out of love for me knowing that I have the task of defending the Gospel’ (1:16).  Paul encapsulates within this phrase everything he had said about loyalty to both the fellowship of believers and the Gospel of Jesus Christ; for although the loyalty was indeed personal, God had used Paul to bring the Gospel to the wider world through his commissioning as an apostle by vision (Gal 1:1).  Paul’s ‘defending the Gospel’ (1:16) refers not just to his tireless ministry to countless churches which effectively founded the church on European and Oriental soil, but also to his forthcoming ‘defence’ (a legal term) of the Gospel before the Emperor. 

It is strongly implied within this text that the Gospel as preached by Paul was something that was unique and was unchangeable, and the opponents that he had within the church were seeking to add to or deviate from what Paul had already taught, and this is what Paul spoke so vehemently against.  This is something that should cause us to think.  Over the centuries, the Gospel has been preached in thousands of places and circumstances, and the different churches of our own day have a massive variety of doctrines covering every conceivable aspect of Christina faith.  Surely there is room within all this for a wide variety of different interpretations of what God has done for us in Jesus, and how it effects us all?

The answer that Paul would give I believe, is ‘no’.  There is at the heart of Christian faith a truth about the love of God found uniquely in Jesus Christ which transcends all human interpretations, and without it, our churches are little more than religious sects offering different and competing spiritualities.  Whilst this may be what some people want, it is not the Gospel that scripture speaks of, or that Paul defends in his letter to the Philippians.  When Paul declares at the end of this passage ‘what really matters? Only this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, and for that I rejoice.’ (1:18), he is not condoning any alternative Gospel. He is showing his confidence that in the midst of the turmoil of the church at Philippi, the one and only Gospel is unique and God is in control of all things, even if it appears that rivalry and envy has split the church apart.  In the midst of the turmoil of our own churches today, some of Paul’s confidence in God and the Gospel, and his incisive dismissal of human divisive activity through ambition and envy, is sorely needed.

Philippians 1:12-18 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

The letters of Paul are all deeply challenging because they present us with claims about the truth of the Gospel which come from times far distant, and some of the details about the stories behind them are hidden from our view by the passing of time.  Scripture asks us to accept that the Gospel spoken of by Paul in his letters is singular and unique, and there is a core to its message which is not a religious system subject to human interpretation and cultural change, but is universally true for all times and in all places.  Paul writes as he does because of his conviction that God has called him to preach and live for this unique Gospel, and we must either agree with him or dismiss him as deluded.

If we agree with Paul, then we must face the challenge of these verses to accept that the Gospel is supremely important for all people, and that it is the same Gospel now as it was 2000 years ago.  From the rest of Paul’s writings, we know it is a Gospel through which God and His Kingdom is revealed to the world through the life and death of Jesus Christ, and is demonstrated in this world through the fellowship of all believers, the Church.  It is hardly possible to identify with this Gospel or be part of this Church in a casual way, because its demands on us are total; and if we attempt to make demands on it, or make it fit into our own cultural or personal agendas, then we add nothing to the Gospel, we only display our human sinfulness.  Those who did this in Philippi showed envy, rivalry, self-centredness and ambition, for example, and they probably did this believing they were right.  This attitude, however, is what Paul so roundly dismisses in this text.  The Gospel is not ours to meddle with; it is ours to accept or reject.

Philippians 1:12-18 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. Read some of the stories in the last six chapters of Acts and familiarise yourself with the stories of Paul’s captivity.  To what extent do they help us understand this text?
2. What do you think that this passage says to us about the Gospel, and what Gospel principles do you find within it?
3. Should we accept any preacher in our pulpits providing they say they proclaim Christ?  Should there be any ‘checks’, and what should they be?

Personal comments by author

I find it hard to imagine the circumstances under which Paul was able to both endure prison, and also write in such glowing terms about the Gospel.  Surely imprisonment was a difficult and harsh punishment, especially in Roman times.  However, this was the extraordinary outcome of the extraordinary life of an extraordinary man.  What I have to accept is that the Lord Jesus Christ is able to make my life just as relevant and important for the Kingdom, but in quite different ways, which may well not include any kind of fame or public acknowledgement.  Each of us must accept our calling.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• It may be helpful to face the challenge of this text head on and try to write down what you understand the Gospel to be. 
• Having done this, ask yourself whether Paul would recognise what you have written as the same faith for which he was imprisoned.  In order to do this, read through one of the other letters of Paul and check out what you have written against this.

Final Prayer

Your warmth, Lord Jesus, is like the sun that bursts through the clouds on an overcast day, bringing not only light and warmth, but colour, vitality and new life.  May we always be open to receive Your energy and Your love, because it is Your unconditional gift.  Thank You Jesus;  AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 1:19-26

Philippians 1:19-26 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

Paul agonises over what God has in store for him.  He is in prison and the future looks uncertain.  Nevertheless, he is content to place himself in the hands of the God who has saved him.

This is an extraordinary reading, and in verse 21, it contains some powerful and memorable words which have been quoted for centuries as an example of Paul’s great spiritual experience of Christ; ‘for me to live is Christ, to die is gain’ (1:21).  These words stand towering over the whole passage, and they sum up everything Paul says here in these verses.  Some people may be shocked by this phrase because it seems that in saying this, Paul accepts death as the ultimate goal of his spiritual experience of God; but we must read everything he says if we want to understand this remarkable phrase.  It is deeply rooted in both the reasons why he wrote his letter and the circumstance of its writing.

The passage contains Paul’s thoughts on the dilemmas facing him whilst in prison, and awaiting his future.  Despite the obvious confidence of his writing here in this letter, Paul was nevertheless deeply affected by the sentence of death which hung over him.  In the previous passage we read about Paul’s imprisonment, and how he had used this for the greater glory of God by proclaiming the Gospel even to the Imperial Guard who were looking after him and responsible for his transport to Rome.  Here in this passage, however, Paul seems far more thoughtful, for to face the Emperor in Rome on a charge of subversion was a daunting prospect.  He believed that this would lead either to his vindication and the official acceptance of the Christian faith within the Roman Empire, or it would lead to his death.  The gravity of this prospect seems to lie over everything he says here.

On the one hand, Paul expresses complete confidence in the prayers of his supporters for his release and vindication (1:19).  However, he also accepts that anything might happen to him, and he encourages his readers that the Lord’s will would indeed be done whatever the outcome of his trial; he says, ‘Christ will be honoured in my body, whether through life or through death’ (1:20).

He then reflects on the possibilities of what might happen once taken to Rome.  If he was to be martyred by the Roman authorities, then he would have the privilege of going to be with Christ (1:21), but on the other hand, if he was to be acquitted, this would mean that there was a great deal more ‘fruitful work’ for him to do in the service of God and His Kingdom (1:22).  Whatever translation you read, the Greek language of the next few verses in the New Testament is completely irregular, and this seems to indicate that Paul was utterly uncertain about what was best for him, and what God had in store for him.  He says ‘I am torn between the two’ (1:23).

As the passage continues, Paul speaks to those who would receive his letter at Philippi, and assures them of his affection for them and his desire to be with them; he says, ‘yet for me to remain alive is more important for you’ (1:24).  Paul had a powerful urge to encourage his dear friends, and although he feared for what would happen in Rome, he also knew that the church at Philippi would not understand everything he was going through.  So the last two verses of the passage tell the Philippians of his desire to visit the church and enjoy fellowship with them again.

Most of us never face the same kind of acute situations faced by Paul, but most of us have some reason to contemplate the possibility of our death at some point in our lives.  What Paul said is therefore a profound challenge to any of us.  On the one hand, can we say that our love for Christ is so strong that we long to be with Him in eternity?  On the other hand, do we embrace life as God requires of us, and look forward to a life that is lived in His service?  Of course, we never have a choice, for we can never choose to live or die.  However, this passage challenges us strongly.  Are we strong enough to accept, with Paul, that whatever happens to us in life or death is within His will?

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Answered or unanswered prayer?
• Acceptance of life or death
• Standing with the church and boasting about Jesus Christ!

Philippians 1:19-26 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

There was a deep love within Paul for the people of the churches he founded, and this love showed itself in his concern to pray for them, write positively of their fellowship and offer them encouragement (1:1-11).  He also attacked those he saw as preaching any Gospel other than that which the Lord had spoken through him to found the church, as we have already seen in the preceding verses (1:12-18).  Now he turned to the Philippian church in his own hour of need, expressing his own personal concerns, at a time when he clearly faced death.

A close reading of this passage shows that Paul responded to this threat in a way that was entirely natural, yet as he wrote, he expressed faith of a remarkable kind.  In the rest of the Bible study, we shall look at the way Paul’s faith rose above the natural feelings a man might have while imprisoned.  If we are right about these circumstances, then the charge against him was that he was preaching and encouraging religious rebellion within the Roman state (see Acts 23:12ff, 24:2-8), which could be interpreted as a direct threat against the authority of the Emperor, who was regarded by many as a god.  The Jews and their beliefs were officially tolerated within the Roman Empire, providing there was no hint of subversion, and Paul’s preaching was certainly regarded by some as crossing the boundaries of what was acceptable and therefore breaking the ‘Pax Romana’; the internal peace of the Empire.

Answered or unanswered prayer?

Paul began by expressing confidence that the prayers of his supporters together with the ‘help of the Spirit of Jesus’ (1:19) would be sufficient for his acquittal on all charges, or as he put it, his ‘deliverance’.  This was his starting point, and the same starting point that many of us have with other issues of prayerful concern we face; surely our prayers and the help of the Spirit will bring deliverance.  Few of us have not been here before, praying for the Lord to heal someone from a disease, for example, or help them in a critical situation. Sometimes the person or circumstance we pray for is indeed resolved as we have prayed, and for that we give thanks to God. Sometimes our prayers remain un-answered, it seems, for the healing or resolution we have prayed for does not come. In the case of Paul’s final imprisonment, we must recall that he was not released, and though his final years were made as comfortable as possible whilst in captivity (see Acts 28:16ff), the only church documents we have about Paul’s final days (which are not in the Bible) indicate that he died the death of a martyr.

You could say that the prayers said for Paul’s release were not answered, not unlike the situations we face when people wonder why their prayers remain un-answered.  Remarkably however, Paul provides us with an answer to this dilemma. Immediately after being positive about the prayers of the saints and the power of the Holy Spirit (v19), he declares the hope that nothing that happens to him will fail to honour Christ (v20) and adds most importantly ‘whether through life or through death’.  This is not simply a way of accounting for all situations so that no one will feel let down or have their prayers unanswered; the faith Paul talks of rises above all human circumstances and is able to be at peace with the prospect that God can achieve His will whatever happens. This is quite different.  Paul’s whole life was the proclamation of the Gospel and the evangelism of the Gentile world (2 Cor 4:1ff) and in this verse he was able to accept that God would continue that work whether he lived or died.

What a challenge this presented to those from the church at Philippi who were praying for Paul’s release so that he might sort out the church’s problems and continue evangelism there! He was asking them to accept that the Lord might require they do this for themselves, for Paul’s sure hope was that if he died, this work of the Lord would continue unabated!

Acceptance of life and death

Having broken free from the constraints of the normal human response to trial and tragedy, Paul was now at liberty in the Spirit to say the famous words ‘for me to live is Christ, to die is gain’ (1:21).  The first two words, ‘for me’, are emphatic.  This was a personal statement of faith by Paul, but we cannot escape the feeling that he commended these sentiments to his readers.  For Paul, life was completely dominated by the Gospel, and therefore full of Christ; full of obedience, acts of faith, preaching, following the Lord and a whole array of activities of ministry that made up his life as an apostle (see also 2 Cor 6:4ff).

