BIG IDEA:
TWO SERVANTHOOD EXAMPLES OF PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL
INTRODUCTION:
D. A. Carson: Emulate those who are interested in the well-being of others, not in their own. Be on the alert for Christians who really do exemplify this basic Christian attitude, this habit of helpfulness. They are never the sort who strut their way into leadership with inflated estimates of their own importance. They are the kind who cheerfully pick up after other people. They are not offended if no one asks about them; they are too busy asking about others. They are the kind who are constantly seeking to do good spiritually, to do good materially, to do good emotionally. They are committed to the well-being of others.
Max Anders: Honor Christian ministers because of what they have done for Jesus in serving you and his church courageously and unselfishly.
Tony Merida: Paul moves from instructions and imperatives to living illustrations. We need illustrations and examples of a Philippians type of life! D. A. Carson gives numerous cases of the need for examples in matters such as prayer, language, lifestyle, entertainment, and he says, “Much Christian character is as much caught as taught—that is, it is picked up by constant association with mature Christians. . . . Modeling, modeling; it takes place all the time, whether we take it into account or not” (Basics, 69–70).
These men exemplify Philippians 1:5, for they had a “partnership in the gospel.” God began a good work in them, and He was carrying it out (1:6). These men show us what it looks like to have affection for Christ’s church (1:7-8). We could also say that they illustrate what it looks like to live “worthy of the gospel” (1:27), and that they illustrate the imperatives of 2:12-16.
Gordon Fee: Having informed the Philippians about “his affairs” (as “reflections on imprisonment,” 1:12–26) and appealed to them regarding “their affairs” (that they live worthy of the gospel, 1:27 – 2:18), Paul now proceeds to “what’s next.” And “what’s next” has to do with visits to Philippi (Timothy’s [vv. 19–23]; his own [24]; and Epaphroditus’s [25–30]), which from the point of view of his writing the letter are all future, but from that of their reading it are partly future (vv. 19–24) and partly completed (vv. 25–30).
David Garland: It is . . .a digression praising Timothy and Epaphroditus in such a way that Paul further illustrates what it means to have the mind of Christ (2:5). Davis’s comments, 117, are apropos: “As is typical of oral compositions, Paul does not leave the discussion of working for the benefit of the gospel in the theoretical world. He immediately follows up his commands with two very practical examples. Furthermore, these examples are not icons to be imagined but men with whom the Philippians are quite familiar.” Both Timothy and Epaphroditus have emptied themselves in serving the gospel and provide living, familiar examples of servanthood.
F. F. Bruce: Paul did not set out deliberately to present three examples of the same self-renouncing attitude “as that of Christ Jesus” [Phil. 2:5]. But in fact this is what he has done. His own readiness to have his martyrdom credited to the spiritual account of his Philippian friends, Timothy’s unselfish service to Paul and genuine concern for other Christians, Epaphroditus’s devotion to his mission at great risk to his health and (as it might have been) to his life—all these display the unselfconscious care for others enjoined at the beginning of this chapter and reinforced by the powerful example of Christ’s self-emptying.
Dennis Johnson: Our text teaches, however, that God does embed into our experience living, breathing replicas of Jesus: men and women whose heart instincts are growing by grace so that we can sense the heartbeat of Christ in the way they treat others, react to adversity, and invest their energies. Watching them shows us what growing up to be like Jesus looks like in the nitty-gritty of everyday life. Three such miniatures are profiled in Philippians 2:19–30: Paul himself, his junior colleague Timothy, and the Philippians’ own messenger Epaphroditus. None of these miniatures fully matches the Original, of course. Even they are not yet fully “grown up.” Paul will frankly admit this about himself in Philippians 3:12–14, where he insists that one mark of maturity is realizing that you are not yet fully mature (3:15). But each of these men reflects Jesus to the Philippians and to us; and as they do, their reflections show us what growing up looks like, and why and how growing up toward the maturity of Jesus is possible.
Ben Witherington: If the example of Christ is too lofty or remote, since none of the Philippians had likely ever seen Jesus, here were two examples in the flesh that they knew very well, two genuine Christian leaders and servants of the gospel who provided concrete examples and even direct guidance when they were in town. They could be readily contrasted with others in Rome who were preaching the gospel for selfish motives (cf. 1:15-17 to 2:21). . .
