OUTLINE: I. An appeal to unity: Philippians 2:1-2 II. What threatens unity: Philippians 2:3 III. The attitude necessary for unity: Philippians 2:5 IV. The highest example of such selflessness: Philippians 2:6-8 V. God rewards such self-sacrifice: Philippians 2:9-11 I. Faithfulness despite the... [ Continue Reading ]
“IF THERE IS THEREFORE ANY EXHORTATION IN CHRIST, IF ANY CONSOLATION OF LOVE, IF ANY FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT, IF ANY TENDER MERCIES AND COMPASSIONS” “If there is”: This phrase does not express doubt, rather it is equivalent to the affirmative statement, “since there is”. “THEREFORE”: This term conn... [ Continue Reading ]
“make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” “MAKE FULL”: “Make it completely full” _(Lenski p. 764). _“My joy”: “The apostle calls upon these brethren to use these spiritual resources to achieve unity, thereby, filling up his cup of joy. P... [ Continue Reading ]
“DOING NOTHING THROUGH FACTION OR THROUGH VAINGLORY, BUT IN LOWLINESS OF MIND EACH COUNTING OTHER BETTER THAN HIMSELF” “Doing”: “LET NOTHING” (KJV). “Nothing”: “NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE IN A” (TCNT). THERE IS NO ROOM IN OUR LIVES FOR SELFISHNESS. “BEING IN NOTHING FACTIOUSLY OR VAIN-GLORIOUSLY MINDED.... [ Continue Reading ]
“NOT LOOKING EACH OF YOU TO HIS OWN THINGS, BUT EACH OF YOU ALSO TO THE THINGS OF OTHERS” “Not”: This verse tells us how we are to consider one another above our own selves. “LOOKING”: “Present active. Not keeping an eye on the main chance for number one” _(Robertson p. 444)._ “Attentively: fixing... [ Continue Reading ]
“HAVE THIS MIND IN YOU, WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS” “Have”: Actually possess it, practice it and do more than merely talk about it. “THIS”: This attitude, this perspective. “MIND”: “Keep on thinking this in you” _(Robertson p. 444)._ '”Lt., think this in yourselves” _(Vincent p. 430)._ “Think ju... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHO, EXISTING IN THE FORM OF GOD, COUNTED NOT THE BEING ON AN EQUALITY WITH GOD. THING TO BE GRASPED” “Who”: Jesus. “EXISTING”: Many commentators point out the same thing in reference to the tense of the Greek word, rendered "existing". “It is. present tense participle. It denotes to be, to be in e... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT EMPTIED HIMSELF, TAKING THE FORM OF. SERVANT, BEING MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN” “But”: In contrast to the path of selfish ambition and self-interest. “EMPTIED”: “Impoverished Himself” (TCNT). Side reference NASV, “laid aside His privileges”. Jesus asserted "equality" with God, even while He wa... [ Continue Reading ]
“and being found in fashion as. man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross” “And being found”: “AND BEING RECOGNIZED” (WEY). “In fashion”: The external condition. “That which is purely outward and appeals to the senses” _(Vincent p. 434)._ The truth of th... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHEREFORE ALSO GOD HIGHLY EXALTED HIM, AND GAVE UNTO HIM THE NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME” “Wherefore”: BECAUSE OF SUCH SELF-SACRIFICE AND SELFLESSNESS. SOMEONE POINTED OUT THAT ADAM AND EVE "GRASPED" AT SELF-INTEREST AND LOST EVERYTHING. JESUS HUMBLED HIMSELF AND WAS EXALTED. THIS SAME PRINCIPL... [ Continue Reading ]
“that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth” “In the name of Jesus”: THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE MUST BOW EVERY TIME SOMEONE MENTIONS THE NAME "JESUS", INSTEAD “IN VIRTUE AND IN RECOGNITION OF ALL THAT HE IS AND OF ALL THAT HE H... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER” “Should”: GOD DOES NOT CONSIDER IT "UNREALISTIC" FOR PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS LORD, EVEN THOUGH THEY CANNOT PRESENTLY SEE HIM. THE EVIDENCE OF HIS TRUE NATURE IS CLEAR (JOHN 20:30). ONLY. VERY LIM... [ Continue Reading ]
“SO THEN, MY BELOVED, EVEN AS YE HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED, NOT AS IN MY PRESENCE ONLY, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING” “So then”: As Christ was obedient, we must be obedient (Philippians 2:6-8; Hebrews 5:8). “MY BELOVED”: “Paul, however, does not mere... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKETH IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO WORK, FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE” “For”: Here is incentive for Christians to "work out their own salvation". “GOD WHO WORKETH”: The present tense is here used. “Because God works and has worked, therefore man must and can work” _(Hawthorne p. 100). _... [ Continue Reading ]
“DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT MURMURINGS AND QUESTIONINGS” “Do all things”: Compare with Philippians 2:3. “One whose faith in God is weak soon falls before the temptations of questioning the will and providence of God and of finding grounds for contention” _(Erdman p. 90)._ This is also true of the selfish... [ Continue Reading ]
