Notes on Philippians 1-4

The Epistle to the Philippians presents the development of two distinct subjects. On the one hand it shows us the ties of affection which exist between the Lord's servant and those to whom he had been blessed; and on the other, Christian experience. It is perhaps the only epistle which treats of the experience of the Christian. We thus see the completeness of God's word; in it every subject has its own proper place.
Chapter 1:5-7. “I have you in my heart;” it ought to be translated, “ye have me in your hearts.” The meaning of this verse is this: “It is righteous for me to think thus as to you (that is, that I should have confidence in the completing of the good work begun in you), since ye have me in your hearts.”
“Ye all are partakers of my grace;” this signifies that they were all participators in the grace that rested on him. Every one has not a gift of ministry; but, by grace, whoever loves the Lord participates in the gospel.
Verse 10. “That ye may approve things that are excellent” —that is, the best, the most excellent. There may be a regular walk, which does not perhaps show enough of that delicacy and regard which the love of Christ teaches, and by which God is glorified.
Verse 11. “The fruit of righteousness” —that is, such fruit as would have been found in the life of Christ Himself.
Verse 12. “The things which happened unto me for the furtherance of the gospel.” All the difficulties resulting from Paul's absence only turned out for good: Christ was more abundantly preached; the Philippians were taking courage, the gospel was carried before Caesar, &c. And Paul was rejoicing when he saw that the efforts of Satan were contributing to the progress of the gospel.
Verse 16. Who are the preachers pointed out in this verse? All that is said is, that they preached Christ in a bad spirit. They might be persons who bad too little spirituality to dare to act when Paul was present, but availed themselves of his absence to come forward.
Verse 19. “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation” —that is, shall contribute to my final victory over the enemy.
Does not the apostle refer in these words to the hope he had of being delivered from his bonds? I do not think he does. The word “salvation” is used for our complete deliverance, and not merely for passing deliverances which we may experience by the way. Salvation is an absolute thing; it is the final result of the race. It is well to maintain the sense of this word; because we have here the key to the whole epistle. If there is not a salvation at the end of the race, of what avail is the priesthood of Christ?
Verses 20, 21. The same subject. Whatever may be Caesar's decision about me—whatever may await me, be it life or death, it works salvation to me, says the apostle: my race is accomplished through such circumstances. If life be left me, I will labor for the Church; if death be my portion, I will die for Christ, for His name; as to this Christ will decide. As regarded himself, Paul wished to die. Having death before him, be had, so to speak, attained his Gethsemane; and he had thus confidence that the Christ who had been glorified in his life would be also glorified in his death.
Verse 21. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Christ was all in Paul's life. If Paul lived, it was by Christ and for Christ. Therefore to die would be better; be would then be more entirely with Him.
Verses 25, 26. Paul decides his own case; he decides it in the sense of the good and profit of the Church. Neither Caesar nor his court would decide it, but Christ; and He would do it in the interest of the Church. Paul in this shows the most elevated faith.
Verse 27. “The faith of the gospel.” In this expression Paul personifies the gospel. He sees the gospel carrying on warfare in the world, and the saints carrying on warfare for Christ, associating it with that person. The Epistles of Paul present several instances in which the gospel is thus personified.
Verse 28. “Of salvation.” Here again salvation is looked at as the result of the race.
Verses 29, 30. Paul on one side, the Philippians on the other, were in the warfare, and they had—all of them—salvation before them.
Chapter 2. We see further on that the Philippians had sent help to Paul. While expressing his satisfaction, he insinuates, but with caution, that they might have done so sooner. (Chap. iv. 10.) Here, with the same delicacy, he says, If it be true that there are any bowels and mercies, if it be true that ye have my joy at heart, fulfill ye that joy, by thinking the same thing, &c.
Verses 3, 4. Above all else, the heart of Paul desired that unity might be maintained among the saints; and, as a means of maintaining happy harmony, he recommends humility, which teaches the Christian to esteem himself to be least of all.
