Philippians 2

Philippians 2:1-11

The apostle presents to further exhortations to several duties; to be like-minded, and lowly-minded, which he presells from the example of Christ, ver. 1—12. And to diligence and seriousness in the Christian courts, ver. 12, 13. And to adorn their Christian profession to several suitable graces, ver. 14—18. And concludes with particular notice and commendation of two good ministers, Timothy and Epaphradites; when he designed to send to them, ver. 19—30.

1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies; 2. Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3. Let nothing be done through thrift or vain-glory, but in lowlines of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: 6. Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with

God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

By every endearing argument the apostle exhorts his Philippian brethren.

1. To love, unity and humility. If there be any consolation in Christ, (enlistable), if my exhortation hath any weight, and you experience any joy in the Redeemer; if there be any comfort of love, from the time of the love of God that abroad in your hearts; if there be any fellowship of the Spirit, in mutual union and complacency in each other, or through the Holy Ghost, with God the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ; if there be any bowels and mercies, in the gracious Saviour towards you; or if you have ever felt the like tender compaillions one towards another; if it be most desirable to abound in all these things, and you have already known their value and excellence, fulfil ye my joy, and continue to give me this highest satisfaction in you, that ye be like minded, animated as by one soul; having the same love one towards another, as the members of the same body; having of one accord, unanimous in desire and design to promote the Redeemer’s glory, and the salvation of men’s souls; and of one mind, holding the same principles and sentiments, according to the purity of the gospel. Let nothing be done through thrift or vain-glory, affect no pre-eminence, dispute not too applicable, nor speak or act under a contentious spirit; but in lowlines of mind, the great ornament of the Christian character, let each esteem other better than themselves; entertaining lowly thoughts of their own attainments, conscious of their manifold infirmities, and entertaining the best opinion of their brethren. Look not every man at his own things, to admire himself, or purine his own selfish ends, his ease, honour, or worldly advantage; but every man also on the things of others; not as body-bodies, to joy into them conspicuously, but desiring to promote their real good, and from the view of their excellence to be humbled in your own eyes.

2. He enforces his exhortation with the most powerful argument, the example of the blessed Jesus. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, even that lowlines which in him was so eminently exemplified; who being in the form of God, possessing every effectual perfection of the divine nature, the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of his person, though it not robbery to be equal with God, and justly to claim a party with the Father in uncreated glory. But, in infinite condescension and pity towards us, he made himself of no reputation, laying aside the splendor of his divine majesty, and had upon himself the form of a servant, affirming the human nature in the lowest condition; and was made in the likeness of men, having the same reasonable soul, and human flesh, the corruption of our nature only excepted. And being found in fashion as a man, in all things made like unto his brethren, he humbled himself before God and man, through a life of affliction, and, at last, become obedient to death, for us men and for our salvation, even the death of the cross, that most painful, ignominious, and accursed death; submitting thereunto, that he might bear our sins in his own body on the tree. Wherefore, having finished the work which the Father had given him to do, to his fullest satisfaction, God also hath highly exalted him in his human nature to the mechanical throne, as the reward of his sufferings, and given him a name which is above every name, all power, authority, and dominion being given to him over every creature; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and divine honours be paid to the incarnate Son, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; by angels and men, and every intelligent creature; yea, even devils must be compelled to own his glory: and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, the universal Sovereign, to the glory of God the Father, who, as man, hath thus exalted him to the throne of majesty on high, for the purposes of his own glory. Note, (1.) The example of our Lord should be ever before us, and that, if any thing can, will suppress the workings of pride. (2.) The love of a crucified Jesus should warm our hearts, and knit them in elosist union to each other.

3. Wherefore my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence; work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14. Do all things without murmurings, and disputings: 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse

perverse nation: among whom ye thine as lights in the world: 16. Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 17. Yes, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. 18. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

9. 12—18. The apostle proceeds in his exhortations:

10. To Christian diligence. Wherefore my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not in my precious only, but now much more in my defence, and therefore I entertain the fullest confidence of your performances in the same good ways of our God, word not your own salvation with fear and trembling, giving all diligence to make your calling and election sure in the use of every appointed means, jealousy over your deceitful hearts, and watchful agiotift every thing that might offend the Father of mercies, whose love you have tailed, and by whose grace your fidelity can only be secured; for it is God which worketh in you hath to will send to do of his good pleas, and you may firmly depend upon him, that, amidst all expeditions, he will perfect in you the work which he hath begun. Next, (1) God, who medains the end, appoints the means; thole are inseparable: it were the height of folly and profumption to hope for salvation in the neglect of them. (2) After all our diligence, our dependence must not be placed on ourselves, but on him who worketh in us to well and to do, not according to our desires, nor merely at our desire, but of his own good pleasure. (3) It is the strength manne to befit ourselves, that we know our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord; for if he will work in us, for us, and with us, then shall we assuredly succeed.

