Philippians 1:1

Philippians 1:1. Paul and Timotheus. The apostle includes Timotheus with himself in the greeting, because he had been his companion on his first visit to Philippi, and so would naturally be known and dear to the church there (Acts 16:1), almost in an equal degree with St. Paul himself. How highly the apostle valued his companion may be seen from Philippians 2:19-22, where allusion is made to those labours of Timotheus which were known to the Philippians.

the servants (i.e., bondservants) of Jesus Christ. Not a few old Greek words are dignified by the use made of them in the New Testament. Among the number may be counted this word for ‘slave.' When Christ is the master, the service, though there is no promise that it shall be easy at all times, is perfect freedom. So there is pride in being called the slave of such a Lord.

to all the saints in Christ Jesus. This title ‘saints' or ‘holy ones' is given in the New Testament to all those who are ‘being saved' (Acts 2:47), i.e., who have entered on the way of salvation. There is therefore no reason to be surprised at the employment of the word, although in some Epistles where it is used the apostle has to rebuke those whom he has named ‘saints' for errors of various kinds. The sanctifying work of the Spirit is not complete as soon as it is begun.

which are at Philippi. We have no notice of the growth of the Philippian church, but from Philippians 1:5 below we may conclude that the work which St. Paul began had gone on without intermission, so that in ten years the small band, of whom Lydia the purple seller was at first the most important member, had grown into a considerable community, and was, as we clearly gather from this verse, completely organized and supplied with a ministry. Therefore those to whom the apostle had entrusted the work must have been diligent labourers.

with the bishops and deacons. It is clear from the New Testament usage that the word for ‘bishop' was in these days synonymous with that for ‘elder.' The latter was used first, because it came naturally to the mouth of a Jew. So that ‘presbyter' or ‘elder' would be used almost as a matter of course. The duties of the office were described by the term ‘overseer,' i.e., bishop; but as a title that word was not so common in the earliest days of Christianity, and is never found so used in Scripture. Where we have ‘bishops' mentioned (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:7), there ‘presbyters' are omitted. When many churches came to be under the supervision of one chief presbyter, he was naturally named ‘overseer' or ‘bishop.' The deacons were those officers of the church who discharged such duties as were given to the seven chosen at the time of the murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews (Acts 6:1). These were the almoners to the needy first of all, and guardians of church funds. Afterwards, as is usually the case, their duties were augmented; though, as is seen in the account of Stephen, the seven were employed in preaching to the people, as well as in their business capacity as the ‘servers of tables.'