Verse 5. Paul, doubtless, will find an echo in the hearts of the Philippians, but he wished to give them higher motives than those which related only to himself. To this end he places before their eyes the humiliation of the Lord Jesus, who, being God, yet became man and servant; and was obedient even unto the death of the cross.
Verses 5-11. In these verses, although the thing is not said in express terms, there is, it seems to me, a contrast between Christ and Adam. Adam—man—in wishing to exalt himself to be like God, was disobedient unto death; Christ—who was God—emptied Himself, taking the form of a man, and, even when He was in the form of a man, became obedient and obeyed even unto death. There are two degrees in Christ's humiliation—He first strips Himself of His own glory, and becomes a man; then, being man, He goes down even unto the death of the cross.
Verse 10. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.” The name of Jesus is a personal name—Jah-Oshua (Jehoshua)—Jehovah—Savior. It is the name of His person. The name “Christ” expresses a title—that of a man who is anointed. Independently of any title, Jesus possesses His own proper personal claim to supremacy over all things. He is God. The divinity of Jesus occupies in the New Testament a much greater place than is generally observed.
But as man Jesus has also a glory which He receives, the glory which results from His humiliation” God also hath highly exalted him.”
All things are subjected under the lordship of Christ—things heavenly, and earthly, and infernal (which are under the earth). This third class has no part in the reconciliation of “all things,” as they are mentioned in Col. 1:20.
Verses 12,13. The emphasis in verse 12 is on these words: “not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.” If, Paul being absent and retained in prison, the Philippians were deprived of him, God would suffice; He is never absent.
“Work out your own salvation” —not your acceptance, but your salvation. Apply yourselves to the things which become persons who look for salvation. Be watchful, lest anything should lead you out of your way, for your path is strewed with difficulties. Here, as in the preceding instances, salvation is looked at as at the end of the race. We never find in the Epistle to the Philippians that the Christian is viewed as possessing that which is a matter of faith—a very remarkable thing; unless we discern in it the believer on his way and striving for salvation, it is unintelligible.
Paul, when he was called, saw the Lord in glory. He knew that he would one day be in that glory with his Master, and like Him. Hence, until he reached this, he felt that nothing could entirely satisfy him, and, moved by heavenly affections, he pressed on towards that blessed moment.
The Christian, through grace, is placed on the same road. At the starting-point he is reconciled with God: and that reconciliation has become in its turn the starting-point for his other blessings. Now the Lord, in calling that Christian with a heavenly calling, has put into his heart spiritual affections; grace has formed a relationship between the Christian who is on earth and Jesus who is on high. But if this blessed relationship is not sustained, the heavenly affections in the heart of a child of God become dormant and cold affections. The assurance of salvation might remain perhaps, but isolated: all spiritual affections are lost.
“With fear and trembling.” We meet with difficulties on the road, though indeed we are sure to arrive. Although the race be not the title of our acceptance, still that race is none the less a serious and important thing. What a privilege and what an honor to be God's instruments in the conflict engaged with Satan. But what a responsibility also! One cannot stand firm in this conflict if one is careless, if we act in a bad spirit, if we yield to the flesh, &c.
Verse 14. Translate, “Without murmurings and reasonings.”
Verse 15. Translate, “Ye appear as lights.”
Verse 17. It is, “If also I am poured out as a libation.”
Verses 25—30. What a contrast between the feelings of Paul and those which he knew to exist in the Philippians respecting Epaphroditus, with the man of ice to which one has reduced Christianity in these days. How quick and coldly one says of a departed Christian: “He is happy.” Of course Epaphroditus, if he had died of his sickness, would have departed happy to be in the bosom of Jesus. And Paul would assuredly have been resigned in seeing the departure of his brother; but his recovery filled Paul's heart with joy.
Chapter 3. This chapter forms a kind of parenthesis, at least after the first verses. Paul interrupts the subject of brotherly intercourse to give us the beautiful developments on the heavenly calling, which we notice in this portion of the epistle. He then draws from those developments some teaching for the Philippians; and by this he comes to chapter iv., the exhortations and spiritual communications of which form a sequel to those of chapter ii.
