Paul loved these people deeply, and because of that he wanted them to be the church that would give him the greatest joy, and the way they could do that is by being the greatest examples of Christ-likeness in their relationship to one another. He is here motivating them toward that goal by getting them to focus on what they already have in Christ. If they will count their blessings, it will motivate them to be united in their love for one another.

1. Philippians 2 Commentary
Written and edited by Glenn Pease
PREFACE
The following commentary consists of my own thoughts combined with the thoughts
of the many authors both ancient and modern who have made comments on this
most important letter of Paul. I have quoted so many others because I have found in
each a unique way to convey the ideas that Paul is seeking to communicate.
Sometimes I have not been able to give credit, and if anyone discovers the name of
the author quoted and lets me know, I will gladly give credit where credit is due. If
anyone does not want their quotes expressed in this commentary, they can let me
know as well, and I will delete them. My e-mail is glenn_p86@yahoo.com The
purpose of this commentary is to bring the thoughts of many authors together in one
place in order to save the Bible student a lot of time in research. All of the comments
are available to anyone, but it takes an enormous amount of time to read all of the
resources. I have brought together what I feel are the best thoughts on the text in
this one place to save others the time. It is my pleasure to do so, and I use these
studies myself to teach a class of about 20 people. The numbering system uses letters
as well as numbers because it gives me the freedom to add new material I discover
without doing the numbers all over. I welcome any comments, and I will add them
to this commentary if they contribute new and valued insight.
1. If you have any encouragement from being
united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if
any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness
and compassion,
Other versions:
Amplified: So by whatever [appeal to you there is in our mutual dwelling in Christ,
by whatever] strengthening and consoling and encouraging [our relationship] in
Him [affords], by whatever persuasive incentive there is in love, by whatever
participation in the [Holy] Spirit [we share], and by whatever depth of affection and
compassionate sympathy, (Amplified Bible - Lockman)

2. Barclay: If the fact that you are in Christ has any power to influence you, if love has
any persuasive power to move you, if you really are sharing in the Holy Spirit, if you
can feel compassion and pity, (Westminster Press)
Phillips: Now if your experience of Christ's encouragement and love means
anything to you, if you have known something of the fellowship of his Spirit, and all
that it means in kindness and deep sympathy (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: In view of the fact that there is a certain ground of appeal in Christ which
exhorts, since there is a certain tender persuasion that comes from divine love, in
view of the fact that there is a certain joint-participation with the Spirit in a
common interest and activity, since there are certain tender heartednesses and
compassionate yearnings and actions. (Erdmans)
1. Paul loved these people deeply, and because of that he wanted them to be the
church that would give him the greatest joy, and the way they could do that is by
being the greatest examples of Christ-likeness in their relationship to one another.
He is here motivating them toward that goal by getting them to focus on what they
already have in Christ. If they will count their blessings, it will motivate them to be
united in their love for one another. What are those blessings? Paul says first to
consider if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ. Who would
not be encouraged by the fact that they are saved for all eternity by being united
with the Savior? Paul is saying "if you are", but the implication is that obviously
you are. The same goes for if you have any comfort from his love. Of course you
have such comfort, and of course you have fellowship with the Spirit, and it is
conspicuous that you have tenderness and compassion. Paul is saying it is obvious
that you have these blessings, and being that is the case. let these blessings motivate
you to be like-minded in love, spirit, and purpose.
1B. It could be said, since you have these, for it is obvious that they would. It is
inconceivable that any believer would not have encouragement in being united with
Christ, and have comfort in His love, and fellowship with the Spirit. It is also likely
that they would have tenderness and compassion, but it is possible for Christians to
lack this, and instead, be hard and indifferent to others needs. The first three have
to do with their relationship to God, but this fourth has to do with their own spirit
in relation to others, and it is here where it is possible to fall short. It ought not to be
if they have fellowship with the Spirit, for the fruit of the Spirit would give them the
tenderness and compassion they should have. So it would seem that the reason they
fall short here is because their fellowship with the Spirit is weak. This fits the reality
of what we know, for fellowship with the Spirit is the weakest aspect of the average
Christian’s life. You need to have fellowship with the Spirit to produce the fruit of
the Spirit.
1C. "Paul mentions things like consolation in Christ and comfort of love in a
manner which suggests to us that they should all be obvious parts of the Christian's
experience; to make his rhetorical point, he could have just as easily said, "if water

3. is wet, if fire is hot, if rocks are hard . . . "
1D. "The word "if" which is used four times in verse 1 is the Greek word "ei". It
should be translated as "since" because it means that each of these if-clauses is true.
Paul knows four things about the Philippians. The first thing he knows is that they
are encouraged in their unity with Christ to be able to cope with the undeserved
suffering identified in the previous verses. Secondly, he knows that they have
comfort ("paramuthion") from Christ's love ("agape") which provides them with
His solace in times of trouble. This enables them to have a forgive-and-forget
attitude when they are wronged. Thirdly, he knows that they are indwelled by the
Holy Spirit, and that they submit to His control. Fourthly, he knows that they
possess tenderness ("splagchnon") and compassion ("oiktirmos") for others. This
word for tenderness deserves some explanation since it actually means "intestines,
bowels, or stomach". In the ancient world, this part of the body was considered to
be the center of one's emotions, as we might use the word "heart" today. It is
reasonable that the ancients would think that the emotions were centered in the
abdominal area since that is where we can indeed feel emotions of stress or anxiety.
Have you ever had butterflies in your stomach when you were nervous? So this term
refers to the emotional affection, kindness, and goodwill we experience toward
others. The word for compassion means pity or mercy for others in agony--an
emotional sympathy." Unknown author
1E. Coffman wrote, "Collectively, the fourfold premise of this verse adds up to this:
"Look, if there is anything at all to your Christianity ...!" If ..."This is rhetorical
and in no way expresses doubt. Paul was here appealing to those very things which
he considered most certain in the area of Christian experience. This was a common
Hebrew method of making a statement in the affirmative, as when Jesus said, "If I
go, I shall come again" (John 14:3), making the certainty of his going the pledge also
of his Second Coming. Lightfoot paraphrased this quadruple list of "if's" thus: "If
your experiences in Christ appeal to you with any force, if love exerts any
persuasive power upon you, if your fellowship in the Spirit is a living reality, if you
have any affectionate yearnings of heart, any tender feelings of compassion, listen
and obey!"
2. Paul is telling these people that they have all the ingredients for being ideal
Christians, and so they need to put these ingredients to work in showing him and
the world that human beings, by the grace of God, can overcome the natural
selfishness of human nature. They can become examples of how people can be
transformed from being self-centered to become other centered just like their Savior
was in laying down his life for them. There is no higher goal for believers to reach
than the goal of being like Jesus in his humility. If believers can humble themselves
like Jesus, and give up being selfish for the sake of the body, they have achieved a
goal that would make Paul's joy complete, and the joy of the Lord as well. Most of
this chapter is about reaching the heights by sinking the lowest. It is by humbling
ourselves in love for others, and by becoming servants so that we rise to the highest

4. level of what a saint can be. Stooping to serve is the way to the top, and it all begins
with a focus on Jesus Christ as your prime example in how to use all of the blessings
of life that God has bestowed on you.
2B. Ray Pritchard paraphrases, "If you've gotten anything at all out of following
Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of
the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a
favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push
your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and
help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget
yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."
2C. Sandy Simpson wrote, “We as believers need to be reminded of the benefits we
have from being born again. We have great encouragement in life because of our
unity with Christ through the Holy Spirit. I think you can remember back when
you felt alone and carried all the problems of the world on your shoulders. But
when you heard the Gospel message, repented of your sins, believed in the Lord
Jesus Christ as your Savior, and cast all your cares upon Him, you began to know
what encouragement was. You began to know the comfort of His love. You
experienced the fellowship of His Spirit, and you found you were no longer alone.
You found out firsthand what the tenderness and compassion of the Lord is all
about, as well as those who shared the Gospel with you. Paul says we should
remember those things so that we will know that we are one in the spirit. Because of
our common experience in Christ and unity of the Spirit, we begin to be like-minded.
We see things the same way, the way the Bible and the Holy Spirit teach
things to us. We find that we have the same love for God, but also for one another.
We begin to live out the experience of being born again in one Spirit, one purpose.
But this is a growing process and we need to go back regularly and remember our
first love.”
2D. Chrysostom wrote, "We indeed remind men of our carnal claims; for example,
if a father were to say, If thou hast any reverence for thy father, if any
remembrance of my care in nourishing thee, if any affection towards me, if any
memory of the honor thou hast received of me, if any of my kindness, be not at
enmity with thy brother; that is, for all those things, this is what I ask in return. But
Paul does not so; he calls to our remembrance no carnal, but all of them spiritual
benefits. That is, if ye wish to give me any comfort in my temptations, and
encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if ye wish to show any
communion in the Spirit, if ye have any tender mercies and compassions, fulfil ye
my joy. "If any tender mercies and compassions." Paul speaks of the concord of his
disciples as compassion towards himself, thus showing that the danger was extreme,
if they were not of one mind. If I can obtain comfort from you, if I can obtain any
consolation from our love if I can communicate with you in the Spirit, if I can have
fellowship with you in the Lord, if I can find mercy and compassion at your hands,
show by your love the return of all this. All this have I gained, if ye love one
another."

