THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS

Transcription

1 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS Notes & Commentary from Classes Conducted at West Side Church of God in Christ Rockford, Illinois Maurice A. West January 2015 May 2015

2 PREFACE Blessings upon you, people of the most high God! As we study this epistle of Paul to a church that he dearly loved, we will focus on the many Scriptures that are often quoted but taken out of context. We need to know what we re declaring when we say such things as I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Can we? The answer is here. Pastor Maurice A. West Maurice A. West (2015) Page 1 of 45

3 The Legal Disclaimers There will be various translations of the Scriptures used in our study. If we depart from the King James Version, which will be our standard, what follows are the typical translations used: Amplified Bible Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation NIV New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. NKJV Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NLT New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois All rights reserved. Message Bible Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. At various times in this study, you may also find the following designations referring to reference material used to assist in putting together this study. Direct quotations will be shown in italicized text. {Adam Clarke} Adam Clarke s Commentary on the Whole Bible {David Guzik} Pastor David Guzik. Enduring Word Ministries {JF&B} The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary {Matthew Henry} Matthew Henry s Commentary on the Whole Bible in One Volume {Dake} Dake s Annotated Reference Bible If other references, commentators, Internet sources, or Bible translations are used they will be identified in the text. Introduction WRITER: The writer of this epistle was the Apostle Paul with Timothy as stated in the opening verse. There is no real controversy in this. Paul ministered in Philippi during his second missionary journey. After some frustration in ministry, caused by the Holy Spirit detailed in Acts 16:6-8, Paul received a vision in Acts 16:9 directing him to go to Macedonia to preach. It was at this point that Luke joined his team. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 2 of 45

4 {Charles Swindoll, Paul ministered at Philippi during his second missionary journey, spending about three months in the city. The ministry at Philippi marked Paul s entrance into Macedonia, which came about as a result of a vision he had in the city of Troas, just across the Aegean Sea from the port city of Neapolis and its close neighbor Philippi. {Mark A. Copeland, Personal references by the author (1:12-14; 2:19-24; 3:4-7; 4:15-16) are certainly consistent with what we know of Paul from other New Testament sources. Paul s authorship of this letter is also supported by the testimony of early church fathers such as Polycarp and Irenaeus. These early church fathers are mentioned in the introduction of our study of Ephesians but the background of these two men is included here again for reference:! Polycarp was born shortly after the deaths of Paul and Peter. Tradition says he was personally discipled by the Apostle John and that he was appointed as bishop of Smyrna by some of the original apostles. His only existing writing, a pastoral letter to the church at Philippi, shows he had little formal education, and was unpretentious, humble, and direct. He was burned at the stake at age 86.! Irenaeus was a Bishop in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire (now Lyons, France). He was an early Church Father and apologist (a person who defends, in speech or writing, a faith, doctrine, idea, or action), and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology. He was a student of Polycarp. ABOUT THE CITY & THE CHURCH: {Mark A. Copeland, [The city was] named after Philip of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great. It was a major city of Macedonia on the road from Rome to Asia known as the Egnatian Way. In 30 B.C., Octavian made the town a Roman colony where retired soldiers could live and enjoy the full privileges of Roman citizenship. During his second missionary journey (49-52 A.D.), Paul and his traveling companions (Timothy and Silas) were making their way across Asia Minor (Turkey) when Paul received a vision at Troas. With the conversion of Lydia (Ac 16:13-15) and the Philippian jailor (Ac 16:25-34), the church was established at Philippi. The lack of a synagogue seems to indicate Maurice A. West (2015) Page 3 of 45

5 that Jews were not prevalent and so the church may have consisted primarily of Gentiles. From the conversion of Lydia and references in the epistle itself (4:2-3), it is evident that a number of women played a role in the growth of the church. As Paul left Macedonia, the church at Philippi became a significant source of support. {Charles Swindoll, The apostle Paul did not write Philippians in response to a crisis, as he did with Galatians and Colossians. Instead, he wrote to express his appreciation and affection for the Philippian believers. More than any other church, the believers in Philippi offered Paul material support for his ministry (2 Corinthians 8:11; Philippians 4:15 18). Paul s affection for these people is clear throughout the letter as he encouraged them to live out their faith in joy and unity (1:3 5, 25 26; 4:1). DATE: Most of the commentators agree that it was written around 62 AD, some years before the death of Paul. It was written during his first imprisonment in Rome. {Charles Swindoll, Of the four Prison Epistles, Paul likely wrote Philippians last, near the end of his Roman imprisonment in AD 61 or 62. Note: the other three prison epistles were Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. {Adam Clarke} It was probably written in the end of A.D. 62. {Matthew Henry} [It] was written when Paul was a prisoner at Rome, A.D. 62. STATISTICS: {Dake} 50th book of the Bible; 4 chapters; 104 verses. BACKGROUND AND WHY THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN: As stated earlier, there were no controversies that Paul wanted to address with this letter. It was basically a thank you note to the Philippian church, which had been the only one noted in Scripture that supported him. {Matthew Henry} Paul seems to have had a very particular kindness for the church at Philippi, which he himself had been instrumental in planting; and, though he had the care of all the churches, he had, upon that account, a particular fatherly tender care of this. {Adam Clarke} The Epistle to the Philippians is written in a very pleasing and easy style; every where bearing evidence of that contented state of mind in which the apostle then was, and of his great affection for the people. It appears that there were false apostles, or Judaizing teachers, at Philippi, who had disturbed the peace of the Church; against these he warns them, exhorts them to concord, comforts them in their afflictions for the Gospel, returns them thanks for their kindness to him, tells them of his state, and shows a great willingness to be a sacrifice for the faith he had preached to them. There is a Divine unction in this epistle which every serious reader will perceive. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 4 of 45

