For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Paul counts everything as loss, and then speaks of having suffered the loss of all things as rubbish. I understand “these things” as that which his detractors still clung to, the reputation and religious pride afforded them in the pharisaical religion.
Some translators replace rubbish with “dung”, that which is the refuse of an animal. Paul counts “those things” as not simply something that has no value, but that it is of a detrimental value. If I understand Paul, he is describing a balance sheet of worth to the Philippians. He is a bit of an accountant in this and the following verses. That which was highly prized is now considered a negative, a burden, a debt, a hindrance on the balance sheet of his life.
Notice how this also provides a slap in the face to those who cherish the life of a committed pharisee, who considered themselves the chosen of God, and that the dirty Gentiles were as such to God. A good pharisee would consider a gentile to be of worth equal to an off scouring of an old plate, or the refuse of a dog.
Things have completely flipped for Paul, and there is only one reason for this radical change in lifestyle and faith.
Jesus.
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For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
3:7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Paul has just declared his gain (or advantage) in relation to those whom he lived amongst. His national, tribal, lingual, and religious history was impressive. Granted, all of this was based on his comparison of himself with others. We all do it, but for Paul, he was miles ahead in the competition business, in his efforts to find acceptance before God based on his granted and achieved attributes.
But, when compared with the Christ, reality came crashing down and he realized his advantage over others was actually detrimental to his soul. Upon gazing on the Christ, and as a result of this gaze, that in this realization that the Messiah had come in the name of Jesus, he could only see his own vileness. No gain. No advantage. Only selfishness, foolishness and division resided in this way of thinking.
It is interesting to consider the two terms gain and loss.
Gain
Paul has brought up the idea of gain earlier in the letter when he spoke of the gain of going home. This gain he would have realized if he had be executed, but he sought to stay if the Lord willed, to minister to those the Lord took him to. The gain in this verse is addressing Paul’s perceived advantage based on his competitive nature with others. He had a gain, or an advantage, but when seen with the right eyes, it was all loss, and not just loss, but worse than that, but I am getting ahead of myself!
Loss
The term “loss” in interesting, especially considering the theme of competition that Paul has used to describe his former life. The term “loss” has a component in it that may communicate damage, and the root of this Greek word had a sense of dominion associated with it. That which was gain, or was an advantage to Paul, actually suffered a death blow by Paul’s decision to align with Christ. He counted, or considered his advantage in the sight of man to be a detriment, and he counted it as such.
As believers, I fear we hang onto our humanly advantages too tightly, or at least I fear I do. This may be in direct relation to my understanding of who the Christ really is, and that my eyes are not as open to the wonders of His grace and person as they could be.
May we see Him a bit clearer today, because we want to!
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For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
3:6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Paul continues with his listing of reasons he had confidence in the flesh prior to meeting Christ. As we saw in our previous post, many of his reasons for boasting in the flesh were conditions he was born into, such as of the bloodline of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Eventually he begins to write of his own efforts in the competition game of getting right with God, for it had become something he trusted in, something he could compare with others and feel he was on the right side of the curve. Of course, after having met Jesus, this desire to find worth in comparing himself with others was jettisoned into the dustbin.
2 Corinthians 10:12 Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
The only One we can rightly compare ourselves with is the One who is incomparable. We are simply (redeemed) sinners, those who are unworthy of His grace, mercy and love.
The last two descriptors of Paul’s efforts to find worth in the eyes of God, through his own efforts are as follows
Zeal
His claim to fame in the zeal department included murder. Wait – What?? He was a persecutor of those who worshipped God in the Spirit, and his desire to chase down, persecute and haul to prison was a mark of zeal that few if any had in Jerusalem.
Imagine, the mental gymnastics Paul must have had to go through to chase fellow Israelites down, in foreign lands and haul them back to Jerusalem.
His zeal was unaccounted for. The church was growing exponentially and the more he persecuted, the stronger it seemed to be getting. Frustration level for this poor man must have been off the chart! Without this zeal, this desire to “keep the faith pure” by rooting out this heresy, Paul would have simply been a general fanatic for the Pharisaical branch of Judaism.
Righteous
Paul has mentioned the law in the previous verse, speaking of his chosen branch of dedication in relation to the law. He wasn’t a Sadducee, or heaven forbid an Essene, like John the Baptist. In this reference to the law, Paul speak of not his association, but of his righteousness under the law, and that he was blameless in this law.
Come on Paul, how can you say that?
No one is sinless, and your obedience to the law in which you trust speaks over and over again of the sinfulness of even the best of the faithful. But my friend, let us not read into this verse something that is not there. He states he was blameless, not sinless. There is a difference, and we have discussed this topic in earlier posts. An example post for my reader to consider may be Psalms for Psome – Ps 41.04.
In Paul’s listing of attributes that he was either granted or that he “worked” at, he surely had the right stuff to go up against any of the flesh mutilators that were troubling the Philippians. He had authority to have influence based on his person, his lineage and efforts that lifted him above others! Yet in comparing himself with the Christ, he simply bent the knee.
My friend, if you find yourself comparing yourself with anyone other than the Christ, take a lesson from Paul. It is a fools errand to chase self worth, to be in competition with those we ought to simply love and serve.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
3:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
Paul refers to five accomplishments he can claim to in his life, prior to meeting the risen Savior, and that he labored in. It is quite a list of honor and status!
Circumcision
Not only circumcised, but circumcised on the correct day after his birth. Some in the nation may have been circumcised beyond that day. For example, the rare gentile who would enter the Jewish faith would get circumcised as an adult! Paul was better than that dirty convert, though it was nothing he actually done. It was done to him.
Of the correct people
Paul had the right blood in him. He could trace his lineage back to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and surely that made a difference in God’s eyes! Paul was better than those who were outsiders to the physical lineage of Abraham, though it was nothing he actually done. It was done to him.
Of a better Tribe
Paul was out of a better tribe, one that had a history of relative faithfulness to God. Paul was better than some of his own blood brothers, though it was nothing he actually done. It was done to him.
A Hebrew of the Hebrews
Here we may be entering into Paul’s efforts to attain to being “better than the rest”. I understand Paul’s intent with this phrase to say he is the Hebrew”ist” of Hebrews, not of any offshoot from the pure Hebrew life, such as the Hellenistic Hebrews, who had left behind the mother tongue and many other aspects of the Hebrew lifestyle. Paul was better than some of his own cultural brothers, though even with this claim, his parents were the ones to provide this basis for him to build on. Nevertheless, he was better!
