INTRODUCTORY WORDS (PHILIPPIANS 1:1). Paul's opening words follow the normal pattern for writing letters typical of his day. He provides the name of the writer of the letter and in this case a description of his status, the details of the addressees, a wish for their welfare, and an expression of g... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.' Paul includes Timothy in his greeting, presumably because he was with him at the time and was so well known to the Philippians. Note his description of himself and Timot... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.' ‘Grace' (charis) was a Gentile greeting and ‘peace' a Jewish one. But on Paul's pen we must not see them just as formal greetings. He had very much in mind the unmerited favour of God (grace) towards them (compare Ephesians 2:8... [ Continue Reading ]
‘I thank my God on all my remembrance of you, always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now,' Right from the very first day when he had found Lydia by the riverside with the sma... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL EXPRESSES HIS CONTINUAL CONCERN FOR THEM IN THE LIGHT OF HIS CERTAINTY THAT GOD WILL PRESERVE HIS TRUE PEOPLE TO THE END (PHILIPPIANS 1:3). Paul now proceeded to thank God for every remembrance of them. He had a physical cause for gratitude in that they had sent him a monetary gift (Philippians... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ,' And his prayers were especially aided by the confidence that he had that the God Who had begun a good work in the Philippians, and Who was working in them to will and to do of Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Even as it is right for me to be minded in this way on behalf 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, you all are partakers with me of grace.' And he considered it right that he should think in this way about them,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.' Paul then stresses in the sight of God how much he ‘longed after' the Philippians Christians, and this was because they along with him were recipients of the tender mercies of Christ Jesus, both of His saving p... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ,' And it was because they were within the sphere of the tender mercies of Christ J... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.' For the purpose of the good work of Christ within them was to fill them with the fruits of righteousness which resulted from their knowing Christ, so that their lives might be to the p... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now I would have you know, brothers and sister, that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather to the progress of the gospel,' Paul wants to prevent the Philippians from becoming discouraged at the thought of what has happened to him, so he assures them that what has happened to him,... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL STRESSES THAT THOUGH HE IS IN CHAINS IT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE OF BENEFIT TO THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, SOMETHING WHICH CAUSES HIM TO REJOICE (PHILIPPIANS 1:12). It is apparent from what follows that Paul was chained to a Roman soldier, restricting his free movement, although seemingly not hindering... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So that my bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest,' The first way in which things had fallen out well was that it had meant that the fact that he was in bondage for Christ's sake had become known throughout the Praetorian guard, who would also ha... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.' He points out that instead of being discouraged by his presence among them in bonds, it had made most of the church in Rome and its surrounds bolder in the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife, and some also of good will. The one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel, but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds.' He then brings out two approaches... [ Continue Reading ]
‘What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.' Paul, however, did not mind which way it was. All that he was concerned about was that Christ was being continually and abundantly proclaimed. And when he heard... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,' One thing that Paul was certain of was that God was in control, and that his imprisonment would bring ‘salvation' one way or the other. Either because through death he would... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL STRESSES THAT HE FACES THE FUTURE DECISION TO BE MADE BY ROME ABOUT HIM WITH CONFIDENCE. TO LIVE WILL MEAN THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE GOD'S PEOPLE. TO DIE WILL MEAN THAT HE ENTERS STRAIGHT INTO THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST. HE WAS EQUALLY READY FOR EITHER (PHILIPPIANS 1:19). Paul now sought to cl... [ Continue Reading ]
‘According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.' As he faced his future not a shadow of doubt now crossed his mind. He had come through to a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' These words in context have two parallel meanings arising out of the context. Unquestionably they include the thought that for Paul and for all true Christians the whole purpose of life is to be that they will be so filled with Christ that they _ar... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But if to live in the flesh, if this will bring fruit from my work, then what I will choose I do not know (or ‘am unable to declare').' The broken syntax in the Greek here emphasises the excitement and perturbation of Paul's mind at this point. He is in a sense wrestling with himself. He longs to b... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But I am in a pressure situation between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for it is very far better, yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake.' He thus finds himself in a pressure situation, for when he contrasts living in the flesh for Christ with the glory o... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And having this confidence, I know that I will abide, yes, and abide with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,' So the bitter struggle is resolved for him by the recognition of their continuing need of him. That is why he is confident that he will continue living in this world, and wil... [ Continue Reading ]
‘That your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.' And his expectancy is that the result of his once again dwelling among them will be that they will be filled with exultation in their walk with Christ Jesus, an exultation which will abound more and more in Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL EXPLAINS WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF THEM AS HIS PEOPLE AND AS CITIZENS OF HEAVEN WHO AS A RESULT OF BELIEVING HAVE BEEN UNITED WITH CHRIST IN HIS HUMILIATION AND EXALTATION (PHILIPPIANS 1:27 TO PHILIPPIANS 2:18). Having assured them of his prayers and concern for them, and having satisfactorily expla... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Only let your manner of life as citizens be worthy of the gospel of Christ, that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand fast in one Spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel.' In the light of what they already know about Christ, and what... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL THUS CALLS ON THEM TO STAND FIRM IN THE FACE OF WHATEVER LIFE MAY BRING, ESPECIALLY IN THE WAY OF PERSECUTION, SO THAT THEIR LIVES MIGHT BE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL (PHILIPPIANS 1:27). This opening section of the passage (Philippians 1:27) balances neatly with the closing section of the passage (Ph... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And in nothing affrighted by the adversaries, which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God.' Nor, because of their confidence in their salvation, were they to be at all afraid of their adversaries (or, as the word can signify, ‘they were not to shy away... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Because to you it has been granted on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer on his behalf, having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.' One evidence of the certainty of their salvation was that it had been ‘granted' to them that they should... [ Continue Reading ]