6 {Charles Swindoll, Paul s joy at the mere thought of the Philippian church is undeniable in the letter, and it s that same joy that he wanted the recipients to possess as well. To lead the Philippians to this truth, Paul took them directly to Jesus, teaching them that a community of believers living in harmony with one another comes only through mutual humility modeled after the Savior. Paul wrote that he poured out his life as an offering for the sake of Christ, leading Paul to find great joy and contentment in Christ s service. His letter to the Philippians showed them that by centering their lives on Christ, they, too, might live in true joy. AUTHOR S NOTE: Throughout the text, I have added what I call Saints Principles (key points directed to all believers) and Leadership Principles (key points directed primarily to church leaders especially pastors). The intention of these principles is to point out truths, from my point of view, based on something that has occurred in the passage. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 5 of 45

7 Chapter 1 {Matthew Henry} He begins with the inscription and benediction (v. 1, 2). He gives thanks for the saints at Philippi (v. 3-6). He speaks of his great affection and concern for their spiritual welfare (v. 7, 8), his prayers for them (v. 9-11), his care to prevent their offence at his sufferings (v ), his readiness to glorify Christ by life or death (v ), and then concludes with a double exhortation to strictness and constancy (v ). OPENING GREETINGS 1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: {Adam Clarke} Timothy had accompanied the apostle on his two voyages to Philippi, see Acts 16 and 20, and was therefore deservedly dear to the Church in that city. Neither in this epistle, nor in those to the Thessalonians and to Philemon does St. Paul call himself an apostle; the reason of which appears to be, that in none of these places was his apostolical authority called in question. By this time the church has been in existence for approximately ten years so a hierarchy of workers in the church has been developed. As stated earlier, this is probably predominately a Gentile church but they have embraced everything about the Gospel of Jesus Christ even to the point of the structure of the church. 2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. This was a typical greeting of Paul. In fact, Ephesians 1:2 is almost the exact same greeting. PAUL S HEART TOWARD THIS CHURCH 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Message Bible Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. The Philippian church was one that not only gave Paul NO trouble but they also made sure they contributed what they could to help his needs. One said they were a poor church, just as others, but they were willing to sacrifice because they appreciated the work God had done for them through Paul. 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, Message Bible Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. Unfortunately, the tenderness that Paul exhibited here is unusual in his writings to the churches. SAINTS PRINCIPLE: A leader s prayers for those under their charge should not be hard. The writer of Hebrews said that making the task of the leader grievous would be unprofitable to you. How profitable Paul s prayers probably were for this church because he entered his prayer time with excitement and gladness! 5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Message Bible I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. What a joy it is to any pastor when a new convert stays steadfast with the Lord from the time of their conversion! It s wonderful to have those that help you experience that joy. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 6 of 45

8 6 BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS VERY THING, THAT HE WHICH HATH BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL PERFORM IT UNTIL THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST: Message Bible There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. This is one of the often- quoted verses in Philippians. Because of that, we should highlight it so we can quickly refer to it and we should, for our own encouragement, commit it to memory. Confidence has to do with self- assurance, belief, and faith. Confidence in the Lord is a wonderful attribute that many do not have. The late Pastor Andrae Crouch wrote a song many years ago that said, I have confidence that God is going to bring me through! Another writer in the distant past wrote, Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Confidence comes from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which comes from time in His Word and time with Him. It s obvious that the Philippians had this and Paul recognized it. 7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. NLT So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. How sad it could have been for Paul if there was no Philippian church. Other churches that he planted, like that at Corinth, fought him and opposed his apostolic authority. But this church was totally different and they were in Paul s heart. {David Guzik} Paul was a man of towering intellect, but he was also a man of great heart, and the Philippian Christians were in his heart. He could even call God as his witness regarding his deep affection for them. 8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. NLT God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. What a statement of great tenderness! This is something we have not seen in other writings of Paul. He s taking a break from being their Father in the Gospel and expressing himself more as their spiritual Daddy. {Adam Clarke} I call God to witness that I have the strongest affection for you, and that I love you with that same kind of tender concern with which Christ loved the world when he gave himself for it; for I am even ready to be offered on the sacrifice and service of your faith. LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: After you have finished teaching, preaching, reproving, and correcting, there is a time also for LOVING. PAUL S PRAYER OF BLESSING 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; Message Bible So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental Maurice A. West (2015) Page 7 of 45

