Phi 3:1

FINALLY: Or “furthermore”: cp 1Th 4:1; 2Th 3:1; 1Co 1:16; 4:2; 2Co 13:1; Gal 6:17. Usually this word does not mark a conclusion so much as a transition on the way to a conclusion. It introduces what remains to be said. Anyone who has listened to much preaching knows that Christian communicators often say “finally” long before the message ends!

REJOICE: Joy is the prevailing mood of the whole letter (Phi 1:3,4,18,25; 2:1,2,17-19,28,29; cf Phi 4:1,4,10,18). “This joy of the disciple of Christ is meant to be unquenchable, an inner joy which is essentially a part of the individual, a joy which in its strength presents a striking contrast with the gaiety of the world, so effervescent and dependent upon external stimuli. It is this kind of joy that Paul possessed. He wanted the Philippians to develop it” (BPh 28)).

IN THE LORD: Regardless of circumstances the Christian can and should always rejoice in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the basis of true joy and the sphere in which it thrives.

There is a transition here, of sorts: rejoicing is tremendously important, but — Paul reminds them — false teachers can rob the brethren of joy…

IT IS NO TROUBLE FOR ME TO WRITE THE SAME THINGS TO YOU AGAIN: ‘I don’t mind repeating this because it is so important to you.’ “The same things” refer to the warnings about the Judaizers in the verses that follow: this, evidently, has been a continual theme of Paul’s exhortations to them, and to others.

Phi 3:2

DOGS: A term of reproach and contempt (1Sa 17:43; 24:14; 2Sa 16:9; 2Ki 8:13; Deut 23:18; Prov 26:11; Isa 56:10,11; cp Psa 22:16,20; Mat 7:6; 15:26; Mar 7:27; Rev 22:15). In ancient times, dogs were unclean, wild, vicious creatures that threatened the peace and safety of everyone. Like “dogs”, these Judaizers tore the flesh!

“The use of the noun ‘kuon’ in the disparaging sense in which it appears throughout the NT must be distinguished from ‘kunarion’, the diminutive form, which denoted the ‘house dog’ as distinct from the ‘yard dog’ or the ‘dog of the streets’. Jesus referred to the ‘kunarion’, or house dog, in his discourse with the Gentile woman (Mat 15:26,27; Mark 7:27,28)” (EBCn).

” ‘Beware of dogs, beware of the concision,’ wrote Paul in curt contempt (Phi 3:2). It was obviously a slighting reference to Judaists with their confidence in circumcision (see v 3). But the point of it comes out so much more when the same Greek word is traced to the ordeal of Elijah on mount Carmel. Then the priests of Baal sought to commend themselves to the attention of their god by the way they ‘cut themselves… with knives and lancets’ (1Ki 18:28). To liken dedicated Judaists to such men was an act of temerity. Yet what fundamental difference was there? For these zealots for the Law also sought the favour of Jehovah by ‘cutting themselves with knives and lancets.’ Paul rubbed the point well in by his other jibe: ‘Beware of dogs.’ Let a man be never so zealous for Moses, he makes himself into a mere dog of a Gentile if he relies on his own observance of forms and rites to earn his salvation. Or were those priests of Baal ‘dogs’ of a different sort? (Deu 23:18)” (WBS).

THOSE MEN WHO DO EVIL: Or, more precisely, “evil WORKERS”: ie, stressing the word “worker”: these are men who do “works” of the Law so as to put God in their debt — they believe that man may be justified by his WORKS (cp Acts 15:15; Rom 3:27,28). These Judaizers taught that people could only enter the ecclesia of Christ through the entryway of Judaism, and that once inside they still needed to submit to the Mosaic Law. They emphasized circumcision because it was the rite that brought a person into Judaism, which they viewed as a prerequisite to justification (cf Acts 15:1). So, in effect, they promoted circumcision for the wrong reasons, contrary to the revelation of God in Scripture.

Paul’s metaphor of “dogs” is full of “bite”. In effect, Paul reverses the epithet (of unclean, Gentile “dog”) so commonly used by Jews to describe Gentiles; by trying to make Gentiles “clean” through circumcision, the Judaizers were making themselves the unclean “dogs”!

MUTILATORS: Gr “katatomee”, “excision” (Vine, Diag), “concision” (KJV), merely cutting, in ct “peritomee” (true circumcision) of v 3. Prohibited in Lev 21:5 (LXX: katatomee). Sw also 1Ki 18:28: the prophets of Baal, cutting themselves! Also see Isa 15:2 (sw, LXX). (An even bolder term — “emasculate themselves” — appears in Gal 5:12). For those who had lost the significance of circumcision and insisted on it as a rite for Christians, it was nothing more than a mutilation of the flesh. There is real irony here: Paul says that even ritual circumcision, IF performed in the spirit of “earning salvation”, is nothing more than a wanton tearing and ripping of the flesh — such as wild dogs would do!

Phi 3:3

FOR IT IS WE WHO ARE THE CIRCUMCISION: Here, for contrast, Paul describes the true spiritual circumcision: that which speaks of confidence in God, not in the flesh nor in the works of the Law (cp Col 2:11). “Of itself, circumcision profited not. It was an apt symbol of the truth that the ‘flesh profits nothing (for it was ‘cut off’), but the Spirit gives life’. [John 6:63] By its very nature, in being hidden, it should have been perceived that it spoke of the inward condition of the heart (Rom 2:28,29). It is a paradox that it should ever have become an outward symbol of human pride and even boasting!” (LPh 44). Even the OT has much to say about “circumcision” of the heart rather than of the flesh: Lev 26:41; Deut 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; Ezek 44:7.

WE WHO WORSHIP BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD: As Jesus told the Samaritan woman: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Worship with the mind and intellect is the true way, and it is quite independent of such external aspects as place (such as Samaria or Jerusalem), circumcision, or Law (John 4:21-24).

WHO GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS: “Glory” is a different word from “rejoice” in v 1: “kauchema” means to boast, or vaunt oneself. The Philippians were to boast in Christ Jesus, not in the works of the Law, such as outward circumcision, for “a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified” (Gal 2:16; Psa 143:2). True believers boast, not in their own “achievements”, but in the mercies of God in Jesus Christ, “who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1Co 1:29-31; cp Jer 9:23; 2Co 10:17).

AND PUT NOT CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH: This lesson is traceable all the way back in Gen 17, where circumcision was instituted. Because it was impossible, on natural grounds, for Abraham to produce an heir — all the “work” was of God, who blessed Abraham with the covenant of circumcision, and miraculously brought about the birth of Isaac. Thus, all of Abraham’s subsequent hope, and all the covenants of promise, and any prospect of eternal life, was a gift from God — and not dependent upon any works of Law. Circumcision itself was but the token of what God had already done, and would continue to do Himself, to bless Abraham.

THE FLESH: The NT writers used the term “flesh” (Gr “sarx”) in a literal and in a metaphorical sense. Literally it refers to our bodies (Luke 24:39). Figuratively it refers to human nature (John 1:14), which is prone to sin (cf Rom 7:5; 8:9,19). Paul often uses this term in his controversies with Judaizers, esp in Rom and Gal (Rom 3:20; 7:18, 25; Gal 2:16; 3:3; 5:19, 24).

Phi 3:4

THOUGH I MYSELF HAVE REASONS FOR SUCH CONFIDENCE. IF ANYONE ELSE THINKS HE HAS REASONS TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH, I HAVE MORE: “If confidence in the fleshly achievements and background were worth anything, then Paul was well qualified to boast. He was sufficiently acquainted with the background of the leading Judaizers to know that his own history of achievement in the Jews’ religion eclipsed theirs (cp Acts 26:4,5,10-12). If he repudiated ‘the flesh’, then it must be for very good reasons!” (LPh 45).

For the sake of the argument Paul adopted the Judaizers’ attitude of confidence in the flesh. He did this to show that his rejection of Jewish advantages was not because he lacked them. The same approach is used in 2Co 11:26–12:12.

Phi 3:5

Vv 5,6: Seven characteristics of Paul’s old nature.

CIRCUMCISED ON THE EIGHTH DAY: “He was no proselyte: in common with his Lord (cf Luke 2:21) and in strict accord with the covenant requirements imposed on Abraham and Moses (cf Gen 17:9-13; Lev 12:3), he had been circumcised on the appointed day” (BPh 81,82). He had not received circumcision later in life as many people did who converted to Judaism (eg, Acts 16:3).

OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL: The new name which God bestowed on Jacob (Gen 32:28), indicative of the promises.

BENJAMIN: Cp Rom 11:1. The first kingly tribe. Benjamin was the only one of Jacob’s sons actually born in the Land (Gen 35:16-20) — a source of pride in itself. Moreover he was born of Rachel, a free woman and Jacob’s favorite wife. The territory of Benjamin included Jerusalem and the Temple Mount (Josh 18:16). This tribe alone, beside Judah, remained loyal to David’s house when the monarchy divided. The feast of Purim celebrated the salvation of the Jews by a Benjamite, Mordecai. After the Exile, Benjamin and Judah formed the core of the restoration community.

A HEBREW OF HEBREWS: (1) “A Hebrew born of Hebrew parents” (Moffatt) — with absolutely no question as to his ancestry, as if God would respect such credentials (ct Mat 3:9; John 8:33,34)! Or (2) Not just a Jew, but one fluent in the Heb language, who also retained Heb customs. Not a Hellenist (Trench, cited in SB 13:54; cp Act 21:40; 22:2).

IN REGARD TO THE LAW, A PHARISEE: As Paul was not hesitant to proclaim to others (Acts 23:6; 26:4,5 — “the strictest sect of our religion”). In Jerusalem, where he completed his education, he was instructed by the renowned teacher of the Pharisees, Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). ” ‘Pharisee’ for Paul was not a term of reproach, but a title of honor, a claim to ‘the highest degree of faithfulness and sincerity in the fulfilment of duty to God as prescribed by the divine Torah’ (Beare)” (Const).

“How easily Paul might have fallen into the simple but tragic error of the Pharisee in Luke 18:11 who congratulated himself with such nauseating self-satisfaction on being superior to other men. Paul, however, was cast in a different mould and even when his view of God’s ways were bounded by the Law he was still pursuing an ideal outside himself” (BPh 143).

Phi 3:6

AS FOR ZEAL, PERSECUTING THE CHURCH: “For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it” (Gal 1:13; cp Acts 9:13,21). “Bitter experience had brought home to him the futility of human achievement and the vanity of racial privilege. It was the Jews, the recipients and custodians of the divine oracles (cf Rom 3:2; 9:3-5), who had slain the Lord Jesus. And it was a Jew, Saul of Tarsus, highly distinguished among his own generation, who had been a leading persecutor of the infant church. These were historical facts against which no dialectic could prevail” (BPh 80).

AS FOR LEGALISTIC RIGHTEOUSNESS, FAULTLESS: “I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers” (Gal 1:14). “Here is the evidence, if we required it, that even in his unenlightened days, he had felt the claims of the law upon himself as an individual… he had striven with might and main to satisfy all the minutiae of the law. His use of the term ‘blameless’ shows that in this respect he was above criticism… While Christ has taught us to be aware of Pharisaic humbug (Luk 12:1), let us not forget that Pharisees like Paul had only one ambition: to serve and please God. From his earliest conscious moments, Paul was surrounded by influences directing his mind towards the God of Israel. His roots were deep in the OT. If later he found himself obliged to repudiate much in Pharisaism, it is significant that he said to the Sanhedrin: ‘I AM a Pharisee’ (Acts 23:6)” (BPh 85,86).

FAULTLESS: Or “blameless” (AV). The Gr is “amemptos”, irreproachable (Phi 2:15, sw). As a Pharisee, Paul had enough morality to keep him away from the grosser sins, but not enough righteousness to get him into the Kingdom of God! It was not bad things that kept Paul away from Jesus — it was good things! His zeal and his purity were barriers to accepting Christ; thinking himself well, he felt he needed no “physician” (Mat 9:12; Mar 2:17; Luke 5:31). He had to lose his “religion” to find salvation!