5. 3. Barnes wrote, "If there be any comfort in the exercise of tender affection. That
there is, no one can doubt. Our happiness is almost all centered in love. It is when
we love a parent, a wife, a child, a sister, a neighbor, that we have the highest
earthly enjoyment. It is in the love of God, of Christ, of Christians, of the souls of
people, that the redeemed find their highest happiness. Hatred is a passion full of
misery; love an emotion full of joy. By this consideration, Paul appeals to them, and
the motive here is drawn from all the joy which mutual love and sympathy are fitted
to produce in the soul. Paul would have that love exercised in the highest degree,
and would have them enjoy all the happiness which its mutual exercise could
furnish."
4. Calvin comments, "If there is therefore any consolation. There is an extraordinary
tenderness in this exhortation, in which he entreats by all means the Philippians
mutually to cherish harmony among themselves, lest, in the event of their being torn
asunder by intestine contentions, they should expose themselves to the impostures of
the false apostles. For when there are disagreements, there is invariably a door
opened for Satan to disseminate impious doctrines, while agreement is the best
bulwark for repelling them. "If there is among you any consolation of Christ, "by
means of which you may alleviate my grief, and if you would afford me any
consolation and relief, which you assuredly owe me in the exercise of love; if you
take into view that fellowship of the Spirit, which ought to make us all one; if any
feeling of humanity and mercy resides in you, which might stir you up to alleviate
my miseries, fulfill ye my joy, etc. From this we may infer, how great a blessing unity
in the Church is, and with what eagerness pastors should endeavor to secure it. We
must also at the same time take notice, how he humbles himself by beseechingly
imploring their pity, while he might have availed himself of his paternal authority,
so as to demand respect from them as his sons. He knew how to exercise authority
when it was necessary, but at present he prefers to use entreaties, because he knew
that these would be better fitted to gain an entrance into their affections, and
because he was aware that he had to do with persons who were docile and
compliant. In this manner the pastor must have no hesitation to assume different
aspects for the sake of the Church.
5. Spurgeon wrote, "You will remember, my dear friends, that the Holy Spirit,
during the present dispensation, is revealed to us as the Comforter. It is the Spirit's
business to console and cheer the hearts of God's people. He does convince of sin; he
does illuminate and instruct; but still the main part of his business lies in making
glad the hearts of the renewed, in confirming the weak, and lifting up all those that
be bowed down. Whatever the Holy Ghost may not be, he is evermore the
Comforter to the Church; and this age is peculiarly the dispensation of the Holy
Spirit, in which Christ cheers us not by his personal presence, as he shall do by-and-bye,
but by the indwelling and constant abiding of the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Now, mark you, as the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, Christ is the comfort. The Holy
Spirit consoles, but Christ is the consolation. If I may use the figure, the Holy Spirit
is the Physician, but Christ is the medicine. He heals the wound, but it is by
applying the holy ointment of Christ's name and grace. He takes not of his own

6. things, but of the things of Christ. We are not consoled to-day by new revelations,
but by the old revelation explained, enforced, and lit up with new splendour by the
presence and power of the Holy Ghost the Comforter. If we give to the Holy Spirit
the greek name of Paraclete, as we sometimes do, then our heart confers on our
blessed Lord Jesus the title of the Paraclesis. If the one be the Comforter, the other
is the comfort."
6. Paul is encouraging the Philippians to be encouragers of one another. Barclay
wrote, "One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement ... It is easy
to laugh at men's ideals; it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy
to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to
encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or
cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word." What
does an encourager do? Does he overlook the faults of his fellow Christians? Do we
look the other way when a believer falls into sin? No, the testimony of Scripture is
that sin in the Body of Christ must be dealt with, and that right early. If a brother
or a sister is in sin, a clearly Biblical state of ungodliness, then we should use the
Scripture to correct the fallen. But often we see sin where none exists. Often we take
into account our own taboos, our own detesting, and transfer what we do not like to
another as if it were sin."
7. Marvin Vincent has a detailed note on this word group writing that parakaleo
literally means..."a calling to one’s side to help; and therefore entreaty, passing on
into the sense of exhortation, and thence into that of consolatory exhortation; and so
coming round to mean that which one is summoned to give to a suppliant—
consolation. Thus it embodies the call for help, and the response to the call. Its use
corresponds with that of the kindred verb , to exhort or console...In some instances,
the meaning wavers between console and exhort. In the sense of exhortation or
counsel, the noun may be found in Acts13:15; Ro 12:8; Heb 13:22. The verb, in Acts
2:40; 11:23; 14:22; Ro 12:8; Titus 2:15. Neither the noun nor the verb appear in the
writings of John, but the kindred word the Paraclete, Comforter, or Advocate, is
peculiar to him. It should be noted, however, that the word comfort goes deeper
than its popular conception of soothing. It is from the later Latin , to make strong.
Thus Wycliffe renders Lu 1:80, “the child waxed, and was comforted in spirit” and
Tyndale, Lu 22:43, “there appeared an angel from heaven comforting him” (AV.,
strengthening).
7B. Barclay wrote, “If the fact that you are in Christ has any power to influence
you, if love has any persuasive power to move you, if you really are sharing in the
Holy Spirit, if you can feel compassion and pity, complete my joy, for my desire is
that you should be in full agreement, loving the same things, joined together in soul,
your minds set on the one thing. Do nothing in a spirit of selfish ambition, and in a
search for empty glory, but in humility let each consider the other better than
himself Do not be always concentrating each on your own interests, but let each be
equally concerned for the interests of others. The one danger which threatened the

7. Philippian church was that of disunity. There is a sense in which that is the danger
of every healthy church. It is when people are really in earnest and their beliefs
really matter to them, that they are apt to get up against each other. The greater
their enthusiasm, the greater the danger that they may collide. It is against that
danger Paul wishes to safeguard his friends.”
8. This verse gives us 5 key words, each of which is a major study in itself. They are:
1. ENCOURAGEMENT 2. COMFORT 3. FELLOWSHIP 4. TENDERNESS
5. COMPASSION
We need to explore each of them briefly, for Paul is using them as the foundation on
which Christian unity is based, and so they are the key to being what Christ wants
us to be. Lets just look at each of them. Most all of the material below is taken from
preceptaustin.org. It is a most excellent site for deep Bible study.
1. ENCOURAGEMENT (paraklesis)
The word is used 28 times in the New Testament. Paul used it 22, and Dr. Luke used
it the other 6. As the examples below show, it is often translated comfort, and so
comfort and encouragement are very close in meaning.
Ro 15:5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to
be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,
2Co 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies and God of all comfort,
2Co 1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those
who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by
God.
2Co 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our
comfort is abundant through Christ.
2Th 2:16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has
loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,
At this point I want to share a portion of a message I preached many years ago.
What we learn from a study of this word is that an encouraged Christian is a
positive functioning member of the body, but that a discouraged Christian is a
malfunctioning member of the body. Encouragement is like oil. It makes things run
smoothly. The encouraged Christian is the one who can give of self and foster unity
and harmony in the body. The discouraged Christian is looking to take and not

8. give. The one running on empty and needing the flow to come from others to them is
not bad. This is a part of the purpose of the body. But they are takers in that state of
mind and not able to look beyond themselves to the interest of others. When self-need
is high one becomes a care-receiver and not a care-giver. This will be a part of
everyone's experience at some point, but the goal is to be a healthy care-giver. This
can only be when we are encouraged about who we are in Christ. Paul likes to use
this word in a context of unity. Encouraged Christians are united, but discouraged
Christians tend to be divided. From the frequent references in the New Testament,
we know that one of the hardest tasks of the church is to keep Christians united.
They have so many different personalities and perspectives that division is the
constant tendency.
We could study another whole aspect of this subject which is the encouragement we
get from one another, but this is not the issue that Paul is dealing with here. He is
dealing with a source of encouragement that comes from God and what he has done
for us in Christ, and what he continues to do for us in Christ. The reason Paul is
specializing in this aspect of encouragement is that it is certain, and what we get
from man is uncertain. If we are going to be Christlike, we cannot depend on what
we get from men-even Christian men. This source can dry up just as it did for Jesus.
His people rejected him, and his disciples forsook him. If all he had was that one
well, Jesus would have been running on empty, but he was able to do the will of God
and lay down his life for lthe very people who rejected him because he had another
well of encouragement. Paul's focus is on that heavenly well because he knows all
other wells can go dry. He has been there more than once himself.
If you build on a purely human foundation, you will have what humans can
produce. If you build on a divine foundation you can have what God can produce.
Thus, we see why Paul's focus is on the values gained by direct relation to God. If I
am focused on the encouragement I have by being united with Christ, and the
comfort I have in His love, and the fellowship I have with the spirit of God, I have a
degree of satisfaction in life that enables me to let go of selfish interest, and take on
the interests of others. When you feel empty and deprived of love, encouragement,
and fellowship, you are like a straving man, and nobody else's needs mean a thing to
you. It's every man for himself, and you are totally self-centered. But when you are
content and full of encouragement because of what is yours in Christ, you feel
generous and have a sharing spirit, and are ready to give to others in tenderness and
compassion. The most encouraging people are those who have been most
encouraged by Christ.
"One extremely hot summer day, I went into a railroad dining car to have lunch.
The crowed car was almost like a furnace and the service was slow. When the
steward finally got around to handing me the menu, I said, 'The boys back there
cooking in that hot kitchen certainly must be suffering today!' The steward began
to curse, 'Good God Almighty!' he exclaimed. 'People come in here and complain
about the food. They kick about the slow service and growl about the heat and the
prices. I have listened to their criticisms for 19 years, and you are the first person
that has every expressed any sympathy for the cooks back there in the broiling

