PHILIPPIANS 1
Background of the epistle
In Acts 15:36-16:40 we read of Paul’s second missionary journey. Paul and Silas started out from Antioch. They went through Syria and Cilicia, then came to Derbe and Lystra, where they met Timothy, whom Paul took with him. (Thus Timothy replaced Mark, see Acts 15:37-39). Having gone through Phrygia and Galatia preaching, and having arrived in Mysia, they were joined by Luke, (hence the first of the “we” passages in Acts). Being prevented by the Spirit from going either into Asia or Bithynia, they sailed for Europe, Paul having seen in a vision a man of Macedonia requesting help. Having landed at Neapolis, they proceeded to Philippi.
From the outset, those who believed at Philippi were marked by generosity and hospitality, thus showing that they had learnt that “it is more blessed to give than to receive”, an aspect of the teaching of Christ that Luke no doubt emphasised when he was with them, see Acts 20:35, Luke 14:12-14. They sent Paul gifts when he was in Thessalonica, Philippians 4:15,16, and now they have sent a gift by the hand of Epaphroditus, who was now returning to them with the epistle to the Philippians, which, amongst other things, is a letter of thanks. See Philippians 4:18, where “I have all” means “I have received your gift intact”, and as a result he “abounded” in thanksgiving to God and to them.
The epistle has self-sacrifice as one of its themes, and this is pre-eminently seen in the way Christ Jesus humbled Himself, even to the death of the cross. And there are others throughout the epistle who sought to follow His example.
The Philippians were especially beloved of the apostle, so he is free to talk about himself more than he would have been able to do with the Corinthians, for example. He does this in 1:12-26; 3:1-7; 3:8-16; 4:11-20.
Structure of the chapter
| (a) | Verses 1-2 | The form of the greeting |
| (b) | Verses 3-11 | The fellowship of the gospel |
| (c) | Verses 12-26 | The furtherance of the gospel |
| (d) | Verses 27-30 | The faith of the gospel |
(a) Verses 1-2
The form of the greeting
1:1
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Paul and Timotheus- the greetings are from them both, but the epistle is from Paul alone, so in verse 3 it is the singular pronoun, “I thank my God”.
The servants of Jesus Christ- the word for servant used here is “bondslave”. A bondslave had no rights, no choice but to obey, no glory, and no reward. As slaves of Jesus Christ they had denied themselves, taken up the cross, and followed Him, Luke 9:23. He had left them the perfect example of service, as chapter 2 will tell us, for He took upon Him the form of a servant.
To all the saints in Christ Jesus- a saint is one set apart for God, and therefore set apart from all else. Those set apart for God by the gospel are no longer in Adam, the fallen and disgraced man, but in Christ Jesus the risen and glorified man.
Which are at Philippi- as to their security, they were in Christ Jesus. as to their responsibility, they were in Philippi. They were in the world but not of it, John 17:11,16. Philippi was a colony, Acts 16:12, which meant that it owed allegiance to a far-off authority, namely Caesar in Rome. So believers owe allegiance to Christ in heaven.
With the bishops and deacons- these are specially mentioned because they would have been responsible for the instigation, collection, and safe transmission of the gift that Epaphroditus had brought to Paul in Rome. See Acts 11:30, 6:1-6, and for which this letter is a thank-you and a receipt.
1:2
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace be unto you, and peace- grace is “the fount of all mercies, and peace the crown of all blessings”, (author unknown). Grace was the greeting of Gentile to Gentile, whilst peace was the greeting of Jew to Jew. Now a Jewish apostle with Roman citizenship, with Timothy, a believer with a Jewish mother and Greek father, is greeting European believers. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek.
From God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ- this is the reason why there was harmony and fellowship, they had one Father, and one Lord. Divine blessings come equally from the Father and Christ, which is testimony to His Deity.
(b) Verses 3-11
The fellowship of the gospel
1:3
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
I thank my God- Paul had personal experience of the care of his God, hence the personal word “my”, as in 4:19. The gift from the Philippians was further evidence of the care of his personal God.
Upon every remembrance of you- every time they sent him a gift it was a reminder of their care for him and love to him.
1:4
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy- the word for prayer means a supplication, seeking good from God for others. The word “request” emphasises that the good must come from God, it cannot come even from an apostle. He was filled with joy as he thought of past good, and as he joyfully anticipated the answer to his requests. Paul had been joyful even when in prison at Philippi, as we know from Acts 16; now he is joyful in prison in Rome.
