Philippians 2.
Verses 1-2. “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
This want of one-mindedness in these saints was evidently pressing on the Apostle’s spirit. He exhorted them to be of one mind in Philippians 1:2727Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (Philippians 1:27), and now again in such a way of loving appeal as ought to win their hearts. Their gift sent to him carried consolation of Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, bowels and mercies (tender affection and care), giving him great joy.
One more quality was needed to fulfill his joy in them, and that was that they be of one mind in the Lord, allowing no rivalship in their souls with each other. Something had come in during his absence; his true yoke fellow (Phil. 4:33And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlaborers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:3)) had made him aware of it, and now by all these blessings in Christ, and His love, he beseeches them. Their love to him gives him room to speak to them about it. He goes on:
Verses 3-4. “Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things (or advantages), but every man also on the things of others.” He wished their complete happiness, and wished them to love each other as they had loved him, and as he loved them. In such a tender reproof, he added divine love to brotherly love (2 Peter 1:77And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (2 Peter 1:7) JND).
Verses 5-8. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Here we have the perfect pattern in the One, who humbled Himself to do the will of God, and we are thus taught to lay self aside even as the Lord did.
Such a contrast with the first Adam, who sought equality with God by robbery, when he was in the form of a man, and strove to exalt himself (being at the same time disobedient unto death).
Christ Jesus our Lord, when He was in the form of God, emptied Himself (love led Him to do it) of all His outward glory – of the form of God – and took the form of a man; and, then still humbled Himself. As God He emptied Himself, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross, and God has highly exalted Him. In this we are reminded of the word, “Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
And what a story of love that cannot be measured this is. A Man has won, by His lowly obedience to God, the highest place above all heavens, the right hand of the throne of the divine majesty.
What a wonderful person that could descend into death, and ascend to the highest, where He fills all things as Redeemer and Lord of Glory! Worthy from all eternity to be at God’s right hand, He is now there as the victorious man. God’s righteousness has set Him there after He was made sin for us, and we are made God’s righteousness in Him, rejoicing in His glory, and by grace we have part in it.
Verses 9-11. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name, which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly, earthly and infernal beings (N. T.); and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” His humiliation declares His Godhead. He who was rich became poor.
Rich in glory, Thou didst stoop,
Thence is all Thy people’s hope;
Thou wast poor, that we might be
Rich in glory, Lord, with Thee.
Only a divine person could do this work; only as a man could He die. He is exalted as a man in the highest place. He is Lord over all as a man, Jesus Christ. It is of Him that the apostle speaks, Who was ever equal with God the Father, emptied Himself, humbled Himself, became obedient unto death, and is now exalted as man, and is now crowned with glory and honor, and to Him every knee – all creation – must bow and confess Him Lord, to the glory of God the Father. What a story of love and grace without measure! “Let this lowly mind be in you.”
Verses 12, 13. “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, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
While he was among them, he had labored and shepherded them. Now he could not be with them, but they had still God working in them, and they could look to Him Who could defeat the enemy that they had to meet. He would show them His will, and also supply the strength and wisdom to carry it out. Their carefulness, their fear and trembling were lest they should do their own will, not His.
Salvation, including the body, is at the end, in this epistle. Our place in Christ is always perfect. Our relationships are all eternally secure. We are, as believers, always children of God the Father, always members of the body of Christ, always sealed with the Holy Spirit. Working out our salvation is learning in our walk and service to do the will of God. “Your own” is in contrast with when Paul was with them. Now they had to look to God, each for himself, as to his making progress in his pilgrim path. There is no uncertainty about our being saved, or of losing our life. God dwells in us forever by His Spirit (see 1 Cor. 1:88Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:8)).
Verses 14-18. Here we get some exhortations. “Do all things without murmurings and reasonings; that ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the Word of Life.”
How fully all this was carried out by our blessed Lord as a man. And we need diligence and earnestness to follow in the right way, and though we have a desperate enemy, yet greater is He that is for us, than all that can be against us. There is grace in Christ to meet all our need.
The Apostle thus exhorts them to faithfulness, that he might rejoice over them in the day of Christ, that his work with them had not been in vain. He was willing to die for them upon the sacrifice and service of their faith. He rejoices with them in it, and looked for them also to rejoice with him. He thus united his work and reward in the day of Christ with the assembly, and with the joy of the Lord in them.
Verses 19-21. Though confident that the Lord will continue the good work in their souls, He trusts to send Timotheus shortly unto them, that he might be of good comfort when he knew their state. About that servant the Apostle says: “I have no man like-minded who will care with genuine feeling how ye get on (N. T.). For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” This also gives us a glimpse of the state of the assembly everywhere. Men of God were exceptions. He had none else but Timotheus who were filled with love, and sought Christ’s glory in the saints, but of him he continues:
Verses 22-24. “But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with a father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him, therefore, I hope to send immediately, as soon as I shall see how it will go with me.” And he trusted in the Lord that he himself would come shortly. How solicitous he was for their spiritual well-being.
Verses 25-30. Epaphroditus must also return. He is described as “my brother and fellow-soldier, and companion in labor, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” He also longed after the Philippians, and was troubled because they heard that he had been sick, for indeed he was sick, nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him, “and,” as Paul says, “not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him, therefore, in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such in honor (N. T.), because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life to complete your service toward me.” What mutual regard for each other is seen here, brotherly love and divine love intermingled.
This is a chapter of examples: First it is the perfect one. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”: then Paul, Timotheus, and Epaphroditus, men walking in their path serving the Lord, to whom “to live was Christ, and to die was gain.” May it stir our hearts through Christ’s grace to do likewise. It is the obedient One we have here as our pattern for our living before men. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.