In Christ, by contrast, true blamelessness is possible only thru the forgiveness of sins (1Th 3:13; 5:23).

Phi 3:7

WHATEVER WAS TO MY PROFIT: All earthly advantages (lit, “all gains” — plural) constitute a challenge to the disciple of Christ, because his master demands complete submission. And for Paul, every fleshly advantage served only to strengthen his false hope of salvation. So there must be a repudiation of all these fleshly entanglements (Gal 5:24; Rom 8:13) — since he cannot serve both God and Mammon (Mat 6:24). “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” (Mat 16:26). An echo of the Lord’s words can be detected in this verse.

I NOW CONSIDER LOSS FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST: All the merits, privileges, and attainments are lumped together and cast away in a single gesture of contempt. Paul has come to regard all the “gains” of the past as but a single “loss”! All Paul needs — all he yearns for — is the “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8). He has found the “pearl of great price”, and willingly gives everything else in order to possess it (Mat 13:45,46).

Phi 3:8

I CONSIDER EVERYTHING A LOSS: Now, if possible, Paul broadens the scope even more. There is not a single, solitary thing that he does not consider “loss” when compared to…

THE SURPASSING GREATNESS OF KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD: This involved justification and the hope of eternal life. This “knowledge” was both intellectual and experiential.

I CONSIDER THEM RUBBISH: This Gr word — “skubalon” — “occurs only here in the NT. Its derivation is uncertain, but it appears to have referred to excrement, food gone bad, scraps left over after a meal, and refuse. In extrabiblical Greek it describes a half-eaten corpse and lumps of manure” (Const). Thus it is not unreasonably translated “dung” (AV), and “vile refuse” (Diag) — that which is not only worthless but strongly offensive and potentially dangerous.

Ironically, “skubalon” here may be thought of as that which is thrown to the “dogs” (v 2)! To paraphrase Paul: ‘I cast away as the vilest trash all the privileges and honors of my earlier life: let the unclean “dogs” of the Judaizers revel in such things!’

“This is in fact the true position, but only those who have thought long and hard about the real values of human life can agree with Paul. To arrive at this judgment one must have faith in the exceeding great promises of God. In comparison with God’s promises, ‘the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared’ (Rom 8:18; 2Co 4:16-18)” (LPh 49).

THAT I MAY GAIN CHRIST: Here the striving, urgency and strong feeling of the Truth are paramount. In the fullness and solemnity of the words we can see the evidence of Paul’s intense devotion to Christ. There can be no wavering or indifference. There are essentially only two choices: total commitment or complete indifference — it won’t do to jump halfway across the chasm! What choice have we made? In Christ all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden (Col 2:3), but to search them out and appropriate them personally requires a lifetime.

“Paul concentrated on his aim of knowing Christ with all the earnestness of his ardent nature. In his poem ‘The Scholar-Gipsy’ Matthew Arnold tells the story of one who forsook his former haunts in order to master the secrets of gipsy lore. He surrendered all to realize this one object. The poet thinks wistfully of the man who early left society… ‘with powers Fresh, undiverted to the world without, Firm to their mark, not spent on other things.’

“Arnold sees the contrast between himself and his contemporaries, with their ‘divided aims’, and the scholar-gipsy with his one controlling purpose in life: ‘Thou hast one aim, one business, one desire: Else hadst thou spent, like other men, thy fire.’

“How eminently does Paul merit such a tribute! Richly endowed, he could have won for himself a distinguished place in Jewish society, but he had come to see that in comparison with the richer prize offered in Christ, all the world could give was but refuse… This does not mean that the apostle practised asceticism or was in any way a crank (cf Col 2:20-23). He did not choose to live in a tub, as Diogenes is sometimes reputed to have done, nor on the top of a pillar like Simeon Stylites. Life was full of legitimate pleasures, for he knew how to abound (Phi 4:12). Yet all the time his gaze was fixed on Christ. Extraneous influences may cause the needle of a compass to oscillate for a time, but it comes to rest looking in one direction. So it was with Paul; the whole orientation of his life was Christward” (BPh 23,24).

Phi 3:9

AND BE FOUND IN HIM: With stress on the “in”. For Paul, Christ was a whole “universe”: there was no existence — at least, no meaningful existence — apart from, or outside of, him!

A RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MY OWN THAT COMES FROM THE LAW: A meticulous performance of all the ordinances of the Law of Moses. Such obedience might win the admiration of men, but it could never achieve the absolute perfection God requires (Gal 3:10,11; James 2:10). And anyway, it was impossible for sinful man to keep that law perfectly; it served primarily as the “guide” or “schoolmaster”, to lead men to Christ (Rom 3:19; 5:13; 7:7-14; Gal 3:24).

THAT WHICH IS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST — THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD AND IS BY FAITH: “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:22-26). Notice that, here, “righteousness” is equated with “faith in Christ”: it is only thru him, and upon the accepted basis, that God can and will meet with man and forgive his sins.

Phi 3:10

See VL, Christ’s resurrection, reality.

Vv 10,11: “The thought that Christ offers an example to imitate as well as salvation to be accepted in humble gratitude is surely the key to the understanding of this verse. Paul has not replaced one legalistic concept of salvation by another. He does not believe that Christ has presented him with a blank cheque to be drawn on an account which is inexhaustible… Knowing Christ involves sharing in his sufferings (this is implicit in Mat 16:24,25)… We would suggest that Paul has in mind the moral and spiritual implications of Christ’s death and resurrection… All that has been exemplified in the experience of Christ must be enshrined anew in the life of the believer” (BPh 145; cp Rom 6; Eph 2:5,6; Col 3:1).

Exemplified in family of Bethany: Martha (‘know him’: Luk 10:38), Lazarus (‘power of resur’: Joh 11:44), and Mary (‘suffering’: Joh 12:3).

I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST: The Gr means “to fully know”. Ref knowledge gained thru personal experience. More than just a casual acquaintance and “head knowledge”: cp John 17:3; Jer 22:16; 9:24.

THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION: “Resurrection” seems to be out of order in the sequence here, unless we see it as the spiritual implications of a new life in Christ: raised up from the waters of baptism, the believer walks in a new life, conforming to the moral perfection of his Lord (Rom 6:1-6; Col 3:12; Eph 2:5,6).

THE FELLOWSHIP OF SHARING IN HIS SUFFERINGS: All sufferings for Christ’s sake were in effect a continuation of his sufferings, since the believers were one body with their Lord. So Paul spoke of his own sufferings as “filling up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions” (Col 1:24). And Peter spoke of “participating in the sufferings of Christ” (1Pe 4:13).

BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH: Gr “summorphoumenos” = to have the same form (“morphe”: status, rank, circumstances) along with another. Thus the completeness of the identity of the believers with Christ is stressed (Heb 2:13,14). The theological import of union with Christ must be demonstrated in life experience. This is the process of sanctification and is intended to bring the believer’s present state into ever-increasing conformity to Christ (Rom 8:29; 2Co 3:18; Phi 3:21). Therefore, those who died with him and rose with him (Col 2:20; 3:1-3) must exhibit this truth by a separation from their old life and a continual walking in the power supplied by Christ’s resurrection life.

Consider, generally, Gal 2:20; 5:24; 6:14; Rom 6:8,11; 1Pe 2:24; 1Co 15:31; Mark 11:24,25.

Phi 3:11

Resurrection here = a complete process. Cp Heb 11:35; 1Co 15:52; Joh 5:28,29. Here is “ek-anastasis” (once in NT): “a coming out of the dead ones” — suggesting, perhaps, a resurrection out of dead ones which are not resurrected: “the resurrection from among the dead” (NASB).

Paul wanted his resurrection to culminate in “everlasting life”, not merely the “second death” (John 5:29; Dan 12:2; Rev 2:11; 20:6).

Phi 3:12

NOT THAT I HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED ALL THIS: In this verse too, there is an underlying notion of resurrection as a figure of the new life in Christ Jesus. “Perhaps there were perfectionists in Philippi who had resisted the Judaizers with their emphasis on works and ceremonies by going to the extreme of claiming to have acquired already the consummation of spiritual blessings” (EBC). But this erroneous view must be countered: the attaining, or obtaining, of this new life is an ongoing struggle. “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Mat 10:22). There could be no letting up short of the final goal. Even Christ was made perfect thru suffering, and esp the final suffering of the cross (Heb 2:10; 5:8,9). Not until the final impulses of sin were subjugated could the Saviour say, “It is finished” (John 19:30). For examples of Paul’s internal battles against sin, see 1Co 9:27; Rom 7:15-25; 2Co 10:4,5.

OR HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE PERFECT: Gr “teleios” (see how this sw is used in v 15). There were, and are, some Christians who believe that after conversion they do not sin (1Jo 1:6-10).

BUT I PRESS ON TO TAKE HOLD OF THAT FOR WHICH CHRIST JESUS TOOK HOLD OF ME: “Practical sanctification does not come automatically by faith as justification [does]. We must pursue it diligently by following the Lord (vv 13-15; cf Gal 5:16; 2Pe 1:5-11)” (Const). Paul had been literally “taken hold of” on the Damascus road — by the vision of the Lord (Acts 9:3-5,15,16). Now his life’s ambition, his consuming desire, is to “take hold” (cp sw 1Co 9:24; Rom 9:30) of the precious promises of God, to make his calling and election sure (2Pe 1:10).

Phi 3:13

I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF YET TO HAVE TAKEN HOLD OF IT: None must think themselves perfect. Such are smug and will never improve or grow. Those who think they stand will at last fall (1Co 10). We must look in the “mirror” of God’s Word and become aware of our imperfections (James 1:21-25). Laodicea’s grave sin arose because they knew not that they were wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked (Rev 3:17).

BUT ONE THING I DO: FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND AND STRAINING TOWARD WHAT IS AHEAD: Paul does not mean that he refuses to remember things that had happened to him in the past. He has just reviewed some of those things. He means that he does not rest in his heritage (vv 5-7) or in his past attainments (vv 9-12). He had abandoned the unworthy goal that he had pursued in the past. Now he had a new goal toward which he was looking and running. He does not concentrate on the past, but he fixes his mind firmly on the future! Concentrating on past failures might discourage him, whilst exulting in past successes might make him complacent; either is a trap.

BUT ONE THING I DO: The phrase recalls Psa 27:4: “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”

STRAINING TOWARD: The figure is that of an athlete, straining every fiber of his being to reach the finish line that looms ahead of him.

WHAT IS AHEAD: Lit, “what is in your face”, ie immediately accessible in front of you.

Phi 3:14

I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL: “Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny” (C Schurz).

GOAL: Gr “skopos”, lit the goal marker, the post at the end of the course on which the runner fixes his gaze.

TO WIN THE PRIZE: Gr “braberon” = the prize awarded at the Olympic Games (sw 1Co 9:24). ). The prize refers to the reward faithful believers will receive at the judgment seat of Christ (2Co 5:10). It is the “stephanos”, or coronal wreath of righteousness, which Christ will bestow on Paul and other spiritual “athletes” (2Ti 4:7,8).

CALLED ME HEAVENWARD: But the word “heaven” is not in the original mss. The phrase is best rendered “high calling” (KJV) or even “calling upward” (RV, RSV) — but as to being physically taken up to heaven, not at all!

“In keeping with the vivid imagery drawn from the Greek games that pervades this section there is still another explanation of the ‘upward call’ that seems the most reasonable explanation of all. It sees in the expression ‘the upward call’ an allusion to the fact that the Olympian games, which included foot-races, were organized and presided over by ‘agonothetes’, highly respected officers called ‘Hellenodikai’. ‘After each event they had a herald announce the name of the victor, his father’s name and his country, and the athlete or charioteer would come [up to a podium, elevated stand, or seat of judgment?] and receive a palm branch at their hands’ (Glotz). This is the call to which Paul is now alluding” (Const).

Phi 3:15

ALL OF US WHO ARE MATURE: The Gr is “teleios”, which is often translated “perfect” or “perfection”. This can be misleading: “teleios” does not mean “without sin”, but rather “mature” (RSV, NIV), “of full age” (Heb 5:14, KJV). Cp Paul’s other uses of the word: 1Co 2:6; 14:20; Eph 4:13; Col 1:28; 4:12.