Some feel that Paul’s words, however, convey a feeling of tiredness, as if the apostle had done enough of these things and wanted to pass away and be with the Lord.  His words ‘to die is gain’ may sound at first reading as if Paul had a death wish after the stresses and strains of ministry!  But there is nothing in Paul’s writings elsewhere that would support such an interpretation and the impending trial at Rome with its potential outcome explains perfectly well why Paul might speak in this way.  Really, this was Paul’s willing acceptance that his own final destiny would always be with his Lord, and that neither he nor his supporters could ultimately escape this fact.  Everything Paul went on to say in Philippians emphasised that he was willing to place himself completely at the Lord’s disposal for whatever might happen.  His love of life and the ministry of preaching the Gospel was no greater than his desire to be with his Lord in glory, and neither was his desire to be with the Lord an expression of tiredness or weakness in the face of the problems of ministry at Philippi or anywhere else.

Standing with the Church and boasting about Jesus Christ!

None of this was a matter of preference, and choices were impossible, which is the only conclusion we can draw from the strangely confused Greek words that make up verses 22, 23 and 24.  Yet this makes sense; Paul was genuinely struggling to say what he preferred as an outcome from his trial; release would give him more time to work for the Lord, and martyrdom would take him to be with his Lord.  As far as Paul was concerned, both could lead to the greater glory of God.  Few people have ever been in a position to speak in this way, and it is hard for us to imagine what Paul felt; but Paul’s ability to see the possibilities of the Lord’s greater purposes even through his death is a unique expression of faith in the New Testament.  Paul does not call for people to follow his martyrdom, what he said was an acknowledgement that even death was not beyond the vital purposes of God.  It was not a death that Paul sought, but if it came, he would accept it as God’s will.

It is perhaps natural that Paul should end this passage by talking about standing with the Philippian church in ‘all your progress, joy and faith’ and speaking of going to see the church again (1:25,26).  In so doing, Paul turned away from the dilemma and spoke to his church of the importance of the Gospel work in their midst.  What could be more important?  It is unlikely that Paul saw the people of the Philippian church again, if our understanding of his circumstances is correct, and we are left to wonder what impact this would have had on his friends who prayed for his safety and release from imprisonment.  We may also wonder whether after reading these words, his supporters might have changed the emphases of their prayers and prayed more fully for the work of the Gospel and Paul’s place within it.  They would surely have continued to pray that the mercy of God be shown to their beloved apostle who faced the uncertainties of life or death.  If, in the midst of all that was happening , they were able to ‘boast of the Lord’ and face the consequences of sorting out the church without Paul but inspired by his message, then the Lord’s will was truly done, even though Paul was in reality, on his way to his death.

Philippians 1:19-26 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

This scripture faces us with the ultimate challenge of discipleship.  Does our faith allow us to say verse 21 with Paul?  There are other ways of interpreting this verse, which you can find in other commentaries and analyses of this famous text, but the challenge will not go away.  Are our lives so full of the work of the Gospel that we can say ‘for me to live is Christ’, and can we say in the same breath that we are so committed to the ultimate will of the Lord that ‘to die is gain’?  We can only say this if we understand, of course, that the second half of this sentence is not a death wish or an invitation to martyrdom, but a pragmatic assessment of a life lived for the Lord through which he is in sovereign control, even of our life and death.

It may be that there were those who read these words when they were first written, and found them too much; there are certainly those who find them too difficult today. Their difficulty is focussed around two issues.  Firstly the absolute commitment to God required of any who say these words for themselves, and secondly, the fact that this text is about life and death; indeed, the Gospel in this passage, is a matter of life and death.  One way to deal with them is to say that they were part of what Paul said in his particular circumstances, but they have little connection with our lives today.  The centrality of the Gospel and its radical demands upon all is however, a feature of the whole New Testament, and Philippians 1:21 gives focus to that message.  You could say that this brief comment is one of scriptures most challenging texts.

Philippians 1:19-26 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. Discuss in your group what Philippians 1:21 means to you.
2. What general impression do you gain from this passage of scripture.  Is Paul happy or sad as he speaks, or does he portray any other emotions?
3. Put yourselves in the position of the Philippian church, and try to imagine what these words might mean to you.

Personal comments by author

I have to ask myself as well as you to face the challenge of this passage of scripture.  ‘For me to live is Christ, to die is gain’ is brief enough to memorise, and it is a phrase which has never left me since I heard it.  It represents to me the paradox of life and the ultimate Christian call, to accept from the hand of God whatever He has for me.  The Bible study notes are fairly forthright about the meaning of the text, but it may well be that if you follow them, you will be led to a new place in your discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• Try repeating the phrase ‘for me to live is Christ, to die is gain’ regularly over a period of time, for example, a day or a week, in order to see how you respond to it.  Then spend some time prayerfully considering what this might be saying to you.
• What important work would the Lord have you do in the coming days?  After prayer, write down a list.  Consider this list carefully and what it will cost.

Final Prayer

What blessing can we give to You, O Lord, who is all-powerful and has done everything for us?  Nevertheless, open our hearts to respond to You and all Your works with such love, care and appreciation, that we may truly be a blessing to You, as true and faithful disciples.  We bless You, Lord, forever;  AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 1:27-30

Philippians 1:27-30 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

Paul tells the church at Philippi to stand firm and united in the Gospel despite the troubles they experience at the hands of their enemies.  God is surely at work amongst His people when their witness brings opposition!

Philippians chapter 1 is wonderfully informative, and it tells us a great deal about Paul and the church at Philippi.  In the verses just before this passage, we read about Paul’s firm intent to remain faithful to the Gospel despite his imprisonment (1:15f.), whether he lives or dies (1:20f.).  He therefore encourages the Philippians to show the same fortitude and strength of character by refusing to let their earthly circumstances either dictate their faith or compromise their unity.

The passage begins with a powerful call to discipleship; ‘Conduct yourselves exclusively in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ ...’ (1:27).  This is a powerful reminder that the Gospel contains all the moral guidance necessary for living as God requires.  Paul calls for his readers to be ‘exclusively’ focussed on this Gospel, by which he means not just the news of God’s saving work in Christ, but also the teachings of Jesus, which set out the moral standards of all who would follow Christ, as in the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ (Matt. 5-7).  This focus is especially important when believers face difficulty, or have trouble with ‘opponents’ (1:28).  Such problems might easily distract the faithful away from their calling, but Paul says that he is encouraged by the Philippians who were ‘standing firm’ (1:27) in the face of opponents, and had not fallen into a ‘panic’ (1:28).

Over the whole of chapter 1, Paul has gradually introduced us to the idea that the church at Philippi faces a certain amount of trouble.  He does not allow this to cloud his friendship with the people there but he does not ignore it.  Earlier in the chapter, he had spoken of ‘envy and rivalry’ amongst those who preached the Gospel (1:15), then of their ‘selfish ambition’ (1:17), and now of ‘opponents’ (1:28).  Later in the letter we read about ‘evil workers’ (3:2) and those who ‘live as enemies of the Cross of Jesus Christ’ (3:18), and in the last chapter we read about divisions between two leaders ‘I urge Euodia and Syntyche to be of the same mind ...’ (4:2f.).  Yet despite these problems, these opponents do not dominate Paul’s letter, and he repeatedly turns back to the Gospel itself as the only way to deal with troubles within the church.

Paul does this because it is own life’s experience.  He is writing from prison, and as he has just explained, he might well prefer to die rather than to face the future (1:20-26).  He has nevertheless turned away from such negativity and accepted God’s purpose for his life, which is to encourage the churches he has founded (1:24).  The testimony of his life is that remaining faithful to the Gospel in the midst of sufferings is proof of God’s ultimate triumph and the failure of his own opponents, and he therefore encourages the Philippians to do the same (2:28).  Such a message encourages all God’s people to view their circumstances, whatever they are, as an opportunity for the victory of the Gospel, and not defeat at the hands of opponents.  This is not just ‘positive thinking’; it is God’s powerful work in the lives of those who will not yield in the face of suffering.

In the last two verses of this chapter, Paul mentions two things, each of which are important.  Firstly, he says that  suffering is a privilege, and that ultimately all suffering is bound up with that of Christ; to suffer as a Christian is to suffer on Christ’s ‘behalf’ (1:29) and to take part in the glorious work of the Gospel (1:29).  His comments come out of his own experience of prison, of course, but he wants the Philippians to know that their own difficulties find their meaning in Christ.

Lastly, Paul hints strongly at another feature of the life of the church that will become of great importance in this letter, which is the unity of God’s people (1:27).  The Gospel is not divided, just as God is not divided and Christ is not divided.  God’s people are therefore called not only to stand against all opposition but to stand united; indeed, this is the only way that they can stand (1:27)!

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Living the life of faith – a Godly citizenship
• Unity – God’s doing
• Sharing in each other’s sufferings and the sufferings of Christ

Philippians 1:27-30 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

Going deeper means that we must face the challenges of this text, and proceed to live in a manner worthy of the God in whom we believe.  None of us finds it easy to say what this means because we all experience suffering in different ways and we cannot make it any the less painful just by reading scripture.  However, if we pay close attention to Scripture when it speaks to us directly about such matters, we will find that we are led to see things in new and different ways, and reconsider the important things in life.

Living the life of faith – a Godly citizenship

Verse 27 uncompromisingly tells us to live in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ.  Interestingly, the Greek word Paul used for ‘living’ is a word that was associated with living according to the cultural rules and religious expectations of the Roman state.  Paul himself was a Roman citizen because of his mixed upbringing in Tarsus, and used this fact when appealing to the Emperor (Acts 25:11) for justice.  Few outside of Rome or the ties that linked the governing families throughout the Empire, could claim this citizenship.  This privilege was possessed either by birth or through payment by those who had the means.  Citizens were expected to be particularly loyal to the Empire and the Emperor and maintain high social standards, and this was known throughout the Empire.

Paul, however, even though he was a Roman citizen himself, called on all disciples of Christ to find in ‘the Gospel of Christ’ a higher citizenship and a greater calling (1:27).  In using a word for citizenship that reflected the highest standards of the day, Paul was saying to his readers that they were called to a totally different standard of life from what they knew of Roman citizenship.  It could not be purchased, for it showed itself not in social standing but moral and spiritual behaviour which was acceptable to God, indeed, its highest standard was the mark of the sufferings of Christ (1:29).  This is what Paul wanted to see within the Philippian church.

At various places in the letter to the Philippians, we find either direct or indirect evidence that Paul was receiving regular communication from the Philippian church, and he specifically says that he hoped to send Timothy (2:19) and also Epaphroditus (2:25) to Philippi both to give and receive news.  This is what he refers to, as he muses in verse 27 about whether ‘I come to see you or hear about you in absence’.  But Paul longed to know from his emissaries that one key element of Christian citizenship was being upheld; this was the unity of ‘standing firm in one Spirit, striving side by side and united for the faith of the Gospel’ (1:27).  Paul describes this unity as the starting point of Gospel testimony to the world, and Satan has therefore worked hardest to destroy this over the last two thousand years!  However, God’s Spirit maintains the unity of the church, and this can be seen by the phrase ‘standing firm in one Spirit’, found in verse 27.  There is some argument as to whether Paul’s letter intends the word ‘Spirit’ to have a capital letter here, meaning ‘The Holy Spirit’, or just a general reference to a uniting ‘spirit’ amongst Christians; but in reality there is no difference between the two.  God works through His Spirit, and the Spirit alone brings about His purposes, which is clearly what we are talking about here.

Unity - God’s doing

Unity of purpose amongst any group of people can only be achieved by agreed common goals and beliefs.  Paul often uses military or athletic examples to illustrate the Christian life and the disciplines which are necessary for spiritual growth (se Phil 2:25, 2 Tim 2:3,4; 1 Cor 9:24 etc.). In this passage Paul does not berate the church for its lack of unity, something we can easily and perhaps need to do today, he talks about the fruit of standing firm and not being ‘made to panic by your opponents’.  The word ‘panic’ is one that was used to describe a horse startled by the noise of battle or unexpected sights and sounds; so Paul calls the church to be more mature than to react like a frightened horse when facing its enemies!

