Commentary on Philippians

Robert H. Gundry

© 2010 by Robert H. Gundry

Published by Baker Academic

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakeracademic.com

Ebook edition created 2011

Previously appeared in Robert H. Gundry, Commentary on the New Testament (Baker Academic, 2010).

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data for Commentary on the New Testament is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-3768-2

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Philippians

GREETINGS

Philippians 1:1–2

PAUL’S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER FOR THE PHILIPPIANS

Philippians 1:3–11

PAUL’S PREACHING IN PRISON, PROSPECT OF RELEASE, AND READINESS TO DIE

Philippians 1:12–26

EXHORTATIONS

Philippians 1:27–2:18

THE SENDING OF TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS TO PHILIPPI

Philippians 2:19–30

A WARNING AGAINST JUDAIZERS

Philippians 3:1–4:1

EXHORTATIONS

Philippians 4:2–9

THE SENDING OF TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS TO PHILIPPI

Philippians 2:19–30

A WARNING AGAINST JUDAIZERS

Philippians 3:1–4:1

EXHORTATIONS

Philippians 4:2–9

THANKS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Philippians 4:10–20

CONCLUSION

Philippians 4:21–23

Back Cover

Acknowledgments

My sincere thanks to Shirley Decker-Lucke, Editorial Director at Hendrickson Publishers, for accepting this exposition of the New Testament for publication; to Mark House, Phil Frank, and others for their work there on the publication; and to the Baker Academic team for their work on this reprint. My brother Stan Gundry, whose contributions to Christian publishing are deservedly well-known, encouraged me to write the exposition. Connie Gundry Tappy copyedited the manuscript. Her copyediting included not only the correction of errors and the refinement of style, but also a host of interpretive improvements and scriptural cross-references arising out of her comprehensive knowledge of the Bible. To her, my daughter as well as my copyeditor, I affectionately dedicate this volume.

Robert H. Gundry

Westmont College

Santa Barbara, California

Introduction

Dear reader,

Here you have part of a commentary on the whole New Testament, published by Baker Academic both in hardback and as an ebook. The electronic version has been broken into segments for your convenience and affordability, though if you like what you find here you may want to consider the whole at a proportionately lower cost. Whether in whole or in part, the e-version puts my comments at your fingertips on your easily portable Kindle, iPad, smartphone, or similar device.

I’ve written this commentary especially for busy people like you—lay people with jobs and families that take up a lot of time, Bible study leaders, pastors, and all who take the New Testament seriously—that is, people who time-wise and perhaps money-wise can’t afford the luxury of numerous heavyweight, technical commentaries on the individual books making up the section of the Bible we call the New Testament. So technical questions are avoided almost entirely, and the commentary concentrates on what will prove useful for understanding the scriptural text as a basis for your personal life as a Christian, for discussion with others, and for teaching and preaching.

Group discussion, teaching, and preaching all involve speaking aloud, of course, and when the New Testament was written, even private reading was done aloud. Moreover, most authors dictated their material to a writing secretary, and books were ordinarily read aloud to an audience. In this commentary, then, I’ve avoided almost all abbreviations (which don’t come through as such in oral speech) and have freely used contractions that characterize speaking (“we’ll,” “you’re,” “they’ve,” and so on). To indicate emphasis in oral speech, italics also occur fairly often.

You’ll mostly have to make your own practical and devotional applications of the scriptural text. But such applications shouldn’t disregard or violate the meanings intended by the Scripture’s divinely inspired authors and should draw on the richness of those meanings. So I’ve interpreted them in detail. Bold print indicates the text being interpreted. Translations of the original Greek are my own. Because of the interpretations’ close attention to detail, my translations usually, though not always, gravitate to the literal and sometimes produce run-on sentences and other nonstandard, convoluted, and even highly unnatural English. Square brackets enclose intervening clarifications, however, plus words in English that don’t correspond to words in the Greek text but do need supplying to make good sense. (As a language, Greek has a much greater tendency than English does to omit words meant to be supplied mentally.) Seemingly odd word-choices in a translation get justified in the following comments. It needs to be said as well that the very awkwardness of a literal translation often highlights features of the scriptural text obscured, eclipsed, or even contradicted by loose translations and paraphrases.

Literal translation also produces some politically incorrect English. Though “brothers” often includes sisters, for example, “sisters” doesn’t include brothers. Similarly, masculine pronouns may include females as well as males, but not vice versa. These pronouns, “brothers,” and other masculine expressions that on occasion are gender-inclusive correspond to the original, however, and help give a linguistic feel for the male-dominated culture in which the New Testament originated and which its language reflects. Preachers, Bible study leaders, and others should make whatever adjustments they think necessary for contemporary audiences but should not garble the text’s intended meaning.

Out of respect for your abilities so far as English is concerned, I’ve not dumbed down the vocabulary used in translations and interpretations. Like the translations, interpretations are my own. Rather than reading straight through, many of you may consult the interpretation of an individual passage now and then. So I’ve had to engage in a certain amount of repetition. To offset the repetition and keep the material in bounds, I rarely discuss others’ interpretations. But I’ve not neglected to canvass them in my research.

On the theological front, the commentary is unabashedly evangelical, so that my prayers accompany this volume in support of all you who strive for faithfulness to the New Testament as the word of God.

Robert Gundry

Philippians

This letter, written while Paul was in prison, explains his circumstances, thanks Christians living in Philippi, Macedonia, for a recent financial gift, exhorts them to practice Christian virtues, and warns against heretics.

GREETINGS

Philippians 1:1–2

1:1–2: Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, along with [= including] the supervisors and assistants: 2Grace and peace to you from God, our Father, and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Though Paul’s subsequent use of “I,” “my/mine,” and “me” shows him to be the author of this letter, the inclusion of Timothy alongside him adds weight to it in that what Paul says, Timothy says too. (On Timothy, see especially Acts 16:1–3; 2 Timothy 1:3–8.) “Slaves of Christ Jesus” implies that the writing and sending of this letter carries out a work-order of Christ Jesus, so that the Philippians should pay heed to the letter’s contents. The placement of “Christ,” a title equivalent to the Hebrew “Messiah,” before “Jesus” suits the authority of Jesus in having Paul and Timothy as slaves and giving them this work to do for him. “The saints” describes the addressees as consecrated by God to himself and therefore as unlike non-Christians in this respect. “In Christ Jesus” describes the saints’ Spiritual location. That is to say, God looks on them as being in Christ Jesus, and therefore consecrated to God, because they have within them the Spirit who himself indwells Christ, so that they too indwell him (Romans 8:1–11). The second placement of “Christ” before “Jesus” suits again Jesus’ messianic authority, but this time over the saints, who are in him. “To all the saints” prepares for an upcoming, expansive compliment. “Who are in Philippi” indicates their geographical location, which is noticeably secondary to their Spiritual location in Christ Jesus (see the comments on Acts 16:11–40 for Paul and company’s evangelization of this Macedonian city). Among all the saints in Philippi Paul makes special mention of “the supervisors [of the saints] and the assistants [of the supervisors, that is, those who help them in supervision].” (The traditional translation “bishops and deacons” doesn’t adequately identify the activities of these people.) For the rest of the greeting, see the comments on Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 John 3.

PAUL’S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER FOR THE PHILIPPIANS

Philippians 1:3–11

1:3–6: I thank my God on the occasion of every remembrance of you, 4always in every supplication of mine for all you 5making the request with joy because of your sharing for the gospel from the first day until now, 6[I] being persuaded of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you [compare Galatians 3:3] will be completing [it] until the Day of Christ Jesus . . . . “Remembrance of you” refers to Paul’s remembering the Philippians, not to their remembering him. Thanking God for them when remembering them pays them a compliment, which is designed to make them receptive of what Paul will say throughout this letter. At the same time, though, God gets the credit for what it is about them that prompts Paul’s thanksgiving. To his thanksgiving Paul adds supplications—that is, prayer-requests—in behalf of the Philippians. (For what he requests, see 1:9–11.) These supplications show concern for them, but “with joy” tempers the concern with an optimism borne of their “sharing for the gospel,” which refers to their monetary contributions in support of his evangelistic work (see 4:14–15; Romans 12:13; 15:26; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:13; Galatians 6:6 for sharing in a monetary sense). “From the first day until now” means that the Philippians started this sharing right after their conversion and have continued it right up to the present (see also 4:14–18). Hence, the making of supplications in their behalf compensates them for this sharing. Enhancing Paul’s compliment and concern is the emphasis to be seen in the following buildup: “on the occasion of every remembrance of you, always in every supplication of mine for all you.” (The italicized words rest on forms of a single, repeated word in Paul’s Greek.) And “my God” indicates that even in Paul’s most intimate moments with God, thanksgiving and concern for the Philippians always play a part.

Paul’s persuasion rests on their sharing as evidence that God has begun a good work in them and will continue to do so until it’s complete at “the Day of Christ Jesus,” which is the day of his return, when salvation is finalized. Ordinarily “a good work” means a good deed done by a human being. Why then does Paul use the expression here for what God is doing? Answer: Because the sharing of financial resources for evangelism is a good deed that not only gives evidence of salvation but that also, like salvation itself, is engendered by God (compare Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Genesis 1:31–2:3). Just as in Paul’s thanking God, then, God gets the credit for the good work, the good deed. “Will be completing [it] until the Day of Christ Jesus” suggests that God will continue his good work of inducing the Philippians to support evangelism financially till the second coming, when evangelism will cease, and that God will do so to generate further evidence of their salvation, which will then reach completion (compare the use of “complete” in connection with financial sharing in Romans 15:28; 2 Corinthians 8:6, 11). “This very thing” underlines the completion, of which Paul is persuaded.

1:7–8: just as it’s right for me to have this attitude about all you, because I have you in my heart, all you being sharers together with me of grace both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God [is] my witness, how I’m longing for all you in the vitals of Christ Jesus. “Just as it’s right for me to have this attitude about you” harks back to Paul’s persuasion that God will be completing in the Philippians the good work he has begun in them (1:6). “Because I have you in my heart” adds affection to thought and makes the affection a trigger of the thought. “Grace” means “favor.” The grace of salvation is ill-deserved favor. But “in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel” alludes to the Philippians’ “sharing [their financial resources] for the gospel from the first day [when Paul was still free to defend and confirm the gospel] till now [while he’s bound in prison]” (1:5). Moreover, Paul uses “grace” for God’s having favored him with an apostolic ministry (Romans 1:5; 12:3; 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Galatians 2:9), and also for God’s favoring Christians with the ministry of sharing their financial resources (see with comments 2 Corinthians 8:1–2, 4, 6–7, 19; 9:8, 14). So “sharers together with [me] of my grace” means that by exercising the grace of sharing their financial resources with Paul they’ve shared with him in the grace of his apostolic ministry.

