Section I The Fellowship of Service

Philippians 1:1-2

A. THE SERVANTS, 1:1

Paul and Timotheus (1). How appropriate that reference should be made to Timothy! He was Paul's “true child in the faith” (I Tim. 1:2, RSV). Apparently on Paul's first missionary journey Timothy had been won to Christ at Lystra (Acts 14:6-7), and on his second journey Paul had chosen this “disciple” as one of his traveling companions (Acts 16:1-3). Timothy was therefore present with Paul at the founding of the church at Philippi (Acts 16:12 ff.), and had accompanied Paul on his subsequent journey to the city (Acts 20). The Philippians would be glad to be remembered by Timothy, whom no doubt they had come to love for his faithful service among them. Indeed, both Paul and the Philippians think so highly of Timothy, and he of them, that Paul plans to send him back to the congregation as soon as possible (2:19-22).

It has been suggested that Timothy is mentioned here because at a point or two in the letter Paul offers a gentle rebuke and wants his readers to know that the censure has the sanction of his partner.¹ However, such a sanction would hardly be necessary in writing to the Philippians. The reference to Timothy not only speaks highly of him, but also speaks volumes concerning the character of Paul. Timothy is Paul's junior in age, experience, and partnership. It is not easy for the senior member of a team to place his assistant on the same level with himself, and yet Paul has sufficient grace to do so.

Paul does not make reference to young Timothy merely because he may have been his secretary and good taste demanded it. Rather, the reference is a result of their true fellowship as servants of Jesus Christ. Paul and Timothy are described, literally, as the “slaves” (douloi) of their Lord. Here is the Christian's true relationship to Christ. They are Christ's property, body and soul, at His complete and continuous disposal. They are not their “own” (I Cor. 6:20) because they have been bought “by the precious blood of Christ” (I Pet. 1:18-19). Even as Jesus' “meat” was to do the will of His Father in heaven (John 4:34), or as a slave exists to do the will of his earthly master, so they exist to do the will of Christ. Christ is their absolute and common Master. They are His “love-slaves” (Exod. 21:1-6), who have freely accepted His sovereignty. To be the slave of Christ is to be free from sin (Rom. 6:16-18, 20, 22). Paul and Timothy consequently share in a unique fellowship. The intimacy of these servants is based not so much on their past experiences together as on their common commitment to Christ and emancipation from unrighteousness.

B. THE SAINTS, 1:1

Saints, literally “holy ones” (hagiois), refers to those who have been set apart to the service of Christ, separated and different from the world. They belong to, and are to be like, God. They are His purchased possession and His peculiar property. The term is the equivalent of believers or regenerated ones, and indicates those who have been “washed” from sin and set on the road in love to moral and spiritual maturity (I Cor. 6:9-11; I Pet. 1:2). Saints … at Philippi means the church or “true Christians” (Phillips) at Philippi. Refusing to make any distinctions, Paul addressess all those in the church (1:4, 7-8, 25; 4:21), indicating his love for them regardless of their deserts. Saints and servants of Jesus Christ are virtually synonymous. Thus there is a close fellowship between Paul and Timothy, the bondslaves, and the believers at Philippi.

Saints expresses the state of the Christians in Christ. One is a saint in biblical usage only because he is “in Christ Jesus.” This is one of Paul's favorite phrases, and fairly summarizes his theology. Its meaning stands in contrast to “demon possession” (cf. Mark 1:23; lit., in an unclean spirit, or, according to Phillips, “in the grip of an evil spirit”). To be “in Christ” is to be possessed by Him, to be under His control and influence. It is to be held in the heart of Christ. The phrase should be understood as being in the “power of another.”² As the spirit of one person can transform the total being of another without violating his freedom or individuality, so the Spirit of Christ can transform into new creatures those who are in Him (II Cor. 5:17) without denying full freedom or the fulfillment of personality.³ “In Christ” occurs eight times in this Epistle. In all Paul's letters it is found thirty-four times, “in Christ Jesus” forty-eight times, and “in the Lord” fifty times.⁴ When the emphasis rests on the historical Jesus, Paul puts “Jesus” first in any combination; when “Christ” takes precedence, he means the risen Jesus, the eternal Messiah.⁵ Thus the saint's true life is the life of the risen Christ within him (John 15:4-5), and the fruit of his life is Christlikeness. In this sense every believer experiences initial sanctification (I Cor. 1:2; 6:11). “It is the Spirit who sanctifies; but He does so inasmuch as He roots us in Christ and builds us up in Christ. Therefore saints are sanctified by, or of, the Spirit; but they are sanctified (or holy) in Christ Jesus.”⁶ Entire sanctification takes place when the heart is cleansed from all sin and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:8-9).

