The apostle proceeded to express his sincere gratitude to God for his friends in Philippi. He did this to assure them of God's continuing working for them and his satisfaction with their partnership in the work of the gospel. In this section Paul introduced and summarized the main theme of Philippians, namely partnership in the gospel. He stated it explicitly in verse 5 and developed it later in the body of the epistle (1:27-4:9).
1:3 The Christians in Philippi always caused Paul to give thanks to God when he prayed for them at his set times of prayer.15All of Paul's epistles begin with a similar commendation except Galatians. This thanksgiving is particularly warm.
1:4 Paul's imprisonment limited his ministry to the Philippian church, but he still prayed for his brethren in Philippi. His prayers were full of joy as he petitioned God for the saints there. Joy is a recurring motif in Philippians where the joy word group appears 16 times. The Greek word translated "prayer"(deesis) refers to requests. Several years of absence from these Christians had not led Paul to drop them from his prayer list. Every time Paul prayed for them, he did so with thanksgiving.
1:5 The reason Paul was always joyful as he prayed for the Philippians was their participation (NASB) or partnership (NIV, lit. fellowship, Gr. koinonia) in the gospel.
"It does not take much reading of Paul's letters to recognize that the gospel is the singular passion of his life; that passion is the glue that in particular holds this letter together. By the gospel,' especially in Philippians, Paul refers primarily neither to a body of teaching nor to proclamation. Above all, the gospel has to do with Christ, both his person and his work."16
The fellowship in view, as the use of this word in the New Testament indicates, means sharing together with mutual activity and mutual benefit in a close bond.17Partnership in the gospel includes partnership with God and with other believers that the gospel makes possible. It also involves participation in the work of getting the gospel to people. The Philippians had recently sent Paul a gift (4:10-14) and had done so more than once before (4:16; 2 Cor. 11:9). Even in Philippi he had received hospitality from Lydia (Acts 16:15) and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:33-34). However, Paul's use of koinoniahere implies a broader meaning than just physical assistance. It probably includes all that Paul and his readers shared as committed Christians who sought to disseminate the gospel.
"Paul's letter to the Philippians can be ranked as the second most important source for study of the biblical principles of financial stewardship. Only 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 provide a more extensive discussion of the topic."18
1:6 What was the good work to which Paul referred? If he had in mind only the generosity of his original readers, he may have meant that good work. However, as I have suggested, he seems to have had a much broader concept in mind, namely what the work of the gospel produces: salvation. Who had begun this good work of salvation? It could only be God. Paul was confident that God would finish what He had begun in his beloved Philippians.
In the New Testament, God has revealed that salvation is a process. It involves justification when a sinner trusts Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. It includes progressive sanctification that occurs from the time of justification to the Christian's death or the Rapture. It culminates in glorification when the redeemed sinner finally sees Jesus Christ and experiences transformation into His image. Paul was confident that just as surely as God had justified the Philippians He would also continue to sanctify and eventually glorify them. Whereas we have a hand in the process of sanctification and can affect it by our obedience or disobedience, God alone justifies us. Regardless of our carnality or spirituality He will also glorify us (1 Cor. 15:50-57).
The aspect of sanctification that Paul had in view, considering verse 5, was the Philippians' partnership with him in the work of propagating the gospel. He was confident that God would continue His sanctifying work in them so they might become even more effective partners with him in this great task.
This verse does not teach that God will keep all Christians persevering in the faith and in good works faithfully until they die. Believers can and do resist, oppose, and limit God's sanctifying work in them (Eph. 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19). Perseverance in faith and good works is not automatic for the Christian. The New Testament writers consistently urged us to persevere recognizing that some Christians will not do so (Titus 2:11-13; Heb. 2:1; 4:1; 6:1-8; et al.). Even some of Paul's fellow workers did not persevere faithfully (1 Tim. 1:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:17-18; 4:10). Even though some Christians do not persevere in faith and good works, God will persevere in bringing them to glory (i.e., will glorify them).19Thus it is God who perseveres in the work of salvation, not necessarily man.
Paul's reference to the day of Christ Jesus as the culmination of the Lord's work of salvation in the believer points to the day when He will return for His own, the Rapture. There are at least 18 references to this day in the New Testament (Rom. 13:12; 1 Cor. 1:8; 3:13; 5:5; 15:51; 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 1:6, 10; 2:16; 3:11, 20-21; 1 Thess. 4:17; 5:2, 4; 2 Thess. 1:10; 2 Tim. 1:12, 18; 4:8).
