Paul continues to remember fondly the way in which they assisted him on his first missionary journey. Though the church at Antioch had commissioned him, it was the Philippians who gave him food, travel gear and financial assistance. As a tent-maker, Paul usually financed his own trips but when Silas and Timothy showed up with aid it permitted Paul to work for the gospel full time (Acts 18.5). Is it any wonder Paul had a special place in his heart for this church? They emulated the God they served through the giving of provision above and beyond Paul’s needs.
Sometimes it happens, even among believers. Arguments arise and fellowship can be broken. There was a situation just like this among a pair of believers at the church in Philippi. We don’t know the nature of the argument, but if Paul had heard about it while in prison it had to be a doozy. The two Greek immigrants (we know their nationality based on their names, and since Philippi was a Roman city they were likely legal immigrants) could not work out their problem together, so Paul asked the church to help them. At least that’s one reading.
The first verse of chapter three both ends Paul’s previous discussion and introduces his next topic. Interwoven in his instruction regarding growing nearer to God and being a light in the community and encouragement to being humble is the constant cheer, “rejoice!” As a Christian community, when we rejoice in the success of others we find that others rejoice in ours, God is glorified, and an infectious faith begins to spread. It seems straightforward enough, a little challenging but worth the effort and certainly doable. So why does Paul bring the warmth of his instruction to a halt by inserting that last phrase?
For several years I taught a college age Bible study, and every week I made a handout to help guide the lesson. It began with a section called “Warm Up” which was a series of questions designed to get the students thinking. At the end was the application section, containing ideas for how to live out the lessons we just learned, that was called “Work Out”. Yesterday we learned that when Paul uses the phrase “working out your faith” that this is what he meant, a faith that was applied and lived. Today we study Paul’s “work out” for the Philippians.
We are nearing the end of Paul’s letter and our study. Today’s passage marks the beginning of Paul’s final salutations and he once more emphasizes his joy in keeping with his theme of rejoicing. Why so joyful? Because his family is there for him. They were willing to help him in ministry at the beginning of his Christian life, and they were still willing to help him though he was a prisoner in a government that was hostile to Christianity. Paul’s fate was unknown, and this truth was ever present. Such times make a man ponder what is really important.
During my first year at Colorado Christian University I had an amazing teacher for my New Testament course. He made a dramatic impact on my growing faith. He had a way of bringing truth to light, and while doing so he made this kind of motion with his hand. All five fingers were extended naturally, not as a flat palm more of a half circle with the knuckles on top. He would move his hand forward while turning it over, palm up. Without realizing it, I had picked up the affectation. It was only after friends started joking about it that I began to consciously try to stop.
At first glance it appears that these 12 verses at the end of chapter two are out of place. Why does Paul break the action by making these personal notes about his friends, Timothy and Epaphroditus? It seems this discussion of travel plans and other details belong at the end of the letter in keeping with Paul’s usual style and in keeping with Greek structure. But thrown in somewhere in the middle? What was Paul thinking, and what does any of this have to do with Christian living? Understanding Paul’s point requires we go back to the beginning.
Let’s get one thing out of the way at the start, this passage is not a first century hymn that Paul is quoting. Lots of credible Bible scholars in the past have taught this as a likely source for these verses, but alas it is not to be. Some who know more about music than they perhaps do the Bible have looked at the original Greek and, to a musician, they don’t see the right set of rhythm or form for this to be a hymn of the first, or any, century. Though that didn’t stop one man from making it just that.
This passage has been quoted at weddings and funerals, it graces quilts and placards in homes, and is probably the second most memorized verse in Scripture (the first being John 3:16). That may be in part due to its repetitive nature, but mostly because of its very uplifting and positive message. The Greek word translated “whatever is” appears seven times in the original language, but it what this phrase points to that lifts the hearts of readers. Ancient writers were fond of listing virtues, and Paul is no exception. Truthfully, I think modern readers are equally inspired be them.
I remember the first time I heard the phrase “life verse”. I was in middle school and the youth pastor at my church introduced us, his students, to the concept of claiming a verse in the Bible to follow as our goal. At first the idea sounded pompous to me, but the more I thought about it the more interested I became in the idea. I eventually landed on Ephesians 4.1, “As a prisoner for the Lord then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you received.” Not a bad choice, but there is a better one in today’s passage.
This year the Advent season begins on December 3rd. While largely a Catholic tradition, the focus of the Advent is something that can encourage every Jesus-followers faith and draw them closer to God during the Christmas season. We mentioned a couple weeks ago how important it is to not only keep up with our normal spiritual disciplines during this busy time of year, but that it is best to even add to it so that we are restored and strengthened to take on the challenges we face. Following the Advent guide is a great way to do that.
In chapter two, we move from hope to something deeper and more substantial. In the first four verses leading up to Paul’s attempt at poetry, we come across some pretty amazing imperatives. They are heart-warming and yet each one of them hinges on a single phrase that, at least for mature believers, is easy to miss: “in Christ”. All the encouragement of faith, all the comfort of love, all fellowship affection and mercy are found only in our savior. Many people search their entire lives for the one person they cannot live without, but Christians have already found him.