Epistle for October 15, 2023

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Philippians 4:1-9
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Paul’s letter to the Philippians has been called The Epistle of Joy.  In four brief but eloquent chapters, he uses the word joy (Greek chara) five times, and the injunction rejoice! (Greek chairete) eight times.

Though Paul himself is in prison, writing to a church that may soon experience serious persecution, he himself is filled with joy, and he wants them to have that same joy.  This last section of Philippians is an earnest exhortation to the church at Philippi.

He begins this section with Therefore which, as we have learned in Paul’s writings, means we should ask “what is it there for?”  Therefore (translated from the Greek hoste) in grammar is an adverb functioning as a conjunction that transitions from one thought to another.  To put it more simply, it means for that reason.  So, we have to ask — for what reason is Paul exhorting the Philippians?  To know that, we have to know what Paul was just talking about in the previous sentences.

In the passage immediately preceding our lectionary epistle for this week, Paul has been describing his confidence that Christ is his greatest treasure, exceeding all of his many accomplishments.  He asserts that the treasure of knowing Christ and his salvation is no achievement of his own, but is obtainable by faith.  Nevertheless, he presses on toward the prize of salvation with utmost effort. He ends this passage by declaring the goal of the Christian hope, which is citizenship in heaven:

from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

Therefore, because of their citizenship in heaven and the anticipation of their transformation into the glory of the resurrection body, Paul is advising the Philippians how they are to live now!

He affirms them as his brothers with highly affirming language that describes his affection for them, and encourages them:     

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

And then he becomes personal and direct, mentioning two women who are evidently leaders in the Philippian church — Euodia and Syntyche.  This is the only time in the New Testament these women are mentioned.  He urges them to think the same way in the Lord. What does he mean?  Is he suggesting that they are in some kind of conflict, and they need to be on the same page with one another?  Or is he simply praising them as examples of leadership?  It is hard to say, although our knowledge of church personalities and politics through the ages suggests that he knows they may have some tension.

What is interesting is that when he tells them to think the same way in the Lord, Paul uses the same phrase that he uses earlier when exhorting all of the Philippians to have the same mind as Christ!  Even the word for think is the same word in Greek — phroneite.  We read earlier that he has described how all are to emulate the servanthood of Christ:

Have this in your mind (phroneite), which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).

Is Paul suggesting that these two women — perhaps strong personalities with definite leadership qualities — might need to stop worrying about who’s in charge and learn to serve, as Jesus modeled for us?  Again, we can only speculate, but there seems a good case to be made for that theory.

Paul follows that exhortation immediately by appealing to the rest of the church:

 Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul is recalling to them the good memories of his ministry in Philippi, and asking them all to pull together just as they did when they first believed.  He refers by name also to Clement as one of his co-workers in Philippi.  Like Euodia and Syntyche, this is Clement’s only mention in the New Testament.  And his other fellow workers go unnamed — although we know at least a few members of his missionary team and fellow travelers from the Book of Acts.  Silas was jailed with Paul there following a riot.  Luke, the writer of Acts, was surely there, and probably Timothy who had begun to travel with the team following their ministry in Lystra (see Acts 16 for a more complete account of Paul’s ministry in Philippi).

And what an intriguing expression — their names are in the book of life.  This specific expression occurs just eight times in the Scriptures — once in the Old Testament (Psalm 69:28), once here in Philippians, and six times in the Revelation to John (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20: 12, 15; 21:27; and 22:19).

However, the concept of the book of life has a rich history.  The first mention of a book with the names of people written in it appears when Moses intercedes for Israel after their sin of idolatry with the golden calf.  He asks Yahweh to blot him out of the book if Yahweh won’t forgive Israel!  And Yahweh says:

Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book (Exodus 32:33).

Each individual is responsible for their own sin. And it becomes very clear that those who fear and trust God are the ones whose names are written in God’s book.

Paul then turns to a series of imperatives and exhortations about how they are to live, because of the hope of Christ’s coming:

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

And Paul continues his encouragement with advice, along with a promise.  As Jesus counsels his followers in Matthew 6:25-34, Christians are not be anxious about anything.  And Paul advises them about the antidote to anxiety — prayer:

 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Note that along with the petitions, he advises thanksgiving — presumably for prayers already answered, but also perhaps in anticipation that God will hear their petitions and grant their requests!