9. kitchen. I wish we had more passengers like you.'
"He was astounded because I had thought of the cooks not merely as cogs in the
organization of a great railway. What people want is a little attention as human
beings."
This testimony convicted me, for I have done this on occasion and felt good about it,
but I usually get so caught up in my own agenda that I do not consider others better
than myself and take on their interests. The reason is the very thing I am pointing
out in this text. I have taken my eyes off Christ and the encouragement of being
accepted and loved by Him, and the result is I am not a channel of that love and
acceptance to others. It is hard to be a Christian all the time, but the more we are
the more we will be encouragers to all who come across our path, both within and
without the body of Christ.
Spurgeon give us a deep insight into the consolation and comfort we have in Christ
by means of the Holy Spirit. He wrote, "Consolation is the dropping of a gentle dew
from heaven on desert hearts beneath. True consolation, such as can reach the
heart, must be one of the choicest gifts of divine mercy; and surely we are not erring
from sacred Scripture when we avow that in its full meaning, consolation can be
found nowhere save in Christ, who has come down from heaven, and who has again
ascended to heaven, to provide strong and everlasting consolation for those whom
he has bought with his blood.You will remember, my dear friends, that the Holy
Spirit, during the present dispensation, is revealed to us as the Comforter. It is the
Spirit’s business to console and cheer the hearts of God’s people. He does convince
of sin; he does illuminate and instruct; but still the main part of his business lies in
making glad the hearts of the renewed, in confirming the weak, and lifting up all
those that be bowed down. Whatever the Holy Ghost may not be, he is evermore the
Comforter to the Church; and this age is peculiarly the dispensation of the Holy
Spirit, in which Christ cheers us not by his personal presence, as he shall do by-and-bye,
but by the indwelling and constant abiding of the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Now, mark you, as the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, Christ is the comfort. The Holy
Spirit consoles, but Christ is the consolation. If I may use the figure, the Holy Spirit
is the Physician, but Christ is the medicine. He heals the wound, but it is by
applying the holy ointment of Christ’s name and grace. He takes not of his own
things, but of the things of Christ. We are not consoled to-day by new revelations,
but by the old revelation explained, enforced, and lit up with new splendour by the
presence and power of the Holy Ghost the Comforter. If we give to the Holy Spirit
the greek name of Paraclete, as we sometimes do, then our heart confers on our
blessed Lord Jesus the title of the Paraclesis. If the one be the Comforter, the other
is the comfort."
Buffaloe wrote, "William Barclay said "One of the highest of human duties is the
duty of encouragement ... It is easy to laugh at men's ideals; it is easy to pour cold
water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of
discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a

10. word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet.
Blessed is the man who speaks such a word." What does an encourager do? Does he
overlook the faults of his fellow Christians? Do we look the other way when a
believer falls into sin? No, the testimony of Scripture is that sin in the Body of Christ
must be dealt with, and that right early. If a brother or a sister is in sin, a clearly
Biblical state of ungodliness, then we should use the Scripture to correct the fallen.
But often we see sin where none exists. Often we take into account our own taboos,
our own detestments, and transfer what we do not like to another as if it were sin."
What Paul is saying is that encouragement is one of the ingredients Jesus added to
our lives by His coming into history. If we in turn add encouragement to the lives of
others, we are keeping alive that which Jesus came to give. Abundant life does not
come only from Christ directly, but it comes indirectly through His body. As
believers imitate Jesus and encourage one another, they have a profound influence
on each others happiness.
Dr. Lewis Dunnington, whose books have been an encouragement to many, tells of
how he learned the power of encouragement. He was just 18 and working his way
through college. He was selling, The Volume Library, in Bay City, Wisconsin.
After four days without a sale, he was ready to hang it up. He wrote to the sales
manager for a transfer. That sales manager wrote him such a letter of
encouragement, it changed his life. The letter explained that he knew it was a tough
area, but he sent Dunnington there because he had confidence in him. He was
convinced that Dunnington had the ability to persuade people that these volumes
were the best on the market. This letter of encouragement so motivated Dunnington,
that he went out and began to sell, and he stayed in Bay City all summer. Success or
failure often depend on whether you get a kick in the pants or an encouraging slap
on the back. Encouragement can make a big difference.
He tells the story of the late William Henry Eustice, one of the best mayors
Minneapolis ever had. At age 12 he was stricken with infantile paralysis and lay
helpless for four years. By super human effort he was able to educate himself. At
19 he proudly applied for entrance to a small college. It was hard for a cripple, and
just when he needed a boost, he got a kick. One of the instructors told him he was
incapable of college work and he advised him to drop out.
The discouragement mounted in him that night until he was overwhelmed by
despair. He decided to take his own life. Fortunately, the rope he used broke,
instead of his neck. By morning the dark mood had passed, and he was determined
to graduate from college. He not only did that, but went on to establish a record of
public service that was outstanding, and he gave a fortune to meet the needs of
others. All that he did to encourage others was almost lost because someone failed
to give him encouragement when he most needed it.
Very few of us go through life without coming to those points where we need a word

11. of encouragement. One of the most helpful ministries in the body of Christ is the
ministry of encouragement. The more I evaluate life the more I am convinced the
greatest tragedy is wasted love. Love that never gets expressed is love locked in
because we do not know how to release it. If you really want to help others have a
merry Christmas, let the Spirit of Christ be incarnated in your flesh, so that your
life, acts, and words are used to encourage others.
Don't be just thinking of yourself, Paul says, but think on the things of others round
about you, and ask yourself-who in my environment can use a boost. Search for
appropriate ways of doing it, and you will give a greater gift than money can buy,
for encouragement is priceless. You can run yourself ragged and spend a small
fortune, and never make anyone as happy as you could by giving them yourself in
deeds or words of encouragement.
A woman was asked why she put artificial flowers around her flower garden, and
she said they were just there to encourage the real ones. It may not have any effect
on flowers, but encouragement has a major effect on people. Walt Whitman, like
many creative people, had a hard time believing in himself. Then one day he
received this letter in the mail that said, "Dear Sir, I am not blind to the worth of
the wonderful gift of Leaves of Grass. I find it the most extraordinary piece of wit
and wisdom that America has yet contributed. I greet you at the beginning of a
great career!" The letter was signed, Ralph Waldo Emerson. From that day,
Whitman never doubted his own ability, and he did have a great career. All he
needed was the encouragement of one he admired. All of us can add this ingredient
to what we share with the people in our lives.
2. COMFORT Paramuthion Used only once in NT, here by Paul
Consolation: (paramuthion from para = towards + muthéomai = to speak, which is
from múthos = a tale, myth, speech) literally describes speaking closely to someone.
The idea is to speak to someone coming close to their side. The basic sense speaking
to someone in a friendly way. It refers to that which causes or constitutes the basis
for consolation and encouragement. Paramuthion "indicates a greater degree of
tenderness than" the preceding word "encouragement" (paraklesis).
One Greek lexicon defines paramuthion as an assuagement ( = lessening the
intensity of something that pains or distresses). Friberg defines paramuthion...as
persuasive power that points to a basis for hope and provides incentive. (Analytical
Lexicon of the Greek New Testament)
Consolation is the attribute of agape love of God that alleviates grief, the sense of
loss, trouble, etc. Vine says that "consolation" is "that tender cheer, imparted as the
effect of “love” (agape practical love)." (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson ) Rienecker adds intriguing note that the preposition
(para = beside) may have the force of aside and pictures consolation that draws

12. one's mind "aside" from their cares and concerns. MacArthur adds that
paramuthion "portrays the Lord coming close and whispering words of gentle cheer
or tender counsel in a believer’s ear."
Wuest has an excellent note: "We have here the subjective genitive construction, in
which the noun in the genitive case, “love,” produces the action in the noun of
action, “consolation.” That is, the tender persuasion and encouragement which
exhorts to unity among the Philippians, comes from God’s love for them. Their
realization of divine love which reached down and saved them, should urge them to
live in a spirit of unity with one another. In addition to that, this divine love
produced in the hearts of the Philippian saints by the Holy Spirit (cf Ro 5:5, Gal
5:16), should cause them to so love each other with a love that impels one to sacrifice
one’s self for the one loved, that their little differences will be ironed out, and they
will live in unity with one another.” (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the
Greek New Testament: Eerdmans)
F B Meyer writes regarding the bonds of unity in a local body that... “The second
bond is the comfort of love. The Greek word will bear this rendering--if you know
the tender cheer that love gives; that is, see to it that you maintain the bond of
Christian fellowship by meeting your fellow Christians with the tender cheer of love.
We all know what tender cheer is, when men have been out all day and tried, almost
beyond endurance. As they come out of the storm, the depression of their spirit and
their health may have conspired to reduce them to the lowest depth of darkness--
then as the door opens, and they see the ruddy glow of the fire, and the wife comes
to meet them, and the child is there with its prattle, for a moment it seems almost
worth while having known the weariness and depression because of the contrasted
cheer that greets them. All around us in the world are Christian hearts, which are
losing faith; many hands hang down, and knees shake together. Let us see to it that
by the kindly cheer of a smile, the grasp of a hand, the welcome of a word, we do
something to draw those people into the inner circle of Christian love.”(The Epistle
to the Philippians )
An unknown author wrote, " The meaning seems to be “comfort received from love
or “comfort which comes from love.” It can also carry the meaning of “to alleviate”
with respect to poverty. There is not a great deal of difference in the two nouns
parakle„sis and paramuthion in this context and any attempt to force a rigid
distinction is probably misguided. If there is a minor difference, it is in temporal
focus. The former term can apply to the future, whereas paramuthion applies
consistently in the NT to comfort in the present. The real question in the phrase
comfort provided by love is to whose love does Paul refer? Most likely Paul is
appealing to the love God shows toward believers, the love he has poured out in
their hearts through the Holy Spirit he has given them (Rom 5:5). Fee concludes
that Paul is referring to the love God has for believers as well. He gives several
convincing reasons for this, including a possible Trinitarian substructure behind
Phil 2:1 (cf. 2 Cor 13:13) and the fact that love in the OT most frequently refers to
Gods’ love for his people. He also points out that the expression “comfort of love”
occurs after the mention of “encouragement in Christ” and “fellowship of the
Spirit.” This may further confirm that “love from God” is the meaning. Thus the

