Pondering Philippians : Congregational Profile

CHURCH ARTICLE | Scott Long | Marietta, Pennsylvania

The Circumstances

Robbed of his freedom for teaching the gospel, Paul sits in chains. It is not the first time (and it might not be the last*). Yet, as a true bondservant of God, rather than bemoan his circumstances, Paul rejoices in the twin blessings of access to teaching the “Praetoreum guard” and increased preaching by the brethren, though some “preach Christ even from envy and strife.” Even in his chains, Paul has cause to remember his beloved Macedonian brethren and pray for them.

On the second journey, Paul and Silas set out to visit the cities Paul and Barnabas had visited on their first journey (Acts 15:41). They had just met and taken on Paul’s beloved Timothy (Acts 16:1-3). After going through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia (Acts 16:6ff), the Holy Spirit stopped them from going further into Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) to Bithynia. When they came to Troas, Paul had a vision: a man of Macedonia (northern Greece) pleading, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” They concluded the Lord had called them to preach the gospel there and crossed the sea to Neapolis and Philippi.

Philippi was not without note in the annals of history. In about 42 B.C., Augustus/Octavian and Mark Antony defeated the murderers of Julius Caesar, Brutus, and Cassius, signaling the beginning of the end of the Roman republic. Philippi became a Roman colony after this battle.

This being Paul’s first foray into Macedonia, it must have been strange walking into such a Roman-dominated city without even a synagogue (Acts 16:13). Yet Paul soon found the hearts of the citizens of Rome in Philippi to be open and caring. For example, down by the river where women prayed, they met the well-to-do Lydia, a seller of purple from Thyatira who worshipped God. There the Lord opened her heart to the gospel (Acts 16:13-15).

As a result of Paul’s casting out a spirit of divination from a servant girl, which resulted in a loss for her masters, Paul and Silas were thrown into prison (Acts 16:16-24). As they sang praise to God at midnight, an earthquake shook the prison, opened the doors, and loosed everyone’s chains (Acts 16:25-34). The Philippian jailor, thinking his prisoners had escaped, reasoned that this was the end for him and decided to kill himself with his sword. But Paul yelled out, “Do yourself no harm!” The jailor, who must have had some knowledge of Paul’s teaching, asked them that all-important question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” That very night he heard the gospel, believed the teaching, and obeyed the gospel in baptism. After Paul appealed to his Roman citizenship, they were let go and departed Philippi.

One of the beautiful qualities of the Philippian brethren is seen in their giving spirit. Paul speaks of the Macedonian congregations in 2 Corinthians 8:5, “they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.” Further, he calls them “partakers with me of grace” (Philippians 1:7). Indeed, Epaphroditus had come from Philippi to aid Paul in his imprisonment, “a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). Paul is moved by the gift that Epaphroditus brought, who also became deathly ill while visiting Paul. Paul says that God spared his life and great sorrow for Paul. It is interesting to ponder that, although Paul had the miraculous power to heal, he was unsure of Epaphroditus’ recovery. Epaphroditus, too, had become distressed when he heard that the Philippians knew he was sick; and so, Paul sends him back to his home with this very letter.

The Mind Of Paul

The letter to the Philippians is fascinating for its glimpse into how Paul views himself and his life. We have already noticed his love of the Philippian brethren. He calls them “partakers with me of grace” (Philippians 1:7), “my beloved” (Philippians 2:12), and “my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown” (Philippians 4:1). He writes, “I have you in my heart” (Philippians 1:7) and “I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:8). Without question, this letter comes from a heart of love for the brethren.

In this letter, Paul looks at the dichotomies of life. For instance, we see what life and death mean to Paul. He is confident that his deliverance from chains will come because of the prayers of the Philippians and the aid of the Holy Spirit according to God’s will. Here, the Greek word for deliverance, or salvation, can mean “deliverance, preservation, safety, or salvation.” While many assume Paul is speaking of physical deliverance, it is clear it ultimately matters not to him. He will be delivered into eternity if he is not physically delivered from chains. Paul defines life and death in terms of what it means in his service to Christ. In Philippians 1:20, he desires that “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” So he says in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” He sees both life and death as viable alternatives. If he continues to live, it is to serve the Philippians. If he dies, it means the blessing of realizing his hope to be with Christ. He tells them that such a choice is not easy. As we all do, he wants to be with Christ, but he realizes he can help the brethren. Selflessly, he chooses instead to remain alive and help the brethren. It is “more needful for you,” he says.