Paul assures the Philippians that having done all of this, they will experience true serenity, knowing that all the matters that provoke their anxiety are in God’s hands:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Those who have faith that God hears their prayers trust that God will answer those prayers, even though they may not see it yet.  Paul himself can attest to that as one who has suffered persecution, scourgings, stonings, and is at that very moment in jail!

Interestingly, the word that he uses to describe the inscrutable peace that comes even in the midst of suffering is a military word — this peace will guard their hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.  We speculate that Paul is borrowing an image from his own incarceration — he has been guarded by Roman soldiers from angry mobs on several occasions, and I’m sure he was grateful.  And even now, he is ‘under guard’ by soldiers, so he knows how securely he is kept!   Although the Romans were his jailers as he writes to the Philippians, when he was first arrested they were also his protectors. We are reminded of the phrase from the Old Testament:

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4).

And Paul ends with another exhortation that explores how they are to modify their thoughts and minds:

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

We recall that earlier Paul exhorted the Philippians to copy the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5).  The word for mind, or to think (phronein), used in that earlier context is different than the word used here.  Paul here uses the word logizesthe.  This word is in the imperative mood, and its root word suggests the notion of disciplined thinking according to strict logical rules.  This suggests the thought that Paul is advocating mental discipline as the Philippians focus their minds on following Christ.

And Paul is even so bold, as elsewhere, to offer himself as a role model for this way of thinking:

The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Note that he returns again with a recipe for peace:

• Trusting God to answer prayer
• Reshaping their minds by dwelling only on good things
• Following Paul’s example

Practicing these disciplines, he promises, will bring peace.

APPLY:  

Practically speaking, this passage is one of the richest and most fruitful in Paul’s epistles.  He addresses issues that still confront churches and individuals today.

First, how do we deal with church conflict, especially between strong personalities?  Chiefly by reminding them of their example, Jesus Christ.  If they seek to think the same way in the Lord they will be reminded that the one who is equal with God the Father humbled himself and took on himself the form of a servant.  There is no place there for personal agendas and selfish ambition.   And when any of us forget that, it us up to our friends and co-laborers to help us, and remind us of our priorities.

Second, how do we overcome anxiety in a frantic world?  Paul tells us — in the imperative mood — to rejoice! And he also breaks down for us the process of what happens when we truly bring our anxieties to God in prayer.  First, we are to bring everything to God in prayer.  Prayer is not merely listing our wants and needs — prayer is fully coming in to the presence of God with complete trust — with confidence and thanksgiving.  The result of such trusting prayer is peace:

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Third, Paul gives instruction on how our minds are to be reshaped and re-formed — he advocates that we focus our thoughts on:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

This kind of mental focus requires self-control and discipline.  We are reminded of the importance of the mind in relation to discipleship:

• We are instructed to love God with heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God requires the very best of our intellect.
• We are to examine the Scriptures with an eager mind (Acts 17:11).
• We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit, not things of the flesh (Romans 8:5; see also Colossians 3:2).
• As we offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God, we are to allow God to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2; see also Ephesians 4:20-24).
• And, just one more example — Paul encourages the Corinthians to bring every thought captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). The word used in this context is noema, which suggests the notion of thought, purpose, or design. We are to take charge of the purposes and goals we have in mind, submitting them to Christ’s control.

RESPOND: 

I can certainly speak for myself when I say that this passage from Philippians speaks directly to my heart, on a practical spiritual level.  There are two issues specifically — anxiety and negativity.

The solution to anxiety, according to Paul, is genuine prayer.  Prayer is not merely sanctified begging for stuff.  At its best, prayer is relationship with God, the open communication between a child and a Father.  It is this intimate relationship of comfort that allays anxieties and brings peace.  Our Father knows our needs, and we can trust him to take care of us.

I appreciate what John Wesley says about prayer:

God does nothing but in answer to prayer… On every occasion of uneasiness, we should retire to prayer, that we may give place to the grace and light of God, and then form our resolutions, without being in any pain about what success they may have… God’s command to ‘pray without ceasing’ is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air [A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Part 5)].