“In the defense and confirmation of the gospel” probably alludes to his battle against the so-called Judaizers (for which see especially Galatians) in preparation for his warning the Philippians against them (3:1–2). “For God is my witness” introduces with emphasis an explanation of Paul’s having the Philippians in his heart. “How I’m longing for all you” explains it. He doesn’t say he’s longing to see them, though doubtless he does long to. He longs for them themselves (as though he wants to hug them, we might say [compare 2:24]). “The vitals” are internal organs, used here and elsewhere as a figure of speech for deep affection. Paul doesn’t say “in my vitals,” as he does in Philemon 12, 20. He says “in the vitals of Christ Jesus” to equate his longing for the Philippians with the affections for them of Christ Jesus himself. For if he’s in Christ, as he certainly is, he participates in Christ’s affections (compare Philemon 20, where Paul says “my vitals” but adds “in Christ”). No fewer than three occurrences in these verses of “all you,” added to “all the saints” and “all you” in 1:2, 4, enhance further Paul’s complimenting the Philippians so as to gain from them a receptive hearing of the letter.

1:9–11: And I’m praying this: that your love may flourish still more and more in knowledge and total perception 10so that you may be approving the things which are superlative in order that you may be sterling and irreproachable for the Day of Christ, 11[you] filled with the fruit [consisting] of righteousness, the [fruit borne] through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. Here Paul spells out the supplications he mentioned in 1:3. He has been referencing the Philippians’ sharing of financial resources for evangelism, has expressed confidence that God will continue inducing them to do so, and elsewhere associates the sharing of financial resources with love (see 2 Corinthians 8:7–8, 24). So Paul’s praying that the Philippians’ “love may flourish still more and more” asks God for increased as well as continued such sharing for the gospel on the Philippians’ part. But Paul sets such love in the framework of “knowledge and total perception,” for knowledge of the gospel and perception of people’s need to hear it will lead to the flourishing of this financial love “still more and more.” “Total perception” accents the recognition of people’s need to hear the gospel.

“So that you may be approving the things which are superlative” expands Paul’s purview to include not only financial love but also moral excellence in general. “Approving” means putting behaviors to a moral test and then putting into practice those behaviors that pass the test (compare Romans 2:18; 12:2). Beyond the purpose of such approval lies the purpose of being “sterling and irreproachable for the Day of Christ [= with a view to being found genuinely blameless when he returns to judge us (2 Corinthians 5:10)]” because of being “filled with the fruit [consisting] of righteousness.” For “fruit” as a figure of speech for behavior and its outcome see 1:22; Romans 6:21–22; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9 (in addition to passages outside Paul’s letters). For “fruit” as a figure of speech for sharing financial resources see 4:17; Romans 1:13 (with comments); 15:28. For “righteousness” as the sharing of financial resources see 2 Corinthians 9:9–10. For “righteousness” as right conduct in general see (among other passages) Romans 6:13–20; 2 Corinthians 6:7, 14; Ephesians 4:24; 5:9; 6:14; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22; 3:16. “Filled with the fruit of righteousness” points to having an abundance of righteous conduct, including that of sharing financial resources for purposes of evangelism, to show at the Last Judgment. But “through Jesus Christ” makes him the generator within us of such fruit, so that no glory or praise accrues to us. Thus the ultimate purpose of love’s flourishing consists in “the glory and praise of God,” who by his Spirit has put Christ in us as well as us in Christ (see again Romans 8:1–11). The doubling in “glory and praise” accents this ultimate purpose.

PAUL’S PREACHING IN PRISON, PROSPECT OF RELEASE, AND READINESS TO DIE

Philippians 1:12–26

1:12–14: But I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually resulted in the advancement of the gospel; 13and so among the whole imperial guard and all the rest my bonds have become obvious [as being] in Christ, 14and [so] the majority of the brothers, persuaded in the Lord by my bonds, are extraordinarily daring to speak the word of God fearlessly. “I want you to know” emphasizes the following information over against what the Philippians might think because of Paul’s being in bonds, that is, imprisoned (1:7). “Brothers” (meaning “fellow Christians,” both male and female) adds affection to the emphasis and recalls the expressions of Paul’s affection for the Philippians in 1:7–8. “My circumstances” refers to his imprisonment. They’ve “actually resulted in the advancement of the gospel” means they’ve done so rather than resulting in stalled evangelism. So the advancement has come not despite the imprisonment, but because of the imprisonment. “And so” introduces how the advancement has taken place. It has taken place by way of Paul’s bonds becoming obvious as being in Christ. If Paul is in Christ, so too are the bonds with which he is chained (compare 3:10). Paul is saying that the gospel has become known through his imprisonment. Why is he in bonds? Because he has been proclaiming the gospel. What gospel? The gospel concerning Christ. Who is he and what has he done that has led Paul to proclaim good news about him? Paul has answered this last question by explaining the gospel “among the whole imperial guard and all the rest,” which is to say that the gospel has been heard in quarters unlikely to have reverberated with it apart from Paul’s imprisonment. He doesn’t define “all the rest,” but association with “the imperial guard” points to high governmental officials.

There’s another way in which the gospel has advanced because of Paul’s imprisonment. “The majority of the brothers” are speaking “the word of God,” which phrase Paul uses to stress that the gospel is fail-safe (see especially Romans 9:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:9). They’re not just speaking this word. They’re daring to speak it. They’re not just daring to speak it. They’re extraordinarily daring to speak it. They’re not just extraordinarily daring to speak it. They’re extraordinarily daring to speak it fearlessly. Furthermore, it’s the majority who are doing so. If Paul is proclaiming the gospel because of his imprisonment, why shouldn’t they be proclaiming it because of their freedom? They are! But their persuasion is “in the Lord,” not in Paul, so that Christ is the generator of their extraordinary daring just as he’s the generator of “the fruit of righteousness” (1:11). What a two-pronged advancement of the gospel, then!

1:15–18c: On the one hand, some [are speaking God’s word] even because of envy and strife. On the other hand, some are also proclaiming the Christ because of goodwill. 16The latter, on the one hand, [are doing so] out of love, knowing that I’m destined for the defense of the gospel. 17The former, on the other hand, are announcing the Christ out of rivalry, not purely [that is, not with the purity of goodwill and love], fancying to raise pressure for my bonds. 18a–cSo what? Only that in every way, whether for a show or for the truth, Christ is being announced; and in this [fact] I’m rejoicing. Envy of Paul led to rivalry with him. Striving against him took the form of trying to raise pressure for his bonds, that is, to worsen his affliction by increasing the tightness of his chains, so to speak. He provides no specifics; but here we have a striking instance (“even because of envy and strife”) of a culture in which honor was highly valued but thought to be of limited supply, so that people competed for it at the cost of others’ shame. Paul doesn’t compete in this zero-sum game, but his self-conceived rivals do. In contrast with them, others “are proclaiming the Christ [an expression that defines what it means in 1:14 ‘to speak the word of God’] because of goodwill [toward Paul]” and “out of love [toward him].” This goodwill and love stem from the supporters’ knowing that God destined Paul to defend the gospel (compare Galatians 1:15–16). They recognize the futility of competing for honor against God’s appointee. By implication, Paul’s rivals are stupid in their “fancying,” as opposed to his supporters’ “knowing.” As for him, he cares only that “Christ is being announced.” Indeed, he’s rejoicing in this fact, whether it’s “for a show” of the announcer to gain honor, or “for the truth” of the gospel to gain converts.

1:18d–20: I will rejoice, however. Paul is setting his future rejoicing in a temporal contrast with his present rejoicing (1:18c). 19For I know that “this for me will turn out to result in salvation [Job 13:16]” through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ 20in accordance with my eager expectation and hope that in no respect I’ll be ashamed—rather, that with all boldness even now, as always, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death. In the earlier part of 1:18, Paul said he presently rejoices that the Christ is being proclaimed. Now he explains the reason why he’ll rejoice also in the future. The reason is that “this for me will turn out to result in salvation.” What does “this” refer to? Well, the same word has just occurred in 1:18c. There it referred clearly to Christ’s being proclaimed. We have no reason to see a change of reference here. So if this proclamation of Christ “will turn out to result in salvation,” what salvation is in view? Eternal salvation in accordance with 1:28; 2:12. Whose salvation is in view? “For me” might seem to indicate that Paul’s salvation is in view. He doesn’t say “my salvation,” though, as would be expected from expressions in 1:28; 2:12; 2 Corinthians 1:6; Ephesians 1:13 (“your [own] salvation”) and Romans 13:11 (“our salvation”). The following reference to Paul’s “boldness” therefore favors that “for me” has to do with Paul’s proclamation of the gospel that will result in the salvation of those who respond in faith to that proclamation. “Through your supplication” makes the Philippians’ praying a means of the proclamation’s salvific success. “Through . . . the supply of the Spirit” makes empowerment by the Holy Spirit a coactive means of such success (compare the pairing of “the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word” with “prayer and supplication” in Ephesians 6:17–18; and for the Spirit as empowering successful evangelism see Romans 15:18–19; 1 Corinthians 2:4–5; 1 Thessalonians 1:5). God supplies his Spirit for this empowerment.

Paul adds “of Jesus Christ” to “the Spirit” because Christ is the subject of the proclamation empowered by the Spirit (compare Romans 8:9), and then elaborates his own evangelistic efforts (as in 1:12–14). He has “eager expectation and hope [which in his usage connotes confidence] that in no respect will [he] be ashamed [that is, ashamed to proclaim the gospel (compare Romans 1:18: ‘For I’m not ashamed of the gospel’; also 2 Timothy 1:8, 12)].” The contrast with “boldness” favors the translation “be ashamed” rather than “be put to shame.” Paul attaches “all” to “boldness” for emphasis on boldness in proclaiming the gospel “even now,” when because of his imprisonment it might be thought by others that he would clam up. “As always” indicates the exercise of just as much boldness as he exercised prior to his imprisonment. He puts his bold proclamation of Christ in terms of Christ’s being “magnified,” that is, being made big through the announcement that he’s no less a personage than the Christ, the Messiah. “In my body” implies that through his Spirit, Christ indwells Paul’s body (Romans 8:1–11; 1 Corinthians 6:19); and Christ will be magnified in it both if Paul continues living as a proclaimer of Jesus as the Christ and if Paul dies as a proclaimer of Jesus as the Christ.

1:21–26: For to me, living [is] Christ [compare Galatians 2:20] and dying [is] gain. 22And if living in flesh [is my lot], I [have] this [as] the fruit of [my] work. And I don’t know what I’ll prefer; 23and I’m being hemmed in between the two [possibilities of living in flesh, which living is Christ, and dying] because of having a strong desire to depart [from you] and be with Christ. For [that would be] very much better [for me than living in flesh is]. 24But on account of you, to stay in the flesh [is] more necessary. 25And persuaded of this [greater necessity], I know that I’ll stay [in the flesh] and stay with all you for the purpose of your advancement and joy of faith, 26in order that in me, [that is,] through my coming again to you, your boast may be flourishing in Christ Jesus. Paul now explains why he spoke of Christ’s being magnified in Paul’s body, whether through life or through death. “To me” means “in my case/so far as I’m concerned.” “Living [is] Christ” in that so long as Paul is living he’s proclaiming Christ. But Paul allies his living to his proclamation of Christ so closely that he equates his living with Christ! “Dying [is] gain” in that Paul will then “be with Christ,” which would be “very much better” than “living in flesh.” Flesh is that part of the body which returns to dust upon death (Genesis 3:19). Given Paul’s not yet attaching “my” to “flesh,” then, the switch from “in my body,” where “Christ will be magnified” (1:20), to “in flesh” denotes mortal life as such. Nevertheless, “living in flesh” has a saving feature, namely, “this [as] the fruit of [Paul’s] work.” But what does “this” refer to here? In both 1:18 and 1:19 it referred to Christ’s being proclaimed. So too here, for Paul’s continuing to live in flesh would mean his continuing to proclaim Christ. This proclamation would result in successful evangelism.