Verse 2. “Beware of dogs.” That is, of those who do evil shamelessly.
Verse 3. We see in this verse three features which characterize the service of the Christian. One worships God in Spirit, not in carnal ceremonies; one boasts in Christ Jesus, and not in man; one has the Lord, and therefore no confidence in the flesh.
Verses 4-6. The flesh finds means, even in the things instituted by God, to do many things in order to exalt oneself.
Verse 7. Paul's doctrine presents the abiding fact, that the last Adam has all superiority over the first, and the Spirit over the flesh. One cannot retain anything of the first Adam without detriment to the last.
Verses 7, 8. Always that which is before— “to gain Christ” —to reach unto Him. Had Paul reached Christ? Not absolutely. As to his soul, he had; he is with the Lord; but not as to the body. The resurrection has not yet taken place.
Verse 8. “I have suffered the loss of all things.” What things? Those which the flesh values—things like those which the apostle tells us he had given up.
Verse 9. “Found in him.” When? Rather at the end of the race.
Having “the righteousness which is of God.” To be in Christ in order to have that righteousness, and not to possess righteousness as a means to get Christ. Such is the order in which things present themselves to Paul when it is a question of the heavenly calling and of the race. Mark well, he wished not for the righteousness of the law, not because he cannot attain to it (which, however, would be true); but because in Christ he had something better than that. The righteousness of the law, had he been able to attain to it, would hinder him possessing Christ—so he will not have it.
Verses 9, 10 present two things: to be in Him; and to know Him.
Verse 10. Paul points out in this verse the means by which he would arrive at the resurrection from among the dead and attain Christ. When he has laid hold of the power of the resurrection, he can pass through death, and not before.
Verse 12. A fact which precedes all others is that before taking a single step in this path Paul had been taken possession of by Christ. He had been taken possession of by Jesus Christ—for Jesus Christ.
Verse 14. “Toward the mark” —always this aim—the glorious Christ towards whom the race tends.
Verses 15, 16. The degree to which one has attained in the knowledge of Christ—is not the rule of unity; the saints must be able to walk together, whatever difference there may be between them as to the extent of that knowledge. Let not the strong in receiving the weak require from him a state to which he has himself attained; and let not the weak lay down the limit unto which he has arrived, as the rule for others. Let us walk together; and as to that which goes beyond the measure to which we have attained, God will teach us.
Could it be that a Christian might not finish his course? In some respects it might so happen; or, at least, the course would not be finished in the way that was intended. Nevertheless, such a case was foreseen in God's counsels. Ananias and Sapphira furnish perhaps a similar instance. There are some who make shipwreck, who fail as to faith, as to the doctrine that faith receives, without its being said on that account that they had abandoned their faith. Having in view this danger, Paul recommended Timothy to maintain faith and a good conscience; to hold fast the truth of God as well as that uprightness of heart in which the soul judges itself, and abides in the presence of God ever open under His eye. If a good conscience fails, the enemy finds an entrance, and faith is in danger.
There is a crown of righteousness promised to those who love the Lord's appearing. Why is it called a crown of righteousness? Because it will be given to those to whom it is righteous to give it, “which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me.” (2 Tim. 4:8.) “God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed towards his name.” (Heb. 6:10.)
Verses 18, 19. Who are the many whose walk made Paul weep?” They are rather professors than real Christians; those perhaps in the beginning of the chapter. I should feel a difficulty in saying in an absolute way as applying it to Christians— “Whose end is destruction.”
These two verses have this importance, that they may indicate the period when Christendom will have gone beyond Christianity. We see in the First Epistle to Corinthians that the saints are warned of this danger. (Chap. 10.) And in this epistle we find that the very presence of evil is already stated.
Verses 20, 21. Here again salvation is presented as a future thing. “We look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus.” He is coming in glory, to receive us into that glory. That is the goal towards which we run.
Chapter iv. Paul now returns to exhortations.