It is surely no accident that Paul appeals to these two examples, since they have both engaged in self-sacrificial suffering like Christ’s and they are both persons exhibiting behavior that produces unity and concord. Indeed, Paul is sending them to Philippi to work on that very matter, and already Epaphroditus had been strengthening the social networks between the Philippians and Paul by coming to Paul’s aid with resources from the Philippians. Paul goes out of his way to stress that these two individuals share like mindsets, goals, behaviors with Paul and so he calls them his coworkers and fellow-soldiers. They serve in the same salvation army for the same Savior, and they have the mind of Christ. They are walking examples of the proposition in 1:27-30, and Paul will use language here that echoes that passage. The relationship between Paul and these two coworkers models how things should be among and between the Philippians.
John MacArthur: Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus were three very different individuals: Paul the bold, fearless leader; Timothy his quiet, devoted assistant; Epaphroditus a diligent, behind-the-scenes worker. Yet all three manifested the most important characteristic of a godly leader—a life worth imitating.
Gordon Zerbe: Outline
Plans for Sending Timothy Soon, 2:19–23
2:19 The Hope for Timothy’s Imminent Visit and Its Purpose
2:20–22 Recommendation of Timothy as Model Messianic Envoy
2:23 Timing Contingency: Paul’s Own Circumstance
Confidence in Paul’s Own Imminent Visit, 2:24
Commendation of Epaphroditus as Model Messianic “Soldier,” 2:25–30
2:25 The Necessity of Sending Epaphroditus
2:26–28 The Reasons for Sending Epaphroditus
2:29–30 Receiving and Honoring Epaphroditus
I. (:19-24) THE EXAMPLE OF TIMOTHY — A KINDRED SPIRIT
Gordon Fee: Although a passage like this carries much less theological grist than what has preceded, what emerges is of considerable moment. Paul’s description of Timothy, especially as that stands in contrast to those in Rome who out of rivalry are trying to increase his affliction, lies at the heart of what Paul understands Christian life to be all about. Reflecting the kind of concern he has raised by way of appeal in 2:3–4 (see v. 21), he reminds the Philippians that Timothy’s coming to them would reflect his genuine concern about them; Timothy simply is not one to seek his own interests ahead of those of Christ Jesus. As noted on that passage, it is hard to imagine a more certain antidote to any number of struggles that consistently plague the local church, not to mention larger bodies and denominations, than this one—that God’s people all be as Timothy in terms of their putting the interests of others as the matter of first importance. Here again the way of “humility,” taking the lower road by way of the cross, is on full display; and here alone, as the gospel impacts the people of God in this way at the core of our beings, can we expect truly to count for the gospel in a world that lives the opposite, not only as a matter of course, but for the most part as its primary value. One must “look out for number one,” after all. Agreed, as long as one recognizes the cross to dictate that “number one” is one’s neighbor and not oneself.
Grant Osborne: Let’s rehearse the situation behind the letter. Paul had probably been in his prison apartment for nearly two years, and his capital trial was nearing its end. Several months earlier, the Philippian church had sent Epaphroditus to Rome to deliver a monetary gift and to help Paul in his ministry. Then several events had happened in succession, including Epaphroditus’ serious illness (2:26–27) and Paul’s receipt of news about dissension in the church. Paul would like to have gone to Philippi shortly after receiving this report, but the trial was unlikely to wrap up anytime soon. He decided to have Epaphroditus return home—so the believers could see firsthand that he had recovered—and to send Timothy a short while later.
This letter likely was sent with Epaphroditus in order to explain his return to Philippi and to address Paul’s concerns about the church there, as well as to lay groundwork for the upcoming visit by Timothy, who would try to rectify the situation among the believers. In this section Paul intended to use both of these coworkers as examples for the Philippians to follow—Timothy as a model of love and concern for others and Epaphroditus as a model of perseverance and integrity in the midst of great personal suffering.
A. (:19-21) The Heart of an Undershepherd of Christ — a Servant to the Flock
- A Blessing to both Paul and the Philippians
a. Faithful in his interaction
“But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly”
David Garland: The verb “to send” (pempō, GK 4287; 2:19, 28) and the phrase “in the Lord” (en kyriō, GK 3261; 2:19, 29) mark off 2:19–30 as a unit (inclusio).
R. Kent Hughes: Remember, Paul is under arrest in Rome. And as always with Paul, there is no presumption in his planning as he hopes “in the Lord Jesus” to send Timothy their way. This is not a glib cliché. This is the way Paul lived, as other outtakes from his letters make clear: “if the Lord wills” (1 Corinthians 4:19) and “if the Lord permits” (1 Corinthians 16:7)—Deo volenti.
