Phillippians 1_18_26

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Php 1:18–26.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Php 1:18–24.

1:18 whether in pretense or in truth Ultimately, Paul rejoices in all efforts to spread the gospel—even the ministries of his detractors.

1:19 deliverance The Greek word used here, sōtēria, means rescue from danger (compare Matt 14:30; Mark 15:31) and often is translated as “salvation” (Acts 4:12; Rom 10:10).

the Spirit of Jesus Christ This phrase parallels the common ot and nt phrase “Spirit of God” (e.g., John 7:39; 1 Pet 4:14; Job 33:4) and links Jesus to God the Father. While often distinguished, the Spirit and Jesus are elsewhere co-identified (see Acts 16:6; Rom 8:9; Gal 4:6; 1 Pet 1:11).

1:20 boldness The Greek word used here refers to bold or courageous speech. Paul plans to continue speaking out for the gospel; he trusts that Christ will be honored regardless of whether he lives or dies.

Parrēsia TLNT

1:21 to live is Christ and to die is gain As long as he is alive, Paul will be consumed with Christ’s concerns, values, and mission. And if Paul dies, he will be relieved of his suffering and dwell with Christ (Phil 1:23).

What Happens When We Die? Devotional

1:22 flesh The Greek word used here, sarx, refers in this context to the physical body, but Paul often uses sarx in other ways. See note on 3:3.

fruitful work If Paul continues his ministry, he is certain that he will see more Gentiles come to believe the gospel and be transformed by God’s Spirit.

1:23 to depart and to be with Christ Refers to dying. Christ’s resurrection gives Paul hope in death (3:10–11, 20–21; compare note on Rom 1:4).

1:24 to stay on in the flesh Refers to remaining alive, which Paul knows would be better for his churches.

1:14–18. Jewish teachers allowed that serving God from impure motives was better than not serving him at all. They also unequivocally insisted, however, that those who used the law only for their own gain would not share in the world to come.

1:19. “Salvation” (KJV) often meant physical “deliverance,” sometimes from prison, and in this context it must have this meaning. Citizens of Philippi were Roman citizens (see comment on 3:20) and as such enjoyed certain legal protections. But Paul’s fate in court as a Christian who was also a Roman citizen would set a legal precedent that could affect their own legal standing, so they would have more than one reason for concern about how his case turned out.

1:20–23. Philosophers often argued that death was neutral, not evil; it was either annihilation or the migration of the soul from one place to another. Paul sees it as an evil (1 Cor 15:26) but also as a way to pursue Christ undistracted. Most Palestinian Jews emphasized the future resurrection of the bodies of the righteous but believed that the souls of the righteous dead were meanwhile in heaven with God; Paul agrees with them. Many Greco-Roman writers expressed a desire to die and so be free from sufferings; Old Testament writers did not usually take this position (Ps 30:9), but some became depressed enough to do so (1 Kings 19:4), or even to wish that they had never lived (Job 3:1–19; Jer 15:10; 20:14–18).

1:24–26. Paul’s remaining would help them by virtue of his continuance as a teacher, and perhaps also for legal precedent: see comment on 1:19. Nero was not particularly interested in legal questions, and in a.d. 62 he freed Jewish hostages that the procurator Felix had previously sent him. Paul was likely released at this time (see comment on Acts 28:30–31).

He sees a benefit in his imprisonment

(1:12–26)

Paul has been through a terrible time. He was arrested in Jerusalem on a false charge: that he had taken a Gentile into the Jewish part of the temple. He was only saved from being killed by the intervention of the Roman authorities.

Paul was taken into custody, partly for his own safety, and held at Caesarea for two years. During this time various governors tried to get some advantage from him—using him to defy the Jewish leaders and hoping for a bribe to release him. Finally Paul claimed his right as a Roman citizen to have his case heard by Caesar in Rome.

Paul’s appeal was granted, but the journey to Rome proved a disaster. The late sailing meant that their ship was overtaken by storms and wrecked on the island of Malta. When he eventually arrived in Rome, Paul was placed under house arrest (Acts 27 and 28).

