Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons


Philippians

Humility and greatness. 1:27-2:4

[Seed logo] Introduction
      After Paul details his personal circumstances as a prisoner in Rome, 1:12-26, he moves on in his letter to encourage his readers. In the passage before us, 1:27-2:4, he exhorts the Philippians to steadfastness, unity and humility. First, he calls on his readers to "stand fast" together (steadfastness) for the gospel, striving against all opponents, v28, through suffering v29, and conflict, v30. He then goes on to encourage his readers to engage in a determined oneness of intent, 2:1-2. Finally, he encourages his readers to take on humility, 2:3-4.

The passage
      v27. "Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel", NRSV. For Paul, this involves standing firm "in one spirit" and "as one man", i.e. standing together, with one common purpose. Standing firm involves "contending for gospel truth." Paul hopes that his converts will stand up for Jesus, stand up for who he is, what he has done and what he has said. This entails standing up for Christian belief, for gospel truth, for "the faith."
      v28. "Without being frightened." Against those hostile to the gospel, we must stand without fear. Such a stand evidences two things to those who resist the gospel: it is a sign of their inevitable destruction and a sign of the salvation of those who believe.
      v29-30. "It has been granted to you..... to suffer." Paul indicates that two things have been graciously given to us by God - "to believe" and "to suffer". When it comes to believing, some argue that it is a special gift of God bestowed on the potential believer to enable them to exercise saving faith. Yet, it is more likely that the gift is salvation (the grace of God found in Christ), which may be accessed through faith. The other gift is suffering, a believer's Christ-like struggle, self-denial, hardship and persecution. This suffering comes through our conflict with the "spiritual powers in heavenly places." It is sometimes an actual conflict with those opposed to the gospel, but more often it is an internal spiritual struggle with the temptations of the flesh. Such suffering is "on behalf of Christ", i.e. it serves his glorification. Such suffering is common to the Christian way.
      2:1. Paul alludes to four experiences in the Christian life which serve to strengthen fellowship amongst the believers:
        i] Encouragement or comfort, possibly exhortation, which we experience in our Christian walk through union with Christ;
        ii] The impelling love of the Holy Spirit, i.e. the inward motivation of the Spirit enabling us to love one another;
        iii] A bonding with the indwelling Spirit of Christ;
        iv] A natural affection, mercy and tenderness toward others.
      v2. "Make me completely happy by ..." If the Philippians can be of the same mind together, that is, be concerned about the same things, then Paul will be filled with joy. This harmony of mind exhibits itself in two ways: mutual love and common purpose. We exhibit a common purpose when our thoughts and endeavours are directed toward one thing - the cause of Christ.
      v3. "Never act out of party spirit or a cheap desire to boast." Churches are not immune from self-seeking egotism. Such must not exist in the Christian fellowship, rather we need to develop a modest opinion of our own worth. Better to see others as the excellent ones.
      v4. "Look to each other's interests and not merely to your own", REB. Unselfish consideration toward others is the best formula.

True greatness
      I don't know whether you have noticed or not, but these days there are many church buildings coming up for sale as private dwellings. Congregations are constantly dying and their once loved church building ends up on the real estate market. This is particularly so of churches that are village based rather than regional. With the reduction in attenders, the little local parish church struggles to survive. The only positive side to all this is that little old churches make unique homes.
      In response to the fear of congregational death, we amalgamate rather than happily sit with Jesus and his two or three disciples. We forget that over the last two thousand years, church buildings have regularly been full, then empty and then full again.
      From his prison in Rome, Paul addresses three gospel issues that are totally unrelated to congregational size:
        1. Steadfastness in the gospel. The Lord Jesus desires that the fellowship of believers will stand firm for gospel ministry and not end up debilitated by fear. The communication of the gospel to our local community must take pride of place in the life of a Christian congregation.
        2. A common purpose of intent. Second, the Lord Jesus desires that the fellowship of believers has together determined a direction which is honouring to him. The aims and objectives of the church must come from a common mind.
        3. An unselfish consideration of others. The Lord Jesus desires that each church member willingly seek the welfare of others rather than promote their own self-centred egotism. We should love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
      It is qualities such as these which concern our Lord, and not the number of occupied seats when we gather for worship.

Discussion
      Discuss the three elements that Paul wants to know of the Philippian church and apply them to your own church.