Verse 3. “Thee also, true yokefellow.” It was, doubtless, the one who carried the letter, Epaphroditus. Literally, “Help them [those] who have contended along with me.” It is a recommendation to help the women who had contended in the Gospel. Euodia and Syntyche were of that number.
Verse 7. “The peace of God shall keep your hearts.” The peace of God is that peace in which God Himself is. We read, not that our hearts keep that peace, but that it keeps our hearts.
Verses 8, 9. In walking according to the exhortations of the apostle, the Philippians would find God with them—the God of peace.
Verse 10. “Your care of me hath flourished again.” It is a slight reproach, which Paul softens by adding, “wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.”
Verses 12, 13. It is often in a very abstract way that one says, “I can do all things.” While Paul says, “I can do all things,” he adds, “I have learned,” “I am instructed.”
Verse 19. “My God” —that faithful God, whose faithfulness Paul had felt so often. It is with this feeling of gratitude that Paul says, “My God.”
REMARKS.
In the race which the Lord has opened to faith, the Christian finds himself individually engaged, and his responsibility finds its place. The Christian, it is true, is no longer before God in the condition of a man with his sins. But in virtue of the new position which grace has made unto him, he has entered upon a new and different responsibility. He has practically to answer all the privileges which are vouchsafed to him. He has to walk in the Spirit, to press towards the goal, to show himself worthy of his calling, and as a child of God to walk in love, &c.
The day of Christ will show in what manner that child of God has run. It is while he runs the race that he has to watch lest anything should stop him, or turn him aside from his road. He meets with hindrances, and may perhaps find them even in the unfaithful state of God's people. It is for him to watch; the delay of others could not justify His own; the race is an individual thing.
Nevertheless, in the Book of Numbers, which presents the going through the wilderness, do we not see a people on their march? This is true; but we must observe that in the heavenly calling, of which we are partakers, God has formed a relationship with each of His saints; and that relationship is infinitely more developed than it could have been with the Israelites in the wilderness.
The reward at the end of the race is never the motive given to make us enter on the course; it is an encouragement to persevere when one is already engaged therein. Jesus Himself knew these encouragements “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.” (Heb. 12)
Notes on Philippians 1-4
The Epistle to the Philippians looks at the Christian as on a journey with an object before him, and that object the actual winning of Christ, the laying hold of that for which he had been laid hold of by Christ; and therefore salvation is looked at as a thing to be attained—the Christian reaching in result what he had laid bold on before by faith.
Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 present to us three aspects of Christian life.
In chapter 2 we see the gracious mind that was in Christ, illustrated in the servants and the saints also: in chapter 3 the energy of the apostle in running after the prize: and in chapter 4 his complete superiority over all circumstances. In all of it it is the experience which is the result of the power of the Spirit of God acting in the Christian—no idea of failure.
We do not get sin mentioned throughout the epistle. There were a few things that needed setting right: for instance, the two women in chapter 4 needed exhorting to be of the same mind, they were in a little discord; but what is described is the effect of the Spirit's power. Sin is not mentioned. Nevertheless I suppose the Thessalonian saints were in the freshest condition of any we read of, as we find the epistle was written to them only about two months or the like after their conversion, so that their first love was in activity.
There was real devotedness in the gospel amongst the Philippians, which the apostle does not omit noticing, nor forget their kindness now renewed. (See chap. 4:15, 16, and 1:3, and 7 where read “ye have me,” not “I have you.") And this gave him confidence as to them, as well as regarded himself, that He who had begun the good work would accomplish it unto the day of Christ. There the work is still viewed as one reaching on to its great result. As to himself this confidence was most blessed, and accompanied by, and in some respects the fruit of, a conscience kept in the full light of God's countenance by the Spirit of God. “As always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body.” Self is always shut out when grace is really known and enjoyed.