The apostle has every reason to be frustrated and angry. Precious years of his life have been lost through the lies, cowardice and incompetence of other people. His great vision of taking the gospel to other lands and cultures has been thwarted—certainly delayed and perhaps abandoned altogether. And yet Paul is able to assure his friends that what has happened to him has actually helped to spread the gospel!

Paul tells the Philippians how the palace guard have learned why he is in prison. His detention has brought him into contact with some of the finest and most trusted Roman soldiers in the world. As a prisoner, he may even be chained to one of them—with plenty of time to make the gospel known. Christian soldiers will take the gospel with them wherever they go, as business people (such as Lydia) already do.

At the same time, Paul’s example has encouraged other Christians in Rome to witness more boldly. Some of these are preachers who see themselves as rivals to Paul. They are probably Jewish Christians who want to insist that Gentile Christians should keep the Jewish law. But Paul rises above these disputes. What matters is that Jesus Christ is being proclaimed, whatever the motive.

A WIN-WIN SITUATION

Paul hopes to survive his present suffering. Even if he doesn’t, he knows that death is the gate of glory. This is his winning perspective (1:18–26). If he remains in this life, he can continue to serve the Lord and encourage his fellow Christians. If he dies, then he will go to be with the Lord, which he longs to do. With Christ, even the worst will turn out for the best.

B. Outlook toward death and deliverance (1:18b–26). The tone of rejoicing continues (v. 18b) as Paul thanks the Philippians for their prayers concerning his deliverance (v. 19). It is interesting to note that Paul carefully places the work of the Holy Spirit, here called “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (v. 19; Acts 16:7; Rom. 8:9; Gal. 4:6), alongside his readers’ prayers in affecting his potential deliverance (Rom. 8:26–27). At this point the deliverance spoken of could be either death (Phil. 1:20) or release from imprisonment (2:24). In the light of 1:24–25, release seems more likely. But, regardless, it was the apostle’s eager expectation and hope to courageously exalt the Savior in his body (vv. 20, 22, 24), “whether by life or death” (v. 20). What would happen to Paul was entirely secondary to what testimony would be left for Christ.

At this point Paul finds himself in something of a dilemma. “Yet what shall I choose?” (v. 22) he asks. He struggles honestly and openly between the two options of life and death (v. 23). Although he has a great desire to die and enter the presence of Christ (v. 23), his concern for the welfare of the Philippians prevails (v. 24). He is persuaded that it is more important for the sake of the Philippians that he continue living in the body (vv. 22, 24). As he lives for Christ, there will be fruitful labor (vv. 21, 22), including his readers’ progress and joy in the faith (v. 25). Since the apostle had said earlier that he confidently expected progress (1:6), and requested such in prayer for the Philippian Christians (1:9–11), it is obvious that he had discerned what was best (1:10). The correctness of that choice would be even more evident in the future, when Paul would be reunited with the church in Philippi (2:24). Their “joy in Christ Jesus” would “overflow” (nasb abound) at his coming (1:26).

The biographical prologue of the Epistle to the Philippians (1:12–26) takes the central theme of partnership in the gospel (1:5) and exemplifies it being worked out in very difficult circumstances in the life of Paul. Several helpful lessons to consider are: (1) God’s use of negative circumstances to bring about positive ends (1:12–14); (2) the great impact of courageous witness for Christ, even in unfavorable circumstances (1:13–14); (3) the possibility of sharing the gospel of Christ with wrong motives (1:15–18); (4) the vital importance of prayer to support ministry (1:19); (5) the necessity of dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit, especially in connection with prayer (1:19); (6) Christ as the Christian’s reason for living (1:20–21); and (7) the believer’s eternal gain in the presence of Christ through death (1:21, 23).

The biographical prologue of Philippians (1:12–26) not only has clear conceptual links to the epistolary prologue that preceded it (1:3–11), it also looks forward to succeeding sections of the letter. Paul’s example of proper partnership in the gospel (1:5), in the trying situation of his imprisonment, would serve as a challenge to his readers to live “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (1:27). His placing of the needs of other believers before his own desires looks ahead to the exhortation to humble equality (2:3–4) and the glorious illustration of the humility of Christ (2:5–11). The anticipation of his release from bondage (1:25) foreshadows the clearer mention of the apostle’s intention to come to Philippi (2:24).