Notes

Textual notes   Abbreviations,   Bibliography
 
v27
      monon adv. "whatever happens" - only. Here transitional, serving to draw a conclusion from the previous passage; well expressed by the NIV.
      politeuesqe (politeuw) imp. "conduct yourselves" - be a citizen, perform your duties as citizens. The word particularly applies to the duties and obligations of Roman citizens. Philippi was a Roman colony and therefore, the word had weight for Paul's readers. For believers, citizenship is heavenly and carries its own duties and obligations.
      tou euaggeliou tou Cristou "of the gospel of Christ" - Probably an objective genitive, "the good news about Christ", CEV.
      iJna + subj. "then" - so that. Introducing a consequence clause, "then ..... I will know that you stand ....", or possibly a purpose clause, "so that ... I may know that you are standing fast", Phillips.
      akouw pres. subj. "only hear about you" - I may hear. The NIV, as with most translations, has linked this verb to the third participle in a group of three, "having come, having seen you, or being absent" to form the phrase "only hear about you in my absence." This then leaves the following clause without a verb, which must then be supplied, "I will know." The sense of the three participles is clear without the verb "hear"; "whether I visit you or not", CEV.
      akouw ta peri uJmwn "-" - hear the things about you. "The things about you" that Paul wants to hear is the "standing firm", so the phrase is often left out, "I will hear that you are standing fast", Barclay.
      sthkete (sthkw) pres. "stand firm" - you are standing. "Hold your ground" (a military image), leading to the idea of firmness and uprightness.
      en eJni pneumati "in one spirit" - Possibly referring to the Holy Spirit, but more likely "spirit" in the sense of the element of being that is sensitive to God; "a united spirit", Phillips; "with one common purpose", TEV.
      mia/ yuch/ (h) "one man" - soul, self, inner life. Most likely in apposition to "one spirit". For Paul and his contemporaries, the soul was the psyche, the substance of a person, their being, and thus the source of their affections and passions. Its seat was the person's stomach, their loins. On the other hand, the "spirit" (not the Holy Spirit), if a distinction can be made, and often it can't, is a person's ideals, principles of a higher life, intuitive morality. As for the "heart", it was the source of intelligent thought, intellect, reason. So, Paul wants his readers to act with a focused ideal/purpose (spirit) and be united in their aims and objectives (soul); "one in spirit, one in mind", REB.
      th/ pistei tou euaggeliou "for the faith of the gospel" - "The faith" is probably a dative of advantage, "for". It is "the faith", in the sense of teachings or truths, rather than "belief". "The gospel" may be an objective genitive, "the faith in the gospel", or possibly an appositional genitive, "the faith which is the gospel", but more likely, a genitive of origin "the faith which is based on the gospel", O'Brien. "Contending for gospel truth."

v28
      Westcott suggests that v28-30 is an ellipsis and proposes that "what is for them a sign of perdition is your salvation ..." commences a parenthesis made up of 28b + 29, best arranged to follow 28a + 30.
      pturomenoi (pturw) pas. part. "frightened" - terrified, startled. A hapax legomenon (once only use in the NT), often used to describe a startled horse. Paul probably has in mind the consequence of fear, namely being debilitated and therefore, wavering. We are always frightened, but don't always let fear get the better of us. "Without being frightened", without wavering "in any way", or literally "not any thing." Not wavering from the obligations and responsibilities of a citizen of heaven.
      twn antikeimenwn (antikeimai) mid. part. "those who oppose you" - the one's opposing. Possibly the judaizers (Jewish law-bound Christians who opposed Paul's "by faith alone" theology), Jews, or probably local heathen opponents.
      endeixiV (iV ewV) "a sign" - evidence, indication, proof. Here, their firm resolve in the face of persecution serves as an evidence of the ultimate punishment of the persecutors under the hand of God, and of the believers' salvation; "this will prove to them", TEV.
      apwleiaV (a) "that they will be destroyed" - destruction, ruin. Treated as a verb = "they will lose"; "a sign to them of their doom."

v29
      oJti "for" - because. Introducing a clause that provides the reason for "that (this) by God." The "that" being the standing firm and its sign value.
      ecarisqh (carizomai) aor. pas. "granted" - it was graciously given [on behalf of Christ]. Paul sees suffering as a high privilege indicating God's favour. The root sense of the verb is "grace" and this can be expressed as "you have been given the privilege of serving Christ", TEV.
      eiV auton pisteuein (pisteuw) pres. inf. "to believe on him" - toward him to continue to believe. The present tense indicates continuation rather than a once only act; a reliance upon/toward the person of Jesus.