1:5
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
For your fellowship in the gospel- they shared in the gospel work not only by doing it themselves, but also by supporting others like the apostle. See, for examples of others who did this, 3 John 5-8, 2 Corinthians 8:14, Romans 15:26, Hebrews 13:16.
From the first day until now- this began when Lydia entertained them in her house, Acts 16:15, then the jailor cared for them, 16:33,34. This care was continuing up to the time of writing, for they had sent him gifts more than once. They had not been side-tracked by the defection of Mark, (who had left the apostles just before they came to Philippi), but had persevered. The teaching of Luke regarding the blessedness of giving was present at Philippi, just as Luke had been present.
1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Being confident of this very thing- their long-continued constancy encouraged Paul in his belief that they would continue. They had done nothing to undermine the confidence of the apostle in them. This told him that their profession was real, and that God was at work in their lives.
That he which hath begun a good work in you- we are instructed that “faith without works is dead, being alone”, James 2:17. But it was God who worked in them both the desire to do good, and the actual doing of it, see 2:13. As he wrote to the Ephesians, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”, Ephesians 2:10.
Will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ- it is now man’s day, 1 Corinthians 4:3 margin, when his opinion is uppermost, but this will come to an end, and will be followed, as far as the earth is concerned, by the Day of the Lord, at the end of the Tribulation Period. Then Christ will come to earth to reign, and we shall come with Him, and one of the things that will happen then is that “He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe”, 2 Thessalonians 1:10. Having assessed His people at the Judgement Seat of Christ, the rewards they receive will be to His credit in that day. See also 1 Peter 1:7, and 1 John 2:28. The Philippians were living, and working, and giving, in view of that day, and so should we be.
Special note on the day of Jesus Christ
There are many who believe that the day of Jesus Christ, (otherwise called the day of Christ, or the day of the Lord Jesus, or the day of the Lord Jesus Christ), relates to the time beginning with the rapture and then continuing at the bema. Those who believe this then distinguish the day of Christ from the day of the Lord, an Old Testament term for the period of time beginning when Christ comes to earth to reign, and extending for one thousand years until the great white throne judgement at the end of time.
However, we read in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 that some in the apostle’s day were suggesting to the Thessalonian believers that “the day of Christ is at hand”. Now if by “the day of Christ” they meant the rapture and subsequent events, were they not correct? Is the coming of Christ for His people not always at hand? But if these deceivers meant that the day of Christ had come, then the Thessalonians knew full well that that idea was wrong, for the events of Matthew 24, for instance, were certainly not taking place. In any case, if the day of Christ, (meaning the rapture), had come, why were the Thessalonian believers still on the earth?
There is a big problem with the viewpoint that the day of Christ starts at the Rapture, and it is this. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3 the apostle states that the man of sin, the antichrist, will be revealed before the day of Christ. Now the antichrist “comes” at the beginning of the Tribulation Period, and is “revealed” in the middle of it. So that makes the day of Christ, (and therefore the rapture), after at least the middle of the Great Tribulation. But this cannot be the case, since in his first epistle to the Thessalonians the apostle assured the believers that they were not appointed to wrath, 1 Thessalonians 5:9, so the church saints must be raptured to heaven before the wrath of the Tribulation Period takes place. So the day of Christ cannot begin at the rapture.
When we examine the twelve occasions when the day of Christ and its variations occurs, a pattern emerges. It is the day when the result of the judgement seat of Christ has become evident, so that when Christ comes in glory He may be accompanied by those who are a credit to Him. Or, as 2 Thessalonians 1:10 says, “when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe”. There is no reason why this display of glory through the saints should not extend throughout the thousand years reign of Christ, just as the day of the Lord extends for that length of time.
In 1 Corinthians 1:5-8 we read “That in everything ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”. So the assembly at Corinth had been furnished with all the gift it needed to enable it to bear testimony to Christ in Corinth. They were to do that until “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Now the word the apostle used for coming in that phrase is “apokalupsis”, from which we get the English word apocalypse. It has the idea of an unveiling, with something or someone being revealed after having been hidden from view. This, in the case of Christ, will take place when He comes to earth to reign. The Corinthians were to exercise their gifts, thus bearing testimony to Chrsit, in view of that day. That is not to say they would be on earth continuously until Christ comes in glory, (after all, they have all been dead for nineteen centuries already), but it does mean that they were to exercise their gift in view of that day. If they did this, they would not be in any way blamed for lack of diligence at the Bema, and therefore would come with Christ without any blame attaching to them, which of course would be to His glory.