Paul was not occupied at all with his outward life, but with the inward life. He had Christ always before him, and when it was a question of which he would choose, whether to go to be with Christ or to remain on the earth, he is in a strait; if he dies, it is to be with Christ; and if he remains, it is worth while, for here he can labor for the Church's good, and through the blessedness of both paths he knows not which to choose, so that self is done away as a motive. Blessed state! And then the blessing of the saints is his motive under Christ, and so he remains as more needful for them. You see it is Christ that decides thus the result, and he decides his own case: for if it be better for the Church he should remain, Christ was over all—he would remain. It is not the reckless Nero nor any one else; it is a question with Paul what most pleases Christ. He never thinks of the circumstances which he was in—nigh unto death, he has got his eye only on Christ. To die would be gain to any Christian, and so would “to live be Christ.” But there is a difference between an abstract truth and the practical realization of that truth: like Paul, in the Acts, when before Agrippa, he could say, “I would that all that hear me this day were altogether like me, except these bonds.” We know any one could say that, for it would be better that all were saved; but it is a very different thing to be in Paul's condition, and say it with his spirit.
In verse 10, where the expression “the day of Christ” occurs, it means the day when He comes to judge; it is always so when it refers to our responsibility; it never means the rapture of the Church when it speaks of saints' responsibility, as in 1 Tim. 6:13, 14, “I give thee charge that thou keep this commandment without spot until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We could not connect the rapture with responsibility. We are all alike caught up together, and alike conformed to the image of God's Son. It is the result of grace for every saint; but the rewards will be according to the fruits and works, as in John 15, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” And the Christian is not merely called on to avoid open evil, but to have spiritual discernment, so as to understand what is excellent, more conformed to the divine mind. This makes verse 10 of chapter 1 a very important one.
Verse 12 brings out the power over circumstances. It did not matter what position Paul was in: he always reckoned on the power of Christ.
Then a word as to verse 6. It is a great comfort to know that what God has begun He is going to complete; and it was Paul's confidence towards the Philippian saints, because they had him in their heart, as verse 7 tells us. This made it but just for him to judge the divine life was working in them; but then there was this deep comfort for the love that was in his heart, and freshly awakened in it: but then that was God's work, and He would complete it. This verse should be read according to the margin, and not as translated in the text. The apostle was in their hearts, and it was a proof to him of divine life.
It is beautiful to see how Christ is the sole object before the apostle. It matters not though it be in contention that He is preached, so that Christ was preached. “I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” A person who is converted may walk in a manner that does not dishonor Christ, but it is a different thing to have Christ as the motive for everything; and if the latter condition be that of the soul, it always raises the mind above sorrow. For the thought that Christ was preached of contention might cause sorrow in the apostle's heart, but he is above that because Christ is preached.
Where there is not real spiritual energy, the thought of prison cows people; and when Satan managed to get the great preacher of Christ there, he thought he had gained his end; but they “got courage as to his bonds.” Paul was so identified with the gospel that when the gospel succeeded it was to him success; and in that day the gospel was not made to suit people as it is in this day. Paul was nothing terrified by his adversaries; as Peter also says, “As long as ye are not afraid with any amazement.” Satan tries to cow people and make them shy.
When the apostle speaks of the gospel or the vocation, as in chapter 1:27, he means the whole thing (Christianity). The word conversation in this verse refers to one's walk.
“To them an evident token of perdition.” For when Satan's power is fully exercised, and it is seen that it has no power over Paul or any servant of Christ, it is manifested that it has met One which is superior to itself, that is, a divine One, and that they who oppose are its adversaries; and thus it is a token of perdition to them, and for the same reason of salvation to those helped by divine power; for still salvation in the epistle is the result in victory. Then in verse 29 we see that “it is given not only to believe, but to suffer for his sake.”
And now we come to the end of chapter 1, which is a kind of introduction to the epistle.