A Pharisee
Ok – here we go! This claim is the beginning of where Paul’s chest used to go from large to gigantic in terms of pride. Paul was doctrinally pure, a condition that bolstered his previously granted situation in life with his own efforts. By his own choice he determined the correct religious party to follow after, based possibly on what seemed a higher moral or religious code. Nevertheless, his approach to the law was impeccable in his interpretation!
Sadly, the One who gave the law, and lived it perfectly interpreted the law and the prophets quite differently. But Paul was sincere to say the least!
Sincerity in an error simply means you are sincerely wrong, but amongst those who followed after the pharisaical life, Paul was up there amongst the best!
Wow – he truly was better! In a race of competition to see who is the greatest, it surely wasn’t Christ in Paul’s previous life. Nope, I think Paul might suggest he was the greatest.
Our next verse will continue in this vein of vanity, but let us remember this is the life and attitude of the old Paul, and of his confidence in the flesh.
To close this post, I would like to ask my readers a difficult question.
What reasons do you have to place confidence in the flesh?
Is your background purer in some regard than your neighbors?
Do you have skills that elevate you above your friends?
Have you been granted privileges that others have not, and find comfort in these privileges?
May God have His way in our lives.
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For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
3:4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
Paul, in our previous verse discussed the churches identification and spoke of our not to trust in the flesh. Always the expert teacher, Paul gives his testimony, detailing his fleshly attainments, and his final rejection of any confidence in them in front of God,
His fleshly accomplishments are nothing to snicker at, for he has much he could trust in, more than the Judaizers who are preaching this troubling message of circumcision.
Note that by entering into a description of Paul’s list of accomplishments, a component of living under the law is exposed. Competition! This is the nature of the one who trust’s in the flesh, for it is never enough, and by comparing ourselves with others, we find some comfort, foolish as it is!
Have you sat in your pew and considered how much more dedicated you are than Sally, who only attends one service a week? Or that you have performed in the choir more than Frank – Dang he can’t even hold a note!
Paul won this competition with many of his physical equals, but he found rest in the work of Christ.
Put down the list, and find rest in Christ.
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For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh–
In our last post, Paul was writing to his church regarding the dogs who were attacking the church, those evil workers who sought to cause the church a distraction by requiring circumcision to be included in gospel. Whether that be to get saved or stay saved, or to create a “higher level” of spirituality within the church, isn’t really the issue. All three topics were to be Christ centered.
Paul continues his warning, defining he church, as opposed to those workers who were claiming to be right with God, who had that higher level of spirituality, who were “in the club”.
Given the backdrop of circumcision Paul is addressing, he brings to the forefront of the discussion that we – the church – are the circumcision. Consider how these two parties represent the message of God.
The Judaizers message is literal, physical and brings bondage to the law. In our time, it could also be considered sexist. Might only men attain to this status? For the Judaizers to require this physical mutilation is restrictive,
Paul’s message is metaphoric, spiritual, and provides freedom. In our time, his message is inclusive , inviting both male and female to true circumcision, to a rejection of stubbornness toward our Maker and Redeemer
If only the evil workers would consider what the Old Testament teaches about circumcision.
Deuteronomy 10:16 – Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.
Early on, Moses their prophet (and ours) spoke of the true circumcision, the circumcision of the heart.
Jeremiah 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”
Jeremiah entered into a condition within the nation that depended on the mutilation of flesh as opposed to the spiritual renewal required by God, and spoke of the danger this false dependence created!
Jeremiah 9:25 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh–
Jeremiah does not mince words when he defines those who depend only on the circumcision of the flesh, those who will be punished!
We worship God through the Spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus.
We put no confidence (or trust) in the flesh.
As we venture through this fantastic chapter, Paul will supply a number of confidences he has rejected in order to have the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. Our next post will begin to discuss this topic.
Hope to see you there!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
3:2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
Now that Paul has grounded his church in the joy of the Lord, reminding them of the strength that is provided to them through Jesus, he addresses the “bad guys”.
Dogs
The Jewish population had a way of describing the unwashed, those who were not of the best blood, that were not in the club. Dogs. Oh they had other loving names for them, but this seemed to be one of the popular ones.
Jesus used the term to communicate to his audience when He spoke in Matthew 7:6 about the privilege of possessing holy truth.
Matthew 7:6 – “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
A little later in His ministry, this term came up again, with the Lord testing the faith of a Syrophoenician woman – you know one of those unwashed!
Matthew 15:26 – 27 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
For Paul to use this term in relation to Jewish preachers spreading a teaching requiring circumcision is quite shocking. After all, Paul is writing to a congregation of gentiles (read “congregation of dogs”) that in the mind of the legalizers, required circumcision to get right with God. Paul calls them the unwashed, the dogs, the ones outside of the covenant! But he goes further!
Evildoers
I tend to like the translation of evil workers, as in the RSV, NASB, ASB, and KJV, simply for the association workers have of being hired. The motivation for the spreading of evil, which modifies the type of worker we are considering here, is not love, nor grace or mercy, or in response to the grace shown to us, but for sake of filty lucre!
Regarding the modifier “evil”, the Greek word is kakos, and though it means “of a bad nature” or wicked, troublesome and destructive, whenever I come across this word, I think of my little grandbabies, before they were potty trained, and had a “kaka” in their diapers.
That stuff was of a bad nature!
Flesh Mutilators
Here we see a reference to the teachers troubling the Philippians. Paul is referring to those who preached Christ and circumcision.
These preachers saw the growth of the church and had to get involved. Prior to the church exploding on the scene, they did not have the challenge of the gentiles becoming so arduous in following after God, for they had put up enough walls to keep them out of the old boys club. Now it was a different story – It was getting out of hand, and God “needed” them to correct the gentiles in their faith.
By cutting their foreskin off!
Take a moment and consider the sacrifice of the Messiah. The eternal God, humbled to the existence of flesh and bone, hanging on a cross for the sins of the world, dying to release us from our futile life. A message of grace and mercy that beckons us to follow in the same life, a life of sacrifice and otherness, a life of following after Him.
Where does circumcision fit in? Where does the Lord Jesus speak of our needing this to get right with Him?
Kindly remember my friend that He has all authority, His message is the full and final message for mankind, and it is a message of commitment, not of circumcision, of grace, not of law, of the new covenant, not of a covenant that has ceased and that has vanished away.
But take note my friend, though the flesh mutilators are greatly reduced in numbers during our time, the same misinformation is spreading at an alarming rate.