An examination of the other references to “the day” will be found to be of the same character. They are as follows:
“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed with fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is”, 1 Corinthians 3:13.
So the same eyes that will view the works of men in judgement when Christ comes to reign, (which eyes are said to be “a flame of fire”, Revelation 1:14), shall view the works of the saints, and all that is contrary to His mind will be burnt up. After the children of Israel had made all the parts of the tabernacle, we read “And Moses did look upon all the work, and behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them”, Exodus 39:43. So it shall be at the Judgement Seat of Christ, for He whose eyes are as a flame of fire shall look upon all that His people have done, and He will bless His people when they have done things according to His commandment. And whilst His eyes will be as a fire of judgement when He comes in power and glory, and nothing shall stand before that fire, it will also be seen that what His people have done for Him has stood the test of that fiery gaze.
“As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus”, 2 Corinthians 1:14.
“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain”, Philippians 2:16.
“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”, 2 Timothy 1:12.
“The Lord grant unto him that he might find mercy of the Lord in that day”, 2 Timothy 1:18.
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”, 2 Timothy 4:8.
Note the references to “that day”, without specifying what day it is, (although the mention of “his appearing” gives a strong clue). This is the same way that the Old Testament prophets referred to the Day of the Lord. So monumental was it that to simply call it “that day” was enough. That it is this day that is in view is supported by what the apostle John wrote: “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming”, 1 John 2:28. John is anxious lest, when Christ appears, his work of establishing the believers in the truth was not evident. He would be ashamed in that sort of situation, instead of being glad that Christ was admired in all that believed.
May we not conclude, therefore, that the day of Christ and the day of the Lord run concurrently, the one being a mainly Old Testament concept, having to do with God’s judgement of the world, whereas the other, being a New Testament idea, having to do with Christ’s judgement of the works of His people, and their subsequent display in glory?
1:7
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all- the idea of “meet” here is that it is a righteous thing to do. We are taught to “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement”, John 7:24. The apostle did not have to make exceptions, or single anyone out, for he could think the same thing of each one of them. This is surely a fine condition for the saints to be in, and we might well seek to imitate them in our day.
Because I have you in my heart- the Philippians had the apostle in their hearts, as is shown by their support for him. It is no surprise that he had them in his heart, because they were his children in the faith. The Lord Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another”, John 13:35.
Inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel- the word inasmuch introduces the reasons for their mutual love. First, they sympathised with, and prayed for, the apostle in his bonds, for the epistle was written from Rome, where he was a prisoner. We are exhorted to “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them, and them that suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body”, Hebrews 13:3.
The word defence has the idea of an apology, the act of removing the obstacles that may be in the minds of people, that prevent them from turning to Christ. See 1 Peter 3:15, where “answer” is the same word. This does not mean we need to apologise for our faith, (using the word in the modern sense), but we need to defend it and give answers about it to others when they ask.
The idea behind “confirmation” is that of firm establishment. It was used in the business world for the completion of a transaction. So Paul began by clearing away difficulties, then after faith had been exercised, he established souls in the faith. See Acts 14:22, 15:32,41. By having fellowship with Paul, they were having fellowship in his defence of the gospel, and his work of establishing it in others.
Ye all are partakers of my grace- grace and gift go together, Ephesians 4:7, the unmerited favour of God displaying itself in divine help to exercise the gift, as he defended and confirmed gospel truth. They were also partakers in the sense that they also were suffering for the sake of the gospel, and shared the same conflict, verses 29,30.
1:8
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
For God is my record- He alone can read the heart, so Paul brings in God’s testimony as to his feelings for them, for they were distant.
How greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ- note the depth of feeling, a reflection of Christ’s deep love for us. The bowels of Jesus Christ refers to the tender mercies of Jesus Christ. The Hebrews believed that the seat of the emotions was in the centre of the body. Certain organs of our bodies work without our prompting, and this should mark our love one for another; it should not have to be goaded into action.
