Philippians 2:12 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Call To Unity And Love In The Way That Had Been Exemplified By Jesus Christ Himself And Which God Will Work Within Them As They Give Attention To Experiencing Their Salvation To The Full (Philippians 2:1-15).

Along with the call to live worthily of Christ, this call to unity and love now presented pervades the whole letter (Philippians 1:9-10; Philippians 1:27; Philippians 2:1-4; Philippians 2:14; Philippians 4:2-3), although without dominating it. As with Jesus Himself in His final words before His death (John 13:14; John 13:34-35; John 15:12; John 15:17; John 17:21) Paul was concerned that the love that Christians had for one another would be the distinguishing mark of the difference between the Kingly Rule of God and the ever-warring kingdoms of the world. And he saw that this would only be possible when the lesson and mind-set of Christ's self-humiliation, death, resurrection and exaltation was brought home to his readers as both the example and mainspring of their salvation. Their oneness was to demonstrate the saving work of Christ (‘advocacy in Christ'), their awareness of the love of God and of Christ (‘the encouragement of love'), and the effective working of the Holy Spirit (‘sharing in common with the Holy Spirit').

Analysis.

a If there is therefore any exhortation (encouragement, advocacy) in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any sharing in common with the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, make full my joy, that you be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind (Philippians 2:1-2).

b Doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself, not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others (Philippians 2:3-4).

c Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped (Philippians 2:5-6).

d But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7).

e And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8).

d For which reason also God highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name (Philippians 2:9).

c That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

b So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works within you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13).

a Do all things without murmurings and questionings, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world (Philippians 2:14-15).

We have seen above in the larger analysis how these parallels fit each other, commencing and ending in ‘a' with the call to unity and oneness, continuing in ‘b' with the request that they work at humility and submission to one another, knowing in the parallel that God will work it within them, and in ‘c' onwards making central to His request the self-humiliation, suffering and exaltation of Jesus Christ Who is to be their perfect and effective exemplar (‘c' to ‘e'), and is to be the One into Whose mind they are to enter. Thus the power that is at work within them bringing about this oneness is to be the very power that was exerted in the incarnation, death, and subsequent resurrection and exaltation of Jesus Christ applied to them by God, something which Paul will further expand on in Philippians 3:7-14 where he will make clear precisely why he has used this illustration in Philippians 2:5-11. For a further indication of its significance see Ephesians 1:19 to Ephesians 2:10. Christ was not only to be the example, but also through His saving activity, the very powerhouse that would effect their salvation (see Romans 6:1-11; Romans 8:29-30; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:3-14; Ephesians 1:19 to Ephesians 2:10; etc) as their minds were set on Him.

Related Commentaries of Philippians 2:1

Philippians 2:1-15

1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashiona as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15 That ye may be blameless and harmless,b the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;