Who were the enemies that the Philippian church faced?  Some reckon that they are the Judaisers who infiltrated almost every church Paul founded, attempting to pull Christian converts back into mainstream Judaism by insisting on circumcision and the full application of Mosaic law (by which they really meant Pharisaic law).  They are mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Philippians later on (3:2ff) and were undoubtedly divisive.  However, at this point, it is most likely that Paul was conscious of the powerful Roman civilisation that dominated every aspect of life in Philippi, a colony on the southern coast of Macedonia which controlled all the trade and business of the Empire conducted between the ‘East’ and the ‘West’.  If you read what happened when Paul first went there (Acts 16:11ff) it is obvious that strong passions were aroused by the introduction of Christianity into this strongly Roman garrison city, and it is more than probable that the young church in Philippi continued to face official opposition there.  This could be one reason why Paul felt so close to the Philippian church as he himself endured the opposition of Roman authorities during his own captivity.

Paul did all he could to stand firm in his own faith under considerable pressure (see, for example, the failed attempts of the orator Tertulus brought in to accuse Paul by the Jews, and Paul’s response – Acts 24:1-9 ), and he asked the Philippian church to do the same, knowing that by so doing his enemies would be defeated.  Vindication in the face of foolishness or evil is a frequent Biblical theme and the Gospel Paul preached was no less confident.  The continued existence and spiritual unity of God’s people was, for Paul, the surest evidence of the failure of evil in the world and its ultimate defeat, and also evidence of the truth of the Gospel.  This is a message that can encourage us today, for we live at a time when Christian divisions are often acute, yet there is an increasing sense of spiritual unity amongst many, and this is the proof of the ‘triumph’ of the Gospel (1:28). 

Sharing in each other’s sufferings and the sufferings of Christ

In verses 29 and 30 Paul stated the Gospel directly and in unequivocal terms.  He wrote that to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and respond by faith was the greatest privilege a person could have (1:29), and he went on to teach the awe-inspiring truth that our unity with God in Christ is through sharing in Christ’s ‘sufferings’ as well as his victory.  Why is this so?  As Paul went on to write in verse 30 about the Philippian church sharing the same struggles as he faced, we realise that the cause of both Paul’s suffering and that of the Philippian church was the Roman Empire, in other words, the very culture and human society in which they lived.  Evil has existed in every culture and civilisation, and remains throughout the world except where it is opposed and defeated by Christ through His people, and until the coming of Christ in glory. We live in a world in which evil is ever present, but fading, because of Christ’s coming.

Therefore, whilst Christ suffered on the Cross in order to defeat the powers of evil and death, this battle is one that has not been finished, and we live our lives either standing with Christ, or with the evil of this world.  People today like to think there is some neutral ground in which we can live unaffected by evil, but there is none.  We either stand and suffer with Christ, and with all who have fought evil throughout the ages, or we make our choice for the easy ways of the enemy.  Paul appealed to the Philippian church to stand firm with him in the sufferings of Christ against the evils of the world, and the same appeal is addressed to us today.

Yet Paul’s call is not simply ‘against’ the world and its cultures and values, it is ‘for’ the Gospel.  As we read on in Philippians, we will soon find that Paul’s message is not one of stoic doom and gloom, but one of reality and visionary joy.  There is no escape from the sufferings of this world, but we can enjoy the ‘privilege’ of believing (1:29).  As Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians ‘For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.’ (1 Cor 1:18).  The sufferings of Christ on the Cross enable the world to be saved, and the suffering we endure in this life can sometimes, through Christ, be a part of the salvation of the world.  Every Christian who suffers, whether through direct opposition to the Gospel or through indirect opposition of the enemy for example in illness, or the trials of life as a Christian, contributes something to the redemption of the world!  If God’s people caught sight of this positive message then the enthusiasm and power of our testimony would light up the world!

Philippians 1:27-30 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

Suffering is a difficult subject, and even as I write today, I am personally having more difficulty with my own chronic pain than I have had for a long time.  However, Paul’s message that through our sufferings we are united with Christ in the salvation of the whole world is something that is profoundly exciting!  It does not take away the pain I or anyone else has, but by giving it a spiritual meaning, the Bible encourages me to stand firm and not give in to the more desperate and depressing consequences of my condition.  I pray that is true for all who read this who face severe trials of any kind.

There are many people who face suffering and trial for the Gospel at this time in ways that we can scarcely know or understand; in particular Christians who live in Muslim countries that are becoming more radical by the day, dismantling and destroying anything Christian they see which they believe is connected to the ‘West’.  If we can find practical ways of standing together with these people, then we demonstrate the spiritual reality that Jesus is the ultimate victor in all life, and his message is love.  All who preach hate, slaughter, bombing, self-killing, social chaos and torture, do so as an expression of evil and make their choice for evil.  We must all be careful about how we express these sentiments today, but unless the message of the Gospel of Christ and his sufferings for the world are made real by us in the midst of what is actually happening in our world, then our talk of faith is in danger of becoming little more than religious niceties.  We are called to stand side by side with God’s people throughout all ages, to stand with Christ in his sufferings, and to defeat the evil one by so doing and prove to the world that God’s love for all will never be defeated.

Philippians 1:27-30 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. Summarise the features of the Gospel that come out of this passage of scripture.
2. What opponents do Christians face today, whether cultural, spiritual or physical?  How does this passage help us face these opponents?
3. Is it realistic for us to identify with the struggles of Paul or of Christ in our times when we know relatively little of what they experienced?  What unites us with them?

Personal comments by author

The unity of God’s people sometimes needs to be a unity of suffering, and when we realise this, we can grow the kind of fellowship that is essential for the work of God through His church.  I am of the opinion that when people share their vulnerabilities and minister to each other, then great things can begin to happen.  We have a ministry to others if we are people who know the Lord has dealt with our own sufferings.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• Spend some time thinking about those places in the world today where the Gospel is a scandal, and preaching it would bring ridicule, opposition, or even death.  Ask yourself, are these not the very places to which Paul would go to preach the Gospel? How can we follow in His footsteps?
• Discuss with friends at church the problems of preaching the Gospel in your own neighbourhood.  Is the problem of suffering an issue?  In what way?  How can we best explain the Gospel given this background?

Final Prayer

Glorious Lord, save Your people from the comfortable places they make for themselves.  Lead them to where they can testify to the love of God by making a public stand for the Gospel, and for the truth that there is an answer to suffering through Christ Jesus.  Give Your people courage to proclaim the Gospel so that they might rejoice in Your work, we pray.  AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 2:1-4

Philippians 2:1-4 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

Paul delivers a direct challenge to the Philippian church.  He asks to them to prove to him that they are united in faith, and living a life of service just as Jesus did.

This is a fascinating passage of Scripture, and after the introduction to the letter in chapter 1, it begins Paul’s message to the Philippians.  He asks them to show him that their faith is rooted in the Gospel by being united in ‘spirit and purpose’ (2:2), and by placing their faith above personal opinions and serving each other (2:3,4).  It clearly hurt Paul to hear that the church might be divided by different teaching (1:15,17,28), so his letter now encourages them to stick together (2:1,2) and live according to the example of Christ (2:3,4)

It is impossible to read this passage and not notice that the following verses are famous (2:5-11).  They are one of Scripture’s highlights, and they present Christ’s humble service as an example to all people, as an explanation of His power to save, and as the reason for His glory.  But this great text cannot just be plucked out of Scriptures as if it was an independent theological treatise about Christ.  Today’s reading sets the scene for this great passage, and helps us understand it.  It tells us that Christ’s supreme example of humility in service is the antidote to selfishness and division within the church.

We do not have to read between the lines to spot what Paul is thinking.  He was fond of the people at Philippi, and was concerned about any confusion within their teaching about Christ (1:15,17,28).  From a distance, he was able to see that differences of opinion about Christ created problems, because they were rooted in ambitious and selfish attitudes amongst people who felt they knew more about the Gospel than others.  It was true in his day as it is in ours, that division grows when people place their whole trust their own powers of reasoning and become unwilling to submit to what others say.  So he begged his readers to put aside such ‘selfish ambition and vain conceit’ (2:3), and follow the example of Christ, not of the world.

Remarkably, this passage not only appeals to the Philippians to be united, it tells them how to be united.  Paul told them to put aside all personal interest and be selfless, following the example of Christ.  This message is important, for although the subject of Christian unity is often spoken about, we do not often hear much about how this unity may be achieved and lived, as Paul describes here.  He expounds a way of selfless way of Christian living that promotes and demonstrates the unity God longs to find within His church.  We must therefore accept that one of the most notable Biblical descriptions of the work of Christ (as found here in Philippians 2:5-11), is not just an abstract explanation of Christ’s work or of salvation.  It was written by Paul to explain what binds God’s people together.  Moreover, if Paul was right about all this when he wrote it, then he is right now, and this passage should therefore be regarded as important guidance for Christian unity.

Behind all this lies a revealing picture of the church, which was clearly in Paul’s mind as he wrote and contains some important signposts for God’s people today.  At the heart of this picture stands the theme of encouragement, for Paul not only wrote this to encourage the Philippians, he also asked them to encourage him by their unity (2:2).  How encouraging it would be for Christians today if they could put aside their differences and be seen to be united in Christ?  In addition, Paul’s picture of the church depends on selfless sharing, which is demonstrated by practical compassion and results in joy (2:1,2).  More than this, the picture suggests that God’s people not only feel each other’s feelings, but also ‘pursue’ their interests in preference to their own.  Service that goes this extra mile will yield the important fruit of ‘unity in spirit and purpose’ (2:2), something that shows the world that God is at work in His people.

Every part of this great text is worth exploring and can provide us with relevant guidance for the church today, if, that is, we are willing to set aside our own thoughts feelings and attitudes!

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Unity and the fellowship of the Spirit (2:1,2)
• A picture of Christian living (2:3,4)

Philippians 2:1-4 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

This passage splits easily into two halves.  The first is Paul’s eager call upon the Philippian Church to live in a visible and spiritual unity (2:1,2).  It is a call that we have already commented upon in earlier devotions, so the purpose of our study today is to look more carefully at the words used here to make sure that we understand the full extent of what Paul says.  We will also find that some of the words mean a number of different things, which can help us to see that God’s Word is broader in meaning than we often assume when reading the Bible without the benefits of a commentary or study.

The second part of the passage is a brief series of commands from Paul about Christian living (2:3,4) in which he sums up discipleship under the general heading of humility and selflessness.  This part of the text is often read as an introduction to the verses that follow, but is nevertheless a profound text in its own right.

Unity and the fellowship of the Spirit (2:1,2)

Paul had just spoken to the Philippians about the importance of unity within the fellowship and the way that this exposed the failure of the Church’s ‘opponents’ (1:28).  So when Paul wrote as he did in these verses, he was asking the people to put into practice what he had already told them about living in unity of purpose and fellowship, under the headship of Christ.  These verses were a personal appeal by Paul to ‘make my joy complete’ (2:2).  It is interesting that in making his appeal for unity, Paul talked of ‘encouragement in Christ’  (2:1), for this was just what both he and the Philippian Church so much needed, and he knew that encouragement in their respective circumstances would not come by eloquence or fine words. Paul, although regarded by some as an orator, knew that raising people’s expectations or appealing to their emotions and higher sentiments could only ever be a temporary form of encouragement.  His appeal was to a higher cause, and the shared knowledge that they had each suffered for the sake of the Gospel bound them together in a common cause which was infinitely greater than their own interests.  Through the love of God in Jesus Christ, they were saved for eternity!

