CHAPTER ONE

 

 

1:1:  “Philippi” = The city of Philippi was named after the father of Alexander The Great.  In B.C. 357, Philip married the Epirote princess Olympias, who was the daughter of the king of the Molossians.  Alexander The Great was then born in B.C. 356, the same year as Philip's racehorse won at the Olympic Games.  During B.C. 356, Philip conquered the town of Crenides, and changed its name to Philippi.

 

1:21-23:  “to die is gain. . . having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ” = Paul is not here saying that at death that he would go to Heaven to be with Christ, because he states in Philippians 3:11:  “If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”  Clearly, by this statement, Paul is teaching us that he would die, and that he hoped to be resurrected when Christ shall Return again.  Again, he clarifies this in Second Timothy 4:8:  “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day:  and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His Appearing.”  What else would “at that day” be but “His Appearing,” or Second Coming?  I have no quarrel as to Paul wanting to be with Christ; it is WHEN this will take place that many have placed an incorrect light upon.  Also see Second Corinthians 4:14:  “Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.”

 

See my Bible Study:  “DEATH, THE BIBLICAL TRUTH ABOUT.”

 

 

CHAPTER TWO

 

 

2:5-6:  “(5) Let this mind be in you. . . (6) to be equal with God” = Astonishing to read verse 6, “to be equal with God.”  To be equal with God was the second great lie of Satan to Eve, the first being, “Ye shall not surely die,” Genesis 3:4.  This has been a deception and lie of Satan to man ever since his beginning.  Many false religions have based their doctrines on this, the second lie.  So when we read “to be equal with God,” we must understand Philippians 2:6 properly and piece it together with:  “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” Who “made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant,” verse 7, and “He humbled Himself, and became obedient,” verse 8.

 

The only thing in verse 5 that you can control -- is the first word -- “Let.”

 

2:6:  “in the form of God” = The original Greek literally says:  “originally in the form of God.”

 

“He presents before us His two natures, Divine and human.  Here is the description of the Divine, Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.  He was the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person.  Now of the human:  He was made in the likeness of man and found Himself in fashion as a man.  He was in all things like unto us.  He voluntarily assumed human nature.  It was His Own act and by His Own consent.  He clothed His Divinity with humanity;  He was all the while as God, but He did not appear as God.  He veiled the demonstrations of Deity which had Commanded the homage and called forth the admiration of the universe of God.  He was God, while upon earth, but He divested Himself of the form of God and in Its stead took the form and fashion of a man.  He walked the earth as a man.  He for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich.  He laid aside His glory and His majesty. [5LtMs, Lt 11, 1887, paragraph 15]

 

“He was God, but the glories of the form of God for a while He abandoned.  Though He walked among men with poverty, scattering His blessings wherever He went, at His word legions of angels from Heaven would surround their Commander and do Him homage.  But He walked the earth unrecognized, unconfessed by His creatures.”  5LtMs, Lt 11, 1887, paragraphs 15-16.

 

“. . . counting it not a thing to be desired to be equal with God, while man was lost in sin and misery.”  ST, February 20, 1893; ST, December 22, 1914; BEcho, July 15, 1893.

 

2:7:  “no reputation” = It is ascribed to this verse the “Doctrine Of The Kenoo’s;” Kenoo being the Greek word for “of no reputation;” literally, “emptied [Himself].”

 

“made in the likeness of men” = That Christ was not human is not what this is saying.  What it is acknowledging is that He was not just human, He was both human and Divine.  To better understand the Greek word “homoioma,” translated as “likeness,” it is imperative to see how it is used in other places when referring to Christ.  And they are in Romans 1:23; 5:14; 6:5; 8:3.  If we go to Romans 6:5 we learn that we are only “like,” or accounted to be “like” Jesus in His death.  This is disturbing, in that, if you are reading this I can safely assume you are not dead.  But if you are reading this, I can also assume that you are dead in Christ, for no one would be reading this far into my Commentaries unless you have “Christ in you, the hope of Glory,” Colossians 1:27.

 

Paul’s point is abstract.  In the same way that two men may look “like” one another; but they are not related to each other.  In other words, they came from different parents, just as Christ Came from a different Parent.  That the human portion of Christ died is clear (see Acts 2:27), making Christ 100% human.  Therefore, that should not be the argument here or in Romans 1:23; 5:14; 6:5; 8:3.

 

2:10:  “should bow” = Paul is quoting Isaiah 45:23 and the translators of this passage have gotten the word “should” wrong:  “I have sworn by Myself, the Word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

 

The Greek here for “should bow” is “kampto,” and literally means, “bow.”  This makes “should” a supplied word.  If we go to Ephesians 3:14 we can see how it is translated properly, i.e., without the word “should” in front of “bow.”  If we are going to supply a word that Paul did not use, we “should” supply the word, “shall,” Isaiah 45:23.

 

“In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and Heaven the final coronation of the Son of God takes place.  And now, invested with supreme majesty and power, the King of kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against His government, and executes justice upon those who have transgressed His Law and oppressed His people. . . As. . . the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed.”  FLB:356.2.

 

“As if entranced, the wicked have looked upon the coronation of the Son of God.  They see in His hands the Tables of the Divine Law, the Statutes which they have despised and transgressed.  They witness the outburst of wonder, rapture, and adoration from the saved; and as the wave of melody sweeps over the multitudes without the city, all with one voice exclaim, ‘Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints” (Revelation 15:3); and, falling prostrate, they worship the Prince of life.”  DD:56.1; GC88:668-669; GC:668-669; Hvn:127-128; Mar:345.2; 4SP:484.