9 gush. Paul s prayer of blessing here is for a number of positive things for the Philippian church and we can pray them for ourselves also. " MAY YOUR LOVE ABOUND AND FLOURISH BUT BE USED APPROPRIATELY. They had already proven themselves to be lovers of Paul but, like our love, it must not be centered in one area but must be widespread. But at the same time, don t allow yourself to be mistreated in your love use it with knowledge; use it appropriately; use it with wisdom. The Philippian church loved to help even if it meant they had to hurt to help and because of this wonderful quality, they needed to express their love in a manner that would not later make them bitter. 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Amplified Bible So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble]. # MAY YOU LEARN WHAT IS VITAL, EXCELLENT, AND OF REAL VALUE. The Lord gave me a Word some weeks ago, There are things you DON T have to do and things you DO have to do. Fix your priorities and get rid of stress. In like manner, Paul prays that they ll learn those things that are vital versus those things that have no eternal weight. Yes, there are things of this life that are must do items but everything doesn t fall in that category. $ MAY YOU BE SINCERE, BLAMELESS, AND PURE ALL THE WAY UNTIL YOU MEET CHRIST. Isn t this our prayer? If not, it should be. This type of life enables us to meet Christ in peace and joy and it brings others with us. 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. NLT May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ for this will bring much glory and praise to God. % MAY YOUR LIFE BE ONE THAT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD! {Adam Clarke} Every genuine follower of God has his glory in view by all that he does, says, or intends. He loves to glorify God, and he glorifies him by showing forth in his conversion the glorious working of the glorious power of the Lord. Are you a genuine follower of God? Then your life, your actions, your speech, and all that you do should show it. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 8 of 45

10 PAUL S JOY IN SUFFERING 12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; NLT And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. I ve found over the years that Christians have a tendency to be suspicious of other Christians that suffer for Christ as if they brought this on themselves. I wonder how many believed the lies put out about Dr. King and then really became suspicious at those times when he was arrested? How about those that have the mindset of who sinned here when they find that a notable Christian has a terrible illness that is not responding to healing prayer? When Paul first came to Philippi in Acts 16, he was miraculously released from jail and they probably wondered why this same thing didn t happen. For this reason, he wanted to make sure that those he loved understood what was going on with him and why. {Adam Clarke} Paul was at this time a prisoner at Rome, and it appears probable that he had already been called to make a defense for himself, and to vindicate the doctrines of the Gospel; and this he had been enabled to do in such a manner that the honor of the Gospel had been greatly promoted by it. As the Philippians loved him greatly, he felt it right to give them this information relative to his state, and how God had turned his bonds to the advantage of that cause on account of which he was bound. 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; NLT For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. Those closest to him, even those aligned with his enemies, understood that his imprisonment was not for anything evil but it was for the fact that he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. NLT And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God s message without fear. Paul did not use this as an opportunity to lash out at others who lived comfortable while being Christians while he was going through. Haven t you seen that? But no, there seems to be an excitement in the text because he s seeing others launch out in the faith being emboldened by his bonds. {David Guzik} Paul s imprisonment gave the Christians around him - who were not imprisoned - greater confidence and boldness. They saw that Paul had joy in the midst of such a trial. They saw that God would take care of Paul in such circumstances. They saw that God could still use Paul even when he was imprisoned. 15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: Message Bible It s true that some here preach Christ because with me out of the way, they think they ll step right into the spotlight. But the others do it with the best heart in Maurice A. West (2015) Page 9 of 45

11 the world. The sad part of this verse (with the prior verse) is that some of those that now became confident to preach did it with the wrong motive. The sadder part is that after nearly 2,000 years of reading this passage, WE STILL DO IT! These are the ones that were fearful until Paul made his first defense in the palace about the faith. (This is not recorded in Scripture but is known to be a historical fact.) Now one group wants to be more popular than Paul or tear down Paul. Then there is the group with the right spirit who preach the Gospel in full obedience to Jesus Christ. LEADERSHIP QUESTION: What s motivating you? 16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: NKJV The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains. When you re moved by selfish aims, you want your competition out of the way. These insincere preachers did all they could to look and sound better than Paul. Then they went so far as to find ways to make his current state worse. So don t get worked up or stunned if you see it today. Knowing that their actions could land them in the same state as Paul, their ambitions blinded them to the potential consequences and they went out preaching insincerely. Again, it still happens today but today the motivation is often just money. {David Guzik} They wanted Paul to endure the humiliation of having to admit that others were more effective to him. They didn t understand that Paul honestly didn t care about this, because he did not have a competitive spirit in ministry. 17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. Message Bible One group is motivated by pure love, knowing that I am here defending the Message, wanting to help. Those that preached out of pure love wanted to help spread the Gospel and, by doing so, help Paul. In Acts 24:5-6, we have the charges against Paul that ended up bringing him to Rome. He was accused of being a pestilent fellow (KJV), a mover of rebellion among the Jews, a ringleader of the sect (heresy) of the Nazarenes, and one who had gone about to profane the Temple. The Romans liked peace and quiet in the areas they had conquered and these charges made him one that would almost be viewed as a terrorist. Since the Jews considered him a ringleader, to get rid of him would put down this heresy. But if others preached the true Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ, it would become evident that the charges were not true and this was what Paul was counting on. 18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. Message Bible So how am I to respond? I ve decided that I really don t care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on! This is an amazing statement by an amazing man. He s not concerned about fame, fortune, or freedom as long as the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached. (Note: No matter what the reason, anytime the news about Jesus Christ is spoken of, the Gospel is Maurice A. West (2015) Page 10 of 45

