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Philippians
Paul's letter to Philiptown |
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Chapter 1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, workers for Jesus, God's Chosen, to all the Christians in Philiptown, leaders and helpers. May you share in the beauty and peace, which come from the Loving God and from Jesus the Leader, God's Chosen. Every time I think about you, I say 'thankyou' to God. When I talk with God, I say how happy I am with you all. This is because you've been by my side, sharing the Good News, from day one. And you're still doing it! I'm sure the friend who did the good job of bringing your community together, will have you ready for inspection by Jesus, when he comes. I can't help having good thoughts about you, and I know you feel the same way about me. That's because we've been through so much together. We've all tried to get the Good News accepted, and stood up for it when it was attacked, even though it meant going to prison.God knows how much I long for your company. Such deep feelings for one another come from Jesus. I tell God that I want your love to keep on growing and growing. That's the way to become understanding and sensitive, and make the very best choices. Then you'll get no bad marks when Jesus comes to inspect your work. You'll be able to show all the good things you've produced as a result of his influence. You'll be a credit to God. (12) Since you're my friends, you may be worried about what's happened to me. It's turning out all right. I've been placed in an ideal position to spread the Good News! Everybody's got to know, even the Emperor's personal body-guard, that I'm in prison for taking my stand with Jesus. My loss of liberty has encouraged most of the other Christians here to conquer their fear and be bolder in passing on the Christian message. Some promote the cause of Jesus for their own ends, as if they were in competition with me. Others do it out of the goodness of their hearts. These are inspired by love; they recognize I'm being punished because I argue the case for the good news. There's not much good news in the way some people advertise God's Chosen. They seem to be more keen to advertise themselves. They take advantage of my being in prison to make things more difficult for me. So what! At least people are getting to know about Jesus, whether the means are worthy or not. That makes me happy. I intend to go on being happy. I've got you speaking with God on my behalf, and I've got the Spirit of Jesus. That should be enough to get me out of prison! I hope, indeed I'm certain, I shan't let the side down. Whether I'm given more time to live, or whether I'm condemned to death, I shall speak up for Jesus. I only live for him, so I look on death as promotion. If I'm allowed to carry on living in my present body, it means there are still worthwhile things for me to do. To be honest, I don't know which I would choose, if I had the choice. I'd like very much to leave this life, for that means going to live with Jesus. It's the option that suits my own best interests. But it's better for you I stick around. That seems to me the right choice. I can then spend more time with you all, helping you travel the road towards the true happiness which springs from trust. If I get to visit you again, you'll have an extra reason to be fans of Jesus. Just make sure that, like the Christian message, you add up to 'good news'. Whether I get the chance to visit you or have to rely on reports, it will be good to know you're getting on well together, and working side by side for the cause. Don't let the opposition get you down. They will collapse when they see the quality of new life God has given you. God has given you two special gifts - the ability to trust Jesus, and the ability to suffer for Jesus. You're facing the same challenge I had when I was with you, and, as you've heard, I face a similar challenge here. Chapter 2 It's your relationship with Jesus which gives you strength for living. It's his love which holds you when things go wrong. The Spirit binds you together in community. She gives you care and concern for one another. Now try to agree among yourselves, and make sure no-one goes short of love. That will make me really happy. Don't throw your weight about, or scheme to get your own way. Regard everyone else as someone to cherish. Spend your time seeing to others' needs, rather than your own. Jesus, God's Chosen, is your role model. Adopt his attitude. He was God's Likeness, but he didn't try to play God (like our political leaders.) [see footnote1] Of his own free will, he shared the life of people without rights. He was human just like us, and accepted his human limitations. He walked the path set out for him, even though it led to his death as a criminal. That's why God's put him in charge of the universe. He's going to be more highly praised than anyone before or after him. One day, everyone in this world, and every other world, will recognize the debt they owe him and give him their full support. They will all accept Jesus as Leader, and appreciate how wonderful The Loving God is. (12) Dear friends, you've always taken my advice, when I was there with you, and even more now I'm away from you. So keep working to become complete. But go carefully to avoid harm to yourselves or others. You've got God to help you, giving you enthusiasm and the skills you need. I'm sure God will be delighted with the final result. Get on with the job without squabbling or looking for faults. There should be no scandals or sleaze in God's family, none of the corrupt behaviour so common in the world today. You should stand out as being different. If you carry on being true adverts for the new way of living, then, when Jesus comes, I'll hold my head up high and feel that all my efforts have been worthwhile. (17) Maybe I'm about to die for the cause which has made such a difference to your lives. I'm quite happy about that, and you must try to be happy about it too. If Jesus the Leader sees fit, I'll send Timothy to you soon. I hope he'll bring back some news from you to cheer me up. He's my best friend, and he’s the only one who cares for you like I do. The other visitors you receive are just out for themselves. They're not concerned about the cause of Jesus. You know what a good friend Timothy is. He and I have been like a team of father and son in the work of spreading the Good News. As soon as I know what's going to happen to me, I'll send him to you. I'm sure it won't be long before the Leader lets me come to see you. (25) It's my decision to send Charming back to you. He's your friend and mine, and he’s stood shoulder to shoulder with me in the work. You sent him as a special envoy to help me in my time