1:18 Paul refuses to be downcast by the wrong motives of some. Christ is being preached by both groups, and that is for him a great cause for rejoicing.

It is remarkable that under such difficult circumstances, Paul does not feel sorry for himself or seek the sympathy of others. Rather he is filled with the joy of the Lord and encourages his readers to rejoice also.

1:19 The outlook is encouraging. The apostle knows that the whole course of events will lead to his deliverance. Deliverance (KJV, “salvation”) here does not mean the salvation of Paul’s soul, but rather his liberation from prison. The means which God will use in effecting his release will be the prayer of the Philippians and the ministry or help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Marvel here at the importance which Paul puts on the prayers of a feeble band of believers. He sees them as sufficiently powerful to thwart the purposes and the mighty power of Rome. It is true; Christians can influence the destiny of nations and change the course of history through prayer.

The supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ means the power of the Holy Spirit stretched forth in his behalf—the strength which the Spirit would supply to him. In general, it refers to “the boundless resources which the Spirit supplies to enable believers to stand fast, regardless of what the circumstances may be.”

1:20 As he thought of the prayers of the Christians and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, he expressed his eager desire and hope that he might never be ashamed, but rather that he might always have a fearless and outspoken witness for Christ.

And no matter what the outcome of judicial processes might be—whether he was to be freed or put to death—his ambition was that Christ should be magnified in his body. To magnify does not mean to make Christ greater. He is already great, and nothing we can do will make Him greater. But to magnify means to cause Christ to be esteemed or praised by others. Guy King shows how Christ can be magnified by our bodies in life:

… magnified by lips that bear happy testimony to Him; magnified by hands employed in His happy service; magnified by feet only too happy to go on His errands; magnified by knees happily bent in prayer for His kingdom; magnified by shoulders happy to bear one another’s burdens.7

Christ can also be magnified in our bodies by death—bodies worn out in His service; bodies pierced by savage spears; bodies torn by stones or burned at the stake.

1:21 Here, in a nutshell, is Paul’s philosophy of life. He did not live for money, fame, or pleasure. The object of his life was to love, worship, and serve the Lord Jesus. He wanted his life to be like the life of Christ. He wanted the Savior to live out His life through him.

And to die is gain. To die is to be with Christ and to be like Him forever. It is to serve Him with unsinning heart and with feet that will never stray. We do not ordinarily think of death as one of our gains. Sad to say, the outlook today seems to be that “to live is earthly gain, and to die would be the end of gain.” But, says Jowett: “To the Apostle Paul, death was not a darksome passageway, where all our treasures rot away in a swift corruption; it was a place of gracious transition, ‘a covered way that leadeth into light.’ ”8

1:22 If it is God’s will for Paul to live on a while longer in the flesh, then that will mean fruitful labor for him. He will be able to give further help to the Lord’s people. But it was a difficult decision for him—whether to go to the Savior whom he loved, or to remain on earth in the Lord’s service, to which he was also very attached. He did not know which to choose.

1:23 To be hard pressed between the two means to be required to make a difficult decision between two possibilities—that of going home to heaven or that of remaining on earth as an apostle of Christ Jesus.

He ardently longed to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. If he only considered his own interests, this is doubtless the choice he would make.

Notice that Paul did not believe in any theory of soul-sleep. He believed that the Christian goes to be with Christ at the time of death and that he is in the conscious enjoyment of the presence of the Lord. How ridiculous it would be for him to say, as some do today: “To live is Christ; to sleep is gain.” Or, “To depart and to sleep is far better.” “Sleep” is used in the NT of the believer’s body at the time of death (1 Thess. 4:14), never of his soul. Soul-sleep is a myth.

Notice, too, that death is not to be confused with the coming of the Savior. At the time of death, we go to be with Him. At the time of the Rapture, He comes to us.

1:24 For the sake of the Philippians, it was more needful for Paul to live on earth a while longer. One cannot help but be impressed with the unselfishness of this great-hearted man. He does not think of his own comfort or ease, but rather of what will best advance the cause of Christ and the welfare of His people.

