Philippians 1: 1 Continued

Chapter 1


1: 1
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: NIV

Now we turn to the title Paul gives himself and Timothy. He declares that they are “servants of Christ Jesus”. The term translated “servant” is doulos, that literally means slave. The slave was the lowest rung on the social ladder in the 1st century world. The slave belonged to another. She had no rights. She could not go wherever she wished. She could not marry whomever she wanted. Her rights were determined by the values and wishes of her master. The slave was the property of her owner. Of all that Paul could say of himself, first and foremost he wanted the church to know that he and Timothy were slaves of Christ Jesus. He was the preeminent missionary of all time, the great writer of the scriptures, personally called by God to preach the gospel. Thousands had become Christians as a result of Paul’s courageous work. Yet, he makes no mention of any of his credentials except one. He was a slave of Christ.

Paul in Galatians 1: 10 describes what it means to be a servant of Christ: Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (NIV) For Paul, to be a servant of Christ means that your concern is to bring joy to the face of Christ, craving the approval of Jesus. No matter what neighbors may say, relatives may argue, self-interests may encourage; it is the will and desire of Jesus that drives the plans and actions of the servant of Christ. The servant of Christ has one allegiance, and that is to Jesus, one purpose, and that is to please Jesus, one direction and that is the way of Jesus.

Some Thoughts With Christmas In The Wings

A shower of leaves fall as the cold wind snapping through the autumn air splatters about my office window.  A rust brown squirrel bounds along the fence and jumps up into the redwood tree staring across at me.  Christmas music bears in on me as I ponder the next move I will make in my head first plunge into trusting Jesus for everything.  I don’t really need any presents and my lifelong plan to be a successful something has dimmed even while I finish a book on why I need to be successful and why it is so crucial I gain favor in the quest for God’s consuming blessing.  Why is it so small, this urge to make it and make big?  Why do I miss the old days of wanting and needing and craving and pleading and missing and searching?  The good old days were ones of pursuit and action.  Today I pray and wait.  I trust God and it seems unnatural, sluggish, wasteful.  Have I lost my mind…or my soul?  What I am most comfortable embracing…frustration, worry and busyness are bywords for the pursuit of everything I wanted and hoped would be mine.  My heart could not contain my provocation at making good on my promise, my potential.  This is ebbing though as I bear in on Christ and He bears in on me.  I cannot stand the thought of wasting time sitting and praying when my mind is such an avalanche of activity and turmoil…but it is a day and it is time to wait…as success ebbs away.  I wonder what Mary thought as she succumbed to a God she barely knew and to a plan she never would have chosen, giving way to a failure she could not stop.   The virgin with a husband in waiting let loose her reputation and her portion with the secure and made God her home.   Elizabeth called her blessed.  I would too!

My Take On Philippians

I will begin posting from my commentary on Philippians.  Years ago I memorized the book and then began writing on it.  I hope this is a beneficial set of postings...

Chapter 1



1: 1



Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: NIV






Paul starts the letter in a unique way, at least for him. He refers to both himself and Timothy as servants of Christ Jesus. Usually he speaks of himself as an apostle or in Philemon, “a prisoner of Christ”. Anyone else he includes in his greeting, he refers to separately as a “brother” with the exception of his two letters to the Thessalonians. It would seem that there are two reasons for the alteration in his normal pattern of greeting. First, with the Philippian church, he did not have to assert his apostolic authority. The church was well aware of his standing with God and they greatly respected him. He along with Silas, Timothy and Luke was the founder of the church; his courage and faith were well attested. The Christians in Philippi did not have strong Jewish roots that could have confounded their opinion of Paul. His teachings weren’t in dispute. He was clearly the leader of this dynamic church.






Second, Paul wished to give equal status to Timothy. Timothy was not the co-author of the letter just Paul wrote Philippians. Continually through Philippians, the writer says “I” not “we” in speaking to the church. Paul in including Timothy in the greeting wanted to express symbolically the unity in the body of Christ. Yes some are apostles, others evangelists, pastors, teachers; others have the gift of giving or hospitality but all are one in Christ. Members of the body may disagree but there is no room for division in the church. Christ alone is the head-not Paul, not Timothy, not the overseers or deacons. We must all seek the voice of Christ and follow Him together. He is our Word---not personal opinions or preferences.

My Tribute

A Friend died
   Years have passed
      The days of time linger
           Stands taken
              Hands shaken
                  Demands forsaken


a .
   or --
      a ( )
         no  ?


but rather !


Gardens shake
    Hearts quake
         Desires break


But still the Three Winds stake
      a claim
          none can make
               and fewer take


Life holds
   the Tomb folds


Love lives within the Bold


"Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus".  Philippians 3:12