And then there is the way I think.  I confess that I have a natural bent toward negativity.  Negativity seems to be a default mental habit for me.  Therefore, I take to heart Paul’s exhortation:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

Scripturally, this is not merely The Power of Positive Thinking.  The ability to focus and to think about these things is no mere human discipline — it comes when we take every thought captive through Christ.  But I believe it is a spiritual discipline that can shape my mind in a more ‘positive’ and Godly direction.

And, as I review all of the qualities that we are told to think about, it strikes me that they are all reflected in the character of God as revealed in Scripture, and reflected in Godly lives — true, honorable (or holy), just (ethically righteous), pure (as Christ is pure of sin), lovely (or deserving of love), worthy of praise, excellent (virtue). 

To paraphrase a slogan from the early days of computer programming — GIGO — garbage in, garbage out.  But more proactively for Paul, when we focus on all of the qualities enumerated in Philippians 4:8, we can change that to Godly character in, Godly character out.  What we think is ultimately how we live.

Lord, I pray for your peace that passes all understanding in the midst of anxieties.  And I pray that your Spirit will shape my mind as I focus on all that is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely — all those qualities that truly derive from you!  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
"Think on These" by Leonard J Matthews is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Epistle for October 11, 2020

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Philippians 4:1-9
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Paul’s letter to the Philippians has been called The Epistle of Joy.  In four brief but eloquent chapters, he uses the word joy (Greek chara) five times, and the injunction rejoice! (Greek chairete) eight times.

Though Paul himself is in prison, writing to a church that may soon experience serious persecution, he himself is filled with joy, and he wants them to have that same joy.  This last section of Philippians is an earnest exhortation to the church at Philippi.

He begins this section with Therefore which, as we have learned in Paul’s writings, means we should ask “what is it there for?”  Therefore (translated from the Greek hoste) in grammar is an adverb functioning as a conjunction that transitions from one thought to another.  To put it more simply, it means for that reason.  So, we have to ask — for what reason is Paul exhorting the Philippians?  To know that, we have to know what Paul was just talking about in the previous sentences.

In the passage immediately preceding our lectionary epistle for this week, Paul has been describing his confidence that Christ is his greatest treasure, exceeding all of his many accomplishments.  He asserts that the treasure of knowing Christ and his salvation is no achievement of his own, but is obtainable by faith.  Nevertheless, he presses on toward the prize of salvation with utmost effort. He ends this passage by declaring the goal of the Christian hope, which is citizenship in heaven:

from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

Therefore, because of their citizenship in heaven and the anticipation of their transformation into the glory of the resurrection body, Paul is advising the Philippians how they are to live now!

He affirms them as his brothers with highly affirming language that describes his affection for them, and encourages them:     

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

And then he becomes personal and direct, mentioning two women who are evidently leaders in the Philippian church — Euodia and Syntyche.  This is the only time in the New Testament these women are mentioned.  He urges them to think the same way in the Lord. What does he mean?  Is he suggesting that they are in some kind of conflict, and they need to be on the same page with one another?  Or is he simply praising them as examples of leadership?  It is hard to say, although our knowledge of church personalities and politics through the ages suggests that he knows they may have some tension.

What is interesting is that when he tells them to think the same way in the Lord,  Paul uses the same phrase that he uses earlier when exhorting all of the Philippians to have the same mind as Christ!  Even the word for think is the same word in Greek — phroneite.  We read earlier that he has described how all are to emulate the servanthood of Christ:

Have this in your mind (phroneite), which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).

Is Paul suggesting that these two women — perhaps strong personalities with definite leadership qualities — might need to stop worrying about who’s in charge and learn to serve, as Jesus modeled for us?  Again, we can only speculate, but there seems a good case to be made for that theory.