Considering the sw occurs in v 12 here, Paul may be using irony in v 15 — as if to say: ‘Some of you may think you are already “perfect” [complete, mature], but you are mistaken… those of us who really are “perfect” [ie, mature] know how far from “perfection” [completeness, maturity] we REALLY are!’ Or, in other words, ‘For the time being true Christian perfection consists only in striving for perfection!’

SHOULD TAKE SUCH A VIEW OF THINGS: That is, should recognize that they were well short of “perfection” in the absolute sense, as regards personal righteousness, and should realize that one’s life in the Truth is a continual effort and struggle toward spiritual development.

AND IF ON SOME POINT YOU THINK DIFFERENTLY, THAT TOO GOD WILL MAKE CLEAR TO YOU: Those who cannot appreciate this should seek guidance from God. He will reveal their weaknesses and needs, and so encourage them to strive to be holy as He is holy. Cp Mat 16:17.

Phi 3:16

ONLY LET US LIVE UP TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED: All Christians, but especially the immature who are in view here, need to maintain a consistent life in harmony with their understanding of God’s truth. They should not wait until they have a complete knowledge of what God has revealed to put into practice what they do understand.

LET US LIVE UP TO: Or, “let us walk by the same rule” (AV): When we walk in the army of Christ, we do not walk alone. No soldier does. We walk with others, we ‘advance in a line’. Soldiers walk in rank. This means a number of things: They are united in purpose and goal. They are aware of each other, and their positions with regard to others. They support each other. They have the same commander, and obey the same commands. The ability of the soldier to march in line, and perform complex battle maneuvers in the field whilst maintaining formation, is only acquired by means of constant drilling. (The camp of Israel in the wilderness was organized in camps, and marched accordingly, and by ranks.)

The sw for “walk” (“stoicheo”) is used also in Gal 5:25; 6:16.

Phi 3:17

FOLLOWING MY EXAMPLE: Cp Phi 4:9; 1Co 4:16; 11:1.

TAKE NOTE OF THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WE GAVE YOU: Brethren like Timothy (Phi 2:19-24) and Epaphroditus (Phi 2:25-30).

PATTERN: Gr “tupos”: type, model, example. God is the great “archetype”, and Jesus has revealed His character to perfection (John 1:14). Paul speaks of God being “pleased to reveal his Son in me” (Gal 1:15,16). Timothy was to “set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1Ti 4:12).

Phi 3:18

Vv 18,19: The fact that Paul uses the word “walk” of these men, and his exceeding sorrow at their conduct, implies that they were nominally “brethren” of Christ. What made them “enemies of the cross of Christ”? The cross was the means whereby Christ conclusively put to death the lusts of the flesh, and it is the invitation and the challenge to us to do the same: to crucify “the world” (Gal 6:14) within each one of us. Any who aspire to put on the name of Christ, yet make no meaningful attempt to live as he did, are really his “enemies” and not his friends. They profess friendship, but their actions make them liars. Their God is not Yahweh — it is their “belly”; their mind is not on heavenly, spiritual things — but upon “earthly” things! They see all the enticements of the world. Like Eve did with the fruit of the tree, they desire, they take, and they “enjoy”; like the serpent, their “end is destruction.”

AS I HAVE OFTEN TOLD YOU BEFORE AND NOW SAY AGAIN EVEN WITH TEARS: “Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31).

ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST: In emphasizing physical cutting off of flesh, they downplayed spiritual cutting-off in Xt’s crucifixion. “How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Heb 10:29).

Phi 3:19

DESTRUCTION: Mirrored in the cutting off of the flesh of circumcision.

THEIR GOD IS THEIR STOMACH: The mark of circumcision in their loins, which they “worshiped”. Paul uses similar language elsewhere: “For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites” (Rom 16:18).

THEIR GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME: The mark of circumcision, in the “unseemly” part of the body!

Phi 3:20

CITIZENSHIP: The Greek word translated “citizenship” is “politeuma”: it refers to a colony of a mother-city. The saints in Christ form such a “politeuma”: they are a community — the colony or outpost of heaven, where their true Ruler lives, and from whence he will come one day (v 21).

Rome settled communities of army veterans, called colonies, as garrisons in conquered territory. The Emperor Augustus extended this practice by giving full Roman citizenship not only to settlements of veterans but to important provincial cities and to men who had distinguished themselves in public service. These provincial communities held equal rights and privileges with the citizens of Rome itself. In return they were expected to represent Rome and all things Roman to their neighbors, so that the Roman way of life might permeate their province. This policy proved extremely successful. In AD 212 the Emperor Caracalla was able to issue a decree admitting all his subjects to Roman citizenship. Philippi was such a colony of mother-Rome, and the lesson Paul was teaching would be easily grasped: though you live on earth, reckon yourselves to be “citizens” of God’s heavenly kingdom — which one day will be established on the earth!

A Roman citizen did not necessarily reside in Rome (Act 16:37; 22:25); but he was considered a citizen of Rome nonetheless, and he could claim privileges pertaining thereto. Though Paul used his Roman citizenship (Act 16:37), he did so only to further the gospel.

Cp Mat 5:48; 6:10; WS 127.

We may also be “citizens of heaven” in that our names are written in the “book of life”, kept (metaphorically) by God in heaven: Phi 4:3; Rev 3:5;13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27; 22:19. Also, Psa 69:28; 56:8; 87:6; Dan 12:1; Isa 4:3; Eze 13:9; Luk 10:20; Heb 12:23; Mal 3:16.

Phi 3:21

BY THE POWER THAT ENABLES HIM TO BRING EVERYTHING UNDER HIS CONTROL: Cit Psa 8:6. God promised dominion to the Son of man over all things (Gen 1:26; 1Co 15:24). Thru Jesus this purpose is being accomplished (Mat 28:18; Eph 1:22; Heb 2:8). The last enemy that will be destroyed is death (1Co 15:26; cp Rev 19:11-15; 20: 1-8).

WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODIES SO THAT THEY WILL BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY: “The bodies of those who are found faithful at his judgment seat, whether they are dead or living at his appearing, will be fashioned like unto the body of his glory by the working of that energy whereby he will be able to subdue all things to himself. He will change these mortal bodies: this mortal must put on immortality. The suffering and the trial of the present are real enough: but when the saints ‘receive in body according to that they have done’ [2Co 5:10], those who have striven to enter the Kingdom will know in body the greater realities of an energy drawn from the source of all power. ‘They shall run and not be weary; walk and not faint’ [Isa 40:31], because they are one in nature with Him who faints not, neither is weary. The place of trial will be the place of reward. The twelve will be with Jesus, known of the twelve tribes as David and Solomon were known in the past. The saints over five or over ten cities will be no less real than the mayors and lord mayors of today” (CJo 223).

LOWLY BODIES: “Body of our humiliation” (RV, Diag). The translation “vile” (KJV) for “tapeinoseos” conveys a wrong idea. Emphasis is not on sinfulness, but on lowliness or humble status.

THEY WILL BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY: It is the believer’s ultimate hope to share in this glory (1Co 15:51-56; 1Th 5:9,10). This amazing change will transpire because of the same divine power by which God will eventually subject everything in the universe to Himself. may also be “citizens of heaven” in that our names are written in the “book of life”, kept (metaphorically) by God in heaven: Phi 4:3; Rev 3:5;13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27; 22:19. Also, Psa 69:28; 56:8; 87:6; Dan 12:1; Isa 4:3; Eze 13:9; Luk 10:20; Heb 12:23; Mal 3:16.

Phi 4:1

MY BROTHERS: Paul’s strong affection for the Philippian Christians comes through very clearly in this verse. He called them “brethren” four times (Phi 1:12; 3:1,17; 4:8), “beloved” twice (Phi 2:12 and here), and “beloved brethren” once (here).

WHOM I LOVE AND LONG FOR: Paul has previously expressed his great affection for them: “God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Phi 1:8).

MY JOY: In the day when glory, honor, and immortality are bestowed on the faithful, there will be great joy on the part of those who preached the gospel and those who received it. “As you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus” (2Co 1:14).

CROWN: Gr “stephanos”: the coronal wreath bestowed on winners in athletic competitions (Phi 2:16; 1Co 9:25). Their salvation will be Paul’s victory as well as their own (Phi 2:15-18). In a similar vein, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?” (1Th 2:19).

STAND FIRM IN THE LORD: Gr “stekete”, as in Phi 1:27: a military term sig “to stand in an unbroken line” — the Roman phalanx — as against the assault of the enemy (also in Gal 5:1; 1Co 16:13).

Standing firm involves living in harmony with one another (vv 2,3), rejoicing on all occasions (vv 4-7), and developing the quality of sweet reasonableness (vv 8,9).

Phi 4:2

I PLEAD WITH EUODIA AND I PLEAD WITH SYNTYCHE TO AGREE WITH EACH OTHER IN THE LORD: “Plead” is “parakaleo”: to exhort, encourage. Euodia (sig “success”) and Syntyche (sig “lucky”) were two sisters who had a difference, perhaps even a long-running feud. Though to be named would surely be embarrassing, Paul considers this serious enough to do so. He does not attempt to arbitrate — but only to encourage them to find a way to make peace with one another, and to forgive one another even as they have been forgiven (Mat 6:12,14,15). What divided these two we do not know, and it does not matter. There are latent causes of division in the human heart, just as there are latent possibilities of disease in every living organism. Divisions spring from pride and mistrust, and we need to recognize these as evil and destructive of the fellowship which should exist between brethren. Instead, the urge for unity, though unnatural, should be cultivated and eagerly pursued (Eph 4:1-3).

Phi 4:3

The aspects of fellowship: fellow-heirs (Eph 3:6); fellow-soldiers (Phi 2:25); fellow-helpers (3Jo 1:8); fellow-workers (Col 4:11); fellow-servamts (Rev 6:11); fellow-prisoners (Rom 16:7); fellow-laborers (Phi 4:3); fellow-citizens (Eph 2:19).

This verse is rich in “syn-compounds” — words using the prefix which denotes “together with”: “yokefellow” (“suzugos”: yoked together); “help” (“sullambano”: take hold together with); “contended” (“sunathleo”: wrestled together, as helpers in a contest); and “fellow workers” (“sunergos”: laborers together).

I ASK YOU, LOYAL YOKEFELLOW, HELP THESE WOMEN: Possibly Paul has a particular brother in mind here: he seems to enlist the aid of a third party, Syzygus (sig “yokefellow”, whom he challenges to live up to his name and be a “loyal yokefellow” (“gnesie syzyge”) by bringing these women together. (Another Pauline play on a personal name occurs in Phm 1:10,11.) It is possible, of course, that there was no brother by the name Syzygus, and that this is an appeal to an otherwise unnamed brother — but in that case, how would the Philippians know to whom this exhortation is addressed? The other alternative is that this is a general appeal to any and all in Philippi, to help with this reconciliation between Euodias and Syntyche.

WHO HAVE CONTENDED AT MY SIDE IN THE CAUSE OF THE GOSPEL: Whenever possible, Paul does not rebuke without also commending! In this case, he reminds Euodias and Syntyche of the sterling qualities and faithful service they manifested previously, when the gospel was first preached to them, and when they embraced and labored alongside the apostle (Acts 16:13-40). Possibly they were among the first women in Philippi to hear his message (Acts 16:13-15).

CLEMENT: The only ref to this brother. Probably not the same as the more famous Clement of Rome, who lived at the end of the 1st century — some 35 or 40 years later. Clement was a common name.

WHOSE NAMES ARE IN THE BOOK OF LIFE: Cp Psa 69:28; Dan 12:1. This divine roll is, in the NT, mentioned only here and in Rev, where the refs are numerous (Rev 3:5; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27; 22:19). We are reminded of the occasion when Moses pleaded with God to erase his name from the book of life if this could be a condition of the forgiveness of Israel’s sin (Exo 32:32). This request shows that the book is the heavenly register on which are entered the names of God’s covenant people. When God takes such notice of men, they are signally honored: “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luk 10:20). The fact that names, once written, can still be blotted out of the book (Rev 3:5) is a sobering reminder that citizenship of the heavenly commonwealth is not necessarily permanent.