13. Philippians who have experienced comfort in Christ, have also experienced (and are
experiencing) love from God.
In this context, it is that sense of warmth and security we have when we realize how
much Jesus loved us. He emptied Himself of equality with God and reduced
Himself to a servant. He finally humbled Himself to be put to death on the cross.
All of this He did, not for His own interest, but for ours. The comfort of such love is
beyond calculation. We are comforted both by the gift of the lover and the love of
the giver.
When you begin to grasp the wonder of Christ's love, it begins to grasp you and
make you a channel of His love to others. That is why Paul describes the great
humiliation of Christ as our example. That is why Jesus said, do this in
remembrance of me. If we are not constantly focusing on the love of Christ, we have
a tendency to become self-centered. This was the one flaw in the church of Philippi-selfishness.
It is the one problem that produces friction in the best churches and the
best families. When children fight and make parents frustrated, you can trace the
problem to self-centeredness. So it is with the vast majority of conflicts in the family
of God.
Paul had such joy in the Philippian Christians, but he also had some pain. It is like
your experience as a parent. You can be so proud and delighted with most aspects
of your children's lives, but then be frustrated and wish they would change in other
aspects. Paul's cup of happiness would be filled if only the Philippian Christians
would be less self-centered and begin to think of others. Even a non-Christian like
Albert Einstein could say, "Only a life lived for others is a life worth while." That is
the Christlike life that Paul holds before the Philippian Christians. But the fact is,
Christians are constantly forgetting this basic truth, and the result is million of
Christians struggle with the pain of being part of the church.
J. H. Oldham said to a friend, "You know-Christianity has no meaning for me
apart from the church, but I sometimes feel as though the church as it actually exists
is the source of all my doubts and difficulties." That is the very paradox Paul was
fighting, and the one that every pastor struggles with along with most of the
members. The church is both the source of our pleasure and our pain. Christians
are other Christians greatest problem.
The healing of this pain lies in the comfort of love. Love has tremendous healing
power. Dr. Karl Menninger, in his famous clinic in Topeka, Kansas, told his staff of
doctors, nurses, orderlies, and cleaning people, that the most important thing they
had to offer patients was love. He said, if people could learn to give and receive love
they would recover from most illnesses. The church is a spiritual clinic treating the
illnesses of the soul, and there is no doubt about it, love is the primary medicine by
which it brings healing. By dispensing love the church becomes a true assistant to

14. the Great Physician.
It is amazing when you think about it, many of us have it in our power to give
healing to others. None of us lack this power, really, for by words of encouragement
and deeds of love, we can heal many of the hurts of this world. By mixing these
ingredients together we can produce, not only a merry Christmas, but a happy
forever, for the sharing of these values is the essence of eternal life.
A man once dreamed he had a vision of the after life. In one place he saw people all
seated at a great banquet table with forks with such long handles that no one could
get any food into their mouth. It was a terrible scene, for the food could only be
touched by the long forks and nobody could get it. It was a scene of agony, torment,
and starvation.
Then he saw another banquet table full of people, and all the same provisions, and
the same forks. The same rule applied that only the forks could touch the food. Yet
this scene was one of great joy and feasting, for each person was picking up the food
and feeding the person on the other side of the table from them. They were having a
delightful time because they were being selfless and not selfish. That is the
difference between heaven and hell. Paul would say "amen" to this story, for it is
saying just what he wants to convey to the Philippians. Selfishness is the road to a
miserable now and forever. Selflessness is the road to a merry now and forever.
3. FELLOWSHIP Koinonia
Used 17 times in NT and of that 13 by Paul.
Paul says, in effect, “If there is any such thing as communion with the indwelling
Spirit, or if your consciousness of fellowship with the Holy Spirit who dwells within
is a reality in your life, and it most certainly is, then fulfill my joy by your love for
one another.”
Fellowship (2842) (koinonia from koinos = common, shared by all) (Click for an in
depth word study of koinonia) means a close association involving mutual interests
and sharing (communion, fellowship, partnership). Koinonia is an intimate
partnership, a common eternal life or joint participation with common interests and
mutual, active participation. This dynamic is effected by Holy Spirit’s working in
and through individual saints in the body to produce unity (1Co 3:16, 12:13, 2Co
13:14,cf 1Jn 1:4-6)
One translation has "If communion with the Spirit of love is not a mere idle name,

15. but a real thing" Robertson says that "If we have any partnership in the life and
blessings of the Holy Spirit, then we are ready to listen to Paul's plea for unity."
Paul is reminding them that the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is a blessed reality, not
merely a beautiful idea. Remember every genuine believer at Philippi (and in the
body of Christ today) has received the Holy Spirit for as Paul writes in his epistle to
the saints at Rome...the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through
the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.” (Ro 5:5)
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells
in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive
because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead
dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. 12 So then, brethren, we are
under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- 13 for if you are
living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to
death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit
of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery
leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we
cry out, "Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we
are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with
Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with
Him. ( Ro 8:9, 8:10-11; 8:12-13; 8:14-15; 8:16-17) Thus each and every believer has
personal fellowship with the Holy Spirit in his or her private life and in turn all
believers are united by the same Spirit in fellowship. The practical application of
this truth is that factions or divisiveness should have no place in the body of Christ.
F B Meyer writes regarding the bonds of unity in a local body that... “The third
bond is the fellowship of the Spirit. The word means to share the Spirit, the going in
common with the Spirit. They who live near God know what that fellowship is; they
know that they are always accompanied; that they are never for one moment by
themselves; can never enter a room with the consciousness of vacancy; can never
travel in an empty car with a sense of isolation and solitude: there is always the
fellowship of the Spirit. Whatever any one man knows of this fellowship every other
knows. Each Christian person is conscious of the same Presence, making evident
and obvious to us the same Jesus Christ. The same atmosphere is lighted by the
same sun; and in proportion as we have fellowship with the same Spirit we cannot
lose our temper with each other, or be hard, cross, and unkind.”(The Epistle to the
Philippians)
Grant Richison wrote, “The word "fellowship" means common participation in the
same things. Christians commonly participate in the same things as the Holy Spirit.
They may refer to the fellowship that comes from the Holy Spirit. If we have a

16. community with the Holy Spirit then we are ready for community with other
Christians. It is the Holy Spirit who will bring unity to a local church. He alone can
bring cosmos out of chaos, order out of disorder. If the Holy Spirit joins in mutually
with us, he will put our hearts right. In radio or television if we are not on the right
station, we will not receive the program. If we are not in tune with the Holy Spirit
unity will be like a radio wave that passes us by without connection.”
"Paul appeals to yet another common Christian experience as forming the grounds
for the command to be unified in v. 2: the Philippians have experienced fellowship
in the Spirit (koino„nia pneumatos). The expression koino„nia pneumatos is literally
“fellowship of spirit.” Its elliptical nature make it difficult to interpret as well.
Nonetheless, it seems that the term “spirit” is probably a reference to the Holy Spirit
since it is consistent with the mention of Christ and God (implied as the one who
loves; see discussion above) in the context. The idea of fellowship, then, has to do
with participation with or communion with the Holy Spirit enjoyed by each and
every believer. He is the one who will give the Philippian believers strength (cf. 4:13)
to love each other, courage to seek the interests of others, and generally do the will
of God (2:13-13). In other contexts Paul refers to the Spirit as the One who lives in
Christians, sanctifying them (1 Cor 2:12; 3:16; Gal 5:16; Eph 5:18), and making
Christ known through them (2 Cor 3:3). Thus the Philippian believers could count
on encouragement from Christ, comfort from the love of God, and communion with
the Holy Spirit to enable them live in unity with one another, each of them seeking
the interests of others in the community ahead of themselves." Author unknown
Now, what about this phrase, "If any fellowship with the Spirit." We think of this
even less than we do the encouragement we have in Christ. The word for fellowship
is koinonia, and is a basic New Testament word for relationships where two or more
persons have something in common. Business partners have fellowship; friends
have fellowship; mates have fellowship, and the more people have in common the
deeper the fellowship. To have fellowship with the Spirit of God is the same idea as,
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Be of one mind with the
Spirit, and you have fellowship with the Spirit and with Christ.
It is amazing, but we, as fallen creatures with all our weaknesses and sins, can have
much in common with the Holy Spirit. We can love what He loves and hate what He
hates, and feel great peace and comfort in His presence. Like a friend who accepts
us just as we are, so we do not need to be fake and hypocritical, but can be real, for
we know we have the same basic values and goals. So we can be comforted by the
Comforter, and be encouraged by our fellowship. Someone wrote, "Oh, the
comfort-the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to
weigh thoughts or measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are,
chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take an sift them, keep
what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away."