"The expression is similar to the day of the Lord' (1 Thess 5:2) and the OT day of Jehovah' (Amos 5:18-20). However, in contrast to the OT emphasis on judgment, the day of Christ Jesus' is mentioned in all cases with reference to the NT church. It will be the time when Christ returns for his church, salvation is finally completed, and believers' works are examined and the believer rewarded."20
This is one of the most comforting verses in the Bible for Christians. Our getting to heaven safely does not depend on us, on our ability to hold on and to persevere faithfully to the end of our lives. The Lord will see to it that we reach heaven safely in spite of our failures and shortcomings. Salvation is God's work, not man's (Jonah 2:9). As surely as He has already delivered us from the penalty of sin (Rom. 5:1), He will one day deliver us from the presence of sin (cf. Rom. 8:31-39).
Verses 3-6 summarize the entire epistle. They introduce the main theme, which is the Philippians' partnership in the gospel.
"All the rest of the letter is concerned primarily with their development as koinonoi[partners] so that they may be blessed with a temporally fruitful, eternally rewardable partnership in the gospel."21
1:7 Verses 7 and 8 express the basis of Paul's confidence that he just expressed (v. 6). They also develop the theme of partnership in the gospel.
How did Paul feel about the Philippians? He felt joyful (v. 4; cf. 1:9-11, 25, 27-28; 2:2, 12-18; 3:16-17; 4:17). The reason he said it was right for him to feel that way was the partnership in the gospel that they shared with him. The figurative use of "heart"(Gr. kardia) refers to the whole personality: intellect, emotions, and will, not just sentiment.22The Philippians were in Paul's prayers (vv. 3-4) and on his mind (not on his nerves). This is the proof that they were on his heart. Here is the first use of a key word in Philippians (Gr. phroneo) translated "to feel."The word means to hold a mind-set that expresses itself in proper action. Paul developed this concept later (cf. 2:1-5; 3:15, 19; 4:2, 10). The same "mind"is necessary if partners are to progress toward perfection (v. 6).
Even though many miles separated the writer and the original readers, Paul viewed their relationship as intimate since they shared salvation and their calling to spread the gospel. Not only were they bound together in the gospel (v. 5) but more specifically they were one in imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. The Philippians had not only been in prison with Paul in spirit, but they had been willing to associate with and minister to him in prison through Epaphroditus.
Defending and confirming the gospel are positive and negative aspects of proclaiming it. However, Paul may have meant more than that since these terms have legal connotations. A defense (Gr. apologia) elsewhere sometimes refers to a legal defense (e.g., Acts 22:1; 25:16: 2 Tim. 4:16). Moreover confirming (Gr. bebaiosis) meant to guarantee security (e.g., Heb. 6:16). Paul may have had his upcoming trial in mind. That occasion would be one more opportunity to herald the gospel. It was that great task that united Paul and the Philippians in such close bonds of fellowship.
"Partakers . . . with me"(NASB) and "you share . . . with me"(NIV) are translations of a Greek word (sugkoinonous) that means fellow partners. Paul and the Philippians partook together of the enabling grace that God provides for those who confirm and defend the gospel (cf. 1:29-30; 3:1; 4:4). Here Paul introduced the idea of suffering in the work of proclaiming the gospel, which he developed later.
"While suffering is not the dominant motif in Philippians, it constitutes the church's primary historical context in Philippiand thus underlies much of the letter. . . .
"Second, opposition and suffering probably lie behind a further--seldom noted--major motif in the letter: Paul's repeated emphasis on the believer's sure future with its eschatological triumph."23
1:8 Only God really knew how strongly Paul longed for his brothers and sisters back in Philippi. Consequently the apostle called on Him as his witness to his professions of affection. Paul's feelings were similar to those of his Lord Jesus Christ who generated them in the apostle.
". . . Paul took this solemn oath because he was aware that within the church that he founded and for which he cared so deeply there were those who were not at all convinced of his right to lead them nor certain of the reality of his love for them. What more could he do to convince them than swear before God that they all (pantas humas) had the same great place in his affections? Nothing. In his day and in his culture a solemn oath was the end of every dispute (cf. Heb 6:16)."24
These expressions of thanksgiving provide insight into the unity that exists among believers and between believers and our Lord. The gospel and salvation are the great unifying elements.