1:9
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement;
This I pray- he is now going to give us the substance of his request with joy mentioned in verse 4. He was praying for three things, each beginning with “that”.
That your love may abound yet more and more- in this way the work of God in their lives would be perfected. The apostle allows no room for complacency. Their love abounded, but the apostle is praying that it might do so more and more, and not diminish.
In knowledge and in all judgement- love rejoices in the truth, 1 Corinthians 13:6, not only in the sense that Christians should love the truths of the faith, but also in the more general sense that love and truth go hand in hand, just as hatred and error do also.
By “judgement” is meant discernment. The knowledge of God and His ways and word will ensure that we make intelligent and informed decisions. In the context, the decisions relate to giving to further the work of the Lord. We need to exercise discernment as to our priorities in this matter of personal giving, and the elders in an assembly need to be sensitive to the feelings of those who contribute to the assembly funds.
1:10
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.
That ye may approve things that are excellent- this is the second ‘that”. It follows from the first, in that those who make informed and spiritual decisions by so doing will approve the things that are excellent. There may be several choices before the mind, the spiritual person will opt for the excellent one, and thus discerningly approve the best.
That ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ- this third “that” gives the end result of the first two requests. That result is that until the day when Christ comes in glory, we shall be sincere positively, and without offence negatively. The word sincere means without mixture, unalloyed, pure. If we have no mixed motives, we shall be without offence. This means we shall not be a stumblingblock to any.
Until the day of Jesus Christ- The Philippians were living, and working, and giving, in view of that day, and so should we be, for the more we please God now, the more we shall glorify Christ when we come with Him to reign.
1:11
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness- note that the believer is not expected to settle for half measures. Having “become” the righteousness of God through the sin-offering aspect of the death of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:21, we are to exhibit practical righteousness. The one follows from the other. It is in this sense that we are justified by works, which is James’ emphasis. See, for example, James 2:14-26.
When he was encouraging the Corinthians in the matter of giving, the apostle wrote, “And God is able to make all grace abound towards you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work”. Then he alluded to Psalm 112:9, quoting it like this, “He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever”, 2 Corinthians 9:8,9. So the assurance is that those who give to the poor perform a righteous act which shall remain to God’s praise for ever. As the proverb says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again”, Proverbs 19:17.
Which are by Jesus Christ- the great examples of giving that the apostle mentions in that place are the giving of Christ, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich”, 2 Corinthians 8:9; and the giving of God, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift”, 9:15. So as believers give, they are following the example of God and His Son. So “by Jesus Christ” involves “by following the example of Jesus Christ”. Just as the vine draws its sap from the main stem, so the life of Christ expresses itself in the believer’s life, and he bears much fruit, John 15:5.
Unto the glory and praise of God- as the Lord said in connection with fruitbearing, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit”, John 15:8.
(c) Verses 12-26
The furtherance of the gospel
1:12
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
But I would ye should understand, brethren- not content with Epaphroditus telling them verbally when he returned, the apostle wanted to tell them himself.
That the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel- contrary to natural expectations, the restricting of the apostle meant the expansion of the gospel. Satan thought that by confining Paul to a single room, the gospel would be hindered. In fact it progressed, for the succession of soldiers who would have been alongside the apostle were a fruitful mission field. They, in their turn, would be able to spread the gospel wherever they were subsequently posted in the Roman Empire. We can see why the apostle did not ask believers to pray that he might be delivered from prison.
1:13
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace- link “in Christ” with “manifest”, rather than “bonds”. In other words, the main point is not that Paul’s imprisonment was allowed by Christ, although that was true, but that it had become evident to all around that his imprisonment was not because of crimes committed, but because of Christ preached. See 1 Peter 4:14-16.
By “palace” is meant the Praetorium, the place where the palace guard were stationed. As the soldier that guarded him was replaced, and went back to barracks, or wife and family, or to his next country of duty, so the gospel was being spread.
And in all other places- how much may be concealed in these words! The whole of the Roman Empire was affected by the testimony of a prisoner in Rome as he faithfully made Christ and the gospel known. No wonder the apostle can claim that “the gospel…was preached to every creature which is under heaven”, Colossians 1:23. There was no place untouched by the gospel. Sadly, men began to move away from this influence, and took their families into the jungles or the deserts away from the sound of the gospel. As a result, the world has had to be evangelised again, and the task is not yet done. It is unfortunate that the majority of missionaries setting out today go to places where Christ is already named, whereas the policy of the apostle was to go where Christ was not yet named, Romans 15:20,21.