The future tense in “what I’ll prefer” looks forward to the time of Caesar’s verdict. Meanwhile, “being hemmed in” describes figuratively “I don’t know what I’ll prefer.” Paul can’t make up his mind right now. “Having a strong desire to depart and be with Christ” stems from its being “very much better” than living in flesh. But Paul judges that staying with all the Philippians for their “advancement and joy of faith” is “more necessary” than the betterment of his situation even though departing and being with Christ would be “very much better” for Paul. Because of the greater necessity of “stay[ing] in the flesh,” he says, “I know that I’ll stay [in the flesh, which is to stay alive] and stay with all you [which implies a visit from Paul, as confirmed by ‘my coming again to you’ [see also 2:24].” See the final comments on 1:7–8 for “all you.” “Your advancement and joy of faith” refers to the Philippians’ increasing in the exercise of faith and to their joy in that exercise, both the increase and the joy coming as a result of Paul’s visit. The Philippians’ boast will flourish. What will they be boasting about when Paul visits them? They’ll be boasting about the answer to their prayer that he be spared to visit them and continue proclaiming the gospel of salvation (see the comments on 1:19). But “in Christ Jesus” locates the flourishing of their boast where it brings no credit to them for praying. The credit goes to him, through whom God will have answered their prayer.

EXHORTATIONS

Philippians 1:27–2:18

1:27–30: Only be conducting yourselves as citizens worthily of the gospel about the Christ in order that whether coming and seeing you or being away from [you], I may be hearing things concerning you, [specifically,] that you’re standing in one Spirit, with one soul contending together for the faith of the gospel 28and not being scared in any respect by those who are set against you, which as such is in their case an indication of ruin but of your salvation—and this from God, 29because to you it has been graciously given in Christ’s behalf not only to be believing in him but also to be suffering in his behalf, 30you having the same sort of struggle that you saw in my case and are now hearing [to be] in my case. “Only” introduces the following exhortations as what the Philippians should obey rather than succumbing to discouragement over Paul’s imprisonment (compare 1:12–14). “Be conducting yourselves as citizens [of heaven according to 3:20]” alludes to and contrasts with the character of Philippi as a Roman colony populated originally by Roman citizens who were army veterans (compare Acts 16:35–40, where the issue of Roman citizenship comes up in Philippi). “Worthily of the gospel about the Christ” is defined by “standing in one Spirit, with one soul contending together for the faith of the gospel and not being scared in any respect by those who are set against you.” Paul wants to hear of such heavenly citizen-worthy conduct whether he comes and sees the Philippians (in case he’s released from prison) or stays absent from them (as now).

Because of the parallelism with “one soul,” which refers to the Philippians’ collective soul, many translations have “one spirit,” a reference to the Philippians’ collective spirit. (Since the earliest Greek manuscripts were written all in capital letters, capitalization versus noncapitalization in English becomes a question of interpretation rather than of simple translation.) On the other hand, Paul appears to have written Philippians and Ephesians around the same time and from the same imprisonment; and in Ephesians 4:4 “one Spirit” clearly refers to the Holy Spirit (see also 1 Corinthians 6:17). Even more impressively, in Ephesians 2:18 Paul uses the very same phrase that he uses here, “in one Spirit,” again with clear reference to God’s Spirit (so too in 1 Corinthians 12:13). And the difference between “in one Spirit” and “with one soul” weakens the parallelism between these phrases. Therefore it’s better to take “standing in one Spirit” as a reference to the shared Holy Spirit, who gives the Philippians strength to stand firm as “with one soul”—that is, with a deeply felt unity—they’re “contending together for the faith of the gospel” (an athletic metaphor, elaborated in 2:16; 3:12–14, for maintaining and propagating the belief whose object is the gospel).

To stand and contend requires “not being scared in any respect” by opponents who would persecute you. “Which as such” refers to the quality of not being scared. This quality will show that your opponents are headed for ruin in the hereafter but that you’re headed for salvation in the hereafter, for otherwise you’d have reason to be scared of them. “And this” refers again to your “not being scared.” “From God” gives him rather than you credit for not being scared. He gives you freedom from fear of your persecutors “because to you it has been graciously given in Christ’s behalf not only to be believing in him but also to be suffering in his behalf.” In other words, the opportunity to believe in him is matched by the opportunity to suffer in his behalf, the opportunity to suffer in his behalf being as much a gracious gift as the opportunity to believe in him (compare 3:10). These gifts are given (by God, it’s implied) in Christ’s behalf—that is, to benefit him—and you suffer (persecution, it’s implied from “those who are set against you”) likewise in Christ’s behalf—that is again, to benefit him. It’s a benefit to him that you believe in him; and it’s a benefit to him that you suffer persecution for propagating your belief, because believing in him and suffering to propagate this belief makes his sacrificial death worth the cost to him (compare 2 Corinthians 8:9). Then Paul draws a parallel between the Philippians’ struggle against their opponents, their persecutors, and the same sort of struggle they saw in his case when he evangelized them and was thrown in jail (Acts 16:12–40; 1 Thessalonians 2:2) and are now hearing in reference to his imprisonment. Mention of the parallel should ease their minds. They have good company in their struggle (compare Acts 14:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:4–10).

2:1–4: Therefore if in Christ [there’s] any encouragement, if any consolation of love, if any sharing of the Spirit, if any vitals [= internal organs as a figure of speech for affections] and compassions, 2fill my joy. [I say this] in order that you may be of the same attitude, having the same love, co-souled, being of one attitude, 3[doing] nothing in accordance with rivalry or in accordance with vainglory—rather, with lowliness of attitude [= humility] regarding each other as being superior to yourselves, 4each [one of you] not looking out for your own interests [alone]—rather, each [of you all] [looking out for] the interests of others as well [compare 1 Corinthians 10:24; 13:5]. “Therefore” bases the following exhortation on the Philippians’ knowing the sort of struggle Paul has undergone in the past and is now undergoing as a prisoner. Consequently, “encouragement,” “consolation,” “sharing of the Spirit,” and “vitals and compassions” have to do with the Philippians’ encouragement (and so on) of Paul. The quadrupled “if any” doesn’t call in question the presence of these dispositions “in Christ.” For since the Philippians are in him (1:1) and since such dispositions characterize Christ himself, a plentiful supply of them is available to the Philippians. So “if any” challenges the Philippians to draw on this supply for Paul’s encouragement and consolation. “Of love” describes the consoling of him as stemming from love for him. All Christians have been baptized in one Spirit into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13). Hence they do share the Spirit in the sense of having him as common property (so to speak); and since love is the first-listed fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), “sharing of the Spirit” provides the basis for “consolation of love.” Paul has already ascribed “vitals” to “Christ Jesus” (see 1:8 with comments). Here the pairing with “compassions” produces the meaning, deep feelings of compassion.

“Fill my joy” means, “Make me full of joy.” Of course, Paul is already rejoicing in the Philippians’ financial support of his evangelistic work (1:4–5) and in others’ proclamation of the gospel (1:18). But his joy won’t be full unless he learns that the Philippians have patched up differences which have disunited them (see, for example, 4:2–3). Therefore his exhortation to adopt “the same attitude” toward one another, which attitude he defines as “the same love” for each other. “Co-souled” then describes them, if they obey, as consequently harmonious with one another at their very core. “Being of one attitude” echoes the exhortation to be “of the same attitude,” this time to be followed first, however, by what to avoid that would destroy oneness of attitude rather than by what to implement for achieving the sameness of attitude. Both “rivalry” and “vainglory” destroy oneness of attitude by pitting people against each other. In fact, an attitude of rivalry characterizes those near Paul who are “fancying” to make his imprisonment worse (1:17). He prefixes “vain-” to “glory” to indicate that the glory which comes from fellow human beings is empty of the glory that comes from God. Paul adds vainglory to rivalry and for emphasis repeats “in accordance with.” The connective “or” implies that rivalry leads to vainglory and that vainglory leads to rivalry, so that neither one should characterize Christians. “Nothing” rules out both of them entirely. “Lowliness of attitude” regarding yourself identifies “the same attitude/the one attitude” recently commanded; and “regarding each other as superior to yourselves” defines “lowliness of attitude.” Moreover, looking out for others’ interests as well as for your own tells what it entails activitywise to regard each other as superior to yourselves. Paul shifts from the singular in “each [one of you]” to the plural in “each [of you all]” to point up the responsibility of all members of the local Christian community to care for their fellow Christians’ interests, and two instances of “rather” make for strong oppositions between what Paul prohibits and what he commands.

2:5–11: For have this attitude among you, which [is] also [the attitude proper to your being] in Christ Jesus [compare 4:2; Romans 15:5], 6who though existing in the form of God didn’t regard being equal with God as something to take advantage of [compare Romans 15:3]. 7Instead, he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave on coming to be in the likeness of human beings. 8And on being found in respect to fashion as a human being, he lowered himself by becoming obedient to the extent of death—but death on a cross! 9Therefore God also lifted him above [everyone else] and graced him with the name above every name 10in order that in the name of Jesus every knee might bow, of heavenly and earthly and subterranean [beings], 11and [in order that] every tongue might confess, “Jesus Christ [is] Lord,” for the glory of God the Father. “For” introduces this passage as a reason why the Philippians should obey the injunctions to lowliness of attitude (and so forth) in 2:1–4. Paul starts by noting that such an attitude is proper to being in Christ Jesus, as the Philippian Christians are according to 1:1, and then switches to him as an example of this attitude. His exemplifying it makes it proper for the interrelations of those in him by faith. “Who though existing in the form of God” ascribes preexistent deity to Christ, as confirmed by his “being equal with God.” (“Form” refers to a way of being that makes someone who he is.) At the same time, this equality with God differentiates him from God, so that at the end of the passage we read of “God” as “the Father” and of “Jesus Christ” as “Lord.” That Christ Jesus “didn’t regard being equal with God as something to take advantage of” not only confirms his having equality with God because of existing in the form of God, but also models an absence of any “rivalry or vainglory” (2:3). “Instead, he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave” exhibits “lowliness of attitude” and “looking out for . . . the interests of others” (2:3–4).