“Practically every city of that day maintained a roll or civic register of its citizens, and in that record was entered the name of every child born in the city. If one of the citizens proved guilty of treachery or disloyalty or of anything bringing shame on the city, he was subjected to public dishonour by the expunging of his name from the register. (The name was in any case normally obliterated at death.) He was deemed no longer worthy to be regarded as a citizen of the city. If, on the other hand, a citizen had performed some outstanding exploit deserving of special distinction, honour was bestowed upon him, either by the recording of the deed in the city roll or by his name being encircled in gold (or overlaid in gold) in the roll” (Tatford, cited in Const).

Phi 4:4

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS: Cp Phi 3:1. That is, joy in fellowship (v 2). Rejoicing is the antidote to division (Phi 4:2), and the antithesis of ill-temper (1Ti 3:3; Jam 3:17; Psa 86:5, LXX). Paul and Silas rejoiced and sang hymns while in the PHILIPPIAN jail (Act 16:25). The paradox of a man in prison rejoicing lies at the root of what this book is all about. Such an attitude demonstrates an unusual view of life. It is a uniquely Christian view of life. It demonstrates the mind of Christ, which is the key to this epistle.

There were many reasons the Philippian saints could have felt discouraged. Paul’s imprisonment and the possibility of his death, Epaphroditus’ illness, and the antagonism of unbelievers were a few. The attacks from legalists on the one hand and libertines on the other plus friction among certain members of the church contributed to this spirit. To counteract this attitude Paul prescribed rejoicing in the Lord.

I WILL SAY IT AGAIN: REJOICE: The apostle is anxious that the full implication of his words should not be missed; accordingly, he repeats himself. He repeats the command, because in all the vicissitudes of the Christian life, whether in attacks from errorists, personality clashes among believers, persecution from the world, or threat of imminent death — all of which Paul himself was experiencing at this very time — the Christian is to maintain a spirit of joy in the Lord. He is not immune to sorrow nor should he be insensitive to the troubles of others; yet he should count the will of God his highest joy and so be capable of knowing inner peace and joy in every circumstance.

Phi 4:5

GENTLENESS: “Epieikes”: “reason” (Vine). “Moderation” (AV). “Considerateness” (Roth), or “reasonableness” (Roth mg). “Forbearance” (RV, RSV). “Gentleness” (Diag). Sw 1Ti 3:3; Tit 3:2; Jam 3:17.

The Gr word contains connotations of gentleness, yielding, kindness, patience, forbearance, leniency, and magnaminity. It recalls the example of Jesus Christ’s humility in Phi 2:5-11. The forbearing person does not insist on his or her own rights or privileges. He or she is considerate and gentle toward others.

THE LORD IS NEAR: Or “at hand” (AV, RV, RSV). Two possibilities: (1) Christ’s nearness at all times to his brethren: “I am with you always” (Mat 28:20). He can see and appreciate the injustices they were suffering (Phi 1:27-30). This knowledge would comfort them, and enable them to be gentle in the face of mistreatment or other bad conditions. (2) Christ’s second coming is near… at least as near as one’s death. Then he will reward his faithful servants (cp Phi 3:20,21) and redress all grievances (James 5:8). The knowledge of this would encourage them to be faithful to all his commands. And in view of eternity, any and every affliction will seem to have been only for a “moment” (2Co 4:16-18).

Possibly this phrase is an allusion to Psa 119:151; 145:18: the contexts there would apply to either of the two possibilities of meaning.

Phi 4:6

Do not nag or quarrel, but you may “nag” at God!

Paul used several different words for prayer in this verse. “Prayer” (“proseuche”) is the most general term for our communications to God. “Petition” (“deesis”) refers to requests for particular benefits. “Thanksgiving” (“eucharistias”) is grateful acknowledgment of past mercies. “Requests” (“aitemata”) looks at individual requests of God that form part of the whole prayer.

DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING: Those who are anxious and fearful are not showing confidence in God (cp Mat 6:25-34). Earlier Paul commended Timothy for being anxious over the welfare of the Philippians (Phi 2:20). Here he said we should not be anxious about anything. The same Greek word (“merimnate”) appears in both places. The resolution of this problem probably lies in viewing anxiety as concern that may become fretful and inappropriate if taken too far. Paul’s point here was that, rather than becoming distraught over a particular situation, we should take it to the Lord in prayer.

BUT IN EVERYTHING, BY PRAYER AND PETITION: This is the great antidote for anxiety. If God’s will has been taken into account, then there must be a faithful acceptance of whatever comes — because, whether it matches up with what we might like or not, it will be for our ultimate benefit: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Eph 6:18).

WITH THANKSGIVING: “Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1Th 5:17). God wants to hear our prayers. But to keep them from becoming too self-focused, God wants us to always remember to give thanks. Gratitude can only exist where there is appreciation of God’s past goodness, and confidence in His future care (Rom 5:4). It is so easy for us to turn prayer into a request line. We are the ones who are left bereft when thanksgiving and praise are robbed from our prayers. Without praise our hearts grow dim because all we think about are problems and prayer becomes a wish list.

PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD: God desires that we take all our requests to Him (Psa 50:15; 81:7). Those who walk with God will not fail to do this, and thereby He will draw nigh to them even while they are drawing nigh to Him (Jam 4:8). “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Pro 3:5,6).

Phi 4:7

Peace: made (Col 1:20), preached (Eph 2:17), enjoyed (Rom 5:1), filling hearts (Rom 15:13), given (John 14:27), keeping (Phi 4:7), and ruling (Col 3:15). Peace achieved by forgiving past bickerings (Col 3:13,15).

THE PEACE OF GOD: This is peace that comes FROM God rather than peace WITH God. A peace which comes from intimate association with God, which cannot be threatened by external circumstances or conditions: Rom 5:1; Col 1:20; John 14:27. “God is not subject to the fluctuations in mood, the storms and tempests born of conflicting interests and passions. The mind that is set on Him shares His peace” (BPh 151). “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” (Isa 26:3).

“These familiar words are remarkable for their atmosphere of complete calm; they rightly constitute one of Paul’s most treasured utterances. The apostle was clearly drawing on his own experience when he wrote the passage. He had known many dark moments in his life, but the Lord had delivered him out of them all” (BPh 31).

WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING: Everything about God surpasses human comprehension: ” ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’ ” (Isa 55:8,9). Our Heavenly Father “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20).

WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS: The Gr “phroureo” is “either the work of a garrison in maintaining law and order within a city and protecting it against attacks from without… or the activity of a sentry who ensures that there is no surprise attack” (BPh 102). The sw occurs in Gal 3:23, in the sense of being held prisoner, or kept under guard.

“Everyone — and everything — is on a secondary level, in relation to our relationship to God. This includes our family, and the ecclesia, and the ecclesial world. Not that they are unimportant. They are very important to us. But they cannot — in the ultimate — mar or jeopardize our personal peace with God. Only we ourselves can do that. Our relationship to God must be such that whatever else happens, it can only have a secondary effect upon us. Sometimes, indeed, a very major and serious effect — but still secondary, and relatively minor, in comparison with our impregnable, unassailable peace with God. We must — by deliberate concentration and effort — get all things into their proper secondary perspective, if we are to have the perfect peace that transcends understanding. And we can have it. We must have it. This is spiritual success. All else is failure. God alone is immutable and unchanging. So He alone can be built on and depended on” (GVG).

“There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace. The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the King looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest… perfect peace. Which picture won the prize? The King chose the second picture ‘because,’ he explained, ‘peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace’ ” (MT).

GUARD: The word guard (“phroureo”) was a military term that described a sentinel, a Roman soldier holding his weapon, walking back and forth in front of an open gate so that no one could enter. And so God will be a sentinel, guarding our hearts and giving us His peace. Our Father is a Father who delights to give good gifts to His children. He will actively guard ours heart against whatever is troubling us. He will not allow any menacing worry to enter.

Phi 4:8

FINALLY, BROTHERS, WHATEVER…: The lesson is generalized for all ecclesia.

TRUE: Gr “alethe”, sig “valid, honest, and reliable” — the opposite of false. It characterizes God, and should characterize believers (cf Rom 3:4).

NOBLE: Gr “semna”, worthy of respect (Prov 8:6; 1Ti 3:8,11; Tit 2:2). Not base or dishonorable. Used in the NT only by Paul — here and in 1Tim 3:8, 11; Tit 2:2 — and may ref ecclesial elders. It is a quality that makes them worthy of respect.

RIGHT: Gr “dikaia”: what is just and upright; conformable to God’s standards and thus worthy of His approval. Cp Phi 3:9; Rev 15:3.

PURE: Gr “hagna” denotes cleanness (cp Jam 3:17), and may connote moral purity, or chastity.

LOVELY: Gr “prosphile” (lit, that which leads to love) means what is amiable, agreeable, or pleasing.

ADMIRABLE: “Of good report” (AV, RV, Roth). Gr “euphema” refers to what is praiseworthy because it measures up to the highest standards. It occurs only here, though Paul uses the cognate “euphemia” in 2Co 6:8.

EXCELLENT: Gr “arete”. “Of preeminent estimation” (Vine).

PRAISEWORTHY: Gr “epainos”.

THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS: “Impute” or “reckon”, ie consider these qualities to be characteristics of others. Cp thought, 1Co 13:5.

“Commentators point out that heathen philosophers were wont to draw up such catalogues of virtues. Paul would not be blind to the moral qualities exhibited by some in the heathen world… There is sometimes a painful contrast between the conduct of professing Christians and that of men indifferent to Christ’s claims. If some of the virtues Paul recommends were practised in the pagan world they were none the worse for that. Having said so much, we must make it clear that Paul is not writing as a moralist or philosopher. The apostle was not writing purely abstract virtues but personal qualities which had already been embodied in a Life. Furthermore, the essentially Christian reference of these things, so far as Paul is concerned, is made clear by the next verse” (BPh 152).

Phi 4:9

WHATEVER YOU HAVE LEARNED OR RECEIVED OR HEARD FROM ME: Wholesome conduct (v 9) should follow wholesome thinking (v 8). Paul was of the conviction that the truths of the Christian gospel must never be abstracted from action and put into high-toned words and phrases, but always expressed in the life of the teacher. And so Paul, unselfconsciously, sets himself up as their example. Specifically to the point of v 2, for example, he had never cherished a grudge or quarreled with anyone.

Phi 4:10

AT LAST YOU HAVE RENEWED YOUR CONCERN FOR ME: Paul is not complaining that they had been negligent, but simply stating that he knew that they had lacked opportunity, until recently, to show their care for him. Now they had showed it practically in a gift brought by Epaphroditus (Phi 2:25; 4:14-18).

RENEWED: A verb used of flowers blooming again in the spring (BPh 153). “Had blossomed afresh” (NEB). Like a person rejoicing over the signs of spring after a hard winter, so Paul rejoiced to see again the signs of personal concern from Philippi after a long interval of silence.

Phi 4:11

I AM NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE I AM IN NEED: The ground of his joy is not the relief to his own condition but their goodness.

I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES: “Content” is the Gr “autarkes”, which means “self-sufficient”. This usage is derived from Stoic philosophy, describing a person who accepted impassively whatever came — one whose mental state is independent of his material conditions. In this case, this is true not because Paul subscribes to the school of philosophy, but because he believes that his Heavenly Father will supply all his needs: “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (2Co 3:5).

“One of the best established principles in economics is the one that says the more you have of anything, the less satisfaction you get from having some more. Otherwise known as the principle of marginal returns. One car may make a big difference to your life. The fourth car just gives you the choice whether you will go there in the sedan or the convertible. One crust of bread may save a man from starvation; a thousand crusts would simply be a litter problem. While this is well understood for specific items, it is not generally grasped that it also applies to material goods when taken as a whole.