11. To an exemplary conversation, such as may confound their enemies, and conform him their faithful servant under all his sufferings. Do all things without manmering and disputing, content under every providential dispensation, and studiously avoiding every occasion of contention among yourselves; that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sins of God, without rebels, and behave to irreproachably, that your will malign and accultur, may have no evil thing justly to lay of you: for ye dwell in the might of a crusted and perverse nation; the keen eyes of your enemies are open, and they wait for your halting; gladly would they catch at any thing which might countenance them in their iniquities; among whom ye thine as lights in the world; your bright examples, like funs in your several spheres, darting unwelcome light upon the workers of wickedness, and thinning to the glory of God: holding forth the word of life, even the blessed gospel, both in your lips and in your conduct, holding it full in all fidelity, holding it up with all zeal and boldness, if under God it may be blest to illumine the darkness of those around you, and bring them to the Light of life; or at least to leave them inexcusable in their impenitence. And this will be a singular satisfaction to me, when I find that I have not run in vain, nor laboured in vain, but behold in you such blessed effects of my ministry, and that all my conflicts shall at last be crowned with success. Yes, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, and should now be called as a victim to bleed in confirmation of the gospel which I preach, for from being investigated with the prospect, I joy and rejoice with you all, congratulating you, and happy in myself that I am counted worthy of the course of martyrdom, and enabled to leave so powerful a testimony behind me for the strengthening of your faith. For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me; and, for from being grieved of disfarmined, should exalt that I am enabled to be thus faithful unto death. Next, (1) Every Christian is a city let me a hill; he needs peculiar circumspection; a flare in his conduct will be exaggerated into a fault of the first magnitude. (2) We must hold up to the world, in our preaching and examples, the word of life; not oftentatiously proclaiming our own goodness, but, for God’s glory and the profit of men’s fouls, showing our light before men. (3) Nothing can make revive a minister’s heart, and make him so cheastfully content to suffer for the cause even to death, as seeing his labours successful and his ministry blest.

12. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send a Timothy into you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state. 20. For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state. 21. For all I seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. 22. But ye know the proof of him, that as a son with the father, he had served with me in the gospel. 23. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. 24. But I trust in the Lord, that I also myself shall come shortly. 25. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you a Epaphroditus, my brother and companion in labour, and a fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that mustered to my wants. 26. For he I longed after you all,

Vol. II.

and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 27. For indeed he was sick, only unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such in reputation: 30. Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life to supply your lack of service towards me.

9. 19—30. Since he was now unable to visit them himself, he promises to send them two of his dearest friends to supply his absence, and speaks of them in the highest terms of regard and commendation.

10. He mentions Timothy. Though he had spoken of his readiness to die, he informs them for their comfort, that he apprehended no immediate danger. But I trust, says he, in the Lord Jesus that I shall be delivered, and, needed as a company is now to me, that I shall be able to find Timothy death unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state, and hear of your prosperity. For I have no man like-minded, so perfectly united in sentiment with me, and so in affection knit to you; who will therefore naturally care for your state, and with genuine regard desire to advance your faith good. For all men, too generally at least, seek their own, desirous of ease and earthly advantages; not with a single eye, as Timothy death, confining things which are Jesus Christ’s, for his glory, and the obfuscation of his people. But ye know the proof of him, by past experience, with what zeal and fidelity he laboured among you; and that as a son with the father, he had served with me in the gospel; willing to run all hazards, to share my fatigues and sufferings, and in all duty and affection obeying me as a child. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me, after I have appeared, as I shortly expect to do, at Christ’s tribunal: but I trust in the Lord, that I also myself shall come shortly, when I have regained my liberty. Next, (1) They who enter the ministry with selfish views, seeking their own things, not those of Jesus Christ, shall bear their burden, where the great Shepherd and bishop of souls appear. (2) A faithful pastor feels the same tender concern for the children he hath begotten in the gospel, as if they were the offspring of his own body.

11. He commends to them Epaphroditus, who brought this epistle to them. But I supposed it necessary, being unable to come myself, or to spare Timothy just at this critical juncture, to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, who willingly served and suffered in the same blessed cause; but your messenger, and he that manifested to my wants; delivering your kind by defections, and giving me every assistance which lay in his power. For he longed after you all, and earnestly wished to be labouring again among you; and was full of heaviness because that ye had heard that he had been sick; knowing how deeply the sad news would affect you. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death; his disease, to human views, mortal and disparate: but God had mercy on him, and brought him back from the gates of the grave: and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow, anguish for his loss being added to my other burdens. I sent him therefore the more carefully, and with greater haste, that when ye see him again ye may rejoice in his recovery and return to you; and that I may be the less sorrowful at his departure, when I know what delight and advantage his company will be to you. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, with cordial regard, and at the ambassador of the Redeemer; and hold such in reputation, highly respecting them for their fidelity and zeal; because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, having contracted his illness from the fatigues he underwent; not regarding his life, but readily hazardous his health, to supply your lack of service towards me, which the disgrace rendered you incapable of affording me. Next, (1) Though we must not earnestly neglect our health, yet, when the cause of Christ demands it, a faithful minister will show a noble contempt of life, and be ready to expose himself to disease or death. (2) They who know the value of a faithful minister, will count it a singular mercy that he is longer spared to labour, and will rejoice in him before God.