In making this appeal, Paul used two words which I have translated as ‘empathy and compassion’.  You will find that many versions of the Bible translate these two words variously as  some combination of ‘tenderness’, ‘compassion’, ‘sympathy’, ‘mercy’, and ‘affection’.  The two Greek words involved relate firstly to deep feelings for someone else, and secondly to compassion for someone in difficult circumstances.  I have used the word ‘empathy’ together with ‘compassion’ because although empathy is a relatively recent concept, it sums up what Paul was trying to convey in this text.  In the world of counselling, ‘empathy’ refers to the non-judgemental quality of being able to enter into someone else’s experience and effectively express that emotion or experience back to that person.  This sounds rather abstract, but we all know what it is like when someone talks to us and genuinely seems to understand what we are saying because we can hear from their response that they know what we feel like.  That is empathy, and it is what Paul was talking about here as true of real ‘sharing in the Spirit’.

If, Paul said, there was any real empathy and Christian love between himself and the Philippians, then his ‘joy would be complete’ because of their shared mind, love and unity of ‘spirit and purpose’ (2:2).  The first chapter of Philippians tells us much about the circumstances that led Paul to appeal for this sharing and fellowship in the Gospel, but these words reach out beyond this original setting, and remind us even now of the supreme value of real fellowship in the Gospel.  Have you been inspired, as I have, by coming into contact with other Christians who, despite all differences of background and culture, believe the same Gospel and are committed to the same Lord as you?  When I first went as missionary chaplain and teacher to a school in Zimbabwe, I was struck by the powerful enthusiasm for the Lord of the young people at the school.  With little more than a few words and some simple sharing of beliefs, I was deeply encouraged and spiritually moved by the common heritage I shared with them in Christ.

Such fellowship and sharing in the Gospel is our true heritage today, not the divisions and strife we so often see between Christians in the churches of today.

A picture of Christian living (2:3,4)

Paul went on to speak forthrightly of the consequences of real Christian fellowship, and everything he said was derived from the life of Jesus.  In commanding us not to do anything from ‘selfish ambition or vain conceit’ (2:3) Paul appealed to qualities of life which were exampled by Jesus (see 2:5-11).  It has often been commented that Paul did not spend any time teaching people the same things Jesus did during his life; what he did was to preach the salvation of Jesus through his life and death.  For example, Paul did not comment on Jesus’ teaching of parables, refer to the parable of the sower, or even mention the famous miracles of Jesus.  What was important for Paul was the quality of life Jesus lived, and the eternal consequence of this in his death and resurrection.

By rejecting ambition and all forms of selfishness as nothing more than ‘vanity’ (a word used frequently in the book of Ecclesiastes), Paul made it quite clear that such behaviour was not acceptable for a Christian.  You cannot read verses 3 and 4 without concluding that the only way of life for one who wishes to follow Christ is to put the interests of others first.  This is not very easy for us to put into practice, for, as many have pointed out, we cannot be in a position to help others if we do not look after ourselves properly.  It is important, however, to remember that nowhere in scripture does it say that we must neglect ourselves, and this scripture asks us to live a life in which we are always willing to be generous both spiritually and practically to others; to value their comments, to consider their circumstances and interests, and act in a manner that demonstrates our empathy and understanding of whoever the Lord gives us to meet. It is a message that calls us to cut across all cultures, creeds and prejudices, and that is why it is so important.

I have written in this way to try and put some flesh on what may be a difficult passage for some.  I have heard people say, referring to Phil 2:3,4, ‘I am not doing that, because people will walk all over you and make a mockery of the Gospel.’  Criticisms such as this can be answered, and in this case, the text does not ask us to submit ourselves to irrational, inappropriate or dominating behaviour.  However, some will use any excuse to avoid the scriptural injunction to live the Gospel life of putting others first, and we must constantly be reminded that it is our Lord who is the one who we take instructions from in such matters, not our natural selves which always tend to plead vanity and self interest.  This is the ‘self’ which needs to die in the baptismal waters if Christ is to have his place of honour in our lives and our Christian fellowship.

Philippians 2:1-4 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

The challenge of these words is to put them into practice.  It can be profoundly hard for us to be empathetic towards those people within our own Church with whom we disagree, and yet this is a fundamental part of Christian fellowship.  If we all believe in the same Gospel and the same Lord, then our differences must surely be of lesser significance than that which binds us together.  Whilst people struggle with problems and disagreements within their local churches, I strongly suggest one way in which they can overcome such unrest and unhappiness is to start looking at the Gospel of Christ on a larger map.  Paul, in his day, ventured far beyond the experience of most of his peers, and could grasp both the Gospel and the Church of God on a universal scale.  We need to do the same.

If we follow his example, we can explore the experience of different Christians in many different ways.  We can visit others Christians in their place of worship, or trawl through the internet to read the experience of Christians who we would never normally meet, and this is without even moving too far away from our homes!  If we can travel to other parts of the world and spend time (preferably more than a few days!) with Christians who have to live in circumstances very different to our own, then we will soon learn some important lessons.  In particular, the difference between the true Gospel of Christ which binds us together and the irrelevance of the problems which too often beset us when we are unable to get things in perspective.

There are many ways we can widen our experience of the Church of Jesus Christ; even studying God’s Word and reading the history of the Church will help as well.  There are some exciting stories!  Any means that help us to get out of our own limited experience and see things from other people’s perspectives will help us enormously in our spiritual journey.  This does not mean that Satan does not use even these experiences to try and distort the work of Christ in us, but we should always be on guard against that.  It is fashionable today to talk of thinking ‘outside the box’ when asking people to make the effort to go beyond their current experience and consider things from different perspectives.  That is no small part of what scripture asks of us here, but only as it applies to the Gospel and to our call to live for others.

Philippians 2:1-4 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. Which words within this scripture speak to you most?  Discuss this within a group and see whether any words dominate your responses.  Why?
2. How can Christian unity best be expressed today, and are we neglectful of our calling if we do not pursue it?
3. How does thinking ‘of others as better than ourselves’ (2:3) help us to be better Christians?

Personal comments by author

I find these words in scripture deeply moving.  There is a poetic feel to them which helps us build up to the verses which are coming next.  Nevertheless, they speak about values of Christian faith which are very precious, love, compassion and joy, and those qualities which make fellowship in Christ more important than a thousand other things in life.  One of the great features of scripture is its ability to remind us of what we value so much in each other within the body of Christ.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• Spend some time thinking about how you put into practice the call to put others first in your life.  Do you do this in the family?  In church?  With your work?  With your neighbours?  How can you live your life so that you are able to live for others and not collapse under the weight of other people’s problems?
• Pray and fast about whether you can indeed work to put someone else’s priorities higher than your own, as bidden by this text!  Let the Lord guide you as to how you can respond to this great challenge!

Final Prayer

Jesus, fill our minds with Your knowledge, our feelings with Your compassion, our bodies with Your strength, our spirits with Your power, and our hearts with Your love.  Complete in us the work that You have begun, and bring us in Your time, to Glory.  AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5-11 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

This extraordinary and beautiful passage is a remarkable poem describing the life and work of Jesus.  In its original language it reads like a hymn and it is thought that Paul may not have written this himself.  It is possible that this was a well known hymn of the day, and Paul quoted it because it aptly summarised what he wanted to say.  We can never know whether this was the case, or whether Paul did indeed write this hymn.  However, it is clearly a masterful description of the person and work of Jesus Christ, and it goes to the heart of Christian faith.

This passage of Scripture has been extensively studied over many years.  In the last one hundred years, over six hundred major publications have been printed on this passage alone, and anyone attempting to come to terms with it is therefore faced with a lifetime of reading!  As we read it however, we can easily find several themes that stand out.  Firstly, it speaks about Jesus from the perspectives of His birth (2:6,7), His death and His resurrection (2:8,9), but says little about his teaching ministry.  Secondly, it dwells throughout on the mixture of humanity and godliness found in Jesus.  Thirdly, it highlights the humble service of Jesus which enables God to do His will and results in His praise and glory (2:10-11).

Verses 6 and 7 are important for the Christian church because they offer an explanation of Jesus’ coming into the world; the only other passage that comments on this in any substantial way is John chapter 1.  The hymn clearly describes Jesus as being ‘God by nature’ (2:6), and although this is clearly what Christians believe, this is only one of a very few places in Scripture where this is written so clearly and precisely.  Yet we cannot dwell on this remarkable fact for too long, because the hymn goes on immediately to say that Jesus gave up every aspect of godliness that might prevent Him living and working in this world like a normal human being.  So this is who Jesus is.  He is God, come to earth as a person.  There is perhaps no better way to describe Him.

But we must remember that Paul said this for a reason.  Here, it is obvious from yesterday’s passage and the first verse (2:5), that Paul was not just giving glory to God for this remarkable fact, but reminding his readers how much Jesus gave up in order to serve them.  How could they not do the same for their fellow Christians!

The poem goes on to say much more, revealing that Christ’s humility was such that he not only lived as a normal person, he died in the same way.  Now we might expect that it might say something about the special nature of Jesus’ death, perhaps His sinless nature or the sacrifice of His love.  Yet it does not, and although Paul certainly says more about this elsewhere (e.g. Romans 3:21-26), he seems to hold back here.  He asks us to consider the simple fact that Jesus died like everyone else, even though He was God!  So God grants resurrection and glory to Christ for one reason alone; He has been humble enough to live and die as a man.

Now, if God can do this for His son Jesus, then He can do it for us!  This explanation of the saving work of God seems to miss out a great deal of what we are used to, but it is certainly challenging.  It appears to push us towards accepting that humility and service is more than just a feature of Christian life, it is the one way of life by which Christ was saved and has won approval from the Father.  So for this reason, we must live out our faith in the same way as Jesus; we must ‘have the same mind’ (2:5) as Him, living and indeed dying in humble service so that we might receive the Father’s glory!

We are left to ponder which is most important; to know the truth about the life and work of Christ, or to accept His example of humility and service and live by it?  Of course, the two go side by side for all true followers of Christ.

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Having the same mind as Christ
• Jesus, God and humanity
• Humility, death and victory

Philippians 2:5-11 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

Having the same mind as Christ

In a quite remarkable way, Paul explained the nature of Jesus Christ not simply to give us a theological framework to understand God, but in order to tell the Philippian church about their own duties and privileges as followers of Christ.  The characteristics of discipleship he had already explained in the first chapter of his letter were none other than the ‘life of Christ’, by which we copy and imitate the human qualities of Jesus.  Yes, He was divine, but because of His humanity, He gives each of us an example to follow.

The passage begins ‘have this same mind in common with Christ Jesus …’ (2:5).  If we had been writing this passage today, we might well be tempted to put ‘have the same heart …’ because we tend to think that ‘the mind’ is not as ‘spiritual’ a description of ourselves as, for example ‘the heart’.  In the New Testament, however, whilst there was a fundamental difference between describing a person in terms of ‘the flesh’ and ‘the spirit’, all the other main ways of describing humanity; heart, soul, mind, spirit, and body, for example were used without hierarchy to describe the whole person.  Each word highlighted a different aspect of humanity.  The word ‘mind’ referred to the mental capacities of humanity, which, together with emotions, gave rise to actions.  The mind combined thinking, intellect, conscience, expressions, reasoning and all other mental functions not ‘locatable’ in the body (except as we now know, in the brain).  The more we explore what was meant by the ‘mind’, the more we come to understand the breadth of Paul’s appeal for us to have the same ‘mind’ as Christ Jesus (2:5) and therefore live like Him.

Verses 6 to 11 cannot be divorced from this appeal, even if some would like to lift these verses out of scripture and examine them as a theological statement on their own.  These words come alive when presented to a troubled fellowship or a divided group of Christians, or to disciples who have compromised their faith by insisting on their own way.

