Bible study Daily, explanation and encouragement - Philippians
Philippians 1:1
The Epistle to the Philippians. The city of Philippi was named in honor of Philip, Alexander's father.
The church in Philippi was founded by Paul and his companions on the second missionary journey in about 52 A.D. Lydia, who sold purple, converted, as did a young slave (Acts 16:13). It was here that Paul and Silas were in prison, they prayed and sang praises to God, being freed by an earthquake. The prison guard, seeing the power of God, converted with all the members of his house.
At the beginning of the book Paul declares himself, together with Timothy, "a slave of Christ". This is the true relationship of the Christian with Christ. They are the property, body and soul of Christ, being at the full and continuous disposal of Christ. They are not their own (1 Cor 6:19,20), because they were purchased with the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet 1:18,19). In the same way that Jesus' food was to do the will of the Father who is in Heaven (John 4:34), or that the slave lives to do the will of his earthly Lord, so they exist to do the will of Christ. Jesus is the absolute and common Lord of Paul and Timothy. They are slaves of love (Ex 21:1-6), who freely accept the sovereignty of Christ. To be a slave of Christ is to be free from sin (Rom 6:16-18, 20,22).
Philippians 1:6
God always finishes what He starts. He called us to himself, He began a good work in us and He will complete it. This is the promise. Naturally, we have a part to play, which is to continue believing in Him and cooperating with the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. That is, do not grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), nor quench Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
These days, many people start things and never finish them, and this is not pleasing to God. It is easy to start something when all our emotions are excited about the new thing. But character is seen in what people do when their feelings are no longer supporting them and perhaps they have been left alone with just God and a lot of hard work. God's character is to always finish what He starts. And you? Before starting something, calculate the price for the work and make the decision to finish it.
Philippians 1:9
This love that needs to grow is the love of God in the Philippian Christians. HE WHO DWELLS THE LOVE OF GOD, LOVES THOSE WHOM GOD LOVES (1 John 5:20,21). And this love must also be for one another. To the Romans, he had written: "Owe no one anything, except the love with which you love one another" Rom 13:8. Love is continuous, because it is always a debtor, it is always aware of its debt. This is possible only because God loved us first.
KNOWLEDGE AND DISCERNMENT - growth is not only in love, but also in knowledge. Why? So that the Christian is complete and symmetrical. This knowledge is Biblical and also of general principles in particular situations. The devil loses when the Christian has knowledge of the Word of God and from then on he knows how to discern the intentions of the evil one. When the Christian stops and has an affinity with the Holy Spirit. The growth of love for God (and for the cause of God) in the Christian makes him increasingly sensitive to all forms of evil.
Philppians 1:21
The meaning of the phrase would be: "My life's commitment is to Christ." Christ is the goal of Paul's natural life. He is the beginning and the end. What makes this life meaningful and fruitful is Christ. Such a life is not a human possibility. It is divine work. Paul declares: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20). For him, life is lived to the fullest only in Christ, because eternal life is this: "That they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). He is saying, "The presence of Christ is the joy of my life, the spirit of Christ the life of my life, the love of Christ the power of my life, the will of Christ the law of my life; and the glory of Christ is the end of my life."
Dying is gain - does not indicate that death itself is gain, but points to the state after death.
Hamlet, in the famous monologue "To be or not to be", discusses whether "it is better to live and suffer the arrows of good fortune, or to die and risk the fate of accusing dreams." Neither prospect is pleasant.
Shakespeare "judges that life and death are evils, and he does not know which of them is the least evil."
Paul judges that both are blessings, and he does not know which one to prefer. For years the apostle has lived, not for himself, for material things or for personal advancement, but for Christ. He is prepared to die because he is prepared to live. LIVING RIGHT ENSURES DYING RIGHT. "Being everything for Christ while I live and discovering, finally, that He is everything for me when I die."
Finally, we could translate the text like this: FOR ME, LIVING AND DYING, CHRIST IS THE GAIN.
