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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Philippians 2:19 - 3:1
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Php_2:19 to Php_3:1
19But 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. 20For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 23Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly. 25But 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; 26because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore 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. 29Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me. Php_3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
Php_2:19 "But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send" Paul knew his life and plans were not his own, but were controlled by the will of God (cf. Php_2:24; 1Co_4:19; Jas_4:13-17).
▣ "so that I also may be encouraged" This is a present active subjunctive. This term is used in the sense of a "farewell" and "good luck" and has been found on many ancient tombs. This is the only usage in the NT and seems to be used in the sense of "cheered" (NRSV).
Php_2:20
NASB "kindred spirit"
NKJV "like-minded"
NRSV "like him"
TEV "who shares my feelings"
NJB "cares as sincerely for your well-being"
This is literally "like- souled" (isopsuchos) This implies that Timothy had the same love for the Philippian church as Paul did. A similar compound "like-minded" (sumpsuchos) is used in Php_2:2.
NASB, NRSV "who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare"
NKJV "who will sincerely care for your state"
TEV "who really cares about you"
NJB "cares as sincerely for your well-being"
Originally this term meant "legitimately born," but it came to be used metaphorically for "genuine." The term "concerned" appears in Php_4:6 and means "anxious" and had a negative connotation. In this verse it has a positive connotation.
Php_2:21 It is uncertain to whom Paul was referring, but he obviously meant his associates in the ministry. This is probably related to the jealous preachers in the Roman church (cf. Php_1:14-17). Others see it as being related to the false teachers of chap. 3. However, this seems unusual because Paul would not refer to them as "preachers of Christ" (cf. Php_1:15). A good example of the kind of mixed priorities Paul is referring to can be seen in Demas (cf. 2Ti_4:10). Self-interest was, and is, a recurrent problem (cf. 1Co_10:24; 1Co_13:5; Php_2:4).
Php_2:22 "his proven worth" This term is used of testing coins or precious metals to prove their genuineness. Timothy had been with Paul at Philippi as recorded in Acts 16, 20. He was well acquainted with this church and he loved them dearly.
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▣ "like a child serving his father" This was Paul's way of referring to a good, loyal, and faithful helper (cf. Tit_1:4). However, in Timothy's case, it also meant convert (cf. 1Ti_1:2; 2Ti_1:2).
Php_2:23 "as soon as I see how things go with me" Paul did expect some word concerning his legal case soon, but he was still uncertain whether he would be put to death or be able to return and visit with them. The order of Paul's prison letters seems to be: (1) Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon early in the trial process and (2) Philippians toward the conclusion of the case.
Php_2:24 "I trust" This is a perfect active indicative used in the sense of "to be assured or confident" (cf. 2Co_2:3; Heb_13:18). Paul's confidence was in the Lord (Php_2:24), in the Spirit (Php_1:19 b), and in their prayers (Php_1:19 a). Paul had much more confidence in his release from prison in this book than in Colossians or Ephesians.
Php_2:25 "I thought" These are epistolary aorists. Paul was writing as if he had already done it.
▣ "necessity" This is a very strong Greek word (cf. Act_1:24; Act_13:46; 2Co_9:5; Heb_8:3). It is placed first in the sentence for emphasis.
▣ "Epaphroditus" His name is related to the goddess, Aphrodite. He is not the same as Epaphras who was mentioned in Col_1:7; Col_4:12; Phm_1:23, although Epaphras is an abbreviation of Epaphroditus.
▣ "my brother and fellow-worker and fellow soldier" Paul saw this man as a close associate. Apparently he had been sent by the Philippians to bring a monetary gift to Paul in prison and to stay on and help him. While there, he became deathly ill (Php_2:27). Paul was returning him to his home church and expressing his thanksgiving to them for sending him. Paul did not want the church to be angry with him because he had returned early.
▣ "your messenger and minister to my needs" "Messenger" is the term "apostle" which means "a sent one." Here, it is used in its non-technical sense (cf. Php_4:18; 2Co_8:23). Remember context determines word meaning, not the lexicon/dictionary.
Php_2:26 "for he was longing for you all" This is a strong term used of Paul's longing to see this church as in Php_1:8; Php_4:1. Epaphroditus was homesick as well as physically ill.
NASB, NKJV,
NRSV "distressed"
TEV "is very upset"
NJB "was worrying"
This term can mean "homesick" from one usage found in the Koine Greek papyri found in Egypt. Here it describes his mental anguish over the report of his physical illness reaching the Philippian church. This same term is used of Jesus' agony in Gethsemane (cf. Mat_26:37; Mar_14:33).
Php_2:27 "he was sick to the point of death" Apparently Paul was unable to heal him (cf. Php_2:30). It is difficult to determine when and how the Apostles used the gift of healing and why they were unable to do so on some occasions (cf. 2 Corinthians 12; 2Ti_4:20). Healing is not automatic. Do those modern preachers who claim that God desires all to be healed really believe that Paul the Apostle did not have enough faith on this occasion? Faith is not the key to divine healing, but God's will and plan for the ones healed.
Paul wanted the Philippians to know that Epaphroditus was truly and seriously ill. Possibly some in the church at Philippi would be upset when he returned home early (cf. Php_2:28-30).
Php_2:30 "risking his life" This is an aorist middle participle which literally means "gambled." It must refer to his sickness. Paul uses the Greek term "soul" (psychç) to refer to Epaphroditus' life. The Bible does not follow the Greek concept that humans have "an immortal soul" but the Hebrew concept that humans are a "living soul" (cf. Gen_2:7). The physical body is the outward boundary of our earthly existence. Humans are related to this planet like the animals, but they are also related to God. Human beings, however, are a unity, not a dichotomy or trichotomy (cf. 1Th_5:23; Heb_4:12). This unity is discussed in the NT in contrasting ways:
1. old man-new man
2. external-internal
3. present age-age to come
4. flesh-spirit
5. resurrection life-resurrection day
Be careful of a proof-texted theology that picks one or two verses out of their literary context and asserts that they are the "key" to interpret the rest of the bible. If the interpretive key to the Scriptures is the trichotomous humanity (body, soul, spirit) then where is the clear teaching passage from Jesus or Paul? Anyone can pick an isolated verse and claim it as the key. This would imply that God's truth is not clearly written for the common man, but only for an elite group with secret knowledge of this "key" verse or perspective (Gnosticism). This approach to interpretation is a plague in modern Christianity.
NASB "to complete what was deficient in your service to me"
NKJV "to supply what was lacking in your service to me"
NRSV "to make up for those services that you could not give me"
TEV "in order to give me the help that you yourselves could not give"
NJB "to do the duty to me which you could not do yourselves"
In English this sounds somewhat negative, however, it was a Greek idiom showing lack of opportunity but with a positive desire (cf. Php_4:10; Rom_1:10).
Php_3:1 "finally" This is literally "for the rest" (loipon). Paul often used this term to make the transition to a new subject, usually at the close of the letter (cf. 2Co_13:11; Eph_6:10; 1Th_4:8; 2Th_3:1).
There is a new trend in NT interpretation called "chiasim" which seeks to discern a type of inverted outline (ex. A, B, C, B, A). This pattern of parallelism is known from the OT and many assert that it was also common in Greek thought. Often Paul's finale seems to introduce the middle truth of this structured parallelism.
▣ "rejoice in the Lord" This is a recurrent theme. Rejoice in suffering, rejoice in salvation, rejoice in Him!
▣ "To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you" Major truths need to be repeated for emphasis, impact, and retention. Paul must have said these things to them orally while in Philippi and could possibly have written to them in a previous letter.
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