v30
      "you", of v29, is the likely subject of this participle clause, which probably forms a causal clause, as NIV, "since/because." "You have to fight the same battle as you once saw me fight, and which, as you hear, I am still fighting", Barclay.
      econteV (ecw) part. "are going through" - having. "You can take part with me in the battle", TEV.
      ton auton "the same" - "with me", TEV. Share in the persecution.
      agwna (wn wnoV) "struggle" - a gladiatorial, or athletic contest. Paul sees persecution in these terms. He reminds them that when he was in Philippi, he too suffered persecution.

2:1
      The next four verses consist of one sentence in the Greek with the main verb, "make me completely happy", TEV.
      paraklhsiV (iV ewV) "encouragement" - consolation, comfort..... but also, exhortation. Here it is best taken as encouragement, in the sense of exhortation. In our union with Christ, the Spirit serves to persuade us, exhort us forward in the Christian life.
      en Cristw/ "from being united with Christ" - in Christ. Possibly "through/by means of", although unlikely. In union with is better; "in our relation to Christ", Goodspeed.
      paramuqion (on) "comfort [from his love]" - consolation. Although here probably something more motivating, e.g. encouragement, addressing others from the basis of love, "speaking in love"
      koinwnia (a) "fellowship [with the Spirit]" - communion [of S/spirit]. Since "spirit" is without an article, the spiritual gift of love etc., may be intended; "spiritual fellowship", Bruce. None-the-less, the Holy Spirit and his impelling/compelling, is probably intended; "if you are really sharing in the partnership that the Holy Spirit can make possible", Barclay.
      splagcna (on) "tenderness" - [if any] bowels [and compassions] = the seat of our feelings, affection, mercy. "Kindness", TEV.
      oiktirmoi (oV) "compassion" - pity and mercy of a tender sort, especially toward the young.

v2
      plhrwsate (plhrow) imp. "make [my joy] complete" - make full, fulfill. "Make me completely happy", CEV.
      iJna + subj. "by" - Usually introducing a purpose clause "in order that"; or a result/consequence clause, "so that"; or a causal clause, "because"; but most likely here an epexegetic clause, "that/that is", explaining and clarifying "make my joy complete", or better an epexegetic limitation defining the limited way Paul's joy is completed, "by". "You can do this by being like-minded", O'Brien.
      to auto fronhte (fronew) subj. "like-minded" - the same thing you think, attitude, thought, opinion...... A concord, a harmony; "by being in perfect harmony of mind", Barclay.
      thn authn pro. "[having] the same [love]" - "Sharing in mutual love."
      sumyucoi (oV) "one in spirit" - united. Literally one in soul, and therefore of a common purpose/ideal; "united in what you think", CEV.
      to en fronounteV (fronew) part. "one in ..... purpose" - thinking. The same ideas, the same thoughts. As above, but for emphasis.

v3
      mhden adj. "do nothing" - "Never act", Phillips.
      eriqeian (a) "selfish ambition" - strife. "Rivalry, party spirit" ....... is a better translation
      kenodoxian (a) "vein conceit" - personal vanity, vainglory, self praise. "A cheep desire to boast", TEV.
      tapeinofrosunh/ (h) "humility" - lowliness of mind, lowly thinking. Paul is not arguing for low self esteem, low self worth, but rather for a knowledge that our eternal standing in the presence of God is a free gift of His gracious kindness rather than a reward for our flawed righteousness.
      uJperecontaV (uJperecw) pres. part. "[consider others] better than [yourselves]" - superior, surpass, excel, above. "More important", CEV.

v4
      skopounteV (skopew) pres. part. "look [not only to your own interests]" - looking at, considering, focusing on one's own aim. "Concentrate", Barclay. The negative covers the whole participle clause which is most likely imperatival, as NIV. "You should not consider your own interests above the interests of others." Reshaped into a positive imperative makes better sense, "look to each other's interests and not merely to your own", REB.


[Printer icon]   A print friendly justified 10pt Times New Roman version sized to fit a 1 page A4, or 2 page A5 format.
 
The Lectionary. Sequential Lectionary readings and sermons.
[Pumpkin Cottage]
Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources
Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons
www.lectionarystudies.com