12 preached!) But I don t think this is our primary motivation today. LEADERSHIP QUESTION: Is the spread of the Gospel in its purity our main and only motivation today? 19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, NLT For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. Paul was convinced that if no one else prayed for him, the Philippian church was doing so. He was convinced that their prayers would be heard and that eventually, God would deliver him. SAINTS QUESTION: Can your leadership express this same sentiment about you? Do they have confidence that you are praying for them? PAUL S COMMITMENT IN LIFE OR DEATH 20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. NLT For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. Shame, for the Christian, comes when we don t give our all to the Lord. Unfortunately, that shame comes in the day of judgment. No, it s not the shame of being lost but a shame before those witnesses who gave their lives and blood for Christ when we would not give even a little. Compare 1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. We will have boldness when we have given all to operate in the perfect love of Jesus Christ. Then we can have the indifference to life or death as Paul did for his only concern was to bring honor to Christ. 21 FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, AND TO DIE IS GAIN. Here is another of the often- quoted verses of Philippians. What a tremendous declaration of someone who had come to grips with the price of seeing the face of Jesus! {Adam Clarke} Whether I live or die, Christ is gain to me. While I live I am Christ s property and servant, and Christ is my portion; if I die - if I be called to witness the truth at the expense of my life, this will be gain; I shall be saved from the remaining troubles and difficulties in life, and be put immediately in possession of my heavenly inheritance. As, therefore, it respects myself, it is a matter of perfect indifference to me whether I be taken off by a violent death, or whether I be permitted to continue here longer; IN EITHER CASE I CAN LOSE NOTHING. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. NLT But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don t know which is better. I don t know about you but these few verses really challenged me. If I stay here (as if I had an option but Paul did), why am I staying here? Is it for the cause of Christ or is it Maurice A. West (2015) Page 11 of 45

13 for something fleshly and selfish? Am I here to pray, preach, and practice the life of Christ? Or am I hear to get, covet, and lust after more things of the flesh? 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: NLT I m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. He stood at the point of decision. On the one hand, being with Christ would be beneficial to him. If he was selfish and tired of his afflictions, he might have chosen this path. Paul had lived a life before Christ to where he was able to choose options. He chose Rome even after being warned but he chose it for the sake of the Gospel. 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. NLT But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. On the other hand, the Philippians still needed him. He was not yet at that point in Second Timothy where he could boldly proclaim, I have finished my course. There was still work to do and they were key to that work. SIDE ROAD: It s important for us to get some perspective of where Paul is at this time. Though he speaks in terms of his imminent execution, God is not finished with him yet. At this time, he is under house arrest in Rome (as concluded by many scholars). Biblestudy.org speaks of Paul beginning his FIFTH missionary journey (they call his FOURTH missionary journey his escort to Rome under arrest) with his release from house arrest. Here his history is not as clear but Paul is said to have visited Macedonia again. From there he wrote First Timothy and Titus. Some say he wrote Second Timothy, his final book just before his execution in Rome while others say it was just before his arrest and return to Rome. But the key is that God has more for him to do. 25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; NLT Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. Paul is the one in suffering but there is nothing in his attitude that speaks of self- pity or a melancholy attitude. No, his focus is on the Philippians that he can get back to them and help them stand stronger in Christ. What or who helped you to make it and to get to a certain level in Christ? I listened to a song recently, a Christian song from 40 years ago. It was a song that took me through rough patches, miserable days and nights, confrontations with former friends, false friends and family members over my faith in Christ, and just internal confusion questioning if this was the right way to go. But songs and messages and encouraging words helped me to get to a point where I no longer walked as an eighteen- month- old child but became more secure in my walk. This is what Paul wished for them they have to be able to stand on their own and he wanted to help them to get there. SAINTS PRINCIPLE: Your leadership is there to help you stand, walk, and run in Christ. For this reason, they need your prayers. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 12 of 45

