PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:1 Encouragement to Humble Service. Paul calls the Philippians to unite in love and humility (vv. Philippians 2:1), following Christ’s example (vv. Philippians 2:5). They are to live as lights in the world (vv. Philippians 2:12), as do Christ’s faithful servants Timo... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:3 Paul realizes that everyone naturally looks out for his or her OWN INTERESTS. The key is to take that same level of concern and apply it ALSO to the INTERESTS OF OTHERS. Such radical love is rare, so Paul shows its supreme example in Jesus’ life (vv. Philippians 2... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:5 This passage is often referred to as the “hymn of Christ.” Paul describes Christ’s example of service in a poem that traces his preexistence, incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God. Paul wrote this magnificent hymn to encourage th... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:6 Prior to his incarnation as a human being, Jesus was in the FORM OF GOD. This phrase refers to the “preexistence” of Christ. The eternal Son was with the Father (John 1:1; John 17:5, John 17:24) before he was born in Bethlehem. “Form” here means the true and exact... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:7 EMPTIED HIMSELF. The Greek can also mean “give up status and privilege.” Paul is not saying that Christ became less than God or gave up any of his divine attributes. Nor is he discussing whether Jesus was all-powerful or all-knowing during his time on earth. Nor i... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:8 It is remarkable enough that God the Son would take on HUMAN FORM for a broken world. But Jesus went much farther, BECOMING OBEDIENT (compare Romans 5:19) TO THE POINT OF DEATH, EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS. Crucifixion was the ultimate humiliation, and the physical pain... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:9 By humbling himself on the cross out of love, Jesus demonstrated that he truly shared the divine nature of God, who is love (1 John 4:8). For this very reason (THEREFORE), God raised him to life and HIGHLY EXALTED HIM, entrusting him with the rule of the cosmos an... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:10 EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW... AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS. Paul quotes Isaiah 45:23. In Isaiah these words apply to Yahweh, the personal name for God. Thus, when Paul claims JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, he is saying that Jesus is God. But Jesus’ exaltation also results in THE G... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:12 With the breathtaking portrayal of Christ before them (vv. Philippians 2:5), Paul exhorts the Philippians to demonstrate the same faith and obedience in their everyday lives. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.lengt... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:14 The Philippians should SHINE AS LIGHTS amid a CROOKED AND TWISTED GENERATION. Paul’s choice of words recalls the wilderness generation of Israel, who in Deuteronomy 32:5 are described by these very words (“crooked and twisted generation”). Shining “as lights” rec... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:16 HOLDING FAST. Believing God’s Word and following it. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:17 A DRINK OFFERING involved pouring out wine, either onto the ground or, as here, on an altar along with an animal or grain sacrifice (see Numbers 28:7). It illustrates a life “poured out” for God’s service (compare 2 Timothy 4:6). The Philippians, too, are a SACRI... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:19 TIMOTHY follows Christ in that he is CONCERNED FOR the Philippians’ WELFARE. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:25 Epaphroditus, who is from Philippi, is another example of genuine Christian love. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIPPIANS—NOTE ON PHILIPPIANS 2:30 Having said that Jesus was obedient “to the point of death” (v. Philippians 2:8), Paul now says that Epaphroditus was “near to death” (v. Philippians 2:27) and that HE NEARLY DIED. Epaphroditus had faced death on behalf of the Philippians. They had desired to sen... [ Continue Reading ]