Philppians 2:3
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3-4 how to avoid conflicts through the true spirit of humility, seeing others as superior to us. This is a difficult challenge because our flesh wants to scream: What about me?
Yes, this passage clearly exhorts us to have the same humble mind presented by Jesus: to think of others as being better than ourselves, to be more concerned with the interests and well-being of others than with our own, and to do nothing out of selfishness, presumption or arrogance. If we are obedient to this instruction, if we humble ourselves and are willing to serve others, we will live in harmony and therefore be pleasing to God.
Philippians 2:5-8
Jesus will always be our model of humility, generosity and unconditional love. In a world so lacking in good examples, He remains our greatest inspiration. He chose to serve us, instead of being served, stripped himself of all his glory, power and uneasiness and dwelt among sinners.
The King became a servant, to lead all his servants to the eternal kingdom.
Now, stop and think. Slide your fingers across the wood and press the nail against your hand. Taste the taste of the vinegar and feel the pinch on your forehead. Feel the thick dust moist with the blood of Jesus. Let the instruments of torture tell his story. Hear how much they reveal what God did to win your heart.
Text extracted from the book “He chose the carnations” by Max Lucado.
As servants of Jesus, let us never allow vanity and pride, self-sufficiency or anything like that to inhabit our hearts. May we think, act and be like Jesus!
Philppians 2:5-8
Continuation verse 9 - Therefore God raised Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name that is above all names, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
THE SUPREME EXAMPLE OF OBEDIENCE - This is one of the most majestic and profound Christological passages in all the Holy Scriptures. When reading them we are more inclined to praise than to analyze.
THE REASON FOR OBEDIENCE - is to think and feel in ourselves what Christ felt. But it is more than a mere thought. It refers to the mood, attitude, state of mind. Treat one another with the same spirit as you experience in Christ Jesus. Here the absolute impossibility of loving God without, at the same time, loving others is shown.
THE REQUIREMENT OF OBEDIENCE - To annihilate oneself is literally to "empty oneself". Christ emptied Himself. At no time did He allow selfish considerations to dominate His own immaculate life.
THE REWARD OF OBEDIENCE - For which God also highly exalted Him. Jesus not only taught that exaltation comes after self-abasement; He also demonstrated it (Mat. 23:12, Luke 14:11 and 18:14). The exaltation of Christ includes His resurrection and ascension.
SO THAT IN THE NAME OF JESUS men should say all their prayers in this name. All things, animate and inanimate, cannot evade or deny the lordship of Christ Jesus. AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESSES THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, this was the oldest creed of the church (Rom 10:9, 1 Cor 12:3 and 8:6). According to Paul, Jesus is the servant who became Lord. Jesus said, "Whoever would be first among you must be your slave" (Mt 20:27).
Philppians 2:14-15
Have you ever wondered if your life as a Christian makes a difference to those around you? The Bible teaches that it certainly ought to be! In Philippians 2:14 and 15 the word murmuring connotes a spirit of discontent and stubbornness, like that which characterized the Israelites in the desert (Nm 16; 1 Cor 10:10). The Greek term for contentions means “interrogations,” “questions,” or “doubts.” Almost always, intellectual doubt accompanies moral revolt against God and the breakdown of relationships with our companions.
PURE AND INCULPABLE LIFE BEFORE GOD - The Greek term amometa (blameless or unmarked) alludes to Momo, God of satire. Among the Greeks, this censorious deity did nothing of value except identify errors and flaws in everything and everyone. Christians must walk so prudently that even Momo himself, no matter how hard he searches, finds no fault in them.
BLAMELESS AND INNOCENT - have to do, respectively, with the Christian's relationship with the world, with himself and with God.
SHINING LIKE LIGHTS- The Israelites were a corrupt and perverse generation, who failed to be children of God (Dt 32.5). Paul is hopeful that the Philippian believers among a similarly corrupt and perverse generation will shine as lights in the world. Lights are celestial bodies - the sun, moon and stars. As these provide light for the physical world, so the light of believers must shine in the darkness of the moral and spiritual world.
