The Outline of Philippians

The basis for this commentary is taken from the MacArthur New Testament Commentary
on Philippians from John MacArthur.

Philippians from a Messianic Jewish Perspective (Ac)

Glossary (Ad)

Judaism and Christianity: Connections and Distinctives (Ae)

Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Joy (Af)

A Time Line for Philippians (Ag)

I. Background to the Letter to the Philippians (Ah)

II. Philippians Chapter One – 1:1-30 (Ai)

A. Paul’s Introductory Matters – 1:1-11 (Aj)

1. Bond Servants of Messiah Yeshua – 1:1-2 (Ak)

2. The Elements of Joy – 1:3-8 (Al)

3. Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians – 1:9-11 (Am)

B. Paul’s Affairs – 1:12-26 (An)

1. Paul’s Chains – 1:12-14 (Ao)

2. Paul’s Critics – 1:15-20 (Ap)

3. To Live is Messiah, to Die is Gain – 1:21-26 (Aq)

III. Philippians Chapter Two – 1:27 to 2:18 (Ar)

A. The Philippian Affairs – 1:27 to 2:18 – (As)

1. Walking Worthy – 1:27-30 (At)

2. To Model the Messiah – 2:1-4 (Au)

3. Obedient to Death – 2:5-8 (Av)

4. The Exalted Son – 2:9-11 (Aw)

5. Sanctification – First Corinthians 1:2 and 6:9-11 (Ax)

a. The Believer’s Role in Sanctification – 2:12 (Ay)

b. God’s Role in Sanctification – 2:13 (Az)

6. New Life in Messiah – 2:14-18 (Ba)

B. The Examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus – 2:19-30 (Bb)

1. I Hope to Send Timothy Soon – 2:19-24 (Bc)

2. Send Epaphroditus at Once – 2:25-30 (Bd)

IV. Philippians Chapter Three – 3:1-21 (Be)

A. Rejoice in the Lord – 3:1 (Bf)

1. Paul’s Opponents – 3:2-3 (Bg)

2. Paul’s Response to His Opponents – 3:4-11 (Bh)

3. Pursuing the Prize – 3:12-16 (Bi)

B. A Tale of Two Citizenships – 3:17-21 (Bj)

V. Philippians Chapter Four – 4:1-23 (Bk)

A. Stand Firm in the Lord – 4:1 (Bl)

1. Live in Harmony – 4:2-3 (Bm)

2. Do Not be Anxious about Anything – 4:4-6 (Bn)

3. Godly Thinking – 4:7-9 (Bo)

4. I Have Learned to be Content – 4:10-13 (Bp)

5. Giving is a Fragrant Offering – 4:14-19 (Bq)

B. Final Greetings to the Philippians – 4:20-23 (Br)

End Notes (Bs)

Bibliography (Bt)

God’s Role in Sanctification
2: 13

God’s role in sanctification DIG: Who sanctifies us? How are we sanctified? Why are we sanctified? What is the result of our sanctification? In light of working out your salvation, what part is up to God? How does ADONAI use holy discontent and holy aspiration to motivate us to do the work of sanctification?

REFLECT: How are you doing by balancing your role in sanctification and God’s role? Do you sometimes try to take the steering wheel of your life and put God in the back seat? Or do you sometimes think that God will do all the heavy lifting and you don’t have to do anything? How can either one be really bad for you?

Even though sanctification takes a great effort on our part, it is totally dependent on God’s power.

As John MacArthur has stated in his commentary on Philippians, there are two equal and opposite errors into which believers may fall concerning the doctrine of sanctification (to see link click Ay – The Believers Role in Sanctification: two aspects). On the one hand, quietists stress God’s role in sanctification, to the virtual exclusion of any human effort. Pietists, in contrast, emphasize self-effort at the expense of reliance on God’s power. In Philippians 2:12-13, the apostle Paul avoids both of those unbiblical extremes, and presents the true balanced view of sanctification. Having presented the believer’s responsibility in sanctification in 2:12, Paul, in verse 13 focuses on God’s role in the believer’s sanctification. While believers are working “out” their sanctification, God is working “in” you. In fact, apart from the reality of verse 13, the fulfillment of verse 12 would be impossible.

Yeshua stressed that truth in the Upper Room Discourse, given to His apostles on the night before His death: Remain in Me, as I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:4-5). In this verse, Paul indicates the divine work of sanctification by emphasizing five key features about ADONAI: His Person, His power, His Presence, His purpose, and His pleasure.

His Person: For it is God (2:13a NASB 1995). The first truth about God’s part in believer’s sanctification is His Personhood, which is made clear by the personal pronouns who and His and by the verbs to will and to work. Most pagan deities are described as impersonal, remote, and indifferent. But the true and living God of Scripture is real and personal. The Bible doesn’t try to prove that God is a Person because it assumes that He is. In both the TaNaKh and the B’rit Chadashah He is spoken of in anthropomorphic (human like) terms, such as having eyes and seeing, of having ears and hearing, of having feet and walking, of love and hating, weeping and laughing, condemning and forgiving. He thinks, feels, acts, and speaks – all elements of being a real living Person. He has a personal concern for mankind, and especially for His children. That personal concern is also seen in His work in believers.

The God of the Bible has unimaginable love for fallen, sinful mankind, which has rebelled against Him, blasphemed Him, and vilified Him. He has such great love for them that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:16-17). It is not the Lord’s will for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance (Second Peter 3:9).

For those who belong to Him, ADONAI has even greater love and the closest personal relationship. In the TaNaKh (Isaiah 63:16 and 64:8), and especially in the B’rit Chadashah (Matthew 5:16, 45, 48; 6:1, 9, and 23:9), He is referred to as His children’s Father. Adam and Eve, Moses, Job, Malachi and many other kedoshim spoke to Ha’Shem directly. The omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Creator and Sustainer of the universe loves His children with an everlasting love and chesed (see the commentary on Ruth Af – The Concept of Chesed). ADONAI protects them according to His everlasting covenant and promises.⁹⁰ No more so than Isra’el, who is the very pupil of His eye (Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalm 17:8; Proverbs 7:2; Zechariah 2:8) and His chosen people, (see Romans Cw – The Future Paradox of Isra’el), chosen out of all the peoples on earth to be His treasured possession (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Cb – God has Chosen Isra’el). Yet, He has compassion on the Goyim and will graft those who love the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into the Olive Tree (see the commentary on Dani’el Dx – The Mystery of the Olive Tree).

His power: who is at work (2:13b NASB 1995). The second essential truth emphasized here about God’s part in the believer’s sanctification is His divine power. Above all else, it is ADONAI who is at work in the lives of His children. He calls us to obey, and then through His sovereign power, enables our obedience. He calls us to His service, and then empowers our service. He calls us to holiness, and then empowers us to pursue holiness. Work is from the Greek verb energeo the source of the English word energy. Ruach Ha’Kodesh energizes His children to obey and serve Him; His power enables our sanctification. As noted in the previous file (see Ay – The Believer’s Role in Sanctification), believers can do nothing holy or righteous in their own power or resources. Just as no one can be justified by the work of the flesh (Rom 3:20), so no one can be [sanctified] by the flesh (Gal 3:3).

It is important that believers minister to each other, because that is God’s will (see the commentary on First Corinthians Ch – Unwrapping Your Spiritual Gifts). It is also God’s will that teachers and preachers minister to the Church (Ephesians 4:11-13). It is important that the holy angels minister to believers, because ADONAI sends out those spirits who serve (ministering servants) to help those who will inherit eternal life (1:14). But above all else, God Himself is our supreme and indispensable resource and power. The most amazing thing is that it is God who is at work in us. Paul summed it up in Colossians 1:29 when he said: I labor, striving according to His power, which works mightily within me.

His Presence: in you (2:13c NASB 1995). The third essential truth about God’s part in our sanctification is His divine Presence. The preposition in is often featured in Paul’s writings as he records the truth that Yeshua Messiah dwells in believers (Romans 8:9-10; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:1 to 2:12; Colossians 1:27). The Lord Himself spoke of His indwelling Presence: The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know the You sent Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me (John 17:22-23). David understood and gloried in the reality of ADONAI’s continual Presence within him: You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways (Psalm 139:3).

God works unceasingly for the welfare of His people (Romans 8:28). His holiness, wisdom, power, love, Presence, and mercy are infinite. Having begun our new life in Messiah through the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, we are perfected [sanctified] by that same divine power. Because some believers in the Galatian churches were seeking to live by their own foolish “wisdom” and resources, Paul asked in dismay, “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected [sanctified] by the flesh (Galatians 3:3).

His purpose: both to will and to work (2:13d NASB 1995). The fourth essential truth emphasized here, which is the heart of God’s work in believers’ sanctification, is His divine purpose. That purpose is revealed by what He energizes believers to do . . . both to will and to work. This phrase is best interpreted as not to God’s will and work but to that of believers. The will to do what is right before God must precede any effective work that is done toward that end. A genuine desire to do God’s will, as well as the power to obey it, originates with Him. ADONAI uses two means to motivate our wills.

First, is what might be called holy discontent, the humble recognition that one’s life always falls short of God’s standard of holiness. When Isaiah saw ADONAI sitting on a high, lofty throne! The hem of his robe filled the Temple. He could only exclaim in reverential fear: Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips (Is 6:1 and 5). Like all righteous people, he was dissatisfied with his spiritual state – a dissatisfaction immeasurably intensified by that awesome experience. Although Paul could say: I am conscious of nothing against myself, but he was quick to add: but this does not make me innocent (1 Cor 4:4). As he carefully and honestly examined his life, he knew that his finite perception could not detect every sin or spiritual shortcoming. His holy discontent led him to lament in his letter to the church at Rome: Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death (Rom 7:24).

Second, the means God uses to move our will is holy aspiration, the positive side of holy discontent. After Ha’Shem instills a genuine hatred of sin, He cultivates a genuine desire for righteousness. After He makes believers discontent with what we are, He gives us the aspiration to greater holiness. Above all, it is the desire to be like Messiah, to become conformed to the image of [God’s] Son (Romans 8:29). Paul brings together his own holy discontent and holy aspiration when he confesses: Not that I have already obtained all this, or have been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Messiah Yeshua took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do know: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Messiah Yeshua (Philippians 3:12-14).

Holy resolve leads to holy living. A godly will produces godly work. It cannot be overemphasized that only ADONAI can produce in believers the will or the work that He commands of us. James noted that every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). Understanding that truth, the writer to the Hebrews wrote: Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Yeshua our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Yeshua Messiah (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Just as believers are not saved by good works but wholly by God’s grace working through their faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), so we are sanctified by His grace working through our obedience. We are God’s workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that [we] would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). Just as believers are sovereignly predestined to salvation, so also are we predestined to sanctification. Again, Romans 8 is helpful: For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed [sanctified] to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers; and these whom He predestined, He also called, and these whom He called, He also justified, and these whom He justified, He also glorified (Romans 8:29-30).

His pleasure: for His good pleasure (2:13e NASB 1995). The fifth and final essential reality about God’s part in our sanctification is the overwhelming truth that He works in our sanctification for His own good pleasure. His will for us is that we think and do what pleases Him. Although that is accomplished primarily by His own power, when His children seek His will and do His work, it brings Him great pleasure. Because ADONAI is infinitely self-sufficient, one cannot wonder how anything or anyone, especially a sinful human being, could add to His satisfaction. Yet, that is what Paul is saying. Even when they were weak, hesitant, and fearful, Yeshua assured His disciples: Don’t be afraid little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the Kingdom (Luke 12:32). Giving a place in His Kingdom to His children brings God great pleasure.

Because our sanctification brings Him great pleasure, God grants us the resources to pursue it. Paul wrote to the Ephesians that the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah . . . has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah . . . [and has] made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him (Ephesians 1:3 and 9). To the Thessalonians he added that ADONAI will fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

Even when we rebel against Him, God still desires to bless His people if we will repent and obey (First John 1:9). Isaiah addressed these encouraging words to a rebellious Isra’el. Seek ADONAI while He is available, call on Him while He is still nearby. Let the wicked person abandon his way and the evil person his thoughts; let him return to ADONAI, and he will have mercy on him; let him return to our God, for He will freely forgive (Isaiah 55:6-7). Through Hosea, God said to His people: How can I give up on you, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Isra’el? . . . My heart is changed within Me; all My compassion is aroused. I will not carry out My fierce anger, nor devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not man – the Holy One among you. I will not come with wrath (Hosea 11:8-9).

We need to understand that even though sanctification takes a great effort, it is nonetheless totally dependent on God’s power. Like many other truths in the Bible, those seemingly irreconcilable realities are hard to understand. Having done all we can, believers are to give ADOANI all the credit. Just as our Lord instructed, after we have done all the things which are commanded, we are to confess: We are unworthy servants; we have done only that which we ought to have done, not deserving of thanks or reward.⁹¹ It is not that God wants the groveling common to servants, but the absence of pride expected of those who know that obeying Him is a matter of duty, saying: We have only done our duty (Luke 17:10). The Pharisees served God for reward; but Yeshua cautioned His apostles were to avoid the leaven of pride. There was no room for boasting and they needed to remember who was to serve whom. This is a valuable lesson for us as well.

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for caring so much for me. You have promised to walk with me so that You are right there to help me to grow and to mature through trials and temptations. Yet I have the responsibility of listening and following Your Word, so that I can mature in the faith and be sanctified. Meditating on Your Word is food to the soul, nourishing and strengthening it. Blessed are those whose delight is in ADONAI’s Torah, on His Torah they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, they bear fruit in season, their leaves never wither, everything they do succeeds (Psalm 1:1a,2-3). My role is to abide in You. Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. The branch cannot itself produce fruit, unless it abides on the vine. Likewise, you cannot produce fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:4-5). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Believer’s Role in Sanctification
2: 12

The Believer’s role in sanctification DIG: What is an antimony? What mistake do some make when trying to reconcile every doctrine in a humanly rational way? How did the Messiah show His love for the Philippians? In light of working out your salvation, what part is up to you? What two aspects are you involved in?

REFLECT: Are you relying on the Ruach or relying on yourself lately? In what ways is Messiah your example for living in today’s world? What does it mean for you to work out your salvation in fear and trembling? What does this look like for you? What is the world’s philosophy of joy and the believers in Yeshua?

Sanctification is to be set apart; specifically, to the holy use and purposes of God.

As John MacArthur relates in his commentary on Philippians, from the earliest days of the Church, the relationship between the power of God and the responsibility of believers in living a godly life has been debated. Is the believer’s life simply a matter of passive trust or active obedience? Is it all God’s doing, all the believer’s doing, or a combination of both? This is not an unusual question when dealing with spiritual truth; in fact, the same question arises about salvation itself. Is it all God’s doing, or is there a requirement on our part in response to the command to believe the Gospel? Scripture makes it clear that it involves both God’s sovereignty and human response. Paul reminded the Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith . . . and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). In John 6:44, Yeshua declared: No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; yet Acts 16:31 commands: Believe in the Lord Yeshua, and you will be saved. Salvation is not by human works, yet it is always through personal faith. Other doctrines also involve seeming paradoxes. For example, Yeshua Messiah is both fully God and fully man, and while the Bible was written by human authors, every word of it was inspired by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. The Trinity is made up of one God revealed in three distinct Persons. We were chosen before the foundations of the earth were set, yet we must make a decision for Messiah in order to be saved! This is called an antimony, meaning two things that seem to contradict each other, but both are true.

Believers who try to reconcile every doctrine in a humanly rational way are inevitably drawn to extremes. To achieve their goal of fully understanding without an antimony, they emphasize one truth or aspect of God’s Word at the expense of others, which to the finite mind, seem to contradict it. In regard to sanctification, the view that emphasizes God’s role while virtually eliminating the believer’s involvement is often referred to as quietism. And the view that emphasizes the opposite extreme is called pietism.

In Philippians 2:12 and 13, Paul presents the appropriate resolution between the believer’s part and God’s part in sanctification. Yet he makes no effort to rationally harmonize the two. He is content with the incomprehensibility and simply states both truths, saying, in effect, on the one hand, sanctification is of believers (v. 12) and on the other hand, it is of God (v. 13). The same dual emphasis is found throughout the B’rit Chadashah (2 Peter 1:3-10; 1 Cor 15:10; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:28-29; and James 4:7).

As Paul emphasizes in verse 13 (to see link click Az – God’s Role in Sanctification), salvation is from God. But here in verse 12 he focuses on the responsibility of believers to live lives that are consistent with the divine gift of salvation. Because we live by the Spirit, that is, we have the divine life of Messiah within us, we should also walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

Everything in life requires energy. It takes energy to walk and to work. It takes energy to obey and to worship ADONAI. The point of the present verse is that it takes spiritual energy to be conformed to the image of Messiah (Romans 8:29-30). To live a life that is holy, fruitful, and pleasing to our Lord. The main verb in this verse, katergazomai (to work out), specifically calls for the constant energy and effort necessary to finish a task. Paul suggests five truths that believers must understand to sustain such energy: Their example, their being loved, their obedience, their responsibilities, and the consequences of sin.

Understand your example (2:12a): The first element of believer’s working out their sanctification is understanding Messiah’s example. Therefore translates the Greek participle hoste, which was used to draw a conclusion from a preceding statement. Here, it refers back to the example of Yeshua Messiah, whose perfect model of humility, submission, and obedience (see Av – Obedient to Death). In His incarnation, Yeshua did not cling to His equality with God the Father, but emptied Himself of His divine rights and prerogatives. Taking the form of a humble bond-servant, He was obedient to His heavenly Father, even to the point of dying on the Roman cross as a sacrifice for sin. It is also true that the self-emptying of the Son of God placed Him in the role of a servant to the will of the Father and the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. One of the greatest realities of the Incarnation was the fact that our Lord did what He did in the Spirit’s power (Luke 4:1, 14, 18, and 5:17; Acts 10:38; cf. Matthew 12:18 and 28-32). The essence of living a godly life is being obedient like Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Yeshua did (First John 2:6).

Understand that you are loved (2:12b): Paul’s next words suggest a second element of us working out our sanctification, understanding that we are greatly loved. My beloved were unmistakably words of comfort and encouragement. The apostle knew that the Philippians would face many disappointments and failures as they sought to follow the Lord’s example in living for Him. Paul’s love for them reflected Messiah’s love for His Church (cf. 1:8). The apostle was well aware of their weaknesses and shortcomings. He understood the dangers they faced from worldly false teachers, including both Jewish legalists and Gentile slanderers. All of them were enemies of the Messiah, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is their shame, who set their minds on earthly things (3:18-19). He knew of the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche, sisters in Messiah whom he had admonished to live in harmony in the Lord (4:2). It is likely that many believers in the church were inclined to be proud, hence the urgent call to follow Messiah’s example of humility (see Au – To Model the Messiah). Just as the Lord did with him and does with all of His children, Paul made allowance for their failures. They did not serve a hard, merciless deity, as did their pagan neighbors. They served a merciful, forgiving, gracious Lord who was always willing to restore them to fellowship.

Understand obedience (2:12c): Just as you have always obeyed. Another aspect of believers’ working out their sanctification is understanding the need for obedience. Paul encouraged the Philippians to continue in faithful submission to God’s will. Believers obviously must hear God’s Word if they are to be obedient to it. So this is an appeal for believers to continue to study and obey Scripture (Matthew 28:19-20).