Consequently, Paul expresses in Philippians 2:16 his hope that his labors in Christ should not be in vain. In Philippians 2:17, “Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.” Though drink offerings are made in the Scriptures well before the giving of the law, it is there we see them codified as sacrifices. ISBE defines the drink offering as “A liquid offering of wine, rarely water, sometimes of oil, and usually accompanying the burnt-offering, but often with the peace offerings.” This offering was poured out upon the altar. Here, it is Paul who becomes the drink offering, poured out upon the altar of the Philippians’ “sacrifice and service” (Philippians 2:17) of their faith. He rejoices that he shares in their salvation and service, urging them to rejoice with him in this.

So what does the flesh mean to Paul? The Old Covenant, with its laws, had been nailed to the cross by Jesus. Yet, many Israelites insisted that the flesh was still necessary and that circumcision was still the sign of God’s favor, whether for Jew, proselyte, or the newly-welcomed Gentiles. And so Paul warns the Philippians in 3:2 to “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” That is, beware of those who would compel you to honor the flesh and be circumcised. In Philippians 3:3, he says, “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have NO confidence in the flesh.”

Yet if anyone were to put their confidence in the flesh, it would be Paul. He lists what he had been in Philippians 3:5-6. Yet all of that stature, those fleshly boasts, Paul saw as loss and rubbish or dung. Paul sees his fleshly attainments as no more than bodily waste. Could Paul make a stronger statement about his view of fleshly things and achievements?

Why does he feel so strongly? Because the alternative is as great as the flesh is vulgar. His attainments are loss because of “the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” How could the things of earth possibly compare? Paul says his concern is to “know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings,” (Philippians 3:10). Also, he states so that “I may attain to the resurrection from the dead,” (Philippians 3:11). There you have it. What could be better than the resurrection unto eternal life?

It is amazing to think that Paul, of all people, sees himself as not having attained to that resurrection, as not having been completed. He sees that he can do so much more to help the lost of the world. He is not yet spent as he will say later to his beloved Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:6: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.” As a result, he first forgets about the things that are behind (those things of the flesh, including the law) and reaches toward those things that are ahead. This mindset is crucial to understanding Paul. He had a past. Yes, he was a Hebrew of Hebrews and a Pharisee; he also persecuted the church and considered himself the chiefest of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). These things were always in his mind, but he had to leave them behind to “press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 3:14).

It is easy to understand Paul’s view of the dichotomy of abounding and abasement with such a mindset. In chains, Paul was glad to receive the aid that Epaphroditus had brought to him from the Philippian brethren. His joy, however, resides not in the fulfillment of his own need. Instead, he says he seeks “the fruit that abounds to your account” (Philippians 4:17). The Philippian aid given to Paul is good work on their part, fellowship in the gospel, and God sees it as fruit.

Paul’s view on being abased (“Reduced to a low state, humbled, degraded,” 1828 Webster’s) or abounding (“To have or possess in great quantity,” 1828 Webster’s) is not that abounding is not better than being abased. However, there were times in Paul’s life as there are in everyone’s when he was in want. Such is why the Philippians shared with him, as in Philippians 4:15-16, more than once and as the only church in Macedonia to do so.

Paul says, though, that he had learned something. He knew how to live in both conditions, abounding or suffering need. We may think it strange that he would say he had to learn how to live in plenty, but the temptation to become comfortable, to expect that plenty to continue, to take it for granted, to be unthankful is always there. Paul had to learn how to live in want, with its physical and emotional discomforts, its temptations to be bitter and to steal. As Agur says in Proverbs 30:8-9, “Give me neither poverty nor riches-Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.”