This is the first mention in order of time of bishops and deacons in the New Testament. Bishops (episkopois), literally “overseers,” refers to spiritual leaders of the local congregation (Acts 20:20). At this stage in the development of the Church local congregations had more than one overseer, or pastor. The use of the term does not reflect an organizational significance which it later acquired. “Bishop” seems to be the same as “elder” or “presbyter.” Since Philippi was a Roman colony, the Jewish term “presbyter” would be unfamiliar. No doubt the church chose to call their leaders by names which would be in general use, and Paul is following their accepted practice. Deacons (diakonois), literally, “those who serve,” refers to persons who were apparently responsible for the temporal and material needs of the congregation (Acts 6:1-6; I Tim. 3:8 ff.). It may be that Paul refers to these offices as a means of officially expressing his spiritual counsel, which he hopes these leaders will carry into practical effect.⁷

C. THE SALUTATION, 1:2

Grace be unto you, and peace (2). This greeting, or blessing to the Christians from Christ, is the common form in Paul's earlier Epistles (Rom. 1:7; I Cor. 1:3; II Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Col. 1:2; I Thess. 1:1; II Thess. 1:2; Philem. 3). He unites the normal Greek' and Latin greeting, “joy” or “prosperity” (charis), with the Eastern salutation, “well-being” (Heb., shalom; Gk., eirene), and transforms them into a rich Christian blessing. Here is an illustration of the fact that God makes all things new. Grace (charis) expresses the free favor of God, or His undeserved favor toward us (II Cor. 4:15; 12:9). Grace is the gift of God which justifies unto salvation (Rom. 3:24; 11:6; Eph. 2: 8-10). It also refers to the fruit of this divine favor—the dispositions which result from grace. Thus we are admonished to “grow in grace” (II Pet. 3:18). Grace brings the gift of peace, which is both reconciliation with God and inner assurance which results from faith in Christ's atonement.⁸ The Roman government stationed soldiers at points of tension in the empire in order to maintain order. But it was a strained or forced peace, described by the Latin word pax. In contrast to this Paul uses the Greek word eirene, denoting peace of mind, arising from reconciliation with God. It indicates an inner peace, rather than an outward cessation of hostility maintained by force.

From God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. The second from (apo) is not present in the Greek, suggesting the close union in Paul's mind of the Father and Jesus Christ. God's grace comes from the Father through Christ (Rom. 3:24). Lord (kyrios), literally, “master,” was used in the Septuagint to translate the word for Jehovah. Though the title is occasionally used in the New Testament as a title of honor (Matt. 13:27), in the Epistles it is constantly employed of Christ. Thus Lord as used by Paul indicates full deity. That Jesus was divine was the faith of the New Testament Church, as expressed in its earliest Christian creed, “Jesus is Lord” (I Cor. 12:3; cf. Phil. 2:6, 9-11). Jesus means “Saviour” (Matt. 1:21). He is the Lord, the Master of Paul and Timothy and the Philippians, because He is their Saviour, or Deliverer. Contrast the experience of the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination at Philippi. She was the slave of those who could not be her saviour, while Paul and his companion were “servants [lit., slaves] of the most high God” (Acts 16:16-17). Christ (christou) was a proper title meaning “Anointed One” or “Messiah” (Isa. 61:1 ff.). The Anointed One was the Appointed One, God's Vice-regent on earth, the officially accredited Messenger from heaven to earth (Matt. 17:5).

The Holy Spirit is not mentioned because this grace and peace is the Holy Spirit himself dwelling in us, revealing to us the Father, and bringing to our remembrance the teaching of the Son, from whom He comes. The meaning of the salutation is clear: “No peace without grace … No grace and peace but from God our Father … No grace and peace from God our Father, but in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.”⁹

What it means to be “A Man in Christ” is suggested by these first two verses. It involves: (1) Acceptance of Christ as Master, la; (2) Dedication to saintliness, 1; (3) Reception of the Holy Spirit, 2.