Christ plus nothing is the message. Any mixture of our efforts in getting right with God, nullifies the grace that was abundantly provided for our sakes.
Watch out for those evil workers! They are kaka!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
3:1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Paul is begninning a section in Philippians where he begins to warn the church of the enemy within the church, or that will come to visit the church. Instead of this section starting out with dire warnings (for they will come) or descriptions of terrible teachers pouncing on the church (for they will arrive also), Paul starts out with joy. Not a doctinal stance, or an exhortation to prayer, (which is such a required practice for the believer) but joy.
He says to rejoice in the Lord. First off, a truly joyful believer is indominable, to the extent that the believer finds his joy in Jesus. Not in religion, or church attendance, or law keeping or ceremoniual bathing or sacrificial giving, or increasing population of the church. No – the joy in tho be found in the Lord only, and this is a settled joy that increases and increases as we walk with Him and see His activity in our lives in a daily way.
The joy I experienced at salvation was intense, very emotional, and unattainable to maintain. Now don’t hear when I say the intensity of the joy was unattainable to maintain as a cop out, for as I have sought to walk with Him, He has provided a settled, calming joy, a joy that does not spike and plummit, as emotional trips so often do. This joy is somewhat unnoticable until it is touched by a sadness, by a disapointment, or by a trial. Although the joy of the Lord is resident in me, it is with the difficulties that the joy comes into full bloom.
I found a quote from the preacher F. B. Meyer, regarding our cooperation in the cultivation of this joy. We are not to consider this experience of joy to be something we are passively recieving, but based on our relationship with the Lord, and His guidance in our thinking.
“It is a duty for us to cultivate this joy. We must steadfastly arrest any tendency to murmur and complain; to find fault with God’s dealings; or to seek to elicit sympathy. We must as much resist the temptation to depression and melancholy as we would to any form of sin.” (Meyer)
Was it not even within this letter that believers were told to not gripe or complain. Complaining, murmuring, disputing and whining are joy busters, for when we complain, we are not looking to the Lord but to our problems, not seeing God’ blessings but our supposed needs.
To rejoice in the Lord is an exercise of focusing on Him, and though times may be good or bad, our eyes are to be peering to Him for our daily strength. The Joy of the Lord is not “ours” but His, and a believer’s effort to generate it independant of Him is an exercise in futility. The joy of the Lord is not something that can be generated by self help books, or by an act of the will to be happy, but to look to Him in our day to day lives, listen for His voice.
In focusing on Him (and not seeking joy), we actually recieve love joy peace…
Rejoice in the Lord. It is actually a command! Go ahead – be sullen AND in the midst of being sullen, realize you are in sin!
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
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For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.
What is going on in this verse? Is Paul laying a guilt trip on the Philippians? This seems so out of character for this letter.
My first reading of the verse seems to imply that Paul was expecting a service from the Philippians that they were not willing to provide. But that cannot be the intended meaning, for this church is the one church we know of that repeatedly provided support for the apostle.
So when Paul brings up the “lacking in your service to me”, what in tarnation is he trying to say?
Let’s take a step back from the specific situation to the general lifestyle of believers. We are all to serve one another, to be a community of caring for one another whether we are 5 feet from our brother or 500 miles from our brother. But this physical distance makes it impossible to physically serve those who are a distance away form us. It is an impossibility!
The Philippians sent Epaphroditus to provide for Paul the funds from those in the church, and to supply assistance, or service for a period of time to the apostle. To be within “5 feet” from the apostle, providing a service to their loved apostle through the physical presence of the missionary they sent. The Philippians were lacking, (as all churches are) in providing service due to the physical world we live in. Paul is making a statement of fact, as opposed to laying a guilt trip on those he loved.
It is good to remember that we all are always debtors to our brothers, that we all owe love to our brothers and sisters. We all are debtors to our brothers and sisters.
Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The only One who does not owe us love is the One who provided the most scandalous love possible. He is the One who loves the most unlovely, the most hateful, despised and rejecting people imaginable. The grace of God is uber abundant!
We must remember that He is the One who, out of sheer grace, provided this love we walk in every day, and is the example for us to follow. Out of His love towards us, we are to love others.
We “owe” it to them, for He is worthy.
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For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,
In our last post on this wonderful letter between an apostle and his church, we found him giving to the church their apostle back, for Epaphroditus was a sent one from the church to provide funds and service to Paul. Now Paul was sending him back, and in this verse he reiterates the response they are to have and express when they receive him back from the expedition they sent him on.
Rejoice. The predominant response Paul is concerned about in Epaphroditus reception back into the church is that of joy. This is the second time he has mentioned it in regard to Epaphroditus in as many verses. Yes – Rejoice!
Yet Paul adds one more response he is expecting, and that is to honor this servant. He has not simply travelled to Paul, provided the funds from the church and travelled home. He has experienced a sickness, a near death sickness, that most likely was the result of this trip.
This is another picture of the Lord Jesus, who ventured to this condemned world with the intent of experiencing suffering and death, and to return to the Father. Epaphroditus, in his mission to provide for Paul, mirrored Jesus at least in the experience of facing death.
I assume that as he ventured to Paul in Rome, he did not expect to face death. Jesus did.
He knew what was in store for Him prior to his leaving the glories of heaven, and He came anyway. He was not delivered from death, as we find out of Epaphroditus in our next verse, but he entered death, to come out of the grave three days later. Although Epaphroditus provides a picture of the Lord in his experience on earth, it is only a picture, and does not express the depth of experience the Lord travelled through for us.
In all of this, Paul has one more response the Philippians were to express to the returning soldier for Christ, and that is to honor him. They are to hold Epaphroditus, and men like him, in high regard, to prize them as good soldiers of Christ, and to relate to them as precious men of faith. We shall find that the reason for this honor in our next verse, in that Epaphroditus was on the edge of the grave due to his service for Christ.
The point is the church was not to carry any sort of feeling of failure in regard to Epaphroditus, but that they were to honor him. He was a servant who suffered in the midst of his mission, completing his task for the church and impacting the apostles life with his humilty and commitment to Christ.
This is a man who is to be honored by the Philippians. A man who is a reflection of the Lord Himself, and to this day, should be considered a soldier who faithfully served His Master.
May we also be a faithful servant to our King.
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For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.
Paul has spent the last few verses speaking of Epaphroditus, of his character, his sickness, his impact on the apostle and the expected response of the Philippian church.
But note that Paul is now stating a somewhat obvious fact, coupled with two anticipated responses. An obvious fact Carl? Yes, when Epaphroditus turns up in Philippi with this letter for the church, (for most scholars would say he was the courier), isn’t it obvious that Paul sent him back?