Paul bows to God’s will, but at the same time he longs for Timothy to make that round-trip to Philippi and back to Rome because he felt sure that cheerful, heartening news would be coming from Philippi as the Philippians read his letter and took it to heart.
John MacArthur: Timothy was a native of Lystra in the province of Galatia (part of modern Turkey). His mother, Eunice, was Jewish and his father was a Greek and probably a pagan. Paul led him to Christ (1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Tim. 1:2, 18; 2 Tim. 1:2), probably during the apostle’s visit to Lystra on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:6–23). Both his mother and his grandmother, Lois, were believers (2 Tim. 1:5) and had instructed Timothy in the Old Testament (2 Tim. 3:15). That he was not circumcised as a child suggests that his father had educated him in Greek learning and culture. Along with his spiritual maturity, his combined Jewish and Greek heritage made him uniquely qualified to minister the gospel with Paul to the Gentile world. To make Timothy more acceptable to the Jews, especially to those in Galatia who knew of him, Paul circumcised him (Acts 16:3). By the time Paul wrote Philippians, Timothy had been his almost constant companion for about ten years.
Richard Melick: In sending Timothy, Paul sent the best he had—an extension of himself—and a costly gift to them. After all, they had sacrificed for him as well.
b. Encouraging in his outlook
“so that I also may be encouraged”
G. Walter Hansen: Paul explains his reason for sending Timothy to Philippi by saying that he desires to be cheered when he receives news regarding the condition of the church in Philippi. Used only here in the NT, the word cheered means “to be heartened, be glad, have courage.” Although Paul assumes that the church will be encouraged by Timothy’s report regarding his own situation, he places his emphasis on the potential impact that Timothy’s report regarding the church will have on his personal sense of well-being. This emphasis on his deep concern for the welfare of the church puts pressure on the church to cheer him up by following his directive to be one in spirit and of one mind (2:2). The church now knows that they will encourage Paul by their unity or discourage him by their disunity. Not as a dispassionate spectator but as a tenderly caring parent, Paul opens his heart to the church. His words “combine a subtle, unobtrusive admonition and an expression of affectionate solidarity between apostle and congregation.”
c. Accurate in his assessment
“when I learn of your condition”
David Garland: Timothy seems to have functioned as Paul’s dispatch bearer and troubleshooter, since he sent him to the Thessalonians to strengthen them in the midst of their persecution (1Th 3:2–3) and to the Corinthians to remind them of Paul’s ways in the Lord (1Co 4:17).
Dennis Johnson: Paul implies in verse 19 that Timothy would make a round trip from Rome to Philippi and back again, since Timothy’s return would bring news from Philippi to cheer Paul’s heart. In today’s world of speedy transcontinental air travel, we might not realize the cost in time, comfort, and safety that Timothy’s round trip would entail. The most direct route would be overland from Rome on the Via Appia to Brindisi on Italy’s southeast coast (over 350 miles). A voyage across the Adriatic Sea (about ninety miles) would bring him to Dyrrachium, the western terminus of the Via Egnatia. Then he would make a 360-mile trek eastward on the Via Egnatia across Macedonia to Philippi. In order to bring news from Paul to Philippi and from Philippi back to Paul, Timothy would invest weeks in order to make this arduous and dangerous trip over land and sea.
- A Kindred Spirit to both Paul and Christ
a. Unique in this regard
“For I have no one else of kindred spirit”
Robert Gromacki: The term ‘like-minded’ (isopsuchon) literally means ‘equal soul.’ Just as Jesus Christ was equal to the Father in deity (2:6), so Timothy was equal to Paul in the characteristics of unity, humility, and concern for others.
Gerald Hawthorne: The second reason Paul gives for sending Timothy is quite startling: “No one else cares! All [οἱ πάντες] are looking out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”
- Does this statement reveal “a peevish and uncharitable tone” on Paul’s part, a good example of his own personal feelings of hostility against those Christians around him in his place of captivity (Synge, 37)?
- Is it hyperbole, designed to enhance Timothy’s worth and authority as opposed to any other person Paul might have chosen to send and the Philippians might have been willing to welcome (Collange)?
- Could it mean that of all the Christians around him there is no one else to whom he could entrust so important a mission (Martin [1959])?