1:25 Being confident of this—that he was still needed on earth to instruct, comfort, and encourage the saints—Paul knew that he would not be put to death at this time. How did he know? We believe that he lived so close to the Lord that the Holy Spirit was able to communicate this knowledge to him. “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him.” (Ps. 25:14). Those who dwell deep in God, in quiet meditation, hear secrets that are drowned out by the noise, rush, and bustle of life today. You have to be near to hear. Paul was near.

By remaining in the flesh, Paul would be able to promote their spiritual progress and increase the joy that was theirs through trusting in the Lord.

1:26 Through his being spared for longer life and service on earth, the Philippians would have added cause for rejoicing in the Lord when he would visit them once again. Can you not imagine how they would throw their arms around him and kiss him, and praise the Lord with great joy when he would arrive at Philippi? Perhaps they would say, “Well, Paul, we prayed for you, but honestly, we never expected to see you here again. But how we praise the Lord that He has given you back to us once more!”

the all-important proclamation

Philippians 1:15–18

Some in their preaching of Christ are actuated by envy and strife; some by goodwill. The one preach from love, because they know that I am lying here for the defence of the gospel; the other proclaim Christ for their own partisan purposes, not with pure motives, but thinking to make my bonds gall me all the more. What then? The only result is that in every way, whether as a cloak for other purposes, or whether in truth, Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice—

Here indeed, Paul is speaking from the heart. His imprisonment has been an incentive to preaching. That incentive worked in two ways. There were those who loved him; and, when they saw him lying in prison, they redoubled their efforts to spread the gospel, so that it would lose nothing because of Paul’s imprisonment. They knew that the best way to delight his heart was to see that the work did not suffer because of his unavoidable absence. But others were moved by what Paul calls eritheia, and preached for their own biased motives. Eritheia is an interesting word. Originally, it simply meant working for pay. But anyone who works solely for pay works from a low motive. Such a person is out solely for personal beneﬁt. The word, therefore, came to describe someone who was chieﬂy interested in developing a career, seeking ofﬁce merely for self-improvement; and so it came to be connected with politics and to mean canvassing for ofﬁce. It came to describe self-seeking and selﬁsh ambition, which was out to advance itself and did not care to what methods it stooped to achieve its ends. So there were those who preached even harder now that Paul was in prison, for his imprisonment seemed to present them with a heaven-sent opportunity to advance their own inﬂuence and prestige and to lessen his.

There is a lesson for us here. Paul knew nothing of personal jealousy or of personal resentment. As long as Jesus Christ was preached, he did not care who received the credit and the honour. He did not care what other preachers said about him, or how unfriendly they were to him, or how contemptuous they were of him, or how they tried to go one better and outdo him. All that mattered was that Christ was preached. All too often, we resent it when someone else gains some distinction or credit which we do not. All too often, we regard someone as an enemy simply for expressing some criticism of us or of our methods. All too often, we think people can do no good because they do not do things in our way. All too often, the intellectuals have no time for the evangelicals, and the evangelicals question the faith of the intellectuals. All too often, those who believe in the evangelism of education have no use for the evangelism of decision, and those who practise the evangelism of decision have no use for those who feel that some other approach will have more lasting effects. Paul is the great example. He lifted the matter beyond all personalities; all that mattered was that Christ was preached.

the happy ending

Philippians 1:19–20

For I know that this will result in my salvation, because of your prayer for me, and because of the generous help the Holy Spirit of Christ gives to me, for it is my eager expectation and my hope that I shall never on any occasion be shamed into silence, but that on every occasion, even as now, I shall speak with all boldness of speech, so that Christ will be gloriﬁed in my body, whether by my life or by my death.

It is Paul’s conviction that the situation in which he ﬁnds himself will result in his salvation. Even his imprisonment, and even the almost hostile preaching of his personal enemies, will in the end turn out to be his salvation. What does he mean by his salvation? The word is sōteria, and here there are three possible meanings.

(1) It may mean safety, in which case Paul will be saying that he is quite sure that the matter will end in his release. But that can hardly be the meaning here, since Paul goes on to say that he cannot be sure whether he will live or die.