14 26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Message Bible You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We ll be praising Christ, enjoying each other. There are few things more exciting than seeing God do what the experts said couldn t be done. The Jews were convinced that they were through with Paul but God will have the last say and the Philippians will have a great time praising God for what He has done. STAY TRUE TO CHRIST NO MATTER WHAT 27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; NKJV Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel. While verse 26 is uplifting, this verse brings in a but if not statement like in the case of the companions of Daniel when they faced the fiery furnace. If verse 26 does not materialize, stand fast in the face living as those who have believed the Gospel. {David Guzik} The ancient Greek word translated conduct means literally, to live as a citizen. Paul told the Philippians to be good, patriotic citizens of the kingdom of God. This is a theme he will draw on again in Philippians. Paul wanted to know that the Philippian church stayed together as one body, without becoming fragmented and fractionalized. 28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. NLT Don t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. It s obvious that the Philippians were in the midst of or about to go through persecution. This is the time when the flesh wants to run but don t run! Don t be intimidated! Their fear tactics will backfire on them. {David Guzik} When our spiritual enemies fail to make us afraid they have failed completely, because they really have no other weapon than fear and intimidation. 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; NLT For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. Are you ready for this? Trusting in Christ is a PRIVILEGE but so is suffering for Him. {Adam Clarke} To you it is graciously given; it is no small privilege that God has so far honored you as to permit you to suffer on Christ s account. It is only his most faithful servants that he thus honors. Be not therefore terrified by your enemies; they can do nothing to you which God will not turn to your eternal advantage. We learn from this that it is as great a privilege to suffer for Christ as to believe on Maurice A. West (2015) Page 13 of 45

15 him. I know we want the Lord to come to our rescue in every case. I know we look forward to seeing the vengeance of the Lord exercised on our behalf. But remember, we were once the ones that deserved vengeance and God was merciful to us. This is not our home; we have a city not made with hands reserved for us. Be glad for the privilege! 30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. Amplified Bible So you are engaged in the same conflict which you saw me [wage] and which you now hear to be mine [still]. The Philippian church had obviously become recently embroiled in persecution. But Paul reminds them, so they don t feel like something peculiar has happened to them, that this is the same thing that he went through. {Adam Clarke} When Paul preached the Gospel at Philippi he was grievously persecuted, as we learn from Acts 16:19-40, being stripped, scourged, thrown into prison, even into the dungeon, and his feet made fast in the stocks. This was the conflict they had seen in him; and now they heard that he had been sent prisoner to Rome as an evil doer, and that he was at present in bonds, and shortly to be tried for his life before the Roman emperor to whom he had been obliged to appeal. This reminder of what Paul suffered and his internal struggle with it is what the Philippians are facing. They may not suffer in the same exact matter but the internal struggle will be very similar. {David Guzik} Conflict is the ancient Greek word agon, which described a place where athletic contests were held and later came to refer to the contest itself. We get our words agony and agonize from this ancient Greek word. If the Philippians had Paul s kind of conflict, they could also have Paul s kind of joy and fruit in the midst of it. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 14 of 45

16 Chapter 2 {Matthew Henry} The apostle proceeds to further exhortations to several duties, to be like-minded, and lowly-minded, which he presses from the example of Christ (v. 1-11), to be diligent and serious in the Christian course (v. 12, 13), and to adorn their Christian profession by several suitable graces (v ). He then concludes with particular notice and commendation of two good ministers, Timothy and Epaphroditus, whom he designed to send to them (v ). PAUL S APPEAL FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY THROUGH HUMILITY 1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, NLT Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? When Paul ended the prior chapter, he encouraged the Philippian church in the midst of coming and existing persecution from external forces. But now he turns his attention to the same issue that the Lord Jesus dealt with at the conclusion of His earthly ministry strife in the Church. This was obviously a huge issue because Paul spends a significant amount of time dealing with it. This was a distraction! How could they effectively succeed against external persecution if they were too busy fighting each other? SAINTS QUESTION: How can we successfully fight the increasing attacks of the enemy if we re too busy fighting each other? In coming to this verse, the translators have chosen an awkward spot to break it apart from the conclusion of the sentence in the next verse. However, this break also serves as a good point to introduce characteristics of the life in the Church that allows no discord to come in. Proverbs 13:10 Message Bible Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other s counsel. 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. NLT Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Paul, confined to house arrest, appeals to the church he loves dearly to behave correctly in four areas as the starting point for unity. By doing so, it will make him truly happy and fill him with joy. " BE TRULY UNITED IN ALL AREAS This appears to be a tough area for us judging from how we behave. For that reason, Paul went further and explained what this unity looks like. We would do well to pay attention to this because what we often call unity is not true unity. Here s what you ll do when you are truly united: a. Agree wholeheartedly with one another. The key word in this verse is wholeheartedly. It refers to an attitude that is unreserved, enthusiastic, and sincere. When I look at it like that, it moves all of us out of our comfort zones because we re use to making concessions without really agreeing. Concession allows an idea or proposal to move forward but it also allows the one conceding to continue to grumble behind the scenes. This is not what Paul is speaking of. If I Maurice A. West (2015) Page 15 of 45