- Is it a general parenthetical remark regarding the world around him, one that says nothing about his fellow Christians but is rather “his solemn reflection when he remembers that, in a world of selfishness and self-seeking (cf. Matt 6:32), it is such a rare thing to find a man like Timothy who is really anxious to promote the welfare of other people, and to give himself to a fatiguing journey and to the resolving of personal quarrels in the Philippian church” (Martin [1959], 125)?
- Is it a restrictive statement where “all” does not mean all Christians in the place of his confinement (cf. 1:16) or in the world but refers only to all those who were near at hand, available and in Paul’s judgment able to undertake such a difficult mission but were not willing to do so (Jones, Beare, Hendriksen, Caird)?
- Is it an example of how Christians can differ radically in their evaluation of a particular mission within the church? For Paul the journey to Philippi was a number-one priority—to refuse this mission was to be seeking one’s own interests and to care nothing for the cause of Christ; for others the welfare of this distant church at Philippi was not nearly so important as the welfare of their own community in their town and its outreach to surrounding places. To drop their commitments to their immediate churches and to travel to Philippi, even if an apostle did desire this, would itself be to them a seeking of their own interests and not Christ’s.
It is possible to speculate unceasingly about the meaning of Paul’s startling statement here. In the words of Vincent (74), “Without more information a satisfactory explanation seems impossible.”
John MacArthur: The goal of true discipleship is reproduction; when a person is fully discipled, Jesus said, he will be like his teacher (Matt. 10:25). Over the course of time, Timothy came to think like Paul, relate to believers and unbelievers like Paul, evaluate ideas and situations like Paul, trust in the Lord like Paul, and pray like Paul. Those two men of God had similar qualities of soul, similar passions, similar objectives, and similar zeal. In effect, Paul was saying to the believers in Philippi what he had said to those in Corinth a few years earlier: “I exhort you, be imitators of me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Cor. 4:16–17). So here, as at Corinth, until Paul was able to visit Philippi again, Timothy was by far his best substitute. He was the ultimate fulfillment of the apostle’s desire that other believers be faithful imitators of him, as he was of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). No wonder Timothy was so beloved and dear to Paul.
b. Genuinely concerned for others
“who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare”
G. Walter Hansen: Paul draws a line between obsessive anxiety and genuine concern. Caring for the needs of friends should not lead to anxiety; freedom from anxiety should not lead to a lack of concern for friends. In fact, members of the body of Christ should have concern for each other (1 Cor 12:25: to auto hyper allēlōn merimnōsin).
c. Totally unselfish
“For they all seek after their own interests”
d. Totally committed to Christ Jesus
“not those of Christ Jesus”
B. (:22) The Track Record of Faithful Service
- Man of Proven Worth
“But you know of his proven worth“
Steven Lawson: If you are to be useful to the Lord, it will require that you be battle-tested. Realize that every trial that you undergo is intended to prepare you for future ministry. If you are presently in the fires of adversity in your service for the Lord—perhaps you are facing resistance or persecution in some way for your faith in Christ—know that God always has refining purposes in the midst of your difficulties. Your hardships are the training school for your ministry.
- True Partner in the Gospel
“that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel“
David Garland: The translation “he has served with me” dilutes the Greek douleuō (GK 1526; he “slaved”) and causes the reader to miss the parallel to Christ, who took the form of a slave (2:7).
- Like a Faithful Son
“like a child serving his father” 1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2
John MacArthur: Model spiritual living demands that you come alongside those who are the fathers, the spiritual fathers and look at them with love and esteem and respect and honor as a little fellow does the father of his love. That alone could heal congregations of immense difficulties.
Gerald Hawthorne: The picture is drawn from the world of Paul’s day where it was expected that a son should learn his trade from his father (Caird: like any Jewish father, Paul would encourage his son, and the rabbis were no exception). The Philippians knew, therefore, that Timothy was coming to them having learned all that Paul could teach him. He was coming to them to express exactly the apostle’s mind and, more importantly, to exemplify both Paul’s self-sacrifice as a prisoner and Christ’s “model”.
C. (:23-24) The Availability to Meet Needs
- Willing to Serve Wherever Needed
“Therefore I hope to send him immediately,
as soon as I see how things go with me“
Gordon Fee: Thus Timothy’s reason for coming is twofold: in the first instance for Paul’s sake, to see how the letter has affected them; and second for their sakes, to be encouraged and brought up to speed about the outcome of his imprisonment.