Ask God to help you shine brightly with your love and joy for those around you.
Philppians 2:19
For the apostle Paul, the expression IF IT IS THE WILL OF THE LORD JESUS is not an innocuous word. His entire life, from the most important issues to the smallest, is under the control of Jesus Christ (1:8,14,21; 2:24; Rom 9:1). All his actions are subject to his Master. Therefore, if the Lord approves of his plans, he will send Timothy.
Second point is that Paul has full conviction in Timothy's capacity because he is the SUITABLE MAN FOR CHRISTIAN SERVICE as we will see the characteristics:
- He was understanding - "I have no one like him, who will be genuinely anxious for your welfare as Timothy" (v.20).
- It is selfless - "Everyone look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ" (v.21).
- It is temperate - "But you know that Timothy has proven himself. Like a son with his father, he has served at my side in proclaiming the good news" (v.22).
There is no doubt that some in Rome are willing to go to Philippi but are unable or incompetent. However, among those who can go and are competent, Timothy is the only one who can undertake the task.
Philppians 3:3
The Christian does not consider circumcision to have value in itself, or make it anything more than a mere sign. Your faith and hope are in Christ. These are the true people of God, because they have undergone spiritual circumcision (Rom 2:25-29; Eph 2:11; Col 2:11).
We must not put our trust in the flesh - neither our own nor anyone else's. Where does God want our trust to be placed? ONLY IN HIM.
God despises autonomy. He wants us to be totally dependent on Him, as much as the branch depends on the vine; the branch quickly dries up if removed from the vine (John 15:5). God wants us to be subject to Him in everything in our lives and to trust in His love and provision.
Philppians 3:7-8
THE GAIN FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE - Paul is using business jargon. Before his conversion, Paul will place in the "credit" column of the ledger the supposed advantages, since each had value in itself. It is as if he was constantly telling God these virtues one by one. This is the very essence of sin. Man is so full of himself that he has no openness of mind to be full of God. He trusts his intellectual outlook, his humanistic ideals, his personal virtues, his disciplined life, his honesty, and even his religious exercise - and presents them to God as if they deserve salvation.
On the other hand, repentance is horrified by the past before conversion. Paul on the road to Damascus saw that this native confidence in one's own achievements deserved such horror; It was more of a hindrance than a help. When the apostle met Christ, he transferred these works from the "credit" column of the ledger to the "debit" column, considering them all a great loss (Mt 16:26). As a sailor throws everything into the sea in a storm to save his life, so Paul discarded every vestige of personal merit "for the sake of Christ."
Philppians 3:9
Having no justice that is mine. Here we have Paul's doctrine of justification by faith, which he elaborated in more detail in Romans and Galatians (Rom 1:17; 3:24; 4:5; 10:3). JUSTICE means a right relationship with God and also a union with God. Therefore, the only righteousness that has value is that which comes from God, through faith in Christ.
Only by having God's righteousness do we experience true communion with God. Therefore, Paul prays: TO KNOW HIM. The knowledge mentioned here is not mere understanding (1 Thess 1:4), or that which comes by familiarity (Acts 10:28), or the insight resulting from a logical analysis of the fact (Eph 5:17). It is not just a knowledge of Christ, but a personal and experiential knowledge of Christ. The Old Testament uses the verb know to indicate the most intimate relationships possible between people. Knowing Christ in an intimate way is Paul's supreme desire. Paul's desire is for the power that raised Jesus from the dead to operate in the apostle's life.
Philppians 3:13-14
The image for this text is that of a runner stretching with all his strength or throwing himself forward. He does not look back, nor does he compare his position with the relative position of others in the race. Paul's conversion was the beginning and not the end of the race. THE RUNNER DOES NOT MAKE CALCULATIONS OF HOW MANY RUNS HE HAS ALREADY COMPLETED, BUT HOW MANY THERE ARE STILL LEFT. Remembering to praise God for past blessings is healthy (Eph 2:11), but forgetting must be a permanent action in the Christian's life. Only then will there be spiritual progress.