17 agree with you wholeheartedly, there is no room for hypocrisy, insincerity, grumbling, or hurt feelings. b. Love one another. You would think this would not be an issue in the Church but this theme is repeated over and over because this is an issue. John 13:35 NKJV By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. Our love for each other identifies us and our love for each other is the issue. And the source of a truly united mind comes from our love for each other. c. Work together with one mind and purpose. You can t have unity with two different minds, objectives or goals. James spoke of the issue of having two minds: James 1:8 KJV A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. He also said in James 4:8 that a double mind is indicative of an impure heart. Then, you can t have unity if you don t understand your purpose. Purpose is today s buzzword in the Church. If you read this years from now, I m sure there will be another word. People are making money teaching conferences on purpose. People seem to be always asking questions about how they can understand their purpose. The answer to your purpose is also found in the Word of God: Micah 6:8 NKJV He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? This is our purpose and if we walk together in this purpose, we ll walk in unity. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Amplified Bible Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]. Though the King James Version text in this chapter is difficult to understand because of words that are no longer used, the first four words of this verse send a key message to us don t ALLOW these things. We have to make up our mind to say, NO! to those things that destroy our unity in the Church. We have to DAILY ask God to help us to crucify the flesh so that none of this comes in. So the two points in this verse continue the same theme of unity. # REFUSE SELFISH AMBITION AND FACTIONALISM How often we do silly things in the Church for these very reasons. A friend told me of a funeral he attended in a large church that had two services each Sunday. Because there was only one funeral for the leader of this large church, the saints, the people of God, almost got into physical altercations over where to sit because someone from the early service was sitting in the seat of someone from the later service. That s selfish! In all of this, no one thought of the Maurice A. West (2015) Page 16 of 45

18 grieving family. But to understand the text, let s taking this silliness to an even sillier extreme and pretend that they both went out and began an early service or late service coalition to fight against each other. It sounds ridiculous but stranger things have happened and, unfortunately, I can give you MANY real examples. This comes down to doing things for unworthy or selfish ends or to divide and we MUST refuse this. $ CONSIDER OTHERS AS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU To obtain this, we have to come to the lowliness of mind of the text. True humility looks at others higher than themselves. That doesn t mean that I m unimportant. It just means that I view others as MORE important. {David Guzik} As we esteem others better, we will naturally have a concern for their needs and concerns. This sort of outward looking mentality naturally leads to a unity among the people of God. And unity is the objective. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Amplified Bible Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others. % BE JUST AS INTERESTED IN WHAT S GOING ON WITH OTHERS AS YOU ARE WITH YOUR OWN INTERESTS None of these four points are intended to be easy. If they were easy, we wouldn t need to be reminded of them. But this is one that I ve heard taught and preached in a way that makes it harder than it should be and unscriptural. The KJV text has a small word in it that is often overlooked also. We are not to look at others interests to the exclusion of our own. Again, let s use an extreme example to show how this can mess us up. If I give you all that I have to help you in your interest and my family now suffers, have I obeyed this verse or have I become an infidel who won t take care of his family (see 1 Timothy 5:8)? But if I promote your interests and give to it while taking care of my family, I m promoting unity in the Church. THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST S HUMILITY 5 LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU, WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS: Amplified Bible Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] The mind of Christ will be revealed in the next few verses but this verse calls for our response to it BEFORE we know what it is. One commentator stated that Paul was preparing us to make a choice to accept the mind of Christ. I don t totally agree with that. That s the thinking of those that think we have nothing to do after we accept Christ to insure our salvation. Paul, in verse 12 of this chapter, explodes that myth. Therefore, how can this be optional? If we re going to obey the doctrine of the apostles, we have to let or allow the mind of Christ to be in us as we work with Him. The only way you ll let that mind be in you is to appreciate what God has in His mind for you already. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 17 of 45

19 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Amplified Bible Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, This verse has caused so much confusion among God s people though, after much study, it becomes very clear. Jesus Christ of Nazareth was God who came in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). Because He was and is God, expressing His equality with God was not taking anything away from God. He would not be robbing God of any of His deserved glory. But this is a foundation verse as we begin to understand this man, Jesus Christ. So let s go further to make sure we have it. Vine s Expository Dictionary gives us a definition of robbery from the original Greek word: (a) in the Active sense, the act of seizing, robbery, ; (b) in the Passive sense, a thing held as a prize. The prior paragraph fits the active sense but there s more to it in the passive sense He did not cling to His divine nature. In fact, the next verse tells us that He emptied Himself. His emptying is important because we sometimes hide behind His deity as a reason why we cannot work the works of Christ or live the life of Christ. Would He have promised greater works than He did (John 14:12) if this were not possible? 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: Amplified Bible But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. The humility of Christ stems from what He did to Himself. He made Himself of no reputation. He removed all of the honor, glory, and majesty that rightfully belong to God. (We saw a glimpse of this in the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-2) where His glory even changed His clothing.) He stripped Himself of the privileges of deity and emptied Himself of this. SAINTS PRINCIPLE: Humility is a result of what we choose to do to ourselves. But if our goal is the mind of Christ, then we must do it. If something happens to you that causes you great shame, that is not humility. It may be a humiliating circumstance but your response to it is when humility may or may not appear. After Christ emptied Himself, He chose a form (a servant) and was born a human being. In those days, all of the Jews were servants to Rome but there were different categories of servants. He could have chosen to be a servant out of King Herod s family (they were also Jews) but then He would not have totally emptied Himself and would not have fulfilled the Scripture. He could not relate to the conditions and hearts of the common people who struggled day- by- day. Now compare this to how we behave today. Have we emptied ourselves? Have we chosen to remove reputation or do we seek reputation? This emptying is the mind of Christ that we re working to model. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 18 of 45