17. This is what we have in the fellowship of the Spirit, and having that is to compel us
to be that kind of friend to others, and help them experience the same level of love
and acceptance. The essense of Paul's message here is this: If you would think
more about what you have in Christ and the Holy Spirit, you would be better tools
by which they could communicate the same blessings to others. If you would get all
the encouragement they offer you, you would be a greater encourager of them.
Encouragement encourages encouragers.
4. TENDERNESS Splagchnon
Used 11 times in NT and 8 by Paul.
bowels, intestines, (the heart, lungs, liver, etc.)
1. bowels
2. the bowels were regarded as the seat of the more violent passions, such as anger
and love; but by the Hebrews as the seat of the tender affections, esp. kindness,
benevolence, compassion; hence our heart (tender mercies, affections, etc.)
3. a heart in which mercy resides
F B Meyer writes regarding the bonds of unity in a local body that...“The fourth
bond is, "Bowels of Mercies." The old Greek word stands for humanness and pity.
In the former clause we were called upon to manifest the kindly cheer, that
welcomes the weary soldier on his return from the campaign, for equals of whose
heart-sorrow we have some inkling; but now we are to show fellowship for our
dependants and subordinates, for the fallen, the weak, the weary, for those whose
spirits cry out in agony. And in acting thus we are doing what we can to co-operate
with Christ in His consolation, and with the Holy Ghost in His fellowship, to build
up and compact the Church into a living unity.” (The Epistle to the Philippians )
A heartfelt tear can show our love
As words can never do;
It says, "I want to share your pain—
My heart goes out to you." —D. De Haan
"Next Paul refers to their affection (splagchna) and mercy (oiktirmoi). These terms

18. are not modified by any reference to deity and seem to be directed at the strained
relationships within the church at Philippi (4:2-3), as well at relations between the
Philippians and their imprisoned apostle. Paul is saying that as a result of enjoying
encouragement in Christ, love from God, and fellowship with the Spirit, they ought
to have compassion and mercy toward one another and toward him. Since the
Philippians have experienced all these things, he urges them to make his joy
complete by being of the same mind; whatever grievances have developed, they
ought to be forgiven and relationships restored." Author unknown
5. COMPASSION
Tenderness and compassion are just about the same thing. This word for both of
them deals with the affections, and it is translated as affection, heart, hearts,
intestines and tender.
"The derivative verb splagchnízomai (found only in the Gospels most often
descriptive of Jesus) means to feel deeply or viscerally, to yearn, have compassion or
to show pity If our bodies literally ache in pain and nausea when we experience
great agony, remorse, or sympathy, we can be sure that the Son of Man felt them
even more. Matthew tells us that, in order to fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah, Jesus
“Himself took our infirmities, and carried away our diseases” (Mt 8:17). It was not,
of course, that Jesus Himself contracted the diseases or infirmities, but that in
sympathy and compassion He physically as well as emotionally suffered with those
who came to Him for healing-just as a parent can become physically ill from worry
and concern over a child who is desperately sick or in trouble or danger. The Son of
God was not remote or coldly calculating and analytical concerning men’s needs but
was deeply moved by the suffering, confusion, despair, and spiritual lostness of
those around Him. Jesus felt pain, experiencing genuine anguish for the suffering of
others, whether they were believer or unbeliever, Jew or Gentile, man or woman,
young or old, wealthy or poor." Author unknown
As John MacArthur astutely comments: "Jesus also felt compassion because of His
perfect perception of hell and the torment those would face who did not receive
Him. Even as He lovingly healed their bodies, He had infinitely greater concern to
heal their souls. Even after Jesus healed a body, it could become sick or crippled
again. But when He heals a sin-diseased soul, it is forever freed from sin’s dominion
and penalty." (MacArthur, J. Matthew. Chicago: Moody Press)
Splagchnon in classical Greek referred to the inward parts and is used literally in
this way only once in the NT, Luke recording Peter's explanation of the fate of
Judas who... "...acquired a field with the price of his wickedness; and falling
headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels (splagchnon) gushed out."
(Acts 1:18)

19. Splagchnon was used by the Greeks to refer to the upper abdominal viscera, the
heart, lungs, liver and upper bowels, which the ancients regarded as the seat of
affections and emotions, such as anger and love. The phrase "I feel it in the pit of
my stomach" is a modern parallel. And we all know how that feels! So splagchnon
refers to that deep, internal caring comparable to the modern expressions of deep
feeling such as “broken-hearted” or “gut-wrenching”
KJV translates splagchnon 9 times as "bowels" as a reference to the emotions
because of the way our emotions can affect how our intestinal organs feel. This
translation may sound strange to modern ears but in fact even we use words that
would sound strange to the ancients. For example we have the word "melancholy"
which is literally "black bile"!
In a manuscript from 5BC splagchnon was used figuratively in the phrase “for
pity’s sake.” The Hebrews regarded the splagchnon as the seat of the most tender
affections, especially kindness, benevolence, compassion. In the NT splagchnon is
only found in the plural (tá splágchna = the viscera), and with the exception noted
above, is always used figuratively, referring to what we in the West commonly refer
to as "the heart", the seat of the tender affections and of deepest human emotions.
The Hebrews expressed their feelings in terms of what they felt in their stomach.
When they really had some emotion, it turned their stomach, so to speak.
John MacArthur has an interesting notation on splagchnon writing that... “The
Hebrews, like many other ancient peoples, expressed attitudes and emotions in
terms of physiological symptoms, not in abstractions. As most of us know from
personal experience, many intense emotions-anxiety, fear, pity, remorse, and so on-can
directly, and often immediately, affect the stomach and the digestive tract. Upset
stomach, colitis, and ulcers are a few of the common ailments frequently related to
emotional trauma. It is not strange, then, that ancient people associated strong
emotions with that region of the body. The heart, on the other hand, was associated
more with the mind and thinking (see Pr 16:23; Mt 15:19; Ro 10:10; Heb 4:12). The
heart was the source of thought and action, whereas the bowels were the responder,
the reactor." (MacArthur, J. Matthew. Chicago: Moody Press)
Paul had earlier used this same word, testifying to his beloved brethren in Christ at
Philippi that, "God is my witness, how long for you all with the affection
(splagchnon) of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:8) Paul longed after the Philippians
with the tender-heartednesses of Jesus Christ, a tenderness that was produced by
the Holy Spirit in the heart of this bondservant who was fully yielded to His Lord.
The Spirit filled believer's pulse beats with the pulse of Christ. His heart throbs with
the heart of Christ.ı When we are walking in the Spirit, really one with Jesus, His
compassion and affection (splagchnon) flows through us to our fellow men whom
Jesus loves and for whom He died. Paul is saying in this verse that the believer has
the privilege of being a "partner" in exhibiting the compassion of Christ! Do we

20. really understand this profound truth?
One of the most precious uses of splagchnon is found in the Gospel of Luke where
he quotes Zacharias' beautiful description of Jesus, prophesying that the Child
Jesus will, "give to His people (Jews) the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness
of their sins, because of the tender mercy (splagchnon) of our God, with which the
Sunrise (speaking of the Son Who rose!) from on high shall visit us, to shine upon
those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death (Gentiles), to guide our feet into
the way of peace." (Lu 1:77-79) Splagchnon is the strongest Greek word for
expressing compassionate love or tender mercy and involves one’s entire being. It
describes the compassion which moves a man to the deepest depths of his being. In
the gospels, apart from its use in some of the parables, it is used only of Jesus
If there was one thing the ancient world needed it was more splagchnon or tender
mercy. The sufferings of animals were nothing to it. The maimed and the sickly
went to the wall. There was no provision for the aged and they were left to die. The
treatment of the idiot and the simple-minded was unfeeling. Christianity brought
splagchnon into this world.
The English word compassion is taken from the Latin, which means to "bear with"
or to "suffer with", but it has come to mean much more than that. According to one
definition, compassion is “ıa feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow, accompanied by
a strong desire to alleviate the pain and remove its cause.ı” Oiktirmos is derived
from oiktos = pity or mercy) means compassionate desires that develop in response
to a situation and that stimulate a person to meet recognized needs in that situation.
Vincent adds that oiktirmos "is that feeling which expresses itself in the exclamation
"Oh!" on seeing another’s misery."
A great value is that each of these virtues does not diminish, but multiplies when
given away. The more you give it away, the more you have. If I have one pen and I
give it to you, I no longer have a pen, and have been diminished by my giving. But,
if I have a sense of encouragement, comfort, and joy in Christ, and I share that with
you, I have multiplied these values, and by so doing, have even more myself. It is
like an idea. If I share it with you, it is multiplied, and the idea becomes stronger in
my mind by sharing it. Self-interest, rightly seen, leads us to share our gifts, and
thereby enrich others as we enrich ourselves. In the realm of spiritual values it is
always better to give then to receive, for the giver gains more than the receiver, just
as a teacher gains more than the student.
2. then make my joy complete by being like-minded,
having the same love, being one in spirit