Knowing that there is still ground to be covered, the apostle declares: I PROCEED TOWARDS THE TARGET, FOR THE PRIZE OF THE SOVEREIGN VOCATION OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. Pursuing is the same translation as chasing. Paul is pursuing the prize in Christ with the same determination, freedom from encumbering weights, and unceasing striving, with which he had previously pursued the church. He will not dwell on secondary issues, like the dog that follows the trail and does not go aside; he will not hamper your spiritual progress by loading you with legalism and external rites; he will not allow himself to become full of himself thinking he has achieved final perfection.
The target can indicate the finish line.
Award suggests the crown or trophy.
Sovereign vocation is, literally, HIGHER CALLING. The Christian is called from above (Heb 12:2). This call is from God in Christ Jesus, who at the end of the race will say: "Well done, good and faithful servant". Progress in the believer's life is similar to someone moving toward a light at the end of a long tunnel. He will never have full light until he arrives, but he has greater and greater light as he advances (Prov 4:18).
Philppians 3:17-18
The apostle Paul is directing the brothers to follow him and other leaders who do what is right and walk in accordance with the Word of God. There have always been people or leaders who do not walk in accordance with the Word of God. They twist the Word like the serpent in the garden, to gain some advantage for themselves. Paul in these verses talks about this type of leader, he says: THEY ARE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST and ARE HEADING TO DESTRUCTION. The final destination of these people will be eternal damnation. This is the inevitable consequence of allowing freedom to degenerate into licentiousness.
Verse 19 says: their God is their own belly, or, their own satisfaction. This term 'belly' may refer to those who insisted on the distinction between ceremonially clean and unclean foods. And 'womb' may refer to the womb, as some scholars think, Paul may be referring to the blatant immoralities masquerading under the name Christian. These people have inverted the true scale of values so they can glory in their shame. Fallen man is if not a man with inverted values; LOVE IS WHERE HATE SHOULD BE AND HATE IS WHERE LOVE SHOULD BE; Glory is where shame should be and shame is where glory should be.
They are the same ones who say: We have fellowship with God and at the same time they walk in darkness (1 John 1:6), or: Let us do evil, that good may come (Rom 3:8). Although they claim to be friends of Christ, they are not crucified with him. That is why they are ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST, which is a symbol of death to self and sin.
Now also say, CRYING - According to Paul's example, it is in the spirit of weeping and not in the mania of severe censure that we must see and deal with the inconsistencies of others. Luke 19:41 When Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He began to weep.
Philppians 4:4
Paul exhorts us to joy and holy delight in God: REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS; I REPEAT: REJOICE. All our joy must culminate in God; and our thoughts of God must be pleasant thoughts. "... my cares (painful and distressing thoughts) multiply within me, your consolations cheer soul" (Psalms 94:19), and "... may my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord" (Psalms 104:34 ). Note: It is our duty and privilege to rejoice in God always; at all times and under all conditions; even when we suffer for Him or are afflicted for Him. We should not think the worst of Him because of the sufferings we undergo in His service. There is enough in God to supply us with joy in the worst circumstances on earth. He had said this before (Phil. 3:1): "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord" Here he repeats what he had said previously. Joy in God is a duty of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be reminded of this. If honest people do not constantly party, the problem is with them.
Do not be anxious about anything Philippians 4:6
get away from worries!
God does not want us to agonize over future events, because worry paralyzes our faith, and our prayer life. Let your requests be known before God in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving.
The believing Christian, the wise virgin, has to live under the control of the Holy Spirit. A righteous life, a worthy life for the glory and honor of God the Father. No dishonesty, adhere to the regulations of the law and the traffic rules. The eyes closing at the sight of filth on the television.
Have respect for the other person. The Christian should practice everything in his or her daily life that deserves gracious and praise.
