by Dr. Grant C. Richison
“Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,”
“Paul and Timothy,”
There are two basic landmarks in an introduction: the addresser and the addressee. The above phrase refers to the addressers. The Holy Spirit is the real author of Scripture, using human instruments.
Here were an old and a young man serving together. Timothy was a “vest-pocket edition” […]
“To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi”
“To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi”
Sixty-two times in the New Testament, Christians are called “saints.” Saints are people who are set apart by virtue of being born twice instead of just once.
Saints are people on earth. A saint may not […]
“With the bishops and deacons:”
“with the bishops and deacons:”
It is important to know something about the New Testament church. We are not concerned about individual denominations but the local church in the New Testament.
The word “church” or its plural occurs 114 times in the New Testament; it does not occur in the Old Testament. Ninety-eight […]
“Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The first two verses of Philippians are the vestibule of the epistle. This is the most sensitive of all of Paul’s epistles. There is no chiding or rebuke of the believers at Philippi. The epistle is soaked with words of joy and […]
“Upon every remembrance of you I thank my God.”
Of the letters that Paul wrote, six were written from prison. It is an astonishing thought to think of how much of Paul’s writing ministry took place in jail. He wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Hebrews (if Paul wrote Hebrews), and II Timothy while incarcerated. Paul would […]
“Always in every prayer of mine making request for you with all joy…”
“Always”
The word literally means “on all occasions.” It did not make any difference what the occasion was. Whatever it was, wherever it was, made no difference to Paul. He was independent from his circumstances. “making request” \The Greek indicates that prayer was […]
“For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now”
Paul is in the process of thanking God for the Philippians. He says, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you . . . for your fellowship in the gospel . . . ” One reason Paul thanked God was for the fellowship […]
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”
“Being confident”
“I am persuaded of this. I am certain of this.” Paul was certain that the God who launched a good work in the Philippians would continue it. When God begins […]
“Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel,”
“right for me to think”
It is proper or fitting for Paul to think what he is thinking. “For as he thinks […]
“You all are partakers with me of grace.”
“You all are partakers with me of grace.”
“Partakers” means partners. The Philippians were part of Paul’s gospel team even though they were
separated from him by hundreds of miles. God never intended that one individual do all the serving and producing. That is the point of the allocation of […]
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