Jesus, God and humanity

In verses 6 and 7, Paul condensed into only a few words the relationship between Jesus and God.  At the time of his writing, nothing like this had been put down in written form before.  The Gospel of Matthew, for example, in which Peter called Jesus ‘the Christ, the Son of the Living God’ (Matt 16:16) had not been written.  Stories surrounding what had happened when Jesus was alive were passed on from one group of Christians to another, but it may well be that most of the Gospels had not yet been written.  The insistence of John that Jesus was the ‘Word’ who was ‘with God … and was God’ (John 1:1) may also have been in John’s mind but not written down when Paul wrote to the Philippians.  These words of Paul are therefore some of the earliest written statements which say that Jesus was God.

Paul said what he did in a way that was designed to help his readers, using words which would have helped them in their quest to understand their faith.  He started by talking about Jesus as ‘God by nature’, emphasising that Jesus and God the Creator were the same.  The Old Testament, through which people knew God as ‘Lord’, ‘Lord God’, ‘Almighty God’, to give but a few examples, linked the belief of the Israelite people back through their history to the God who had made the world and all things  in it (Gen 1, Psalm 8 etc).  Paul would not play the cultural game of describing Jesus as ‘divine’; this designation would have meant nothing in a Roman world in which people believed that everything they experienced was the result of the activities of many different divine beings.  It was therefore important that Paul insisted to the Philippians that Jesus was by his very nature the one and only God who had made the world, and as such enjoyed absolute power and privilege within his own created order.

Paul then went on to say that the salvation Jesus won for us happened because He gave up the privileges of his divinity in becoming human, as we are.  In other words, the greatest work ever done by anyone was paradoxically achieved by the giving up of power and authority, rather than taking hold of it (2:7).  Of course, Paul was telling people about Jesus’ nature, but by saying what he did, he was also telling them that God’s ways and Jesus’ ways were the same as those he had been already advocating in his letter, the ways of service and humility.  Grasping at power has always been one of the most common traits of human behaviour, but Paul identified it as the very antithesis of Godliness (2:6).  Giving up power and authority is the opposite of how things are done in this world, but it was the way that God chose to work through Jesus.

Humility, death and victory

The ultimate identification that Jesus could make with people was to die; for death, according to Genesis (3:22ff) was the result of sin and the fall of humanity, and it was what separated God from his fallen Creation.  Death has always been the one thing that is certain for everyone who has ever lived, whatever fame, infamy or privacy people have lived with, and it is therefore the one thing ‘par excellence’ that unites all people.  It is also called ‘the great leveller’, for the manner and timing of death is something that no-one can predict outside of war, murder or suicide.  The fact that Jesus died was the proof of Jesus’ overcoming the barrier between God and His fallen creation, humanity, whatever the cause and the circumstances of that terrible death.

Paul did not describe in this poem exactly how and why Jesus died on a Cross; if he wanted to he could have chosen to say much, but he did not.  Most of what Paul had to say about this is written in his other letters (notably in Romans chapters 5 and 6), so the emphasis in this letter remains where is has been right from the beginning, on the humility of Jesus.  Because of this, God was able to ‘raise’ (2:9) Jesus back to the heights of the glory of the Godhead again, and as is typical of Paul’s writings, this poem expresses his belief that the death and resurrection of Jesus lies at the heart of the Gospel message.  All else follows from this, including the teaching Paul is in the middle of giving to the Philippian Christians about humility and Christian living.

The poem concludes however, with a call to worship.  This is something that Paul has not yet said anything about in his letter to the Philippian church, and therefore it comes as a surprise; but it is both welcome and appropriate.  The work of Jesus, according to this great poem, has been completed and because of that, He is worthy of the worship of all Creation, throughout time and space.  This was heresy to most Jewish people, who believed that God could not be understood in this way, even though their own scriptures contained references to the Messiah which were fulfilled in Jesus.  The Old Testament also contained multiple names for ‘God’ which hinted, even in the story of Creation, at the multiple yet unified nature of the God they worshipped (Gen 1:26ff).  According to Paul’s poem, Jesus was by nature God, yet because of his earthly death and resurrection he was victoriously reunited with the Father in glory and therefore has become the subject of our praise; for the praise of Jesus is the praise of God Himself.

Philippians 2:5-11 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

The glory of this great passage of scripture is not that it explains the relationship between God and Jesus.  It helps us with this, but there are many other scriptures (such as Isaiah 53) which explain the relationship between God and the Messiah, and between the Father and the Son.  What the hymn does is to show to the Philippian church that the qualities of humility and service Paul had been appealing to in his letter were the same qualities used by Jesus to do His great work of salvation.  What greater reason could Paul give to the church at Philippi to follow his advice?  Every Christian is called to follow what Jesus has first done Himself; Jesus was genuinely humble, united with his father, lived a life of servitude and refused to act with worldly power and authority, and we should not presume to know any way that is better.

If you read around this famous passage of scripture, you will find much more in these verses than I have explained here.  Yet the simple message that this poem contains still appears to go over the heads of many Christians today.  If unity of fellowship in the Lord, service, humility, powerlessness and even death were good enough for Jesus to win Salvation for the whole world, then surely there is a secret here for how to go about living and managing the life of the church today.  Nevertheless, it never ceases to amaze me that these fundamental qualities are laid aside by people otherwise regarded as ‘godly’ in pursuit of good management of the church, for example.  I have heard it said bluntly that the only way the … church (I will not say which) can survive is to employ proper current legal practices throughout its structures; for example.  Is that really so?  I was under the impression that the only way the church can survive is to put into practice the life of Christ, which is rather different.  I am of the opinion that the Lord can teach us much through all manner of good things we find in His world, but there is no substitute for the ‘life of Christ’ being the supreme model for the church.

I could give similar example of attitudes within the church pertaining to music, theology, counselling, finance, mission, even local church structures, but I refrain from discussing the details; you can probably guess them.  Unless our Christian life in every area and in every way measures up to the humility of the life of Christ as Paul identifies in this great poem, then there is little reason to call it Christian.

Philippians 2:5-11 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. What did Jesus give up in order to become human?  Can we understand this, or is the question unanswerable because of the limits of our knowledge?
2. When you read that Jesus ‘submitted’ to death, what does this mean? 
3. What is the difference between worshipping Jesus and worshipping the Father or the Holy Spirit?

Personal comments by author

The Christian church cannot survive in our day unless there is a renewal in which Jesus is given His place at the centre of the life of His Church again.  Too much has happened in recent years in too many churches and denominations (I include all) by which the enemy has drawn us away from the example of Jesus Christ and His essential humility.  The biggest danger of all is the temptation for people to ape the world’s values of self-sufficiency and self aggrandisement in leadership; the results are dreadful.  Let us each strive for the truth of the Gospel not the lies of the enemy.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• Think of an area of church life with which you are involved.  Now read back through Philippians and this passage in particular and ask yourself whether what is done reflects the life of Christ as Paul expounds it?
• Fast, and use your time to pray that the simple truths of the Gospel will penetrate our world by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  Pray for the many good people who are doing a great work in faithfulness to the Gospel, and ask the Lord to fulfil His Word.

Final Prayer

Almighty God, Your wisdom reaches far beyond us.  Teach us how to be wise, and make us wise enough to be taught; so that when we meet You face to face, we may be wise enough to call upon our Saviour, and know enough to confess our sin before the throne of grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 2:12-18

Philippians 2:12-18 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

In the previous passage, we read a wonderful description of the work of Christ.  This describes His extraordinary humility, and the fact that as a man, He was also God.  Paul wrote all this for a good reason, and he chose his words carefully.  He did not write just in order to provide the Philippians with a watertight argument about the nature of Jesus as God and man, he wrote to remind the Philippians of the standards of humility and service to which they should aspire.  He appealed to them to live a life worthy of the One who had saved them (2:12).

It seems that although Paul loved the Philippian church, it was experiencing considerable problems.  They had once been strongly committed to the Gospel (1:15-18, 27-30), but the Philippians had become distracted by dissention, strife, and a resulting lack of unity (1:15,17,28).  Paul therefore sought to point them back to Christ.  In His life and death, Jesus had demonstrated the very opposite of the attitudes that created trouble and division.  So Paul urged the Philippians to rise above their petty squabbles and live by Christ’s example of true godliness, humility, obedience and service. 

This advice has proved helpful ever since it was written.  Now, it is part of human nature for people to be argumentative and divisive, and unfortunately, this is just as true in the church as elsewhere.  Paul’s advice seems to call Christians to be perfect, like Christ; but no one can be perfect by following a set of guidelines.  Therefore, his advice was given to help the Philippians work towards overcoming their problems and not just accept them, and the heart of his message is straightforward.  He urges Christians to give a priority to dealing with their own problems (2:12), and make sure that they are right with God before they deign to comment on the salvation of others.

This is what Pauls says; ‘I urge you to make good your own salvation through fear and trembling’ (2:12).  It is a famous passage of scripture, and those who would like to stop people from engaging in wider debate have misused it, but this is not Paul’s agenda here.  His call is not to stop ordinary church members debating the things of God, it is to leaders of the church who have created division by forcing their own views on others.  He calls on them to look at the quality of their own lives, and ensure that they were living out the Gospel values of humility and obedient service; in other words, they were ‘like Christ’.  Leaders who create division by expressing their own strident views should be sure where they stand with the Lord before inflicting contentious views on others.  As with all leaders, they speak under the gaze of an awesome God.

In the middle of this passage, Paul develops this theme to make a related point, urging that people should not complain (2:14f.).  Just as before, Paul did not say this in order to forbid people from dealing with difficult issues, so we should not use this passage to prevent people from raising objections to things that have gone wrong in the church.  We should all know the difference between raising objections and complaining, and we should certainly not accuse people of complaining when they are only trying to raise important issues.  The one who complains is one who has ceased to see the good in others and it is this attitude that is destructive of fellowship.  The example of Christ asks us to be motivated by the good in others, not the bad.

Today, we sometimes imply that people are excused from complaining because we believe that this is a natural trait to be accepted.  We also excuse those who are divisive in their behaviour on the same grounds and ask people to accept this because such a person may be perceived to have great gifts.  This is not God’s way, for we cannot excuse godlessness.  We should expect all to examine themselves and live by the standards of Christ, and accept in Christian love that although no one has arrived at perfection, we are all striving for the same goal of Christ-likeness.  Christ is our guide.

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Obedience
• The purpose of the church in the world
• Paul’s confidence in the Philippian church

Philippians 2:12-18 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

This scripture has much more to say which follows on from this (2:13,14), and about the relationship of the Church of God to the world (2:15).  It concludes with a remarkable personal statement of Paul in which his love for this church in particular shines strongly, and for the second time in this letter, he appears to anticipate death and its consequences.  The range of emotions felt by those who first read this must have been overwhelming!

Obedience

Once each of us has heard the voice of the Lord calling us to respond to his love, and once we have accepted what He has done for our salvation and eternal life, the consequences of faith are made clear to us.  Our eyes are opened to see that we owe everything to the Lord and we must therefore be obedient to Him, in our attitudes and thoughts (our minds – see 2:5) and in everything we do.  This is what Paul explains to the Philippians in his letter; he does not to try and impose a religious system on them, but he does try to show them that only God’s ways, as shown through Jesus, are capable of releasing them from their problems.