Or might Paul be emphasizing something other than the obvious. Maybe he is emphasizing his attitude in sending Epaphroditus, his eagerness to provide this servant back to the church, his desire to provide for his church at his own expense.
Remember that Epaphroditus was sent to Paul to provide time and money, and though the church’s missionary delivered the funds, his time of service was severely limited dues to his sickness. Yet Paul does not grasp at this lost opportunity for someone to provide a service for him. Instead, he is eager to send him back to the church, for the church’s sake, and as Paul mentioned earlier, for Epaphroditus sake.
So Paul is eager to send him back for thier sake. And he is thankful for the recovery God provided to his friend, so that he my be relieved of his own anxiousness.
Whoa Paul, I thought Christians were not to be anxious. Just a chapter later you will write
Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Well, there is a simple explanation for this seeming hypocrisy, for the anxiousness Paul mentions in our verse today is a Greek word that speaks of being free from pain or grief, to be less sorrowful. Paul is speaking of the emotional environment he lives in due to the situation his brother and the Philippians are in.
An alternate reading of the passage fleshes this thought out somewhat better.
Philippians 2:28 NASB95 – Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned [about you.]
This “anxiousness” is other related!
In Phil 4:6, when Paul provides a commandment to the believers to not be anxious, he is referring to our common understanding of the cares and concerns of everyday life, of the “worrying” we enter into, that steals our joy.
This “anxiousness” is self related!
So Paul expresses his motivation in his eagerness to provide for the Philippians, his seeking “less sorrow” over the situation and that the Philippians would rejoice at seeing him.
Of course this last phrase may bring confirmation or regret within the congregation, depending on how Epaphroditus is welcomed home, but for some reason I want to think that the Philippians rejoiced at seeing their brother come home. If there were an element within the church that may still harbor feeling of disappointment in the success of Epaphroditus mission, this reminder to rejoice would hopefully quell that sentiment.
In our own lives, if there is opportunity for us to dwell on the failure of others, let us remember the definition of love, that Paul not only exhibits here, and encourages in his church, but explicitly describes for our own lives in another letter he wrote.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Help us O Lord to love one another the way you loved us!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
Paul has been speaking of Epaphroditus, a man who travelled from the Philippian church, a messenger sent by the much loved church Paul founded on his second missionary trip. Paul spoke of Epaphroditus longing for them in an earlier verse, and his concern for them, even though he was staring death in the eye. This is an amazing reflection of the Lord in that, even in suffering and weakness, this brother was concerned about others, and not only others, but the burden his sickness was adding to the Philippian’s lives.
Where do we find believers like this, that sacrifice an opportunity to gain pity, in order to show love?
Yet Paul speaks not only of Epaphroditus sickness and it’s impact on the Philippians, but also his own experience with Epaphroditus. I do not know of any evidence of Epaphroditus meeting Paul prior to his travels to Rome for the church. No mention of him in Acts, and he is only referred to in this epistle, yet Epaphroditus in this one mission trip has a major impact on the great apostle Paul.
Paul speaks of avoiding “sorrow upon sorrow” by the mercy of God, in raising Epaphroditus from the sick bed. Death appeared to be imminent, and Epaphroditus did not have a general hospital to visit for care. Possibly his only friend was a man who was an enemy of the state, who was in jail for preaching another King other than Caesar, waiting on his death sentence.
Both these men were looking death in the eye, and what was their response? Both expressed a compassion for others, entering into the trial of those suffering.
The term “sorrow” is well known amongst us – We have all had sorrow at some point in our lives, and to try to describe it at this time seems fruitless. One thing I do find very instructive is the physical effect sorrow can have on the body. Consider.
Luke 22:45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow,
What specifically caused the disciples to fall asleep on the night of the Messiah’s betrayal? Luke tells us it was due to sorrow. Sorrow caused the exhaustion of the disciples, resulting in their passing out when the Messiah needed them most.
Grief. Sorrow. It is not merely an emotion we suffer though at times. Sorrow affects our physical lives. Sorrow not only impacts the physical body, it also crushes the spirit!
Proverbs 15:13 – A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
In the midst of this “sorrow upon sorrow” God had mercy on Paul by extending mercy to Epaphroditus. His mercy is abundant and one act of mercy from the hand of God ripples through to many.
Let us be merciful towards both our brother and our enemy! It is the Lord’s way, and both Paul and Epaphroditus lived in it.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.
In our last post we found Paul’s thoughts of Epaphroditus, in that he is his brother, his fellow worker, his fellow soldier and the Philippian’s messenger. He praised this believer in front of the Philippians, couldn’t say enough about him. During our last post we spent some time conjecturing how Paul may have perceived the Philippian’s thoughts, how they may be disappointed in Epaphroditus. (See Philippian Bits – 2:25.02)
In this short verse, we find out the thoughts of Epaphroditus himself. This man who has travelled from Philippi with a gift for Paul, and has succumbed to a sickness, become a burden, and is possibly delayed from returning to his home church.
His thoughts? He just wants to be with them. He simply wants to go home. He is longing for his friends in Philippi, hoping for the day when he has enough strength to say goodbye to the Apostle Paul and head home. He has that positive emotional longing that pulls at every thought, distracting him because it interrupts his thinking of other things. His thoughts are mixed though, for he has a negative emotional experience, in that he is distressed over his friends. They know of his illness, and that causes additional grief for Epaphroditus.
What a tension to live under! Stricken in a bed far from your friends, without the convenience of cell phones or instant messages, this believer wants to go home to see his people, because he loves them, AND because he is full of heaviness that they know of his trial.
You know, love is like that. We want to protect those we love from any unnecessary distress, even if it is due to our experience. It is not all about me me me, how much I suffer, or how much I have to go through for someone else. Love is other’s based.
Story time
I have a good friend whose supervisor was unexpectantly fired. During my chat with him, it turned out that his concern wasn’t with the boss and his loss, of his lack of work, the shock of his firing (and it was a shock!), but how it impacted my friends life. He was very angry with the fact that no-one told him of the firing. As I sat and listened to this fellow, I did not consider this reaction similar to how Epaphroditus handled a trial. My friend only considered his own world, his own impact, his own needs!
Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to think of the supervisors family, of his struggles and disappointments, his emotional and financial health?
Let’s remember the Lord’s mercies in our own lives and be a bit more like Epaphroditus, who counted his friends in Philippi more significant than himself, who thought not only of his own interests, but also of the interests of others.