“On coming to be in the likeness of human beings” portrays the divine Christ’s incarnation as the precondition of his emptying himself by taking the form of a slave. “And on being found in respect to fashion [= mode of existence] as a human being” reiterates this precondition, and “lowered himself by becoming obedient to the extent of death” reiterates his emptying himself by taking the form of a slave. So death, not incarnation, defines his self-emptying. In other words, incarnation as a human being made possible his self-emptying in death, as confirmed by the correspondence between obedience and the form of a slave. For what is expected of a slave if not obedience? And since “to the extent of death” describes the obedience, self-emptying by taking the form of a slave equates with becoming obedient to the extent of death. Furthermore, “death on a cross” suits a slave, for crucifixion was regarded as the quintessential way to execute a slave, or somebody who was to be treated as a slave. “But death on a cross” sets crucifixion apart from other ways of execution and dying because of its suitability to slaves and those being treated as such. Hovering in the background is Isaiah 53:12, where the Slave of the Lord is said to have “poured out [= emptied] his soul to [the extent of] death.”

Some linguistic notes: (1) “Soul” can mean both “life” and “himself,” as when Jesus said the Son of Man came “to give his soul/life as a ransom” (Mark 10:45; Matthew 20:28) and Paul, quoting him, says “he gave himself as a ransom” (1 Timothy 2:6 [see also Titus 2:14]). (2) Hebrew, the language of Isaiah, had no reflexive pronoun such as “himself,” so that “soul/life” served the function of a reflexive. (3) Isaiah 52:13–53:12 has words corresponding not only to “slave” but also to “form,” “likeness,” and “fashion” here in Philippians 2:5–11. And (4) these last-listed words of Paul should be taken as synonyms dealing with identity, not merely with similarity.

Crucifixion was considered the most shameful of deaths. (Its pain was secondary to its shame.) So in compensation for Christ’s having “lowered himself,” God “lifted him above [everyone else].” The gracing of Jesus with the name “above every name” and the listing of “heavenly and earthly and subterranean beings” as those whose every knee will “bow” in Jesus’ name imply the addition of “everyone else” after “lifted him above.” “Also” makes conspicuous the contrastive pairing of God’s gracious uplift of Jesus with Jesus’ obedient comedown. The universal bowing in Jesus’ name and the universal confession, “Jesus Christ [is] Lord,” bring together body language (the bowing of knees) and verbal language (the confession of tongues) in acknowledgment that the human Jesus is also the divine Lord (compare Isaiah 45:23). For “Lord” corresponds to Lord (Hebrew: Yahweh) as the most sacred of divine names in the Old Testament and therefore counts as “the name above every name.” Furthermore, “Lord” connotes the ownership and mastery of slaves and therefore makes the lordship of Jesus compensate for his having taken the form of a slave. But why “for the glory of God the Father” rather than “for the glory of Jesus Christ”? Because God the Father is the one who lifted him and graced him with his own name and therefore merits glory for doing so. And if even the universal acclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord has the purpose of glorifying God the Father, how much more should obeying the injunction to follow Jesus’ example have that purpose.

2:12–13: And so [as a result of Christ’s “becoming obedient to the extent of death” (2:8)], my beloved, just as you’ve always obeyed, not only when in my presence but now much more in my absence be working at your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For the one who is working in you both the wanting and the working for [his] good pleasure is God [compare 1:6]. The address “my beloved” means “I love you” and implies both that you Philippians should reciprocate my love for you by obeying my following injunction and that this injunction flows out of a love which desires your salvation. “Just as you’ve always obeyed” provides a complimentary basis for obedience to the injunction. “Not only when in my presence” looks forward to Paul’s visiting the Philippians, as he hopes to do (1:24–27; 2:24). But he doesn’t want them to delay their obedience; so he adds “but now much more in my absence.” Why “much more”? Because their not yet having Paul to exhort them in person might induce negligence.

The injunction, “be working at your own salvation,” means to produce it, to implement it. For though salvation has already occurred by divine grace through human faith apart from good works (Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 4:5–6), salvation has yet to be finalized at the Last Judgment; and this finalization will require good works to certify the past occurrence of salvation (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10). “With fear and trembling”—that is, with a fear so strong that it causes trembling—underscores the danger of lacking such certification, a danger which should drive you to be working at salvation. “Your own salvation” stresses the one self-interest allowable, indeed indispensable (compare the implication in 2:4 of “not looking out for your own interests [alone]—rather, . . . [for] the interests of others as well”). But why work at salvation if it’s not by your working? Because if you don’t, you’ll betray that God isn’t working in you. But if you do, you’ll show that he is in fact working in you. Paul doesn’t say, “For God is the one who is working in you . . . .” Rather, “For the one who is working in you . . . is God.” This way of putting it lays emphasis on God (as the one who is working in you) rather than on the one who is working in you (as God). Thus, though you must work at your own salvation, you can’t take any credit for your working. All credit goes to God. Moreover, his working in you includes your wanting to work as well as the actuality of your working, so that your working pleases you as well as God, though “[his] good pleasure” is what really counts. Since you work as a result of his working, it’s no surprise that he takes pleasure in your working. All in all, then, God’s working in you doesn’t relieve you of working; it gives you reason to be working.

2:14–18: Be doing all things without grumblings and arguments, 15in order that you may become blameless and guileless, God’s faultless children amid “a crooked and perverted generation [Deuteronomy 32:5],” among whom you’re shining as luminaries in the world, 16by holding fast the word of life, so that for the Day of Christ I[’ll have] a basis for boasting that I neither ran ineffectually nor labored ineffectually. 17Even if, however, I’m being poured out as a drink-offering on the sacrifice and ministry of your faith, I’m rejoicing—and I’m rejoicing together with all you. 18And in the same [way] you too, be rejoicing—and be rejoicing together with me. The prohibition of “grumblings and arguments” shows that “all things” have to do particularly with the communal life of church members. The grumblings allude to the ancient Israelites’ grumblings against Moses and Aaron despite their appointment by God to lead the Israelites (Exodus 15:24; 16:2, 7–9, 12 and so forth; compare 1 Corinthians 10:10). The Israelites also argued with Moses and Aaron (see Exodus 16:3; 17:1–3, for example). The special mention in 1:1 of “supervisors and [the supervisors’] assistants” and the upcoming command that the Philippians welcome back Epaphroditus, their “apostle and minister,” and to hold such people as Epaphroditus “in esteem” (2:25–30) suggest grumblings against and arguments with leaders of the church in Philippi. Grumblings and arguments destroy being of one and the same attitude, having the same love, and being co-souled, all of which Paul commanded in 2:2, and would fit rivalry and vainglory, which he prohibited in 2:3 and countered with Christ’s example in 2:5–11.

The emphatic twofoldness of “blameless and guileless” corresponds to the emphatic twofoldness of “grumblings and arguments.” Grumblings are blameworthy, and arguments (at least the kind Paul has in mind) are guileful in that they are specious. As though “blameless and guileless” weren’t enough, Paul adds “God’s faultless children” for a contrast with the “crooked and perverted generation” amid whom the Philippians (and all Christians) are set. The twofoldness of “crooked and perverse” corresponds to that of “grumblings and arguments” and contrasts with that of “blameless and guileless.” The obviousness of the contrast leads Paul to add “among whom you’re shining as [moral] luminaries in the world.” “By holding fast the word of life” tells how to become “blameless and guileless, God’s faultless children.” “The word of life” is the message about eternal life, to which message you must hold fast behaviorally as well as doctrinally if you’re to attain that life (compare 1 Timothy 4:16). For Paul’s hope of boasting on the Day of Christ, the day of his return, see the comments on 2 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; and with the possibility of Paul’s having run and labored “ineffectually [literally, ‘with an empty result’]” compare Galatians 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:5. Running and laboring portray Paul’s evangelism in a twofold way: as a race to be won and as a job to be finished. Ineffectual running means losing the race, then, and ineffectual laboring means leaving the job unfinished. So far as the Philippians are concerned, Paul will lose his race and leave his job unfinished unless they prove their salvation “by holding fast the word of life”—in short, by perseverance.

“Even if . . . I’m being poured out as a drink-offering” harks back figuratively to the possibility that the trial of Paul will end in his martyrdom, a possibility first broached in 1:20–23 (compare 2 Timothy 4:6). For the pouring out of wine onto a sacrifice, see Exodus 29:40; Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 15:5, 7, 10; 28:14. Since Paul had Roman citizenship (Acts 16:37–38; 22:25–29; 23:27; 25:16) and the Romans used beheading to execute their condemned citizens, he may be comparing the resultant bloodshed to the pouring out of wine (as Jesus compared his shed blood to wine [Mark 14:24; Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:20]). “On the sacrifice and ministry of your faith” means the sacrifice consisting of the ministry prompted by the Philippians’ faith and refers figuratively to the monetary gifts they’ve sent to support Paul in his evangelistic work (1:5–7; 2:30; 4:10–18). “Even if, however” stresses that not even the possibility of martyrdom is killing his joy over receiving their financial gift (1:4–5) and over the proclamation of Christ because of Paul’s imprisonment (1:12–18), or is killing Paul’s rejoicing with the Philippians over the brighter prospect of his being spared martyrdom at this juncture and then visiting them (1:25–26)—and also over the return of Epaphroditus to them, a return that will have taken place by the time they hear this letter read in their assembly (2:25–30). For “all you,” see the final comments on 1:7–8. Then Paul turns from assuming that the Philippians are rejoicing to commanding them to rejoice, in particular to be rejoicing with him over what gives him joy. His imprisonment and possible martyrdom haven’t made him a killjoy. To the contrary! The Philippians should follow suit (“And in the same [way] you too”).

THE SENDING OF TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS TO PHILIPPI

Philippians 2:19–30

2:19–24: And I’m hoping in the Lord, Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon in order that I too may be well-souled [= heartened] by knowing the matters concerning you. 20For I have no one of a soul equivalent [to mine] who as such will genuinely care about the matters concerning you. 21For all [the others] are seeking their own interests, not the [interests] of Jesus Christ. 22But you know his [Timothy’s] mettle, that as a child [slaves] for [his] father he [Timothy] has slaved together with me for the gospel. 23On the one hand, therefore, I’m hoping to send him at once when I get a bead on the matters concerning me. 24On the other hand, I’m persuaded in the Lord that I myself too will come soon. As usual, Paul’s “hoping” exudes confidence. “In the Lord, Jesus” undergirds the confidence, especially because as the Lord, Jesus has authority to fulfill Paul’s hope. And since Timothy as well as Paul is Jesus’ slave (1:1), the lordship of Jesus implies that Timothy will act on Jesus’ orders when he arrives in Philippi. For “lord” refers to the owner and master of a slave. “Soon” indicates a sending of Timothy in the near future. So the Philippians had better shape up now. “In order that I too may be well-souled” includes Paul as well as Timothy in the purpose of being heartened. The use of “well-souled” in the sense of “heartened” makes for a wordplay with “co-souled” (= harmonious) in 2:2. As a prisoner presently unable to visit Philippi himself, Paul wants to be heartened by hearing from Timothy good news regarding the state of affairs in the Philippian church (“by knowing the matters concerning you”).