Chapter 2 is full of instruction. It is very touching the way the apostle speaks in this chapter. They had sent him help from a long way, and sought to minister to his wants; but he says if they want to make him truly happy, to fulfill his joy, they must all be walking like Christ; they must be of one mind. How gentle and courteous a way of dealing with them is this, in the presence of their love and kindness to him! He could not harshly reprove, but love would not have the evil uncorrected, and deals thus delicately as to it. “If there be any consolation in Christ,” &c., “fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded.” He sets Christ before them as an example; and he could say too, “Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ,” not “as far as I follow Christ;” but I am following Christ, and I want you to copy my example and follow Him too.
Then in verses 3 and 4 of this chapter, each is exhorted to “esteem each other better than himself.” Now there will be no difficulty in this if we are really walking before God; we shall be occupied with each other's good, and the one will esteem the other better than himself; because when the soul is really before the Lord, it will see its own shortcomings and imperfections, and will be in self-judgment; and according to the love and spirit of Christ see all the good that is from Him in a brother, and one dear to Him, and will therefore look upon his fellow—Christian as better than himself, and so all would be in beautiful harmony; and we should be looking after each other's interests too. As I have often remarked, Love likes to be a servant, and selfishness likes to be served.
Then, in verses 5-8, we get the humiliation of Jesus even unto death, though not in the sense of atonement, nor of patience of suffering put upon Him, but in voluntary humiliation, the way and pattern of lowliness for our souls, producing the graciousness which becomes the Christian and adorns his life. This in contrast with the first Adam. He sought to be exalted when in the form of man, and that by robbery: he ate that which was forbidden, to become equal with God; but the last Adam, when in the form of God (though He thought it not robbery to be equal with God as to His dignity,) left all and came down here to be a man, and in the form of a servant; and then as a man humbled Himself, and became obedient to death. God looks for us to walk in the character of the last Adam and not of the first—that of humbling and not of exalting. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ.” Thus a self-humbling Christ, the mind that was in Him, is the source of Christian graciousness and consideration for others: and this will be found exemplified in Paul's way of dealing with them, and all that follows as to Timothy and Epaphroditus, where Christian love is so sweetly insisted on as well as shown. In chapter iii., on the other hand, Paul sees Christ up in the glory, and is running after Him, giving its energy to the Christian life, as in chapter ii. he sees Him on the earth as the brightest example of lowliness; and as the result of that lowliness God gives Him a name which is above every name: this is given to Him as Son of man. The mind that was in Christ was the mind of coming down, and that is what the apostle wants to see in us. There is no place where Christ is so glorified as at the cross, although it was in shame. In the glory we shall be with Him and like Him, though there would have been no glory for us without the cross. But who could have been with Him on the cross? There He was wholly alone with God.
The word “Lord” is used in two distinct senses in the New Testament; in some places it means “Jehovah,” and in others made “Lord and Christ,” as Lord over all; as in Acts 10 He is “Lord of all.” This is the sense in which it is used in chapter 2:11. Of course we know that He is Jehovah, as in John 12, where the quotation is made from Isa. 6, “I saw the Lord,” &e. There you get Him as Jehovah, and often in the Old Testament. In truth the second person of the Godhead is He in whom Jehovah is revealed there. We may see how the three persons are closely connected all through the acts of Christ, even in the miracles—Christ as Son wrought the miracles; but it is said,” The Father that is in me, he doeth the works;” and also, “If by the Spirit of God I cast out demons.” So we see the three inseparably united, as in the resurrection of Christ also. We find in chapter ii. of John's gospel, Christ speaking of raising Himself. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it again.” Then we read in another scripture, “Whom God raised from the dead;” and last, “He was quickened by the Spirit.” All God's glory was engaged in the resurrection of Christ.
In the Epistles of John you cannot separate Christ and God. The apostle speaks of Christ both as God and Christ in the very same sentence, as in 1 John 2:28 and 3: 1: “Abide in him; that when he shall appear... at his coming;” that is Christ, born of Him. Verse 29, the same person is God, as is manifest from chapter 3:1; “him not” is Christ; “he shall appear,” now it is Christ again, and so all verses 2 and 3. Thus be calls Him God and Christ in the same verse, and there are other similar instances in this epistle. We see this divine union in the words of Christ Himself, for He says in John's gospel, “'The Son of Man, who is in heaven,” although He was then actually on earth at the time. The word “Jehovah” refers to the three persons of the gospel, which men rightly call the Trinity.