(2) It may mean his salvation in heaven. In that case, Paul would be saying that his conduct in the opportunity which this situation provides will be his witness in the day of judgment. There is a great truth here. In any situation of opportunity or challenge, we are acting not only for the present time but also for eternity. Our reaction to every situation in time is a witness for or against us in eternity.

(3) But sōteria may have a wider meaning than either of these. It can mean health, general wellbeing. Paul may well be saying that all that is happening to him in this very difﬁcult situation is the best thing for him both in the present and in eternity. ‘God put me in this situation; and God means it, with all its problems and its difﬁculties, to make for my happiness and usefulness in time, and for my joy and peace in eternity.’

In this situation, Paul knows that he has two great supports.

(1) He has the support of the prayers of his friends. One of the loveliest things in Paul’s letters is the way in which he asks again and again for his friends’ prayers. ‘Beloved,’ he writes to the Thessalonians, ‘pray for us.’ ‘Finally, brothers and sisters,’ he writes, ‘pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be gloriﬁed everywhere’ (1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). He says to the Corinthians: ‘You must help us by prayer’ (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:11). He writes that he is sure that through Philemon’s prayers he will be given back to his friends (Philemon 22). Before he sets out on his perilous journey to Jerusalem, he writes to the church at Rome asking for their prayers (Romans 15:30–2).

Paul was never too full of his own importance to remember that he needed the prayers of his friends. He never talked to people as if he could do everything and they could do nothing; he always remembered that neither he, nor they, could do anything without the help of God. There is something to be remembered here. When people are in sorrow, one of their greatest comforts is the awareness that others are bearing them to the throne of grace. When they have to face some back-breaking effort or some heartbreaking decision, there is new strength in remembering that others are remembering them before God. When they go into new places and are far from home, they are upheld in the knowledge that the prayers of those who love them are crossing continents to bring them before the throne of grace. We cannot call people our friends unless we pray for them.

(2) Paul knows that he has the support of the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit is the fulﬁlment of the promise of Jesus that he will be with us to the end of the world.

In all this situation, Paul has one expectation and one hope. The word he uses for expectation is very vivid and unusual; no one uses it before Paul, and he may well have coined it himself. It is apokaradokia. Apo means away from, kara means the head, dokein means to look; and apokaradokia means the eager, intense look, which turns away from everything else to ﬁx on the one object of desire. Paul’s hope is that he will never be shamed into silence, either by cowardice or by a feeling of ineffectiveness. Paul is certain that in Christ he will ﬁnd courage never to be ashamed of the gospel, and that through Christ his labours will be made effective for all to see. J. B. Lightfoot writes: ‘The right of free speech is the badge, the privilege, of the servant of Christ.’ To speak the truth with boldness is not only the privilege of the servants of Christ; it is also their duty.

So, if Paul courageously and effectively seizes his opportunity, Christ will be gloriﬁed in him. It does not matter how things go with him. If he dies, his will be the martyr’s crown; if he lives, his will be the privilege still to preach and to witness for Christ. As Charles Ellicott nobly puts it, Paul is saying: ‘My body will be the theatre in which Christ’s glory is displayed.’ Here is the terrible responsibility of all Christians. Once we have chosen Christ, by our lives and conduct we bring either glory or shame to him. Leaders are judged by their followers; and Christ is judged by us.

in life and in death

Philippians 1:21–6

For living is Christ to me, and death is gain. And yet—what if the continuance of my life in the ﬂesh would produce more fruit for me? What I am to choose is not mine to declare. I am caught between two desires, for I have my desire to strike camp and to be with Christ, which is far better; but for your sake it is more essential for me to remain in this life. And I am conﬁdently certain of this, that I will remain, and I will be with you and beside you all to help you along the road, and to increase the joy of your faith, so that you may have still further grounds for boasting in Christ because of me, when once again I come to visit you.

Since Paul was in prison awaiting trial, he had to face the fact that it was quite uncertain whether he would live or die—and to him it made no difference.

