INTRODUCTION
The Church at Philippi appears to have been one of the purest of the Apostolic age, and beyond any other called out the Apostle’s thankfulness and commendation.
The occasion of the Epistle seems to have been the return of Epaphroditus, who had brought a gift from Paul’s friends in Philippi, but had been seized by a dangerous illness, Paul was a prisoner in his own hired house in Rome and was anticipating his trial before the emperor.
There is nothing controversial in this letter. The peace of God keeps the Apostle’s mind and heart, and out of it pours a tide of deep and tender love. The hope of being alive at Christ’s coming is still his guiding star. His citizenship is in heaven, and all that he has forfeited of earthly wealth and joy is more than compensated for by what he has found in Christ.
OUTLINE OF THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS
TO PRESENT EVERY MAN PERFECT IN CHRIST
THE LIFE THAT IS WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
A Life of Good-Will and Helpfulness
A Life Determined by the Spirit of Christ
4. What is the great characteristic of the “mind of Christ”?
CHRIST’S EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY
Therefore if there is any encouragement and comfort in Christ [as there certainly is in abundance], if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship [that we share] in the Spirit, if [there is] any [great depth of] affection and compassion,
make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love [toward one another], knit together in spirit, intent on one purpose [and living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the gospel–the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ].
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.
Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility],
who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes–the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it];
but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].
After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross.
For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [Isa_45:23]
and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father.
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
On
Philippians 1:1-11
FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE OF SELF-SURRENDER
In all Scripture-indeed, in all literature-there is no passage which combines such extraordinary extremes as this. The Apostle opens the golden compasses of his faith, placing one jeweled point on the throne of divine glory and the other at the edge of the pit, where the Cross stood; and then he asks us to measure the vast descent of the Son of God as He came down to help us. Mark the seven steps: He was in the form of God, that is, as much God as He was afterward a servant; being in the form of God… took the form of a servant. He was certainly the latter and equally so the former. He did not grasp at equality with God, for it was already His. He emptied Himself, that is, refused to avail Himself of the use of His divine attributes, that He might teach the meaning of absolute dependence on the Father. He obeyed as a servant the laws which had their source in Himself. He became man-a humble man, a dying man, a crucified man. He lay in the grave. But the meaning of His descent was that of His ascent, and to all His illustrious names is now added that of Jesus-Savior. This must be our model. This mind must be in us. In proportion as we become humbled and crucified, we, in our small measure, shall attain the power of blessing and saving men.
Pastor Jeff Arthur.
The Humility Of Jesus.
A Call To Humility.
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