Paul was speaking strongly to the Philippians, of that there is little doubt, as he charged them to be obedient to the example of Christ (2:12). Nothing meant more to him than the life, death and resurrection of our Lord, and he could not see how anyone could foster malcontent and disagreement amongst the lives of those who accepted, as he did, that Jesus was God’s way of salvation for all people.  He spoke to the church of their obedience when they first heard the Gospel, remembering how the jailer’s family had stood firm with him and other Christians as he demanded an apology from the magistrates for throwing him into prison on trumped up charges (Acts 16:25-40). He also remembered what he had heard of from others who had visited the church on his behalf (‘in my absence – 2:12), but there is no doubting the force with which he told them to have a mind for their own salvation (see above) and allow the bigger picture to be governed by Almighty God (2:13).  God’s purpose was to establish His Kingdom on earth and to overcome evil; so who, Paul argued, had any right to pursue arguing and complaining (2:14) given our relatively small place in the greater plans of God? 

The problem the Philippians faced has been true of churches down through the ages, which is that the pressures of daily life tend to obscure the ability of even good people to live out the values of the Gospel.  The only remedy is to be reminded in the strongest terms of what Jesus has done for us so that we submit ourselves again to Him, which is what Paul did.

The purpose of the Church in the world

It may seem to us that arguments and bickering are all a part of life, and you would be forgiven for thinking this was accepted as the norm if you attended a church meeting today; but scripture will have none of this.  Although we do not know what the problems at Philippi were, Paul saw in them something so wrong he had to write about it and speak to them in stern tones.  Why was this so?  Surely, we might say, there is always division amongst people, saved or not, and these divisions and disagreements must have their place if they are to be worked out within the life of the church.  If the example of Jesus and our unity in Him was not sufficient to persuade people of the fallacy of this, then Paul had another point to make to the Philippians.

He began by calling directly for an end to the complaining and arguing (2:14); if Christ was in charge of His Church and was also our inspiration, what was there to argue about?  He moved on swiftly to make a comparison between the Church of God and the rest of the world (2:15) which illustrated something fundamental about the work of God in the world.  He wanted the people of the church at Philippi to understand that they had a function and a purpose in God’s eternal plan and that complaining and arguing prevented that task from being achieved.

Paul was an Old Testament scholar and knew from his studies that the People of Israel had failed in their task to be a ‘light to the nations’ (Is 42:6; 49:6,7), a phrase which expressed Abraham’s calling for his offspring to be the people through whom all the nations of the world would be blessed (Gen 12:2,3).  Indeed, virtually the whole of the Old Testament contains the history of this failure and points forward to the time when God would resolve the problem.  It was an urgent issue for without the light of God, the ‘darkness’ which entered the world at the ‘Fall’ (Gen 3) controlled the world.  Paul called on the Philippian church to ‘shine like stars in the world’ (2:15) because they had received the light of Christ, and they could fulfil the call of God originally given to Abraham.  He also asked the church to present themselves as ‘without fault and pure’ (2:15), words which conjured up the ritual requirements of the Old Testament made to all who came to offer worship and sacrifice to the Lord (e.g. Psalm 24:4ff; Isaiah 52:11).  By using these words, Paul reminded the Philippian church to take seriously their call to show the world something different; an example of godly living which was true and successful because Jesus Christ was their light and guide.  This could not be found anywhere else in the world!

It hardly needed saying, given the great poetic eulogy Paul had just given to the life of Christ just previously (2:5-11), but none of this was achievable except by following Jesus’ example.  Two thousand years of Israelite history had shown there was no other way, and this remains true, however many times the church tries to reinvent itself apart from genuine renewal by the Lord Himself!

Paul’s confidence in the Philippian church

Even though Paul spoke so firmly to the church at Philippi about these matters, he showed in these verses that he had a ‘soft spot’ for them.  At the beginning, as he launched into his strong words about obedience, he addressed the Philippians with affection, using a common word for friends held dear; hence my translation ‘my dear friends’ (in older translations, ‘brothers’). Towards the end of the passage, he spoke warmly to them of his ‘boast’ that the Philippians would, despite their problems, hold on to their faith in Jesus Christ and demonstrate it in practical, peaceful living.

It is sad that the English language has no other word to use here but boast, for what is described is not open arrogance, but something more like the feeling any parent has when their own child steps forward to perform at a school concert.  In those circumstances a parent wants to say, ‘that’s my child’, not to boast with arrogance but because the joy of parenthood is expressed precisely in the deep happiness and pride of knowing that they have brought their child to the point where they can take their place amongst their peers and perform in this way.  Paul was there at the ‘birth’ of the Philippian church, and he had that sense of parental joy and privilege.  Despite the problems, he held them with an affection which was itself a testimony to the truth of what he was saying to them about humility and service.  Although what he was telling them was the sharp truth, he had done so with warmth and affection, in the firm belief that what he said and did was not ‘in vain’ (2:16).

Indeed, Paul seems to have been overcome with a sense of his possible death in verse 17, because of his work for the Gospel.  In a strange phrase, Paul likened himself to a sacrifice or ‘drink offering’ (strictly called a ‘libation’ - 2:17) poured out to God because of the ‘worship and service of your faith’.  This is not easy to unpick, but it seems that Paul saw the threat to his life which led to his imprisonment as being something which had happened as a direct result of his work.  He was captive because the churches he had founded were alive and successful, including that at Philippi.  Indeed, he would stand trial before the Emperor because of his preaching of Christianity, and the reigning Emperor (probably Nero) would have to make a judgement about whether the churches he founded posed a threat to the peace of the Empire.  A cynic could say that Paul was obviously concerned that the churches he founded did not engage in public disorder or strife on these grounds alone, but that would be to defame one whose whole life was given for the service of the Gospel in ways we can barely comprehend.  Such cynicism would merely demonstrate our ignorance!

Paul called the Philippian church to rejoice with him, even though what he was talking about seemed less than happy.  Nevertheless, what example could Paul give of everything he had been trying to say about obedience and humility unless he was able to express it all in joy?  Joy is itself the very antithesis of disputation, arrogance, complaining and arguing, and no joy can be had except on the common ground of fellowship.  Paul has more to say about joy later in the letter, but his call for joy at this point is a cry for unity of the Spirit within the church, and he wanted his words to be heard and received in the spirit with which they were given.

Philippians 2:12-18 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

Dissention and strife amongst God’s people has always been one of the most difficult things.  Christian people feel deeply about their faith, and sometimes feel it necessary to take stands and dispute issues within the church as if they were defending the faith itself.  How sad this is.  Paul would have told us that God does not have to be defended by us, we need to be defended by Him from the works of Satan to which we are all prone; disobedience, complaining, arguing, failure etc.  The Church of God is made up of those who accept their own place as equal before the Lord with all believers, and show this in their actions.

Much work needs to be done in our own day in helping God’s people to reclaim the traditional ground of faith which unites the Lord’s people.  The church is rife with divisions and arguments based upon denominations, music, culture, worship style, theology, age, and almost every imaginable feature of worldly life.  As I see it, ONLY the Gospel of Jesus Christ can draw people together.  It is revealed in God’s Word the Bible, is witnessed to within the history of Christianity through two thousand years, is practised by those who make it their business to live according to the  truths of the Gospel, is revealed to those who are in contact with their Lord through prayer, and is testified in the lives of people who come to know the Lord every day.  All these bear witness to the qualities of humility, obedience and service shown by Jesus, which lie at the core of Christian living.  Beware of anyone who avoids these truths of living or destroys the fellowship of God’s people for their own benefit and gain, however wonderful their claims sound or however godly they may appear.

Philippians 2:12-18 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. Do you find it easy to speak the truth about the Gospel when you believe that others in church have avoided it, or not acted in love?  How can these problems be overcome?
2. What do you understand by the phrase ‘work out your salvation through fear and trembling’?
3. Is the Gospel worth dying for, and do you know of those who have made that sacrifice, like Paul?

Personal comments by author

It is wise to consider all that Paul says in this passage because we can conquer trouble and sin, when we know how they will affect us and the whole body of Christ.  Satan will always attack the church with arguments and division, and he has done so for centuries.  The best defence for all of us is to understand what is happening, be sure of our own salvation, and demonstrate the life of Christ in what we do and say.  This is our call, and we would be wise to keep this in mind and not just imagine that being a Christian and going to church is an easy thing to do.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• Consider what issues have caused the greatest division and argument within your church.  Is it possible that an appeal to the qualities of Jesus’ life would make any difference?  What is it that entrenches people so firmly in their religious convictions and creates havoc in the church today?
• Write down a list of positive things you have learned from this text and negative things.  Then write down how you can learn from both lists.

Final Prayer

Jesus Christ, give us that joy which comes from You alone. Joy which lifts our hearts, opens us up to give and receive from others, heals us from all manner of problems and diseases, empowers us to do things we had not perceived, and brings us alive in You.  Jesus Christ, give us joy; again and again!  AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 2:19-24

Philippians 2:19-24 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

After delivering a powerful message about the unity of the church in Christ, Paul wanted to know how his message would be received!  He did not write out of abstract interest, the Philippian church was one of his favourites, and the Christians there were people he loved.  For this reason, after learning that there were problems at Philippi (1:15f.), he wrote to help overcome these troubles and wanted to know the effect of his letter.  This passage contains an almost palpable sense of concern that the letter will be received and its message accepted.

Today, we live in an age of instant communication in which we can text someone instantly to find out their feelings and their plans, and it is difficult for us to appreciate how hard it was for people to handle the stress of not knowing what was happening to friends a long way away.  It is not surprising therefore that this passage describes Paul’s feelings and emotions.  Paul is worried about the Philippian church, so he decides to send a letter not ‘in the post’, but by the hand of Timothy (2:19).  It is his clear hope that Timothy will return to him, bearing news that he longs to hear.

Paul describes Timothy warmly.  He had been with Paul when he first went to Philippi (see Acts 16:1f.) and would have been known by the church there.  But after the founding of the church, the Philippian Christians would have had little reason to know much about what had happened either to Paul or to Timothy after they left.  Paul therefore wrote like this to fill people in with what had happened since, and this also helped them to know how to receive the letter Timothy bore.  Paul’s warm commendation of Timothy served to ensure that the Philippians received him with the same courtesy with which they would have received Paul himself. 

Timothy is often mentioned in Paul’s other letters, and it seems that Timothy bore a number of his letters (1 Cor 4:17, 2 Cor 1:1, 1 Thess 3:2).  Paul also wrote two letters to Timothy himself concerning instructions for the leadership of the church, and they assume that later on, Timothy exercised a significant leadership role within the church.  It is likely therefore that Paul mentored Timothy for many years and used him to carry news for him, and he was eventually commissioned as a church leader.

The other main feature of this passage is Paul’s comments about himself.  We learn here that Paul felt Timothy was the only person who truly understood him (2:20).  Elsewhere in Scripture, we tend to gain the impression that Paul was well known and looked after by the Christian church wherever he went, even as far as Rome (see Acts 28).  This either means that Paul only trusted Timothy amongst many helpers, or it could mean that towards the end of his life, Paul was supported only by very few.

Certainly, Paul writes here with a certain trepidation about the future; he comments that he will send Timothy ‘as soon as I see how things turn out for me ...’ (2:23).  This comment contains the same sense of caution found in the first chapter, where Paul speaks of being willing to die and be with Christ, if God so wishes (1:19-26).  Yet just as in the first chapter, the negative feel of this sentiment is overcome by Paul’s confidence in the redeeming power of God, for Paul certainly looks forward to going to Philippi himself.

To read this passage today is like returning to a time when people lived without communications.  Nevertheless, people still needed to know snippets of information about each other in order to gauge who to trust with the things they said.  Some may feel that there is little in this passage, but it gives us some important insight.  We see here a picture of Paul as the mentor of Timothy, the man who would take over his leadership.  Also, we catch a glimpse of Paul as someone who knew he was not invincible; he accepted that he would die one day and was unashamed to say so.  Instead, he continued to write letters and make plans for his ministry after his death.

