College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Philippians 1:3-11
Outline of 1:3-11
A.
Thanks and prayer for the Philippians 1:3-11
1.
Thanks: Philippians 1:3-8
a.
Thanks given always; Philippians 1:3
b.
Thanks given with joy; Philippians 1:4-5
c.
Thanks given with confidence; Philippians 1:6-8
(1)
Confidence that the Lord will perfect them; Philippians 1:6
(2)
Confidence is the correct attitude for Paul; Philippians 1:7-8
2.
Prayer; Philippians 1:9-11
a.
Requests; Philippians 1:9-10 a
(1)
That their love may about in knowledge; Philippians 1:9-10 a
The result of knowledgeable love is that they will approve excellent things.
(2)
That they may be sincere and void of offence; Philippians 1:10-11a
Unto the day of Christ.
Being filled with the fruit of righteousness.
b.
Purpose of the prayerthe praise and glory of God; Philippians 1:11 b
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3. I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4. always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy,
Translation and Paraphrase
3. I give thanks to my God in all (my) remembrance of you, 4. always in every supplication of mine in behalf of all of you making my supplication with joy,
Notes
1.
These verses are easy to understand. They need more to be imitated than to be interpreted. Paul gave thanks for his brethren. Do we give thanks for our brethren?
2.
The word supplication used here means a prayer emphasizing the aspect of need. Even in such prayers as supplications the Philippians were mentioned with thankfulness. Paul's prayers in behalf of his needs were not selfish nor self-centered. They were joyful prayers involving others.
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5. for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now;
Translation and Paraphrase
5. (I give thanks for you) because of your fellowship (your share in, and your participation) in (and for) the (work of) gospel, from the first day (when you received Christ until (right) now.
Notes
1.
The word fellowship is from the Greek koinonia, which refers to the share one has in anything, participation, association, or communion. It may refer to the act of sharing a thing in common, or to the thing shared. The word is variously translated as communication (Philemon 1:6), communion (1 Corinthians 10:16), contribution (Romans 15:26), distribution (2 Corinthians 9:13), and fellowship.
The cognate verb (koinoneo) is variously rendered be made partakers of, be partakers of, communicate, distribute.
2.
In Christ we have fellowship in ministering to people's needs (2 Corinthians 8:4), fellowship of the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 3:9), fellowship of the Spirit (Philippians 2:1), fellowship of Christ's sufferings (Philippians 3:10), fellowship with God and one another (1 John 1:3).
3.
The Philippians had a fellowship in the furtherance of the gospel with Paul. The preposition in in Philippians 1:5 is the Greek eis, which suggests that their fellowship was not just in the gospel, but was directed toward the goal of the gospel. The Philippians-' part in the gospel had been continual from the first day they received the Christ until the time Paul wrote this letter to them.
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6. being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Translation and Paraphrase
6. (I am thankful for you because I am) persuaded (and convinced)that he who (God) began in you (plural) a good work (the work of transforming and using you) will carry it out to completion, (even) until the day of Christ Jesus (when he comes again).
Notes
1.
God is at work in the Christian. See Philippians 2:12-13. God will continue his work within the Christian until the end of his life. God prunes us like a vinedresser prunes grape vines, that we may bear more fruit. John 15:2. We are transformed to become like Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:18).
2.
A day is coming called the day of Jesus Christ. It will be HIS day. Every eye shall see him. (Revelation 1:7). Every knee will bow, and every tongue confess. Philippians 2:10. Saints will marvel and glorify Him. 2 Thessalonians 1:10. Sinners will wail because of him. Revelation 1:7. Satan and the enemies of Jesus had their day long ago on Golgotha. But we may say of the day of Christ that His day is marching on!
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7. even as it is right for me to be thus minded 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, ye all are partakers with me of grace. 8. For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.
Translation and Paraphrase
7. (I have this confidence concerning you), just as it is befitting for me to think (in) this (way) about you all. (And why is it befitting that I have this confidence about you?) Because I have you in my heart (and isn-'t it natural for us to have confidence in those we love?), since you are all partakers with me in the grace (of God); (you have been partakers) both in my bonds (imprisonment), and in the verbal defence, and (in the work of) making firm the gospel.
8. For (as surely as) God is my witness, I long for you all with the (very) heart (lit. bowels) of Christ Jesus.
Notes
1.
Paul's reasoning in Philippians 1:7 is a little hard to follow. Philippians 1:7 is an explanation as to why he felt confident that God would continue to work within them (stated in Philippians 1:6). The explanation is that it was right, or just, for Paul to feel this way. And why was it right? The implied answer seems to be that anyone should have confidence in those who are as dear to him as the Philippians were dear to Paul.
2.