Lydia obeyed the Word that she heard Paul preach. She was already a worshiper of ADONAI, and as she was listening . . . the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken of by Paul (Acts 16:14). So too did the Philippian jailer, who may have been among those to whom the apostle was now writing. After Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house, he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household (Acts 16:32-33). In much the same way, the Jews in Berea received the word with great eagerness because they were examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so (Acts 17:11). Obedience is essential to sanctification which cannot take place without it.

Understand personal responsibilities and resources (2:12d): Not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence. The fourth aspect of believers’ working out their sanctification is understanding their personal responsibilities and resources. Because believers are sinful, they can sometimes be inclined to be self-justifying, blaming circumstances or other people for their problems and failures. Therefore, Paul commends the Philippians for their faithful pattern of obedience to Messiah while they were in his presence. But he goes on to say that they were just as obligated to obey during his absence.

In essence, the apostle repeats a caution he made earlier: Conduct yourself worthy of the Good News of the Messiah, so that whether I come and see you or I hear about you from a distance, you are standing firm, united in one spirit, fighting with one mind and striving together for the faith of the Good News (1:27). His point is that there is never a time when a true believer is not responsible to obey the Lord. Believers must never be primarily dependent on their pastor, teacher, fellow believer, or anyone else for their spiritual strength and growth. Their supreme resource is the Lord Yeshua Messiah and His Word, and the Ruach to interpret it. Gratefully, we are never without Messiah’s example and never without the Spirit’s power.

Understand the consequences of sin (2:12e): The fifth motive for believers’ working out their sanctification is understanding the consequences of sin. Continue to work out (Greek: katergazomai) your salvation with fear and trembling. Although ADONAI is loving, merciful, and forgiving, He nevertheless holds us accountable for disobedience. Like John, Paul understood well that if we say that we are without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:8-9). Knowing that we serve a holy and just God, the faithful believer will always live with fear and trembling. An important truth in the TaNaKh is that the fear of ADONAI is the beginning of wisdom (see Proverbs Ai – The Fear of ADONAI is the Beginning of Wisdom). This is not a fear of being doomed to eternal torment, not a hopeless dread of judgment that leads to despair. It is rather a reverential fear, a holy concern to give YHVH the honor He deserves and avoid the discipline of His displeasure. Such fear protects us against temptation and sin, and gives motivation for obedience, righteous living.

To have such godly fear and trembling involves more than merely acknowledging our sinfulness and spiritual weakness. It is the sincere, reverential fear that springs from deep adoration and love. It acknowledges that every sin is an offense against holy God and produces a sincere desire not to offend and grieve Him, but to obey, honor, please and glorify Him in all things. Those who willingly accept the Lord’s discipline know that God disciplines His children (see the commentary on Hebrews Cz – God Disciplines His Children). This fear and trembling will cause believers to pray earnestly for ADONAI’s help in avoiding sin, as Yeshua taught them: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13). This prayer again reflects the spiritual tension that exists between believers’ duty and God’s power.

To work out (Greek: katergazomai) is the idea of keep on working out to completion, to ultimate fulfillment. The command for us is to make a continuing, sustained effort to work out to the ultimate completion of our salvation, which has been graciously granted to us by ADONAI through our faith in Yeshua Messiah. This principle of working out our salvation in fear and trembling has two aspects.

The first pertains to personal conduct, to faithful, obedient daily living (Second Corinthians 7:1; Colossians 3:2-3; Romans 6:19; Ephesians 4:1; First Corinthians 9:24-27). If living a godly lifestyle were merely a matter of passive yielding and surrender, of “letting go and letting God,” then such cautions not only would be unnecessary, but arrogant. But those injunctions, and countless others like them throughout God’s Word, presuppose our personal responsibility for obedience. We must choose to live righteously, working out our salvation in the choices we make daily; while at the same time, realizing that all the power for that obedience comes from the Ruach Ha’Kodesh.

The second aspect of working out our salvation in fear and trembling is perseverance, being faithfully obedient to the end of our lives. Sanctification has three dimensions: past, present, and future. The past dimension is that of justification at the moment of salvation. The present dimension is sanctification, or spiritual growth in holiness. And the future dimension is our glorification, when salvation is completed and we receive our glorified bodies (see Ax – Sanctification for more details). Perseverance in the faith is the duty of every believer, and yet not the power of our security. It is, however, the unmistakable and inevitable evidence of divine power operating within us (Colossians 1:29). We persevere because ADONAI’s power keeps our salvation secure (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). So the call for us to work out [our] salvation in fear and trembling is found all through the B’rit Chadashah. That is only fitting and proper, since it is a call for the necessary commitment on our part that is a prerequisite for the joys, blessings, and usefulness of our sanctification.⁸⁹

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for Your gift of sanctification thru which You mold me into the image of Messiah. The Master says it well when he explains that a relationship with God is more than mere knowing about His love. Messiah says our responsibility for salvation and for sanctification is listening and learning from Him and living a life yoked to God (Mt 11:28-29). Sanctification is ultimately His work. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through (1 Thess 5:23a). How wonderful that by Your abiding Presence, You are always there to help to guide me in my sanctification. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Sanctification
First Corinthians 1:2 and 6:9-11

Sanctification DIG: Why is perfectionism impossible? What are the three aspects of sanctification? What is justification? When did it happen? Why are we sanctified? Who participates in our practical sanctification? Who ultimately sanctifies? What is the result of our growth in holiness? What is our ultimate hope?

REFLECT: Since God the Father justified you at the moment of faith in Yeshua, can you imagine the Son ever denying this? How have you grown spiritually since you were saved? Write down some examples? How did this happen? What is glorification? Who is glorified? When does it happen? When does our struggle end?

Sanctification means to be set apart; specifically, to the holy use and purposes of God.

The doctrine of sanctification cannot be interpreted by experience. Only one aspect of sanctification out of three (see three aspects below) deals with the problems of human experience in daily life. Thus, some personal experience must not be substituted for the teaching of the Word of God. Even if sanctification were limited to the field of human experience, there would never be an experience that could be proven to be its perfect example, nor would any human statement of that experience exactly describe the full measure of the divine reality. The Bible interprets experience; experience does not interpret the Bible. Thus, our experiences will be validated by Scripture.

What does it mean to be set apart for the purposes of God? Yeshua was set apart to go into the world to fulfill the will of the Father (John 17:18-19; Second Timothy 2:21; First Peter 3:15). He set Himself apart at the cross; He set Himself apart by physical death; He set Himself apart to be separated from the Father when He cried out with a loud voice: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46); He set Himself apart, totally and completely to the will of the Father so that He could say: Here I am, I have come to do your will (Hebrews 10:9 quoting Psalm 40:6-8). The apostles were set apart by Messiah to go as His representatives, as His ambassadors, to reveal the Son, so that He might continue to reveal the Father.

Three words have a common connotation, and signify that which has been set apart for the holy use and purposes of God. These words primarily had to do with one’s position, not with one’s experience or practice. Sanctify means to be set apart (Hebrews 7:26). Holy is used over 400 times in the TaNaKh and 12 times in the B’rit Chadashah. The word holy means to be set apart from what is unholy. The root word is related to the word sanctification. Yeshua Messiah is said to be holy because He is set apart, or set off, or divided from that which is worldly. Kedoshim means holy ones and is used in the TaNaKh, and saints is the common reference to believers in the B’rit Chadashah.

Sanctification is not a state of sinlessness. John Wesley and Charles Finney misused the Holiness Movement and taught that perfection was possible in this life. A good book to read on this is Studies in Perfectionism by Benjamin B. Warfield, published in 1931. Perfectionism teaches either complete freedom from known sin or sometimes actual sinlessness. But after all is said and done, I really don’t think B. B. Warfield needed to write his book when all he had to do was to ask the wives what they thought of their husbands who believed that they had reached perfection! At any rate, perfectionism is impossible for two reasons.

First, common sense: What did the Master say the two greatest commandments were? Known as the Sh’ma (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el) and reaffirmed by Yeshua in the B’rit Chadashah: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthes 22:37). True perfection, true sinlessness would mean that every moment of every day, you would have to be fulfilling the Sh’ma! But Paul, in Romans 7, says: I don’t do the things I want to do. We fall short of Matthew 22:37 every day in thought, word, and deed.

What must you do if you think it’s possible to perfect yourself? If you think you can become free of known sin, or actually become sinless, you must re-define sin to maintain that state. However, by rejecting sin, we must disobey ADONAI because we were supposed to confess our sins. John tells us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (First John 1:9). If we deny our sin, what we are saying is that God can’t use our struggle with sin to perfect our character.

Second, Scripture: (see the commentary on Romans Cb – The Inner Conflict). These verses in Romans 7:14-25 refer to the believers’ experience because Paul wrote them as a mature, godly man, not as a backslidden believer. Paul had killed believers in Messiah around 30 AD. This is twenty-five years later in 57 AD (see the commentary on Galatians Ae – Dates of the Books of the B’rit Chadashah). The point is that as a mature believer, he still struggled with sin.

There are three aspects to sanctification: To sanctify occurs more than one-hundred times in the TaNaKh and more than thirty times in the B’rit Chadashah:

1. Positional sanctification (or justification): Justification is the act of God the Father whereby, negatively, He forgives our sins and, positively, God declares us to be righteous by transferring all of Messiah’s righteousness to us by faith (Luke 18:9-14). It is a one-time event that happens at the moment of salvation (see The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Salvation). Once God the Father declares us righteous, His judgment is final (see The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). But it is not a reward for anything good we have done. It is an undeserved free gift. And it is not something that we cooperate with God in accomplishing (see The Life of Christ Ct – The Authority of the Son).

2. Practical sanctification (or spiritual growth in holiness): God the Father has already declared you righteous at the moment of salvation and set you apart in holiness for His purposes. Therefore, you have been declared acceptable to God by His legal act of justifying you through Yeshua Messiah. This is true of the weakest and youngest believer. This does not depend on your maturity, your knowledge, your good works, your feelings, or your own righteousness. It is a divine work of God in which we cooperate. He sets believers apart for Himself, and is a result of our yieldedness to Him (First Corinthians 1:2 and 6:9-11; Jeremiah 1:5; Hebrews 10:10 and 14). There is a struggle involved in sanctification (Romans 6:13-16 and Titus 2:14). It takes work (Romans 12:1-2; First Peter 5:8-9; First Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 12:3-4). And is a process that takes a lifetime (Second Corinthians 3:18 and Ephesians 4:11-16)! The end result of our sanctification is inward peace (Isaiah 32:17), the outward result is good spiritual fruit (Second Corinthians 9:8 and Second Peter 1:5-11, and the upward result is that God is honored (John 15:8).

3. Ultimate sanctification (or glorification): The final stage of the process of sanctification is glorification. In Paul’s words, those who God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son . . . and those whom He predestined He also called; and those whom He called He also justified; and those He justified He also glorified (Romans 8:29-30). Glorification is the point at which the doctrine of salvation and doctrine of the last things overlap, for it looks beyond this life to the world to come (First John 3:2; Jude 24; Ephesians 5:27; First Corinthians 1:7-8). Glorification is multidimensional. It involves both individual and collective eschatology. It involves the perfecting of the spiritual nature of the individual believer, which takes place at death, when the believer passes into the presence of the Lord. It involves the perfecting of the bodies of all believers, which will occur at the time of the resurrection in connection with the Second Coming of Messiah (see the commentary on Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah). It even involves transformation of the entire creation (see Romans Ck – The Creation and Redemption).⁸⁸

Paul teaches us that even though sanctification is a cooperative effort (see Ay – The Believer’s Role in Sanctification): May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Yeshua Messiah (First Thessalonians 5:23-24). Therefore, ultimately it is ADONAI who sanctifies us (see Az – God’s Role in Sanctification) and molds us into the image of Messiah (Romans 8:29b). We cannot do it alone as a result of our sin nature. We have a battle with sin until our death (Second Peter 1:5-8; First Timothy 1:15 and 18; Proverbs 4:18; First Timothy 6:12; Job 17:9; Second Timothy 4:7; Second Peter 3:18).

The Exalted Son
2: 9-11

The Exalted Son DIG: What is Yeshua’s exaltation in response to? Who will bow the knee? Will anyone escape? What is the source of Messiah’s exaltation? What is the title of Messiah’s exaltation? What is the response to Messiah’s exaltation? What is the purpose of His exaltation? Why is this Hymn important?

REFLECT: Since the way to exaltation is always through humiliation. And since that was true for Yeshua, how much more is it true for you? What is the difference between Messiah being your Lord and being your Savior? The Philippians had to be brave to declare that Messiah was Lord and Savior. How so today?

One day all will acknowledge that Messiah is all He claimed to be – very God of very God.

Verses 2:6-11 represent a “Messianic Hymn” which tells of the coming of the Messiah into a world as a bond-servant, His death on a Roman cross, and His exaltation (meaning: to be lifted up, glorified, or referring to God’s supreme authority) to being Lord of all creation. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Messiah Yeshua:

6 Who, being in very form God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to be seized by force.

7 Rather, He emptied Himself by taking the very form of a bond-servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man.

8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!

9 For this reason, God highly exalted Him, and gave Him THE NAME above all other names.

10 So that at THE NAME of Yeshua, every knee will bow, both in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth.

11 And every tongue confess that Yeshua Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As the prayers of the siddur (the Jewish prayer book) express Jewish theological concepts and development, this liturgical hymn gives us an early look at the evolution of Messianic Jewish theology and early liturgical development with the growing Messianic Jewish and Messianic Gentile communities. The construction of liturgical prayers and hymns like this one, taken from Isaiah 45:23, a passage from the TaNaKh that applied to the One God of Isra’el, and referred to Yeshua. This showed an early understanding of the divine nature of Yeshua by the earliest of those who put their trust in Him. We can also see in this liturgical development an early theological understanding of first century Messianic Jews that the nature of the God of Isra’el is far more complicated than a strict monotheism. In Yeshua, the divine nature is shared, and yet, is within the framework of One God.

Through two millennia of theologians they would wrestle with the place of Yeshua as well as the Ruach Ha’Kodesh within One God of Isra’el expressed in the Sh’ma (see Deuteronomy, to see link click Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el). However, it appears that the earliest Yeshua followers accepted that the God of Isra’el became a human being in Yeshua. In line with the liturgical use of the Psalms, the early believers created liturgical songs honoring Yeshua as Messiah and Lord that were used during worship and private devotionals.

In addition to containing one of the most potent and straightforward teachings on the eternal divine nature of Yeshua, this hymn also teaches the Philippians essential lessons of humility modeled on the Messiah’s humility and servanthood. Such servanthood and self-sacrifice offered a way for the Philippians to model the kind of unity Paul laid out in the first four verses of the chapter (see Au – To Model the Messiah). The first half of the hymn (2:6-8) describes what Messiah did (see Av – Obedient to Death); the second half of the hymn, seen here (2:9-11), describes what ADONAI did. Let’s take a look at the second half of this hymn, line by line.⁷⁹

The source of Messiah’s exaltation (2:9a): For this reason refers back to Yeshua’s humiliation of His death described earlier. His exaltation was referred to as the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2-3) for which He willingly endured the cross, despised the shame, and suffered the hostility of sinners.

Since Messiah fully succeeded in His mission to bring mankind to God, God highly exalted Him (Philippians 2:9a), and was seated at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1; Matthew 22:44), where He shares honor, glory, and power with the Father (Revelation 5:13). His exaltation involved four steps upward: His resurrection, His ascension, His coronation, and His intercession.

First, Yeshua was resurrected from the dead. When the women came to the tomb where the Master had been buried, an angel said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Yeshua the Nazarene, who has been crucified. But He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him (Mark 16:6). Peter explained to his hearers at Shavu’ot that, “God raised up this Yeshua! And we are all witnesses of it (Acts 2:32). Many years later, Paul wrote that God the Father raised Yeshua from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:20).

The second aspect of the Father’s exaltation of Yeshua was His ascension. When the Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection, He said to her: Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My [apostles] and say to them, “I have ascended to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God (John 20:17). Later, after He had given last instructions to the eleven on the Mount of Olives: He was lifted up while they were looking, and a cloud received Him out of their sight (Acts 1:9). As Paul explained to Timothy, Yeshua was taken up in glory (First Timothy 3:16).

The third aspect of Yeshua’s exaltation was His coronation. When giving the Great Commission, the Master proclaimed: All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Having ascended, Yeshua is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven (First Peter 3:22). Peter and others testified to the Great Sanhedrin that Messiah is the one whom ADONAI exalted to His right hand as Prince and Savior, to grant repentance to Isra’el, and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31). As Stephen was about to die, he saw the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55-56).

The fourth and final aspect of the Messiah’s exaltation is His honored position of High Priest, from which He continually intercedes for believers. Yeshua, who died and was raised for us and who is at the right hand of God . . . also intercedes for us (Romans 8:34). As our Great High Priest: He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it is fitting, the writer to the Hebrews goes on to say: for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners and exalted above the heavens (Hebrews 7:25-26).

For the most part, the Master’s exaltation involved the restoration of what He had eternally possessed before His incarnation (John 17:5). Yet, from the Scriptures stated above, it seems clear that in some ways, Yeshua received even more in His exaltation than He surrendered in His incarnation. He was not, of course, any more divine or perfect. It was not possible for Him to be further elevated in any way as far as His essential nature and being are concerned. But because of His perfect redemptive work the Father gave His Son even more rights, privileges, honors, and responsibilities than He had before. The exaltation was therefore more than merely a reversal of the incarnation. It was the Father’s giving His Son honor and tribute He could only receive after His redemptive sacrifice, which He made in obedience to the Father’s will.⁸⁰

The title of Messiah exaltation (2:9b): And gave Him THE NAME. That which was graciously bestowed was not “a name,” but THE NAME. The definite article appears in the Greek text and refers to a specific name. Paul does not reveal the supreme name, THE NAME above all other names (Philippians 2:9b; Isaiah 52:13 and 53:12), until verse 11, where he declares that And every tongue confess that Yeshua Messiah is Lord. For the largely Gentile church at Philippi living in a roman colony, the claim that Yeshua Messiah possessed THE NAME above all names would have stood in sharp contrast to imperial propaganda that proclaimed Caesar as Lord and Savior. Indeed, the ideology of the imperial cult, Jupiter and the gods gave divine authority and divine names to Augustus Caesar. Yet Paul insists that through His incarnation, death, and resurrection the exalted Yeshua Messiah is the true Lord with THE NAME above every other name and Caesar was merely a pathetic imposter.⁸¹

Lord is the title of majesty, authority, honor, and sovereignty. One day THE exalted NAME will be expanded to King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). The man Messiah Yeshua, who had voluntarily laid aside His glory of deity during His incarnation, now has placed upon His shoulders all the majesty, dignity, and glory of deity itself. This is the answer to Yeshua’s high priestly prayer of John 17:5: And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. This is the greatest goal of human history, that Messiah would be seen as supreme above all things (Colossians 1:15-20).

The response to Messiah’s exaltation (2:10-11a): So in THE NAME of Yeshua, every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10a; Isaiah 45:23) and acknowledge Him for who He really is. Isaiah had prophesied the same truth seven-hundred years earlier. Through him ADONAI declared: Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me, every knee will bow (Isaiah 45:22-23). Paul stressed the same truth in his letter to the Roman church (Romans 14:11). In the Greco-Roman world this would have been a familiar means of expressing loyalty, whether to another person or to a god.