Why the hope to send Timothy rather than someone else? Because Paul has “no one of a soul equivalent” to his. This expression refers to having the same heartstrings for the Philippians that Paul has so as to “genuinely care” about the matters concerning the Philippians during his enforced absence from them; and the expression carries forward the wordplay with “co-souled” and “well-souled.” This wordplay underscores these sentiments. So too does “who as such” in the case of Paul’s having no one of an equivalent soul. Timothy and Epaphroditus, who is to be mentioned next, are the contextually obvious exceptions (the latter because he’ll have returned to Philippi by the time the Philippians hear the letter read to them [see 2:25–30]). The reason that no one else will genuinely care is that they’re all “seeking their own interests, not the [interests] of Jesus Christ.” In 2:4 Paul told the Philippians to look out for “the interests of others” as well as for their own interests. Here he describes all who are with him as “seeking their own interests, not the [interests] of Jesus Christ,” so that the interests of others, in this case of the Philippians, turn out to be the interests of Jesus Christ—naturally, because as Christians the others are in him, so that their interests are his too. How sadly un-Christian it is that his interests go unsought when the interests of others in him go unsought.

The tried-and-true character of Timothy constitutes his “mettle.” The Philippians “know” it from the time he spent with them during Paul’s second and third missionary journeys (Acts 16:1–40; 19:22; 20:3–4). This knowledge should join the possibility of Timothy’s coming “soon” to make the Philippians shape up (concerning which see 4:2–3 and the allusions to disunity, grumblings, and arguments in 2:1–4, 14). “That as a child [slaves] for [his] father he has slaved together with me for the gospel” specifies what they know about his mettle. Paul says “together with me” rather than “for me” because he too is a slave of Christ Jesus in the work of advancing the gospel (1:1, 12). “Therefore” has Timothy’s mettle as its basis. For “I’m hoping to send him,” see the foregoing comments on “I’m hoping . . . to send Timothy.” Here, though, instead of a vague “soon” Paul writes specifically, “at once when I get a bead on the matters concerning me,” which means when he sees how his trial is going to turn out. Like his “hoping in the Lord, Jesus” in regard to sending Timothy, Paul’s being “persuaded in the Lord” that he as well as Timothy “will come soon” exudes the confidence of one who is working as a slave for his Lord/Owner/Master (compare 1:25). Given his not yet having gotten a bead on the outcome of his trial, Paul lapses back to a vague “soon” in regard to his coming. Nevertheless, it’s soon enough; and the addition to “I” of “myself too” chimes in to help make it another reason for the Philippians to shape up forthwith.

2:25–30: But [though I’m not yet coming] I’ve regarded it as necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier and your apostle and minister to my need, 26since he was longing for all you and dismayed because you’d heard that he was sick. 27For indeed he was sick, nearly to death. God had mercy on him, however, and not only on him but also on me lest I have sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I’ve sent him more urgently in order that on seeing him again you may rejoice and I may be more unsorrowful. 29Therefore be welcoming him in the Lord with all joy, and be holding such people [as him] in esteem, 30because on account of the work of Christ he came close to death by hazarding [his] life in order that he might make up for your deficit of ministry to me. Given the lack of a public postal system, Paul is almost certainly sending Epaphroditus with this letter in hand. The past tense in “I’ve regarded it as necessary” reflects the Philippians’ standpoint upon receiving the letter. The threefold description of Epaphroditus as Paul’s “brother,” “fellow worker,” and “fellow soldier” uses figures of speech relating to family, labor, and battle to commend Epaphroditus so fulsomely that despite the possibility of the Philippians’ having grumbled against him and argued with him and their other leaders (see the comments on 2:14), the Philippians shouldn’t dare refuse him the joyful welcome that Paul commands they give him—especially since Timothy and Paul are likely to come soon themselves and check up on the reception given to Epaphroditus. Then despite the possibility of Epaphroditus’s having been a butt of the Philippians’ grumblings and arguments, Paul implies in what would then be a tour de force that the Philippians themselves commended Epaphroditus by sending him as their “apostle and minister” to Paul’s financial need (compare 1:4–5; 4:10–18). Here, “apostle” has the sense of one whom they sent with authority to act on their behalf; and “minister” has the sense of one honored with the duty of priestly service, which like apostleship is representative service on the Philippians’ behalf. Epaphroditus ministered like a priest by carrying a financial contribution to Paul, as though it were a sacrificial offering.

“Since he was longing for all you and dismayed” explains why Paul “regarded it as necessary” to send Epaphroditus. As regards longing for them themselves rather than longing to see them, see the comments on 1:8; and concerning “all you,” see the final comments on 1:7–8. The longing and dismay of Epaphroditus is explained by the Philippians’ having “heard that he was sick.” Apparently he wanted to show them in person that he’d recovered. Paul explains with an emphatic “indeed” that Epaphroditus had been sick—and worse, “nearly to death.” This explanation has the purpose of endearing Epaphroditus to the Philippians by implying that it was while acting on their behalf that he became sick. “God had mercy on him, however” ascribes to God Epaphroditus’s recovery and thus portrays him as getting from God a commendation of sorts. If God himself had mercy on Epaphroditus, the Philippians should do no less than give him a joyful welcome. “And [God had mercy] not only on him but also on me lest I have sorrow upon sorrow” portrays Paul as likewise commended in that God has spared him from having sorrow over a death of Epaphroditus laid on top of the sorrow over Epaphroditus’s nearly fatal sickness. “Therefore” bases “I’ve sent him” on the recovery from sickness. “More urgently” describes the sending. This description compares the sending to one which, absent Epaphroditus’s longing and dismay, wouldn’t have been especially urgent. “In order that on seeing him again you may rejoice” assumes that the Philippians have enough sympathy for him that they’ll be glad to see him back in good health, or at least identifies Paul’s purpose in sending him back. “And [that] I may be more unsorrowful” adds another purpose. “More unsorrowful” means being spared sorrow over inability to send Epaphroditus back to the Philippians (had he died) in addition to being spared sorrow over his death itself (had it occurred).

“In the Lord” describes the commanded welcome of Epaphroditus as proper to his and his fellow Philippians’ Spiritual location (compare the comments on 2:5). In favor of Paul’s purpose that they may rejoice on seeing Epaphroditus again, “with all joy” rules out any and all grumblings and arguments such as 2:14 prohibits. So too does the command to “be holding such people [as him] in esteem,” though this command broadens the objects of esteem to include other church leaders, such as the supervisors and their assistants of 1:1. Paul’s threefold description of Epaphroditus at the start of this passage has already set an example of holding him and others like him in esteem. As a particular reason to hold Epaphroditus in esteem, Paul cites Epaphroditus’s coming close to death on account of the work of Christ. Thus Paul identifies the Philippians’ financial gift to him as the work of Christ, and Epaphroditus’s coming close to death in the delivery of the gift as “hazarding [his] life in order that he might make up for [the Philippians’] deficit of ministry to [Paul]”—that is, for the deficit of the very ones who may have grumbled against him (Epaphroditus) and who may have argued with him. He certainly deserves from them a joyful welcome for having run a dangerous errand on their behalf. “Your deficit of ministry” is not to be understood as caused by negligence on their part—rather, as caused by their lack of opportunity, as Paul will state explicitly in 4:10.

A WARNING AGAINST JUDAIZERS

Philippians 3:1–4:1

3:1–4a: As for the rest [of this letter], my brothers, be rejoicing in the Lord. To write the same things to you [is]n’t onerous for me, on the one hand. For you, on the other hand, [it’s] a safeguard. 2Be watching out for the dogs. Be watching out for the wicked workers. Be watching out for the cutting down. 3For we—we are the cutting around, the ones doing religious service by God’s Spirit and boasting in Christ Jesus and not being confident in flesh, 4aeven though I [might be] having confidence even in flesh. The address “my brothers” introduces the rest of this letter on a particularly affectionate note designed to ensure that the Philippians take seriously the following exhortations, especially the warnings against false teachers. In 2:29 Paul told the Philippians to welcome Epaphroditus “in the Lord with all joy.” Now he puts the rejoicing itself, which he commands, “in the Lord.” As usual, “the Lord” refers to Christ Jesus; and rejoicing in him will keep the Philippians from thinking they need to keep the Mosaic law, starting with circumcision, as the false teachers whom Paul is about to excoriate were saying they had to do (see 3:7–11 for the sufficiency of Christ Jesus as Lord). “The same things” Paul is now going to write repeat what he has told the Philippians before, presumably when with them in person. He doesn’t mind repeating himself; and because the false teachers (popularly called Judaizers) pose a serious threat to the gospel, he considers the repetition to be “a safeguard” against them.

How serious Paul considers the threat can be gauged from three successive, staccato-like commands, each one of which starts, “Be watching out.” The first calls the false teachers “the dogs.” The Mosaic law declared dogs to be ritually unclean (Leviticus 11:27); and since Gentiles didn’t maintain ritual purity in accordance with the Law, Jews called Gentiles dogs (see Mark 7:26–28; Matthew 15:22, 26–27 for the epithet; and for an example of Jews’ considering Gentiles ritually unclean see Acts 10:1–48, especially 10:28). So by calling the Judaizing teachers “dogs,” Paul is turning against them the very epithet they use for Gentiles, including Gentile Christians, whom they tell to practice the Law so as not to be “dogs” any more! The Judaizing teachers stress doing the works of the Law so as to be righteous according to its terms. But Paul calls these teachers “wicked workers,” that is, workers of wickedness because they teach it’s necessary for salvation to keep the Mosaic law. Keeping the Law started with circumcision, which means “a cutting around,” that is, a cutting around the penis to get rid of its foreskin. But Paul derides the Judaizers for their insistence on circumcision by calling them “the cutting down,” as though they amputate the whole penis (and/or the testicles?), so that it dropped off. Then he justifies these warnings by identifying Christians, whether physically circumcised or not, as “the cutting around,” and explains this identification as a Spiritual circumcision by adding that they’re “the ones doing religious service by God’s Spirit and boasting in Christ Jesus [the sole basis of salvation]” as opposed to “being confident in flesh [that has been cut off]” (compare Romans 2:25–29; 1 Corinthians 7:19; Ephesians 2:11; Colossians 2:11; Jeremiah 4:4; 9:25–26). The doing of religious service contrasts with the Judaizers as “wicked workers,” and “even though I [might be] having confidence even in flesh” sets up for Paul’s citing himself as an example of someone who could put confidence in flesh but doesn’t despite having more apparent reasons to do so than the Judaizers have. “Even in flesh” highlights the stupidity of putting confidence in it.