21. and purpose.
1. Paul was already joyful over them, but he wanted his cup to be full to the brim,
and be running over with joy. Paul had plenty of joy, but he always wanted more.
He could not get enough joy, and the only ones who could complete his joy cup were
his converts. Even an optimist like Paul could see that the cup is still one quarter
empty with room for still more joy needed to fill it up. Paul had so much joy in this
church, but there was always the concern that the persecution could bring division,
and so Paul urges them to make his joy complete by their unity in spite of the
pressures to divide them. Division is Satan's key method of ruining the witness of
any church, and he has been successful in doing so numerous times. Paul was fully
aware of this, and he wanted this church he loved so much to avoid this common
and dangerous trap. It would be the ultimate in joy to know that this body of
believers were in one accord in their love, attitudes and purpose. Such unity is the
key to power and progress in the Christian life, and in the success of the church in
reaching their community. When contention and discord become common in the
church, it is on the wrong path. Harmony is the key to effective ministry, and Paul
knows that, and that is why he is so concerned that this special body of people that
he loves, and who love him so much, will complete his joy by being ideal examples of
harmonious Christian living.
1B. Deffinbaugh wrote, "There is one final motivation that Paul mentions in the
first words of verse 2: “complete my joy.” Paul’s joy was in the salvation and
growth of the Philippian saints. For the Philippians to promote and practice
Christian unity was to “make Paul’s day,” as we would say. At the end of this
epistle, we will find Paul rejoicing over the concern that the Philippian saints had
shown for him. His joy was not in the gift itself, but in what it represented. It was a
token of their unity with him and of their growth in the Lord. Paul rejoiced because
he knew that this would result in their blessing."
1C. Here are some suggestive statements worth thinking about:
Moule, “Drop this last ingredient into the cup of my thankful happiness for you, and
bring the wine to the brim,...”
Moffatt, “Give me the utter joy of knowing you are living in harmony.”
Lightfoot, "There is joy in man as well as joy in Christ." This last statement is
really important, for it conveys a valid truth that we need to be aware of as we live
our life. We are givers of joy to those who lead and teach us. We are to be motivated
by this, and do all we can to bring joy into their lives, for there will be many
disappointments, and they need us to be encouraged. Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV) says,
"Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your
souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief,
for that would be unprofitable for you." The implication is clear, for if you bring
joy to your leaders, it will profit you, for this will bring joy to your Lord as well, and
he will reward those who are givers of joy. You have it in your power to raise the

22. level of joy in this world. The world is full of hell raisers, but you can counter that
reality by being a joy raiser, which is the same thing as being a heaven raiser, for
fullness of joy is the nearest thing there is to heaven on earth.
Note that Paul says that his joy will be complete if these believers will respond in
obedience to his guidance. This is shocking, for we would suppose that his joy would
be complet in Christ, and not in the Philippians. This is not the case, however, for
we have many needs that Jesus does not meet in our lives directly. He uses other
people to meet those needs. We might sing all I need is Jesus, but the reality is that
we need friends and partners and family and mates, and a good many other
relationships to have our needs met. Paul's joy in Christ was not complete without
the actions of his converts, and all of us need human resources to fill our cup of joy
to the brim, and overflowing. It may sound very spiritual to say that all you need is
Jesus, but it does not fit Scripture or reality, and Paul's statement here makes it
clear that he needed what only man could give.
1D. Fulfill my joy. Paul dearly loved and appreciated the Philippians. He felt great
joy in them. But now he wanted this joy to be made full or complete by any unity
that was lacking in them (cf. 4:2). By being likeminded,. The Greek here literally
means “think the same thing.” It is defined by the two clauses that follow. Having
the same love,. Here they are being exhorted to unity of affection. They were to love
the same things (1:9,10) and have the same love for one another and for the Lord.
{Being} of one accord,. Here they are being exhorted to unity of sentiment. The
Greek word rendered “accord” does not appear anywhere else in the New
Testament. It literally means “with united spirits.” The Philippians were to so think
and act as if they were but one soul. This was Paul's plea to Christians everywhere,
“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all
speak the same thing, and {that} there be no divisions among you, but {that} you be
perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (I
Corinthians 1:10). Of one mind. This is a little stronger form than the phrase “being
likeminded.” Its literal meaning is “thinking the one thing.” The unity Paul is
writing about is found in Romans 15:5-7, which says: “Now may the God of patience
and comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another, according to Christ
Jesus, (6) that you may with one mind {and} one mouth glorify the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. (7) Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also
received us, to the glory of God.”
1E. Grant Richison wrote, “There is a huge difference between union and unity.
Two people get married, that is union but not necessarily unity! Two churches can
merge but that may not be unity either. That is union, not necessarily unity. If we tie
two cats by the tail and throw them over a clothes line, that is union but not unity.
Unity has to do with healthy relationships, not structure. Mechanical union is
phantom, a counterfeit for unity of the heart.”
2. Some commentators choose to make unity the key theme of this letter, and they
have a good case for this conviction. Most say joy is the theme, but joy and unity are
so linked that it is hard to separate them. I am content to say that joy and unity are

23. the key themes of this letter, for these two positive things are not in competition, but
are partners with each being worthy of being considered a major theme in the mind
of Paul as he writes to this church. There is no need to debate which is superior to
the other, for it is like debating which is the most important to your car engine, the
gas or the oil? Take either away and you have nothing of value, and take joy or
unity out of this letter and it loses its value. Both are equally vital to Paul's purpose.
Take joy or unity out of this verse and you have nothing left, and so it is with the
whole letter. We have a dual theme here, and both need to be considered as primary
themes in Paul's mind.
3. Calvin comments, "Here again we may see how little anxiety he had as to himself,
provided only it went well with the Church of Christ. He was kept shut up in prison,
and bound with chains; he was reckoned worthy of capital punishment -- before his
view were tortures -- near at hand was the executioner; yet all these things do not
prevent his experiencing unmingled joy, provided he sees that the Churches are in a
good condition. Now what he reckons the chief indication of a prosperous condition
of the Church is -- when mutual agreement prevails in it, and brotherly harmony....
the Philippians would have been worse than cruel if they had tortured the mind of
this holy man with a twofold anguish by disagreement among themselves."
4. Paul loves to make lists of positive things, and here he has a list of four positive
things that are to characterize the Philippians, and which will make his joy
complete. They are:
a. being like minded
b. having the same love
c. being one in spirit
d. and in purpose
Each of these is also worthy of a study in itself, but we will just point out a few
things about each of these things that characterize Christian unity.
A. Being like-minded.
"of one mind" (KJV)
"united in all your thoughts and aims" (Lightfoot)
"your minds set on the one thing" (Barclay)
"Fill full my joy by ...thinking the one thing." (Wuest)
"being one in spirit and purpose" (NIV)
"living in harmony, and keeping one purpose in mind" (GWT)
"Live together in harmony... as though you had only one mind and one spirit
between you" (Phillips)
"by... being...of one harmonious mind and intention" (Amp)
5. This means to have the same attitudes and thinking about what is vital and

24. important to the cause of Christ. This is what Paul is urging on the two women who
had some conflict. In 4:2 he wrote, "I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be
of the same mind in the Lord" Christians will have many different views on many
different things, but when it comes to the cause of Christ they need to be on the
same wavelength, and be like-minded in the things that matter to Christ. Someone
pointed out that this was not an easy goal to achieve because Christians are free to
choose values that are not in harmony with the mind of Christ. He wrote, “The
Corinthian believers were into hedonism - "if it feels good, do it". The Galatian
believers were into following the Old Mosaic Law instead of God's Christ and
Spirit. The Colossian believers were into gnosticism. The Thessalonian believers
were confused on issues related to last things - resurrection of the dead, and so on.
The Ephesian believers were plagued with false teachers who came in after Paul and
undermined what he taught. Titus himself was attacked by false teachers, thus Paul
wrote to him and instructed him on how to defeat these heretics. Of all the local
churches that God established through Paul, the Philippian Church was the most
loving. Yet Paul begged them to "complete or finish" my joy, by seeking unity of
purpose and of mind.” Richison wrote, “Note other passages on this subject, "Be of
the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but
associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion" (Rom. 12:16). "Now
may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like- minded toward one
another" (Rom. 15:5) In other words, think like Jesus toward each other.
6. Turner wrote, "{Being} of one accord. Here they are being exhorted to unity of
sentiment. The Greek word rendered “accord”does not appear anywhere else in the
New Testament. It literally means “with united spirits.” The Philippians were to so
think and act as if they were but one soul. This was Paul's plea to Christians
everywhere, “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and {that} there be no divisions among
you, but {that} you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same
judgment” (I Corinthians 1:10). Of one mind. This is a little stronger form than the
phrase “being likeminded.” Its literal meaning is “thinking the one thing.” The
unity Paul is writing about is found in Romans 15:5-7, which says: “Now may the
God of patience and comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another,
according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind {and} one mouth glorify the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as
Christ also received us, to the glory of God.”
7. Clarke comments, "Ye ought to complete my joy, who have suffered so much to
bring you into the possession of these blessings, by being like-minded with myself,
having the same love to God, his cause, and me, as I have to him, his cause, and you.
Being perfectly agreed in laboring to promote the honor of your Master; and of one
mind, being constantly intent upon this great subject; keeping your eye fixed upon it
in all you say, do, or intend.”
8. Gill wrote, " that ye be likeminded, or "equally affected to one another"; that
since they were but as one man, were one body, and had but one head, and one
Spirit, that quickened and comforted them, and had but one faith and one baptism,

