NIV Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition - Flipbook - Page 82
P h i l i pp i a n s 2 : 1 3
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trembling, e 13for it is God who works in you f to will and to act in order to fulfill his good
purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling g or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless
and pure, “children of God h without fault in a w
arped and crooked generation.” a i Then
you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of life.
And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. j
17 But even if I am being p
oured out like a d
rink offering k on the sacrifice l and service
coming from your f aith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too s hould be
glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord J
esus to send Timothy to you soon, m that I also may be c heered
when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like him, n who will show genuine
concern for your welfare. 21For everyone looks out for their own interests, o not those of
Jesus Christ. 22But you know that Timothy has p
roved himself, because as a son with
his father p he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23I hope, therefore, to send
him as soon as I see how things go with me. q 24And I am confident r in the Lord that I
myself will come soon.
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker s
and fellow soldier, t who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my n
eeds. u
26 For he longs for all of you v and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he
was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on
me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him,
so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29So then,
welcome him in the Lord with g
reat joy, and honor people like him, w 30because he al
most died for the work of C
hrist. He r isked his life to make up for the help you yourselves
could not give me. x
a
15 Deut. 32:5
2:12
e2Co 7:15
2:13
fEzr 1:5
2:14
g 1Co 10:10; 1Pe 4:9
2:15
hMt 5:45,48; Eph 5:1
iAc 2:40
2:16
j1Th
2:19
2:17
k2Ti 4:6
lRo 15:16
2:19
mver
23
2:20
n1Co 16:10
2:21
o1Co 10:24; 13:5
2:22
p1Co 4:17; 1Ti 1:2
2:23
qver 19
2:24
rPhp 1:25
2:25
sPhp
tPhm
uPhp
2:26
vPhp
4:3
2
4:18
1:8
2:29
w1Co 16:18; 1Ti 5:17
2:30
x1Co
16:17
2:13 What do we do when we don’t feel like obeying God? He has not
2:19, 22 When Paul wrote these words, most vocational training
left us alone in our struggles to do his will. He wants to come alongside
us and be within us to provide help. God gives us the desire and the
power to do what pleases him. We find the secret to a changed life
when we submit to his control and let him work in and through us. In
our struggle against temptation, we must ask God to help us both do
his will and desire to do his will.
2:13 To change our desires to be more like Christ’s, we need the power
of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1:19), the influence of faithful Christians,
obedience to God’s Word (not just exposure to it), and sacrificial service.
Often it is in doing God’s will that we gain the desire to do it (see 4:8-9).
Do what he wants and trust him to change your desires.
2:14-16 Why are complaining and arguing so harmful? If all that people
know about a church is that its members frequently argue, complain,
and gossip, they get a false impression of Christ and the gospel. Belief
in Christ should unite those who trust him. If people in your church
often complain and argue, they lack the unifying power of Jesus Christ.
Stop arguing with other Christians and complaining about people and
conditions within the church; instead, patiently work on your issues and
let the world see Christ.
2:14-16 Our lives should be characterized by moral purity, patience,
and peacefulness, so that we will shine “like stars” in a dark and depraved
world. A transformed life effectively demonstrates the power of God’s
Word. Are you shining brightly, or are you clouded by complaining and
arguing? Don’t let dissensions snuff out your light. Shine out for God
until Jesus returns and bathes the world in his radiant glory.
2:17 The drink offering was an important part of the sacrificial system
of the Jews (for an explanation, see Numbers 28:7). Because this church
had little Jewish background, the drink offering may refer to the wine
poured out to pagan deities prior to important public events. The point
is that Paul regarded his life as a sacrifice.
2:17 Even if he had to die, Paul was content, knowing that he had helped
the Philippians live for Christ. When you’re totally committed to serving
Christ, sacrificing to build the faith of others brings a joyous reward.
was done by fathers, and sons stayed loyal to their family businesses.
Timothy displayed that same loyalty in his spiritual apprenticeship with
Paul. Timothy was with Paul in Rome when Paul wrote this letter. He
had traveled with Paul on Paul’s second missionary journey when the
church in Philippi was begun. (For more information on Timothy, see
his profile on page 2103.)
Just as a skilled workman trains an apprentice, Paul was preparing Timothy to carry on the ministry in his absence. Paul encouraged
younger Christians to learn, to observe, to help, and then to lead. Paul
expected older Christians to teach, to model, to mentor, and then to
turn over leadership. The benefits of such a process are new enthusiasm
and vision, new methods and energy. Are you a teacher? Whom are you
apprenticing for God’s work? Are you a learner? How are you showing
your eagerness to fulfill the mission God has for you?
2:21 Paul observed that most believers are too preoccupied with their
own needs to spend time working for Christ. Don’t let your schedule
and concerns crowd out your Christian service to and love for others.
2:23 Paul was in prison (either awaiting his trial or its verdict) for preaching about Christ. He was telling the Philippians that when he learned
of the court’s decision, he would send Timothy to them with the news.
Paul wanted them to know that he was ready to accept whatever came
(1:21-26).
2:25 Paul first used Timothy and then Epaphroditus as living examples
of the selfless life that Jesus lived. Epaphroditus had delivered money
from the Philippians to Paul; then he returned with this t hank-you letter to Philippi. Epaphroditus may have been an elder in Philippi who,
while staying with Paul, became ill (2:25-30; 4:18). After Epaphroditus
recovered, he returned home. He is mentioned only in Philippians.
2:29-30 The world honors those who are intelligent, beautiful, rich,
and powerful. What kind of people should the church honor? Paul indicates that we should honor those who give their lives for the sake of
Christ, going where we cannot go ourselves. Our missionaries do that
for us today by serving in places where we are not able to go.