Philippians 2, Joyous Community

Paul addresses Christian community, living together in Christ's love.

Philippians 2: 1-4, Fellowship in humility

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 

Part of following Christ is working within His community, in care and humility.

Philippians 2: 5-11, Jesus, divine model of humility

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is set forward as the very example of humility since, being in nature (or "form") of God, he stepped down to become human, but not just a human, but one who allowed himself to be killed on the cross!  If God can step down like that, we too are to be willing to give up our egos for others.

Once Paul has started in this direction, he goes on to praise the Messiah, stating that the humility of Jesus has resulted in him taking up a final position far above all others.

Philippians 2: 12-13, Continued growth, "trembling"
So then, my beloved, just as you 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; for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.

We are to trust in God's divine plan, yet at the same time, view our life with seriousness and care. Here, as earlier, "salvation" need not be the modern American concept of "eternal salvation" but simply represents the process in which the believer develops freedom from the broken world around and within him/her.

Philippians 2: 14-18, Fellowship in humility
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--

in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Do all things without complaining or arguments; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding firmly the word of life, so that on the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. 

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 

You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

A sincere Christian community should be obvious in its love and care for others, "shining like stars" among the ordinary selfishness of the rest of the world.

(From Envision Truth 499 comes this drawing of Philippians 2: 14-15...)

(... and this drawing of Philippians 2: 17)

Philippians 2: 19-23, Timothy, a sincere friend

But I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 

But you know of his proven character, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me;

Timothy, longtime traveler with Paul, has been a strong support for Paul in prison.

Philippians 2: 24-30, Our dear friend, Epaphroditus

and I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly. But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need, because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 

Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to compensate for your absence in your service to me.

Another supporter has been Epaphroditus, apparently sent by the Philippians to minister to Paul.

Paul returns to the theme of Joy in the next chapter.

(This version of the Bible used in this blog post is the NASB. This post will eventually appear in my New Testament blog on 6/17/2025. At this time I am focusing my attention on working through the Old Testament at oldtestamentchapters.blogspot.com.)