Paul follows that exhortation immediately by appealing to the rest of the church:

 Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul is recalling to them the good memories of his ministry in Philippi, and asking them all to pull together just as they did when they first believed.  He refers by name also to Clement as one of his co-workers in Philippi.  Like Euodia and Syntyche, this is Clement’s only mention in the New Testament.  And his other fellow workers go unnamed — although we know at least a few members of his missionary team and fellow travelers from the Book of Acts.  Silas was jailed with Paul there following a riot.  Luke, the writer of Acts, was surely there, and probably Timothy who had begun to travel with the team following their ministry in Lystra (see Acts 16 for a more complete account of Paul’s ministry in Philippi).

And what an intriguing expression — their names are in the book of life.  This specific expression occurs just eight times in the Scriptures — once in the Old Testament (Psalm 69:28), once here in Philippians, and six times in the Revelation to John (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20: 12, 15; 21:27; and 22:19).

However, the concept of the book of life has a rich history.  The first mention of a book with the names of people written in it appears when Moses intercedes for Israel after their sin of idolatry with the golden calf.  He asks Yahweh to blot him out of the book if Yahweh won’t forgive Israel!  And Yahweh says:

Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book (Exodus 32:33).

Each individual is responsible for their own sin. And it becomes very clear that those who fear and trust God are the ones whose names are written in God’s book.

Paul then turns to a series of imperatives and exhortations about how they are to live, because of the hope of Christ’s coming:

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

And Paul continues his encouragement with advice, along with a promise.  As Jesus counsels his followers in Matthew 6:25-34, Christians are not be anxious about anything.  And Paul advises them about the antidote to anxiety — prayer:

 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Note that along with the petitions, he advises thanksgiving — presumably for prayers already answered, but also perhaps in anticipation that God will hear their petitions and grant their requests!

Paul assures the Philippians that having done all of this, they will experience true serenity, knowing that all the matters that provoke their anxiety are in God’s hands:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Those who have faith that God hears their prayers trust that God will answer those prayers, even though they may not see it yet.  Paul himself can attest to that as one who has suffered persecution, scourgings, stonings, and is at that very moment in jail!

Interestingly, the word that he uses to describe the inscrutable peace that comes even in the midst of suffering is a military word — this peace will guard their hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.  We speculate that Paul is borrowing an image from his own incarceration — he has been guarded by Roman soldiers from angry mobs on several occasions, and I’m sure he was grateful.  And even now, he is ‘under guard’ by soldiers, so he knows how securely he is kept!   Although the Romans were his jailers as he writes to the Philippians, when he was first arrested they were also his protectors. We are reminded of the phrase from the Old Testament:

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4).

And Paul ends with another exhortation that explores how they are to modify their thoughts and minds:

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

We recall that earlier Paul exhorted the Philippians to copy the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5).  The word for mind, or to think (phronein), used in that earlier context is different than the word used here.  Paul here uses the word logizesthe.  This word is in the imperative mood, and its root word suggests the notion of disciplined thinking according to strict logical rules.  This suggests the thought that Paul is advocating mental discipline as the Philippians focus their minds on following Christ.

And Paul is even so bold, as elsewhere, to offer himself as a role model for this way of thinking:

The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Note that he returns again with a recipe for peace:

• Trusting God to answer prayer
• Reshaping their minds by dwelling only on good things
• Following Paul’s example

Practicing these disciplines, he promises, will bring peace.

APPLY:  

Practically speaking, this passage is one of the richest and most fruitful in Paul’s epistles.  He addresses issues that still confront churches and individuals today.

First, how do we deal with church conflict, especially between strong personalities?  Chiefly by reminding them of their example, Jesus Christ.  If they seek to think the same way in the Lord they will be reminded that the one who is equal with God the Father humbled himself and took on himself the form of a servant.  There is no place there for personal agendas and selfish ambition.   And when any of us forget that, it us up to our friends and co-laborers to help us, and remind us of our priorities.