The extent of Messiah’s sovereign authority is given in the three-fold phrase: Both in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth (Philippians 2:10b). No intelligent being – whether angels or believers in heaven, people living on the earth, or the Adversary, demons, and those who have rejected the Gospel under the earth in hell – in all ADONAI’s universe will escape. All will bow the knee either willingly or they will be forced to do so.⁸² And every tongue confess (Isaiah 45:23) that Yeshua Messiah is Lord. The word confess means to agree with someone or publicly declare. Someday, the entire universe will agree with God the Father on the testimony which He has given of His Son.⁸³ For all believers, Messiah is our Savior; but for Him to be our Lord means that we have surrendered every aspect of our lives to His control. The universal reign of Yeshua Messiah should be a great source of comfort to us. In a world that often seems out of control, where evil often seems to go unpunished and justice remains elusive, we can rest in the sweet truth that one day the entire created order will be in submission to Yeshua Messiah in the fullest sense of the word.⁸⁴

The purpose of Messiah’s exaltation (2:11b): One day all will acknowledge that Yeshua Messiah is all He claimed to be – very God of very God (from the Nicene Creed in 325 AD). Sadly, for many it will be too late for the salvation of their souls. The exalted place the Savior now occupies and the universal bowing in the future in acknowledgement of His lordship is all to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11; Isaiah 45:24-25).⁸⁵ But Messiah’s universal acknowledgment as Lord does not make the Father jealous. Instead, this is the supreme objective and fulfillment of the Father’s divine will as He demonstrates His perfect love for His Son.

This exaltation of Yeshua by the Father is related to the vision of Dani’el (see the commentary on Dani’el Ce – A Vision of the Heavenly Court). In verse 9 we see that there are two thrones, one for the Ancient of Days (God the Father) and one for the Son of Man (Yeshua Messiah). Later in 2:13 and 14, the Ancient of Days grants eternal, universal rulership to the Son of Man in line with the exaltation of Yeshua by the Father that we read about here in Philippians.⁸⁶

Here, of course, is a great mystery, a mystery that confounds everyone who presumes to fully understand the Trinity. The three Persons are but one God, wholly united and indivisible. They never compete, disagree, or differ with one another in the slightest degree. We, therefore, are not called to worship ADONAI through Yeshua (let alone Mary), but to worship Messiah as God. Yeshua explained that The Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself (John 13:31-32; cf. John 14:13; Romans 9:5, 11;36 and 16:27). It is the Father’s and the Son’s supreme pleasure to glorify each other. In His High Priestly Prayer, Yeshua said: Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You . . . I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was created (John 17:1 and 4-5). Whoever honors the Son honors the Father, and whoever dishonors the Son dishonors the Father (John 5:23). Throughout all eternity, the Father will continue to say of the exalted Lord Yeshua Messiah: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17).⁸⁷

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being so very great and almighty! Though some people think they can live their lives doing as they please without thinking of You, there will come a day when at THE NAME of Yeshua, every knee will bow to You. How foolish that some people think that because they cannot see You, that You – the almighty, omniscient, omnipotent, all- seeing sovereign Ruler of the world, cannot see them. So they say: ADONAI does not see —the God of Jacob pays no attention (Ps 94:7, Ezeki’el 8: 7, 9:9) Of course You see everyone! For He [ADONAI] does not see a man as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but Adonai looks into the heart (1 Sam 16:7c). What comfort it brings to know that Your power is supreme over all kingdoms and in Your plan, Messiah will be exalted and will reign forever! No plan of Satan or of any man will ever defeat Messiah from ruling from his eternal Kingdom! All who are wise will worship and exalt Messiah Yeshua now, for He is worthy of all exaltation and His rule is absolutely sure and certain! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Obedient to Death
2: 5-8

Obedient to death DIG: Where do we find the pre-existence of the Messiah in the B’rit Chadashah? Where do we find the death of Messiah in the TaNaKh? What does having the same attitude or mind-set as Messiah Yeshua mean to you? What was a bond-servant? Which of the eight steps seem most important to you personally? What did Messiah give up during His incarnation? Why was death on the cross necessary?

REFLECT: Is there something a friend is facing that makes you uncomfortable? Someone searching for answers you don’t have? Be there. Hold a hand, offer a shoulder to cry on, or child care, or even a meal. Give them what you have, which is Yeshua’s love. In what ways did Yeshua serve others? How do you think this affected what Yeshua thought of Himself? What does His life teach us about demanding our rights?

That old rugged cross is now a tree of life.

Verses 2:5-11 represent a “Messianic Hymn” which tells of the coming of the Messiah into a world as a servant, His death on a Roman cross, and His exaltation to being Lord of all creation. The detailed structure of the hymn itself has been the subject of endless debate. But at a basic level the structure is actually rather clear. After the initial command to have the same attitude as Yeshua (2:5), the first half of the hymn describes what Messiah did (2:6-8). This description is centered on three main verbs with Yeshua as the subject: (1) He did not consider equality withGod something to be used to be possessed by force (2:6b); (2) Rather, He emptied Himself (2:7a); and (3) He humbled Himself (2:8b).

The second half of the hymn describes what ADONAI did. (to see link click Aw – The Exalted Son). He highly exalted Yeshua and gave Him the name above all other names (2:9). Their two-fold purpose is so that every knee will bow (2:10), and every tongue confesses that Yeshua Messiah is Lord (2:11a). The ultimate result of all this is that God the Father is glorified (2:11b). The two key texts from Isaiah form the background to this “Messianic Hymn.” The first is Isaiah 45:14-25, part of which Paul quotes in 2:10-11. In its original context Isaiah 45:14-25 emphasizes that salvation is found in Yeshua, who alone is the true God. By applying this language to Messiah, Paul boldly asserts that Yeshua is YHVH in the flesh, God with us (see the commentary on Isaiah Cb – The LORD Himself Will Give You A Sign). The second text is Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12, which describes the Suffering Servant (see below). Although Paul does not explicitly quote from this passage in 2:6-11, he does allude to and echo its language and themes at several points.

Have this mindset among yourselves, which is yours in Messiah Yeshua (Philippians 2:5). Paul now builds a bridge between the exhortation of 2:1-4 (see Au – To Model the Messiah) and the Messianic hymn of 2:6-11 by repeating the same key verb: have the same mindset (Greek: phroneo) and connecting it with the Person and work of Messiah Yeshua. This mindset must be among yourselves, emphasizing the communal aspect of the shared mindset in Yeshua Messiah which he goes on to describe in 2:6-11. From Paul’s perspective, it is possible for believers to have the mindset that was in Messiah Yeshua because Messiah Yeshua Himself dwells in believers. Therefore, the issue is not simply one of imitation, but imitation supported by imputation (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Fr – Jesus the Bread of Life) and indwelling.

As Paul taught of Yeshua’s flawless example of humility, he also recorded Messiah’s descent from heaven to earth, describing the exalted position that He had left, then presenting a series of eight downward steps from that glory and honor to ever-increasing indignity.

Who, being in the very form of God (Philippians 2:6a; also see Genesis 1:26-27; Second Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15). This verse begins the Messianic hymn that is one of the most well-known sections in the whole letter. The hymn begins with the clause: Who, though He was in the form of God, referring back to Messiah Yeshua in the previous verse. By saying that He was in the very form of God, Paul is indicating that Messiah did something unexpected. His point, then, is that though we might expect that someone who was in the form of God to think that he was equal with God . . . but Yeshua did not. Within Greco-Roman culture (as the Philippian church certainly was) and its prized status and the pursuit of honor, it would be surprising that one who was in the very form of God didn’t regard that status as an opportunity for selfish gain. Immersed in a Greco-Roman culture that cut its teeth on stories of the gods using their powers and privileges for their own selfish gain, the picture of one who was fully divine deliberately not acting in this manner – indeed, laying aside His divine privileges for the everlasting good of His creatures – would have been a startling contrast to what their native world view taught them.⁷¹

Step one: Even though Messiah was in the very form of God, He didn’t consider equality with God something to be used to be seized by force (Greek: harpagmos, meaning robbery) (Philippians 2:6b). Why would Paul speak of robbery? It is surely because the attack on the Messiah had already begun. When the Church began, Satan attacked the divinity of the Son of God saying that He’s just a man like every other man. But even the Jews understood His claim of divinity. That’s exactly why they handed Him over to the Romans to be crucified. So, who are the real robbers here? They are those who rob Messiah of His true nature. First John 4:3 tells us that every spirit which does not acknowledge Yeshua is not from God; such a person is the spirit of the antichrist. Nevertheless, from His exalted position as God in heaven, Messiah’s first step downward was not to consider equality with God something to be used to be seized by force. Although He continued to fully exist as God, during His incarnation, He refused to hold on to His divine power and rights. Equality with God is synonymous with the preceding phrase form of God. In repeating the declaration of Messiah’s true nature and essence, Paul emphasizes its absolute and incontestable reality. The term equality refers to exact equivalence. An isosceles triangle has two equal sides. In becoming a man, Yeshua did not forfeit or diminish His absolute equality with God.

During His earthly ministry, Yeshua never denied or minimized His deity. He was very clear in acknowledging His divine sonship and oneness with the Father (John 5:17-18, 10:30 and 38, 14:9, 17:1, 21-22, and 20:28), His authority over all flesh and the power to give eternal life (John 17:2), and His divine glory which [He] had with [the Father] before the creation of the world (John 17:5). Yet, He never used His power or authority for personal advantage, because such rights of His divinity were not something to be seized by force. That was the choice that set the Incarnation into motion. He willingly suffered the worst possible humiliation rather than demand the honor, privilege, and glory that were rightly His. Nor did He use the powers of His undiminished sovereign deity to oppose the purpose and will of His Father because the price was too high.⁷²

This pre-existence of Messiah was a familiar concept in rabbinic Judaism (see The Life of Christ Af – The Memra of God), so it’s unnecessary to resort to the idea that Paul is drawing on pagan notion of a “heavenly man” who descended and carried through a mission of redemption for mankind. The TaNaKh provides more than sufficient ground for this passage in its teaching about Adam (Genesis 2:4 to 3:22) and the Suffering Servant of ADONAI (see the commentary on Isaiah Iy – The Death of the Suffering Servant); there is also no need to resort to explanations that assume Hellenistic or Gnostic influence. More problematic for Judaism is the Messiah’s equality with God (see Aw – The Exalted Son).⁷³

Step two: In the next step downward, Yeshua continued not to cling to His divine privileges. Rather, He emptied Himself (Is 53:12) like the cup of redemption at Passover (see The Life of Christ Kk – The Third Cup of Redemption), by taking the very form of a servant (Phil 2:7a; Is 52:13-14 and 53:11). It must always be kept in mind that Messiah emptied Himself of His prerogatives of deity, not of His deity itself. He was never anything, and will never be anything, but fully and eternally God, as Paul was careful to state in the previous verse. All four Gospels make it abundantly clear that He did not abandon His divine power to perform miracles, to forgive sins, or to know the minds and hearts of people. Had He stopped being God (which is an impossibility), He could not have died for the sins of the world. He would have died on the cross and remained in the grave, with no power to conquer sin or death. The Son of God emptied Himself of five divine rights.

First, He temporarily divested Himself of His divine glory. He forsook the worship of all believers and angels in heaven and submitted to misunderstanding, denials, unbelief, false accusations, and every sort of abuse and persecution by sinful men. It was not that He forfeited His divine glory, but rather that it was veiled, hidden in His humanity (John 7:5 and 24; Second Corinthians 4:4-6). Glimpses of it were seen in His many miracles, in His gracious words, in the humble attitude that Paul calls for His followers to emulate, and certainly in His ultimate sacrifice for sin on the cross. It was briefly and partially shown to Peter, James, and John (see The Life of Christ Gb – Jesus went up a High Mountain and was Transfigured). But it was not witnessed again until His resurrection and ascension, and then, only by those who belonged to Him.

Second, Yeshua emptied Himself of independent divine authority. The operation of the Trinity is, of course, a great mystery. Within the Godhead there is perfect harmony and agreement in every possible way. Yeshua clearly stated His full equality with the Father when He declared: I and the Father are one (John 10:30; cf. 17:11-12). However, He just as clearly affirmed during His incarnation that I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the One who sent Me, not My own will (John 5:30). In the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal and arrest, He pleaded three times: My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me, yet He followed each request with the submissive: Yet not as I will, but as You will (Matthew 26:39-44). The writer to the Hebrews notes that although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).

Third, the Son of God emptied Himself of the voluntary exercise of some of His divine attributes, though not the essence of His deity. He did not stop being omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (ever-present), or immutable (unchangeable); yet, He chose not to exercise the full extent of those attributes during His earthly life and ministry. He did, however, exercise some of them selectively and partially. Without having met him, Yeshua knew what book Nathanael was meditating on when He said: Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit (see The Life of Christ Bp – John’s Disciples Follow Jesus).

Fourth, Messiah emptied Himself of His eternal riches. For your sake He became poor, Paul explains, so that through His poverty you might become rich (Second Corinthians 8:9). Although many have interpreted His poverty as a reference to His earthly economic condition, it has nothing to do with that. The point is not that Yeshua gave up earthly riches, but that He gave up heaven’s riches. As already noted, He forsook adoration, worship, and the service of angels and the redeemed in heaven, because the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

Fifth, He emptied Himself temporarily of His unique, intimate and face-to-face relationship with His heavenly Father – even to the point of being forsaken by Him. To fulfill the divine plan of redemption, the Father made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Second Corinthians 5;21). That was the Father’s will, which Yeshua came to fulfill and prayed would be done. But even the brief separation from His Father caused Him to cry out with a loud voice: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” It was the horrible prospect of being alienated from His Father and bearing the sin of the world that had caused Him earlier to sweat great drops of blood in great agony, being deeply grieved, to the point of death (Luke 22:44 and Matthrew 27:46).

Just as Yeshua did not cease being God when He emptied Himself, neither do we cease being His children when we empty ourselves as He did (Ephesians 5:1-2). Just as Messiah’s serving obedience made Him pleasing to the Father (Matthew 3:17), so does our serving obedience make us pleasing to Him (Matthew 25:21-23). We are obligated to follow our Lord’s example by emptying ourselves of everything that would hinder our obedience and service to Him.

Step three: The next statement of His descent, as He further emptied Himself, Yeshua forsook the full rights of lordship by taking the form of a bond-servant (Phil 2:7b; Is 49:7 and 53:11), the Suffering Servant of ADONAI. Although He had the inherent form of God (2:6), He willingly took upon Himself the form of a bond-servant (see Exodus Dz – If You Buy a Hebrew Servant). He didn’t merely put on a slave’s garment, so to speak; He actually became a slave in the fullest sense. A bond-servant (Greek: doulos) owned nothing. Not even the clothes on His back. Everything He had, including His life, belonged to His Master. Yeshua did own His own clothes, but He owned no house, no gold or jewels. He owned no business, no boat, and no horse. He had to borrow a donkey when He rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, borrow a room for the Last Supper, and was even buried in a borrowed tomb. The King of kings and LORD of lords became a bond-servant.

Through His provision of salvation, Yeshua served others more completely than any other servant or slave who has ever lived. But He was also an example of servanthood for His disciples. He reminded them that a student is no greater than his rabbi, nor a slave is not greater than his master (Matthew 10:24). And that if I, your Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you should also wash each other’s feet. For I have set an example, so that you may do as I have done to you. Yes, indeed! I tell you a slave is not greater than his master, nor is an apostle greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you will be blessed for doing them (John 13:14-17). He declared: The greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11). Yet after you have done everything you were told to do, you should be saying, “We’re just ordinary slaves, we have only done our duty” (Luke 17:10b).

Step four: Continuing His move downward, Yeshua was born in the likeness (Greek: homoiama) of men (Philippians 2:7c; Isaiah 52:14 and 53:2). Likeness refers to that which is made to be like something else, not just appearance, but in reality. Messiah was not a clone, a disguised alien, or merely some reasonable facsimile of a man. He became exactly like all other human beings, having all the attributes of humanity, a genuine man among men. He was so obviously like other human beings that even His family and apostles would not have known of His deity had not the angels (Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 1:26-35 and 2:9-11), God the Father (Matthew 3:17 and 17:5), and Yeshua Himself revealed it to them. At the incarnation, He took upon Himself all the frailties, limitations, problems, and suffering there were a result of the Fall, enduring all its terrible earthly consequences. He became hungry and thirsty, suffered pain, and felt sadness. Like other men, He became tired and needed sleep, and although He was completely without personal sin, Yeshua nevertheless was tempted in all things as we are (Hebrews 4:15; cf. Matthew 4:1-11).

Because Messiah was born in the likeness of men, He was subject to physical death. In fact, it was only through His death that He could fulfill His divine purpose of redemption. Again, as the writer of Hebrews explains, Yeshua had to be made like His brothers in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to ADONAI, to make propitiation (the work of Messiah that satisfies every claim of God’s holiness and justice so that Ha’Shem is free to act on behalf of sinners) for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:17). He came to die.⁷⁴

Step five: And being found in appearance as a man (Philippians 2:8a; Isaiah 52:14 and 53:2-3) . . . except that He was without sin (Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:7 and 14), the Word became flesh and Tabernacled among us (John 1:14). Apart from His miracles and the Transfiguration, His pre-incarnation glory (John 17:5 and 24) was hidden. As Isaiah had predicted some seven-hundred years earlier, Messiah was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him (Isaiah 53:3). And John wrote: He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, but the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and they did not receive Him (John 1:10-11). Sadly, not even His own brothers believed in Him (John 7:5).⁷⁵ Then, because Yeshua did not believe in the Oral Law (see the Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law), the Great Sanhedrin (see the Life of Christ Lg – The Great Sanhedrin), accused Him of being demon posed (see the Life of Christ Gt – Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind) and handed Him over to the Romans to die a cruel and merciless death.

Step six: Continuing this profound description of Messiah’s descent, Paul says that Yeshua humbled Himself (Philippians 2:8b; Isaiah 53:3-4 and 7-8). The emphasis here moves from Yeshua’s nature and form to that of His personal attitude. He was not merely humiliated by the nature and circumstances of His incarnation. Humbled Himself translates tapeinoo, which has the idea of laying low. Messiah not only lowered Himself relative to God, but also to other men. The most dramatic and agonizing time of Yeshua’s self-abasement was during His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. He was mocked, falsely accused, spat upon, beaten with fists, scourged, and had part of his beard painfully plucked out. Yet, He was never defensive, never bitter, never demanding, never accusing. He refused to assert His rights as God, or even as a human being.

Step seven: In His stepping downward, Messiah was willing to suffer humiliation and degradation by becoming obedient to death (Philippians 2:8c; Isaiah 53:7-8 and 12). His obedience and its impact on redemption is the theme of Romans 5:12-19, where the key thought is through the obedience of the One of the many will be made righteous (see the commentary on Romans Bo – The Comparison to Adam). Long before His arrest Yeshua had declared: For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again (John 10:17). Because Yeshua’s mind was set entirely on God’s interests, not man’s or His own, He will willingly and gladly became obedient to death. While we were still helpless, at the right time, Messiah died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6).

