03.06. LESSON 6

LESSON 6 On the background of self-exaltation and consequent dissension at Philippi, Paul, as we saw in the preceding “study,” throws the portrait of Christ in his extreme self-renunciation and consequent, pre-eminent exaltation. He paints this picture in order to add power to his great ap­peal, “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” As Christ’s deep self-effacement and obedience even unto the cross was the bloody path he trod to glory and exaltation, so men who are to share his triumph must start, paradoxically, downward as he did. They must lose their lives in order to find them.

We also saw that Christians in working out their salva­tion, since they already have justification as a gift through the merit of Christ’s death, are not working for justifica­tion. Rather, in gratitude to him who justified them and in distrust of self to live worthily, they depend on the triune God, who is working in them, to provide “sanctification of the Spirit” as he did justification—blood for sinners and enabling power for saints. God’s workings in men, as in nature, exclude miracles, but include human collaboration. In all respects, men are basically dependent creatures; apart from God, they can do no more to justify or to sanctify themselves than they can to feed themselves bodily.

Note that Paul expects to correct the personal, local shortcomings at Philippi by an appeal to the universal, fundamental principles of Christianity—little things to be settled on big principles. He thinks that obedience to God and dependence on God as practiced by Christ will right everything. The essence of human sin has ever been man’s rejection of his creaturehood and his foolish desire to be wise and independent like God (See Genesis 3:4-6). God proposes in Christianity to bring man to a realization of the distance between himself and his Creator that he may be returned to the status of a dependent creature, and live as he was created and conditioned to live.

“The Mind of Christ”

“Do all things without murmurings and questionings; that ye may be blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life” (Php 2:14-16). The roots of this passage lie in, “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Php 2:5). And inasmuch as it is a pic­ture of Christ, it shows what having the mind of Christ means. The language, being unlimited, forbids complain­ing about anything whatsoever. Instead of questioning life’s mysteries and contradictions, and God’s providences, saints with the mind of Christ pray as he did in Gethsemane, “Not as I will, but as thou wilt.” All murmuring is treason against the mind of Christ.

These verses prune personal character that more fruit may be borne. That the church, in a dark and dead world, give light and save life, is its primary purpose and mature fruit. When Christians keep busy “holding forth the word of life,” they have little taste and time for petty quibbling and quarreling. As the color and fragrance of flowers, ac­cording to naturalists, are to attract bees that carry pollen to fertilize other flowers, so Christians are beautiful and at­tractive that the pollen of Christ may fertilize other lives.    

Paul— (Php 2:16-18) In the rest of Php 2:1-30, Paul names and characterizes himself, Timothy, and Epaphroditus as men worthy of imi­tation because they have the mind of Christ. He wrote the Corinthians: “Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). To these Philippians he writes: “The things which ye saw in me, these things do” (Php 4:9). In our immediate scripture his Christ-like self-abnegation is truly amazing. It is as if Christ instead of Paul were doing the living. Indeed, this is the way he explains his life to the Galatians: “It is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:20). Humble men do not think meanly of them­selves; they just do not think of themselves at all.

Paul here tells them that his sufferings and possible exe­cution are but the drink-offering that forms an insignificant part of their burnt-offering of service. Note the unity in Christ: Paul in Rome and they in Philippi constitute but one sacrifice. They are his “joy and crown,” and should they fail “in the day of Christ,” it would be irreparable loss for him too. The passage closes: “I joy, and rejoice with you all: and in the same manner do ye also joy, and rejoice with me.” This chapter is full of rejoicing in lowly serv­ice.

Timothy — (Php 2:19-24)

Paul does not know the future, but he hopes that his sending Timothy to Philippi, to be followed soon by his own coming, is in line with the will of God. In all literature, no more elevated friendship than that between Paul and Timo­thy exists. Their both having the mind of Christ accounts for their selfless likemindedness; each like the Good Shep­herd has a true shepherd-heart. On this occasion at least, Paul has no other man to send who has such “small regard for his dinner” and self-advancement, and who can there­fore so well heal their diseases. Self so successfully squirms itself into our religion that death to self is still a rare thing. Of how many may, “They all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ,” be written today? This, too, is treason against the mind of Christ; he “pleased not himself,” but sought the things of others.

Epaphroditus — (Php 2:25-30) The last of the Christ-like trio is Epaphroditus. The church at Phillippi had sent him, one of their number, to Rome with supplies and “news” for Paul. He had fallen “sick nigh unto death,” but now, through God’s mercy well again and no doubt bearing this letter, is going home. As a devoted son, sick, away from home, is distressed because his mother is grieved on his account, Epaphroditus longs to get back for the comfort of homefolk. Paul writes: “I have sent him . . . that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.” How touching, even unto pathos, that Paul feels he has enough sorrow without being indirectly the cause of sorrow to others. A house, even a hired house, that shelters these three is a veritable hothouse of Christian consideration, tenderness and courtesy. Who can doubt that Paul is reducing his, “Walk even as ye have us for an ensample” (Php 3:17), to life for the church at Philippi?

QUESTIONS 1.What does to have the mind of Christ mean?

2. Explain the paradox that one must go down in order to rise.

4.    In what does human sin essentially consist?

5.    Why is complaining and murmuring treason against the mind of Christ?

6.    What is the chief activity of the church?

7.    How does Paul account for his having the mind of Christ?

8.    Characterize Timothy and Epaphroditus.

9.    For what purpose are the lives of Paul, Timothy, and Epaph­roditus brought into the last half of Php 2:1-30?