You know, I think there is a verse somewhere in the Bible that encourages us to do so. Be blessed my friends and may the Lord be a blessing to you as you consider others in your day today.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow. For this particular verse I would like to provide two posts, specifically due to the multiple issues dealt with in relation to Paul, Epaphroditus and the church back in Philippi.
2:25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,
In my earlier post on this verse, we discussed Paul’s selfless attitude, reflecting the very truth he wrote about just a few verses earlier
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
As mentioned earlier, this post will continue with our discussion on Paul’s opinion of Epaphroditus. Remember that Epaphroditus had been sent to Paul as an apostle of the church to provide funds for Paul’s ministry and supply encouragement from his friends in that small church.
My brother
Epaphroditus was a brother in the Lord to Paul, one that was related to him in the Lord and that foundational truth brought about the requirement for a certain way of thinking by Paul. The person, not the present, nor the sickness, was the focus of his attention, and for Epaphroditus, his status as a brother brought great joy to Paul.
My fellow worker
Paul recognized Epaphroditus as a fellow worker. Paul focused on Epaphroditus work in the Lord and not his sickness in relation to Paul and his needs. Paul elevated Epaphroditus to that of a fellow worker, or a companion in the work of the gospel.
My fellow soldier
Paul goes on in describing Epaphroditus as a fellow soldier. Paul only uses this term twice in his writings, the other time in describing Archippus, in the personal letter to Philemon. (See Philemon 1:2). To be a fellow soldier implies a battle, a war and the potential for suffering in the fight. May it have been that Epaphroditus had become weakened and susceptible to this sickness due to his travels? In other words, if Epaphroditus had stayed home and safe, would he have experienced the sickness, with the associated stress, fears and conflicts in his mission to Paul?
Some think that Epaphroditus was a retired Roman soldier and that Paul’s description of Epaphroditus used this history to remind the Philippians of his discipline and training, his focus on mission and willingness to put service over self.
Your messenger
The Philippians sent Epaphroditus. He was their ἀπόστολος apóstolos. He was a sent one, on a mission based on the decisions of the church, and submitting to the churches will, ventured out to find Paul and deliver a blessing. If he was a retired soldier as suggested above, this mission the church gave him lodged in his mind as the goal to attain. Failure was not an option for the soldier, and with anything less than success, a possible sense of shame may have settled on Epaphroditus. Paul wanted to remind the Philippians that this attitude must not be maintained in their thoughts. Epaphroditus was the church’s responsibility in sending him, and he suffered due to it. The Philippian church needed to recognize this and respond properly to him in their attitudes
Your minister
Epaphroditus was the Philippians minister. This term is not the one expected, for before I did a search, I expected διάκονος (diákonos) to turn up. Surprisingly this did not happen. The term Paul uses in describing Epaphroditus is λειτουργός (leitourgós). This term speaks of a public servant, sometimes in relation to taxes and financial issues (See Romans 13:6).
I suspect Epaphroditus association with funds may be intentional, reminding the Philippians of his core mission, that of supplying funds to Paul, of which he was successful.
Paul does not communicate the slightest failure in Epaphroditus performing his mission, only describing him in glowing terms. As we will see in a future installment of this series, Paul clearly laid his wishes for the Philippians in their reception of their minister. They were to love and honor this man who risked his life for the church.
How do you handle seeming disappointments in others? As Paul exhibits in this passage, he considers Epaphroditus, his character, and his relationship with the church back home, and not uncontrollable outward circumstances that effected his ministry to him.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
For this particular verse I would like to provide two posts, specifically due to the multiple issues dealt with in relation to Paul, Epaphroditus and the church back in Phillippi.
2:25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,
Paul has completed his discussion on Timothy, on his reintroduction of his companion in the gospel to the Philippians, of his hopes to provide Timothy to them quickly, and of his desire to visit them also. For this post, He takes on the subject of a man named Epaphroditus. This is the epistle’s first mention of him, but the Philippians knew of this man. It is he who came from Philippi to bring Paul the latest gift from the church. See Philippians 4:18.
It turns out that though Epaphroditus delivered the gift to Paul, he had become sick, even to the point of death.
Let’s consider if you were Epaphroditus for a moment. You are entrusted with delivering a gift to the father of your church in a far away city, and to provide a blessing to him in his trials. Instead, you become a “burden”, sick and needing care in a strange and foreign city, possibly depending on the one you came to bless for help during the sickness. The sickness became so dire, death was a possibility. (See Philippians 2:30)
The church had heard of his illness (See Philippians 2:27) and internal discussions most likely ensued within the church. Some may have thought it not wise in sending Epaphroditus, since he had become a burden for Paul. Paul may have anticipated this attitude and due to this, provided a gentle corrective to the church, speaking of Epaphroditus in five glowing terms.
Nevertheless Paul provides five descriptors of this man, reinforcing his opinion of him to the Philippians, and in the process, opening our eyes to the character of this man of God.
We shall review those five descriptors in our next post, but for this one, I would like to return to the general outlook of the apostle Paul.
He described his desire to send Timothy, and only placed a condition on it due to an outside influence – that is the determination if he would keep his head after his trial ended. I mentioned that in his decision, he had to “look away” from the Philippians and on his own situation in order to explain his thinking.
He looked away from the Philippians.
Remember – he is on trial for his life, and his concern centers on a church hundreds of miles away. A bit selfless in my opinion.
Such is it also with this servant of the church, Epaphroditus. He speaks of the Christ like character Epaphroditus exhibits in his mission to Paul, and of his love to the church. Though he was in prison, and the church had sent him to Paul for ministry, Paul was sending him back. It was necessary to send him back to the church.
Might it have been due to the sickness? Might it have been that Epaphroditus was simply homesick, desiring to be with his brothers and sisters? The motivation Paul is under is not clear to me, but one thing is clear. Epaphroditus was sent by the church for the sake of Paul, and again, Paul finds a way to send the blessing back, to accept less than the church or Epaphroditus intended.
Paul considered others. Does anyone hear Philippians 2:3 ringing in their ears?
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Yes, Paul was writing about the Christian life, or should I say, Paul was living out the life of Christ, and as he needed to, wrote it out for the church to benefit from.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
In our last post, we saw that Paul was considering his own circumstances in the light of benefitting others, specifically as to when he would send Timothy away from his presence. Consider that in sending Timothy to the Philippians, he would suffer the loss of his closest confidant.