 

“under the earth” = The true meaning in this context is “all inclusive,” as opposed to a literal location.  In other words, every being (not just on earth) is included in the Commandment.  However, here is my Exodus 20:4 Note:  According to Psalms 24:2 & 33:7 what is “under the earth” is “water.”  Therefore, although “water” is essential for the existence of life on earth, it should not be worshiped; such as the Egyptians worshiped the Nile River.

 

2:11:  “should confess” = See my Philippians 2:10 Note.  The Greek word used here for “should confess” is “exomologeo,” which means, “to confess; to profess; to acknowledge; to admit; to assent fully; to agree (as in Luke 22:6).”  Therefore, “should” is a supplied word and does not belong in the text.  As in Philippians 2:10, everyone “will confess,” not “should confess,” if you need to supply a word that is not in the original text.

 

2:12:  “work out your own salvation” = We must work out what Christ works in.  Examples are:  Job 13:14; Psalm 119:109; Ezekiel 14:14; Colossians 1:27; Second Peter 1:10.  See my Bible Study:  “PERFECTION REQUIRED.”  Christianity is not primarily giving up bad things so that we can be saved.  Jesus did not “give up” bad things in Heaven so that He could save us. We will most likely be called to give up the little comforts in life that we enjoy in order to reach the lost and call them away from the comforts they enjoy.

 

2:12-13:  “[12] work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. [13] For it is God which worketh in you” = This is the “Doctrine of Cooperation.”  “Christ in you, [is] the hope of glory.”  Colossians 1:27.

 

 

CHAPTER THREE

 

 

3:2:  “the concision” = The Greek word Paul uses here is, “katgatome,” meaning, “the cutting” of ones flesh.  Note that Paul is not using the Greek word, “peritome,” which meaning is, “the circumcision.”  Thus, Paul used this word in order to degrade the pretensions which the Jews made to sanctity by the cutting in their flesh and tells the Philippians to avoid them and such actions.

 

3:9:  “that which is through the faith” = See Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 2:16; 3:11; Hebrews 10:38.

 

3:10:  “the power of His resurrection” = Paul speaks of the “Power of the Resurrection,” not of the “Day of the Resurrection.”  The designation of Sunday as “The Day of the Resurrection” is nowhere to be found in the early Christian literature until the writings of “Eusebius of Caesarea,” in 325 A. D.

 

3:11:  “I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” = Even Paul knew he would not go directly to Heaven or hell at death.  See my Bible Study, “DEATH, THE BIBLICAL TRUTH ABOUT.”

 

3:12:  “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect” = However, according to verse 14, we are still to press toward the mark of perfection.  For according to verses 15 & 16, some had already achieved the goal.  Meaning, according to Christ, “sin no more,” John 5:14 & 8:11, it can be done through “Christ in me, the hope of glory,” Colossians 1:27.

 

3:14:  “I press toward the mark” = Sanctification is the work of a lifetime.  There is no such thing as (see my Bible Study:) “ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED.”

 

3:20:  “conversation” = The Greek word for “conversation” is, “G4175; politeuma,” meaning, “community, (abstractly) citizenship; (figuratively) conversation.”  Thus, a better translation would be “For our citizenship is in Heaven.”

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3:21:  “subdue all things” = Be temperate in “all things,” specifically in diet (“belly”), verse 19.

 

 

CHAPTER FOUR

 

 

4:6:  “Be careful for nothing” = This must be understood not in the most extensive sense, but with a form of limitation and restriction.  As opposed to Titus 3:8 where it admonishes believers, “that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.”  Back to Philippians 4:6, in regards to “Be careful for nothing,” this is a present imperative covering the prohibition to “stop being anxious.”

 

As an example, see Matthew 6:31 where Jesus states:  “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”  Our Lord is not here setting up the principle that we should now stop any thinking process and not provide for ourselves (see 1Ti. 5:8), but that we should not overly worry ourselves about these things that are in His watch care.

 

Therefore, the subject of this verse is prayer.  And carefulness and prayer can stand together.  In everything, be it great or small, let your requests be made known to God.  But to be anxious, or better, worrisome over your prayers, is to not place confidence in the God Who answers all our prayers and the One you are praying to.

 

The original meaning was, “Have no distressing anxiety about anything.”  “Careful” used to mean “full of care.”  Looking back at Matthew, Chapter 6 again, consider verse 25:  “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.”   Once again, is Jesus canceling the thinking process and His dietary Laws, and dressing modestly, and being concerned to take good care of our bodies (lives)?  No!  He is telling us to not be anxious over these things and that our Heavenly Father is in charge of these His sphere, while we are to do the things that we can take care of in our sphere.

 

Therefore, we are not to be anxious for anything, but with sure confidence give God thanks, and desire from Him whatever we have need of; that with a quiet conscience we may wholly and with all our hearts submit ourselves to Him.  Exerting anxiety over any matter cannot chance the state or condition of any situation from bad to good, but will infallibly injure your own soul.  We need to learn that as children of God, we should not be anxious, or place ourselves in a distressing manner, becoming overly concerned for the things of this world.  By contrast, we should learn to be content, whether we have more or less.  Nor should we be overly borne down with what befalls us.  But we should cast our cares upon our Lord, and carry every case to Him, and leave it there.

 

4:7:  “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” = Has Jesus given us a peace that passes all understanding?  Then never seek a peace that comes from understanding.

 

4:13:  “I” = Balance the “I” with:  John 15:5; First Corinthians 15:10; Second Corinthians 3:5.  See also Mark 9:23.

 

“The Prophets and Apostles did not perfect Christian character by a miracle [Meaning they did!!!].  They used the means which God had placed within their reach, and all [How Many?] who will put forth a like effort [Meaning you have to do something] will secure a like result.”  4SP:305.

 

“What human power can do Divine Power is not summoned to do.”  DA:535.

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