1:14
And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
And many of the brethren in the Lord- those who were real believers.
Waxing confident by my bonds- the example of the courage of the apostle in adversity had spurred them on. This was another way in which his bonds furthered the gospel.
Are much more bold to speak the word without fear- notice it is “speak the word”, so would include not just formal preaching, but also personal conversations. It is good to seize the opportunity of speaking a word for Christ as it presents itself. As the apostle Peter exhorts, “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”, 1 Peter 3:15. Paul says “without fear”, that is “without fear of man”. Peter says “with fear”, meaning “in the fear of God, wary of saying anything that misrepresents the gospel”.
1:15
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife- envy seeks to deprive a person of what he has, (in this instance influence), whereas jealousy wants to have the thing the other person has for himself. They knew they could not match the apostle in his gifts, ability and record, but they wanted to deprive him of his influence, no doubt hoping they would gain it for themselves, because envy and jealousy go together.
Strife is contention, party-spirit. Envy and strife are manifestations of the flesh, as the apostle makes clear in Galatians 5:19,20. It is sad when carnal ambition intrudes into the work of God.
And some also of good will- there were those, however, who were of a different sort, and admired the apostle’s labours and the example he set, and were kindly inclined towards him, and sought to fill up the gap left by his absence from public view.
1:16
The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds- it is startling to learn that the glorious gospel of Christ can be preached by those adopting such attitudes, but sadly it was, and is, so. Those who preach need to do what Paul exhorted Timothy to do, “take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine”, 1 Timothy 4:16.
These men might suppose to add affliction to the troubles the apostle already had through being in bonds, but he was determined not to allow it to happen.
1:17
But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel- those who had goodwill towards the apostle, verse 15, were kindly affectioned towards him, but also were showing their love to the Lord by their attitude and actions.
The word “set” is a military term, and means “posted for duty”. So just as the soldier who guarded him was posted on duty by Caesar, (who claimed the title of “lord”), so Paul was likewise posted for duty by the real Lord. Both men were exactly where those in authority over them wanted them to be. Woe be to the Roman soldier who deserted his post, and “woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel”, wrote the apostle, 1 Corinthians 9:16. Paul looked at every situation as an opportunity to further the cause of Christ. He was defending the gospel, not his reputation.
1:18
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
What then- in other words, “What does it matter?” or, “What is my response?” A similar situation arose in the life of Christ, when there were those who were casting out spirits in His name, but who did not follow Him, Luke 9:49,50. John was cross about this, and rebuked the man, but the perfect response of Christ was, “Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us”. Luke was companion of the apostle Paul, and we may be sure the apostle had read the account in Luke’s gospel. He would already have known of the reaction of Moses when he was told that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp. Said he, “Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!” See Numbers 11:24-30.
Every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice- the word “pretence” is translated “under colour”, in Acts 27:30. These men were sailing under a false flag, pretending to do one thing, (that is, advance the cause of Christ), but in reality advancing their own cause.
But in the spirit of “He that not against us is for us”, the apostle refused to condemn them. It was a very spiritual reaction that marked the apostle in this situation, for it would have appeared to be spiritual to rebuke these pretenders. He was determined to rejoice that the gospel was preached, even by those who had evil motives. The gospel is settled truth from God, and cannot be destroyed by even the false motives of men. It is a salutary fact that if the only people who were preaching the gospel were those who were “for us”, then we would have to ask how much would be done.
1:19
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer- the apostle was confident that “this”, that is, “this situation, if he responds in a spiritual way”, would result in his salvation. Clearly he does not mean salvation from sin initially, but salvation from harbouring wrong thoughts about others. Paul wanted to be delivered from a wrong attitude to the preachers who were trying to annoy him.
And the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ- by which is meant the unhindered flow of strength to respond to situations as Christ would have done, and indeed did do, as we have seen. Every true believer possesses the Spirit of God, see Galatians 3:2, John 7:39, 14:16. See Genesis 26:12-22 for an illustration of way in which those who are hostile can “block the well”. The spring still flowed, but the supply was hindered. So the free flow and operation of the indwelling Spirit (see John 4:14, 7:38,39), would be hindered by a wrong attitude on the part of Paul. Even if we read “Spirit” with a small “s”, the resulting lesson is the same. The spirit or attitude of Christ was one fully in harmony with the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of His Son”, so in communion were they.
