Philippians Chapter Two
2: 1-30
In his commentary on Philippians: Be Joyful, Warren Wiersbe relates that people can rob us of our joy. Paul was facing his problems with people at Rome as well as with people in Philippi (to see link click Ap – Paul’s Critics), and it was with the latter that he was concerned with the most. When Epaphroditus brought a generous gift from the church in Philippi, and good news of the church’s concern for Paul, he also brought the bad news of a possible division in the church family. Apparently there was a double threat to the unity of the church: false teachers coming from the outside (see Bf – Paul’s Opponents) and disagreeing members from within. What Euodia (meaning fragrance) and Syntyche (meaning fortunate) were fighting about, Paul did not state (see Bl – Life in Harmony). But Paul knew what some people today do not know. There is a difference between unity and uniformity. True spiritual unity comes from within; it is a matter of the heart. Uniformity is the result of pressure from without. This is why Paul opens Chapter Two appealing to the highest possible spiritual motives (see Au – To Model the Messiah).54
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