The Father did not force death upon the Son. It was the Son’s will always to perfectly obey the Father. Yeshua had a free choice. Had He not had a choice, He could not have been obedient. No one has taken [My life] away from Me, He declared, but I lay it down of my own free will, and I have the power to take it up again. This is what My Father commanded Me to do (John 10:18). He was commanded by the Father, but not compelled. As love personified, He became the perfect example of the truth He Himself had declared: Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

Step eight: In the final feature of His descent and degradation, Yeshua submitted even [to] death on a cross (Phil 2:8d; Is 52:14 and 53:3-8)! There are many ways by which He could have been killed. He could have been beheaded, such as John the Baptist was, or stoned or hanged. But He was destined not for just any kind of death, but for death on a cross. Crucifixion is perhaps the cruelest, excruciatingly painful and shameful form of execution ever conceived (see The Life of Christ Ls – Then They Brought Jesus to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull). It was reserved for slaves, the lowest of criminals, and enemies of the state. No Roman citizen could be crucified, no matter how egregious his crime.⁷⁶

The Jews considered crucifixion to be a form of hanging and those who were hung to be cursed by God. The Torah demanded that a man’s corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is cursed by God), so that you do not defile your land which ADONAI your God is giving you to inherit (Deuteronomy 21:23). However, the rabbis recognized the many similarities between Joseph and Yeshua. They believe that Genesis 46:28-29a teaches that there will be two Messiahs. They teach that Joseph would receive the Kingdom before Judah, because Joseph was in Egypt before Judah. They believe that a descendant of Joseph will be the first Messiah, or the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53), and the second Messiah, a descendant of Judah, and then David, will be the kingly Messiah (Psalm 72). For more details on this Jewish concept, see The Life of Christ Mv – The Jewish Concept of Two Messiah’s.⁷⁷

But in God’s perfect plan, the crucifixion of His Son not only was acceptable, but mandatory. As Peter declares: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed spiritually (First Peter 2:24). In the infinite wisdom of ADONAI, death on a cross was the only way of redemption for fallen, sinful, and condemned mankind. Crucifixion was bloody, as were the Levitical sacrifices that prefigured it. Priests in the service of the Temple were butchers, blood-spattered in their duty. The Lamb of God would also die a bloody death.⁷⁸

Dear heavenly Father, praise Your awesome love that planned for Your only Son, Messiah Yeshua, to die a painful death on the cross. His death was not an afterthought, for You had planned it from before the creation of the world (First Peter 1:19b-20). Thank You that it was in Your perfect plan the crucifixion of Messiah. It was not only acceptable, but mandatory so that sin’s payment of death (Romans 3:23 and 6:23) would be fully paid. Your grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) offered Messiah’s righteousness in place of mankind’s filthy rags of sin (Isaish 64:6). He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). How wonderful that Your Presence always abides within those who trust in You. You are right there with me to help, guide and to comfort me. No matter how hard the world tries to push against me, Your presence gives me strength no matter the situation. You are such an awesome Father! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and the power of His resurrection. Amen

To Model the Messiah
2: 1-4

To model the Messiah DIG: Reading between the lines, what do you think was the problem with the church in Philippi? What are the right motives for spiritual unity? What are the right marks of spiritual unity? What are the right means for spiritual unity? How is this unity related to humility? How does Yeshua exemplify what Paul means in verses 3 and 4? How did Messiah show humility in the Gospels?

REFLECT: How would things change if you consistently applied these verses in your family? Messianic congregation? Church? Work? Which do you need to work on now? What is the difference between humility and being a “doormat?” What is true humility? Why does selfishness never bring joy? Why is pride the great enemy of the godly life? Ministry that costs you nothing accomplishes nothing? Why?

Be of the same mindset, united in spirit.

For such a brief epistle, Paul’s letter to the Philippians contains many majestic mountaintops for believers of every generation. His cheerful assessment of his imprisonment and possible execution reaches such a summit when he proclaims: For me to live is Messiah and to die is gain (1:21). In 2:5-11, the apostle guides our climb to the heights of mystery in the incarnation, humiliation, and glorification of Messiah. In 3:3-11, Paul displays a Mount Everest of the Gospel grace, as he reports his escape from the legalistic bondage of the perversion of the Torah (see the commentary on Galatians, to see clink Bd – Through the Law I died to the Law). Other memorable pinnacles rise above the clouds: I press on toward the goal to win the heavenly prize for which God has called me in Messiah Yeshua (3:14), Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (4:6), I can do all things through him who strengthens me (4:13), and others. By contrast, 2:1-4 may seem, at first glance, like dusty flatlands surrounded by snow-covered ranges because it lies between: To live is Messiah and to die is gain (1:21) on the one hand, and at the name of Yeshua, every knee will bow (2:10), on the other hand, and thus seems to bring us down from soul-stirring heights to the flatlands of everyday life. Here we read instructions such as, “get along with each other, stop being selfish, care as much about others’ concerns as you do about your own.” So mundane, so down to earth.⁶³

The church at Philippi was, for the most part, theologically sound, devoted, moral, loving, zealous, courageous, prayerful, and generous. However, it faced the danger of discord that often is generated by only a few people. Such troublemakers can stir up the contention and strife that fractures an entire congregation. He had just expressed to the Philippians his hope to hear that [they] are standing firm in one spirit, with one mindset striving together for the faith of the Gospel (1:27). So because disunity is so tragically debilitating, Paul, gently but firmly, pleads with believers to constantly guard against that trap.

In 2:1-4 Paul gives what is perhaps the most concise and practical teaching about unity in the B’rit Chadashah. In these four powerful verses, he outlines a formula for spiritual unity that includes three necessary elements on which that unity must be built: the right motives (2:1-2a), the right marks (2:2b), and the right means (2:3-4). Through them, he clarifies why believers should be one spirit and one mindset, what is meant by one spirit and one mindset, and how they can truly become of one spirit and one mindset.⁶⁴

The right motives for spiritual unity (2:1): Therefore, as a consequence of what Paul has just said, since [the Philippians] had [already] been walking worthy (see At – Walking Worthy), there were four things that they have already experienced because of the Gospel. In the Greek, there are four if’s in 2:1. The word “if” (Greek: ei) is the translation of a conditional particle referring to a fulfilled condition. So one could translate it because. The four conditions mentioned in this verse are not hypothetical in nature. They are facts.⁶⁵

Because you have been encouraged from being united in Messiah (2:1a Greek): The type of encouragement Paul has in view here is encouragement in Messiah. The phrase in Messiah is one of the apostles’ favorite ways of expressing the sense of close association with Messiah that believers experience through the Gospel. Thus, Paul is assuming that believers have encouragement by the very fact that they are in Messiah; it is an outworking of the positional and experiential reality of being in Messiah. And given all of the blessings that come from being in Messiah (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith?), it is easy to see how believers should be encouraged.

Because you have found comfort (Greek: paramythion, meaning consolation, relief or support) from love (2:1b Greek): A moving example of this word is found in a second-century AD letter in which a mother says to her son, “Write to me continually concerning your well-being so that I may have comfort in my trouble.” The kind of comfort Paul has in mind here, however, is not that which comes from favorable circumstances, but rather from love. Without further specifying the object of that love, it’s probably best to see it as including both ADONAI’s love for the believer and the believer’s love for ADONAI and others. Paul has already prayed that the Philippians’ love would overflow more and more (1:9), and some believers in Rome were preaching the Gospel because of love (1:16). But here in 2:1, Paul’s point is similar to that of John, who wrote that those who have experienced God’s love show it by their love for others: Let us love one another, for love comes from God (see the commentary on Romans Af – The List of “one another” Commands).

Because you have a common fellowship of the Spirit (Greek 2:1c): Just as believers have fellowship (Greek: koinonia) with the Good News (1:5), they also have fellowship with the Ruach. The point here is not so much that believers participate in the Spirit and His benefits, but rather that we experience a close and deep relationship with the Spirit. The apostle accepts (as a given) the reality of the believer’s fellowship with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. He never got over the wonder that ADONAI had given His Spirit to His people as a down-payment, guaranteeing their final inheritance and salvation (see Second Corinthians An – God’s Seal of Approval). Paul implies as much in Galatians 3:1-5, where he assumes that the Galatians have experienced the Ruach because they had believed in Messiah. Such fellowship with the Spirit happens on individual and corporate levels, though the context of 2:1-4 suggests that Paul is emphasizing the corporate level.

Behind these first three right motives behind the believers’ experience, we can see the Trinity at work. Messiah and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh are explicitly mentioned, but we must infer a reference to the Father behind the phrase: you have found comfort from love (2:1b). Perhaps the best support for this view is the parallel in Second Corinthians 13:14: The grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the love of God and the fellowship of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh be with you all. This Trinitarian perspective provides a foundation for life within the church (also see The Life of Christ Mo – The Great Commission).

Because you have experienced affection and sympathy (Greek 2:1d): By affection, Paul means the deep impulses of love and concern that ADONAI produces in believers for each other and those around them. The apostle has already used this very same word to express his own concern for the Philippians, attributing such love to Messiah Yeshua at work in him (1:8). Such affection is closely related to sympathy, or perhaps more literally mercies. The Greek word oiktirmos speaks of a display of concern over another’s misfortune. When it occurs in the plural, as it does here, it often refers to concrete expressions of mercy (Romans 12:1; Second Corinthians 1:3; Philippians 2:1; Hebrews 10:28). It is unclear whether Paul is talking about the affection and sympathy extended to believers or the affection and sympathy that believers extend to others, so it’s probably best to allow both to be considered. It is ADONAI-produced affection in the soul of the believer that compels tangible concern for others, but this is only possible because of Messiah’s own affection and mercies for His people produced by His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.

How astounding is it to reflect on what God has granted us in the Gospel! And how tragic it is that we are so quick to forget or to take such realities lightly! All these treasures are ours in Messiah. How can such realities not change the way we think, feel, speak, and live? Surely their abundance reflects our own intimacy with Messiah, from whom these treasures come.

The right marks of spiritual unity (2:2): Because the realities in verse 1 are true, verse 2 indicates the logical response that the Philippians should make [Paul’s] joy complete. The joy that he speaks of here is the joy that comes from his common participation in the Gospel with the Philippians. But that joy is not static; it is dynamic in that it is capable of increasing. Paul uses similar expressions elsewhere to refer to joy being completed or filled up, whether in a prayer for the believers in Rome (Romans 15:13) or in expressing his desire to see Timothy (Second Timothy 1:4). This concept of joy being completed or filled up is especially prominent in Yeshua’s parting address to His apostles (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ko – The Upper Room Discourse), where three times this same expression refers to the inseparable connection between the joy of Yeshua and that of His followers (John 15:11, 16:24, and 17:13). This joy is also closely connected to the spiritual growth of God’s people in John’s letters as well (1 John 1:4 and 2 John 1:12).⁶⁶

In this single verse, the apostle gives four essential marks of spiritual unity. The first is being of the same mindset (Greek: auto phronete, meaning to be like-minded). Spiritual unity is a major theme of Philippians – of the twenty-six occurrences of the verb phroneo in the B’rit Chadashah, ten are found in this letter (2:2a Greek). Paul is not talking here about doctrine or moral standards. In this context, being of the same mindset means to actively strive to achieve common understanding and genuine agreement. A few verses later, the apostle declares that the only way to have such harmony is to have the same mindset as Messiah Yeshua (2:5). Later, Paul gives some practical advice for having of the same mindset: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things (4:8).

A second mark of spiritual maturity is to love (Greek: agape) one another (2:2b Greek), which flows out of, and enhances the idea of having the same mindset. To have the same love is to love each other equally. On a purely emotional level, having equal love for others is impossible. Agape love, however, is the love of the will, not of preference or attraction. It is based on an intentional, conscious choice to seek the welfare of its object. It is because agape love is based on the will that it can be commanded. As Paul goes on to say, agape love embraces unbelievers – even those who persecute are to be blessed rather than cursed (Romans 12:14). But in the present context, Paul is focusing on the mutual love that believers are supposed to have for each other, the love that he speaks of in another letter as the love that each one of you have toward one another is increasing (Second Thessalonians 1:3).

A third mark of spiritual maturity is being united in spirit (2:2c Greek), which is closely related to being of the same mindset and loving one another. United (Greek: sumpsuchos, literally means one-souled and is used only here in the B’rit Chadashah). It has the same emphasis as the one spirit spoken of in 1:27. To be united in spirit is to live in selfless harmony with fellow believers. By definition, it excludes personal ambition, selfishness, hatred, envy, jealousy, and the countless other evils that are the fruit of self-love. Like every other godly virtue, unity of the spirit must be grounded in the objective truth of God’s Word. But it also has a subjective aspect. Such unity involves a deep and passionate concern for ADONAI, His work, His Gospel, and His people. No two believers – no matter what their level of spiritual maturity and knowledge of Scripture – will understand everything exactly alike. But if they are controlled by humility and love, they will be genuinely united in spirit. They will not allow minor differences to divide them or hinder their service to the Lord.

A fourth mark of spiritual maturity is being intent on one purpose (2:2d Greek), which is a natural companion of the preceding three. Intent on one purpose translates a participle form of phroneo, which Paul used earlier in this verse: being of the same mindset, and uses it again in verse 5, saying: have the same attitude. In this one verse, the apostle presents a full circle of unity – from one mind, to one love, to one spirit, to one purpose, which, as just noted, basically refers again to the same mindset. These four principles are complementary and inseparable. The same basic idea is expressed in four ways, each with a somewhat different, but important, emphasis. Paul summarizes these marks of spiritual unity in Colossians 3:12-16.⁶⁷

The right means for spiritual unity (2:3-4): Paul draws a contrast between self-oriented focus and an others-centered mentality to describe an additional means by which the Philippians are to share a common mindset. Negatively stated, believers share a common mindset by doing nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit (2:3a Greek). By selfish ambition, Paul refers to an attitude which only evaluates situations and circumstances in terms of how it benefits me. It is the same attitude that motivated some in Rome to preach (see Ap – Paul’s Critics), and it characterizes a life lived in the flesh rather than in the spirit (Romans 2:8; Second Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:20). Words, thoughts, and/or deeds that are motivated by selfish ambition or vain conceit are the direct opposite of Messiah, who emptied Himself to redeem His people and so that the Father would be glorified (2:6-11).⁶⁸

Rather, the Philippians display their common mindset by regarding others more important than yourselves in humility (2:3b Greek). Regard is a verb that means more than just having an opinion. It refers to a carefully thought-out conclusion based on the truth. More importantly translates a participial form of huperecho, which incorporates the Greek word form in which the English word hyper is taken. It intensifies and elevates what is in view, so that it means to excel, surpass, or be superior to. In Romans, Paul uses the word in speaking of the governing [literally supreme] authorities to which every person is to be in subjection (Romans 13:1). Similarly, Peter uses the word in commanding believers to submit themselves . . . to a king as the one in authority [literally as being supreme] (First Peter 3:8), and to proclaim that the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua (4:7).

It is clear that Paul has in mind a view of others that is not natural to us and is extremely difficult even for believers to achieve. Perhaps the best way to approach this seemingly unrealistic and impossible challenge is for us to consider our own sins. We know far more about our own hearts than about the hearts of anyone else. Recognizing our own sinfulness should exclude regarding others more important than yourselves. If Paul viewed himself as the least of all apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle (First Corinthians 15:9), the least important of all God’s holy people (Ephesians 3:8), and even the foremost of sinners (First Timothy 1:5), how could any of us honestly think of ourselves in any higher way?⁶⁹

Of course, such a mindset is only possible in humility. In fact, it is so important that Paul placed this phrase at the beginning of the Greek text to emphasize that this is how the Philippians were to regard one another more highly than themselves. Humility was the natural contrast to the selfish and arrogant mentality that the Philippians needed to avoid. In a world that operates on the principle of looking out for oneself and seizing opportunities for self-promotion, the Gospel calls us to humbly regard others as being more important than ourselves in humility as evidence that we truly know the One who humbled Himself to the point of death on a Roman cross (see Av – Obedient to Death).

The final means by which the Philippians could share a common mindset is stated in the form of another contrast. Negatively stated, the apostle writes: Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (2:4 NIV). The verb looking (Greek: skopeo), has the sense of exerting some effort in continually acquiring information regarding some matter, with the implication of concern as to how to respond appropriately. Paul’s meaning is clear enough: do not be consumed with our own interests, since to do so is inevitably to neglect the needs of others. Paul doesn’t advocate the complete denial of our own interests; rather, he assumes that our default position is to look out for ourselves. Every human being is born with a sin nature and is inherently selfish. Therefore, the apostle is arguing here that part of the work of the Spirit in a believer’s life is to overcome that natural tendency to be controlled by self-interest in every action, thought, and word. Part of the beauty of the Gospel is that it not only forgives us for our own destructive self-interest, but empowers us through the indwelling of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to intentionally and proactively look to the needs of others. How is that reality showing up in your life?⁷⁰

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for Messiah’s modeling such wonderful and self-sacrificing love! It is a joy and comfort to be united with Messiah. Unity with You should lead to unity among all believers. The world is watching. As the Ruach Ha’Kodesh sanctifies us, we will grow in love for You and love for others. People model what they see when they were raised and You raise Your children with a wonderful example of awesome love! Thank You for Your example of steadfast love (Psalms 36:5, Psalms 63:3) that was not mere lip service but was action that cost You greatly. Lord, give me the wisdom to follow Your example of love to show the world a unity that draws the it close to You. By following Your example, there will be unity among believers, filling us with shalom! In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Walking Worthy
1: 27-30

Walking worthy DIG: What conduct is worthy of the Good News? Why is this so important to Paul? Why should it matter whether Paul comes to them? Why is suffering a benefit granted by God? How does this relate to Paul’s joy in difficult circumstances? What does this tell you about the nature of a believer’s life?

REFLECT: The question we should all be asking ourselves regularly is this: Am I walking with the Lord? Am I conducting myself in a manner worthy of the Gospel? What is our most important weapon against the enemy? How can you make better use of this weapon in your life? Why is consistency in life important?

The greatest weapon against the Adversary is a godly life.

Paul had a special love, respect, and appreciation for the church at Philippi. It was one of the most mature of the churches described in the B’rit Chadahah. Nevertheless, its members had a few problems, some of them potentially serious. Like every church in every age, they needed to be on guard against false teachers (3:2), and repudiate those in the congregation who were enemies of the cross (3:18). Paul knew that it doesn’t take long for even a faithful church to slip into indifference and eventually into moral and doctrinal error.

Paul now turns from the autobiographical emphasis of the first part of the letter to focus on the Philippian congregation. He calls on them to maintain their spiritual commitment, to continue to walk worthy in a way that is consistent with the power of the Gospel. He calls on them to look carefully into their own hearts to determine if they have spiritual integrity. Because Paul believed it was necessary for their spiritual well-being, the apostle was confident that the Lord would allow him to remain with them so he [could] continue to help them grow and experience the joy of their faith (1:25).⁵⁶

Only (Greek: monon) walk (conduct yourself) worthy of the Good News of the Messiah (1:27a Greek cf. Colossians 1:10). The word only connects Paul’s statement that the assurance which he has that he will be given his freedom, comes from the fact that the Philippian church still needed his ministry (to see link click Aq – To Live is Messiah, to Die is Gain).⁵⁷ The most important weapon against the enemy is not a powerful sermon or book; it is a godly life. The word conduct is related to our word politics (Greek: politeuomai, meaning behave the way citizens should behave). Paul was suggesting that we believers are citizens of heaven, and while we are on this earth we ought to behave like heaven’s citizens. He brought this concept out again later when he said: My citizenship is in heaven (3:20a). It would be a very meaningful expression to the people of Philippi because it was a Roman colony, and its citizens were actually Roman citizens, protected by Roman law.⁵⁸ Such colonies considered themselves “little Romes” and took great pride in that association. They gave unqualified allegiance to Rome and to the emperor, adopted Roman dress and Roman names, and spoke Latin, the official language of Rome.

The Church’s greatest testimony before the world is spiritual integrity. When believers live below the standards of biblical morality and reverence for their Lord, they compromise the full biblical truth concerning the character, plan, and will of ADONAI. By doing so they seriously weaken the credibility of the Gospel and lessen their impact on the world. God’s people have always been the enemy of the world (First John 2:15-16), because the world is the enemy of God (Romans 1:28 and 5:10; Ephesians 2:3; Colossians 1:21). But the world can hardly be expected to embrace a faith whose proponents so little emulate its standards of holiness and fail to reflect the transforming power of the Son of God.