1:20
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
According to my earnest expectation and my hope- the desire to display the spirit of Christ was a deeply felt attitude, an eager longing. He was not casual about it at all. But that was only part of his hope, for no only does he want to be preserved from wrong thoughts and attitudes in the present in connection with a particular situation, but he had more general hopes for the future too, in that he wished to live a life that was entirely devoted to Christ. The apostle was determined not to allow anything to distract him. If he was preoccupied with the contentious party, he would be diverted. His hope was that Christ might be magnified.
That in nothing I shall be ashamed- he was confident that in no way would he be disappointed in his eager longing and hope that Christ may be manifest in him.
But that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body- a magnifying glass does not make an object bigger in reality, only apparently. So we cannot make Christ any more glorious than He already is, but we can enlarge people’s perception of Him. By boldly living for Him, Paul was going to be consistent. He had already sought to magnify Christ in his life, and now he is resolved to continue in that way as he neared the end of the journey.
Whether it be by life, or by death- note the careful mention of the alternatives, (not “by life or death”, but “by life or by death”), as if he had weighed the implications of both. Paul was held prisoner whilst the Jewish authorities travelled to Rome to make their case against him. The outcome of his trial would be either life, meaning he had been aquitted, or death, meaning he had been convicted. Paul is eager that in either event, Christ might be glorified. See 1 Corinthians 6:20.
1:21
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
For to me to live is Christ- this is the underlying cause of his eagerness to glorify Christ, for Paul, to live was summed up in one word, “Christ”. This prepares us for the teaching of chapter 2 about selflessness, and seeking the things of Jesus Christ, 2:21. As he wrote to the Galatians, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”, Galatians 2:20.
If he had responded carnally to the contentious party, he would be seen to be living to safeguard his own interests and reputation, and then it would be said, “to Paul to live is Paul”.
And to die is gain- to be with Christ is far better, so in that sense death is gain for him, but in the spirit of the previous phrase, not only was it the case that for Paul to live was Christ, but for Paul to die was Christ also. In other words, the gain is for Christ as He is glorified in the death of His servant. Moreover, Paul’s death would be the signal that Christ would have completed His work in his life to His own glory, as well as having His servant with Him.
1:22
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour- if it was God’s will that he continue down here in his life in the flesh, then this will be an opportunity to produce more fruit to the praise of Christ. The time for labouring for Christ is now; labouring of that sort will cease in heaven, although “His servants shall serve him” even there, Revelation 22:3.
Yet what I shall choose I wot not- it is not Nero the emperor who will choose whether he lives or dies. Of course in the final analysis the time of our departure is in the hand of the Lord, for our times are in His hand, Psalm 31:15, but the apostle seems to have been given the opportunity of choosing the moment, and he seems not to have made up his mind at this point. What would we say if we had the choice?
1:23
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
For I am in a strait betwixt two- each option had its downside. To die would deprive the saints of his ministry, whereas to remain would deprive Christ of the presence of His faithful servant.
Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better- who would not rather be with Christ than be in prison? But even if circumstances are pleasant for us here, to be with Christ will always be far better. To be in Christ is better than to be in Adam, to be with Christ is very much better still.
1:24
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you- this is the alternative to departing to be with Christ. He now weighs the other option, and thinks what his departure will mean to the Philippians. He is demonstrating in his own life what he will exhort them to do in the next chapter, namely to look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others, 2:4. Needful means necessary, so his duty lay on earth with the saints, his ultimate pleasure lay with Christ in heaven. It has been suggested that the apostle broke off at this point, and sought the mind of the Lord on the matter, and it was revealed to him that he would indeed be set free from imprisonment, as verse 25 indicates.
1:25
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith.
And having this confidence- he is now aware that he will remain on earth for a while longer.
I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith- the question was would he abide in the flesh, (as verse 24), not whether he would abide in prison. By “continue with you” he means he will abide on earth still, but possibly also be enabled to visit the Philippians again. The word “continue” is a complex word, meaning “to remain side by side with you as a comrade”. So the word carries the thought of help and fellowship, not just that of being present on the earth. He is resolved to make his extended time on earth to count. His continued presence will result in the furtherance of their faith, so that it grows stronger and more intelligent. The consequence of that will be their faith will be joyful, rejoicing in the things of God. Whatever our length of time on earth we should strive to make every hour count for God and eternity. He has not left us here to indulge ourselves.
