“(Let) nothing (be done) through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
“(Do) nothing according-to party-spirit, nor according-to vain-glory, but in lowly-mindedness esteeming one-another more-excellent-than themselves: not each having-the-eye-on the-(interests) of-themselves, but each on the-(interests) of-others also.”
“Nothing according to party-spirit, nor according to vain-glory, but in lowly-mindedness esteeming one another more excellent than themselves: not each having-the-eye-on the (interests) of-themselves, but each on the-(interests) of-others also.”
These verses follow straight on from those we last pondered, which ended: “Fill full my joy when ye mind the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul, minding the one thing.” Now we will see that the Spirit of God brings before us those things which hinder this unity: and we will begin to see God’s cure for those hindrances.
There is no verb at the beginning of verse 3, and to make good English we must supply one, as, for example —“Let nothing be according to party spirit,” or, “Doing (or, do) nothing according to party spirit.” “According to” is the literal translation, and indicates the principle on which the thing is done, or the state of mind which produces the act. There are six different words in the Greek New Testament all translated “strife” in the English New Testament. The particular one used here is the same as that translated “contention” in chapter 1:16 (Authorized Version). It has the meaning of “rivalry, party-spirit, factiousness, ambition, self-seeking.” It is listed as one of the works of the flesh in Gal. 5.
The two great hindrances to “minding the one thing” (which we considered in verse 2) are, Dr. Lightfoot points out, “the exaltation of party and the exaltation of self. Both these are condemned here.” The first is condemned in “party-spirit,” the second in “vain-glory.” The Scripture says: “Only by pride cometh contention,” (Prov. 13:1010Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. (Proverbs 13:10)) and this is just what we see here: pride of party, (yet I think it includes personal rivalry or ambition) or, pride of person. And, Beloved, let us not forget how very prone we all are to these things, and how very easily they creep into our lives, and into our meetings. Pride is so terribly natural to us all! “Human nature is always disposed to say ‘we’ if it cannot say I” (J.N.D.) Even though we may profess to belong to no party, but to the Church of God alone, we so easily become proud of that— and we make ourselves into the very party we deny. And need I say how easily and how often, by thought, by word, by deed, we are governed by “vainglory,” personal vanity, in plain words: self conceit.
“I am—rich, or wise, or holy”
For “I am,” men live and labor,
For “I am,” they die.
(H. Suso)
“But in lowly-mindedness esteeming one another more excellent than themselves.” The word “but” is a strong word, drawing our earnest attention to the very great contrast between lowly-mindedness and party-spirit or vain-glory. The words “one another” are really in the plural, but I do not know how this can be said in English, to make it clearer than it is. We have already noticed how much we get about our mind, or minding; and in the word “lowly-mindedness” we find this again. In Eph. 4:22With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (Ephesians 4:2) we find exactly the same word as one of the bonds which bind the saints together. There it is linked with “meekness.” Years ago I was walking with Mr. Willie Crossly, when suddenly he asked: “Christopher, what is the difference between lowliness (or, lowly-mindedness) and meekness?” I had to reply, “I don’t know, Mr. Crossly.” He said, “I will tell you. Lowly-mindedness will never give offense. Meekness will never take offense.” Oh, that we each had more of these two qualities! How much strife and contention would be avoided!
In our chapter we get only “lowly-mindedness,” without meekness: for I think the Spirit of God is bringing before us the positive side of our walk: rather than the negative side, which provides for getting along with difficult brethren or sisters. The Spirit does not look at the Philippian saints as “difficult.” He sees them in all their zeal and warm-heartedness and love for the gospel and their Lord, as well as to their Lord’s prisoner, the Apostle himself. So it would be out of place to add meekness. And if we each obeyed this blessed teaching in these verses in Philippians 2, there would never be any strife amongst us; and having lowly-mindedness, meekness would not be called for when having to do with the saints.
But notice what is connected with “lowly-mindedness.” “In lowly-mindedness esteeming one another more excellent than themselves.” If we have truly learned ourselves in the presence of our Savior, then we will be the more ready to obey this injunction. And let us remember that “one another” is plural. Do we ever think, even though the words may not pass our lips, “How glad I am the meeting where I go is more separate than that group of Christians over there.” “Those to whom I belong are better taught in the Word than so-and-so.” “We would not do the kind of things those people do.” Is this esteeming one another more excellent than themselves? What is this but party-spirit? What is it but sectarianism? And pride linked with party-spirit.
Nor are such thoughts limited to the plural. “I am holier than thou” (Isa. 65:55Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. (Isaiah 65:5)) is in the singular. Our tongues may not utter such words, but our thoughts may tell us, “I am more spiritual than that person.” “I spend more time over the Word and in prayer than Brother Blank.” And so it goes: for we each know the plague of our own hearts. I think it was Spurgeon who said: “There is pride of face, pride of place, and pride of race, but the worst pride of all, is pride of grace.” And, alas, this is the pride to which the saints are, perhaps, most prone. But not only are we not to esteem ourselves as better than others: but we are to esteem others as better than ourselves: and we will, if close enough to Christ: and if we see ourselves, the person we know best, in the light of His holiness and love.
And now we come to two other exhortations that also hit most of us very hard: “Not each having the eye on the interests of themselves, but each on the interests of others also.” In our ordinary English Bible we read: “Look not every man on his own things, etc.” The word translated “look” does have this meaning: but it is not the ordinary word for “look,” but comes from a word meaning a mark on which to fix the eye. In the third chapter of our Epistle we get the word itself translated mark. (verse 14). We find the same word as in verse 4 also in 2 Cor. 5:1818And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (2 Corinthians 5:18), which Mr. Kelly excellently translates: “While we have the eye, not on the things that are seen, etc.” So we have used the same translation here; and I hope it brings home to us more forcibly the urgency of this exhortation.
In the Greek Testament there is no word for “interests” in either place: only the article “the,” in the plural; and we have to fill in what the Spirit means us to understand: and that may have a very wide application. The Authorized Version uses “things.” Mr. Darby uses “qualities,” or, in a note “advantages.” I suppose the word “interests” means the things that interest us. We sometimes sing: “A mind at leisure from itself, To soothe and sympathize.”
What a lovely sight it is, and how refreshing to find one who is so free from looking at his own interests, that he can regard and care for the interests of others.
How it warms the heart and draws us close together. But, sad to say, most of us are too busy with our own affairs to have very much regard for the interests of others. “Each” in both places is plural. May the Lord Himself teach us these blessed truths we have just been pondering. “The more we cleave to Christ, and are taught of the Spirit, the more shall we be of one mind in the Lord, not agreeing after the fashion of men, but taught by the one Book, we shall grow into oneness of mind and judgment in all things. This is the way to bring about true unity, ‘and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.’” (Chapter 3:15).
OTHERS
Spoken by the crowd, deriding,
To the blessed Lord,
Yet what depth of truth lay hidden
In the taunting word.
“He saved others”— yes, for truly
To that end He came,
Thirty years He toiled with others,
Bore an unknown name.
Three short years of ceaseless service,
Healing day by day
Sin-sick souls, and suffering bodies
Thronging round His way.
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Would we follow in His footsteps?
In His service share?
Then for us it standeth written
We His cross must bear.
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“He saved others”— may it echo
In our hearts each day,
Till His love all selfish pleasing
Purge for aye away.
Till possessed with holy passion
Other lives to save,
We partake His life and Spirit
Who “so loved He gave”.
(Freda Hanbury Allen)