3:4b–6: If anyone else presumes to have confidence in flesh, I [presume] more [to do so, being] 5an eight-dayer so far as circumcision is concerned; from the stock of Israel; of Benjamin’s tribe; a Hebrew [born] of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, pursuing the church; as to the righteousness [stipulated] in the Law, being blameless. “If anyone else presumes to have confidence in flesh” implies that “the dogs,” “the wicked workers,” “the cutting down” of 3:2 do presume to have confidence in flesh—particularly in their circumcised flesh, though it represents the entirety of their allegiance to the Mosaic law. With “I [presume] more [to have confidence in flesh],” Paul sets forth his presumption for the sake of argument, but as unjustified (it will turn out) even though the presumption has a stronger basis than the others’ serious presumption. His circumcision was performed on the eighth day after his birth, exactly as stipulated by the Law for a Jewish baby boy (Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3). “From the stock of Israel” gives Paul’s biological pedigree. Nobody could scorn him as only a Gentile who had converted to Judaism. “Of Benjamin’s tribe” gives his tribal pedigree (see also Romans 11:1), a pedigree he could be proud of because this tribe was the only one that stayed loyal to the tribe of Judah (1 Kings 12:21; Ezra 4:1; 10:9), which God had designated the tribe from which Israel’s kings, including the Davidic Messiah, should come (see, for example, Genesis 49:8–12; Isaiah 9:6–7). As Saul of Tarsus, Paul appears to have been named after Israel’s first king, a Benjamite (1 Samuel 9:1–2; Acts 13:9). “A Hebrew [born] of Hebrews” means that despite coming from Tarsus, a pagan city far from Jerusalem and the land of Israel, Paul had grown up in a Jewish home where the Greek language wasn’t spoken and Jewish customs were strictly observed. But not only were his parents “Hebrews” in this sense. He himself had maintained his Hebraistic upbringing. So “a Hebrew [born] of Hebrews” marks a transition from Paul’s heritage to Paul’s choices. “As to the Law, a Pharisee” means that he practiced the Law in accordance with the oral traditions of a sect widely admired among the Jews for careful observance of it. “As to zeal, pursuing the church” goes beyond Law-keeping, means persecuting the church, and prepares for a wordplay in that 3:12 will speak quite differently of Paul’s presently pursuing resurrection from among the dead, and 3:14 of his pursuing “the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus” (compare Galatians 1:13). “As to the righteousness [stipulated] in the Law, blameless” means that as a matter of observation none of his fellow Jews found fault, or could have found fault, with his practice of Judaism (Galatians 1:14). (But see Romans 7:7–25 for his inner moral failure at the time.)

3:7–11: Whatever gains I had, however—these I came to regard as a loss because of the Christ. 8On the contrary, however, I’m also regarding all things as a loss because of the superiority of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, because of whom I’ve suffered the loss of all things and am regarding [them] as feces in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having my righteousness, the [righteousness derived] from the Law—rather, the [righteousness derived] through faith in Christ, the righteousness [derived] from God on the basis of faith, 10in order to know him [Christ] and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11if somehow I may make it to the resurrection from among the dead. “Whatever gains I had” refers to the items in 3:4b–6 that Paul cited as reasons he could put more confidence in flesh than the Judaizers do. But at his conversion he came to regard these gains as a loss. “Gains” and “loss” are financial figures of speech appropriate to Paul’s writing this letter in part to thank the Philippians for their recent financial gift (1:5; 4:10–18). The shift from a plural in “gains” to the singular in “a loss” treats the gains as a collective loss, especially when introduced as here with “Whatever.” “Because of the Christ” makes Jesus as the Messiah the reason why Paul changed his mind about his supposed gains. The change didn’t simply neutralize the supposed gains; it turned them into a loss. Not that there was anything wrong with a Jewish heritage and Law-keeping. But such gains turn into a loss once they’re compared with the Christ, whom Paul saw risen from among the dead (see 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8; Galatians 1:15–16). To put the point another way, self-righteousness turns into unrighteousness when set beside the Christ (compare Isaiah 64:6).

“On the contrary, however” strengthens the preceding, stand-alone “however” and draws another contrast, but this time not one that Paul arrived at in the past with respect only to his self-righteousness—rather, a contrast that for him is ongoing in the present and includes “all things.” In comparison with the Christ, everything is a loss. Only he is a gain. The earlier phrase, “because of the Christ,” expands into “because of the superiority of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord.” So Christ is gain only if you know him. To know him, as Paul goes on to say, is to experience him at work in your life as a result of believing in him. And such knowledge is so superior to all else that by comparison all else should be regarded as a loss. The addition of “Jesus” (a personal name) to “Christ” (a title) identifies who “the [aforementioned] Christ” is. The further addition of “my Lord” harks back to God’s having given him “the name above every name” in order that “every tongue might confess, ‘Jesus Christ [is] Lord’ ” (2:9–11) and reflects the intimacy (“my Lord”) of Paul’s knowing Christ in personal experience. “Because of whom I’ve suffered the loss of all things” doesn’t refer to an objectively external loss (as, for example, of material wealth or physical well-being). This statement revives the figurative language of financial loss in regard to Paul’s mental estimation of all things. But the revival has the purpose of shifting that language to the equally figurative but more astringent, indeed scatological language of “feces,” which in view of the warning against “the dogs” in 3:2 may refer specifically to dog-doo.

“In order that I may gain Christ” states the purpose of regarding all things as feces in comparison with him, portrays him as the one true gain in contrast with the imaginary gains summarized as self-righteousness, and implies that you won’t gain Christ unless you do regard all things as feces in comparison with him. When will you “gain Christ and be found in him”? On the Last Day (see 2 Corinthians 5:3; 2 Timothy 1:18 for being found or not found on that day). Not that believing in him hasn’t already gained him for you and placed you in him from God’s point of view. But as confirmed by the condition, “if somehow I may make it to the resurrection from among the dead” and by the next paragraph (3:12–16), this gain and this placement have yet to be finalized on the Last Day; and the finalization will require a certification of your having suffered the loss of all things by regarding them as feces (compare the comments on 2:12–13). “Not having my righteousness, the [righteousness derived] from the Law” encapsulates the list of imaginary gains in 3:5–6. “The righteousness [derived] from God” contrasts with the self-righteousness (“my righteousness”) derived “from the Law” (that is, from Law-keeping) and consists in God’s declaring righteous those sinners who have believed in Jesus, and declaring them so because in his death Jesus suffered the wrath of God against their sin (see the comments on Romans 3:21–26). But Paul wants so much to emphasize faith in Christ as the sole means of attaining righteousness at the Last Judgment that he delays the explicit reference to this righteousness till after the phrase, “through faith in Christ,” and then adds “on the basis of faith” after “the righteousness [derived] from God” (compare Romans 9:30–10:10, and see the final comments on Galatians 2:15–16 against the translation, “through Christ’s faithfulness”).

“In order that I may gain Christ and be found in him” gets expanded in the rest of this paragraph (“in order to know him [and so on]”), and the expansion furthers the purpose of “regarding [all things] as feces” in comparison with Christ. So “the superiority of knowing Christ Jesus” becomes the reason “to know him.” And to know him is to know “the power of his resurrection” (see Romans 1:4), that is, to experience it at the Last Day. (For that day has been in view since the reference to gaining Christ and being found in him.) This power contrasts with the weakness of flesh (Romans 6:19; 8:3–8; 1 Corinthians 15:50; Galatians 4:13) and guarantees believers’ resurrection to eternal life (1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:43; 2 Corinthians 13:4). To know—that is, to experience—“the sharing of his sufferings” steps back to present time. Bearing in mind that Paul probably wrote Colossians and Philippians around the same time, see the comments on Colossians 1:24–26a for the sharing of Christ’s sufferings. “Being conformed to his death” takes place in this sharing, for there you learn to consider yourself dead to sin because of having died with Christ so far as God is concerned. Thus conformity to Christ’s death means considering yourself dead in him to sin (see Romans 6:1–11, and compare Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 1:9; 4:10–12; 2 Timothy 2:11).

“If somehow I may make it to the resurrection from among the dead” corresponds to “know[ing] the power of his resurrection” and thus confirms that knowing it has to do with the bodily resurrection of believers on the Last Day as guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection in the past. So Paul has shifted from the future (knowing the power of Christ’s resurrection) to the present (sharing Christ’s sufferings), stayed in the present (being conformed to his death), and shifted back to the future (making it to the resurrection). Scholars would call this an A-B-B´-A´ arrangement. The “somehow” of making it to the resurrection is defined by the middle two terms B (sharing Christ’s sufferings) and B´ (being conformed to his death), which relate back to regarding all things as a loss, and even as feces, in order to gain Christ and be found in him with God’s righteousness. “The resurrection from among the dead” refers to the resurrection of Christians to eternal life. “The dead” are non-Christians, with whose resurrection to eternal doom Paul isn’t concerned in writing to Christians (but see Acts 24:15).

3:12–16: Not that I’ve already obtained [resurrection from among the dead] or have already been completed [by God through that resurrection], but I’m pursuing [it] if also [as well as pursuing it] I may grasp [it], because I was also grasped by Christ Jesus. 13Brothers, I don’t count myself to have grasped [it]. But [I’m doing] one thing: forgetting the things behind [me] on the one hand, stretching out for the things ahead [of me] on the other hand, 14in accordance with the goal in view I’m pursuing to the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus [compare 1 Corinthians 9:24–27]. 15Therefore let as many of us as [are] complete have this attitude. And if in regard to anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal even this to you. 16Nevertheless, as to what we’ve attained [thus far], be keeping in line with the same. Both negatively and positively Paul correlates his responsible human action with God’s and Christ’s sovereign divine action (compare 2:12–13). It’s obvious that Paul hasn’t already obtained resurrection or already been completed by God through it. For Paul hasn’t even died yet. The two occurrences of a negated “already” point up this obviousness. But Paul states the obvious as a basis for pursuing the resurrection for which he was grasped by Christ Jesus. Pursuing it contrasts with pursuing the church by way of persecution (3:6) and means running a race whose goal is resurrection from among the dead. Except for resurrection, the language is figurative. “I was grasped by Christ Jesus” rules out self-righteousness in the case of Paul’s ultimately grasping the resurrection. Christ Jesus grasped him at his conversion.

The address, “Brothers,” lends a note of affectionate seriousness to the following denial of having grasped resurrection, as though it were guaranteed for Paul even if he stopped pursuing it. “But one thing” sets single-mindedness of pursuit against dividing attention between the race thus far run and what remains of it. Because of the paragraph-ending exhortation to be keeping in line with what has thus far been attained, “forgetting the things behind [me]” means forgetting Paul’s apostolic accomplishments to date rather than his Judaistic past. To keep your accomplishments in mind is to trust in them. “Stretching out” represents maximum effort, like that of a sprinter straining for the finish line. “For the things ahead” refers to what lies between Paul’s present location on the race course and “the goal in view,” that is, to what of Christ’s sufferings is yet to be shared and what conformity to Christ’s death is yet to be actualized before reaching the goal of resurrection from among the dead, which is “the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus”—an upward call in that the very word “resurrection” means in literal translation “a standing up” of formerly supine corpses. Paul adds “in Christ Jesus” because believers will be resurrected by virtue of incorporation into him, who has already been resurrected from among the dead.