25. they ought to be one in affection, practice, and judgment; this is the general, of
which the following are the particulars: having the same love; both for quality,
being hearty, sincere, and unfeigned; and for quantity, returning the same that is
measured to them; and with respect to objects, loving the same Christ, the same
doctrines of Christ, the same ministers of the Gospel, and all the saints, rich and
poor, high and low, weak or strong believers, without making any difference, by
which means unity is preserved: for if one loves Christ, and another antichrist; one
loves one doctrine, and another the opposite to it; one loves a teacher of the law, and
another a preacher of the Gospel, one loves one Gospel minister, and one loves
another, in distinction from, and opposition to the other; one loves the rich and not
the poor, men of great gifts and grace, and neglects the meaner saints; when this is
the case, they cannot be said to have the same love, nor can there be harmony,
concord, and agreement:"
9. Paul stresses that believers need to think with the mind of Christ. Our mind is a
key factor in making choices that lead to unity and peace rather than letting
emotions be our guide, which can lead to conflict.
"I have but this one mind,
Dear Lord, to give to thee;
Yet all the while I am beseeched
To grant it to some lesser deity.
Lord, help me through another day
Not to throw my mind away!"
"Mind is like a parachute, it only works when it is open."
“God gave us two ends to use, one to think with and the other to sit with. The
future depends on which end we use-heads we win, tails we loose.”
10. We need to keep in mind that Paul is not telling us that we have to all think alike
on everything, for in Romans he makes it clear that there are diversity of views and
practices on a number of issues. He is not saying we all have to be the same and not
some believers being Democrats and others Republicans; some being liberal, and
others being conservatives; some being meat lovers, and others being vegetarians;
and on an on we could go in numerous areas where believers are different from each
other in convictions and conduct. The point is that they are to have the mind and
attitude of Christ in all these areas of differences so that none of them destroy the
unity and love they have in Christ for one another and for the lost world. They are
to live and love as one in doing the will of God and obeying Christ as Lord. None of
their differences are to interfere with this unity in love.
11. If we look at Rom. 14:4-7 we see Paul saying that diversity on certain things is
not a basis for confict, for we need to accept each other with our different
convictions. You don't have to like it, but if the Lord is fine with it, then don't make
an issue of it and destroy unity for the sake of a personal difference of opinion.
Romans 14:4-7 (KJV) "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his

26. own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to
make him stand. {5} One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth
every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. {6} He that
regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to
the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God
thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. {7}
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself." It is not your
business to make every believer choose everything that conforms to your opinions
on every issue. Don't hurt the unity of the body just for the sake of your personal
preferences on issues that are not determined by God to be right or wrong. Where
there is liberty, let people have their choices without judgment.
12. Barnes wrote, "Though their opinions might differ on some points, yet they
might be united in love." He is recognizing that it is not likely that Paul is expecting
any body of people to be in full agreement on everything, for this would be a denial
of the reality of individuality. People are different in their makeup. They have
different backgrounds and different personalities that make them see things in a
different way. No matter how they may differ, however, they can be one in their love
for one another, and for the Lord and his will. Unity does not mean uniformity, so
that all believers are like shapes cut from a cookie cutter. Each has a unique
personality, and has a variety of different tastes in food, art, music, and many other
perspectives. This reality does not hinder a body of people being one in all the things
that matter to God, and that is what Paul is expecting from this church, and what
we all should be expecting from every church. Barnes goes on, "The apostle here
uses a great variety of expressions to denote the same thing. The object which he
aimed at was union of heart, of feeling, of plan, of purpose. He wished them to avoid
all divisions and strifes; and to show the power of religion by being united in the
common cause. Probably there is no single thing so much insisted on in the New
Testament as the importance of harmony among Christians."
13. Someone wrote the following outline about what would complete Paul's joy.
What we see is that even though these people were his favorites, and precious to him
as if they were his own children, they still had a long way to go toward the
perfection that is to characterize the believer. God was not through with them yet,
as he is not through with any of us. These are goals we must be striving toward all of
our lives.
complete my joy
by being like-minded
by having the same love
by being one in spirit
by having one purpose
by (doing) nothing according to selfish ambition or vanity, but
by regarding one another as more important than yourselves
by each one not being concerned about their own interests only, but also
by (being concerned) about the interests of others

27. B. Having the same love.
1. Jesus made love supreme, and this is the common love that believers should have
for God, for one another, for neightors, and self. Jesus said in Mark 12:29-31 (KJV)
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel;
The Lord our God is one Lord: {30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this
is the first commandment. {31} And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
John 13:34-35 (KJV) "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. {35} By this shall all men
know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
John 15:12-14 (KJV) "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I
have loved you. {13} Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends. {14} Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."
2. The love of all believers should be the same, for it should be the love that comes
through Christ. It is the love of God, and the love of His Son who in love gave his life
for all believers. This is the agape love that seeks to meet the needs of others, and
not just self-centered goals. Henry wrote, “The same love that we are required to
express to others, others are bound to express to us. Christian love ought to be
mutual love. Love, and you shall be loved. Being of one accord, and of one mind; not
crossing and thwarting, or driving on separate interests, but unanimously agreeing
in the great things of God and keeping the unity of the Spirit in other differences."
As someone well said: "Love begins when someone else's needs are more important
than my own," which is precisely what Paul will urge in the elaboration that follows.
3. Catherine of Siena, “The reason why God's servants love creatures so much is
that they see how much Christ loves them, and it is one of the properties of love to
love what is loved by the person we love.” Stopford Brook in a poem makes it clear
that a little love goes a long way in changing any situation for the good, and this is
Paul's goal for the church. He wrote,
A little sun, a little rain,
A soft wind blowing from the West,
And woods and fields are sweet again,
And warmth within the nation’s breast.
A little love, a little trust,
A soft impulse, a sudden dream,
And life is dry as desert dust

28. Is fresher than a mountain stream.
4. Erdman, “Again it may be noted that among thoughtful people there cannot
always be unanimity of opinion or belief. It can hardly be expected where there is
independence of thought and freedom of expression that all will be “Of the same
mind.” However, where there is the same love, there will be broad tolerance and
mutual consideration.” Brothers in Christ, like real brothers, do not agree on all
things and still have great love for one another.
5. Johnstone, “Prove, I pray you, by giving love and comfort to each other, and thus
giving love and comfort to me, that you have drunk deeply of the Spirit of Him who
has loved and comforted you.” Most problems in the church are due to everybody
looking on their own things. Any ministry that becomes man's centered will soon
become a perversion. The interpreter's Bible says, “Unfortunately the victims of
this ancient disease seldom know they have it, for their attention is mainly directed
to signs of the disease which they see in their opponents.”
C. Being one in spirit.
1. Grant Richison wrote, “This phrase means literally "co-souled", "soul with soul."
This is unity of sentiment, a unity of life in love. Christians should have souls that
are in harmony. A common disposition will follow from unity of thought and
affection. This is a symphony of the soul. If a note is struck, the same note will
answer when in key with another instrument. Everything has its note. Musical
instruments are sensitive and readily get out of tune. A common tuning instrument
is necessary to keep instruments in harmony.
PRINCIPLE: Christians should have a harmony of souls with each other.
APPLICATION: Our common tuning instrument with each other is God himself. If
we each individually keep our lives in tune with God, we can be in tune with each
other. The discord will become lost in the orchestra of glorious praise to God.”
2. Jowett says there is no other basis-”A common ritual is only a rope of sand, and a
fierce blow of adversity may scatter the apparent unity into dire confusion. A
common organization is only a mechanical order, and is ever exposed to the
corroding rust of time and to many a violent foe. And a common creed can never
constitute a family such as is purposed by our Lord. All these are only phantom
unions, mere counterfeits of the glorious reality. The first requisite to brotherly
concord is a secret between the individual soul and the Savior, a partaking of the
“Hidden manna,” a compelling and comforting intercourse in the quiet and
innermost chambers of the life.”
3. Maclaren wrote, “The branch can no more shiver itself off from the tree, or keep
the life sap enclosed within itself, than one possessor of the common gift of the Spirit
can separate himself from the others who share it. We are one in Him; let us be one
in heart and mind. The final appeal is connected with the preceding, inasmuch as

29. it lays emphasis on the emotions which flow from the one life common to all
believers. That participation in the Spirit naturally leads in each participant to
'tender mercies and compassions' directed to all sharers in it. The very mark of
truly possessing the Spirit's life is a nature full of tenderness and swift to pity, and
they who have experienced the heaven on earth of such emotions should need no
other motive than the memory of its blessedness, to send them out among their
brethren, and even into a hostile world, as the apostles of love, the bearers of
tender mercies, and the messengers of pity.”
4. David Curtis has an interesting paradox on this issue of unity, for he makes it
clear that unity is both a given and a goal. We have it, and yet we must strive for it.
He wrote, “It is a given-- we are one body in Christ, we have unity. Ephesians 4:4-6
(NKJV) There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of
your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is
above all, and through all, and in you all." But it is also a goal. Ephesians 4:1-3
(NKJV) I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the
calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with
longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace. The word "endeavoring" is the Greek word
spoudazo. It means to use speed, to make every effort, to labor, to be diligent. It
takes work and effort to keep unity. We have unity but we must work to preserve it,
it's fragile. This poem has a lot of truth in it:
To dwell above with saints we love,
Oh that will be glory
But to live below with saints we know
Is quite a different story."
D. Being one in purpose.
1. Paul has no joy in the conflict of Christians. His joy is in their unity. They make
him happy when they have the mind of Christ and are one in their love, spirit and
purpose. It is hard to get Christians to agree completely on anything, for they have
all different personalities and perspectives, but they can be one in love, spirit, and
purpose if they choose to be. Husband and wife may have many differences, but
they can still be united in love, spirit, and purpose. Unity does not mean there is no
difference. It just means that all differences are subordinate to the major purpose of
their oneness. Each player on a football team may have different ideas on how to
run and block, and each will have their own style, but they are united in a common
purpose to win. All of their differences are linked to the one common goal they all
share. So it is in the church. Christians can have many different ideas on how the
church should operate, and each will have a style of witnessing and serving that may