Second, how do we overcome anxiety in a frantic world?  Paul tells us — in the imperative mood — to rejoice! And he also breaks down for us the process of what happens when we truly bring our anxieties to God in prayer.  First, we are to bring everything to God in prayer.  Prayer is not merely listing our wants and needs — prayer is fully coming in to the presence of God with complete trust — with confidence and thanksgiving.  The result of such trusting prayer is peace:

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Third, Paul gives instruction on how our minds are to be reshaped and re-formed — he advocates that we focus our thoughts on:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

This kind of mental focus requires self-control and discipline.  We are reminded of the importance of the mind in relation to discipleship:

• We are instructed to love God with heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God requires the very best of our intellect.
• We are to examine the Scriptures with an eager mind (Acts 17:11).
• We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit, not things of the flesh (Romans 8:5; see also Colossians 3:2).
• As we offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God, we are to allow God to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2; see also Ephesians 4:20-24).
• And, just one more example — Paul encourages the Corinthians to bring every thought captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). The word used in this context is noema, which suggests the notion of thought, purpose, or design. We are to take charge of the purposes and goals we have in mind, submitting them to Christ’s control.

RESPOND: 

I can certainly speak for myself when I say that this passage from Philippians speaks directly to my heart, on a practical spiritual level.  There are two issues specifically — anxiety and negativity.

The solution to anxiety, according to Paul, is genuine prayer.  Prayer is not merely sanctified begging for stuff.  At its best, prayer is relationship with God, the open communication between a child and a Father.  It is this intimate relationship of comfort that allays anxieties and brings peace.  Our Father knows our needs, and we can trust him to take care of us.

I appreciate what John Wesley says about prayer:

God does nothing but in answer to prayer….On every occasion of uneasiness, we should retire to prayer, that we may give place to the grace and light of God, and then form our resolutions, without being in any pain about what success they may have….God’s command to ‘pray without ceasing’ is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air [A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Part 5)].

And then there is the way I think.  I confess that I have a natural bent toward negativity.  Negativity seems to be a default mental habit for me.  Therefore, I take to heart Paul’s exhortation:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

Scripturally, this is not merely The Power of Positive Thinking.  The ability to focus and to think about these things is no mere human discipline — it comes when we take every thought captive through Christ.  But I believe it is a spiritual discipline that can shape my mind in a more ‘positive’ and Godly direction.

And, as I review all of the qualities that we are told to think about, it strikes me that they are all reflected in the character of God as revealed in Scripture, and reflected in Godly lives — true, honorable (or holy), just (ethically righteous), pure (as Christ is pure of sin), lovely (or deserving of love), worthy of praise, excellent (virtue). 

To paraphrase a slogan from the early days of computer programming  — GIGO — garbage in, garbage out.  But more proactively for Paul, when we focus on all of the qualities enumerated in Philippians 4:8, we can change that to Godly character in, Godly character out.  What we think is ultimately how we live.

Lord, I pray for your peace that passes all understanding in the midst of anxieties.  And I pray that your Spirit will shape my mind as I focus on all that is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely — all those qualities that truly derive from you!  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
"Think on These" by Leonard J Matthews is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Epistle for October 15, 2017

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

Philippians 4:1-9

CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Paul’s letter to the Philippians has been called The Epistle of Joy.  In four brief but eloquent chapters, he uses the word joy (Greek chara) five times, and the injunction rejoice! (Greek chairete) eight times.

Though Paul himself is in prison, writing to a church that may soon experience serious persecution, he himself is filled with joy, and he wants them to have that same joy.  This last section of Philippians is an earnest exhortation to the church at Philippi.

He begins this section with Therefore which, as we have learned in Paul’s writings, means we should ask “what is it there for?”  Therefore (translated from the Greek hoste) in grammar is an adverb functioning as a conjunction that transitions from one thought to another.  To put it more simply, it means for that reason.  So, we have to ask — for what reason is Paul exhorting the Philippians?  To know that, we have to know what Paul was just talking about in the previous sentences.

In the passage immediately preceding our lectionary epistle for this week, Paul has been describing his confidence that Christ is his greatest treasure, exceeding all of his many accomplishments.  He asserts that the treasure of knowing Christ and his salvation is no achievement of his own, but is obtainable by faith.  Nevertheless, he presses on toward the prize of salvation with utmost effort. He ends this passage by declaring the goal of the Christian hope, which is citizenship in heaven:

from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

Therefore, because of their citizenship in heaven and the anticipation of their transformation into the glory of the resurrection body, Paul is advising the Philippians how they are to live now!