“In accordance with the goal in view” means that the goal should determine how to run, that is, with forgetfulness of the things behind and with stretching out for the things ahead. “Therefore” bases the following exhortation on the necessity of forgetting and stretching out if one is to make it to the resurrection. The exhortation takes the form of encouragement rather than command, and Paul includes himself. But “let as many of us as [are] complete have this attitude” is ironic, because Paul has just denied that he has already been completed through resurrection; nor have any other Christians been completed through it. “As many of us as [are] complete” doesn’t refer to some Christians as distinct from other Christians, then. It includes them all—but ironically, so that “this attitude” which Paul encourages is the attitude that in fact we have not yet been completed, and “a different attitude” is the mistaken one of having been completed already. “In regard to anything” means there’s no past accomplishment whatever that will guarantee our resurrection to eternal life if we don’t finish the race successfully; and “even this God will reveal to you” means that in fact he will reveal to you that you haven’t yet been completed. But when will he reveal it? On the Last Day, at the Last Judgment. Then and there, though, the revelation will do you no good. The die will have been cast. Your certification will be lacking. “Nevertheless” means “despite the necessity of forgetting the things behind”—that is, “what we’ve attained [so far].” “Be keeping in line with the same” commands nondeviation, because thus far you’ve been heading in the right direction, “toward the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.”

3:17–19: Become fellow imitators of me, brothers, and be on the lookout for those who are walking around [= behaving] in this way, just as you have us [Paul and Timothy (1:1)] as a role model. 18For many are walking around, about whom I’ve told you often but am now telling you while even weeping—[who are walking around] as enemies of the cross of the Christ, 19whose [referring to the enemies] end [is] ruination, whose god [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame [compare Hosea 4:7], those whose attitude [is geared to] earthly things [compare Colossians 3:2]. The command that the Philippians become fellow imitators of Paul makes reference to the preceding autobiographical passage, in which he spoke of his forgetting the things behind and pursuing to the things ahead. “Fellow imitators” presses the point of unity among the Philippians in their imitation of Paul. In 3:2, three occurrences of “Watch out for” carried a note of warning: beware of. Here, “be on the lookout for” carries the note of a quest: be searching for those who are behaving the way Paul and Timothy behave. The Philippians need good role models in addition to Paul and Timothy, because “many are walking around . . . as enemies of the cross of Christ.” Two good role models aren’t enough to counterbalance, much less outweigh, those many bad role models, namely “the dogs,” “the wicked workers,” “the cutting down” of 3:2.

Paul has told the Philippians often about those Judaizers, and is telling them now, because of the constant threat the Judaizers pose. “While even weeping” describes him in a way that rules out all personal recrimination and expresses deep sorrow both over the eternal doom of the Judaizers and over their opposition to “the cross of the Christ” (compare Galatians 5:11; 6:12–14). For only his cross offers the way of salvation, so that by insisting on the self-righteousness derived from Law-keeping, the Judaizers are attacking the cross. They’ll lose this battle, though; for their “end [is] ruination [= eternal punishment].” In this context, their “walking around . . . as enemies of the cross of the Christ” contrasts with Paul’s “pursuing to the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus” (3:14). Though professedly monotheistic, the Judaizers’ “god [is] the belly,” Paul sarcastically says in a probable reference to their insistence on keeping the Mosaic food laws. See the use of “belly” with this association in Mark 7:19 and Matthew 15:17, which record a saying of Jesus that Paul may be alluding to. The Philippians would of course know that the Judaizers were teaching adherence to food laws and would therefore catch the association of “belly” with those laws. And though the Judaizers profess to give glory to God, their “glory [is] in their shame,” Paul says with equal sarcasm in a probable back reference to their insistence on circumcision, what in 3:2 he sarcastically called “the cutting down” instead of “the cutting around” (compare 1 Corinthians 12:23–24, where Paul portrays the private parts of the body as unpresentable and therefore as needing to be covered with clothing to avoid shame). “Whose god . . . and [whose] glory” are both ironic, of course; and the gearing of the Judaizers’ “attitude” to “earthly things” has to do with insistence on circumcision and kosher food, among other elements of the Mosaic law (compare 3:3–6). Now Paul will tell why to beware of the Judaizers and be fellow imitators of him instead.

3:20–21: For our citizenship exists in heaven, from where we’re also [in addition to having our citizenship in heaven] eagerly expecting a Savior—the Lord, Jesus Christ—21who will refashion our body of lowliness [so as to be] conformed to his body of glory in accordance with the working of his being powerful [enough] even to subject all things to himself. In 1:27 Paul exhorted the Philippians to be conducting themselves “as citizens worthily of the gospel about the Christ.” The exhortation alluded to the character of Philippi as a Roman colony populated originally by Roman citizens who were army veterans. Here, Paul’s statement that “our citizenship exists in heaven” makes for a contrast with Roman citizenship, based as it is on earth, to whose “things” the Judaizers’ “attitude” is geared (3:19). Since Christians are located “in Christ Jesus” (1:1), his location determines the location of their citizenship. He’s presently located in heaven. So their citizenship “exists in heaven.” That’s where they’re living from God’s point of view, which ought to translate into their point of view too. But Christ won’t stay in heaven: “from where we’re also eagerly expecting . . . Jesus Christ” (an obvious reference to the second coming). Before naming Jesus Christ, though, Paul says “a Savior” to indicate that Jesus Christ will save us citizens of heaven from the eternal “ruination” toward which the Judaizers are heading (3:19), and then adds “the Lord” to recall the universal acclamation, “Jesus Christ [is] Lord,” at the end (2:11). His “refashion[ing] our body of lowliness” makes us expect him “eagerly.” Since Christ “lowered himself by becoming obedient to the extent of death” (2:8), “our body of lowliness” means our mortal body (compare Romans 7:24; 8:10–11; 1 Corinthians 15:42–44, 50–54; 2 Corinthians 5:4). By way of contrast, “his body of glory” means his resurrected, immortal body, to which in this respect our body will be conformed (for the association of glory with resurrection to eternal life, see especially Romans 2:7, 10; 6:4; 1 Corinthians 15:42–43; Colossians 3:4; 2 Timothy 2:10–11). Christ will refashion our body “in accordance with the working of his being powerful [enough] even to subject all things to himself” (compare “the power of his resurrection” in 3:10). If he can “even subject all things to himself,” he can surely refashion our bodies into conformity with his gloriously immortal body.

4:1: And so [in view of Christ’s coming from heaven and of the Judaizing threat to your eternal salvation], my beloved and longed-for brothers, my joy and crown, be standing this way in the Lord, beloved. “My beloved and longed-for brothers” means that Paul loves and longs for the Philippians as his fellow family members in Christ (compare 1:8; 2:12). “My joy and crown” means that they’ve brought him joy with their financial support of him (1:4–5) and that as his converts they’ve crowned him with victory in his evangelistic pursuit (see the comments on 1 Corinthians 9:24–25; 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 for the crown as an imperishable wreath given to the victor in a race; also 2 Timothy 4:7–8 for receiving a crown at the second coming because of having finished one’s race). “Be standing” contrasts with being “wave-tossed and carried about” (Ephesians 4:14) by the wind of the Judaizing heresy warned against in chapter 3 (compare 1:27). “This way” describes the standing as watching out for the Judaizers, imitating Paul, looking for other good role models too, and keeping in line with what has thus far been attained rather than deviating into the Judaizing heresy. “In the Lord” implies that deviating would betray a location outside the Lord, where no salvation is to be had. Because Paul loves the Philippians and longs for them as his brothers, he doesn’t want them to lose out on salvation by falling prey to the Judaizers. Because they’re his joy and crown, he doesn’t want to be saddened and denied his crown by their apostatizing (compare 2:16). The repetition of “beloved” underscores that he issues this exhortation out of love for the Philippians.

EXHORTATIONS

Philippians 4:2–9

4:2–3: I exhort Euodia and I exhort Syntyche to be of the same attitude in the Lord [compare 2:2]. 3Yes, I ask you too, genuine yokemate: help them, who indeed for me struggled in the gospel along with both Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names [are] in the scroll of life. The naming of the woman Euodia and Syntyche and the repetition of “I exhort” make for an exhortation that’s both pointed and emphatic. For “be[ing] of the same attitude,” see 2:2. Here, the addition of “in the Lord” makes being of the same attitude proper to these two women’s location in him by virtue of having his Spirit (see the comments on 2:5–11 and Romans 8:1–11). “Yes” stresses the following request that Paul makes of someone in Philippi he calls a “genuine yokemate.” “You too” indicates someone different from the women. More than that we can’t tell, though some have suggested the capitalization, “Yokemate,” to indicate another proper name. By way of a compliment, in any case, “genuine” describes “yokemate” as a true partner in the Lord’s work, but whether of Paul or Euodia and Syntyche or all three of them isn’t clear.

“Help them” means to help them “be of the same attitude in the Lord.” “Who indeed . . . struggled in the gospel” describes Euodia and Syntyche as heavily engaged in evangelism. (The struggle portrays evangelism as an athletic contest with the forces of evil.) This description of the women gives “yokemate” a strong reason to help them. “For me” adds Paul’s personal touch to the reason, so that helping them will amount to helping him as well. “Along with both Clement and the rest of my coworkers” sets out Euodia’s and Syntyche’s partnering with them in evangelism as a template for Euodia’s and Syntyche’s being of the same attitude in the Lord. For “in the gospel” parallels “in the Lord.” “Whose names [are] in the scroll of life” suits the naming of at least the women and Clement (a man) and also underwrites the legitimacy, indeed the commendability, of their “struggl[ing] in the gospel,” so that the “genuine yokemate” has even more reason to help Euodia and Syntyche. We know no more about Clement, nor what it was about him that led Paul to name him despite not naming the rest of Paul’s coworkers. “The scroll of life” contains the names of professing Christians (see further the comments on Revelation 3:5).

4:4–7: Be rejoicing in the Lord always. Again I’ll say, be rejoicing. 5Your mild-manneredness is to be known to all human beings [compare 2 Corinthians 10:1]. The Lord [is] near. 6Don’t be worrying about anything [compare Matthew 6:25–34; Luke 12:22–32]. Instead, your requests are to be made known to God in every [circumstance] by means of prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. 7And God’s peace, which surpasses all thinking, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. See the comments on 3:1 for the command, “Be rejoicing in the Lord.” Here, the addition of “always” prepares for the prohibition, “Don’t be worrying about anything.” For constant joy drives out every worry. The repetition of “be rejoicing” and its emphatic introduction by “Again I’ll say” reinforce this preparatory command. “Mild-manneredness” is a natural concomitant of joy. So Paul commands it too or, more particularly, that it “is to be known to all human beings,” which way of putting the command prepares for the command that “your requests are to be made known to God.” Thus the testimony of joyful mild-manneredness to all human beings is matched, and even made possible, by the directing of requests to God. The lynchpin of these exhortations is found in the statement, “The Lord [is] near.” For if Jesus’ return is near, Christians can afford to be mild-mannered even to their enemies; and they needn’t worry about anything. “In every [circumstance]” corresponds to “about anything.” “By means of prayer” tells how the requests are to be made known to God. “And supplication” defines the prayer as petitionary. “With thanksgiving” requires that thanks for what God has already supplied accompany the supplication. As a result, “God’s peace”—that is, the blessings of salvation now and yet to come—“will guard your hearts and your thoughts”—that is, will keep you from heartbreak and neurosis. “Which surpasses all thinking” describes God’s peace as so unimaginably good that it has this effect. And “in Christ Jesus” locates God’s peace where believers themselves are located. So they enjoy it naturally.