“In the early stages of industrialization, the benefits in terms of real satisfaction are great. Running water and electric light made life vastly less onerous. A home, sufficient clothes, good food are of basic importance. But industrial civilization has reached the point where the majority of the population is consuming goods which yield only marginal satisfactions. We consume far more clothing than we need, changing because ‘fashion’ has changed and discarding clothes which are far from worn out. We know how to make clothes in large quantities, and we do this. But the satisfaction gained is small. It is rather than we avoid the dissatisfaction of being accused of being out of fashion than that we get any positive pleasure. People who live secluded lives seldom bother much about fashion” (GR Taylor, “The Doomsday Book”).

“John Wesley’s rule of life was to SAVE all he could, and GIVE all he could. When he was at Oxford he had an income of £30 a year. He lived on £28 and gave the balance away. When his income increased to £60, £90, and £120 a year, he still lived on £28 and gave the balance away. The Accountant-General for Household Plate demanded a return from him. His reply was, ‘I have two silver teaspoons at London, and two at Bristol. This is all the plate I have at present, and I shall not buy any more while so many around me want bread.’ The Romans had a proverb which said that money was like sea-water; the more a man drank the thirstier he became. And so long as a man’s attitude is that of the rich fool his desire will always be to get more — that is the reverse of the Christian way” (William Barclay).

Phi 4:12

TO BE IN NEED: More literally, “to be abased, brought low, or humbled” (as in Phi 2:8).

TO HAVE PLENTY: Gr “perisseuo” = to superabound; to excel.

I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET: Lit, “I have been initiated into the mystery” — which is, of course, revealed in v 13!

IN ANY AND EVERY SITUATION: Specifically detailed by Paul in 2Co 11:23-27: “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”

WELL FED… LIVING IN PLENTY: Notice that the conditions of prosperity are themselves times of testing and temptation, and prospectively of spiritual danger. Both poverty and wealth bring temptations with them (Prov 30:7-9). Wealth is a different sort of testing than privation, but perhaps even more deadly as a result — because it may lead to feelings of pride and self-sufficiency, and the forgetting of God.

Phi 4:13

I CAN DO EVERYTHING THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH: This is the great lesson for all who would attain salvation. They must “cease from man” and learn to trust in the mercies of God (cp Isa 2:21; Psa 146:3-6; 22:8; Eph 6:10; 2Co 12:9,10; 2:14; 1Ti 1:12). Paul was not a member of the Stoic philosophical school, even though for this purpose he might sound like he was: his secret was… CHRIST!

Phi 4:14

YET IT WAS GOOD OF YOU TO SHARE IN MY TROUBLES: Paul realizes that his disclaimer about plenty and prosperity might, by itself, sound ungrateful — so he attempts to redress this.

“We know that God loves a cheerful giver, but I believe we also need to stress that God loves a cheerful receiver. Cheerful receivers make giving and receiving a joy… This is not necessarily an easy task. The art of being a gracious, cheerful, thankful receiver may be even more difficult than being a cheerful giver. If we learn to accept the compliments and the special personal gifts which we receive in a gracious, cheerful manner, we will help make giving and receiving a joy for ourselves and for [others]” (Brug, cited in Const).

Phi 4:15

IN THE EARLY DAYS OF YOUR ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE GOSPEL, WHEN I SET OUT FROM MACEDONIA: The events described in Acts 16: Lydia’s warmth and hospitality, the jailer’s wholeheartedly devotion and commitment.

NOT ONE CHURCH SHARED WITH ME IN THE MATTER OF GIVING AND RECEIVING, EXCEPT YOU ONLY: “The Philippians, by their contributions, had opened an account wi him” (BPh 155). Of them Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will” (2Co 8:1-5; cp 2Co 11:8). The Philippians were obviously as close to Paul as any of the ecclesias which he established.

Phi 4:16

THESSALONICA: His first start after departing from Philippi (Acts 17:1).

Phi 4:17

NOT THAT I AM LOOKING FOR A GIFT: Again, Paul says that he did not require it as a necessity, but as a token of their love (cp vv 11-14).

CREDITED TO YOUR ACCOUNT: “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Mat 6:20; cp 1Ti 6:17-19).

Phi 4:18

A FRAGRANT OFFERING, AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE, PLEASING TO GOD: Burnt offerings, speaking of dedication (Gen 8:20,21; Exo 29:18,25,41; Lev 1:9,13,17; 2:12). In Eph 5:2, Christ’s sacrifice is described in similar terms.

Other sacrifices believers can make to God beside our material possessions (v 18) include our bodies (Rom 12:1,2), our converts (Rom 15:16), our praise (Heb 13:15), and our good works (Heb 13:16).

Phi 4:19

MY GOD WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS: Cp Pro 11:25; 19:17; Mat 5:7; 6:33). Note that it is needs that He will meet, not “greeds.”

God’s liberality to them. Paul’s “blank check”: the “banker” = “my God”; the promise to pay = “will meet”; the amount = “all your needs” — ‘Fill in the blank!’; the inexhaustible capital = “his glorious riches”; and the “cashier” = Christ Jesus!

“In God through Christ we can have… A love that can never be fathomed, A life that can never die, A righteousness that can never be tarnished, A peace that can never be understood, A rest that can never be disturbed, A joy that can never be diminished, A hope that can never be disappointed, A glory that can never be clouded, A light that can never be darkened, A purity that can never be defiled, A beauty that can never be marred, A wisdom that can never be baffled, Resources that can never be exhausted. God can be our all in all!” (MT).

HIS GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS: Called “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 1:8; 3:8,20).

Phi 4:20

TO OUR GOD AND FATHER BE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER: Small wonder that Paul closes this beautiful passage with a doxology. The glory of God’s providential care must always be recognized by His children. Even the eternal ages yet to come will not be sufficient to exhaust the praises that belong to Him.

Other doxologies, or ascriptions of praise to God: Rom 16:27; Gal 1:5; Eph 3:20,21; 1Ti 1:17; 2Ti 4:18.

Phi 4:21

It is likely that the remaining words of the letter were written by Paul’s own hand, after the pattern announced in 2Th 3:17 (see also Gal 6:11; Col 4:18).

GREET ALL THE SAINTS IN CHRIST JESUS: “As the letter draws to its conclusion, he greets every saint in Christ Jesus and thus, as in the opening verse, embraces all, from the lowliest to the most distinguished, in his salutation.

Phi 4:22

ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO BELONG TO CAESAR’S HOUSEHOLD: Perhaps they had visited Philippi on some sort of official business, and had had opportunity to meet the Philippian brethren.

Phi 4:23

THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT: The last words of the NT carry the same message (Rev 22:21).

GRACE: “In the Christian message, grace is the first word and the last word” (BPh 157).

Author: Paul

Time: AD 61

Summary: The letter to Colosse was written in response to heresy that had been brought to Paul’s attention. The major errors that had crept into the church seemed to have been: (1) the exaltation of angels or other “elemental spirits”; (2) the emphasis on ascetic or liturgical practices thought to produce spirituality; and (3) claims to a special knowledge beyond that found in the Gospel of Christ. Paul states that these are philosophies based on human tradition and are therefore worthless. He teaches love, humility, submission to authority, and finally prayer to establish a believer in the wisdom of God.

Key verse: “See, to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Col 2:8).

Outline

1. Introduction: Col 1:1-14 2. The supremacy of Christ: Col 1:15-23 3. Paul’s labor for the church: Col 1:24 – 2:7 4. Freedom from human regulations through life with Christ: Col 2:8-23 5. Rules for holy living: Col 3:1 – 4:6 6. Final greetings: Col 4:7-18

Gal 5:1

The contrast between the observance of the law of Moses and belief in the gospel in Christ is so stark. The law bound men and women. Christ frees men and women. They should have known that the law was a burden that they had not been able to bear. This had been the conclusion at the “Jerusalem council” (Acts 15:10).

IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE: “No man is free who is not master of himself” (Epictetus, 1-2nd cent Stoic, Rome).

“The basic test of freedom is less in what we are free to do than in what we are free not to do” (E Hoffer).

“There are two freedoms: the false where one is free to do what he likes, and the true where one is free to do what he ought.”

“Scripture is a never-failing treasury filled with boundless stores of grace. It is the bank of heaven; you may draw from it as much as you please, without let or hindrance. Come in faith and you are welcome to all covenant blessings. There is not a promise in the Word which shall be withheld. In the depths of tribulations let this freedom comfort you; amidst waves of distress let it cheer you; when sorrows surround thee let it be thy solace. This is thy Father’s love-token; thou art free to it at all times. Thou art also free to the throne of grace. It is the believer’s privilege to have access at all times to His heavenly Father. Whatever our desires, our difficulties, our wants, we are at liberty to spread all before Him. It matters not how much we may have sinned, we may ask and expect pardon. It signifies nothing how poor we are; we may plead His promise that He will provide all things needful. We have permission to approach His throne at all times — in midnight’s darkest hour, or in noontide’s most burning heat. Thou art free to all that is treasured up in Christ — wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. It matters not what thy need is, for there is fulness of supply in Christ, and it is there for thee. O what a ‘freedom’ is thine! freedom from condemnation, freedom to the promises, freedom to the throne of grace” (CHS).

Gal 5:6

FAITH EXPRESSING ITSELF THROUGH LOVE: “Working for God is not enough, even though it is intense, compulsive and total. That indeed is important, but two other things are even more important: love of God, and holiness of life. There can be a dead work without love (though it may give a wonderful appearance of ‘life’). But there cannot be the true required Love without both Holiness and Work. ‘Faith that works by Love’ is the golden key to life” (GVG).

Gal 5:11

Gal 5:11.

THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS: The shame for a Jew that his Messiah was crucified, and that salvation by faith requires submission to the curse of the Law (Gal 3:13).

Gal 5:12

AND EMASCULATE THEMSELVES: The “cutting off” [ie, KJV] here has absolutely no relevance as a popular catch-phrase to justify wholesale excommunication. In the first place, Paul displays a marked reluctance to be more drastic in action than necessary: “I would ….” is about as far from a peremptory command as can be imagined. Coupled with v 10 — “The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty” — this passages presents the picture of the inspired apostle as being far from in a hurry to apply the surgical knife — and this to one person! Where the rest are concerned, there is no hint of drastic discipline. What would Paul say if he were to view the drastic and unwarranted “cutting off” from fellowship performed by some “purists” today? Might he not say something like this?: ‘I would they would completely cut off everyone, and then the rest of us might have some peace for the upbuilding of the ecclesias.’

But all of this is really beside the point, for this verse has a very specialized meaning. The word “cut off” is apokopto, which means “to cut away”; it is so used of members of the body: “If thy hand offend thee, cut it off” (Mar 9:43,45); “Then Peter…. cut off his right ear” (Joh 18:10,26). In Gal 5:12 the verb is in the middle voice, thus signifying one of two things: either (a) to cut oneself off, metaphorically, from the “body” of Christ, or (b) literally to mutilate one’s own body, by cutting off one’s members. The second of these two possibilities is favored by numerous versions: “I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves” (RSV). “I would they would even mutilate themselves” (RV margin).

“As for these agitators, they had better go all the way and make eunuchs of themselves!” (NEB). Paul, in Gal, has been denouncing those who would make circumcision a “test of fellowship” (Gal 5:1-4,11).

Why do they not, says Paul, since they have such faith in the knife, practice the complete mutilation which was common among the devotees of Cybele? In modern times this interpretation has been rejected on the grounds of coarseness, but if we remember that in turning to Judaism the Galatians were virtually turning back in principle to the rite of the nature worship of their pagan days….then Paul’s words practically mean that if the Judaizer were leading them back, then let him consistently go the whole way and in mutilation of self exhibit in symbol the destruction of self in the complete sense” (CGal 123).

So Paul here is not referring to withdrawal of fellowship, but to castration! (If the idea still seems far-fetched, note that an early Christian “bishop”, Origen, in an excess of zeal, did this very thing!) An angry Paul, reserving his harshest language for those who would add new criteria for fellowship, is deriding the negative and destructive policy of “salvation by cutting-off” in the strongest possible terms. We do well to remind ourselves that the philosophy of “salvation by separation”, in one form or another, has been practiced throughout the ages. It is not newly sprung up in modern days.