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these issues:

• Timothy – mentoring for leadership
• Commending Timothy
• Paul’s tension

Philippians 2:19-24 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

The starting place for all future leaders is to learn their work by walking in the footsteps of those who have gone before; so the reason for Timothy’s proposed journey in verse 19 is to do for Paul what he could not do for himself because of his imprisonment.  All the evidence of the relationship between Paul and Timothy is that the younger man was being mentored by Paul not simply to take over Paul’s ministry, but to continue his work according to the call of God.  There is a big difference, as we will find out by studying this text further.

Timothy – and mentoring for leadership

Scripture gives an example of such mentoring in the story of Elijah who handed the prophetic mantle over to Elisha (2 Kings 2:10ff), but there are few examples in the New Testament apart from Paul. Paul was concerned about the principles of mentoring when he parted company with Barnabas in the famous disagreement at Antioch (15:35ff).  There, he was unwilling to take with them a man he believed had not stood up to the tests of Christ’s mission under stress (a man called Mark, a common name and possibly not the Mark of Mark’s Gospel).  There is some evidence that Timothy was a man who had difficulties himself; he was young and older Christians appear to have failed to respect him (1 Tim 4:12) and he was not of good health (1 Tim 5:23).  However, Paul saw in Timothy the spiritual qualities of one who had a heart for God’s will, and was not a man to make a name for himself.  Indeed, after Paul’s two letters to Timothy which tell us much more about the Christian mentoring Paul exercised with Timothy, we hear little more of him, but the churches Paul founded continued to grow, and that may well be the best testimony we have of Timothy’s leadership.

The reasons for Paul’s choice of Timothy are given in verses 20 to 22.  These verses have caused some controversy because it is hard to see clearly what Paul refers to in the middle verse 21; ‘everyone else has their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ’.  Is Paul simply complaining about everyone else in the church, for example?  It does not sound like an example of the kind of Christian unity and affection that Paul has required of the Philippians, so there must be a better explanation.

Commending Timothy

Paul begins by writing to the Philippians giving a recommendation of Timothy, who was the best person to represent him partly on the basis of his knowledge of the church there (Timothy was with Paul when the church was founded (see Acts 16).  However, the fact that Paul said Timothy cared ‘deeply for your welfare’ (2:20) was not a reference to everyone’s health and general well-being.  Paul was not in the habit of making any such pleasantries.  He meant that Timothy shared with Paul his concern for the well being of the church fellowship in its unity, obedience and service to Christ, the three touchstones Paul used to assess the spiritual health of the church.  This now is the context for the contentious next verse (21) in which I suggest that Paul is simply extending his reasons for sending Timothy.  In comparison to Timothy’s Gospel concerns for the Philippians, everyone else Paul has spoken to about the church and its problems had other more personal opinions, and Paul was concerned that none of this should get in the way of work of the Gospel at Philippi.  The church was located at an important place in the Empire and he foresaw that it had an important role to play in the future.

Paul was therefore able to commend Timothy to the Philippians as one who had no partisan interest or personal ‘axe to grind’, and the relationship they enjoyed was ‘like a father with a son’ (v22). Paul talked of himself as a father and of others as his ‘children’ in a number of circumstances (see 1 Cor 4:14, Gal 4:19).  In each of these, he spoke as a preacher to converts (Timothy was one of Paul’s converts - Acts 16:1,3) using a natural example of his day of family relationships.  In his day, a young child was expected to be totally obedient to the father, and in a manner that is quite different from that of today.  This obedience was the starting point Paul expected of all who sought to follow Christ and even more of those he mentored for leadership.  With this commendation, the Philippians could expect that Timothy would truly represent both Paul and the Gospel he preached.

There is a great deal of discussion about the benefits of mentoring as a model for leadership training today, yet two things always seem missing within programmes I have observed, whether within the church or not.  Firstly, Paul mentored Timothy with the direct expectation that he would soon be unable to continue his work and would have to hand it over.  Few mentoring programmes today assume anything like this; rather, they assume that the one mentoring has virtually absolute and indefinite rights.  Secondly, Paul mentored Timothy expecting total obedience of a kind that is simply not acceptable today.  Paul’s notion of obedience was of total and unquestioning commitment to his cause (the Gospel), and this is something that today would be the subject of debate and not a reflection of real working relationships.  Obedience is something we generally talk about today, but rarely ‘do’.  Paul and Timothy were of one mind in their service of the Lord and commitment to the Gospel, and as far as Paul was concerned, that should be sufficient for the Philippians.

Paul’s tension

The last two verses of this passage demonstrate the tension within Paul about his own future, and echo some of the sentiments of the first chapter (1:21-23).  On the one hand, Paul expresses Gospel confidence that he would come through his imprisonment, the word ‘hope’  (2:23) being far stronger in Greek than we commonly mean by this word in English, and matched by the word ‘confidence’ (2:24) in the last verse.  But around these words are conditional phrases which display the uncertainty of Paul’s future; ‘as soon as I see how things turn out for me’ (1:23) and the words ‘in the Lord’ (1:24) which, as we have seen above, are equivalent to saying ‘if the Lord wills’.

How would you or I deal with the circumstances in which Paul was held?  Some commentators try to assess when the letter to the Philippians was written by studying Paul’s state of mind, on the assumption that the more he feared death, the closer he was to Rome and his own end, at the time when he wrote the letter.  How sad an assumption!  One such as Paul who had endured so much for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, had done so at personal cost (see 2 Cor 6:4ff), and it is presumptive of us to think we can assess timescales based upon a person’s mental and spiritual state when facing the death penalty and also writing a letter.  The remarkable thing about the letter to the Philippians is that Paul was able to hold together his own natural feelings of caution and perhaps fear at what awaited him (and there is nothing wrong with this, for even our Lord wept in Gethsemane), with his forthright proclamation of the Gospel of God’s love in Jesus.  In this he followed in the path of His Lord and gave an example to others in a way that few other early apostles and evangelists did.  This was recognised by the early church and it is why his writings are now part of the Bible.

Philippians 2:19-24 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

Today’s passage says little new about the situation in the Philippian church, or what Paul wanted to say to the Philippians, or any other reason for the letter.  It tells us about the plans of Paul and conveys a great deal about him as he faced the future, and about the mentoring of his ‘son in the Lord’, Timothy.  Underneath this passage lies an assumption about the qualities of one who is sent by God to do a task, work for which Paul was mentoring Timothy, and which is little understood today.  Ephesians 4:11 says ‘some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.’  This indicates the importance of the role of one who is ‘sent’ (Greek ‘apostle’).  It is a task first taken on by the disciples by commission from the Lord Himself who ‘sent’ them (the word ‘apostle’ in Greek means ‘sent’) to proclaim the Gospel within the whole world (Matt 28:18ff), and this special call was taken up also by Paul.  Since those days, the church has used the word ‘missionary’ (from the Latin word for ‘to send’ which is ‘mission’), but most people think of this as a very specialist calling which lies beyond the scope of most believers.

An missionary is one who is sent by the Lord to extend the boundaries of the Kingdom of God spiritually and physically, as the disciples and Paul did.  It is a vital call upon God’s people today, and can only be exercised through commitment and obedience to the Lord of a kind that is radically different from any model of obedience, mentoring or training available in the world today.  It can only be understood by reflecting on the Bible which describes it, and the history of Christian missions (the real life stories of those who have been Christ’s missionaries throughout the ages).  Those who are truly Christ’s ‘sent’ people today may be hard to find, for by definition, they do not work in the comfortable places where churches have been for many years.

If you are called to this spiritual task which is at the heart of the Gospel, then whatever your real occupation, you need to find someone who will mentor you as a father teaches a son, and work for the Kingdom with a single-mindedness and obedience which comes from Christ alone, for this work has eternal consequences.  You would also be advised to seek to mentor others who could learn from your wisdom if you are someone who has pursued this role for years and has consequently grown in Christ.  The Lord will make these things clear to you.

Philippians 2:19-24 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. Is there anyone who you feel especially close to in the church, with whom you feel that the Gospel is at the heart of your friendship? What does the Lord use this for?
2. Do you find that verse 21 of our reading affirms you or challenges you?
3. Is it always necessary to qualify what we plan by saying ‘if the Lord wills’?  Is it right for us to have absolute confidence in what we believe to be the Lord’s will?

Personal comments by author

There are thousands of missionary tasks waiting to be done in the world today, and the Lord needs His people to respond to the call.  I know I responded to this call years ago and I have found that the Lord has constantly led me into different situations in which things need to be done, and it has affected the whole of my life; my family, my income and my health (to name a few).  He may have some work for you, on the internet, through your work, with people or institutions around you.  Remember, the heart of the calling is to the proclamation of the Gospel in obedience, and total life commitment. I do believe this is God’s call for all who read this today.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• I ask you to consider whether the Lord is calling or has called you to be a missionary as described in the Bible study above.  Please do not be afraid of the terms.  Be afraid only of the Lord who gave them, and calls people all the time to essential tasks within the Kingdom of God.
• Fast and pray for all who do the work of the Lord as pioneers of the faith, even to this day.  Some Christians work as ‘undercover’ agents in countries where it is dangerous to confess the name of Christ.

Final Prayer

Your love, Lord Jesus, changes everything.  It removes timidity and self sufficiency in a person and makes them outgoing and bold; it takes someone who is sick and gives them special work and meaning for life; it takes a zealous youth and trains them in the humility of submission and service.  We offer ourselves to You, Lord Jesus; do with us as You will;  AMEN

Bible study for Philippians 2:25-30

Philippians 2:25-30 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Review

(consult Dictionaries)

Today’s passage contains some fascinating insight into the life of the early church and the ministry of Paul.  It constitutes a reference for a man named Epaphroditus, who is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture (here and in 4:18).  He had been asked by Paul to take the letter he was writing to Philippi, together with Timothy (see yesterday’s reading – 2:19-24), and so Paul wrote this commendation as a form of written authority.  Fraud was possible in ancient as well as in modern communications, and the apostle’s written authority was important.

Whilst Paul’s main intention was to provide written authority, he also mentions a number of things that had happened to himself and Epaphroditus.  Epaphroditus had recently been ill (2:26,27), having risked his life in some missionary task (2:30).  Of course, these snippets were common knowledge to the people who received the letter, but we do not know the full picture, so these are our only window onto what happened, together with Paul’s other comment about Epaphroditus, as found in 4:18.  So we should read this before we try to put the story together.

I have been fully paid; more than enough. I am well supplied now that I have received the gifts you sent through Epaphroditus.  They are a fragrant offering, a sacrifice which is acceptable and pleasing to God.  (Philippians 4:18)

From these texts we can just about reconstruct a story line like this.  Epaphroditus was from Philippi, and he had been sent by the church to give a gift to Paul, to help him in his ministry and whilst he was in prison.  At some point on the journey to Paul (and it remains uncertain exactly where), Epaphroditus became ill and nearly died, but recovered and was able to fulfil his commission by bringing the gift to Paul (2:26,27).  News of this, including Epaphroditus’ illness had reached the Philippian church, and as a result of communication delays, and it seems that Philippians became concerned about what had happened to Epaphroditus and Epaphroditus himself was upset that his home church knew about his escapade (2:26,30), but he could not reassure them of his health!  Paul then became worried for Epaphroditus and decided to send him home to Philippi with his letter, together with Timothy, where he would have the opportunity to reassure his friends and tell them the truth about what had happened to him and the gift (2:29).