- Patterned after the Model of the Apostle Paul Himself
“and I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall be coming shortly“
G. Walter Hansen: Paul is also confident that his own visit to Philippi will be soon (2:24). Paul envisions only a brief interval before his circumstances will dramatically improve: soon he will be able to send Timothy to Philippi since he will no longer need his assistance; soon he will be free to visit his friends in Philippi. Paul does not appear to gain his positive view of his future from a sanguine temperament, a resolute commitment to an optimistic perspective on life no matter what, or a careful analysis of the latest news. He claims that he is positive about the future because he places his hope in the Lord Jesus (v. 19) and he is confident in the Lord (v. 24). Whether he means that he simply trusts in the goodness of the Lord or that he has received a special revelation from the Lord regarding his future, we cannot be sure. But we do know that when Paul looked at the horizon he focused on the Lord Jesus. As a result he was filled with hope and confidence. . .
Not only does this emphasis on personal presence indicate Paul’s commitment to his friends, but it also points to the seriousness of the crisis in the church. Evidently, Paul believes that true unity in the church can be fully restored only by his own personal presence. But Paul hopes that his letter and the visits of his agents will promote the process of restoration of unity in the church. And by promising that he will make a personal visit, Paul enhances the authority of his letter and his agents.
William Barclay: Timothy’s great use was that, whenever Paul wished for information from some Church, or when he wished to send advice or counsel or encouragement or guidance or rebuke, and when he could not go himself, it was Timothy whom he sent…
The great use of Timothy was that Timothy was a man who could be sent anywhere, and who was always willing to go. In the hands of Timothy a message was as safe as if Paul had delivered it himself. Others might be consumed with selfish ambition, and might be concerned with their own interests alone; but Timothy’s one desire was to serve Paul and to serve Christ in Christ’s Church. Timothy is the patron saint of all those who are quite content with the second place, so long as they can serve.”
II. (:25-30) THE EXAMPLE OF EPAPHRODITUS — A COURAGEOUS AND COMPASSIONATE MINISTER
Sending of Epaphroditus
“But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus,”
Gordon Fee: Logically, this paragraph should precede the former: Epaphroditus now, Timothy and myself later. But Paul’s logic is that of concern, not chronology.
A. (:25) A Minister of Great Value (based on his companionship/partnership)
- To the Apostle Paul Himself
a. “my brother” – Relationship
R. Kent Hughes: Stephen Ambrose, in his best-selling book Comrades, describes friendship:
“Friends never cheat each other, or take advantage, or lie. Friends do not spy on one another, yet they have no secrets. Friends glory in each other’s successes and are downcast by the failures. Friends minister to each other, nurse each other. Friends give to each other, worry about each other, stand always ready to help. Perfect friendship is rarely achieved, but at its height it is an ecstasy.”
It certainly was that for Paul and Timothy. Their friendship had grown over the years on the ancient apprenticeship model. Timothy had learned by observing, listening to instruction, and doing. They had endured tumultuous times together, and young Timothy was ever the learner. The depth of their friendship is seen in the Pastoral Epistles, where Paul twice called Timothy “my child” (cf. 1 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 2:1). Now Paul trusted Timothy to act just as he would.
Dennis Johnson: Paul frequently addresses fellow believers as “brothers” (see Phil. 1:12; 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8)—not because they share biological DNA, but because God has graciously adopted them all as his beloved children (Eph. 5:1–2). Epaphroditus’s name implies his pagan past, suggesting that at birth his parents had invoked over him the protection of the goddess Aphrodite. By the grace of Christ, however, Epaphroditus had been born into a new family and invested with a new identity. Now Paul affirms that he and Epaphroditus are brothers. As the Philippians will glimpse in Timothy, Paul’s “son,” the apostle’s deep concern for them, so in his “brother” Epaphroditus they will see Paul’s readiness to suffer for them. And of course, in all three men they will encounter replicas of Jesus, the selfless Suffering Servant.
b. “and fellow worker” – Responsibility
G. Walter Hansen: By calling Epaphroditus his co-worker, Paul includes him in his inner circle of associates; he has a place on the team who lived, traveled, and served with Paul for the advance of the gospel.
c. “and fellow soldier” — Resolve
William Barclay: As Lightfoot puts it, Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, one with him in danger.
