Philippians Part 6, Chapter 1:9-18
I. Love (v. 9-10)
A. With knowledge to discern right and wrong.
Their love was to grow in knowledge and sensitive perception so that they would
be more and more able to distinguish between right and wrong. (WB pg 18)
B. Without offense—love other people not because they are lovable.
There are people who are themselves faultless, but who are so austere (hard)
that they drive people away from Christianity. The Christian is himself pure, but
his love and gentleness are such that he attracts others to the Christian way and never
repels them from it. (WB pg 19)
C. Love
1. Agape is love of other people, not because they are lovable, but because they
need love. It is the opposite of self-centeredness. (RFR pg 29)
2. Paul was praying that their love would develop in the direction of sound
Judgment. Paul probably was concerned over signs of growing conflict
And disunity within the Philippian Church.
3. Disciplined, determined care that does not give up easily becomes characteristic
Of the way we live. To some degree, and sometimes to a large degree,
we can make God’s love believable to our world by a goodwill and
compassion that are not discouraged easily. (RFR pg 33)
D. Approve (v. 10)
1. Was the word used to describe the testing of metals or coins to determine if they
were genuine.
2. Again “the Day of Christ”
II. Fruits (v.11)
A. To whom they are rendered acceptable through Christ’s sacrifice and intercession.
Observe, reader, here are three properties of that sincerity which is acceptable to God.
1. It must bear fruits, all inward and outward holiness, all goodness,
righteousness, and truth, and that so abundantly, that we may be filled with
them, or all our powers of body and mind, our time and talents, occupied therein.
2. The branch and the fruits must derive both their virtue and their very being from the
all-supporting, all-supplying root, Jesus Christ.
3. As all these flow from the grace of Christ, so they must issue in the glory and praise
of God. (Benson Commentary)
B. Filled with the fruits of righteousness. This now belongs to the outward life, for a good
conscience produces its fruits by means of works. Hence he desires that they may
be fruitful in good works for the glory of God. Such fruits, he says, are by Christ,
because they flow from the grace of Christ. For the beginning of our well-doing is,
when we are sanctified by his Spirit, for he rested upon him, that we might all receive
of his fullness. (Calvin’s Commentary)
III. Furtherance of the Gospel (v.12)
A. “But I would you understand”—I want you to know.
B. Paul’s enemies probably were saying that what had happened to him was proof of God’s
Displeasure with him and his interpretation of the gospel.
C. Furtherance or advancement –military term used to denote the progress of an army
Through a forest or over a mountain.
IV. Palace—Praetorian or Imperial Guard (Warren Wiersbe pg 21) (v. 13)
A. Instituted by Augustus – 10,000 troops dispersed throughout Rome and
neighboring towns.
B. Tiberius had concentrated them in Rome in a specially built and fortified
camp.
C. Vitellius – increased number to 16,000 troops
D. Bonds
1. Paul was handed over to the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard—their commanding
officer.
2. Paul is bound with a chain (halusis)—a short length of chain from wrist
of prisoner to the wrist of the guarding soldier.
3. Approximately, two years of rotating soldiers “tied” to the Apostle Paul
with a short chain.
4. Soldiers were changed every six hours.
5. Gospel was manifest in all the palace, and in all other places.
V. Paul, an example in the face of danger. (v. 14)
A. Others waxing confident—Paul had given them an example of heroism in the face of danger.
B. His body was bound; his spirit was free. (RFR pg 35)
VI. Preaching Christ (v. 15-18)
A. Some of envy and strife, contention.
B. Paul’s imprisonment seemed for some as a heaven-sent opportunity to advance
their own influence and prestige and lessen his. (WB pg 23)
1. Again, these things have happened to Paul because . . .
2. Why do you do what you do?
3. Examining motives—If we would deal with it within ourselves, pastors would
not have to continuously.
4. Some of good will –Loving Christ, they sympathized with Paul and doubled
their motives.
C. So what? I’m rising above the immature squabbling. I rejoice because Christ is
preached. Sometimes it’s not the man, but the power of the message.
D. All too often we resent it when someone else gains a prominence or a credit which we
do not. All too often we regard a man as an enemy because he has expressed some
criticism of us or of our methods. (WB pg 23)
Philippians Part 7, Chapter 1:19-26
I. “My salvation” (soteria) (v. 19)
A. This situation is the best thing for me both in time and eternity. “God put me in this
situations; 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.”