Gal 5:13

Believers are called to: liberty (Gal 5:13); blessing (1Pe 3:9); peace (1Co 7:15); and glory (2Pe 1:3).

SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE: “To find our life, we must lose it. To exalt ourselves, we must abase ourselves. To rule, we must serve. To conquer, we must yield. To attain our own welfare, we must seek that of others. Everything is the reverse of the flesh’s way and the world’s conceptions. If we pursue happiness and pleasure and satisfaction directly and for their own sake, they mockingly flee from us, and, like the will-of-the-wisp, lead us at last to a bottomless bog. They can be found only where God’s infinite wisdom and love has carefully and wonderfully placed them: in sacrifice and service and self-forgetfulness. Forget yourself in outgoing service and love, and you’ll be happy. Dwell on yourself in in-turned, self-seeking and self-centeredness, and you’ll be miserable” (GVG).

Gal 5:14

“There is beautiful liberty [cp Gal 5:1] in this injunction — liberty to serve, and thus fulfil the law of Christ. It includes all the law under which we live, for Paul says that all the law is fulfilled in loving one’s neighbour as one’s self; and again: ‘Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ’ ” (GbS 69).

Gal 5:15

Don’t be a “Cannibal Christian”!

“Of the seven deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back — in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you” (Frederick Buechner, “Wishful Thinking, Transformed by Thorns” 117).

Gal 5:16

The outward sign of circumcision symbolized a “cutting off” of lusts of the flesh. But the symbol was borne by many who made no effort to translate it into action. Cp Rom 2:25-29; CGal 128.

Gal 5:17

THEY ARE IN CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER: “We must be constantly aware of flesh and spirit, and of the death and life distinction between them. Whatever we do naturally and thoughtlessly is of the flesh, and is not pleasing to God, even though it may be ‘good’ in itself — for it is not of faith, nor done unto Him. All we do must be done unto Him, for spiritual purposes, and in some way contributing to His glory, and His people’s eternal welfare” (GVG).

Gal 5:19

Vv 19,20: Acts/works — plural. But vv 22,23: fruit — singular, though multitudinous.

Gal 5:22

Vv 22,23: Love is THE ‘fruit’ of the Spirit. It is preeminent among Christian virtues (1Co 13). It is the perfect fulfillment of the Law (Mat 22:37,39). Scripturally understood, it is not just an “emotion” or a “feeling”; it is… an action! Therefore, love is the basis of every other aspect of Spiritual fruit:

JOY is love exalted. PEACE is love in repose. PATIENCE is love enduring. KINDNESS is love in society. GOODNESS is love in action. FAITHFULNESS is love overcoming. GENTLENESS is love in submission. SELF-CONTROL is love under discipline.

” ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love’ — and if you can receive it, these [the other attributes of the Spirit] are the flavours, textures, colours: different and detectable but all part of the one fruit. Remember one thing: fruit is not magic. It does not appear overnight: growth is real but slow. Protection and cultivation are vital. Setbacks there will be. Waiting and working are not always contradictory. Let us never lose heart. It is, after all, the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit is God-created, not man-made” (GD).

JOY: “Once before we stressed that joy is not one blinding flash of ecstatic happiness which comes suddenly and then is gone. It is a constant force of shared delight which is undisturbed by circumstances, good or bad; in a sense detached from the undulation of life but always sensitive to the needs they create. That means that joy cannot be enjoyed in isolation. Joy cannot be hoarded. When joy is gathered it is gathered in order to be spread. It is not drinking at the stream to quench our thirst alone; it is drinking for the common wealth; it is taking the water into the desert for thirsty souls; it is putting a little sweetness into the drabness of somebody’s day, a little companionship into somebody’s loneliness. Joy active is moved by the impetus of love for some other soul… Whichever way you look at it, joy is part of the fruit of the spirit. Fruit is not a flash-in-the-pan thing. It is permanent, solid, substantial. The growth is real but often imperceptible. Slowness is not failure. It is there on dull days as well as sunshine days. If joy sings it never tires. There is a song for June and a song for January. The word for joy is a common word. It is not a red-letter word, flaming with passion. It means something steady, quiet, divinely wonderful, like fruit. It means gladness, common delight — a sense of quiet assurance” (GD).

PEACE: “We have referred before to the peace of the tranquil pond covered with weed. But that peace of stagnation is not the peace which is love mastered. True Biblical peace is the union of conflicting forces, concord where otherwise there might be strife. It is not the burying of the hatchet for the sake of quietness. Hatchets can be dug up and too often they are. Peace through love means ending strife and bringing harmony because of love for those who are estranged, making peace for love of him who said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’ Peace is the ministry of healing. It is not always easy, but let us know that at its head there is a file leader and he is called ‘the Prince of Peace’ ” (GD).

PATIENCE: “Longsuffering” in KJV. “It is an old-fashioned word. A more modern equivalent might be ‘long temperedness.’ It is having infinite patience. Some people say, ‘I am quick tempered; I cannot help it.’ The writer has sympathy, but knows we must try to help it. It calls us to resist the temptation, so often faced, when we say, ‘I have put up with this long enough…’ The only force which will make short-tempered people into long-sufferers is love. How often have we heard it! We say, ‘Why she puts up with it I cannot tell.’ The explanation may be that she is long-suffering. Do not be too harsh with her. Remember, ‘Love suffers long and then speaks its mind’? That must be a different Bible. Remember rather, ‘Love suffereth long and is kind.’ Hear it again, ‘Love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things’: not some things, but all things. This is long temperedness” (GD).

KINDNESS: “Vine… says that this word has the idea of goodness of heart with an especial reference to service. It is more than having kind thoughts — it is a very practical word. James would have liked it. He knew that blankets are better than talk. It is not doing great things occasionally; it is doing small things regularly, and not minding that they seem so small. It is having a keen-eyed but unobtrusive capacity to discern the need and to meet it lovingly. Fame and reward have no place here. Put simply, kindness is love communicating” (GD).

GOODNESS: “The writer remembers reading once that children are good, adults are righteous. That may be, but by this word adults are called to be good as well. It is a divine word. God said to Moses, ‘I will let all my goodness pass before thee’, and it revealed the glory of the Lord. It means doing good things and refusing to do bad things. Joseph is a good example: ‘How can I do this great evil and sin against God?’ It is love of that which is good and hatred of that which is evil; doing good for the love of God and for the love of those who love you; refusing evil because it may break somebody’s heart. Goodness in order to be respectable is one thing — goodness for love’s sake is another. David once came to Jerusalem and said: ‘Are there any here of the house of Saul whom I may love for Jonathan’s sake?’ And they brought to him poor Mephibosheth, who was lame in both feet and lived in obscurity. David set him at the royal table and cared for him. That is goodness: doing good for love’s sake” (GD).

FAITHFULNESS: “This has to do with integrity. It is another word for fidelity. It means being faithful to your word: true to your accepted responsibility, whether in business, in marriage, in the ecclesia. It outlaws the thought of shirking or shedding your duty, be the reason ever so plausible. It means being very careful about your promises and about your relationship with others. It means being ready to give up your own special preferences, your own scruples, your own strong opinions, if they may hinder your brother or sister or cause them to sin. It means loyalty to the Truth, even if it means a diminution of your rights, an interference with your progress, risking your reputation. It will garrison a disciple against the possibility of filling his mouth with other people’s faults when he ought to ponder his own. How on earth will people behave faithfully in the face of these temptations? — only through love, love of God, love of the truth, love of God’s other children” (GD).

Gal 5:23

GENTLENESS: See Lesson, Gentleness.

“Meekness” in KJV: “A speaker once said that to be meek you have to be unconscious. He was probably right. Conscious humility tends to be contrived. But it is not easy. Some virtues can be practised, but not meekness. As the man said, it is unconscious. Doing good sometimes makes people puffed up. The best advice seems to be to do your work for Christ faithfully and try not to think about yourself. Do not look for opportunities to do great things — you may have to wait half a lifetime. Do the commonplace well and faithfully. Do not mind that it seems so commonplace. There is nothing menial in the service of the King. The NT writers proceed in the belief that the driving force for our labour of love is the love of the Redeemer — understood and realised. They say, ‘The love of Christ constraineth us.’ If we really believe it we are not so likely to get puffed up. We may even become meek” (GD).

SELF-CONTROL: “Temperance” in KJV: “This describes, or has come to describe, a special kind of abstinence: abstinence from intoxicating liquor. The problem is that the absolute nature of teetotalism may in a way be intemperate. Be that as it may, the real meaning of temperance in this passage is self-control. This is a hard thing to achieve if you are prompted by the wrong motives. Control through fear is a struggle which is likely to end in failure. Control for the sake of respectability or through anxiety to avoid detection is at best fragile. Sometimes if the circumstances change, the control is abandoned. When all is said and done the best motive for self-control is love. If we take care of our behaviour — that is, we exercise the use of our freedom carefully, in consideration of our brethren and sisters, that is the highest motive of all and most likely to succeed. Love of our brethren: love desiring their advancement; love seeking their salvation — what a blessing it is so to live your life that none of God’s family is ever harmed but rather blessed and encouraged, strengthened and provoked to love and good works. Disciples moved by temperance have shed their hobnail boots. They walk gently and circumspectly for love’s sake. Temperance is the triumph of love” (GD).

Gal 5:25

SINCE WE LIVE BY THE SPIRIT, LET US KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT: Or, as AV, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit..” “You will never find true faith unattended by true godliness; on the other hand, you will never discover a truly holy life which has not for its root a living faith upon the righteousness of Christ” (CHS).

Gal 6:1

IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT IN A SIN, YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUAL SHOULD RESTORE HIM GENTLY: “It has been said that the Christian army is the only army in the world that shoots its wounded. By this comment, it is implied that Christians attack and spiritually slay those who are already in a death struggle with sin. All too often this is true.

“It is a tricky thing to uphold the standards that God has set up for His people. On the one hand, we want to be kind, loving and forgiving. On the other hand, we have very specific examples of behavior which are not to be tolerated within the body of Christ.

“Too many times, it is a matter of approach. We see our brethren engaged in some act of sin. We jump on our white horses and gallop in to tell them that what they are doing is wrong. The problem is that most of them already know what they are doing is wrong; they simply lack the faith to stop doing it. It is like telling someone they are sick without telling them how to get well or better yet helping them get well. James comments on this attitude when he says ‘…one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?’ It may feel like we are providing some valuable service in pointing out their malady and then riding off into the sunset, but we are in fact providing little value at all. If they don’t get better, we get out the guns of withdrawal to put them out of OUR misery. In an ideal scenario, we need to roll up our spiritual shirtsleeves and build up their faith enough so that they can conquer their sin.

“There are three general kinds of sins which fall into the category of withdrawal in Scripture (examples are found in but not limited to 1Co 5, Gal 5 and Tit 3). They are unrepentant immorality, teaching false doctrine and creating a schism in the ecclesia. Another mistake we make in this area is widening or narrowing the categories. These areas have been clearly delineated for a reason. They are not for us to change or apply in a flippant fashion.

“There are certain principles in the Bible which necessarily need to be balanced. Some virtues, like love, have no need of balance. You cannot love too much. You cannot have too much balance. Other virtues, such as justice, need a proper balance. Justice is properly balanced by mercy. Both justice and mercy are virtues. However, both justice and mercy not tempered by each other can be faults. Justice left to itself is unmerciful and harsh. Mercy left to itself is anarchistic and permissive. Balanced and blended together with God’s word as our guidepost, justice and mercy are kind, fair and righteous.

“How can we judge whether we are balancing both justice and mercy? You can certainly get closer to the answer by asking yourself the following questions: How would Jesus handle this situation? Am I doing everything I can to help this individual overcome his problem (and not just pointing it out)? Am I looking out solely for the best interests of the ecclesia and the individual, or are other considerations playing into this? Are the Scriptures clear on this matter so that the sin is indisputable, or is this a matter of conscience? Does the individual acknowledge or deny his problem? Is there any clear Scriptural precedent on how to resolve this problem? Am I being hypocritical by involving myself with something equally abhorrent that may not be known to others? Is my approach helpful and humble?