When the unsaved look at a church or Messianic congregation and do not see holiness, purity, and virtue, there appears to be no reason to believe the Gospel that it proclaims. When pastors commit gross sins and are later restored to positions of leadership in the congregations of God; church members lie, steal, cheat, gossip, and quarrel; and when congregations seem to care little about such sin and hypocrisy in their midst, the world is understandably repulsed by their claims to love and serve ADONAI. And the name of Messiah is dragged through the mud and dishonored.

So that whether I come and see you or I hear about you from a distance, you stand firm (Greek: steko, referring to steadfastly holding one’s ground regardless of danger or opposition). The word is used of a soldier who defended his position at all costs, even to the point of sacrificing his life (1:27b CJB). Standing firm is both positive and negative. It is to stand for ADONAI against the Adversary, to stand for truth against falsehood, to stand for righteousness, and against sin. Paul makes a similar appeal later in the letter: Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends (4:1)! In Ephesians he twice uses a related verb in calling on believers to put on the full armor of God . . . to stand firm against the schemes of the devil and to be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm (Ephesians 6:11 and 13).

United in one spirit, fighting with one mind (1:27c Greek). Unity in His Church was one of Yeshua’s great passions. At the Last Supper He told His disciples: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35). Being obedient to Messiah’s desire, the unity of the local church was also one of Paul’s greatest passions. He reminded the believers in Rome that just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Messiah’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other . . . live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all (Rom 12:4-5 and 16 cf. 1 Cor 1:10).

Paul gives us the key to true unity in the Church when he writes: Be of the same mind, loving one another, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In other words, he goes on to say: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Messiah Yeshua (2:2-5).⁵⁹

Striving together (Greek: sunathleo) for the faith of the Good News (1:27d CJB). Paul now changes the illustration from politics (Greek: politeuomai) to athletics. He pictured the church as a team, and reminded them that it is teamwork that wins victories. Yet, there was division in the church at Philippi. Two women were quarrelling with one another (see Bm – Life in Harmony). Apparently the members of the fellowship were taking sides, as is often the case, and the resulting division was hurting the ministry of the church. The enemy is always happy to see internal divisions in the local church (see C. S. Lewis’ novel The Screwtape Letters). It is only when believers stand together that they can overcome the wicked one.

It would not be difficult to expand this idea of the local church as a team of athletes. Each person has their assigned place and job, and if each one is doing their job, it helps all the others. Not everyone can be the quarterback or the pitcher. The team has to follow the rules, and the Word of God is our rule book. There is one goal – to honor Messiah and do His will. If we all work together, we can reach our goal, win the prize, and glorify the Lord. But the minute anyone starts breaking the training rules (the Christian life does demand discipline), or looking for glory, teamwork disappears and division and competition takes over.⁵⁹

Don’t be frightened by those who oppose you (1:28a Greek). Whenever the Gospel is preached there is opposition, but the believer is not to be frightened. Believers in Paul’s day, including those in Philippi, had good reason to be frightened of possible beatings, imprisonment, and even execution by opponents of the Gospel. But, for us, this doesn’t mean we must repress fear, but that by God-given strength we should not let it govern our behavior. We should overcome it by realizing that God causes everything, even opposition, to work together for the good of those who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

The content of fear differs from place to place. Throughout the world Messianic Jews face rejection by family, friends, and the Jewish community. In the State of Isra’el believers fear loss of their jobs, friction from anti-missionary neighbors and co-workers, violence from anti-Gospel zealots, governmental imposition of restrictions on evangelism. Non-permanent residents fear being expelled from the country, since the Interior Department need not give reasons for refusing to extend visas.

Nevertheless, many believers in Isra’el are bold when witnessing to Jews. First Peter 4:14-16: If you are being insulted because you bear the name of the Messiah, how blessed you are! For the Spirit of the Sh’khinah, that is, the Spirit of God, is resting on you! Let none of you suffer for being a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or a meddler in other people’s affairs. But if anyone suffers for being Messianic, let him not be ashamed; but let him bring glory to God by the way he bears this name. Paul writes that when tempted to give in to fear he does not lose courage (Second Corinthians 4:1-2). Let Messianic Jews and all believers everywhere continue to communicate the Good News about Yeshua with humility and fear (First Peter 3:16) not of the opposition but of God, who will one day judge whether we obeyed His commission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).⁶⁰

This will be for them a sign that they are headed for destruction and you for salvation (Greek: soteria, which can be translated deliverance). Paul’s confidence of salvation is built on the TaNaKh’s promises of ADONAI’s eventual vindication of His people (see Isaiah Kg – The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to Bozrah). The destruction of the opposition and the salvation of the faithful are both signs from God (1:28b Greek). The first, to mark out His enemies, and the second to mark out His children. Similarly, Paul encouraged the faithful Thessalonians, saying: We ourselves speak loudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure, and then he explained that this is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment (Second Thessalonians 1:4-5, cf. 6-8).

For it has been granted (Greek: chariszo, which is the same root as the noun grace) to you on behalf of Messiah not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him. In His sovereign grace, God not only gave believers the marvelous gift of faith to believe in Him, but also the privilege to suffer for Him. Through that faith comes the salvation Paul has just mentioned in verse 28. In Ephesians, he explains in more detail that God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Messiah even when we were dead in our transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Messiah and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Messiah Yeshua. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:4-8). Everything involving salvation, including the grace and faith itself, is a gift from ADONAI.

When the Philippians suffer for the Lord’s sake, Paul goes on to tell his readers, they are going through the same struggle (Greek: agona) which you saw in me. Agona can be translated as conflict and used to describe an athletic contest. Our word agony comes from it. In reality, life is an Olympic festival. We are God’s athletes to whom He has given an opportunity of showing the stuff we are made of. Paul uses it to describe the hostile opposition and persecution he and Silas faced when they were imprisoned in Philippi (see the commentary on Acts Bz – Paul and Silas in Prison). And now hear that I still have (1:29-30 NIV) refers, of course, to the apostle’s present imprisonment in Rome, which he has already mentioned (see Ao – Paul’s Chains).⁶¹

Here Paul applies the power of the Gospel to the Philippians, who feel the pressure of being marginalized by the society around them, people who might be tempted to retreat in fear, or to lash out in retaliation, or to vent frustration on each other. But Yeshua offers another way to respond: confidence grounded walking worthy. God’s grace that frees you to react to opponents with calm kindness, and to failing fellow believers with humility and forgiveness. Citizens of heaven behave in ways that reflect the character of their King. By His transforming grace, we can show courageous humility, bold gentleness, and selfless solidarity, calmly enduring all that this decaying culture can throw at us.⁶²

Dear Abba Father, praise and thank you for rescuing me from the dominion of darkness to bring me into the Kingdom of Messiah (Colossians 1:13)! Thank you for not stopping with rescue and deliverance. You so graciously provided the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh to live within me so that I may be given the wisdom to walk worthy. For those who have been raised in an ungodly secular household or society, without the Scripture to read nor any role model to follow, it is difficult to walk worthy of your calling. How wise you are to include the story of several great men of God, like Joseph, David, and Nehemiah, who suffered much opposition, yet they walked worthyly. May I follow their examples by loving and trusting You, In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Philippian Affairs
1:27 to 2:18

In 1:25-26 Paul concluded his reflections on imprisonment (1:12-26) with a noticeable shift of focus from himself to his relationship with the church at Philippi, in terms of an anticipated reunion. He follows that transitional passage by throwing the spotlight now entirely on them and their present circumstances (1:27 to 2:18). Therefore, this section is obviously about “their affairs” as 1:12-26 was about his. With this section we come to the heart of the matter, the primary reason the letter was written – why he takes the occasion of Epaphroditus’ return to write to them, rather than waiting until he himself returns. And here in particular the threefold bond that holds the letter together stands out. First, the problem is not a church split, but posturing and bickering – selfish ambition, empty conceit, complaining, and arguing. Secondly, at stake is the Gospel in Philippi – Messiah Himself, if you will. Consequently, Messiah and the Gospel are Paul’s ultimate concern. And thirdly, the concern with the Philippians’ relationship with Messiah, and thus for the Philippians themselves, whose unity for Messiah is under attack from outside pressure: by those who oppose you (1:28a). Therefore, Paul appeals, on the one hand, to the example of Messiah and himself, and on the other hand, to his and their long-term and secure relationship in Messiah and the Spirit.

This section follows a chiastic structure. There is a parallelism, where the first letter is antithetical to the second letter, with the letter C being the turning point.

A Appeal to steadfastness and unity in the face of opposition (1:27-30)

B The appeal to unity, based on Paul’s and their common life in Messiah (2:1-4)

C The appeal to Messiah’s example (2:5-11)

B Application of the appeal, again based on their mutual relationship (2:12-13)

A Further application: unity in the face of opposition (for the sake of witness) (2:14-18)⁵⁵

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

To Live is Messiah, to Die is Gain
1: 21-26

To live is Messiah, to die is gain DIG: What is Paul’s dilemma in these verses? What does it mean in verse 21? Why was Paul unsure of his desire to stay in this life or go to be with the Lord? Who was Paul dedicated to ministering to? Who are you ministering to this week?

REFLECT: “For me to live is ________?” Given your priorities and schedule this week, how would you honestly fill in the blank? What would change for you to fill it in with “Messiah?” Do you sometimes struggle between your personal feelings and your commitment to ministry?

Because Paul was not sure of the Lord’s will in the matter, he was not sure of his own will.

With the well-known words of verse 21, Paul’s reflection on his current situation (to see link click Ao – Paul’s Chains) takes a considerable turn. Up to this point, his primary concern has been with the advancement of the Gospel through his imprisonment and Messiah being glorified through his trial. Now he turns to purely personal reflection, but reflection of a different kind from what one might expect following verses 19-20 (see Ap – Paul’s Critics). Although the apostle assumed he would go free, the final words of verse 20 raised the possibility of execution. What he sets out to explain is his desire for Messiah to be glorified even if the verdict were to go against him. Picking up on the final words of verse 20, whether through life or through death, he vows that since Messiah is the passion for life, he wins in either case, whether released or executed.⁴⁸

The Greek phrase rendered to live is Messiah and to die is gain (1:21 Greek) contains no verb. It literally reads to live as Messiah, to die gain. Paul knew the living is Messiah, because he would continue to serve Him while he lived. As he explained to the congregations throughout Galatia: My old self has been crucified with Messiah. It is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20 NLT). But he also knew that dying would be gain because then he would be in the presence of ADONAI, able to worship Him in holy perfection (see verses 23). The apostle fully understood that wealth, power, influence, possessions, prestige, social standing, good health, business or professional success, and all other such things are fleeting. Many acknowledge that truth, but not many live as if it is true. Few can say with Paul’s complete sincerity: For to me, to live is Messiah, to die is gain.

But if I live, I can do more ministry for Messiah (1:22a NLT). Adoniram Johnson was the first overseas missionary sent out from America. In the early nineteenth century, he and his first wife went to India and, a short while later, to Burma, where he labored for nearly four decades. After fourteen years, he had a handful of converts and managed to write a Burmese grammar. During that time he suffered a horrible imprisonment for a year-and-a-half and lost his wife and children to disease. Like Paul, he longed to be with the Lord, but, also like the apostle, he considered his work for God to be much more important than his personal longings. He therefore prayed that the Lord would allow him to live long enough to translate the entire Bible into Burmese and to establish a church there of at least one-hundred believers. God granted that request and also allowed him to compile Burmese-English and English-Burmese dictionaries, which became invaluable to the Christian workers, both foreign and Burmese, who followed him. He wrote, “If I had not felt certain that every trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my many sufferings.”

Part of spiritual greatness is to know Messiah intimately and long to be with Him. But spiritual greatness also includes being totally committed to the advancement of the Kingdom of God and serving Yeshua on earth. Every believer lives with this tension. But Paul did not escape that dilemma, which he expressed so honestly.

So I really don’t know which is better (1:22b NLT). The word know (Greek: gnorizo) is used twenty-seven times in the New Testament, over half of those times by Paul. It is used of revealing something that was previously unknown, whether by the Lord to men (as in Luke 2:15; John 15:15; Romans 9:22-23), or by men to other men (as in Acts 7:13; Second Corinthians 8:1; Ephesians 6:19 and 21). Paul’s point seems to be that he had not yet decided which was better because ADONAI had not yet revealed to him which was better. Because he was not sure of the Lord’s will in the matter, he was not sure of his own will.⁴⁹

Here, Paul is laying bare his soul and frankly admitting that I am torn between the two desires: I long to go and be with Messiah, which would be far better for me (1:23 NLT). He acknowledges feeling a tension – a trying, and perhaps an almost unbearable tension – between his personal desire and his duty as an apostle. The phrase: I am torn between (Greek: synechomai), is used of personal feelings, and indicates at the very least the idea of constraint (Second Corinthians 5:14), and at worst that of torment: in Luke 4:38 of suffering from a fever; in Luke 8:37 of being overcome by terror; in Luke 12:50 of Yeshua’s distress as he anticipates His suffering on the cross. Although we cannot import the meaning of these references to Philippians, we surely miss the real importance of this passage if we fail to see it as an echo of Paul’s mental state. The nature of Paul’s tension is described most briefly and powerfully in verse 21, words that have been spoken from the lips of the faithful down through the centuries: to live is Messiah and to die is gain.⁵⁰

But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for Your sake (1:24 Greek). Paul’s choice is to remain alive because the Philippians need him. The apostle doesn’t ignore the needs of this world, but in recognizing the benefits to himself of the ‘olam haba (the world to come), he chooses to minister to others here in the ‘olam hazeh (this present age).⁵¹ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you [Philippians] grow and experience the joy of your faith (1:25). The apostle knew that the Philippians still needed him. It was not that he considered himself indispensable, but rather that he was convinced that his ministry to them was not yet complete. Because he had just expressed uncertainty about whether he would live or die, it seems that his being convinced reflected his personal conviction rather than a revelation from YHVH. Had God told him that he would not die until he had finished his work in the Philippian church, his living or dying would not have been an issue in his life.

As John MacArthur relates in his commentary on Philippians, Paul was convinced that the church still needed his teaching and leadership. Despite their maturity, love, and gentleness of spirit, the Philippians needed to exemplify more of their Lord’s humility (2:1-18). They needed to be on guard against false teachers (see Bf – Paul’s Opponents), to observe Paul’s example, and to oppose the cross of Messiah (3:18). At least two members of the congregation needed to learn to settle their disagreement (see Bl – Live in Harmony). Some, perhaps many, were troubled by anxiety, so Paul had told them: Don’t be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (4:6). In addition to those things, they needed to continually keep their focus on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things (4:8).⁵²

So that when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to boast in Messiah Yeshua because of what He is doing through me (1:26 Greek). Paul looked forward to physically returning to Philippi to personally teach and disciple believers to grow more mature in faith. The apostle spoke earlier about how lives were changed by his imprisonment, with the result that the believers in Rome were being strengthened in their faith through the witness of Paul’s life and his willingness to suffer for Messiah. Essentially, Paul argues that his return to Philippi would demonstrate God’s power, build up their faith, and give them reason for boasting in ADONAI’s ability to answer prayer.⁵³ No circumstances, however severe, could steal Paul’s joy. Nothing could diminish his enthusiasm for the ministry. Nothing could keep him from always doing the Lord’s work as vigorously as [he could], [because he knew] that united with the Lord [his] effort [was] not in vain (15:58). May you find the joy and freedom of serving the great cause of Messiah’s glory, so that you can truthfully say in your own heart: to live is Messiah and to die is gain.

Dear heavenly Father, praise You that when life gets hard, I can trust You with absolute certainty that death will be gain! What comfort to know that trusting in Messiah as Lord and Savior will not bring shame but will bring joy and peace – that is, the word of faith that we are proclaiming: For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever trusts in Him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:8b-11). You not only redeemed for Yourself a people at a great cost (Hebrews 12:2); but You also have promised to reward those who believe in You. When focused on the joy of eternity with You, it makes death into a stepping stone to joy, not to be dreaded because it is swallowed up in victory (First Corinthians 15:54c). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and the power of His resurrection. Amen

Paul’s Critics
1: 15-20

Paul’s critics DIG: Who were Paul’s critics? From verses 15-16 what possible motives might they have for preaching? What did Paul think about them? Was he jealous? What did he conclude? What was Paul’s ultimate goal for his ministry?

REFLECT: How do you tell the difference between true and false preachers or teachers? Do you care if someone is communicating the true Gospel out of selfish ambition rather than pure motives? What is the ultimate goal in your life?

It is the Gospel that saves, not the preacher.

One of the critical themes of this letter is humility. This theme reaches a zenith in Chapter 2 where Paul gives us the example of Yeshua and the humility that led Him to death on a Roman cross. In verses 15 and 16, the apostle contrasts those who share the Good News of Messiah out of selfish-ambition and for their own fame with those who share the Gospel humbly. He is not criticizing their message like he did the Judaizers (see Galatians, to see link click Aj – No Other Gospel); but rather, their spirit of self-ambition. Paul even commends the word of Yeshua that was being delivered, even if done by unworthy messengers (1:18a).⁴¹

It is true that some preach Messiah out of envy and strife, but others out of good will (1:15 NIV). Like the Lord during His earthly ministry, Paul had more than his share of critics, most of them from the Jewish and pagan religious establishments. The Church soon came to have critics within its own ranks who maligned their leaders, more often than not those who were the most godly and effective. The apostle’s critics in Philippi were not heretics like the Judaizers, but were biblically on solid ground. They preached and taught the true Gospel of Yeshua Messiah. Nor were they false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Messiah (Second Corinthians 11:13), or part of those who demanded Gentile circumcision for salvation mentioned later in the present letter (3:2).

As John MacArthur relates in his commentary on Philippians, envy (Greek: phthonos) is the desire to deprive others of what is rightfully theirs. It was because of envy that the Jewish multitude (Matthew 27:18) and the Sadducees handed Yeshua over to Pilate for crucifixion. Envy, wishing others did not have what they have, is closely related to jealousy, which is wishing to have what someone else possesses. From the context, it seems likely that the apostle’s critics were both envious and jealous of the apostle. They envied Paul’s giftedness, his blessings, his intellect, his effectiveness in ministry, and, perhaps especially, his being highly respected and beloved by the Philippians. As a result, like all those motivated by envy and jealousy, they considered the apostle to be a threat to their own influence in the church.

Strife (Greek: eris) refers to contention, especially with a spirit of hostility. As it is used here, it is frequently associated with envy and jealousy, as well as with other sinful passions, such as greed and malice. Envy leads to competition, hostility, and conflict. Paul’s purpose in confronting this issue was not to gain sympathy for himself, much less to retaliate against his critics. He was rather pointing out that faithfulness in ministry includes right motives as well as right doctrine. There have always been those whose service in the Church is to a large degree motivated by a desire to make a name for themselves. That makes them resentful of those who are respected and whose ministries are fruitful. They inevitably breed envy and strife and therefore do great harm to the congregations of God. Exactly what was being said about the apostles to hurt him and destroy his reputation is not revealed. But because the charges were false, the details are not important.⁴²

Unlike Paul’s critics, the latter (those of good will) preached Messiah out of love. In context, those believers motivated by good will doubtless loved the Lord and each other but the emphasis here is on their love for the apostle. They cared deeply for him and were concerned for his personal welfare as well as for the impact of his ministry. From their perspective, the Gospel itself was on trial.⁴³ Only a few years earlier, in his first letter to the bickering and divisive church in Corinth, he wrote: If I speak with the tongues of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it prophets me nothing . . . Now faith, hope, love, live by these three, but the greatest of these is love (First Corinthians 13:1-3 and 13).