20 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Amplified Bible And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! {JF&B} [He] humbled Himself, first in taking on Him our nature, secondly, in humbling Himself further in that nature. The ultimate step in humility is obedience. Obedience is not an optional characteristic for the Christian. We were called for this purpose 1 Peter 1:2a Amplified Bible Who were chosen and foreknown by God the Father and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit TO BE OBEDIENT TO JESUS CHRIST (the Messiah) and to be sprinkled with [His] blood. But the obedience of Christ took obedience to a new level obedience unto death. And His obedience was not just death (if one can say just death as if there was something worse) but the horrible death of crucifixion. You cannot expect to achieve Christ s humility without also being prepared for this level of obedience. {Adam Clarke} In condescending, not only to death, but to the lowest and most [disgraceful] kind of death, the death of the cross; the punishment of the meanest of slaves and worst of felons. What must sin have been in the sight of God, when it required such abasement in Jesus Christ to make an atonement for it, and undo its influence and malignity! {Spurgeon} The lower He stoops to save us, the higher we ought to lift Him in our adoring reverence. Blessed be His name, He stoops, and stoops, and stoops, and, when He reaches our level, and becomes man, He still stoops, and stoops, and stoops lower and deeper yet. THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST BECAUSE OF HIS HUMILITY 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: Amplified Bible Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, How did our Savior come to this place of high exaltation? It came about by His humbling Himself and by His obedience. {Adam Clarke} If by his humiliation he has merited pardon and final salvation for the whole world, is it to be wondered that the human body, in which this fullness of the Godhead dwelt, and in which the punishment due to our sins was borne upon the tree, should be exalted above all human and all created beings? The Greek word for highly exalted appears only one time in Scripture and it s in this verse. One writer said that it refers to being super- eminently exalted. Also, His name is above EVERY name! Since God the Father has highly exalted Jesus Christ, why do today s Christians continue to try putting Him on the level of others? Do we not understand who Christ is? He is far above all! Ephesians 1:21 NLT Now he is FAR ABOVE any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else not only in this world but also in the world to come. 10 That at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; The danger of this verse is that some have used it to Maurice A. West (2015) Page 19 of 45

21 defend the heresy of universal salvation, i.e., absolutely everyone is saved, no matter what they did or believed in this life, because of Jesus Christ. Wouldn t that be wonderful but it s not true. This verse refers to the final submission of every creature to Jesus Christ. It does not refer to submission unto salvation as does Romans 10:9 but this has the idea of subjects bowing down to their monarch. This is partly fulfilled in the final judgment of Revelation 20:11-15 where all the dead stand before the Great White Throne. But the verse says things in heaven, angelic beings, things in earth, all mankind, and things under the earth, all the dead and every demon reserved in chains in hell since the early days of the earth. EVERY creation of God from eternity past, dead or alive, is covered and they will ALL bow themselves before God when the name of JESUS is mentioned. 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We must make this declaration NOW, in accordance with Romans 10:9 NKJV That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Make Him the Lord of your life TODAY because, whether you do it now or later, you WILL declare that Jesus Christ is Lord. OUR WORK IN OUR SALVATION 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Amplified Bible Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ). {Dake} Why fear and trembling if there is no possibility of a fall and a failure? Recent events in my life have shown me that when you encourage the Church to live a life pleasing to Christ, this exhortation may be met with the accusation of legalism. I know this because this is what I encountered when I did just that. Did you notice how the Amplified Bible amplifies this text especially fear and trembling? It uses the words self- distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ. This is how you crucify the flesh (a directive from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself). You focus on yourself and you don t trust yourself to have this figured out to the point where you drop your guard. There are those that would reject my explanation and accuse me of ignoring the finished work of salvation at Calvary. That is not my point. However, when I, as a Christian, don t walk as a Christian, I make the work of Christ in me to appear invalid to those who watch my life and don t read the Bible. We are here to live like Jesus. Nowhere in this text did Maurice A. West (2015) Page 20 of 45