Paul and the Philippians had been joint-partakers of God's grace. Though 700 miles separated them, God's power was as close to the Philippians as it was to Paul.
3.
The word partakers (Gr. sugkoinos) comes from the same root as the word fellowship, It means a joint sharer, or one who partakes with another. In three respects the Philippians had been partakers with Paul:
a.
Partakers in bonds. Their contribution to Paul while he was in bonds identified them with Paul. Compare Hebrews 10:32-33! Furthermore some of them may actually have been placed in bonds after Paul's departure. Philippians 1:29-30.
b.
Partakers in the defense of the gospel. This refers to the verbal defense, or speech, as that given at a trial. Paul often defended the gospel by giving answers to those who spoke falsely about the gospel. Philippians 1:16; Acts 24:10; Acts 26:1.
Sometimes people say, The gospel does not need defending; it only needs preaching. This is not completely true. Paul defended the gospel. Often it is true, however, that the clear presentation of the gospel is its best defense.
c.
Partakers in the confirmation of the gospel. Confirmation is the act of making firm. This is done by teaching and by exhorting. The Philippians shared with Paul in doing this.
4.
In Philippians 1:8 Paul seems to assert that his love for the Philippians is so great that it can hardly be believed. Therefore he calls upon God to witness to the truth of what he said.
Paul longed for them with the very same kind of longing that is in the heart of Christ himself. Do you have any Christian brethren that you can truthfully say you love like that?
The words tender mercies in Philippians 1:8 (KJV bowels) is, literally bowels. Ancient people spoke of the bowels (the nobler bowels, stomach, liver, lungs, etc., rather than entrails) as being the seat of the affections. Actually this makes just as much (or more) sense as it does for us to speak of the heart as the center of the emotions and affections.
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9. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; 10. so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ; 11. being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Translation and Paraphrase
9. And I pray this: (first) that your love may abound (overflow) yet more and more, in (ways directed by) precise knowledge and all discernment;
10. (And may this knowledgeable love bring you to the point) that you may test the things that differ (in this world with its conflicting values, and approve the things that are excellent); (then, secondly, I pray) that you (all) may be (as) sincere (as sunshine) and without offense unto the day of Christ,
11. being filled (not merely with inward sincerity but) with (the outward) fruit of righteousness (which comes) through Jesus Christ; (and all of these things will work out) unto (the) glory and praise of God.
Notes
1.
Philippians 1:9-11 contain Paul's prayer for the Philippians. Basically this is a prayer that they may have an educated love and that they be sincere. Note that their educated love was to lead them to approve the things that are excellent, not the trashy things in this world. Note that the things that Paul prayed for were all to result in glory and praise to God.
2.
If there was any one problem that especially beset the Philippian church, it seems to have been the problem of dissension and lack of love between some of the members. This seems to be suggested by Philippians 2:3-4; Philippians 4:2. Therefore Paul prayed that their love might abound (that is, not be merely adequate, but enough to overflow).
3.
This love was not only to be abundant, but it was to be a knowledgeable love. It was to abound in knowledge (epignosis, precise love) and all discernment. Love without knowledge is useless sentimentality and self-defeating. We must discern what is truly good for those we love, as well as have a loving feeling toward them.
4.
The first part of Philippians 1:10 may be translated in two ways, both of which, however, come out with about the same idea:
(1)
that you may approve the things that are excellent (Gr. diaphero).
(2)
that you may distinguish (or test) the things that differ (A.S.V. margin).
The verb diaphero in both classical and New Testament Greek meant (a) to excell (Matthew 6:26; Matthew 10:31; Matthew 12:12; Luke 12:7), and (b) to differ (1 Corinthians 15:41; Galatians 4:1; Galatians 2:6. Thus either of the above translations is suitable.
5.
In our lives we find ourselves confronted with MANY differing things, and we must choose what we shall accept. As Christians we ought to choose the things that are excellent and not those that are trashy. This applies not only to food, but to everythingto reading, to entertainment, to music, to clothing, to art, to friends, etc., etc.
6.
Paul prayed that we might be sincere. The etymology of this word (heilikrines) is uncertain. Some think that it comes from heile (meaning sun), and thus we are to be as sincere as sunshine! Others say it comes from the verb eilo meaning to turn. According to this meaning we are to be sincere enough to stand being rotated about and inspected in every part.
7.
Void of offence means Not causing others to stumble.
8.
The word fruit in Philippians 1:11 is singular, like fruit in Galatians 5:22. The fruit of righteousness may be single, when thought of as a whole, but it does come in many forms and flavors.
9.
If the fruit of righteousness comes through Jesus Christ, it is easy to see why the world is such an unrighteous place. The people of the world either don-'t know of Christ or have rejected Him. Either way the world is deprived of the fruit of righteousness.