“In the end, we want Christ to be glorified by whatever we do. We need to remember that without qualification the greatest way to glorify Christ is to restore our erring brethren in the spirit of meekness and truth. ‘Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted’ ” (KT).

GENTLY: See Lesson, Gentleness.

Gal 6:2

Cp Rom 15:1-3.

CARRY EACH OTHER’S BURDENS: Fruit-bearers abiding IN Christ (Joh 15:5); witness-bearers speaking FOR Christ (Act 1:8); cross-bearers following AFTER Christ (Luk 14:27); burden-bearers being LIKE Christ (Gal 6:2).

The mind lingers on a picture, perhaps well-known to many. One boy with a younger one on his back: “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother!” Strain is obviously there, but he bears his burden gladly. All things are relative, aren’t they? Yes, in more ways than one! We are willing to do for our families what seems intolerable if done for others. Do we sit in the meeting on Sunday morning, and feel that those with whom we break bread are really our family? We write salutations like “Dear Sir” to faceless clerks in far away cities. For all we know, we could be addressing a computer as “dear”! Are our expressions of “Brother Smith” and “Sister Jones” the same sort of formal, stylized address, or do they express a reality? If a reality, then let us live that family relationship with our brethren. Let us rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep. “Let us bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

BURDENS: This word is “baros”, referring to the very heavy burden that a porter might carry. Such a burden cannot easily be laid down until the porter reaches his destination. So when he becomes very weary, he may ask a wayfarer to stoop down under his load for just a few moments, to give him a short rest. The other side of the coin is seen in v 5: “For every man shall bear his own burden.” This word is “phortion”, a light burden, easily carried in one hand. Paul’s lesson is simple: Help your brother with his heavy burdens, but carry your own light ones cheerfully!

THE LAW OF CHRIST: “I cannot understand this as meaning that the 613 commands of Moses have been replaced by a set of laws given by Jesus. For the antithesis between law and grace which the New Testament constantly draws our attention to would then be meaningless. The law of Christ surely means the law which is Christ; to be and speak and think and do as He would do is our law, a principle far more comprehensive and intrusive into our lives than mere legalism” (DH).

“Get your mind off yourself: off your ‘troubles’ and desires and fears, and everything that everyone does or doesn’t do to you or for you. Get your mind on wholesome and constructive things. Be a plus and not a minus. Get your mind on God, and eternity, and God’s Word and the needs of others. Grow up. Think big. Learn the joys of love and service. Don’t wait to be asked: God has done so already. There is no restriction: any number can play (but so few do!). Be a part of Life: real living — and not of Death. ‘All things are possible to him that believeth’ ” (GVG).

Gal 6:5

LOAD: In ct v 2, “phortion” = a light burden, easily carried in one hand. “There is no contradiction here. A difference in the word translated ‘burden’ [by the KJV] shows the meaning of Paul. The burden of v 2 is a burden too great for one to bear without overstrain — an overload. The second word means the load properly apportioned to every soldier — his own burden. [“Every man must ‘shoulder his own pack”: JBP.] To share this would be to burden another unduly and unjustly; there must be a wholesome self-reliance as well as a spirit of help. But should a soldier on the march weaken, and his burden become too great for his strength, a comrade, being stronger, might take some of his load in the spirit of helpfulness and comradeship. Each must bear his own burden, but the strong must help the weak according to the law of Christ under which his soldiers serve: ‘By love serve one another’, not by constraint but willingly” (GbS 69).

Gal 6:6

SHARE: “Koinoneo”: impl support: cp 1Co 9:11; 2Co 11:7; Phi 4:10; 1Th 2:6,9; 1Ti 5:17,18.

Gal 6:7

DO NOT BE DECEIVED: 2Th 2:1-3: “Do not be deceived… my own letter” — cp here with the v 11.

A MAN REAPS WHAT HE SOWS: ‘”Whatever we put in, we get out. Every moment wasted is an eternal loss. If enough moments are wasted, all is lost. Nothing is by chance. Everything has a cause. Every action has a result: good or ill. Every moment of life is with eternal possibilities” (GVG).

“The human mind and body are incredibly marvelous creations of wisdom and capability. We do not use one hundredth of our potential. It is probably safe to say we do not use one thousandth of our potential. What the body can be trained to do in the lines of acrobatics and balance would be incredible if it were not proved by the accomplishments of some, as multiple somersaults in the air from a narrow bar, landing in perfect balance on the bar again. And as to the mind, some have memorized the whole Bible. Men spend a lifetime of effort and practice, and accomplish unbelievable marvels — all for a corruptible crown. These people are nothing special in themselves. It’s all a matter of effort and determination: of total love and zeal for some one thing in life: of working and thinking while others are playing and being amused like babies (which most people are). It’s all a matter of setting a course and sticking with it singlemindedly, day in and day out. What would we be able to accomplish, if we really had a total, all-consuming love for God!

“What effort are we making to obtain an incorruptible crown? Do we imagine the riches of the universe will be just handed to us on a platter? Why us, and no one else? What is so special about us? And yet we profess to be in the ‘race’ for life — ‘striving’ toward the mark — earnestly preparing ourselves to the best of our ability for eternity with God. But we tend to just drift through life in ease and comfort, and unprogrammed, day-to-day meandering self-pleasing — absurdly assuming that because we happen to be fortunate enough to have ‘learned the Truth’ in its bare essentials, and have gone through the motions of baptism, and show up at some of the meetings, we thereby are guaranteed eternity, while the ‘heathen’ world perishes. What do we think we are given seventy years preparation time for? — just to play and accumulate and please ourselves? What unutterable, tragic folly! As we sow, so shall we reap: God is not mocked” (GVG).

What in the world is happening with our kids today? Let’s see… I think it started when Madalyn Murray O’Hair complained that she didn’t want any prayer in our schools, and we said okay.

Then someone said you had better not read the Bible in school — the Bible that says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said okay.

Remember Dr Benjamin Spock, who said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem? And we said, okay, we won’t spank them.

Then someone said that teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. And our administrators said… hold on, no one in this school better touch a student when they misbehave because we don’t want any bad publicity, and we surely don’t want to be sued.

Then someone said, let’s let our daughters have abortions if they want, and we won’t even have to tell their parents. And we said, that’s a grand idea.

Then someone else said, let’s give our sons all the condoms they want, so they can have all the “fun” they desire, and we won’t have to tell their parents. And we said, that’s another great idea.

And then some of our top officials said that it doesn’t matter what we do in private as long as we do our jobs. And we said, as long as I have a job and the economy is good, it doesn’t matter to me what anyone does in private.

So now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with reaping what we sow!

Many people sow their wild oats and then pray for a crop failure.

Gal 6:10

DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE: “We must thankfully enjoy the marvelous divine privilege of doing good, and serving the eternal cause of good — not for fleshly gratification, but for spiritual gratification. There is no law against pleasure and happiness and enjoyment: they are what God intends for man. But they must not be groveling and fleshly and death-tending for man. They must be on the plane of, and in harmony with, eternity. Our pleasures must be pleasures of the Spirit. It is hard to grow up to this, and to leave all the bright baby toys behind us; just as all growing up and leaving behind is hard. But only they who tread this hard path can reach the infinitely greater pleasures of eternal maturity. It means setting out in faith up the sometimes dark and rocky road from perishing pleasures to eternal pleasures: but the light at the summit is always shining brightly to lead us on. The world prefers to live and die with its childish toys” (GVG).

“Each of us is specially designed to fulfill a role in the body of Christ. We all have gifts to share and to bless the world around us. Let us joyfully do our part — however small or insignificant it may seem. The blessings of our Father are made manifest in our doing good to others. The health of the body improves when each part functions well” (CPv).

Gal 6:11

LARGE LETTERS: Were these last vv written larger than usual, and by Paul himself (cp 2Th 3:17; Col 4:18; 1Co 16:21) — in order to emphasize their importance as a summary of the letter’s teaching? (CGal 138).

Gal 6:14

Taking the second phrase first, (b) The “world” OUTSIDE crucifies us. And (a) we crucify the “world” INSIDE us (cp Gal 5:24).

Gal 6:15

What is a mere cutting in the flesh when compared to the scene of Christ’s crucifixion?

Gal 6:17

LET NO ONE CAUSE ME TROUBLE: Cp 1Co 14:38. Paul has now said everything worth saying.

THE MARKS OF JESUS: Paul was crucified unto the world (v 14). The marks of persecution upon Paul, comparable to the branding, or “stigmata”, of slaves.

Author: Paul

Time: AD 61

Summary: The letter is divided into two sections. The first outlines the spiritual riches in Christ and our part in God’s eternal purpose; in the second section, Paul discusses practical ways in which we can fulfill God’s purpose. The intent was to illustrate the abundance of spiritual riches that Christ himself received or would receive — grace, glory, mercy, immortality — and to foster the incentive to walk as Christ himself did. By doing so, believers would learn to walk worthy of their calling. It is thought that this letter was a circular letter, intended for other churches in addition to the one in Ephesus.

Key verse: “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace” (Eph 2:6,7).

Outline

1. Greetings: Eph 1:1-2

2. Spiritual blessings in Christ: Eph 1:3-23

a) The divine purpose: Eph 1:3-14 b) Prayer that Christians may realize God’s purpose: Eph 1:15-23

3. Steps toward the fulfillment of God’s purpose: Eph 2-3

a) Salvation of individuals by grace: Eph 2:1-10 b) Reconciliation of Jew and Gentile through Christ: Eph 2:11-22 c) Revelation of God’s wisdom through the church: Eph 3:1-13 d) Prayer for deeper experience of God’s fullness: Eph 3:14-21

4. Practical ways to fulfil God’s purpose: Eph 4:1 – 6:20

a) Unity and maturity: Eph 4:1-16 b) Renewal of personal life: Eph 4:17-5:20 c) Consideration in personal relationships: Eph 5:21 – 6:9 d) Strength in spiritual conflict: Eph 6:10-20

5. Conclusion and final greetings: Eph 6:21-24

2Co 13:5

FAIL THE TEST: The word “adokimos” is translated “reprobate” (Rom 1:28; 2Co 13:5-7, 2Ti 3:8; Tit 1:16), “castaway” (1Co 9:27), and “rejected” (Heb 6:8). It is used to describe a counterfeit coin, deficient as to weight or quality of metal. It is also used, figuratively, to describe a cowardly soldier who fails the test of battle; a candidate rejected for office; and a stone rejected by the builders. In each case, that which is “reprobate” has promised something by its outward appearance which it cannot deliver! It has, perhaps, a “name to live”, but it is dead — like clouds that promise rain, but give none; like stars in the heavens that appear fixed, but prove to be “wandering stars”, or meteors.

2Co 13:11

Cp farewell exchanges by priests as they leave Temple after evening sacrifice (Temple 146).

AIM FOR PERFECTION: “Katartizo” = to complete thoroughly. That is, “strive to be spiritually prepared or trained.”

2Co 13:14

FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: That fellowship established among believers (Act 2:42) by the work of the Holy Spirit (FCE 3).

Author: Paul

Time: AD 49

Summary: The letter to the believers in Galatia focuses on the divisions that Jewish Christians were causing among new Gentile converts. These “Judaizers” were trying to convince the Gentiles that they needed to be circumcised and to keep the ritual law in order to be saved. Paul argues that both Jew and Gentile alike enjoy in Christ complete salvation. Reliance on the Law was only a bondage to death and could not produce life-giving freedom, as only Christ could grant that freedom. Paul was showing that all legalistic variations of the Gospel are perversions of it and should be shown as such.

Key verse: “We, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified” (Gal 2:16).