Yet Paul was the ever hopeful apostle, for he trusts that he too will come to visit the Philippians, to see his dearly loved church. He was anticipating a quick resolution to this restraint he was experiencing – which many understand to have stretched out to two years of delay! Yet if his imprisonment lasted two years and if the letter was written early in this period, Paul had time ahead to wait on the Lord. Thus the important phrase Paul uses to allow for God’s will to override his own will.
This is another theme that recurs over and over again in Paul’s writings, and is a great reminder for us as believers today. Though we may have hopes and plans for the future, these plans always need to be under the authority of the Lord.
To say “in the Lord” in this verse may also be understood as “if God allows”, or “as the Lord directs”. Nothing is written in stone for Paul, as even in his planning, he is pliable to the will of God. He makes plans in efforts to provide ministry to the Lord, yet does not presume he has it all under control. At this point in Paul’s life, he is understanding the mysterious ways of the Lord – that is that God wanted him imprisoned in order to further the gospel!
That is so against my thinking. Would not Paul’s freedom produce the greatest benefits, more church plants, a further distribution of the gospel, greater use of his last few years? It seems the Lord had other plans and Paul had learned that though plans are good and are to be made, the Lord’s will is the overarching action that shall, if necessary, overrule our plans, hopes and dreams.
This is a hard truth for myself, and maybe for you also. We have plans that may have been carefully developed, with many resources and much effort directed to an end, yet in the midst of all our plans, we need to always remember the Lord’s will is to be submitted to.
In that submission, we shouldn’t consider submitting to His will out of a reluctant, “it’s inevitable” stance, but reflecting on Paul’s experience, see that His will produced much greater impact on the future of the church than a few more church plants or a few more chapters in the book of Acts. The letters written through this “delay” in Paul’s ministry have carried on through two millennium, impacting souls that Paul could not have reached.
His will is not only for His good, but for our benefit, even if it seems difficult or “disruptive” to our plans for the present time!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,
Let’s remember that Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians from a Roman jail. Many consider Paul’s reference to “how it will go with me” as to his future trial. Paul is facing a trial that will determine his future, a life or death decision that he is fully aware of. Even in the midst of these circumstances, he writes letters to churches (Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon) that need his counsel. These letters have influenced generations of believers and Paul’s ministry is alive an well even within our own day.
Let us also consider that it seems in every verse that Paul writes to this church, his concern for others rises to the surface and overrides his own situation.
From the famous verse of Phil 1:24
Philippians 1:24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
to the well known passage at the beginning of Chapter 2, Paul is looking to the needs of others.
Such is the case in this verse. When Paul is writing this short verse, he speaks of a condition upon which he will send Timothy. He anticipates sending Timothy, even saying he hopes to send him to them. One condition though, and that is how it will go for him. When Paul describes how this decision on sending Timothy will be made, he uses the Greek word ἀφοράω (aphoráō) which may be understood as the action of “looking away from something to see something else”
So in my simple mind, the verse may be expanded to…
…as soon as I “look away from something to see something else” how it will go with me.
What is Paul looking away from when he pens this thought? Might it be his concern for the Philippians that he is looking away from, and considering his circumstance to make plans. Consider that even in looking at his plight, it is to plan on how the Philippians may benefit from receiving Timothy.
Does Paul not look at his own situation unless it is in order to benefit someone else? Is his life and death situation not important enough to dwell in, to contemplate and review constantly in his own thoughts? Apparently, at this point in Paul’s life, he is concentrating on others, and he is experiencing joy.
Might we learn from this short verse a powerful truth. Although somewhat hidden under the translation of a tiny word “see”, it is an obvious truth throughout this great epistle, that looking to the needs of Jesus and others is the path to joy in the end.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
In the previous posts, I have suggested that Paul is reintroducing Timothy to the Philippians, speaking of Timothy as a mature servant of Christ, genuinely caring for the interests of others. In this post we are going to consider Timothy’s gained worth to Paul!
2:22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.
Paul speaks of Timothy’s proven worth. The Greek word for proven is the root word for first word I ever did a study on a hundred years ago. It is the Greek word δοκιμή(dokimē) and it speaks of a specimen (Timothy in this case) going through a trial and coming through the affliction with gained experience and faith intact. The term refers to a test that was given and that Timothy overcame. Out of this test, Timothy increased in worth to Paul.
Increased in worth?
Whoa Carl, you need to put the brakes on here! Are we not worth so much greater than we can imagine, based not on our works, but on our being made in the image of God? How can our worth increase if it is based on our being made in the image of God?
The inherent worth of a person, based on his being made in the image of God is a very popular teaching nowadays, and there is much truth in it. We are a marred image, but an image of God none the less!
For our topic today, we also need to consider how we may find increased worth in front of God. And that is where trials and testing comes to the rescue! As believers we are either entering a test, currently in a test or coming out of a test, hopefully overcoming the challenge. God provides testing for believers in order for us to mature, to become in our experience what He seeks for us in our destiny. With every test we face, we are given the opportunity to acquire increased worth in the eyes of man and God.
To be faithful to God in our testing will provide greater opportunities in our future. Later in Paul’s ministry, he wrote to Timothy, exhorting him to do his best, to make every effort to be before God as one approved (tested and accepted), with no need to be ashamed. I have much to say about my understanding of this verse, but for the sake of brevity, will address it in an alternate post!
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
The inherent worth of the believer, based on his being made in the image of God is not the idea in this teaching, precious as it is. It is what the faith of the believer produces through the Spirit of God in their character through trials. There is an old Dutch reformed saying that at one time I considered heresy, yet as I study, am finding there may be valuable truth found in it.
It goes something like this…
What we are is God’s gift to us, what we become is our gift to God.
What think thee? Have you an understanding of the various ways our worth is “calculated” in our lives? Even as I type this, I wish to remind the reader (and myself), that this understanding of gained “worth” is to be held with kid gloves, and that we are to understand this teaching in a spirit of humility. He is the One who provides the strength, endurance and encouragement we require to pass through tests, and out of this testing to increase in our worth to man and God.
He is worth it, for He is good and He is good all the time!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
Our topic today is the continuation of Paul’s introduction of Timothy to the Philippian church. As mentioned earlier, the Philippians had met Timothy very early in their lives as a body of believers. He was with Paul and Silas at the very birth of the church, albeit not one who was recognized as a leader. The leaders (Paul and Silas) were hauled off to prison, but Timothy was left behind, supposedly of no threat to the municipal government.
Paul is reintroducing Timothy to his church because he had matured greatly and become a trusted confidant to the apostle, not simply a warm body occupying space!