R. Kent Hughes: Paul says elsewhere, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). This was the battle. The two fought shoulder-to-shoulder in Rome. Perhaps Paul had in mind the trademark imperial soldiers’ battle ethic of standing side by side, dug in with shields locked solid, swords drawn. The truth is, young Epaphroditus was a battle-tested warrior who had been wounded in combat and was being sent home for a rest. This man was no weekend warrior. He had proven himself with distinction.
- To the Philippian Believers
a. “who is also your messenger“
John MacArthur: Apostolos can refer to an ordinary messenger, as it clearly does here. The term is used for the office of apostle, held by the Twelve (including Matthias; Acts 1:21–26) and Paul (cf. Rom. 1:1; Gal. 1:1, 19; Eph. 1:1). They were men who had seen the risen Lord and who were directly chosen by Him. In a completely unique way, Jesus is “the Apostle [apostolon] and High Priest of our confession” (Heb. 3:1). Apostolos can also refer to special messengers who were chosen and sent by the churches (cf. Acts 14:14; 2 Cor. 8:23). Clearly Epaphroditus was such a messenger, dispatched to Rome by the church at Philippi.
b. “and minister to my need“
William Barclay: The word he uses for servant is the word leitourgos. In secular Greek this was a magnificent word. In the ancient days in the Greek cities there were men who, because they loved their city so much, out of their own resources and at their own expense undertook certain great civic duties. It might be to defray the expenses of an embassy, or the cost of putting on one of the great dramas of the great poets, or of training the athletes who would represent the city in the games, or of fitting out a warship and paying a crew to serve in the navy of the state. These were munificent gifts to the state; such men were the supreme benefactors of the state; and such men were known as leitourgoi.
David Garland: The noun leitourgos is used elsewhere in the NT to refer to a priestly ministry (Ro 15:16; Heb 8:2). It befits the sacrificial imagery Paul uses to refer to their gift—“an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (4:18; cf. 2:17).
Grant Osborne: Epaphroditus was sent to minister to Paul’s needs and to serve his mission in any way he could. Those “needs” certainly included financial support, as seen in 4:18, but Epaphroditus’ service went beyond this to all of Paul’s needs, both personal and ministry-centered.
B. (:26-27) A Minister of Great Compassion and Mutual Love (based on his companionship/partnership)
- (:26) With Respect to the Philippians
“because he was longing for you all
and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick“
John MacArthur: His heart ached because he had learned that the believers in Philippi had heard that he was sick and were worried about him. He was not apprehensive about his life-threatening illness, but rather was distressed over their distress! Asthene (was sick) translates a compound verb composed of the negative a and sthenos (“strength”) and literally means “without strength.” It was used to describe weaknesses of numerous kinds and varying degrees. Related nouns were used of general physical weakness (2 Cor. 12:10) as well as of spiritual weakness (Matt. 26:41). Paul even used asthene to describe the weakness, because of the sinfulness of the flesh (Rom. 8:3), of the Mosaic Law to produce righteousness.
But asthene was most commonly used of physical illness. It was used in the New Testament to describe sicknesses miraculously cured by Jesus (cf. Mark 6:56; Luke 4:40; John 5:3; 11:2–3), the disciples (Matt. 10:8), and the apostles after Pentecost (cf. Acts 9:37; 19:12).
The Philippians had good reason to be worried about Epaphroditus’s health, because he had been sick to the point of death. Had God not had mercy on him, he would have died. It is interesting that, although he once had exercised the gift of healing (cf. Acts 28:8), Paul evidently did not use it to heal Epaphroditus—perhaps because the era of miraculous apostolic signs was nearly over (cf. 2 Tim. 4:20).
- (:27) With Respect to the Apostle Paul
“For indeed he was sick to the point of death,
but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me,
lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”
Grant Osborne: Paul considered himself one of those friends who wanted Epaphroditus around for the near future, so he recognized God’s mercy on himself as well. By sparing Epaphroditus’ life God had spared Paul “sorrow upon sorrow.” This is a great example for us today, for I remember thinking at one time that Christians should never express sorrow at the death of a believing loved one—because death means they are with the Lord, which is a happy thing, right? I failed to realize the true tension, for death is described in 1 Corinthians 15:26 as “the last enemy to be destroyed.” It is not our friend. . . we all naturally feel deep sorrow that we will never see our loved one again on this earth. Paul would have followed Jewish practice and beat his breast, crying his eyes out at the loss of his friend. When a believing loved one dies we are filled with conflicting emotions—sorrow that we will never see them again in this world along with joy that their suffering is over and they are with the Lord.
