The Letters · New Testament
Philippians 1
Philippians 1: bonds that spread the gospel and a choice between life and death
General context
Paul and Timotheus, calling themselves servants of Jesus Christ, write to all the saints at Philippi with the bishops and deacons, and greet them with grace and peace. Paul says he thanks God at every remembrance of them and prays with joy because of their fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, confident that the one who began a good work in them will finish it. He says they share his grace in his bonds and in the defence of the gospel, calls God to witness how he longs for them, and prays that their love may grow in knowledge and judgment so they can approve what is excellent. He then reports his situation. What happened to him, he says, has advanced the gospel rather than hindered it: his bonds are known throughout the palace and elsewhere, and many of the brethren have grown bolder. Some preach Christ out of envy and strife, supposing to add affliction to his bonds, and others out of good will, and he says he rejoices either way, since Christ is preached in pretence or in truth. He expects this to turn out for his salvation and hopes Christ will be magnified in his body whether by life or by death. He states his dilemma plainly: to live is Christ and to die is gain, he is in a strait between the two, and he would rather depart, yet staying is more needful for them, so he expects to remain and see them again. He closes by asking them to live as the gospel requires, standing fast in one spirit whether he comes or not, unafraid of their adversaries, and says believing and suffering were both given to them in the same conflict they saw in him.
Cited passages: Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:2, Philippians 1:3, Philippians 1:4, Philippians 1:5, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 1:7, Philippians 1:8, Philippians 1:9, Philippians 1:10, Philippians 1:12, Philippians 1:13, Philippians 1:14, Philippians 1:15, Philippians 1:16, Philippians 1:17, Philippians 1:18, Philippians 1:19, Philippians 1:20, Philippians 1:21, Philippians 1:22, Philippians 1:23, Philippians 1:24, Philippians 1:25, Philippians 1:26, Philippians 1:27, Philippians 1:28, Philippians 1:29, Philippians 1:30
Philippians 1 (KJV)
1Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
8For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
9And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
12But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
14And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
26That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
27Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
28And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
30Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
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Historical context
The senders are Paul and Timotheus, and neither is called an apostle here; they are the servants of Jesus Christ. The address is unusual in naming officers, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons, though it names no individual among them and says nothing about what those officers do. Paul states that he is in custody, and the chapter refers to his bonds four times, but it does not say where he is held, on what charge, or for how long. The palace where his bonds are known is not identified further. Those who preach of envy and strife are not named, and neither are the adversaries mentioned at the end. The letter says the readers have shared with him from the first day until now, without saying how. No scripture is quoted in this chapter, and no date, journey or third party is named.
Cited passages: Philippians 1:1, Philippians 1:5, Philippians 1:7, Philippians 1:13, Philippians 1:14, Philippians 1:15, Philippians 1:17, Philippians 1:28
Literary context
Joy is stated before any of the circumstances are, and it keeps returning in places where it is least expected. Paul prays with joy, then rejoices over preaching done to injure him, and says he will keep rejoicing. The report of the imprisonment is arranged as a reversal, since the thing that looks like a stop is described as a furtherance, and the phrase my bonds recurs so often that the constraint becomes the argument. The middle of the chapter runs on paired opposites: envy and strife against good will, pretence against truth, life against death. The dilemma at verses 21 to 24 is the only place in the chapter where Paul admits he does not know something, what I shall choose I wot not, and he resolves it not by preference but by what the readers need.
Cited passages: Philippians 1:4, Philippians 1:12, Philippians 1:13, Philippians 1:14, Philippians 1:15, Philippians 1:17, Philippians 1:18, Philippians 1:20, Philippians 1:21, Philippians 1:22, Philippians 1:23, Philippians 1:24
Key moments
- Bishops and deacons greeted (Philippians 1:1). The letter addresses the saints at Philippi together with their officers.
- Partakers in his bonds (Philippians 1:7). Paul says the readers share his grace in imprisonment and in defending the gospel.
- Imprisonment as advance (Philippians 1:12). He says what happened to him has furthered the gospel.
- Preached of envy (Philippians 1:15). Some preach Christ out of rivalry and some out of good will.
- Rejoicing either way (Philippians 1:18). Paul says he rejoices because Christ is preached, whatever the motive.
- To live is Christ (Philippians 1:21). He states the choice between living and dying in one line.
- Staying for their sake (Philippians 1:24). He decides that remaining is more needful for the readers.
For reflection
Paul says he rejoices even when Christ is preached by people trying to make his imprisonment harder. What would you have to let go of to be glad about good work done by someone who wishes you ill?