Those believers knew that Paul was divinely appointed for the defense of the Gospel (1:16 NKJV), and were grateful for his faithful obedience to that call – an obedience that had brought them such rich spiritual blessings. Yeshua had declared to the apostle on the road to Damascus that he was to carry [His] name before Gentile nations and kings and the sons of Isra’el (Acts 9:15; cf. Galatians 1:15-16; Ephesians 3:6-7). His imprisonment in Rome was neither an accident of fate nor primarily the decision of men, not even of Paul’s decision to appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11). Above all else, it was an integral part of his divine mission to defend the Gospel. And in this case, he was destined to do so in Rome.

The former (Paul’s critics) proclaim Messiah out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives (1:17a Greek). Selfish ambition did not originally have a bad connotation, but simply referred to working for hire. Eventually, however, it acquired the meaning of looking out solely for one’s own interests, regardless of the consequences to others. It was used by career professionals who ruthlessly tried to claw their way to the top of their fields anyway they could, and by politicians who sought office at any expense. Not only did the apostles’ critics not preach from pure motives, even worse, they thought that they could stir up trouble for him while he was in chains (1:17b Greek). They exhibited incredible cruelty born of jealousy, using the apostle’s imprisonment to discredit him and to promote themselves.⁴⁴

But, in the final analysis, Paul concluded that it didn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message of Messiah is being preached either way. And because of this I rejoice (1:18 Greek). Paul here doesn’t excuse those who share the Good News for impure motives but focuses on the sharing of the Good News. Where there is a false presentation of the Gospel, he would speak out forcefully, as he did with the Judaizers. But here, the message is right, even though the messenger has the wrong motives. Nevertheless, Paul rejoiced that the Word of God was being preached. It is the Gospel that saves, not the preacher. The insincere evangelist is storing up for himself judgment, but those who have come to Yeshua Messiah because of his words have entered eternal life (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer).⁴⁵

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that this will work out for my deliverance (Greek: soteria, which is commonly rendered salvation) (1:19a Greek). The apostle quotes directly from the Septuagint (The Greek translation of the TaNaKh), citing Job’s reply to Zophar: Indeed, this might work out for my deliverance (13:16a). Some therefore believe Paul was referring to his deliverance from sin and death through faith in Yeshua Messiah. The idea then would be that he was confident in his eternal security. Others take this deliverance to refer to his vindication before Caesar and his consequent release from prison and deliverance from execution. The primary deliverance of which he was speaking could not have been from execution, however, because in verse 20 he qualifies his expectation by saying: whether by life or death. In any case, Paul knew that his present circumstances were temporary. One way or another, by life or death, he would be delivered from them. However, verses 21-25 indicate his confident anticipation that he would live. His salvation would be perfected when he was ushered into his Lord’s presence (1:23). Again, like Job, he could declare: As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:25-26).

Through your prayers (1:19b Greek). Paul believed in the limitless sovereignty of ADONAI and had perfect confidence that God’s Word would be fulfilled and His purpose carried out. He also knew that God’s sovereign plan includes the prayers of His people. He especially appreciated the prayers of the beloved congregation at Philippi and he expressed to them his deepest convictions and personal longings. Before Paul visited the church at Rome, he had appealed to those believers: Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Yeshua Messiah and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me (Romans 15:30). Nothing is more encouraging to those in ministry than to know that fellow believers are holding them up before the Lord in prayer.

And the help I get from the Spirit of Yeshua Messiah (1:19c Greek). The Word of God, the prayers of believers, and the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh always work together for the benefit of the servants of God. Yeshua promised: I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He lives with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17; cf. 15:26; Mark 13:11; Luke 12:12; Romans 8:9). The Spirit helps believers to pray. When we are weak and do not know how to pray as we should . . . the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26). The Spirit is the source of our power: You will receive power when the Ruach Ha’Kodesh has come upon you (Acts 1:8). And the Spirit produces in the believer’s life an abundant harvest of spiritual fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be put to shame (1:20a NIV). Paul was certain that, in the eyes of ADONAI, he would never truly be put to shame, whether before Caesar, the world, or the Church. Ultimately, he would be vindicated. The apostle expressed his supreme joy when he wrote that, with all boldness, now, as always, Messiah will be exalted in my body. Knowing that the believer’s body is the temple of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (First Corinthians 6:19), he had presented his body as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which [was his] spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1). Whether by life or by death (1:20b Greek). Paul was not certain what the Lord’s plan was for him, whether he would continue to serve Him through his life and ministry or through the final praise of death. To the elders from Ephesus, who met him near Miletus, Paul declared: I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Yeshua, to testify solemnly of the Gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24). Either way he would be victorious and Messiah would be glorified.⁴⁶

What is your ultimate goal in life, your eager expectation and hope? Paul expressed his supreme goal – to promote the glory of Yeshua, whatever the cost or benefit to himself – in order to wet the Philippians and our appetites for the same heart-satisfying aim. He was not setting himself apart from the rest of us as some ascetic monk, to be admired from a distance by people whose devotion didn’t match his. Rather, he wanted to make us all feel his thrill at the privilege of glorifying Messiah. This privilege, and nothing less, is what you and I were made for. Asaf, the author of Psalm 73 once envied those who enjoyed attractive, but fleeting rewards. But when ADONAI brought him to his senses, he realized that nothing could compare to the priceless treasure he already possessed: Whom have I in heaven but You? On earth there is none I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (73:25-26).

Just as the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1) and the trees clap their hands and sing for joy before ADONAI at His coming (Isaiah 55:12 and Psalm 96:12-13), so we, who bear the very image of the Creator, are designed to be the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1: 12 and 14). So a question begs for an answer: What passion fills your thoughts in your waking hours and sleepless night? Are you pursuing academic achievement, career success, health and fitness, a fulfilling marriage, respectful and accomplished children, financial stability, popularity, or community recognition? These are all good goals, but none is big enough to be your ultimate goal, the goal for which your Creator designed you. Now, they might be consistent with His sovereign design for you, but if your sights are set no higher than these earthbound accomplishments, sooner or later your hopes will be dashed.

Or, to use Paul’s other way of speaking, from what evil, above all, do you need salvation? Do you long to escape poverty, illness, abuse, injustice, violence, loneliness, failure, obscurity, or shame? Any sane person would want to escape such miseries. Yet no sane person would expect a life free of pain and adversity in this world. Yeshua Himself said: In this world you will have trouble (John 16:33b). ADONAI has not promised complete deliverance from the world’s woes short of Messiah’s return at the end of history. On that great day, when the Savior for whom we wait appears from heaven, not only will He transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body (3:20-21), but He will also create a new heaven and a new earth, from which every form of evil and misery will be defeated (Revelation 21:1-4). In the meanwhile, the salvation that YHVH gives now is the deliverance from selfish ambition. And God’s grace will free you, too, enabling you to embrace the ultimate goal that was Paul’s eager expectation and hope, and that gave him confident joy in the face of an uncertain future: seeing Messiah glorified through you, whether through life or death, plenty or want, health or disease, admiration or rejection. Don’t settle for less than the best!⁴⁷

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for making an eternal home in heaven for me where I will live with You forever! Critics may complain, but I can be full of joy and feel secure when my hope is in You. Critics may complain, but the inheritance of the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh as a seal of ownership is so great that it silences their weak voices. What a joy and a comfort it is, to know that what the critics say does not matter. What You say matters for all eternity! You have promised to prepare a wonderful eternal home for those who love You. Thank You for the strength of Your steadfast love that satisfies and is greater than the voice of any critic. Since Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live. In Your name I lift up my hands. My soul is satisfied with fat and oil, so my mouth praises You with joyful lips (Psalm 63:3-5). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Paul’s Chains
1: 12-14

Paul’s chains DIG: How does Paul decide if an event like  jail is good or bad? How did Paul’s circumstances open up new areas of ministry for him rather than restrain him? How did ADONAI use Paul’s chains to advance the Gospel? How did Paul’s circumstances encourage many of the believers in Rome?

REFLECT: What kinds of “chains” has ADONAI used in your life? How can I be set free from the petty pursuit of my own comfort, to devote my life to a cause bigger than myself, the cause of Yeshua the King? How can I be set free from the fear of what others may do to me, to lay my life on the line for Messiah?

The Good News meant that for both Jews and Gentiles, Torah is a blueprint for living.

Paul now transitions to current news on himself and the work of ministry. Though it may seem counter to what we would understand today, Paul shares that his imprisonment was an excellent opportunity for him to share the Gospel. Empowered by his faith in Yeshua, Paul looks beyond his own needs and suffering to encourage the work of the Good News. Verses 12 through 14 are a single sentence in the Greek.

Now, brothers, I want you to know that what has happened to me has helped in advancing the Good News (1:12 CJB). Paul’s imprisonment brought the Good News of Yeshua, a Jewish message, to the heart of the pagan Roman Empire.³³ The apostle did not merely say that the Gospel had continued to make progress in spite of adversity; rather, the adversity itself had resulted in the advancement of the Gospel. Far from trying to evoke sympathy from his readers by expressing resignation, Paul went out of his way to make sure that the Philippians were not overly concerned about him; indeed, he gave a glowing report of his ministry intended to bring joy to their hearts (verse 18). However, we should note that implicit in this statement is a recognition of the sovereign workings of ADONAI in human affairs, though the point may seem veiled when Paul says: what has happened to me.³⁴

Paul could say to his persecutors what Joseph said to his brothers after they sold him into slavery: It was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt . . . As for you, you meant to do me harm, but God meant it for good (Genesis 45:8 and 50:20a). Countless numbers of believers have been able to echo that truth. Job could have expressed it to his three “comforters,” Esther to Haman, Jeremiah to the false prophets and rulers of Judah, and the apostle John to those who exiled him to Patmos. As always, our Lord can turn efforts to thwart His Kingdom into means of advancing it. ADONAI’s supreme act of using the Adversary’s schemes to accomplish His purposes was, of course, His Son’s work of redemption on the cross. By His death and resurrection, Yeshua Messiah conquered sin and death, defeated Satan, and provided redemption for all in every age who trust in Him.

Paul made it clear in Rome that the source of eternal life (see The Life of Christ, to see link click Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer) was only available to both Jew and Gentile because of the work and acceptance of the Jewish God, the Jewish Messiah, and the guidance of the Jewish Scriptures.³⁵ It meant that for both Jews and Gentiles, Torah was a blueprint for living (see Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words).

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole praetorian (palace) guard (1:13a NIV). The praetorian guard was originally composed of some ten thousand handpicked soldiers. It had been established by Caesar Augustus, who was emperor at the time of Yeshua’s birth (Luke 2:1). These men were dispersed strategically throughout the city of Rome to keep the general peace and especially to protect the emperor. Later emperors greatly increased their numbers, and Tiberius built them a conspicuous fortified camp to make sure they had a high-profile presence in Rome. Members of the palace guard served for twelve (later sixteen) years, after which they were granted the highest honors and privileges, including a very generous severance pay. Eventually, they became so powerful that they were considered “king-makers,” who not only protected but also chose Rome’s emperors.

And to everyone else that I am in chains for Messiah (1:13b NIV). Paul was guarded by a Roman soldier all the time. Paul’s chain was somewhat longer than a modern handcuff, about eighteen inches long. One end was attached to the prisoner’s wrist, the other to the guards. The chain was not removed from the prisoner as long as he was in custody, making both escape and privacy impossible. Although the apostle was allowed to live in his own rented quarters, he was chained in that manner to a series of soldiers for a period of two years.³⁶

Over those years, it’s possible that several dozen different soldiers were assigned to guard Paul, each one becoming his captive audience. At times his rented room would be filled with people, to whom the apostle would evangelize. And after they left the Roman guard would sit beside him, probably filled with many questions as to the meaning of the Good News which the strange prisoner spoke. At other times, when all had gone, and especially at night, when the moonlight shone on the distant slopes of Mount Soracte, the soldier and the apostle were left to talk, and in those lonely hours John would tell soldier after soldier the story of his own proud career in early life, of his opposition to Messiah, and his ultimate conversion. He would make it clear that he was being held as a prisoner, not for any crime, not because he incited rebellion against Rome, but because he believed in Him whom Roman soldiers had crucified, under Pontus Pilate, was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. And as his testimony spread, and the soldiers talked to one another, the whole praetorian guard sympathized with the meek and gentle apostle, who always showed himself to be so kind to the men as they shared, however involuntarily, his imprisonment.³⁷

Trusting in Yeshua Messiah gave Paul such strength (Colossians 1:26) and comfort (Second Corinthians 1:3ff) that, far from needing these from others, he, from his house arrest, could strengthen other believers who were free, and comfort those worrying about him that despite his circumstance, the Good News was advancing.³⁸ And because of my chains most of the believers here have for more courage to speak the Word of God without fear (1:14 Greek). His strength became their strength, as his example touched them. The apostle’s fellow believers discovered that, like the cowardice they once experienced, courage is contagious. Although influential and disruptive, those who criticized and slandered Paul (see Ap – Paul’s Critics), were in the minority.

Sometimes ADONAI has to put “chains” on His people to get them to accomplish things that could never happen any other way. Young mothers may feel chained to the home as they care for their children. But God can use those chains to reach people with the message of salvation. Susannah Wesley was the mother of nineteen children, before the days of labor-saving devices and disposable diapers. Out of the large family came John and Charles Wesley, whose combined ministries shook the British Isles. At six weeks of age, Fanny Crosby was blinded, but even as a youngster she was determined not to be confined by the chains of darkness. In time, she became a mighty force for God through her hymns and Gospel songs.³⁹

If you are a believer who has been taken captive by God’s grace in Messiah, how has the mercy that you received influenced the way that you view life’s frustrations and setbacks? When your agenda is thwarted as Paul’s plans to reach Spain were, do you follow his lead in looking around in the situation that you would never have chosen for yourself, eager to see and seize unexpected opportunities to show the kindness of Yeshua, and speak about His grace to people whom you would not have met otherwise?⁴⁰

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for Your infinite wisdom and love that is able to turn hard and difficult situations to both mature me and bring glory to Your holy Name! Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever (First Timothy 1:17). It brings comfort that when trials come to me, that the trials did not miss Your attention. You were not busy, nor did You look away for a minute; but You use trials to mature and grow me for Your glory. These trials are so that the true metal of your faith (far more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire) may come to light in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Yeshua (First Peter 1:7).

And for Paul, imprisonment was not a slip or an afterthought, but it was carefully integrated into how to mature believers throughout the centuries to come. Paul’s time in Rome was very useful to him to have time to stay put in one place and write encouraging messages about Your truth to the several churches. When times get hard, it is so important to look into Scripture and see how very often You take hard situations and turn them to glorify You, for Joseph, David, Paul and others. Thank You that I can always count on You, even when times are difficult, You are always with me. To the one who sits at Your right hand. Amen

Paul’s Affairs
1: 12-26

What follows Paul’s introductory words (to see link click Aj – Paul’s Introductory Matters) is commonplace in letters of friendship. The writer informs the recipient(s) about his or her own situation – often with the very words the apostle uses here. This material is usually brief, but in Paul’s case it is quite long (verses 12-26), and as with so many of Paul’s letters, he focuses on the Good News. What begins, typically for such material, as a word to relieve the Philippians of any anxiety (see Ao – Paul in Chains) thus evolves into a word about the current spread of the Gospel (see Ap – Paul’s Critics), followed by a reflection on his desires and expectations regarding his long-awaited appeal to Caesar (see Aq – Life is in Messiah, to Die is Gain). If it were to result in his death, that would mean that he had reached the goal of his life – Yeshua Himself – and if the choice were his, he would choose that route. But whatever happens Paul encouraged the Philippians to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Messiah (see At – Walking Worthy).³²

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians
1: 9-11

The prayer for the Philippians DIG: What five specific spiritual attributes did Paul pray for on behalf of the Philippians? What kind of love did Paul envision? What does it mean to discern the things that are excellent? What does it mean to live a sincere and blameless life? What is the evidence of our salvation? What is Paul’s ultimate goal here?

REFLECT: How would you rate your prayer life from 1 to 10 (with 10 being passionate and 1 being nonexistent). How much do you pray for yourself and how much do you pray for others? Take five minutes to put Paul’s prayer into your own words. In what ways are you showing the fruit of the Spirit in your life today? How do you glorify God in your life?

The truest longings of the heart are revealed in prayer.

At the beginning of his letter, Paul told the Philippians that he prayed for them on a regular basis, and that he made those prayers with joy: Whenever I pray for you I always pray with joy (1:4). Now, flowing directly out of his own longing for them with the tender affection of Messiah Yeshua (1:8),²³ Paul’s prayer reveals five specific attributes that he tirelessly prayed for on their behalf; their spiritual growth in love, excellence, integrity, good works, and in glorifying ADONAI. These are the God-ordained spiritual essentials for which all believers should pray for themselves and others. As several other texts demonstrate (Romans 5:3 to 4:2; and Second Peter 1:5-7), these spiritual attributes that Paul mentions here in verses 9-11 are sequential, each building on the foundation of the previous one. Abounding in love produces spiritual excellence, which produces personal integrity, which produces good works. Together, they attain the supreme objective of ADONAI’s praise and glory.²⁴

1. Love: And this is my prayer: that your love may overflow more and more. Many years earlier, where an existing love also needed some further prodding, Paul prayed similarly for the Thessalonians that their love might increase and overflow (First Thessalonians 3:12). In that case he specified the direction of the love for which he prayed: for each other and for everyone else. The context of these prayers suggest their love for one another overflows more and more. This is a concern that the apostle will raise in 2:2 when he says: Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love. But love should be more than sentimental; it should be with full knowledge and discernment (1:9 NLT).²⁵

Knowledge is from the Greek word speaking of gained by experience, as contrasted with intuitive knowledge, which is from another word. A prefixed preposition intensifies the word, so it should be read with full knowledge. The full knowledge which the Philippians needed to gain by experience was a better understanding of God’s Word. A believer can have an “understanding” of the Word, that is, be able to explain its meaning to others, without having an experiential knowledge of the same. But when that believer has put the Word of God into practice in his life, then he has what Paul is talking about here. This is the difference between a young convert and a matured believer. The former has not had time to live long enough to live out the Word in his life, the latter has. The former, if his life is wholly yielded, is a delight to look upon, as one who would enjoy the vigor and enthusiasm of a new believer. The latter, however, has life experience, is mellowed, and mature in the faith. This was what the Philippians needed, but it would take time for it to be realized. This maturity would put guardrails around their overflowing love and would insure its proper application and wise outreach.²⁶

Discernment (Greek: aesthesis) is the source of the English world aesthetic. But the meaning of aesthetic is almost the opposite of “aesthetic,” which has to do with personal taste and preference. Paul calls believers to put aside personal tastes and preferences, and rather, to focus on achieving mature insight and understanding. It refers to a high level of biblical, theological, moral, and spiritual perception. In the B’rit Chadashah it is a spiritual gift given to the Church (see the commentary on First Corinthians to see link click Cq – The Distinguishing of Spirits). It is a biblically knowledgeable and discriminating love that is under control of a Spirit-controlled mind and heart. It is the kind of love that can fulfill Paul’s warning to the Thessalonians: Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good and abstain from every kind of evil (First Thessalonians 5:21-22). This abounding in love produces spiritual excellence.