2:21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
Adding others
Let’s get some context to this short statement from Paul. Earlier in the chapter, Paul has admonished the church to show concern for others interests
Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Paul is informing the Philippians of the natural tendency of all to seek their own interests, or their own concerns. We all seek our own interests! But in this verse, he is admonishing the believers to add to their concerns, the concerns of others. This is beyond the self care that we all tend to cherish. Admit it – we like taking care of ourselves! But Paul is telling the believers to reach out to others, invest time in their lives, find out what is of concern in their lives and get involved in those interests.
What might some of the interests be of others? Health issues springs to mind, or financial concerns. But it might start out by finding someone in the body of Christ (or outside of the body of Christ) and asking what type of motorcycle they like, or if they are coffee drinkers, or maybe something else that seems insignificant, but informs them that you are interested in them, and not simply using them to speak of yourself and your interests. After all, we do tend to like taking care of our interests!
Seeking Christ
Paul speaks of “all seeking their own interests” not those of Jesus Christ. Ok Paul – now it seems you have changed subject matter. Is it others or Christ that we are to seek the interests of?
Is there a difference? If we genuinely care for others welfare, are we not also seeking the interests of the Lord Jesus? Yet Paul provides focus for the believer, by redirecting our sights to Christ, and not to others. If we focus properly on Him, (and not get lost in some side interest), our nature will change into one that is genuinely concerned for others.
But beware! If I understand my nature correctly, there is a danger that some who are reading this may come away from this discussion, thinking that if they care for others, that is the same as seeking the interests of Christ. Is that correct? Could some think this way, and actually work themselves into a state of pride? Look at how much I care for others! Wow – Carl you care a whole lot!
I am thinking this may be getting the cart before the horse, as my momma used to say. The order is critical and Paul reminds us of this when he redirects us to the source of true humility, of true deference to others. Jesus is the only true source of humility and by focusing on His sacrifice for us, on His character and teachings, we can be transformed into one who genuinely cares for others.
Seek the interests of Jesus and as you do, you will become one who genuinely cares for the interests of others.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.
Our current topic is the young man Timothy, and his character as described by no less than the apostle Paul. The Philippians had encountered Timothy a number of times and yet Paul describes him to them as if they had never met.
Of had they? Timothy had been a young convert when he had joined Paul in Lystra, and one of the first stops on Paul’s journeys with Timothy was the city of Philippi. This Philippian church was a sort of baptism of ministry for Timothy, and his youthfulness in the Lord may have been evident. Note that Timothy was not in the prison with Paul and Silas, possibly implying that Timothy may have been more of an observer than active minister/leader amongst the apostles.
Since that initial contact with the church, Timothy had continued with Paul and Silas through Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth and back to Antioch. Missionary journeys had come and gone. Years passed and Timothy stuck it out with Paul, being sent to Corinth as Paul languished in prison, visiting the church and reporting back. Even early on, Timothy was gaining gracious reviews from Paul.
1 Corinthians 4:17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
By the time Timothy was being sent to the first church plant he had experienced, Timothy had become a very trusted disciple. Some suggest Timothy may have been with Paul for close to twelve years by the time he is sent back to Philippi. Twelve years under the tutelage of the apostle Paul. Obviously Timothy was not the same man. The Philippians may remember a young “wet behind the ears” convert, but the believer Paul was sending had matured and become a cherished helper of Paul, often being sent out in Paul’s absence.
Timothy was not the same man. Paul may have provided this description of Timothy to reintroduce him to the Philippians. Paul was not sending an inexperienced disciple from the fringes of his associates , but a man who had proven himself in the trenches of ministry.
Timothy had proven himself to be a man who naturally cared for the church, for those individuals in the church, and that gave of himself for the church. To care for believers was not in his job description, nor was it a task that had been assigned to him. His activities did not include among many items caring for believers as one of his responsibilities. Timothy cared for them in the same way he breathed. It was natural, involuntary, and consistent. It was natural for him to care. Paul was sending a man to the Philippians that he trusted and had blossomed as a disciple in front of Paul’s eyes.
A rare man!
Time with the apostle, meant time with a man of influence, under the Kingship of Jesus. Change had occurred, and Timothy had entered the life of change into the image of Christ.
Let me ask a question – If you met an old friend you hadn’t seen for a decade, would they meet a different person, a person influenced by the Christ, naturally caring for others?
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
The letter takes a turn for us transitioning from the humility of Christ and his apostle, to describing two additional followers of Christ that impact the lives of the Philippians.
Timothy and Epaphroditus are two men who will minister to the Philippians. Timothy, Paul’s very own disciple would be offered to the Philippians in service to their needs, and Epaphroditus would return to them, after having travelled to the apostle in order to provide a gift to him from his beloved church. But let us not get head of ourselves, for we are set to get a glimpse of how Paul considered his young Timothy in this letter to his friends. Our first verse in this description starts with hope, and of course includes cheer, a close relative to the ever present joy we find in the book.
2:19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.
Since we will be spending a few verses looking at Timothy, a quick reminder of the caliber of man this young believer was may be in order.
How did Paul express his trust in this young man? He often sent Timothy ahead, to churches that he couldn’t get to, or that caused him immediate concerns. Paul placed tremendous faith in Timothy’s ability to represent him, even in the midst of a very troubled and rebellious church as the Corinthians.
Consider that many scholars think of Timothy meeting Paul around 50 AD, during his second missionary trip, and that Timothy was 16 when he first met Paul. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in 54 AD, which would make Timothy a young man of 20, having been under Pauls influence for roughly 4 years. Imagine sending a relatively young convert into the moral confusion of the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 4:17
That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
Timothy also was sent to a very young church, experiencing some troubling teaching, in order to establish the Thessalonians, to encourage them in the faith and to relieve the apostle of his concerns over the fledgling church
1 Thessalonians 3:1,2,6
Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you–
Timothy was a man that voluntarily entered into circumcision to be an example of self sacrifice for the sake of others.
Acts 16:3
Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
I met a man once who experienced this “pain” later in life, and he informed me that it caused him great discomfort. Very great discomfort!
We have seen that Timothy was a man of character, willing to enter into difficult situations, endure pain for the sake of ministry, and to represent Paul faithfully in his ministry to churches he had planted. Philippians 2:19 speaks of Paul sending Timothy to the Philippians to be encouraged. For his own encouragement.
But notice that Paul assumes that this church is moving forward in thier faith, that they will naturally be an encouragement to Paul, not only in thier support of him, as he has recieved a gift from them by Epaphroditus visit, but that thier general condition will be encouraging to him.