Paul wrote in his letters what he learned during his three years of training by the Lord Jesus Christ personally (Galatians 1:12 and 18). The Christian receives his or her teaching directly from God's Word, the Bible.
It is up to the wise virgin (Matthew 25), the Christian to apply that in daily life and to set an example for the unbeliever.
Then the Christian receives a deep inner peace from God with which he or she can deal with the daily problems.
It is the foolish virgin, Christian who stays on earth at the Rapture of the Church (Matthew 24:40-42) and goes through the Great Tribulation.
Philppians 4:8
The Bible guides us on what we should think. We are instructed to think about good things, things that build us up rather than tear us down.
The thoughts we have certainly affect the way we act and our temperament. Everything the Lord tells us is for our own good.
Take stock of your life and ask yourself: WWhat have I been thinking? Examine what kinds of thoughts run through your mind.
Satan deceives people into thinking that the source of their unhappiness is something other than what it really is. He wants them to think that everything is because of what is happening around them (their circumstances), but the unhappiness is actually due to what is happening inside them (their thoughts).
Examine your thoughts honestly. When you change the way you think and do not allow bad thoughts to settle in your mind, you put yourself on the path to a freer, more perfect and victorious life.
Philppians 4:11-13
Learning to be content with what you have - Here we have an account of Paul's learning, not from what he received at the feet of Gamaliel, but from what he received at the feet of Christ. He learned to be content. This lesson he had as much need to learn as most of us, considering the privations and sufferings through which he was trained. He was often in jails and in want; but in all these situations he learned to be content, that is, inside he accepted this condition and tried to make the most of it.
I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound (v12) - This is a special act of grace: adjusting ourselves according to each condition of life and having a constant mental and spiritual disposition in all the varieties of our state.
- To adjust to a distressing condition - accepting being humiliated, being hungry, suffering want, and not being overwhelmed by the temptations that come with it, losing our comfort in God or distrusting His providence, or finding a way of our own to meet needs.
- For a prosperous condition - knowing how to have in abundance, knowing how to be full without being proud, secure or luxurious. And this is as difficult a lesson as the other; because the temptations towards abundance and prosperity are no less than those we have towards affliction and want.
But how should we learn this lesson? I CAN DO ALL THINGS IN HIM WHO STRENGTHENS ME (v13). We need to obtain strength from Christ, to be able to carry out not only purely Christian obligations, but even those that are the fruit of moral virtue. WE NEED HIS STRENGTH TO TEACH US HOW TO BE HAPPY IN EVERY CONDITION.
Philppians 4:18a and 19
In verse 18 Paul says that he has everything he needs, he is satisfied with the help of the Philippians. The servant of God, although he had little, had enough; a worldly and greedy person, the more he has, the more he wants.
Verse 19 - He takes a bond from the treasury of Heaven and lets God repay the kindness they had shown him. He will do it, not only as your God, but as my God, who takes what was done to me as if it were done to Himself. You have supplied my needs, according to your poverty; and He will supply yours according to His riches. But this act takes place through Christ Jesus; through Him we have the grace to do that which is good, and through Him we must expect the reward of it. Not as debt, but as grace; because the more we do for God, the more we are indebted to Him, because the more we receive from Him.
Philppians 4:20
God must be considered by us as our Father: NOW, HE IS OUR GOD AND FATHER. It is a great condescension and favor of God to recognize the Father's relation to sinners, and to allow us to say to Him: OUR FATHER; and this is a common title in the Gospel dispensation. It is also a great privilege and encouragement to have Him as our Father, as someone who is so closely related to us and has such great love for us. We should rely on God, in the face of our weaknesses and fears, not as a tyrant or enemy, but as a Father, who is inclined to sympathize with us and help us. We must give glory to God as Father, the glory of His own excellence and of all His mercy towards us. We must gratefully acknowledge that everything we receive comes from Him and give all praise to Him. And our praise must be constant and perpetual; it must be GLORY FOREVER AND EVER.