He affirms them as his brothers with highly affirming language that describes his affection for them, and encourages them:     

Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

And then he becomes personal and direct, mentioning two women who are evidently leaders in the Philippian church — Euodia and Syntyche.  This is the only time in the New Testament these women are mentioned.  He urges them to think the same way in the Lord. What does he mean?  Is he suggesting that they are in some kind of conflict, and they need to be on the same page with one another?  Or is he simply praising them as examples of leadership?  It is hard to say, although our knowledge of church personalities and politics through the ages suggests that he knows they may have some tension.

What is interesting is that when he tells them to think the same way in the Lord,  Paul uses the same phrase that he uses earlier when exhorting all of the Philippians to have the same mind as Christ!  Even the word for think is the same word in Greek — phroneite.  We read earlier that he has described how all are to emulate the servanthood of Christ:

Have this in your mind (phroneite), which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).

Is Paul suggesting that these two women — perhaps strong personalities with definite leadership qualities — might need to stop worrying about who’s in charge and learn to serve, as Jesus modeled for us?  Again, we can only speculate, but there seems a good case to be made for that theory.

Paul follows that exhortation immediately by appealing to the rest of the church:

 Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Paul is recalling to them the good memories of his ministry in Philippi, and asking them all to pull together just as they did when they first believed.  He refers by name also to Clement as one of his co-workers in Philippi.  Like Euodia and Syntyche, this is Clement’s only mention in the New Testament.  And his other fellow workers go unnamed — although we know at least a few members of his missionary team and fellow travelers from the Book of Acts.  Silas was jailed with Paul there following a riot.  Luke, the writer of Acts, was surely there, and probably Timothy who had begun to travel with the team following their ministry in Lystra (see Acts 16 for a more complete account of Paul’s ministry in Philippi ).

And what an intriguing expression — their names are in the book of life.  This specific expression occurs just eight times in the Scriptures — once in the Old Testament (Psalm 69:28), once here in Philippians, and six times in the Revelation to John (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20: 12, 15; 21:27; and 22:19).

However, the concept of the book of life has a rich history.  The first mention of a book with the names of people written in it appears when Moses intercedes for Israel after their sin of idolatry with the golden calf.  He asks Yahweh to blot him out of the book if Yahweh won’t forgive Israel!  And Yahweh says:

Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book (Exodus 32:33).

Each individual is responsible for their own sin. And it becomes very clear that those who fear and trust God are the ones whose names are written in God’s book.

Paul then turns to a series of imperatives and exhortations about how they are to live, because of the hope of Christ’s coming:

Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

And Paul continues his encouragement with advice, along with a promise.  As Jesus counsels his followers in Matthew 6:25-34, Christians are not be anxious about anything.  And Paul advises them about the antidote to anxiety — prayer:

 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Note that along with the petitions, he advises thanksgiving — presumably for prayers already answered, but also perhaps in anticipation that God will hear their petitions and grant their requests!

Paul assures the Philippians that having done all of this, they will experience true serenity, knowing that all the matters that provoke their anxiety are in God’s hands:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Those who have faith that God hears their prayers trust that God will answer those prayers, even though they may not see it yet.  Paul himself can attest to that as one who has suffered persecution, scourgings, stonings, and is at that very moment in jail!

Interestingly, the word that he uses to describe the inscrutable peace that comes even in the midst of suffering is a military word — this peace will guard their hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.  We speculate that Paul is borrowing an image from his own incarceration — he has been guarded by Roman soldiers from angry mobs on several occasions, and I’m sure he was grateful.  And even now, he is ‘under guard’ by soldiers, so he knows how securely he is kept!   Although the Romans were his jailers as he writes to the Philippians, when he was first arrested they were also his protectors. We are reminded of the phrase from the Old Testament:

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4).

And Paul ends with another exhortation that explores how they are to modify their thoughts and minds:

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

We recall that earlier Paul exhorted the Philippians to copy the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5).  The word for mind, or to think (phronein), used in that earlier context is different than the word used here.  Paul here uses the word logizesthe.  This word is in the imperative mood, and its root word suggests the notion of disciplined thinking according strict logical rules.  This suggests the thought that Paul is advocating mental discipline as the Philippians focus their minds on following Christ.