Gordon Zerbe: Paul stresses the gravity of his illness: He was indeed so ill that he was a close neighbor to death (v. 27; cf. v. 30, He came near to death, evoking the imagery of Messiah’s own pathway in 2:8). Then Paul credits God’s mercy for his eventual restoration. Paul also acknowledges that his own story is intimately tied to Epaphroditus’s story: each of them is a recipient of God’s mercy. Otherwise the loss of Epaphroditus would mean pain upon pain (lypēn epi lypēn, or, sorrow upon sorrow). Paul shares the deep emotion that accompanies sickness, potential loss of life and friendship, separation, and, of course, incarceration.
C. (:28-29a) A Minister of Great Joy (based on his companionship/partnership)
“Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly in order that when you see him
again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.
Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy“
Max Anders: To prevent any criticism of Epaphroditus’ leaving Paul in his difficult situation or not completing the mission on which the church sent him, the apostle commanded the Philippians to welcome and honor him for his sacrificial service for the Lord. He, too, followed Christ’s model of humble service. In so doing he became the example for all Christians who want to serve in such a way as to win the church’s acclaim as well as that of Christ.
G. Walter Hansen: When Paul expresses his desire for the church to rejoice again, he is not simply concerned for the happiness of believers. His focus in this passage as always is God-centered; rejoicing in Paul’s theology is praise for God’s mercy and delight in God’s presence. By sending Epaphroditus home, Paul knows that he will lead the church into joyful worship for the merciful intervention of God.
Charles Swindoll: It is possible that a few might see the return of Epaphroditus as a failure of his mission and of the purpose of his journey to Paul. Maybe they had expected him not only to deliver financial support, but also to provide physical assistance to Paul for the duration of his imprisonment. Maybe they would have sized him up as a quitter. If so, Paul painted quite a different picture of the man. He expected the church to receive him “in the Lord with all joy” and to hold him “in high regard” (2:29). As a result of his long journey, he had almost lost his life for the cause of Christ and on behalf of the church in Philippi (2:30). Epaphroditus was to be welcomed back, not as a “loser,” but as a home-grown hero and an example for them all.
D. (:29b-30) A Minister of Great Courage and Dedication
“and hold men like him in high regard;
because he came close to death for the work of Christ,
risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.”
Steven Lawson: The apostle is concerned that when Epaphroditus returns to Philippi, he should not be critically interrogated regarding why he is back so early. He should not be cross-examined as one who has deserted his post. Instead, Paul exhorts the Philippians to “hold men like him in high regard.” Such ministers of the Lord should be highly respected. “High regard” (entimos) means to give someone a high reputation. In other words, the Philippians should elevate their estimate of Epaphroditus due to the lofty reputation he has earned as a humble servant of Paul, and of Christ.
George Hunsinger: As Markus Bockmuehl remarks, “By saying that it is people like Epaphroditus whom the Philippians should ‘hold in honor’ (entimous), Paul at once contradicts Graeco-Roman society’s pervasive culture of rewarding the upwardly mobile quest for prestige and public recognition (philotima). The church instead will prize and value those who aspire to ‘the mind of Christ’ (Phil. 2:6–11).”
G. Walter Hansen: Through all the troubles and disappointments of his life, Paul is able to see and delight in the radiance of Christ reflected in the character and service of his friends. When he draws their portraits, he shows how ordinary people give themselves sacrificially to serve the needs of others as Christ did. In this way his friends become an extension of his imperative to have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had (2:5).
Gordon Fee: Thus Paul concludes this brief narrative of proposed travel plans. The narrative is full of warmth and pathos, victory and trepidation. His affection for the Philippians spills over to them through his expressions of affection for Epaphroditus, their “ministrant” to his human needs. At the same time the passage echoes with notes of gratitude and joy, gratitude to God for his mercy in healing a brother, joy renewed as they see him again. Paul hints at his sorrows, but does not elaborate; instead, the passage is full of affection and honor for one who dared to risk his life “for the work of Christ” in bringing him material aid. His ultimate concern is that the Philippians themselves appreciate Epaphroditus for what he has done in their behalf for Paul’s sake. If he also thus serves as one who was willing to suffer for the sake of Christ, that note, while not played loudly, neither is played so softly that it cannot be heard. Thus, here is very personal material, which receives its theological moments because Paul seems incapable of doing anything otherwise.