‘Living’, he says, in his great phrase, ‘is Christ to me.’ For Paul, Christ had been the beginning of life, for on that day on the Damascus road it was as if he had begun life all over again. Christ had been the continuing of life; there had never been a day when Paul had not lived in his presence, and in the frightening moments Christ had been there to tell him not to be afraid (Acts 18:9–10). Christ was the end of life, for it was towards his eternal presence that life always led. Christ was the inspiration of life; he was the dynamic of life. To Paul, Christ had given the task of life, for it was he who had made him an apostle and sent him out as the evangelist of the Gentiles. To him, Christ had given the strength for life, for it was Christ’s all-sufﬁcient grace that was made perfect in Paul’s weakness. For him, Christ was the reward of life, for to Paul the only worthwhile reward was closer fellowship with his Lord. If Christ were to be taken out of life, for Paul there would be nothing left.

‘For me,’ said Paul, ‘death is gain.’ Death was entrance into Christ’s nearer presence. There are passages in which Paul seems to regard death as a sleep, from which all at some future general resurrection shall be wakened (1 Corinthians 15:51–2; 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 4:16); but, at the moment when its breath was on him, Paul thought of death not as a falling asleep but as an immediate entry into the presence of his Lord. If we believe in Jesus Christ, death for us is union and reunion, union with him and reunion with those whom we have loved and lost awhile.

The result was that Paul was wavering between two desires. ‘I am caught’, he says, ‘between two desires.’ As the Revised Standard Version has it, ‘I am hard pressed between the two.’ The word he uses is senechomai, the word which would be used of a traveller in a narrow passage, with a wall of rock on either side, unable to turn off in any direction and able only to go straight on. For himself, he wanted to depart and to be with Christ; for the sake of his friends and of what he could do with them and for them, he wanted to be left in this life. Then comes the thought that the choice is not his but God’s.

‘My desire is to depart’, says Paul—and the phrase is very vivid. The word he uses for to depart is analuein.

(1) It is the word for breaking up a camp, loosening the tent-ropes, pulling up the tent-pegs and moving on. Death is a moving on. It is said that in the terrible days of the Second World War, when the Royal Air Force stood between Britain and destruction, and the lives of its pilots were being sacriﬁced, they never spoke of a pilot as having been killed but always as having been ‘posted to another station’. Each day is a day’s march nearer home until, in the end, camp in this world is ﬁnally dismantled and exchanged for permanent residence in the world of glory.

(2) It is the word for loosening the mooring ropes, pulling up the anchors and setting sail. Death is a setting sail, a departure on that voyage which leads to the everlasting haven and to God.

(3) It is the word for solving problems. Death brings life’s solutions. There is some place where all earth’s questions will be answered and where those who have waited will in the end understand.

It is Paul’s conviction that he will remain and continue with them. There is a word-play in the Greek that cannot be reproduced in the English. The word for to remain is menein, and that for to continue is paramenein. The biblical scholar J. B. Lightfoot suggests the translation bide and abide. That keeps the word-play, but does not give the meaning. The point is this: menein simply means to remain with; but paramenein (para is the Greek for beside) means to wait beside a person, always ready to help. Paul’s desire to live is not for his own sake, but for the sake of those whom he can continue to help.

So, if Paul is spared to come and see them again, they will have in him grounds to boast in Jesus Christ. That is to say, they will be able to look at him and see in him a shining example of how, through Christ, they can face the worst standing tall and unafraid. It is the duty of every Christian to trust in this way so that others will be able to see what Christ can do for those who have given their lives to him.

1:12–26 Difficult Circumstances

Paul demonstrated a confident joy in the midst of his situation. If Paul was writing from Rome, his tribulations included mob violence, imprisonment, shipwreck, personal stress, and long detention under the palace guards (2 Cor 11:23–33). Paul rejoiced that in spite of his circumstances the gospel was being preached, even by those opposing him.

Paul informed them of his past and present situation and consciously weighed the alternatives for his future. The joy of Paul’s life was grounded in his Christ-centered life. He stated, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:21). Dying was gain because it meant to be with Christ, the better by far. Yet it was the Lord’s will for Paul to remain in this life because it was more helpful for the Philippians’ progress and joy in the faith.

David S. Dockery, ed., Holman Bible Handbook (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992), 721.

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