4:8–9: As for the rest [of my exhortations], brothers, as many things as [are] true, as many things as [are] respectable, as many things as [are] right, as many things as [are] pure, as many things as [are] charming, as many things as [are] laudable—if [there’s] any virtue and if any praiseworthiness—be pondering these things. 9The things that you’ve both learned and received and heard and seen in me, be practicing these things; and the God of peace will be with you. In 3:1, “As for the rest” seems to have referred to the rest of the letter. Now the phrase seems to refer to the rest of Paul’s exhortations, which he introduces, as often, with the affectionate address “brothers.” The sixfold repetition of “as many things as” underlines comprehensiveness in what Christians are to ponder. And they’re to ponder them because thinking affects behavior. Paul ranges what is morally true against what is morally false, what is morally respectable against what is morally scandalous, what is morally right against what is morally wrong, what is morally pure against what is morally dirty, what is morally charming against what is morally loathsome, and what is morally laudable against what is morally reprehensible. Then he speaks of “virtue,” which is moral excellence, and “praiseworthiness,” which is moral commendability. The pairing of these terms with a twofold “if any” ensures the moral connotation of “as many things as [are] true [and so on down the preceding list].” “The things that you’ve both learned and received and heard and seen in me” are exactly those virtuous and praiseworthy things just listed. When Paul was with the Philippians, they “learned” these things by having “received” them as tradition passed on by him (the tradition probably originating in Jesus’ moral teaching), by having “heard” them in Paul’s own original teaching, and by having “seen” them in his behavior. Now it’s up to the Philippians to “be practicing these things.” For learning is useless unless it’s put into practice. “The God of peace” turns around “the peace of God” in 4:7. Just as his peace will guard the hearts and thoughts of those who make their requests known to him with thanksgiving, so too the God of peace will himself be with those who practice virtuous, praiseworthy things as a result of pondering them. Moreover, he’ll be with them till the Lord (Jesus), who is near, returns.

THANKS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Philippians 4:10–20

4:10–13: And I’ve rejoiced in the Lord greatly because now at last you’ve made your attitude [of concern] for me to blossom again. [I say so] on the basis that you were also of that attitude [earlier], but you weren’t having an opportunity [to make it blossom again]. 11Not that I’m speaking in accordance with lack. For I’ve learned to be content in my circumstances; 12I know even to be lowered; I know even to flourish. In every [circumstance] and in all [circumstances] I’ve been initiated both into being sated and into being hungry, both into flourishing and into lacking. 13In him who empowers me I’m strong enough for all [those circumstances]. Paul sets an example of the rejoicing that he has told the Philippians to practice (3:1; 4:4). The addition of “greatly” highlights their financial gift to him that gave him reason to rejoice. But “in the Lord” gives credit to the Lord for what they’ve done. “Now at last” implies a period of noncontribution. “You’ve made your attitude [of concern]” correlates their action with the Lord’s (compare 1:5–6; 2:12–13), and also correlates their attitude of concern for Paul with the attitude that he has exhorted them to have toward one another (2:1–11). “To blossom again” describes their financial concern for him as morally beautiful. “Again” refers to its reblossoming in a recent gift brought to Paul by Epaphroditus (2:25–30). Paul then makes clear that the Philippians aren’t to be blamed for the hiatus in their giving, for they wanted to contribute all along but had no opportunity to do so. “Not that I’m speaking in accordance with lack” means that he isn’t hinting that they haven’t sent him enough money. “For I’ve learned to be content in my circumstances” means that he has no need to judge the adequacy of their gift. “I know even to be lowered” refers to experiences of financial distress. “I know even to flourish” refers to experiences of financial surplus. “In every [circumstance] and in all [circumstances]” emphasizes the financial lows and highs into which Paul has been initiated by experience. “Both into being sated . . . and into flourishing” interprets the highs as having more than enough money to buy food for the satisfaction of his hunger; and “into being hungry . . . and into lacking” interprets the lows as not having enough money to do so. In view of 3:10, 21; Ephesians 6:10, “him who empowers me” refers to the Lord, Jesus Christ. By stating that it’s in him that he’s “strong enough for all [these circumstances],” Paul takes no credit for his ability to be content, but gives all credit to the Lord.

4:14–16: Nevertheless [despite my ability to be content in any and all circumstances], you did beautifully by sharing with me in respect to the pressure [I’m under]. 15And also you yourselves know, Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel [that is, when you first heard and believed it], when I went out from Macedonia [where Philippi is located], in the matter of giving and receiving no church shared with me except for you [plural] alone. 16[I say so] because even [when I was] in Thessalonica [which is also in Macedonia] you sent [a gift] for my need both once and twice. “You did beautifully by sharing with me” alludes to the “blossom[ing] again” of the Philippians’ financial support of Paul (4:10), and “in respect to the pressure [that I’m under]” alludes to the pressure of his “bonds,” his chains, a pressure that others were “fancying to raise” (1:17). “And also you . . . know” means “you as well as I know.” The additions to “you” of “yourselves” and “Philippians” underline the addressees’ knowing in that the object of their knowledge consists in what they themselves did, which is that they supported Paul financially: they gave, he received. “No church shared with me except for you alone” highlights their giving by way of a contrast with other churches. “Even [when I was] in Thessalonica” highlights further their giving by noting that they started giving immediately upon their conversion. For Thessalonica was the next stop after Philippi during Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 16:40–17:1). “Both once and twice” means several times and highlights yet further their giving by calling attention to its plurality, and this despite Paul’s having stayed in Thessalonica for no longer than several weeks so far as we can tell from Acts 17:1–10. And “for my need” attributes their giving to concern for Paul as the Lord’s evangelist.

4:17–20: Not that I’m seeking for a gift; rather, I’m seeking for fruit that proliferates for your account. 18And I have all things and am flourishing. I’ve been filled by having received from Epaphroditus the [gifts] from you, [which are] an odor of fragrance [= a fragrant odor], an acceptable sacrifice well-pleasing to God. 19And my God will fill all your need in accordance with his wealth in glory in Christ Jesus. 20And to our God and Father [belongs] glory forever and ever. Amen! The foregoing compliments might seem to be a backhanded way of seeking for a further financial gift from the Philippians. So “not that I’m seeking for a gift” denies such a motivation. “I’m seeking for fruit that proliferates for your account” does encourage the Philippians to continue giving—for their own sake, however, not for Paul’s. Though salvation depends on God’s righteousness, not the self-righteousness of human beings (3:9), for the evaluation of their faith the Philippians have an account with God. “Fruit” stands for credit in that account, and proliferation of the fruit stands for the buildup of credit through further deposits in the form of gifts for evangelism. But to reaffirm that he’s not dissatisfied with the Philippians’ most recent gift, Paul adds, “And I have all things,” which connotes being paid in full. “And am flourishing” means that for the present he has more than enough money (especially for the purchase of food, since Roman prisoners depended largely on family or friends to bring them food). “I’ve been filled by having received from Epaphroditus the [gifts] from you” recalls 1:11: “that you may be . . . filled with the fruit [consisting] of righteousness,” which includes the sharing of financial resources. But here it’s Paul, not the Philippians, who has been filled with the fruit of their righteousness. For the description of their gifts as “an odor of fragrance, an acceptable sacrifice well-pleasing to God,” see the comments on 2:17; Ephesians 5:2; Romans 12:1–2. The similar description in Ephesians 5:2 of Jesus’ self-sacrifice makes it a high compliment that Paul would use such language for the Philippians’ gifts to him. Notably, a sacrificial gift to Paul equates with a sacrificial gift to God, because Paul is doing God’s work.

Since God is well-pleased with the Philippians’ gifts, he’ll “fill all [their] need,” which means first and foremost (if not exclusively) that he’ll supply all their financial need. “My God” reflects an intimacy with God that enables Paul to issue this promise (compare 1:3). “In accordance with his wealth” indicates an ever-sufficient supply. Paul locates God’s wealth both “in glory,” to indicate how dazzling it is in its volume, and “in Christ Jesus,” to indicate its availability to those who themselves are in him by faith (compare Ephesians 3:16: “in accordance with the wealth of his [God the Father’s] glory”). Because God will supply all the needs of the Philippians and, through them, of Paul, the apostle ascribes glory to God forever and ever and punctuates the ascription with “Amen!” Thus “glory” shifts from what is dazzling to what is honorific, and “forever and ever” makes God’s glory limitless in time just as his wealth is limitless in volume. And “our God and Father” replaces the earlier “my God,” because God will supply what the Philippians need just as he has supplied what Paul needed (compare 1:2).

CONCLUSION

Philippians 4:21–23

4:21–22: Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers [who are] with me greet you. 22All the saints, and especially those of Caesar’s household, greet you. The command, “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus,” suits Paul’s earlier exhortations to church unity at Philippi (see especially 2:1–11; 4:2–3). “In Christ Jesus” provides the framework of such a greeting, for the saints’ location in him makes them neighbors to each other in distinction from the world of unbelievers. “The brothers” who are with Paul are Timothy and the noncompetitive preachers of 1:14–15. Paul calls them “the brothers” to portray the church as an extended family. “All the saints” includes all the believers where Paul is imprisoned (traditionally and most probably Rome). “And especially those of Caesar’s household” recalls the success of the gospel in high places because of Paul’s imprisonment (1:12–13). That “all the saints” send greetings through this letter sets for the Philippians an example of what Paul has just told them to do: “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.”

4:23: The grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ, [be] with your spirit. This benediction comes very close to the one in Galatians 6:18. See the comments on that verse.

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Philippians

GREETINGS Philippians 1:1–2

PAUL’S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER FOR THE PHILIPPIANS Philippians 1:3–11

PAUL’S PREACHING IN PRISON, PROSPECT OF RELEASE, AND READINESS TO DIE Philippians 1:12–26

EXHORTATIONS Philippians 1:27–2:18

THE SENDING OF TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS TO PHILIPPI Philippians 2:19–30

A WARNING AGAINST JUDAIZERS Philippians 3:1–4:1

EXHORTATIONS Philippians 4:2–9

THE SENDING OF TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS TO PHILIPPI Philippians 2:19–30

A WARNING AGAINST JUDAIZERS Philippians 3:1–4:1

EXHORTATIONS Philippians 4:2–9

THANKS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Philippians 4:10–20

CONCLUSION Philippians 4:21–23

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