1:26
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again- the result of the apostle’s presence would be joy in Jesus Christ, not in Paul, much as they would be glad to see him. When people meet us do they see us or Christ?
(d) Verses 27-30
The faith of the gospel
1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ- under all circumstances, and exclusively, they should let their manner of life commend the gospel. The word “conversation” has to do with citizenship. In other words, the character of the region that we call our home country should be reflected in our lives. Paul draws on the fact that Phillipi was a colony, as Luke the careful historian tells us, Acts 16:12. Rome established colonies in various places throughout the empire in order that its influence might extend further. The colonists would have the same privileges, laws, customs, language, dress and allegiance as Romans citizens in the capital city would have. This is why, for instance, the magistrates in Phillipi were so worried when they discovered that they had beaten the apostle and Silas, who both had Roman citizenship, see Acts 16:37, 22:23-30. Paul uses this feature of life at Phillipi to show that our conduct should reflect the fact that we are citizens of heaven, see also 3:20.
The gospel is the code of conduct for the citizens of heaven. When we believe the gospel, God imputes His rightoeusness to us, and this, together with the fact that He also gives us the Holy Spirit at that moment, we are able to live in a righteous and therefore God-honouring way.
That whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs- whether an apostle is with them or not they should live consistently godly lives.
That ye stand fast in one spirit- they are not to give ground to the enemy, and be united in their determined attitude.
With one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel- literally translated, they are to be one-souled. Man has a soul but also is a soul, (1 Corinthians 15:45), so to say “one soul” is the same as saying “one person”. In other words, they are to strive as one man.
The faith of the gospel is the body of Christian doctrine, no part of which is expendable, and which is made known in the preaching of the gospel. It is not the personal faith of those who respond to the gospel, but the sum total of doctrine. The gospel is the means whereby the whole of the truth of God is made known. The gospel is not limited to a few facts relevant to how a person may be saved. Note a similar idea in 1 Peter 1:25, where we read, “this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you”. The gospel is the means by which the whole word of God is made known, not vice versa. Note also the present tense, “is preached unto you”, for it was still being preached to them as believers. The epistle to the Romans was written to believers, Romans 1:15, thus establishing that believers should be constantly exposed to the truths of the faith as the gospel is preached.
1:28
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries- the word translated “terrified” was used of horses being startled. (Incidentally, Philippi was named after Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, and “philip” is Greek for “lover of horses”). So Paul now takes his figure from the cavalry, where the horses might be frightened by the noise of battle. The Philippians must not be shocked by the fierceness of the attacks of their enemies.
Which is to them an evident token of perdition- the refusal of the Philippians to be cowed into surrender is a clear indication to their enemies that they, (their enemies), are on the losing side, and consequently will receive the judgement of God. Those who attack believers for defending the doctrines of the faith, demonstrate that they are on the road to eternal ruin. The enemies of the truth have lost the argument, and their only response is to persecute those who believe and stand for the truth. The Lord Jesus warned His own, “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me”, John 15:20,21.
But to you of salvation, and that of God- their boldness is also a clear indication that they are saved, for only believers have the confidence to defend the truth when persecuted, for they know the salvation that God alone can give, and are therefore genuinely His own, and will desire to defend His interests.
1:29
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ- they should remember that they were in Philippi on Christ’s behalf, and so should act as He would have acted. The word “given” is formed using the word for grace, and so emphasises that it is only by the grace of God that a person is saved. By the same token, as the next phrase shows, grace is given in the form of resources enabling a believer to endure persecution.
Not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake- far from being an unusual thing, opposition is the common lot of all believers, so they should remember that to believe and to suffer go hand in hand. See John 15:18-21,16:33, Matthew 10:22-31. When the apostles were beaten before the Sanhedrin, they departed, “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name”, Acts 5:41.
Note that just as God graciously grants opportunity to people to believe, He also grants the necessary resources to enable the believer to endure persecution.
1:30
Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me- it would be a great comfort to them that even the apostle was not exempt. They had seen first hand his sufferings when first at Philippi, and they had been informed of his present sufferings. He was consistently defending the truth, and in conflict with the forces of evil and error.