Outline

1. Introduction: Gal 1:1-9

a) Greetings: Gal 1:1-5 b) Purpose of letter: Gal 1:6-9

2. Paul’s defense of his apostleship: Gal 1:10 – 2:14

a) Paul called by God: Gal 1:10-24 b) Paul accepted by apostles: Gal 2:1-10 c) Paul opposes Peter at Antioch: Gal 2:11-14

3. Salvation by faith not law: Gal 2:15 – 4:31

a) Justified by faith in Christ: Gal 2:15-21 b) The Galatians’ experience at conversion: Gal 3:1-5 c) Experience of Abraham: Gal 3:6-9 d) Curse of the law: Gal 3:10-14 e) Promises before the law: Gal 3:15-18 f) Purpose of the law: Gal 3:19-25 g) Sons not slaves: Gal 3:26 – 4:11 h) Personal appeal: Gal 4:12-20 i) Allegory of Hagar and Sarah: Gal 4:21-31

4. The life of liberty and faith: Gal 5:1 – 6:10

a) Exhortation to freedom: Gal 5:1-12 b) Liberty is not license: Gal 5:13-15 b) Life by the Spirit, not by the flesh: Gal 5:13-26 c) Doing good to all: Gal 6:1-10

5. Conclusion: Gal 6:11-18

Gal 1:1

See Lesson, Paul the man.

See Lesson, Paul’s ecclesial letters.

“This epistle has been like ‘living fire’ again and again in quickening men to vital thinking when the deadening influence of ritual was destroying spiritual life” (CGal 142). Paul’s “angry voice”.

See VL, Christ’s resurrection, reality.

Notice: no words of praise, in ct 1Th 1:1; 1Co 1:2; etc.

Paul’s changing self-image: (1) an apostle (Gal 1:1; etc), (2) least of the apostles (1Co 15:9), (3) less than the least of all the saints (Eph 3:8), (4) worst of sinners (1Ti 1:15). As Paul drew nearer to Christ, so his self-esteem decreased.

BY JESUS CHRIST: To counter criticism that Paul’s apostleship was derived and secondary.

Gal 1:2

TO THE CHURCHES IN GALATIA: This was what we might call a “circular” letter — being sent to the “churches” of Galatia. From that we should conclude that all meetings in Galatia needed the same issues covered.

We must be aware that different ecclesias have differing problems and needs. So what may be a problem in one ecclesia may not be in another. From this we conclude that ecclesial problems are best resolved by those who are in the area rather than by outside involvement by those who only have limited knowledge of the needs.

Notice that the ground-breaking letter which was generated at the “Jerusalem council” (Acts 15:30) was only sent to the ecclesia where there was a problem with the integration of Gentiles into the ecclesia, though its contents must have been well known throughout Asia because of the two references to it in Rev 2:14,20.

Gal 1:8

AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN: How could this happen? But a man could claim angelic visitation as a pretense for teaching error (cp the old prophet in 1Ki 13:18: “an angel said to me”).

LET HIM BE ETERNALLY CONDEMNED: “A man denies an obvious mathematical statement, and he displays dullness of intellect. But if a man denies the essential truths of salvation when they are made known in a revelation authenticated as true by many evidences, his fault passes from the intellectual to the moral plane. As it is a moral fault to deny God’s way, it becomes a moral necessity to uphold it. Its defence and maintenance is nothing less than taking the side of God, and a refusal to do so is joining the enemies of God” (CGal 35).

Gal 1:9

ETERNALLY CONDEMNED: Note contrasting attitudes: the teacher is cursed (cp Tit 1:11; 1Ti 1:3,20), but misled followers are reproached and warned (Gal 1:6; 3:1).

Gal 1:10

Paul is prob quoting his critics: “win approval”, “please”, etc.

SERVANT OF CHRIST: “Doulos” = bond-slave. This description emphasizes submission and dependence on their Lord. It is not a technical reference to a specific office, but characterizes their willing service of Christ, their divine Master. The same designation appears in the letters of James, 2Pe, and Jude.

Man’s slave becomes free in Christ, and a freeman (like Paul) becomes Christ’s slave (1Co 7:22).

The use of the term “slaves” also suggests the “redemptive” work of God in Christ: the Israelites were “slaves” in Egypt, who were “bought” or “redeemed” out of their slavery to become the “purchased possession” of the Father (Exo 15:16). (See Lesson, Redemption.)

Gal 1:13

DESTROY: “Portheo” = “make havoc” (sw Act 9:21; Gal 1:23).

Gal 1:17

ARABIA: Perhaps even as far as Sinai, in view of Gal 4:25.

Gal 1:20

Paul’s honesty had been called in question.

Gal 2:2

WHO SEEMED TO BE LEADERS: Not the apostles, but “pseudo-apostles” (Gal 2:6,9; 6:3).

WAS RUNNING… HAD RUN: Heb idiom for prophet carrying a message: Jer 23:21; Eze 1:18,20; 1Ki 18:46; Psa 147:15; 2Ch 16:9; Hab 2:2; Amo 8:12; Zec 4:10; Dan 12:4.

Gal 2:4

FALSE BROTHERS: “Pseudadelphos”. Pharisaical infiltrators intent on turning Gentile believers into slaves to the Law of Moses.

Gal 2:6

See Deu 10:17 and context: God shows no partiality.

ADDED NOTHING TO MY MESSAGE: That is, they could not compel Paul to change anything or add anything to his teachings! Or… they did not excel Paul in qualifications or arguments.

Gal 2:9

PILLARS: Which, ironically, draw lines of demarcation in field of gospel proclamation (cp usage of pillars in Gen 31:35-52; Exo 14:19,20).

RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWSHIP: Sig status of equality as apostles.

Gal 2:10

ALL THEY ASKED WAS THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THE POOR: The apostles in Jerusalem encouraged Paul “to remember the poor”. This was not a general concern for all poor everywhere. It would appear that it was a concern for the “poor saints in Jerusalem” (Rom 15:26). Romans was written by Paul just before he arrived in Jerusalem with the money which he had been collecting for the poor brethren and sisters there. They were in particular need because: (1) on accepting the gospel they were put out of the synagogue and alienated from their fellow countrymen, and (2) some who were baptized in Jerusalem were from distant lands, and probably did not return home again — but instead stayed in the city with the new ecclesia, without employment.

“Why does God allow so many of His children to be poor? He could make them all rich if He pleased; He could lay bags of gold at their doors; He could send them a large annual income; or He could scatter round their houses abundance of provisions, as once he made the quails lie in heaps round the camp of Israel, and rained bread out of heaven to feed them. There is no necessity that they should be poor, except that He sees it to be best. ‘The cattle upon a thousand hills’ are His — He could supply them; He could make the richest, the greatest, and the mightiest bring all their power and riches to the feet of His children, for the hearts of all men are in His control. But He does not choose to do so; He allows them to suffer want… Why is this? There are many reasons: one is, to give us, who are favoured with enough, an opportunity of showing our love to Jesus. We show our love to Christ when we sing of him and when we pray to him; but if there were no sons of need in the world we should lose the sweet privilege of evidencing our love, by ministering to his poorer brethren; he has ordained that thus we should prove that our love standeth not in word only, but in deed and in truth. If we truly love Christ, we shall care for those who are loved by him. Those who are dear to him will be dear to us. Let us then look upon it not as a duty but as a privilege to relieve the poor of the Lord’s flock — remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ Surely this assurance is sweet enough, and this motive strong enough to lead us to help others with a willing hand and a loving heart — recollecting that all we do for his people is graciously accepted by Christ as done to himself” (CHS).

Gal 2:12

BEFORE CERTAIN MEN CAME FROM JAMES: But not necessarily with his knowledge, nor his approval (Acts 15:24).

…AND SEPARATE HIMSELF: A form of spiritual blackmail.

“There are certain people that most of us look up to as being leaders in the church. They are examples to us of Christian life in action, they are always there, dependable and knowledgeable. They are people we believe will never let us down and will always lead us in the right direction. To most of the people in the early church, the apostles were those kind of leaders. Peter, particularly, seems to have been a leader — and in the forefront of all that was happening and so his lead was followed by many of the other believers. But Peter, even though he was an esteemed apostle, was still just a man and still able to make mistakes. He was still just as able to bow to pressure as you or I. So when Peter did bow to pressure from forceful Jews he was joined by others who followed him and who were not so strong. Even Barnabas, who I would consider to have been a strong and godly man, was led astray by Peter’s mistakes.

“We need to make sure that we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ — not followers of people we consider faithful. Jesus will never fail us, but even the strongest most faithful believer can lead us astray. Set your eyes on Jesus today” (RP).

Gal 2:13

“Perhaps it is something of a comfort in our own problems to know that for a time two great apostles were not in the same ‘fellowship’ ” (AE, Xd 108:60).

Gal 2:14

The “ultra-conservatives” from Jerusalem demanded that circumcision be made a “matter of fellowship” (AE, Xd 108:60).

Gal 2:15

‘GENTILE SINNERS’: A Judaistic phrase of contempt.

Gal 2:20

CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: This means three things: (1) a man on a cross is facing in only one direction; (2) he is not going back; and (3) he has no further plans of his own; he is through with the pomp and pride and vanity of this life. Its chains are broken and its charms are gone. Probably for the first time ever, he is truly “free” from everything that this world has to offer!

WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME: In the most poignant personal expression Paul testifies to the moral force of the life and sacrifice of Christ when he writes that the Son of God “loved me and gave himself for me”. Nothing else can have the spiritual impact of this truth totally believed. Christ did not just die for ‘us’ as an anonymous group. The real, awe-inspiring wonder is that he died for us as a group of individuals, each of whom he loved personally. He died for each one of us. He died for ME! Had there been only one sinner, Christ would still have been willing to die. When each of us stands before the judgment seat he will be looking into the eyes of a man who surrendered his life, personally and individually, for him or her.

Gal 2:21

“This may be one of those verses that you casually glide by in reading, but it is a concept that has tremendous implications for the person who will but study its meaning.

“The initial implication for the verse is simple. The Judaizers, believers in Jesus who taught that salvation still came through following the Law of Moses, had put themselves in an untenable position. They had, in effect by their teaching, made Christ’s death on the cross meaningless. Paul states the logic as follows: (1) If salvation comes by the Law of Moses, and (2) we already have the Law of Moses, then (3) Jesus did not have to come into the world to save us, and thus (4) his death was meaningless. The Judaizers had made the Law of Moses the thing that needed to fill the ‘salvation gap’ — the gap between baptism and salvation in the Kingdom. In other words, it was fine to believe in Jesus and become baptized as taught by Jesus and the apostles. However, the Judaizers inserted a step between baptism and the kingdom that enabled salvation. Their stopgap was the Law.

“We readily see the logic and validity of the argument when we apply it to the Law of Moses, but do we see it when we apply it to other things? Do we see that we commit the same error when we take that verse and subtract ‘the law’ and put something in its place? For example, let’s take out ‘the law’ and put in ‘works’ and see if the logic still holds? ‘I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by works, then Christ is dead in vain.’ The logic again is irrefutable. Isn’t this the logic of Eph 2:8,9?: ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.’

“The fact is that everything — EVERYTHING — that can be done for us in the way of salvation… was done for us on the cross by Jesus Christ. We might be able to take ourselves out of the way of salvation by refusing to act on our ‘faith’, but we cannot do anything more to save ourselves than we did when we believed and were baptized into the saving name of Jesus. When we appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, it is not to see if WE have saved ourselves, but to see if we have keep the precious gift of salvation that we were given in an appropriate manner… or have we buried our talent in the ‘earth’ of our flesh?

“All human-created fillers for the ‘salvation gap’ — works, Bible study, being nice to our neighbors, etc — as important as they may be, will not save us because that work has already been finished. When we do those things (and rest assured we MUST do those things), it is not to save ourselves, but because we have been saved. These acts of faith must be done or we do not possess the faith that saved us in the first place.

“We fear this position because it hurts our human pride. We have nothing to brag about (which is the point in the first place). We also fear, like Paul’s Judaizing opponents are quoted as saying, ‘Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?’ This too is a complete misapplication of Scripture. Having our names written in the Book of Life is not about license to sin, but about understanding the process of salvation. The last thing we want to do is be guilty of teaching that ‘Christ is dead in vain’ ” (KT).