30. be different, but all are united in a common purpose to build the body, and glorify
Christ.
2. Some will have a heart for the poor, and seek ways to minister to them, but others
will have a desire to reach the rich who are just as lost without Christ. Some will
have a strong desire to minister to children, and others will start a ministry to the
retired. Some will want to reach out with fun events, and others will want to have
serious in-depth Bible Study. We could go on and on with the different approaches
Christians in any one church will have, but these differences will not be a burden,
but a blessing, when they are all seen as part of the common purpose.
3. Bruce Goettsche wrote, “If you play on a team the goal must be the team and not
the individual. Sometimes the running back must block. Sometimes the big hitter
needs to sacrifice the runner along, sometimes the star shooter has to pass the ball to
a teammate. The goal is the team. For many years Michael Jordan played on teams
that couldn't win the championship. That all changed when Michael realized that he
needed to get everyone involved. When they played as a team . . . they won. When
Michael tried to do it all himself, they didn't.”
4. This poem conveys the spirit that believers are to have, and not be mule-headed in
insisting on their own way. Cooperation leads to goals and purposes being achieved.
Two old mules, now get this dope,
Were tied together with a piece of rope.
Said one to the other, "You come my way
While I nibble this new-mown hay."
"I won't," said the other. "You come with me,
For I, too, have some hay, you see."
So they got nowhere, just kicked up some dirt,
And my oh my, how that old rope did hurt.
Then they faced about, those stubborn old mules,
One said, "We're just too much like human fools.
Let's pull together, I'll go your way,
Then come with me and we'll both eat hay."
Well, they ate their fill, and liked it too,
They swore to be comrades good and true.
As the sun went down they were heard to say,
"Ah! This is the end of a perfect day--
We must pull together; tis the only way."
--Unknown

31. 5. If you have all of these blessings, then let them function so that my joy will be
complete in seeing you live in love and unity as a body, and with a common purpose
of serving Christ. You are one in what you have received, and so now be one in what
you are giving. Paul longs to see believers united in their motivation, for he knows
that division leads to a loss of energy in moving forward in the task of expanding the
kingdom of God. He has experienced the loss of unity among his fellow ministers,
and he knows from experience that it hurts the progress of the gospel.
6. David Curtis wrote, “Do any of you remember a song from the past that went
something like this, "United we stand, divided we fall, and if our backs should ever
be against the wall, we'll be together you and I?" That is what Paul is stressing in
Philippians 2-- unity! The church needs to stand together for the defense and
promotion of the gospel.”
7. Legalism destroys all of the unity of believers. The following story may not be
historical fact, but it is a fact that believers are sometimes so judgmental that they
reject other believers for having some independent views that differ from theirs.
They are basically legalists, and those who are strong on splitting hairs are good at
splitting churches too.
Two men met on a plane and one man asked the other, "Are you a Christian?" "Yes
I am." "Wonderful!" said the first man. After more conversation he asked, "Are
you Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox?" "I'm a Protestant." "That's great. So am
I."
The questions continued. "Are you Calvinist or Arminian in your theology?" "I'm
happy to say that I'm a staunch Calvinist." "That's fantastic. So am I." "If you
don't mind my asking, Are you a Calvinistic Baptist or a Calvinistic Presbyterian?"
"I'm a Calvinistic Baptist." "What a coincidence. I'm a Calvinistic Baptist too."
"Are you a Northern Calvinistic Baptist or a Southern Calvinistic Baptist?" "By
heritage and by choice I am a Northern Calvinistic Baptist." "Unbelievable!"
replied the first man. "So am I."
"May I ask if you are a Northern Regular Calvinistic Baptist or a Northern
Conservative Calvinistic Baptist?" "I'm a Northern Conservative Calvinistic
Baptist." "This is truly astounding. There are only 200 of us in the world—and two
of us happened to meet on this plane." "Tell me, sir, would you happen to be a
Northern Conservative Calvinistic Baptist Convention of 1844 or a Northern
Conservative Calvinistic Baptist Convention of 1868?" "I am a Northern
Conservative Calvinistic Baptist Convention of 1844." "This is a miracle!" the first
man declared.
He had only one further question. "Are you a Northern Conservative Calvinistic
Baptist Convention of 1844 King James Version or a Northern Conservative
Calvinistic Baptist Convention of 1844 New International Version?" "I am a
Northern Conservative Calvinistic Baptist of 1844 New International Version,"

32. came the quick reply. With that the first man ceased to smile. "Die, heretic!" he
shouted.
8. Why is Christian unity so important? In John 17, Jesus prayed for unity four
times for His disciples clearly emphasizing the importance our Lord Jesus placed on
unity. Jesus asked His Father to "keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou
hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are" (Jn 17:11) and that His
disciples "may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they
also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. And the
glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as
We are one, I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the
world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst
love Me." (Jn 17:21 22 23)
9. Jesus knew that unity is vital to the Christian life just as unity and harmony in
the world of music. Someone wrote, “A high school orchestra was preparing for a
concert that featured a pianist in a rendition of Grieg’s A-minor concerto. Before
the performance, it was customary for the orchestra to tune up with an “A”
sounded by the oboe player. But the oboist was a practical joker, and he had tuned
his instrument a half step higher than the piano. You can imagine the effect. After
the pianist played a beautiful introduction, the members of the orchestra joined in.
What confusion! Every instrument was out of tune with the piano. What would it
have been like if half the orchestra insisted on playing in one key and the other half
in a different key?”
3. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit, but in humility consider others better
than yourselves.
1. The following excellent material from 1 to 1 D are from an author whose name is
missing. If you know the source let me know so I can give credit. "The term selfish
ambition (eritheian) denotes an ugly quality which has left a train of misery in its
wake over the centuries. This one desire has lead to the slaying of innocent people,
brutal dictatorships, hatred for God and fellowman, divorce, corruption, and a host
of other ills equally disastrous. Apart from Christ it can never be overcome in
human beings. It stands at the heart of what it means, practically speaking, to be a
fallen person with a totally corrupt nature. It describes those who engage in ‘base
self seeking’ and “cannot lift their gaze to higher things.“ The term is “found before
NT times only in Aristotle (Polit. 5, 3 p. 1302b, 4; 1303a, 14), where it denotes a self-seeking
pursuit of political office by unfair means.“ It is found in the NT seven
times, five of which are in Paul and two in James. We’ll look at each one of these
passages.

33. 1B. In Romans 2:8 Paul uses the term to refer to those who are so “selfish” that they
disobey the truth and are persuaded that wickedness is right. For them Paul says,
there will be wrath and fury. In 2 Cor 12:20 the term means “selfishness” and
appears in a list of vices which taken together could spell the end of the Corinthian
church. The list includes such sins as quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness,
slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. He also mentions impurity, sexual immorality,
and licentiousness in 12:21. It is no wonder that coupled with such sins as selfish
ambition one also finds sexual immorality and general licentiousness. James
connects the term with “bitter envy” in 3:14 and calls on his readers to admit and
renounce such attitudes. He goes on to say in 3:16 that when such attitudes are
present there is disorder and every kind of wickedness (pan phaulon pragma). In
fact he regards such “wisdom” as “earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil” (3:15).
Thus there is nothing positive about the term and the sinful practice it denotes.
1C. Paul uses eritheia earlier in Philippians 1:17 to describe the motivations of those
who preach Christ from selfish ambition. Here it probably also carries the sense of
“factions” and is connected to the idea of “false motives” (prophasei) that is,
preaching Christ under the pretext of zeal for God when in reality it is nothing of
the sort. These Christians were trying to cause Paul problems in his imprisonment
(cf. Acts 27:30; 1 Thess 2:5). So here in 2:3 Paul does not want Philippian believers
seeking their own interests and pursuing selfish, “me-centered,” agendas. Such
individualism would destroy the church then and it will destroy it now.
1D. “Selfish ambition” is coupled with the idea of vanity (kenodoxian) and both are
strongly prohibited under any circumstances. The believers at Philippi are to do
nothing out of selfish ambition and vanity. The term kenodoxian occurs only here in
the NT. In the Apocryphal work, Wisdom of Solomon, the making of physical idols
and idolatry are regarded as the product of kenodoxian (14:14). Interestingly
enough, as in 2 Cor 12:20, so also in Wisdom of Solomon, there is a connection made
between selfish ambition, vanity, and sexual immorality. It seems that selfish
ambition which is often produced by vanity is not enough for us. It only leads to
further sin."
1E. This doing things out of selfish ambition is almost universal, and the Christian
has to learn how to be a go getter and do his best in whatever goal and labor he has
before him, and at the same time be unselfish and thoughtful of others. This is no
easy challenge, and it calls for much self examination and discipline in listening to
the Word of God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Someone wrote, "Paul
warns against doing things out of selfish ambition ("eritheia"). This is a self-seeking
attitude that causes divisions, factions, and contentions. He also warns against vain
conceit ("kenodoxia"). This is a carnal, immature attitude of seeking glory and
drawing attention to oneself. This is the person whose ego and pride cause him to
seek certain positions for himself no matter how much backbiting he must do and no
matter who he hurts." The disciples of Jesus had to learn this lesson.
1F. Tim Temple wrote, "The word "strife" is a translation of a Greek word that