22 Paul threaten grave consequences for not obeying this verse but he did use the admonition of fear and trembling. However, since there may be some consternation over this verse, let s continue to the next verse for a wonderful promise. 13 FOR IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE. Amplified Bible [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. Why fight the admonition to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling? After all, God is helping us to do just that. Hebrews 12:1-2a KJV Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Isn t this the same admonition in Hebrews? We get rid of those toxic things in our lives (weights) and those sins that we easily fall into by looking to Jesus who is the one who started us on our way and who will bring us to completion. So when our lives are an embarrassment to the name of Christ, it is because we are fighting against Him and working to do only what we want. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: NLT Do everything without complaining and arguing Some of the commentators and translations got wrapped up on whether this verse refers to murmurings against our fellow men or against God as the Jews did in the wilderness in the Old Testament. The answer is readily apparent by how the verse begins DO ALL THINGS. If I do EVERYTHING without complaining and arguing that includes in my relationship to God. But there s a reason why Paul emphasizes doing this beyond living a life that emulates Christ and it s found in the next verse. 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Amplified Bible That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world, Is this how the world perceives the Church? Isn t this an attitude that would make anyone want to run to be with us? Unfortunately, this is not a characteristic that we re known for. Instead, are we not far from this? The purpose of God for the Church is to shine as blameless, guileless, innocent, uncontaminated and without blemish before a perverse world. Such an example will move the world to repentance and acceptance of Christ. SAINTS PRINCIPLE: {Adam Clarke} Be like the sun and moon; bless even the perverse and disobedient by your light and splendor. Maurice A. West (2015) Page 21 of 45

23 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. NLT Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. By holding firmly to the Word of Life you also hold FORTH (or extend) the Word of Life to those that do not yet know its life changing power. That is what every pastor or minister desires from those they minister to. The ministry of the Word involves sacrifice, sleepless nights, persecution, and, too often, excess care for the Church. But, as Paul, when the minister sees the results of their sacrifice, living the life of Christ, it s encouraging to know that their labor has not been in vain. 17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. Message Bible Even if I am executed here and now, I ll rejoice in being an element in the offering of your faith that you make on Christ s altar, a part of your rejoicing. As stated earlier, Paul saw the real possibility of his imminent execution by the hands of the Romans. However, he viewed it as a cause for joy and not sorrow. The sacrifice and service was done to build up their faith. If execution occurred, his life was taken for their faith and he encourages them to look at this as a good thing. 18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me. Message Bible But turnabout s fair play you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don t feel sorry for me. LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: Transformed lives are a reason to celebrate no matter what sacrifice was involved in getting to that point. {David Guzik} Paul s life was going to be a sacrifice for Jesus Christ, either in life or in death. This was a source of gladness and joy for Paul, and he wants the Philippians to adopt the same attitude. SIDE ROAD: Christian leader, there have been some tough words in these last few verses. These are words that involve sacrifice and personal loss for the sake of those under your charge. This was Paul s example and it s in the Bible so that it will be our example also. As much as we would like, some or all of that sacrifice and personal loss may not be paid back in this life. But you have been entrusted with precious souls so rejoice that God trusts you. HELP IS ON THE WAY 19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. NLT If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. Paul s thoughts were not of his imprisonment or of the real possibility that he could be executed. No, his thoughts were only of this church that he loved dearly. For Timothy to get there to inquire of their state would require him to either go over land going north in Italy or cross the Adriatic Sea into Greece and go over land. (Did you ever wonder how Paul and the other apostles were able to finance all of these journeys? Well, he did say that he trusted in the Lord Jesus and there is nothing too hard for God!) Maurice A. West (2015) Page 22 of 45

24 20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. NLT I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. This is a great testimony to Timothy because few pastors have anyone within their staff or within their ministries that have a mind for the sheep like they do. No, there is often not even one. But Timothy will see them as Paul and bring back a true report. {JF&B} His reason for sending Timothy above all others: I have none so like-minded, literally, like-souled, with myself as is Timothy. The sad part of this verse is that Paul is lifting up Timothy above all others on HIS staff. Unfortunately, 2,000+ years later, little has changed but has changed but has grown worse. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ s. NLT All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. Who are all the others? These are the ones that were with Paul and may also be a reference to those that preach the Gospel for the wrong reason (Philippians 1:15). Paul saw the heart of his own team who would later prove these words to be true (2 Timothy 4:10-12). {JF&B} This is spoken, by comparison with Timothy; for Philippians 1:16-17 implies that some of those with Paul at Rome were genuine Christians, though not so self-sacrificing as Timothy. Few come to the help of the Lord s cause, where ease, fame, and gain have to be sacrificed. Most help only when Christ s gain is compatible with their own. Wow! In case you missed it, let me add it as a principle: SAINTS PRINCIPLE: {JF&B} Few come to the help of the Lord s cause, where ease, fame, and gain have to be sacrificed. Most help only when Christ s gain is compatible with their own. 22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. NLT But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. Paul was Timothy s father in the Gospel but Paul humbly portrays him as the one who served WITH him. 23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. NLT I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. Paul was on the verge of having his case heard or having some adjudication of his Maurice A. West (2015) Page 23 of 45