The New Testament is the opening out of the unity of the Godhead in the Trinity of the persons. Christ was here as God as well as man, and His person cannot be divided. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Of course it is spiritually that this is true; but nevertheless it is our privilege to rejoice in His presence as that very Jesus who shed His blood for us. It is not the Spirit's presence, though He must be present that we may enjoy Christ's. But the Spirit has not died, suffered, and walked amongst us as Jesus did. The Holy Ghost is present, and reveals the Father's love and Christ Himself to us, and thus the Holy Ghost is the power in us, and the Father and the Son are they with whom we have fellowship; and this is the reason why we do not pray to the Holy Ghost. His place, in the ways of grace, is to be in us; the Father and the Son are the objects by His revelation of them before the soul.
Chapter 2: 12. I would just notice the way in which people have blundered with reference to this verse, which they think conveys the idea of a person working himself to obtain eternal life in contrast with God's working, insisting on the words “work out your own.” It is altogether mistaken. The apostle had been with them and had cared for them, had worked for them, kept at bay the power of the enemy, meeting the difficulties of the warfare, but that was not to continue; He now being in prison and having left them, they had to work out their salvation; that is, they would now have to fight their own battles, and have their own conflicts, which Paul felt was a very solemn thing; they were to do it “with fear and trembling,” and I am sure we shall all feel it a solemn thing, if we have a right apprehension of it, when we think of the great powers that are against us—the world, the flesh, and Satan; and are having to make God's cause and maintain by grace our own standing (learning too the conflict of flesh and Spirit). It is indeed a solemn thing to know that we are the vessels of a conflict between God and Satan. But it is no contrast between our working and God's; but our working and Paul's, who could no longer be in the conflict for them; but who adds, It is God who worked in them to will and to do—they had not lost Him. When Scripture speaks of my place in Christ as the result of accomplished redemption, there are no ifs or buts or warnings about it. These come when it looks at me as a Christian in the world under responsibility. And the Lord brings us through our trials and difficulties, but it is only to show us what is in ourselves and also to display what is in God, to abound over it all; as we see the passage of the children of Israel from the Red Sea to Canaan taught them many difficulties, but it also taught them the faithfulness of God: and when the journey through the wilderness was really finished, and they were come to the borders of the land, and were called to go up the mountain and enter into the land, their unbelief and distrust broke out, and they wanted Moses to send spies to see the land before they attempted to enter. Well, God permitted it, but what was the result? The very appearance of the place frightened them; the high walls, &c., staggered them; and they were afraid to go up. So Moses says, “Well, there is nothing but the wilderness for you;” and so they turned back. But, though chastening, God turned back with them. Surely it only brings out God's purpose of grace, as Moses told them in Deut. 8, it was to “humble thee and prove thee, to know what was in thine heart,” and also to show them what was in His. And He was above all their failure and shortcomings, taking care of them even to the nap of their coats. His ultimate result was blessing. “In all their afflictions he was afflicted.” I am sure it is a real conflict; but then we have the joy that “God works in us.” A man, who has been a very proud one, when he is really brokenhearted before God, makes a humbler Christian than a man who never showed signs of pride at all; for he finds grace with God to be subdued, and manifests that grace with others; when he sees it rising, he knows what is rising, and therefore is ready with a check upon it.
Verses 14 and 15. In this latter verse each element of the exhortation is exactly what Christ was upon earth: blameless, harmless, Son of God, and without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, the light of the world, holding forth the word of life. It forms a lovely picture of Christ's path, and just what we are exhorted to be. So we hear Paul saying of himself what Christ could have said; “I endure all things for the elects' sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” This is a very wonderful thing to say. Real fellowship with Christ's sufferings was this, and we find Paul looking on the day, in verse 16, with joy at the time when the result of all would be manifested. It is then when rewards are distributed; it is not a question of salvation at all. Reward is connected with labor, not with salvation.