2. Excellence: Having laid down the priority of love in verse 9, Paul continues his discussion of the elements of spiritual growth by looking at the second attribute: excellence. So that you may approve (Greek: dokimazo, can be translated discern) the things that are excellent (1:10a NASB). The phrase so that indicates that the first spiritual attribute is the foundation of the second. The progression is from love, which incorporates knowledge of God’s truth and spiritual discernment to excellence, that is, to thinking and living biblically. When a believer is dominated and controlled by the love of ADONAI, there will be a corresponding desire to live according to His will as fully and as faithfully as humanly possible. To discern the things that are excellent means to assess, determine, and carefully identify whatever is best. It is much like Paul’s later command: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things (4:8). The excellent spiritual attributes are all the truths, thoughts, words and good works that are expressions of God’s will for the believer. This excellence produces integrity.

3. Integrity: A third essential for growth in godliness is personal and relational integrity (see the commentary on Proverbs Cc – The Path of Righteousness). So that you may live sincere (Greek: eilikrines, carries the ideas of cohesiveness, oneness, and unity) and blameless lives (1:10a Greek). Blameless expresses the extent of and goal of integrity. It has the idea of not falling into sinful conduct and not causing others to fall into sin. This is not a call to the perfection of holiness that is true only of YHVH and those believers in heaven. It calls for us to do all we can to give the glory to ADONAI and to live honorably before Him and others. Believers are to live lives of integrity as Paul did (Acts 23:1; 24:16; Second Corinthians 1:12; and Second Timothy 1:3).

In ancient Rome fine pottery was relatively thin and fragile and often developed cracks while being fired. Unscrupulous merchants would fill the cracks with a hard, dark wax, which would be concealed when the object was painted or glazed, but would melt when the pottery was filled with something hot. In ordinary light, the deception was usually undetectable, but when held up to the sunlight it was clearly exposed, because the wax appeared darker. Reputable dealers would often stamp their products sine cera (without wax) as a guarantee of high quality.

Just as such pottery was held up to the sunlight to reveal cracks or other defects, the obedient, faithful believer makes sure to expose his or her life to the sunlight of Scripture. As the writer to the Hebrews has declared: See, the Word of God, that which offers rest to the believer, is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword (Greek: machairan meaning a short dagger) – it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Sadly, many people try to cover their faults in various ways in order to appear less spiritually flawed than they really are. They use such things as regular church attendance, generous giving, activity in church functions, and spiritual lingo to give the appearance of spiritual integrity. But when they are severely tempted for their faith, the cracks show.

To have integrity also means to stand against the world. James made it clear that pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world (James 1:27). John warned: Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them (First John 2:15). And Paul pleaded: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).²⁷

Until the day of Messiah’s return (1:10b NLT). This reminds us of verse 6. It was He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day when Messiah Yeshua returns. Then we will receive our crowns (see the commentary on Revelation Cc – We Must All Appear Before the Bema Seat of Christ). Here are two good tests for us to follow as we exercise our spiritual discernment: First, will it stumble others? and secondly, will I be blameless when Messiah’s returns?²⁸ This integrity produces good works.

4. Good works: Having been filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Yeshua Messiah (1:11a NIV). The fourth essential for spiritual growth is good works, which Paul refers to as the fruit of righteousness. The progression continues. Godly love produces spiritual excellence, which produces integrity, which produces good works. Having been filled translates a perfect passive participle in the Greek text, referring to something that happened in the past and has continuing results. In other words, when believers stand before the Lord at the Bema Seat of Messiah, they would have already been filled with the fruit of righteousness. That refers to a divinely complete state, or condition, of righteousness that is based on the love, excellence and integrity that Paul has just explained.²⁹

Good works are not the means of salvation, but they are the evidence of our salvation. Therefore, the fruit of righteousness is the good works that ADONAI desires to see in our lives. Such good works always begin with godly attitudes, some of which the apostle details in his letter to the churches in Galatia: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:21-22). Not only that, but Paul compared winning souls to Messiah as bearing fruit (Romans 1:13), and he also names holiness as spiritual fruit (Romans 6:22). He urged us to be fruitful in every good work (Colossians 1:10), and the writer to the Hebrews reminded us that our praise is the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:15). These good works glorify ADONAI.³⁰

5. The glory of ADONAI: The fifth essential attribute for spiritual growth that Paul mentions is by far the most important. For this will bring much glory and praise to God (1:11b NLT). Yeshua said: My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples (John 15:8). ADONAI makes believers fruitful for the sake of His glory. So Paul commanded: Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (First Corinthians 10:31). And in another letter explains that we have obtained an inheritance . . . to the end that we who were the first to hope in Messiah would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also . . . were sealed in Him with the Ruach of promise . . . to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:11-14). In the middle of Ephesians, as if overwhelmed by the wonderful truths he had just spoken of, he rejoiced: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the Church and in Messiah Yeshua to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21). Therefore, the supreme objective and result of the life of godly love, excellence, integrity, and good works is to glorify and praise ADONAI.³¹

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being so very wonderful! How Awesome that the relationship with You is a living union where You abide in those who love You (John 14:23). Love is the foundation to all the decisions that we make. Loving and trusting in You as the number one priority in life, is what helps and guides me to maturity and to be able to live sincere and blameless life (Philippians 1:10a). Father help me to grow in my love and trust in You. Shine Your love on me in good times, send down rain showers to water me in grey times and strong winds in hard and difficult times to cause me to look up to You for Your protection and guidance.These trials are so that the true metal of your faith (far more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire) may come to light in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Yeshua (First Peter 1:7). You are such an awesome God! What a joy it is to mature in my faith and to grow more and more like You. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Elements of Joy
1: 3-8

The elements of joy DIG: How does Paul feel about the church in Philippi? What does that show about his leadership style? How long had it been since Paul had ministered in Philippi? What had Paul remembered about them? Who is the object of intercessory prayer? How had the Philippians participated in Paul’s ministry? What are the eight aspects of fellowship? What are the ten ways believers lose their joy?

REFLECT: Who do you have a fond recollection of in the Lord? Did they lead you to Messiah? Did they disciple you? Who are your prayer partners? Who do you pray for on a daily basis? What is your spiritual gift? How are you using it? What are you confident about in the Lord? What other believers do you share unity? How is the unity expressed? How much joy do you think the Lord feels towards your church?

Since we can do no works to gain our salvation, we can do no works to lose our salvation.

Paul’s circumstances at the time he wrote his letter to the believers at Philippi were dire. He was imprisoned in Rome, possibly facing execution. As it turned out, he was released from this imprisonment, but he was not certain that would be the case when he wrote Philippians. He was under house arrest (Acts 28:23 and 30), chained to a Roman soldier (Acts 28:16) to prevent any possibility of escape. The apostle languished there, unable to do the ministry he loved, while others, taking advantage of his situation, were proclaiming Messiah out of jealousy and rivalry (to see link click Ap – Paul’s Critics). However, his heart overflowed with joy (1:18). If anything, those horrendous circumstances made Paul’s joy all the greater, because he trusted the sovereign purpose of his Lord and turned to him even more to Him for strength and comfort.

True joy is an unwavering constant in a Spirit-filled life (Romans 14:17), not a transient emotional feeling that comes and goes depending on circumstances. Because Paul was constantly near to God, he was constantly joyful. He experienced an inexpressible peace (4:7) and contentment (4:11) provided by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh deep within his heart and soul because he had a conscience that was clear of offense against ADONAI (Acts 23:1, 24:16; Second Corinthians 1:12; Second Timothy 1:3).¹⁵

The joy of recollection (1:3): I thank my God every time I think of you (1:3 CJB). It must have brought great joy to the Philippians’ hearts as they read how the apostle often thanked God for them. Here was a letter of commendation from one who was in Roman chains some 800 miles away. About ten years had passed since Paul had first ministered among them. Every time Paul thought of them, he thanked ADONAI for them.¹⁶ The phrase my God reflected Paul’s deep intimacy and communion with the Lord, to whom he belonged and served (Acts 27:23). His thankfulness for the Philippians was to God, emphasizing both that the Lord is the ultimate source of all joy and that it was the Philippians’ relationship to Him through Messiah that caused Paul to thank God.

Paul’s recollection of the Philippians began with his Second Missionary Journey when the apostle came to Philippi (see Acts Bu – Paul’s Second Missionary Journey). He was specifically directed by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to go to Macedonia rather than Bithynia, as he and Silas had planned (Acts 16:7-10). On Shabbat they went outside the city to the riverside, where they expected to find Jewish worshipers. The only ones present were a group of women in prayer. One of them, Lydia, was a “God-fearer,” that is, a Gentile proselyte to Judaism (see Acts Bb – An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53: God-fearers). She accepted Yeshua as her Messiah, was baptized that day along with her newly believing household, and became the nucleus of the Philippian church. She then prevailed on Paul and those with him to be her guests at her home (Acts 16:13-15). The generosity and hospitality that she exhibited, characterized that congregation for years to come.

The joy of intercession (1:4): Another indispensable element of joy for believers is interceding before ADONAI on behalf of others. Those who are obedient to the Ruach Ha’Kodesh will delight in the privilege of intercessory prayer. Faithful and sincere intercession is much more than an obligation; it is a joy. Whenever I pray for you I always pray with joy (1:4 CJB). Faithful intercessors are more preoccupied with the needs and welfare of others than their own and ask ADONAI to pour out His divine blessing on them. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also the interests of others (2:4). Intercessory prayer sometimes involves disappointment and pain. Nevertheless, Paul’s prayers for the Philippians were offered with great appreciation and joy. Neither the unbelieving false teachers, nor the squabbling of believers such as Euodia and Syntyche (4:2), could rob Paul of his joyful remembrance of that cherished congregation.¹⁷

The joy of participation (1:5): The Philippians had supported Paul with their prayers and finances (Phil 4:14-19; 2 Cor 8:1-5; Rom 15:26) while he went about his missionary ministry. In view of your participation (Greek: koinonia, meaning fellowship) the Gospel from the very first day until now (1:5 Greek). In the broadest sense, the apostle rejoiced that the Philippians were saved and thus partnered with him in spreading the Gospel. That participation included their generous financial support (4:15-16). The joint ministry of the Gospel had gone on from the first day when Lydia had opened her home to the preaching of the Word (Acts 16:15), until now, the moment when Paul was writing this letter, he was grateful for their help.¹⁸

In his commentary on Philippians, William Hendriksen lists eight elements, or types, of koinonia. First and foremost is the fellowship of grace. This is not a natural, man-made fellowship, but one sovereignly designed and achieved by YHVH through the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 4:5).

Second is the fellowship of faith. On the human level, it is faith alone that brings sinners to salvation. Paul and Silas told the jailer in Philippi: Trust in the Lord Yeshua, and you will be saved – you and your household (Acts 16:31 cf. Romans 10:9-10). Yet, as noted above, even human faith has a divine origin. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

Third is the fellowship of prayer and thanksgiving. Nothing binds believers together more closely than worshiping ADONAI in corporate praise and thanksgiving. Believers are always [to be] giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Yeshua Messiah to God, even the Father (Ephesians 5:20); and they are to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for them in Messiah Yeshua (First Thessalonians 5:15-18).

Fourth is the fellowship of love, the supreme virtue that encompasses all other virtues (see the commentary on First Corinthians Cu – The Necessity of Love). Paul went on to say that love is patient, love is kind and does not envy, love does not brag and is not proud, is not rude or selfish, it is not selfish or easily angered, does not keep a record of wrongs, rejoices in the truth, love covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things . . . the greatest of these is love (First Corinthians 13:4-8 and 13).

Fifth is the fellowship of contributing to the needs of others. While we have the opportunity, Paul warned, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith (Galatians 6:10). Even under the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah), believers were commanded: Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it (Deuteronomy 3:27).

Sixth is the fellowship of sharing the Gospel. That is done through preaching, teaching, witnessing, and supporting those whom the Lord has specifically called to those ministries. This fellowship is clearly the fulfillment of Messiah’s Great Commissions. The first Great Commission was in Genesis 12:3: I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed; and the restatement of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20: Make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

Seventh is the fellowship of separation from the world. In His Upper Room discourse shortly before His arrest, Yeshua told the remaining eleven apostles: You are not of this world, but I chose you out of the world (John 15:19). A negative, but extremely important part of fellowship to keep oneself from being contaminated by the world (James 1:27). John encouraged believers: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father, but from the world (First John 2:15-16).¹⁹

Eight is the fellowship of spiritual gifts. Every believer receives a spiritual gift at the moment of salvation. Our spiritual gifts help to build unity within the Body of Messiah. Messiah has generously divided out his gift to us (Ephesians 4:7 CEV). Neither do you get to choose which gifts you’d like to have; the Spirit of God determines that. Paul explained: It is the one and only Ruach Ha’Kodesh who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have (First Corinthians 12:11). Most people have one dominant spiritual gift and a lesser, or secondary spiritual gift. Because God loves variety and He wants us to be special, no single gift is given to everyone (First Corinthians 12:29-30). Also, no individual receives all the gifts. If you had them all, you’d have no need for anyone else, and that would defeat one of God’s purposes – to teach us to love and depend on each other. But a believer who willingly forsakes fellowship with other believers will inevitably be without genuine, Spirit-driven joy. There are no “lone-ranger” believers (Hebrews (10:25).

The joy of anticipation (1:6). And Paul was confident of their future help. And I am confident (Greek: pepoithos) of this very thing. The perfect tense of the Greek word translated being confident indicates that Paul had come to a settled conviction earlier and that he was still confident that it was true. What was he so confident about? It was that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day when Messiah Yeshua returns (1:6 Greek). That good work was their salvation. The day when Messiah Yeshua returns clearly refers to the time when believers will be glorified, when our salvation will be completed and made perfect (First Corinthians 3:10-15; Second Corinthians 5:10). Believers are predestined to be conformed into the image of the Son (Romans 8:29). We know that when Messiah appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is (First John 3:2). When ADONAI saves, He saves completely and eternally (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). He has no unfinished works.

The joy of affection (1:7-8). So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. The Greek allows for the phrase since you have me in your heart. Certainly both Paul and the Philippians were in each other’s hearts. But since Paul made a specific reference to himself in verse 7, it is better to take the NLT rendering. His affection for the believers in Philippi is also stated in 1:8 and 4:16.^20. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my chains and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News (1:7 NLT).

For God is my witness, I love you and long (Greek: epipotho) for you with the tender affection of Messiah Yeshua (1:8 Hebrew). The word witness (Greek: martus) is where we get the word martyr. What a miracle of divine grace for the former proud Pharisee to have such tender affection for these former pagan Greeks! But that is not all. He tells them that this longing is in the bowels of Messiah Yeshua. The inner organs, here designated by the word affection (Greek: splanchnois), were regarded by the ancients as the seat of tender affection. We would say the heart. As a result, Paul describes his longing, not as an individual emotion, but as Messiah’s longing, as if the very heart of Messiah lived in Paul.²¹

In his commentary on Philippians, John MacArthur lists eight ways that believers lose their biblical joy. First, believers lose their joy by focusing on difficult circumstances. Despite the abundant blessings all believers have in the Lord, many become dissatisfied because of their circumstances. They are unhappy with their appearance, the opportunities that come their way, or with the countless other things that they do not have, but think they deserve. Yeshua promised: I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27 Greek). Paul kept that promise constantly in mind, his attitude toward temporary, non-eternal things was therefore clear: I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself in. I have learned the secret of living in every circumstance, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little (4:11-12 NLT).

A second factor that hinders joy is the influence of Satan and his demons (see The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis). Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (First Peter 5:8 NLT ). In many ways, including false teachers, the wicked one attempts to deceive believers. Although he cannot rob them of their salvation, he can rob them of their joy.

A third cause of the lack of joy is an inadequate understanding of ADONAI’S sovereignty. For believers to worry about their circumstances, and to fear what the future may bring is equivalent to doubting God’s sovereignty, as well as His power and love. In the Sermon on the Mount, Messiah commanded His followers not to be anxious about anything (Matthew 6:25). And perhaps the most cherished promise of all, He said: Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God and also in Me (John 14:1). For believers, God’s sovereignty is the over-arching, all-encompassing reality that keeps everything in perspective (Psalm 55:22).

A fourth negative element that can steal our joy is lack of prayer. Believers who fail to pray inevitably lose sight of God’s sovereignty, and His love and care for us. When believers fail to pray they either give up hope or try to fix the circumstance that they find themselves in. There are times when it’s appropriate to call on the elders of your congregation for help (James 5:14-16). But that can never take the place of a believer’s own prayers. As Paul makes clear in this letter: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (4:6 NIV).

A fifth factor that robs believers of their joy is ingratitude. Few things are more distasteful than ingratitude. Paul commanded that our prayers and appeals to YHVH be made with thanksgiving (4:6). In First Thessalonians 5:18, the apostle urged us to give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Messiah Yeshua. Rebellious sinners are indicted and sentenced to divine judgment because of their ingratitude (see the commentary on Romans An – The Depraved Mind of the Gentile Pagan).

The sixth cause of lack of joy is forgetting the Lord. Forgetfulness is not a mark of innocence, but of faithlessness and sin. David reminded himself and all believers: Bless ADONAI, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits (Psalm 103:2 CJB). The spiritual chaos that causes division in the congregations of God today is not incited by new converts, but by those who have left their first love. The Lord warned the orthodox, hardworking, and persevering believers in Ephesus: But I hold this against you . . . You have left your first love. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I will come and remove your menorah from its place (2:4).

A seventh factor in the loss of joy is living in the flesh instead of living in the Spirit. Paul argues that the surrender of our own fleshly desires to the personal control of the indwelling Ruach Ha’Kodesh is the secret of victory over sin and of living a life in which divine love is the motivating impulse. The Ruach will suppress the activities of our sin nature as we trust Him to do so, and cooperate with Him in the process of being conformed into the image of Messiah as seen in the fruit of the Ruach (see the commentary on Galatians Bv – Walk by the Ruach, and Not the Desires of the Flesh).

The eighth and final reason for a lack of joy is unwillingness to accept forgiveness. On the surface, that attitude can appear to reflect humility, but it is the furthest thing from that. It is, in fact, an insult to ADONAI’s righteous character and the clear teaching of His Word. Our Lord made it plain that if [believers] forgive others for their transgressions, [their] heavenly Father will also forgive [them]. But if [they] do not forgive others, then [their] Father will not forgive [their] transgressions (Matthew 6:14-15). David declared that as far as the east is from the west, so far has [ADONAI] removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12), and John wrote that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (First John 1:9 cf. 2:12). That basic truth alone is enough for the believer never to be joyless. The fellowship of God’s people should be a fellowship of joy! The unbeliever’s joy must come from the outside; however, the believer’s joy comes from within. Despite the inevitable sorrows, disappointments, and pain of life, believers can always be joyful! Biblical joy is not built on circumstances, because it is a gift of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Galatians 5:22).²²

Dear heavenly Father, praise You that You are so very wonderful! Living with You at the center of my life brings me such joy which comes from my very special relationship with You. It gives me such joy to know that You have said: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23). I also find joy in interceding for others (Philippians 1:4). I know I can trust You with absolute certainty that when I seek You, I will find You, provided I seek You with all my heart (Jer 29:12). I can be filled with Your joy, even in the midst of painful circumstances. In Messiah’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Bond Servants of Messiah Yeshua
1: 1-2

Bond servants of Messiah Yeshua DIG: Why did Paul have two names? When did the change come? Did Paul abandon his Jewish roots? What examples can you give? Paul often starts his letters with the words grace and peace, how does that sum up the Gospel? How does your life illustrate grace or peace? Why was Timothy circumcised? What is a bond-servant? Why is service essential in the life of a believer?