There is enough here to spark the imagination, and by guessing at one or two other possibilities, it would be possible to concoct a very interesting story about Paul’s missionary endeavours, with the help of Timothy and Epaphroditus!  Nevertheless, it is good for us to have these scraps of a very human story within a letter that is otherwise very theological.  We read here about suffering, risking death, illness, bravery, sorrow, and sympathetic feelings between Christians.  But more than this, the passage is written with a conviction that God was in control of what happened.  God was providentially merciful to Epaphroditus in saving him from death (2:27), and Paul was absolutely confident that what had been started by the Lord would be finished (2:29,30).  Paul and his colleagues knew for sure that they were doing the work of God’s Kingdom, and they rejoiced to do the Lord’s will (2:29)

If you were to read some of the books that have been written about Philippians, then you would find that many of them spend some time discussing who Epaphroditus was, and whether he took the letter to the Philippians or Timothy, or perhaps both together.  All this is really of little consequence because we cannot resolve these things from what Paul has written here.  The passage is enough, however, to tell us something about the quality of fellowship found in the early church.  This is a one of only a few New Testament passages that gives us a glimpse into the lives of early Christians, and it reveals all the human feelings and rich details of a true story.  In the end, this passage does a great deal to persuade critics, if there are any, that this letter is no gimmick and its message is no fraud.  The Philippians needed to know this just as we do today.

Going Deeper

The Bible study goes deeper to look at these words within the passage:

• Epaphroditus
• Brother -  ‘adelphos’
• Fellow worker -  ‘synergos’
• Fellow soldier -  ‘sustratiotes’
• Messenger -  ‘apostolos’
• Minister -  ‘leiturgos
• Mercy -  ‘eleisis’
• Welcome -  ‘prosdexeshe’
• Close to death -  ‘paraboleusamenos’

Philippians 2:25-30 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Going Deeper

(consult Dictionaries)

This passage reads like an ordinary story, which indeed it is.  However, there are a few words, particularly in verse 25 describing the ‘ministry’ of Epaphroditus which are especially interesting.  The main Bible study today takes the form of a series of brief word studies.  These will guide our understanding, and each word helps us get to know something of the fascinating story of Epaphroditus.

Epaphroditus  The name Epaphroditus is very interesting because it is a name which comes from the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty (equivalent to the Roman Venus) and also the goddess of gambling and luck.  Born into a pagan family, he was therefore most likely to have been ‘dedicated’ in some way to Aphrodite.  We might imagine that a Christian would receive a new name upon baptism to symbolise their new life, however, all the evidence is that this was a later practice of the church, and that early Christians kept their original names.  They accepted that the new life they received was spiritual and of the heart, and having been baptised they did not need to express that with any other outward sign, such as a new name.

Brother (‘adelphos’)  This is the first of three words that Paul uses to identify personally with Epaphroditus (2:25).  It was a word that Paul used frequently to identify those who were baptised members of the Christian family (Rom 1:13, 1 Cor 1:10 and many more) and which emphasised the equality of all believers before God.  Some have suggested that Paul described Epaphroditus as his ‘brother’ in order to send a message to those at Philippi who thought of him as a mere servant, perhaps even a slave.  As in the famous case of the slave Philemon, Paul uses all means to tell those in the church who thought more highly of themselves that everyone was the same before God.

Fellow worker (‘sunergos’)  This is the second identification Paul makes with Epaphroditus (2:25).  It is a word that Paul used mainly about those who worked with him in evangelism, bringing the Gospel into new parts of the known world (e.g. 1 Cor 3:9; 1 Thess 3:2; where the Greek word sunergos is used and translated in different ways, but with the same core meaning).  This was Paul’s distinctive pioneering work, and there was no higher commendation of Epaphroditus to his home fellowship than that Paul should call him a ‘fellow worker’.

Fellow soldier (‘sustratiotes’)  Paul used a third term to identify with Epaphroditus (2:25) which was used in Greek for soldiers who fought side by side, and therefore shared in the hardships as well as the glories of battle.  Paul used this word when talking of those who had shared his fight against enemies of the Gospel (Rom 16:3,9; 2 Tim 2:3; Philem 2), and in each case, significant suffering was involved.  Depending on how you read these verses, it may seem that Paul makes much of Epaphroditus’ illness and suffering whilst bringing him a gift from Philippi.  However, the reason for this could well be that some had criticised Epaphroditus for almost failing in his task, and Paul sought to emphasise that it was completed (2:30) and his suffering was that of a ‘fellow soldier’.

Messenger (‘apostolos’)  We looked at this word yesterday in relation to Timothy; and we saw the importance of the word as meaning ‘one who is sent’.  At this point in our passage, Paul began to talk of Epaphroditus according to what he had done for the Philippian church which sent him, rather than from his own personal point of view.  He was their ‘apostle’, sent by them and bearing a gift to Paul, whereas Timothy was Paul’s ‘apostle’, sent by him to Philippi (see note on Philippians 2:19-24), and although they were apostles on the Lord’s business, the difference was in who sent them.  Again, the way Paul uses the word appeals to a sense of equality.  One is an apostle, sent for this reason, another is apostle sent with a message or gift from someone else.  So why, he seems to say, do we reserve these titles for certain people only?  The term ‘apostle’ or ‘missionary’ is reserved for special and trained people today, but that is not the New Testament use of the word.

Minister (‘leitourgos’) The second word Paul uses to describe Epaphroditus’ work for the Philippians is not common in the New Testament.  This same word, ‘Minister’, is used widely today, however, to refer to a clergyman.  It comes from a word which is used in the Old Testament for the more ordinary work of priests, and reflects their service of the Lord and of the people (see 1 Chron 6:17, for example).  Jesus Himself is described as ‘a minister in the sanctuary’ in Hebrews 8:2.  The word really reflects the nature of work done for other people rather than any title or role, and in this scripture, Paul talks twice of the ‘ministry’ of Epaphroditus (2:25,30) which has been of great personal help to him.  The way we use the title ‘minister’ has, of course, evolved over many hundreds of years, both in the church and in society, but it is good to be reminded by scripture that the word reflects the work of one who has been exclusively commissioned for the service of others, as Epaphroditus was.

Mercy (‘eleisis’) In verse 27, we read that Epaphroditus was healed from the disease or illness that had beset him on the course of his mission to offer the ‘ministry’ of a gift to Paul.  There is so much talk of people being worried about Epaphroditus we might wonder whether some at Philippi were more concerned for the safety and delivery of the gift rather than Epaphroditus himself.  Paul certainly spends a great deal of time in his letter defending and accounting for his actions.  In the course of this, he describes how Epaphroditus nearly died, but does not describe the ‘healing’ in the way we might expect.  He says that God had ‘mercy’ on him, and the mercy of God is always a matter of His sovereign will.  Epaphroditus was not healed by the laying on of hands or through anyone’s prayer, but by God’s direct intervention.  In saying this, Paul emphasised the importance and significance of what Epaphroditus did.  As he went on to say at the end of the verse, this action of God spared Paul not only the sorrow of the loss of a servant but of the gift he brought from the Philippians which was a blessing to him in prison.  Some suggest that the gift was of money and resources which would have kept Paul in reasonably good conditions in prison (see also 4:18ff), perhaps even kept him alive.

Welcome (‘prosdexeshe’)  Paul emphasised to the Philippians that they were to welcome Epaphroditus back to their fellowship.  Surely this would happen anyway?  Why emphasise this?  Paul went on to tell the Philippians to honour Epaphroditus and those like him who had acted in the service of the Gospel and nearly lost their lives, so why was this necessary?  Epaphroditus, as we have suggested already, was probably just a slave or servant, commissioned to do what those who had power over him in Roman society told him to do, and may not have been prepared to do themselves.  Yet Paul, by this call to the Philippians to welcome him back with the highest love and affection, sought to ensure that Epaphroditus had a place of honour and respect within the church to which he returned.  Yet again, this tells us of Paul’s concern that people in the church of God be treated as equals.  Have you noticed that the way people greet each other can reflect the relative social standing they have?  Paul would have none of it!

Close to death (‘paraboleusamenos’)  At first sight this word in verse 30 simply tells us information we already know (see v27), so why repeat it?  The Greek word is a gambling word for ‘placing a stake’.  In other words, Epaphroditus ‘staked his life’ on the Gospel through his obedience.  More than this, Paul may have used this word to draw attention to Epaphroditus in a special way.  We saw above how his name came from that of the God ‘Aphrodite’.  We know from other documents and records of the day that as a gambler cast the highest bet of a game, he would shout ‘Epaphroditus!’ calling on the god Aphrodite to bless the bet (meaning something like ‘on the god Aphrodite!’), and yes, this was exactly the name of the man who had served Paul and been sent from Philippi!  Epaphroditus’ name was indeed a gambling term, he had ‘staked his life’ not on the gaming table, but on the Gospel.  There is no way that we would spot such a word-play in English, or even be able to translate it; but it is clear in Greek!  Paul concluded by stating plainly to the Philippians that Epaphroditus had done this on their behalf and had done what they were not prepared to do themselves by risking himself for the Gospel.  It is probably the highest commendation he could offer.

Philippians 2:25-30 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Application

Equality is something it is easy to talk about and agree upon, but is profoundly hard to put into practice in a world in which each of us are born into a state (relative to the world) of either having a great deal or very little.  Within each society of the world there are divisions between people historically derived from colour of skin, so called ‘racial’ physical features, and variously perceived status or class.  These divisions are exacerbated by the complex and multicultural nature of the big cities of the world today, which by their nature demonstrate a wide range of inequalities, sometimes of the most extreme kind.  The notes I have given today speak frequently and unashamedly of Paul’s’ constant verbal onslaught against this perversion of humanity.  Whilst we cannot escape the reality into which any of us are born, the heart of the Gospel and the heart of God express the equality of all people without exception.  You cannot read the scripture and bend it to mean anything else except a perversion of truth.  The question we are therefore left with is about how to express that fundamental equality of all people within the life of our churches and the Gospel we preach.  Because Satan will always seek to divide people in order to dilute the Gospel we preach, there is a need for constant vigilance on this issue.  Those in leadership must treat all as equal or their Gospel credentials are fatally flawed.

How easy it is to criticise others.  You could say that what I have said is critical; but of whom?  Those who cannot treat everyone as equal?  Can anyone in the church defend this?  Truly destructive criticism within the church happens when people fail to treat each other as equals and become more strongly tied to their own views and interpretations of issues.  The more we read Philippians, the more we realise this is probably what was happening at the church there.  Paul sought within almost every sentence of his letter to emphasise in some subtle way that equality was at the heart of the Gospel.  This is what we must accept if we are to receive Christ, and be united with others who believe in Him.

Philippians 2:25-30 (get text)   Study links:  / Review / Going Deeper / Application / Discipleship /

Discipleship

Questions (for use in groups)

1. How important do you think it is for people to be given a ‘baptismal name?
2. Read the passage again, and discuss in your group what you believe scripture says about Epaphroditus and his mission, and what is presumption or suggestion.
3. Did Epaphroditus knowingly risk his life for the Gospel?  Does his credit go up or down according to the risk he thought he was taking?

Personal comments by author

It is hard to sit down and question ourselves about issues of equality.  Each of us will find that in some way we have not treated those around us with the Gospel equality they deserve.  Some people we come across are hard to deal with and some are easy, but that is not the issue; where is our heart? What is our attitude to them?  A few moments thought and reflection is helpful for all of us as we consider those with whom the Lord has placed us at home, church or work.  However we deal with them, we need to be sure that our motives are pure before the Lord.

Ideas for exploring discipleship

• Write down a list of those who do most in the life of your church, as far as you can see.  Is there any hierarchy implied within the offices and the duties of people, or is everyone seen as equal?  The exercise may well help you gain a better insight into the life of your church.
• Go and worship at a different church and observe how things are done there.  How different are they from what you know in your own church?  What can you learn?

Final Prayer

Bring me close to You through what I do this day, Lord Jesus.  May I understand the things that You would have me do, and so do them.  May I take hold of each challenge You bring me, and not avoid them.  May I embrace a right attitude to all things, and take joy in being Your servant; through Your Name I pray,   AMEN

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