“that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of. crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world” “THAT”: “All the injunctions Paul lays down upon the Philippians (Philippians 2:3-14) are for. purpose” _(Hawthorne p. 101). _“... [ Continue Reading ]
“HOLDING FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE; THAT. MAY HAVE WHEREOF TO GLORY IN THE DAY OF CHRIST, THAT. DID NOT RUN IN VAIN NEITHER LABOR IN VAIN” “Holding forth”: The present tense is here used. Either holding forth or holding fast, which really results in the same thing. “To hold forth or hold out” _(Roberts... [ Continue Reading ]
“YEA, AND IF. AM OFFERED UPON THE SACRIFICE AND SERVICE OF YOUR FAITH,. JOY, AND REJOICE WITH YOU ALL” “Yea”: “But even” (NASV). “IF. AM OFFERED UPON THE SACRIFICE AND SERVICE OF YOUR FAITH”: “Even if my lifeblood must be poured out for. sacrifice to nurture your faith” (Ber) “Sacrifice and service... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND IN THE SAME MANNER DO YE ALSO JOY, AND REJOICE WITH ME” “And in the same manner”: “Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me” (Wey.) Paul did not need pity, instead he wanted Christians to share in his joy of serving God, despite the personal costs. He was doing much good, and the Ph... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT. HOPE IN THE LORD JESUS TO SEND TIMOTHY SHORTLY UNTO YOU, THAT. ALSO MAY BE OF GOOD COMFORT, WHEN. KNOW YOUR STATE” “I hope in the Lord Jesus”: THIS IS. REMINDER THAT HIS PLANS WERE SUBJECT TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST. “TO ACCENTUATE THE IDEA OF CHRIST'S WILL AND LORDSHIP AND RIGHT OF DISP... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR. HAVE NO MAN LIKEMINDED, WHO WILL CARE TRULY FOR YOUR STATE” “For”: THE REASON HE IS SENDING TIMOTHY. “I have no man likeminded”: “AS INTERESTED AS. AM” (LAM). “AS NEAR OF MY OWN ATTITUDE” (BER). “IT IS AS IF PAUL WERE SAYING, ‘YOU, PHILIPPIANS, MUST NOT BE DISAPPOINTED IF UPON MY RELEASE. CANN... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR THEY ALL SEEK THEIR OWN, NOT THE THINGS OF JESUS CHRIST” “For they all seek their own”: “They are all pursuing their own aims” (TCNT). “Everyone else seems to be worrying about his own plans” (Tay). This is not intended to refer to all the Christians that Paul knew, because Paul commends other... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT YE KNOW THE PROOF OF HIM, THAT, AS. CHILD SERVETH. FATHER HE SERVED WITH ME IN FURTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL” “The proof”: “THE TRIALS WHICH HAVE PROVED HIS WORTH” (CON). “WHAT TIMOTHY HAS PROVED HIMSELF TO BE” (TCNT). “HIS PROVED CHARACTER” (ABUV). “BUT HIS QUALITY IS CLEAR TO YOU” (BAS). “THEY KN... [ Continue Reading ]
“Him therefore. hope to send forthwith, so soon as. shall see how it will go with me” “Forthwith”: “WITHOUT DELAY” (CON). “IMMEDIATELY” (NASV). “So soon as. shall see how it will go with me”: “AS SOON AS” (NASV). “THE RESULT OF THE TRIAL WOULD PROBABLY BECOME SUFFICIENTLY EVIDENT SOME TIME BEFORE J... [ Continue Reading ]
“BUT. TRUST IN THE LORD THAT. MYSELF ALSO SHALL COME SHORTLY” “Thus calmly does Paul await the decision. Thus fearlessly does he look into the unknown future. Busy with his task, interested in the welfare of his fellow Christians. However, he waits in an attitude of hope. He has no weak longing to d... [ Continue Reading ]
“But. counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need” “I counted it necessary”: “YET. DEEM IT IMPORTANT” (WEY). IT IS EASY TO OVERLOOK WHY THIS EXPLANATION WAS NECESSARY. SOME IN PHILIPPI MIGHT COMPLAIN, “... [ Continue Reading ]
“SINCE HE LONGED AFTER YOU ALL, AND WAS SORE TROUBLED, BECAUSE YE HAD HEARD THAT HE WAS SICK” “He longed after you all”: “To year for” _(Jackson p. 58)._ “And was sore troubled”: “Distressed” (Mon). “Depressed, full of sorrow” _(Jackson p. 58)._ “Interestingly, this distress seems to have been cause... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR INDEED HE WAS SICK NIGH UNTO DEATH: BUT GOD HAD MERCY ON HIM; AND NOT ON HIM ONLY, BUT ON ME ALSO, THAT. MIGHT NOT HAVE SORROW UPON SORROW” “He was sick nigh unto death”: “HE HAD. SICKNESS WHICH BROUGHT HIM ALMOST TO DEATH” (CON). “I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT HIS ILLNESS VERY NEARLY PROVED FATAL” (T... [ Continue Reading ]
“I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that. may be the less sorrowful” “I have sent him therefore the more diligently”: “THE MORE PROMPTLY” (RHM. “WITH SPECIAL URGENCY” _(JACKSON P. 58)._ THAT IS SOONER THAN PAUL HAD ORIGINALLY INTENDED AND... [ Continue Reading ]
“Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor” “Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy”: “GIVE HIM. HEARTY CHRISTIAN WELCOME” (WMS). “And hold such in honor”: “HOLD IN HONOR MEN LIKE HIM” (WMS). THE WORD _HONOR_ MEANS “PRIZED” OR “PRECIOUS”, MEANING THAT MEN LIKE T... [ Continue Reading ]
“BECAUSE FOR THE WORK OF CHRIST HE CAME NIGH UNTO DEATH, HAZARDING HIS LIFE TO SUPPLY THAT WHICH WAS LACKING IN YOUR SERVICE TOWARD ME” “Because”: Here is one more reminder of his personal sacrifice. “FOR THE WORK OF CHRIST”: In contrast, to ones own personal gain or agenda. “HAZARDING HIS LIFE”:... [ Continue Reading ]