Journey Through Philippians: Chapter 2

¹So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,

Paul make a plea for Christian unity in the first 11 verses.
In verses 1-2, we see the basis for unity, followed by a brief summary of how to live in unity (v. 3-5), and concludes with an example of unity in v. 6-11.
“if” – although not repeated in the ESV translation the word is used 4 times in this verse, highlighting each phrase. The word would probably be best understood as the word “assuming” in our English minds.
Each phrase in this verse essentially highlights the blessings and benefits of Christian community. We should seek to foster these qualities within ourselves and guard and display them within the church. 1) encouragement, 2) comfort, 3) fellowship (working together), and 4) compassion and concern
Thus we should ask ourselves these questions as we “grade” our church membership…
1) Am I a cheerleader or Debbie Downer when it comes to my church and it’s kingdom ministries?
2) How am I displaying love to those in my church?
3) Am I a sitter or a server? How am I actively participating in my church’s ministries?
4) Do I show genuine compassion and concern for the needs of those in my church?

²complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

“complete my joy” – This the command within this section. Evidently, Paul is concerned that disunity and selfishness may erode the church’s ability to serve in God’s kingdom (1.27, 28) and hinder their sanctification (1.9).
“same mind” – having the same agenda and attitude.
“same love” – as in the same values. The church should value what Christ values.
The church should be unified because they are all marching in the same direction. They all have the same desires and destination.

³Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

This verse is perhaps the most impactful verse regarding our relationships with others.
Paul transitions from unity a bit here and begins to address humility, but unity is impossible without humility. The two go together.
This verse runs contrary to our default mode. By default we tend to focus on ourselves first, our happiness, our needs, etc. However, we must remind ourselves that a biblical agenda more often than not, runs contrary to the world’s agenda.
APP: When walking into a room take the attidude that, “I am the least important person here.”
Humility as described here, puts us in a vulnerable position, that is why it is paramount that everyone take this approach in their mutual relationships.

⁴Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

In this verse, Paul calls us to look past ourselves and to others. Here unity is bound to the consideration of others.
This is, as Jesus said, loving our neighbor as ourself. (Mark 12.30-31).
“interests of others” – the phrase also suggests that each person is equally important within the church.
APP: Your concerns should be my concerns.

⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

This verse serves as a transition from the “how-to” section of Christian unity and begins to focus on our example of Christian unity.
In short, we live in unity when we approach people and things the way Jesus did.

⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Verses 6-11 are most likely a quote from a very early Christian hymn. The phrasing, words and motifs all suggest it to be so. Many suggest v. 6-8 to be the first stanza, 9-11 to be the second (you can see the theme jump from humility, to exaltation)
“form” – used only here and in the next verse in the NT. It highlights the nature and character of Christ as being the same as God. Thus, to share the nature of something would also mean that equality would be shared.
“with its call for the unselfishness which does not seek its own (v. 3f.), is laying a true foundation by glorifying Christ as the unique example of selfless renunciation of what is His, the assuming of the μορφὴ δούλου (→ II, 278) is to be regarded as an act of exemplary restraint on the part of Christ, as a concrete demonstration of this restraint.”- Johannes Behm, “Μορφή, Μορφόω, Μόρφωσις, Μεταμορφόω,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 750.
The term could also be understood to say, “he appeared as God” or “that the outward form perfectly expresses the inner reality.”
”a thing to be grasped” – meaning Jesus didn’t use it to his advantage.

⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

“emptied himself” – Not as in Jesus lost some of his goodness, but the term is contrasting that fact that God became human, and the Lord became a servant.
“form of a servant” – The exact opposite of his true nature. And thus Christ becomes the ultimate example of humility.
”servant” again from 1.1. Whereas Jesus was fully God, his agenda was The Father’s agenda. The clearest example we see of this is perhaps in the Garden of Gethsemane, where we see Jesus resolved in prayer saying, “not my will, but your’s be done.”

⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

In verses 6-8 Paul highlights Jesus attitude and action regarding humility. He did not “count”, which means to think or believe (attitude) in verse 6, Thus his actions were to “empty” and “humble” himself.
APP: Attitude determines action.
Two characteristics that mark the character of Christ: sacrificial humility, and sacrificial obedience.

⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

“God has highly exalted him” – We must be careful here. Jesus doesn’t necessarily assume a new quality, which He has not possessed for all eternity. His nature and character has always been fully divine. Yet because of his resurrection, Jesus will now be recognized as an our irreplaceable, never to be duplicated Savior.
“name that is above every name” – that name is revealed in verse 11. It is Lord.

¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

“at the name of Jesus” – Jesus provides the object of, the occasion for, and the focus of our worship.
”every knee should bow” – a sign of submission.
Because Jesus’ humble obedience led him to provide full atonement for sin. He is worthy to be recognized and worshipped, not just be those who trust in him for salvation, but by all creation.
“every tongue confess” – another sign of submission. Whether one confesses him as Lord or not in this life, it cannot change the truth of who he is. Eventually, every the hardest of hearts will recognize the beauty and lordship of Jesus. There will be no hiding from this confession.
”Jesus Christ is Lord” – although with the disciples, most referred to him as rabbi or teacher, even the casual Bible reader can see a shift in recognizing Jesus as Lord after his resurrection. Doubting Thomas provides an excellent proof case in understanding Jesus’ true nature, when after Jesus appeared to him and told him to place his hands in his wounds, Thomas responds, “My Lord and my God” (John 20.28).
In sum, we are to emulate our savior as the primo example of humility, love, and obedience.

¹²Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

After Paul’s plea for unity and humility, he returns to his previous thought found in 1.27 and focuses attention on the need for obedience.
As much as we are loving and humble, as the first part of the chapter describes, the church should also embody obedience. Just as Christ was obedient (2.8).
“Work out your own salvation” – or “make salvation work in your lives. In other words, let your salvation be seen. Let it be evident by action. If salvation makes us a “new creation” we should live in that way. This is nor intended to be a statement causing one to doubt the genuineness of their salvation.
“Fear and trembling” – our lives should be lived in a way that holds Jesus’ sacrificial death as meaningful and reverent.

¹³for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

The church should “work out” because God “works in.”
God’s work in them provided both the motivation for and the ability to obey.
APP: Any kingdom thought or desire you have is a direct prompting of the Spirit of God, no matter how routine it may seem.
God initiates our interest in him. Without this, we neither desire to or are able to live obediently.
“His good pleasure” – What IS his pleasure? What makes God happy? Nothing less than our bringing Him glory.

¹⁴Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

My wife quotes this verse to me every time I was dishes. I don’t enjoy it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
Selfishness and pride (2.1-ff.) always result in grumbling, arguing, and the like.

¹⁵that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

A quote from Deut. 32.5.
Perhaps Paul is thinking of Moses’ dealings with Israel in the wilderness as he gave a farewell address, Moses noted that the people of Israel were crooked and twisted, lacking faith and grumbling against what God was doing among their midst.
“Shine as lights” – In contrast to Israel, which casted a shadow upon the glory of God because of their wilderness behavior, Paul wants the Macedonian church to shine the glory of God upon a dark world.
Note the contrast here between the world, which is “crooked and twisted” and the church which is “blameless and innocent.”

¹⁶holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

As Paul contemplates what could be his impending death, his desire is that the church continue to display the saving work of God to the world. He did not want it to be undermined by selfishness and disobedience.

¹⁷Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

In this verse Paul employs sacrificial imagery from the OT.
In the OT sacrificial system, the drink offering was secondary to the sacrificial offerings. Thus Paul displays his thoughts on what was important for the future existence of the church. It wasn’t his personal ministry, but it was the faith of the church as a whole that was most important.

¹⁸Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

²⁰For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.

²¹For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

²²But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.

²³I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,

²⁴and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

²⁵I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,

²⁶for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

²⁷Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

²⁸I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.

²⁹So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,

³⁰for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus are both commended for their work in the Lord and are sent to be an encouragement to and aid the church.
Timothy, as Paul’s closest and most trusted ministry assistant, was also being sent to give an accurate report of how the church was handling the issues being addressed in the first part of chapter 2.
Timothy was also to serve as an example to the church because he was genuinely concerned over their welfare and he was an example of humble service (2.21).
Apparently Epaphroditus fell ill on his trip to visit Paul in Rome and had been absent for some time. Paul was anxious to send him home so that the church would be in encouraged by his return.