Verses 19-30. How sweet it is to see the gracious thoughtfulness of the apostle towards these saints. “I trust in the Lord to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.” You see he could say he would send Timotheus shortly; not so with Epaphroditus—he must send him at once, for they had heard he had been sick and were sorrowful, and so the apostle is careful to end that sorrow by sending Epaphroditus unto them. (Ver. 28.) In the last verse he seems to intimate that they had been a little careless about him. “Your lack of service,” and also in chapter iv. 10; and he gives a very gentle rebuke and corrects what he says by expressing his assurance of their loving care; not that he spoke in respect of want, for he knew how to be abased and how to abound. If it was a gift of love, he would gladly receive their gifts; but still the good of the gospel is in his mind. If as the Corinthians they attached great importance to their money, he would have nothing to do with it, be wanted not their money but their hearts.
In chapter iii. we see Paul, in his energetic spirit, running after a prize. Important warnings in verse 2. He will not allow these Judaisers to be the “circumcision” here, but “concision,” which was a word of contempt “we are the circumcision.”
Paul counts all dross and dung that he might win Christ. Oh what single-eyed energy for Christ! You see if Christ is so precious to me that everything else is dung and dross, it will be no difficulty for me to throw it aside; that is the secret—the power of an absorbing object to deliver me from all else. It is to the extent my heart values an object that it is a temptation to me. Suppose I have a very beautiful cloak on and I am running a race, if my heart is really occupied with the prize I shall not mind the beauty of the cloak; I shall only know it is a weight, and shall cast it off me, as we find in Hebrews, “laying aside every weight and the sin which cloth so easily beset.” There they are only looked at as weights that have simply to be thrown aside. Note this was not a mere passing effect with Paul when the glory of Christ first gleamed in upon him; but at the end of his course he could say, “And I do count them but dung that I may win Christ.” He kept up to it all through his course; and we shall do the same just to the extent our minds are on the prize; and first of all the prize to him was winning Christ Himself.
Verses 11, 12. Paul views his own glory as connected with it at the end of his journey. The resurrection is an object of attainment. He looked at all suffering too in the power of resurrection, which always makes suffering easy. He says It does not matter what I pass through, whether death or anything else, so that I may get Him. “If by any means” —no matter what (ver. 11), if it costs me my life— “I might attain unto the resurrection from among the dead;” not “of the dead,” but “from among the dead.” This was the difficulty in Mark 9:10. They reasoned what the resurrection from the dead meant. A general resurrection of the dead was common enough: every Pharisee or orthodox Jew held it; but one from the dead was a new thing altogether, and this is the character of the saint's resurrection. God delighted in Christ, and, therefore, raised Him from among the dead. He also delights in us and is going to raise us from among the dead.
We run a race, but not an uncertain one.
The “perfect” ones spoken of in verse 15 are those who have laid hold on the truth of being risen and glorified with Christ on high; not only knowing that my sins are just forgiven, but apprehending the higher truth of resurrection in Christ. And it is as these we are called to walk. This is the same perfection as is spoken of in 1 Cor. 2: “We speak wisdom to them that are perfect.” The only perfection the apostle has before him is to be like Christ in glory and not like the first Adam.
A person may more easily know his sins forgiven; but it is a further truth to know that he is himself “dead to sin.” He finds this conflicts with his experience—that does not affect his experience. Suppose I tell you a debt of a thousand pounds which you owed, was paid by some one, it would not be a question of experience, but of simply believing my statement. Just so with God, He tells us our sins are forgiven, and it is a question whether we believe Him; but when He tells us we are dead to sin, we look inside and say, “Ah, sin is still at work: how is that?” A person must be taught of God to know really the truth that he is dead to sin.
The rest of the Epistle is still simply experience—sitting loose to the world, caring about nothing but Christ, superiority over all circumstances; and the apostle concludes, “My God shall supply all your need” —my God, the One whom I have been learning, I count upon for all your wants.