And Paul is even so bold, as elsewhere, to offer himself as a role model for this way of thinking:

The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Note that he returns again to recipe for peace:

• Trusting God to answer prayer
• Reshaping their minds by dwelling only on good things
• Following Paul’s example

Practicing these disciplines, he promises, will bring peace.

APPLY:  

Practically speaking, this passage is one of the richest and most fruitful in Paul’s epistles.  He addresses issues that still confront churches and individuals today.

First, how do we deal with church conflict, especially between strong personalities?  Chiefly by reminding them of their example, Jesus Christ.  If they seek to think the same way in the Lord they will be reminded that the one who is equal with God the Father humbled himself and took on himself the form of a servant.  There is no place there for personal agendas and selfish ambition.   And when any of us forget that, it us up to our friends and co-laborers to help us, and remind us of our priorities.

Second, how do we overcome anxiety in a frantic world?  Paul tells us — in the imperative mood — to rejoice! And he also breaks down for us the process of what happens when we truly bring our anxieties to God in prayer.  First, we are to bring everything to God in prayer.  Prayer is not merely listing our wants and needs — prayer is fully coming in to the presence of God with complete trust — with confidence and thanksgiving.  The result of such trusting prayer is peace:

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Third, Paul gives instruction on how our minds are to be reshaped and re-formed — he advocates that we focus our thoughts on:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

This kind of mental focus requires self-control and discipline.  We are reminded of the importance of the mind in relation to discipleship:

• We are instructed to love God with heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God requires the very best of our intellect.
• We are to examine the Scriptures with an eager mind (Acts 17:11).
• We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit, not things of the flesh (Romans 8:5; see also Colossians 3:2).
• As we offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God, we are to allow God to transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2; see also Ephesians 4:20-24).
• And, just one more example — Paul encourages the Corinthians to bring every thought captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). The word used in this context is noema, which suggests the notion of thought, purpose, or design. We are to take charge of the purposes and goals we have in mind, submitting them to Christ’s control.

RESPOND: 

I can certainly speak for myself when I say that this passage from Philippians speaks directly to my heart, on a practical spiritual level.  There are two issues specifically — anxiety and negativity.

The solution to anxiety, according to Paul, is genuine prayer.  Prayer is not merely sanctified begging for stuff.  At its best, prayer is relationship with God, the open communication between a child and a Father.  It is this intimate relationship of comfort that allays anxieties and brings peace.  Our Father knows our needs, and we can trust him to take care of us.

I appreciate what John Wesley says about prayer:

God does nothing but in answer to prayer….On every occasion of uneasiness, we should retire to prayer, that we may give place to the grace and light of God, and then form our resolutions, without being in any pain about what success they may have….God’s command to ‘pray without ceasing’ is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air [A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Part 5)].

And then there is the way I think.  I confess that I have a natural bent toward negativity.  Negativity seems to be a default mental habit for me.  Therefore, I take to heart Paul’s exhortation:

whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.

Scripturally, this is not merely The Power of Positive Thinking.  The ability to focus and to think about these things is no mere human discipline — it comes when we take every thought captive through Christ.  But I believe it is a spiritual discipline that can shape my mind in a more ‘positive’ and Godly direction.

And, as I review all of the qualities that we are told to think about, it strikes me that they are all reflected in the character of God as revealed in Scripture, and reflected in Godly lives — true, honorable (or holy), just (ethically righteous), pure (as Christ is pure of sin), lovely (or deserving of love), worthy of praise, excellent (virtue). 

To paraphrase a slogan from the early days of computer programming  — GIGO — garbage in, garbage out.  But more proactively for Paul, when we focus on all of the qualities enumerated in Philippians 4:8, we can change that to Godly character in, Godly character out.  What we think is ultimately how we live.

Lord, I pray for your peace that passes all understanding in the midst of anxieties.  And I pray that your Spirit will shape my mind as I focus on all that is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely — all those qualities that truly derive from you!  Amen.

 PHOTOS:
"Think on These" by Leonard J Matthews is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.