Ultimately, Paul learned contentment. The 1828 Webster’s says to be content is to be “quiet; not disturbed; having a mind at peace; easy; satisfied, so as not to…object, or oppose.” Paul had learned how to be at peace even when he was in need and to be satisfied and not complain. When he was abounding, he learned to be thankful. How is this possible? Paul’s trust is in the Lord, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:13). As a result of his reception of their aid, Paul is full, abounding even in abasement, thankful, and trusting fully in God (Philippians 4:18).

Exhortation

In Paul’s instruction and exhortation, he says in Philippians 1:6 that he is confident “that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” In Philippians 2:13, he specifies that “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Yet, Paul says to them in Philippians 2:12, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” While this seems like a contradiction, Paul tells the Philippians to cooperate with the plan and will of God for them.

It may not seem that Paul is writing a treatise on Jesus, but Jesus permeates this letter, and the passage that deals specifically with Jesus, 2:5-11, provides the lynchpin for everything Paul is saying, from his attitude to the attitude and actions he urges on the Philippian brethren.

In Philippians 2:5, Paul says, “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” The mind of Philippians 2:3-4, which Jesus perfectly illustrated in His actions. We know that Jesus was in the beginning and was with God and was God (John 1:1). Here He is said to have been in the form of God, the appearance. Although He dwelt in heaven with the Father, He willingly left that abode to come to earth. He took on flesh and the appearance of a man to become of no reputation and live as a servant. The Creator becomes the creature. Jesus did not consider His being with God and a thing to be grasped and retained. Instead, He humbled Himself and was obedient “to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Hebrews 12:2 tells us that He “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” in order “to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). It is not hard to see why Jesus did not have to retain His position in heaven and was willing to come to earth as a man.

Though His excursion to earth resulted in a terrible death, it did not end there. God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him to His right hand, and has “given Him the name which is above every name,” that all people should bow to Him and confess that He is Lord “to the glory of God the Father,” (Philippians 2:9-10).

This example, or rather the mind behind the example, that Paul tells the Philippians to have within themselves.

Let’s look at Paul’s instructions to these brethren. We might group them into three overlapping themes of his letter, which we also see in the example of Christ. We see service, unity, and joy.

Paul’s prayer for the brethren in Philippians 1:9-11 serves as a general outline of the instructions he has for them:

1. Let your love for God and the brethren abound more and more as you grow in understanding and wisdom.
2. As you grow according to the will of God, you will show forth why this will is so good for man.
3. Be filled with the fruits of righteousness that are in Christ.

Against the backdrop of this prayer, Paul weaves through his instruction to the Philippians’ exhortations to greater service, stronger unity, and fuller joy.

Urging them to greater service, Paul tells the Philippians, “let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ,” (Philippians 1:27), “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12), hold fast the word of life, (Philippians 2:16), have the mind to “press toward the goal,” (Philippians 3:14-15), and “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God,” (Philippians 4:6).

Toward stronger unity, Paul exhorts them to “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,” (Philippians 1:27), be “like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind,” (Philippians 2:2), “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others,” (Philippians 2:3-4), “Do all things without complaining and disputing,” (Philippians 2:14), and “let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind,” (Philippians 3:16). And there is reason to stress the unity of brethren, for among them, Euodia and Syntyche were not of the same mind in the Lord (Philippians 4:2). Paul implores these women who have labored with him in the gospel to be of the same mind and urges help for them.

With their devoted service to God and love for and unity with one another comes great joy for Paul and them. Paul says they need not be terrified by adversaries “which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God,” (Philippians 1:28). They “may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” (Philippians 2:15). He encourages them to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). There is an excellent reason for joy among these brethren. Paul nears the end of his letter in Philippians 4:4-8 by saying, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” The coming you are longing for is near, “The Lord is at hand.” Rejoice! Pray to God, and “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” And “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.”

What a beautiful letter this is! Oh, how much we can learn from it. How encouraged we may be by its examples and exhortations. Let us, indeed, meditate on them deeply and be filled with the fruits of righteousness.

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*Paul’s imprisonment was likely either in Caesarea or Rome. It is not within the scope of this article to deal with which it was. Others far more knowledgeable than I have waded into these waters.

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January 2022 | GROW magazine