And to send Timothy to the Philippians, at least in part for his own encouragement, speaks of the apostles humanity, of his admission of weakness in his ministry. “Strong” leaders would not admit to the need for encourement, for that may show weakness. This is not Paul’s stance, for he freely admits his weakness through many of his letters.
He admits his weakness, his need of encouragement in front of those he is leading. Such a strange, upside down way of looking at leadership. Maybe I have witnessed too much of another kind of leadership in the church. Yes – maybe that is the problem.
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For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
When I first considered writing my thoughts on each verse in the book of Philippians, my intent was to limit my rambling and create a short, succinct, to the point post. This post may be the “succinctest” (Is that a word?)
What more can be said about this verse? We have considered Paul’s witness of rejoicing in the previous post. We have seen the humility and self sacrifice of his life for others. What else but to simply follow Paul’s admonition and …
Be glad and rejoice.
It is a choice for the believer.
Choose well my friends!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
A drink offering on a sacrificial offering?
In the Old Testament, God required a number of different offerings in the sacrificial system. The main offerings are of course
The Burnt Offering – generally an offering for atonement of sine and an expression of devotion to God, and could be a bull, sheep, goat, dove or pigeon, and the animal, with the skin removed was completely consumed in the fires of the sacrifice.
The Grain Offering – generally used as a voluntary offering of gratefulness, and an expression of devotion to God. As the name states, this sacrifice was bread based, and was only partially consumed, that is a part of the bread was sacrificed, with the priest retaining some for their own consumption.
The Peace Offering – generally was used to consecrate a meal between two or more parties before God. This offering included both animal and grain in the sacrifice, with portions retained for the priest.
The Sin Offering – occasionally seen as an offering to atone for unintentional sins, or for the removal of guilt from the offending party. Some of the sins atoned for were of ritual impurity, but primarily is used to purify the offering party to enter into God’s presence. This offering was not to be shared with anyone.
The Guilt Offering – sometimes called the trespass offering, was not to clear the conscious of the offeror, but to restore, or make restitutions or reparations to the one offended. This offering usually ended up being a provided in cold hard cash, or some monetary offering to settle a debt.
Notice that in all the offerings, not once was a drink offering described. Each of these five offering hearken to the Lord Jesus, and in my “Jesus in the Old Testament” series we will enter into each of offerings a bit deeper, seeing how they speak of the Messiah. For now, let us understand that the drink offering Paul describes himself as is that which supplements the sacrificial offering of the Philippians faith.
In the Old Testament, the drink offering was associated with the peace, burnt and grain offerings. In Paul’s mind, I want to think that he is referring to the Philippians faith as a burnt offering, that offering which signifies complete dedication to God. Paul, in his life as the apostle, is simply describing himself as an “add on” to the Philippians faith, a supplemental drink offering to their sacrificial lives.
What a wonderful way to consider his life, a humble man that sees his own existence as only supplementing someone else in their effort to please God. Again, we see the humility of the Lord Jesus being expressed in a side comment from the apostle Paul. He is simply speaking of his desire to assist the Philippians in their faith, for them to understand his deep love and devotion not only to God but to them.
Humility of service shines forth from the apostle, and the theme of humility continues through this short passage, starting back in the first few verses of Chapter 2. Humility is a characteristic of the Lord, a characteristic of the apostle Paul and a characteristic of the faithful believer.
Humility. Are you proud of your humility? Boast in the Lord and humility will be a fruit that grows without noticing!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
2:16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Holding fast to the word of life is the anchor out of which we can endure in the correct path. The previous verse speaks of the church as lights in the world, and to be light is what we have been called to. This light we are called to shine is the light of God’s truth, love and ways.
If we go about imagining God’s ways, we simply become darkness, assimilating into the ignorance of God that the world lives in. We need to be in the Word if we are to know reflect the truth.
We need to hold the Word in the conventional sense, that is to not let go, to possess the Word, to hang on to the promises, and bend our wills to its teachings. Yet there are shades of meaning that the Greek word ἐπέχω epéchō (“hold fast”) may provide us additional truths for our lives.
Noticing
To hold fast in the ancient world also spoke of actively noticing, being alert to a situation, as Luke uses in his gospel.
Luke 14:7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,
Jesus noticed, perceived, caught sight of His surroundings. He was taking it all in, understanding the environment. He was not passively existing, simply existing, but absorbing the situation He was in. May this word also be informing us to be active in our understanding in the Word of Life and not simply be a passive reader, one who has heard and walked away?
Concentrating
Acts 3:4-5 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
When Peter and John were entering the Beautiful Gate, Peter and John looked at a cripple begging for alms. When Peter told the beggar to look at them, the beggar “fixed his attention” on the apostles. This speaks of focus, of concentration. He was single minded in looking at Peter and John. Of course he did not know what he would end up receiving, but that is immaterial to our topic at hand. He concentrated on the apostles.
May this word also be informing us that we are to concentrate on the principles and truth of the Word of God. Paul, when speaking of holding fast the Word of Life is also exhorting us to concentrate on the truth of the Word. Surely this is a responsibility and the desire of the believer that always needs to be refreshed!
Watching
1 Timothy 4:16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Although Paul is speaking to Timothy in this verse, the Greek word ἐπέχω epéchō exhibits one additional facet of meaning for the believer. Paul uses the term in an application to Timothy to watch, or even guard his life and teaching. Back in Philippians 2:16, we might apply it to our own guarding of the Word in our own lives. As we grow in the Word we need to be careful (diligent) to maintain that which we have already learned. A relearning of principles and truths in the Word is an ongoing practice of the believer, and builds the spiritual fencing we need in guarding or protecting the Word in our own lives.
Presenting
Finally, Paul’s use of the term in Philippians 2:16 may also have the meaning of presenting, holding forth (as is translated in my old KJV) or displaying. After Paul speaks of the church as shining as lights in the world, he exhorts them to present, or display the Word of Life to those outside of the church, as light shines from it’s source. If the world is watching (and they are!), they should see the truths of the Word in the life of the believer.
The picture in this verse is of gospel truths being clearly presented to the world by redeemed sinners, for the world to see in those who claim the name of Jesus to actually recognize Jesus (in some manner) as we walk about in the darkness of this world.
Be in the Word in the morning, evening or afternoon. Consider the truths you have learned and walk in them. Notice the Word, concentrate on the Word, watch over the Word and finally present the Word to those around you. And if necessary, use words!
Remember God is good, all the time!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
Considering the Bible 