B. Two factors to his welfare
1. Prayers of the Philippians – We cannot call a man our friend unless we pray for him.
2. “the Spirit of Jesus Christ”
II. “Christ shall be magnified in my body” (v.20)
A. Paul’s hope was not that he would show himself a hero under the ordeal of the trial, but
that whatever came, Christ would be honored. If that could be achieved best by
execution, he would accept a martyr’s death. He was content to leave the issue in
God’s hands. (RFR pg 42)
B. Paul is saying “My body will be the theater in which Christ’s glory is displayed.”
(WB pg 26)
C. Here is the terrible responsibility of the Christian. Once we have chosen Christ, by our
life and conduct we bring either glory or shame to Him. A leader is judged by his
followers; and Christ is judged by us. I will either be grace or disgrace.
III. By Life or By Death (v. 21-26)
A. Paul weighs the glory of living against the glory of dying, not knowing which to
choose because each was wonderful.
B. Life was worth living only insofar as Christ’s life was realized in his life. Dying would
be gain because Paul’s union with Christ would be fully realized. (RFR pg 43)
C. Just give me Jesus!
D. Verse 21 becomes a valuable test of our lives.
“For me to live is ___________, and to die is ____________.”
Fill in the blanks yourself:
Money; to leave it all behind.
Fame; to be forgotten.
Power: to lose it all.
My empire; to leave it all behind.
Do any of these fit your life?
E. By Life or by Death
1. Loss for the worldly.
Death is a great loss to a carnal worldly man; for he loses all his comforts and
accomplishment of his hopes.
2. Gain for the godly.
2771 kérdos – gain (profit), acquired through "faith-trading."
It is being with Christ which makes a departure desirable to a good man.
F. “in a strait betwixt two” (v. 23)
1. strait sunechó
a. I press together, close,
b. I press on every side, confine,
c. I hold fast,
d. I urge, impel,
e. pass: I am afflicted with (sickness).
2. Word which would be used of a traveler in a narrow defile, with a wall of rock
on either hand, unable to turn aside and able only to go straight on.
3. Desiring to depart –analuó (an-al-oo'-o) I unloose, unloose for departure, depart
a. Far better for me.
b. To abide—more needful for you.
4. “Having a desire to depart” It is the word for:
a. Striking camp, loosening the tent ropes, pulling up the tent pins and
moving on.
b. Loosening the mooring ropes, pulling up the anchors and setting sail.
c. Solving problems –death brings solutions to problems that could not
be solved before.
d. The unyoking of oxen.
5. Paul had confidence that he would abide. (v. 25)
IV. Job 14:14 “If a man die, shall he live again?”
A. Because frost kills the swelling bud is no proof that the trees will not bloom again, so
if a man does die, tht is no proof that he is extinct. (Dake)
B. It is but once to die, and that had need be well done that is to be done but once. An error
here is fatal, conclusive, and not again rectified. (Matthew Henry)
C. Death is the opposite of life; it never denotes non-existence. As spiritual life is
“conscious existence in common with God,” so spiritual death is “conscious
existence in separation from God.” (Vine’s Dictionary)
D. If death ends all, then folly and crime are chargeable to the Maker of the universe.
There is bound to be another life where justice will be meted out to all alike and
where all things will continue in perfection and sinlessness.
V. Judgment Is Real and Final
A. Recent/Familiar Testimonies of the dying.
B. Paul knew. 2 Corinthians 12—visited the third heaven
C. Scriptures that prove:
Matt. 10:41-42; Romans 14:10-12; Hebrews 9:27
Prepare For Your Finals
every time a certain little boy went to a playmate’s house he found the child’s
grandmother reading her Bible. “Why do you suppose your grandmother reads the
Bible so much?” he asked. “I’m not sure,” said his friend, “but I think she’s cramming
for her finals.” Your finals may be closer than you think. There’s only one
book that can prepare you form them—that’s the Bible, the written Word of God.
VI. Your Rejoicing (v. 26)
The word translated "rejoicing" is that favorite word of St. Paul, which signifies a ground of
"boasting," or exultation. It is used both of blessing beyond strict necessity, and of service
beyond legal duty; in both of which there is ground for joy and thankfulness. This is, perhaps,
best seen in 1Corinthians 9:15-18, where he declares that the simple preaching of the gospel
is "nothing to boast of," but that the preaching it without cost is "the boasting," of which he says
that he would "rather die than that any man should make it void."