REFLECT: How would you rate your single-minded devotion to Messiah? Who are you following? Do you have two masters? Would “grace and peace” or “guilt and pressure” be a better description of your experience with Messiah right now? What does grace and peace mean to you? How has God shown you grace in your life? How have you shown grace to others? Why is it dangerous for you to declare Yeshua as Lord?

Paul’s imprisonment by Rome symbolized his bondage to Yeshua Messiah.

This letter is from Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Messiah Yeshua (1:1a Greek). The writer of this letter to the Philippians had two names, Sha’ul, which means to ask or pray, his Hebrew name, and Paul, coming from the Latin, meaning little, his Gentile name. There are indications that Paul was small in stature, hence his Latin name; he was also a man of prayer, and thus he lived up to his Hebrew name.⁸ Starting in Acts 13:9 we encounter Paul’s two names: Then Sha’ul, also known as Paul, filled with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, fixed his gaze upon him. Here the one sent to the Goyim is called both Sha’ul and Paul. This decisive shift from the name Sha’ul to Paul happens only after Paul sets off on his first missionary journey among the Gentiles (see the commentary on Acts, to see link click Bm – Paul’s First Missionary Journey: Paul is Sha’ul and Sha’ul is Paul). From now on, Luke will call him Sha’ul only in regards to his past (Acts 22:7 and 26:14). The name Paul appears 132 times in Acts Chapters 13-28. This did not mean that Paul had abandoned his Jewish roots, as he would later declare in his testimony: I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Isra’el and a member of the tribe of Benjamin – a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Torah (3:5 NLT). Not only that, but Paul made it his practice to visit the local synagogue when he entered a new city to evangelize (see Acts Bo – Paul’s Message in Pisidian Antioch).

Timothy was a fellow bond-servant of Messiah Yeshua, sharing the same single-minded focus on pleasing the Master. He was Paul’s son in the faith (First Timothy 1:2), not only an apprentice, but also a cherished companion, to whom the apostle would pass on a remarkable spiritual legacy and ministry. Paul names Timothy side by side with himself because he intended to send Timothy to Philippi soon. Paul’s two inspired letters to Timothy were written several years later, the first after the apostle had been released from his first imprisonment in Rome and the second during his second imprisonment there (see the commentary on Galatians Ae – Dates of Books in the B’rit Chadashah). Timothy was so captivated by Messiah that he cared more about the believers in the church at Philippi than his own comfort or safety (2:19-24). In Timothy’s coming they will experience Paul’s love, for Timothy is Paul’s spiritual son, and sons resemble their fathers.⁹

As a loyal coworker with Paul, Timothy is introduced to us as the apostle who began his second missionary journey (see Acts Bu – Paul’s Second Missionary Journey) to the Asia Minor Messianic congregations. The purpose of the journey was to share the rulings of the Jerusalem Council (see Acts Bs – The Council at Jerusalem) announcing that Gentiles could become members of the Messianic Community without first converting to Judaism. Timothy is introduced in Acts 16:1-4: Paul traveled to Derbe and Lystra, where he recruited Timothy, a reputable young believer with a Jewish mother and a Greek father. To facilitate ministry among the local Jews, Paul circumcised Timothy, and they proceeded to deliver the decisions of the Jerusalem council to the Messianic congregations, strengthening their faith.

In this introduction, we learn that Timothy was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother who had become a believer in Yeshua (and we learn in Second Timothy 1:5 that his grandmother, Eunice, was also a Messianic Jew, making Timothy a third-generation Messianic Jew). Though we don’t know for sure why Timothy wasn’t circumcised, it appears that his Greek father may have objected to having his son circumcised, possibly because of the Greek visual ideal of not desecrating the perfect human form by removing the foreskin. But then, it could be that his father rejected what circumcision could represent for his son’s identity: separation from the Gentile society and inclusion with the people of Isra’el. However, Paul didn’t want Timothy’s possibly ambiguous Jewish identity to be a roadblock to the work of sharing their message among the Jewish population of Asia Minor.¹⁰

Bond-servants translates the plural of the often-used Greek word doulos, which describes a person owned by someone else and thus subservient to and dependent on that person. When used in the B’rit Chadshah, doulos describes willing, determined, and devoted service. It reflects the attitude of a slave during the Dispensation of Torah (see Exodus Da – The Dispensation of Torah) who refused the opportunity for freedom and voluntarily resubmitted himself to his master for life. The Torah provided that if the slave plainly says, “I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,” then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently (Exodus 21:5-6). Speaking of all faithful believers, Paul declared: Now we have been released from the Torah, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in the new way provided by the Spirit and not in the old way of outwardly following the letter of the Torah (Romans 7:6). To the Corinthians he explained: For a person who was a slave when he was called is the Lord’s freeman; likewise, someone who was a free man when he was called is a slave to Messiah (First Corinthians 7:22).

In that spirit, Paul and Timothy did not think of being bond-servants of Messiah Yeshua in anything but positive terms. Nor did they think of themselves as bond-servants of the Church of Rome, or any other person or institution, but exclusively of Messiah Yeshua. Paul reminded the elders from the Ephesian church of that single-minded devotion when he met with them near Miletus: I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and ministry which I received from the Lord Yeshua, to testify solemnly of the Gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24). That devotion is required of every believer, but especially of those called to the ministry.

Paul’s physical bonds were not really marks of his bondage to Rome but to his Lord. His imprisonment by Rome symbolized his bondage to Yeshua Messiah. My imprisonment in the cause of Messiah, he explained, has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and . . . most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have much more courage to speak the word of God without fear (1:13-14). It was Yeshua who would assign all his duties and meet all his needs. The Lord declared very clearly that no one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24a). And because the Lord is such a loving Master, His bond-servants can testify with Paul: He told me: My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is brought to perfection in weakness. Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weakness, in order that Messiah’s power will rest on me (Second Corinthians 12:9).

To all God’s people (Hebrew: kedoshim, meaning holy ones or set apart ones) in Messiah Yeshua. All God’s people are holy and set apart, not because they are themselves righteous, but because they are in Messiah Yeshua, whose righteousness is imputed to them. That means that all of the righteousness of Messiah is transferred to our spiritual bank account, so there is union with Messiah, and what is true of Him is true of us, minus His deity. A Buddhist does not speak of himself as being in Buddha, nor does a Muslim speak of himself as being in Mohammed. A Christian Scientist is not in Mary Baker Eddy or a Mormon in Joseph Smith. They may faithfully follow the teaching and example of those religious leaders, but they are not in them. Only believers can claim to be in their Lord, because they have been made spiritually one with Him (see the commentary on Romans Bp – The Messianic Mikveh). To the Galatians Paul declared: I have been crucified with Messiah; and it is no longer I who live, but Messiah who lives in me (Galatians 2:20). So, being in Messiah Yeshua, and therefore being acceptable in His sight, is the believer’s supreme source of joy.¹¹

Living in Philippi: Paul wrote the letter to the people in Philippi, a city in what is now in Greece. It was an important Roman colony city, in fact, the only such colony that Luke actually describes as such. It lay on the Via Egnatia, the main east-west route across Macedonia, connecting Rome with its eastern provinces. While the city was originally built, fortified and named after Philip of Macedonia, father of Alexander the Great in 358 BC, the Philippi that Luke and Paul knew was a metropolis run on Roman principles and Roman law. This is a very important fact as the story develops. Roman citizenship was highly valued in such a place. The city prospered not only because it was in a very fertile region, but because there were still active mines in the area, especially gold mines.

Philippi was a military city. When Antony was defeated by Octavian in 31 BC, he not only made the city a Roman colony, but he even gave Philippi the ius italicum, the legal character of a part of Italy, even though it was outside Italy. This was the highest honor that could be given to a provincial city, for it meant that the Philippians were self-governing, exempt from poll and land taxes, and they could purchase or sell land and engage in civil lawsuits. It was, in short, a microcosm of Roman life at that time.¹² Philippi had a small Jewish population (see Acts By – Lydia’s Conversion at Philippi), so Paul was writing to a mostly Gentile community.

Along with the Overseers and deacons (1:1b Greek): Paul made a point to include in his opening words a greeting to the elders and deacons. In doing so, he was showing that there was established leadership over the church in Philippi. As is clear from Acts 20:17, 28 and Titus 1:5,7, overseer is another term for elder, the most common name for the office in the B’rit Chadashah (Acts 11:30, 14:23, 15:2, 4 and 6; James 5:14). Elders are also referred to as pastors (or shepherds in Acts 20:28 and First Peter 5:1-2), pastor-teachers (Ephesians 4:11), and bishops (Acts 20:28; First Timothy 3:2). Their high qualifications are set forth in First Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. Overseers, or Elders, are first mentioned in relation to the famine relief money sent by the church of Antioch to the elders in Judea by the hands of Sha’ul and Barnabas (Acts 11:30). They oversee in the local churches by preaching, teaching (Titus 1:9), setting godly examples, and generally leading by the guidance of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. As far as deacons are concerned, their role is primarily one of practical service (see Acts Av – Deacons Anointed for Service), rather than preaching or teaching. They are required to meet the same high moral and spiritual standards as the elders (First Timothy 3: 8-13).

Grace and peace to you: Paul used this common greeting in several of his letters to churches (Romans 1:7; First Corinthians 1:3; Second Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:2; Colossians 1:2-3; Second Thessalonians 1:2), as well as in one letter to an individual (Philemon 3). It is an expression of the apostle’s deep love for fellow believers, even the immature ones in Corinth who caused him much grief. But he must have felt an especially deep sense of joy and gratitude for the believers at Philippi who, in stark contrast to those in Corinth, had brought him immeasurable satisfaction and comfort.¹³

Grace: The Greek word grace (charis) is a wonderful word. It has been said, “It is hardly too much to say that the Greek mind has no word uttered itself and all that was at its heart more distinctly than in this.” When this word is brought over into the B’rit Chadashah one can substitute the word “God” for “Greek.” It is hardly too much to say that God has no word in His heart more important than this. In its use among the pagan Greeks it referred to a favor done by one Greek to another out of pure generosity of his heart, and with no hope of reward. When it is used in the B’rit Chadashah, it refers to that favor which God did on the cross when He stepped down from His judgment throne to take upon Himself the guilt and penalty of human sin. In the case of the Greek, the favor was done to a friend, never an enemy. In the case of God it was an enemy, the sinner, bitter in his hatred of God, for whom the favor was done. God has no strings tied to the salvation He procured for mankind at the cross. Salvation is given to the believing sinner out of the pure generosity of God’s heart. The Greek word referred to an action that was beyond the ordinary course of what might be expected, and was therefore commendable. What a description of what took place at the cross! The grace spoken of here is sanctifying grace, that part of salvation given the believer in which God causes him or her to be conformed into the image of Messiah through the ministry of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. The Hebrew word for grace is chen, defined as favor, grace, charm, or acceptance. It signifies kindness, beauty, or a gracious attitude, often used to describe finding favor in the eyes of others of God. It appears 69 times in the TaNaKh.

Peace: The word peace (Greek: eirene) in classical Greek means to bind together, in the B’rit Chadashah, the operation of God’s grace is binding the believing sinner to God and His life. Paul drew on the deep meaning of shalom, meaning peace, wholeness, or security in the TaNaKh. By using grace and peace together, Paul sent the Philippians both a common Greek and Jewish greeting to begin his letter to this church.

From God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah (1:2 CJB). Paul completes his greeting, making clear to the Philippians that grace and shalom came from God the Father and the Lord Yeshua. In light of other writings of Paul, including the early Messianic hymn in Philippians 2:6-11, the apostle acknowledges the divine nature of Yeshua and His eternal unity with God the Father and elsewhere with the Spirit of God to form the Triune God. Paul saw no problem in greeting the Philippians with a word that united Yeshua with the One God of Isra’el, here designated as the Father. It is the divine Son working in the world with the Father to fulfill the divine plan and bring grace and peace, that Paul has in mind here, entrusting this knowledge to the Philippians. Beyond making an important theological point about the lordship and divine nature of Yeshua, Paul begins his letter with a significant and dangerous political declaration – that Yeshua is Lord, which was in contrast to the expected acknowledgement of Caesar as Lord.¹⁴

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for the riches of Your grace that enables all who trust in You to be “in Messiah,” which brings every spiritual blessing! Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah (Ephesians 1:3). The benefits of being “in Messiah” extend thru all eternity for it promises the seal of inheritance of the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh, which enables access to the Father. To serve You now on earth as a bond-servant is a joy, for Messiah dwelling in our hearts gives believers strength to grasp the love of God! I pray that from His glorious riches He would grant you to be strengthened in your inner being with power through His Ruach, so that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to grasp with all the kedoshim what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Messiah which surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled up with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). In the Name of Messiah Yeshua, and the power of His resurrection. Amen

Paul’s Introductory Matters
1: 1-11

Almost all letters from the Greco-Roman period begin with a threefold salutation: The Writer, to the Addressee, Greetings. Very often the next item in the letter would be a wish (sometimes a prayer) for the health or well-being of the addressee. Paul’s letters, which generally follow this standard form, usually include a thanksgiving; in some of these cases, as here, he also includes a prayer report, as in Second Thessalonians 1:11-12 and Colossians 1:9-11. But in contrast to most of the ancient letters, which tend to be stereotyped, Paul tends to elaborate these formal items; and in doing so, everything Paul’s hands touches comes under the influence of the Gospel. In contrast to most extant letters from the Greco-Roman world, Paul’s introductory matters are quite long, usually made so because they are full of items that foreshadow the concerns of the letter itself. In this regard the apostle’s introductory comments are typical of him. All sorts of motifs and concerns within the letter surface initially here: the central focus of Yeshua and the Gospel, the language of servanthood and fellowship, the relational basis of this fellowship, Paul’s chains (and thus the motif of suffering), the future orientation of present life in Messiah, and the need for love and fruitful living in the present. In this introduction we will see: Bond Servants of Messiah Yeshua – 1:1-2 (to see link click Ak), The Elements of Joy – 1:3-8 (Al), and Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians – 1:9-11 (Am).

Philippians Chapter One

In his commentary on Philippians: Be Joyful, Warren Wiersbe relates: A double minded person is unstable in all their ways (James 1:8). Or, to use the old Latin proverb, “When the pilot doesn’t know what port he is heading for, no wind is the right wind.” The reason so many believers are upset by circumstances is because they don’t cultivate a single mind. The apostle Paul expresses this attitude of single-hearted devotion to Messiah like this: For to me, life is the Messiah, and death is gain (1:21 CJB).

In Chapter 1, Paul discusses his difficult circumstances and faces them honestly. But his circumstances cannot rob him of his joy because he is not living to enjoy circumstances; he is living to serve Yeshua Messiah. He is a man with purpose, saying: This one thing I do (3:13). He does not look at circumstances in themselves, but rather in relationship to Yeshua Messiah. He was not a prisoner of Rome; he was the prisoner of Yeshua Messiah (Ephesians 3:1). The chains he wore were his chains for Messiah (1:13). He was not facing a civil trial; he was appointed for the defense of the Gospel (1:17 NKJV). He did not look at Messiah through his circumstances; rather, he looked at his circumstances through Messiah . . . and this changed everything.

When a believer is single-minded, he is concerned about the fellowship of the Gospel (1:1-11), the furtherance of the Gospel (1:12-26), and the faith of the Gospel (1:27-30). Paul rejoiced in his difficult circumstances because they helped him strengthen his fellowship with other believers, gave him an opportunity to lead others to Yeshua, and enabled him to defend the Gospel before the courts of Rome. When you have the single mind, your circumstances will work for you, not against you.⁷

Background to the Letter to the Philippians

In his commentary on Philippians, R. Sean Emslie starts by saying: You will receive power when the Ruach Ha’Kodesh comes upon you; you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and Judea, indeed to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). With these words, the mission to reach the world with the message of Yeshua began. Starting with Jerusalem and Judea, the message of Messiah spread among the Jews of the Land. The earliest Messianic Community was a movement of Jews. Then the Good News of Yeshua moved to the ends of the earth, and the doors were opened to the Gentile world.

The earliest followers of the Messianic Jewish faith understood themselves as a form of Judaism. The Jewish scholar Jacob Neusner (Judaisms 139) even described such faith as one of the “Judaisms” of the Second Temple era. Early on, a debate arose over Gentiles coming to faith in Yeshua and their relationship to the Torah and Jewish practices, especially circumcision for men. This issue of debate in the early Messianic Community became crucial in Acts 15:1 when men from Judah went to Antioch to teach the Gentile believers: You can’t be saved unless you undergo circumcision in the manner prescribed by Moses. 

This teaching conflicted with Paul and Barnabas’ teachings to Gentiles and led to an important decision by the early Messianic Jewish leadership group, which later became known as the Jerusalem Counsel (see the commentary on Acts, to see link click Bs – The Council at Jerusalem). After hearing debate from both sides, James, Yeshua’s half-brother and the leader of the Messianic Community in Jerusalem, said: Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from fornication, from what is strangled and from blood (Acts 15:19-20). James’ ruling about eliminating obstacles such as circumcision and substituting less stringent practices resulted in the council’s unanimous ruling, which then sent a letter to be read to all the Gentile churches declaring that they didn’t need to convert to Judaism nor undergo male circumcision before becoming full members of the Messianic Community and disciples of Messiah.

This ruling supported two important truths that can be missed by modern scholars – be they Christian or Jewish. First, the fact that the Judaizers (see the commentary on Galatians Ag – Who are the Judaizers?) taught that Gentiles had to become Jews before they could believe in Messiah, as the Hebrew Roots Movement today demands (see the commentary on Galatians Ak – The Hebrew Roots Movement: A Different Gospel) is not true. This ruling ended the legalistic burden of observing all 613 mitzvot for all followers of Yeshua, both Messianic Jews and Gentiles. If the Messianic Jews themselves had decided to abandon that legalistic observance, it seems pointless, and even cruel, to require the Gentiles to do so.

Therefore, for both Messianic Jews and Gentiles, the Torah reveals the heart of God in three ways. First, the Torah is still a moral guide by revealing sin (Romans 7:7). Secondly, we know that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore, the Torah can be used as a teaching tool to show ADONAI’s standard of righteousness, so that we can know Him better and love Him more. And thirdly, it can also be used to point others to Yeshua. ADONAI had told Abram that all the peoples on the earth would be blessed through his spiritual descendants (Genesis 12:3b; also see Galatians 3:24-25 and Mt 28:19). Therefore, you could say the Torah is God’s blueprint for living. The closer we follow the Torah, the smoother our life will be. This is true for unbelievers as well. If they unwittingly follow Torah, their lives will go much smoother. But for those who violate the teachings of the Torah, your life will collapse into chaos, this is true for both believers and unbelievers.

Secondly, the Jerusalem Council asserted that Gentiles coming to Yeshua could, and should, come to Him as Gentiles. This is the mystery of the Gospel that through Yeshua, the way was open for the Gentiles to be grafted into the Righteous of the TaNaKh, but remain Gentiles (see the commentary on Dani’el Dx – The Mystery of the Olive Tree). No longer would Gentiles need to convert to Judaism. Instead, Gentiles could become part of the people of God, the Jewish people, as Gentiles. The only requirement was faith alone in the crucified and risen Yeshua. Together, they followed the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and opened up the message of ADONAI to the whole world.⁶