of need. He misses you all very much. He was upset when he was told you'd heard about his illness. He has in fact been very ill, and we nearly lost him. But God was kind to him and to me too. I'm not sure I could have taken another blow like that. I want very much to send him home, as a treat for you, and to ease my own anxiety. The Leader would wish you to give him a great welcome and have a party in his honour. People like him deserve to be well thought of, especially when, like him, they risk their lives for the cause of Jesus. Charming did all he could to help me on your behalf, because you couldn't be here to look after me yourselves. Chapter 3 More than anything else, friends, I want you to be happy. That’s what the Leader wants too. So I’m going to say some things I’ve said before. I don’t mind making this extra effort, if it means saving you from trouble. Watch out for people who do nasty things. I’m talking about those who want to change the way you look. We fans of Jesus relate to God through the Spirit. We’re not obsessed with our bodies. We’re the healthy-minded, not them. I say this, even though I’ve had the operation myself. I could be superior, if I wished. My qualifications are more impressive than theirs! My foreskin was cut when I was eight days old. I’m a true Jew, a descendant of Benjamin, racially pure. I was a member of the Strict Set, and shared their passion for the rules and regulations. I was so keen, I even bullied Christians. If keeping the rules can make you good, I was perfect, as I kept every one. (7) I’ve left all that behind for Jesus. To me, everything else is rubbish, compared with the privilege of knowing The Leader, God’s Chosen. I’ve exchanged those worthless things for his friendship. Now that Jesus and I are friends, I’ve stopped trying to be good by keeping the rules. I trust him to keep me close to God. I want to get to know Jesus better. I want to experience the new life he brought with him from the grave. I want to share his pain, and die with his attitude. I hope that, for me, death will be the gate to a fuller life, as it was for him. (12) I’m far from perfect; I have a long way to go. But as Jesus looks on me as his prize, I’m running as hard as I can, to get the prize Jesus has ready for me. No, friends, I’m not there yet. I’m just putting the past behind me, and setting my sights on the future. I’m running God’s race. The prize at the end includes a place with Jesus in the grandstand. This is the way of looking at things all grown-up Christians should adopt. We can’t expect to agree about everything. God will show us where we’re going wrong. We must simply make sure we don’t go backwards. I suggest you copy me, dear friends. Or copy others who’ve taken me as their role model. It grieves me greatly, how many there are who oppose the teaching about the death of Jesus as a criminal. Their way is completely negative. Their bodies are their object of worship, and what they regard as important is not worth bothering about. Their minds are on material things. Our home is beyond time and space. That’s where our helper will come from – Jesus – The Leader, God’s Chosen. He’ll change our old worn-out bodies, and give us fit and beautiful bodies, like his. He’ll be able to do that, because he has complete control over everything. Chapter 4 I can’t tell you how much I miss you, dear friends. You’re my prize converts, and just thinking about you makes me happy. I love you very much. Stay loyal to the Leader. It’s time for Edna and Cynthia to put an end to their disagreement. That’s what the Leader wants. I’m asking Lydia, the one who worked with me to establish your community, and who has my trust, to give them some support. [see footnote 2] They all worked hard with me in spreading the good news. So did Clem, and the others in the team. God has made a note of their names. The Leader always gives you plenty to be happy about, so cheer up! Be kind to everybody. The Leader is close beside you. Avoid being anxious about anything. Talk with God about all your needs and problems, and don’t forget to say ‘thankyou’ often. The inner peace God gives cannot be described. It will be yours, as friends of Jesus. (8) There are plenty of good things in this world for you to appreciate and enjoy. There are many forms of truth, many causes which deserve support, campaigns for justice, societies with a good name, projects which benefit the community. These are the things you ought to be interested in. At the same time, continue with the programme I gave you when I was with you. Then you should be able to relax in God’s company. I’m so pleased you’ve expressed your concern for me recently. You used your first opportunity. Not that I’m feeling sorry for myself. I’ve learned to take life as it comes. I’ve been through needy times and prosperous times. I’ve learnt how to survive, hungry or full-up; money in my pocket or skint. I can handle any set of circumstances, because there’s someone by my side giving me help. Even so, I appreciate your kindness in my time of trouble. As you know, in those early days, when I brought the good news to Macedonia, you were the only Christians who threw in their lot with me and sent me on my way with what I needed. You even sent provisions on to me in Tessatown several times. I’m not greedy for myself. But it’s good to see you doing things which earn the thanks of others. You’ve paid my wages with bonuses. The gifts Charming brought from you met all my needs. They were a beautiful gesture, like a bunch of flowers. I’m sure God thought so too. The God I know, will take care of your needs, just as you took care of mine. Jesus can make all God’s resources available to you. The God who loves us like a parent should have all the credit, now and always. I hear you saying ‘YES’ to that! Give my best wishes to everyone in the Christian community where you are. The friends who are keeping me company here send their best wishes. Some of them, you’ll be especially pleased to know, work for the emperor, in his palace. May the beauty and love of Jesus, The Leader, God’s Chosen, be yours. Footnote 1. Contrast with the style of the Roman emperor is implicit throughout this passage, but it would not have been safe for Paul to make it explicit. Footnote 2 Philiptown 4:3 Lydia is the best bet for the identity of the key person who worked with Paul to establish the Christian community at Philippi. The first Christians at Philippi were a group of women with Lydia as their leader. Euodia and Syntache (Edna and Cynthia) would have been among their number. Did an early copyist opposed to female leadership remove her name? Surely Paul would not have named Clement (Clem), possibly the prison warder at Philippi and the first significant male convert, and not Lydia who was converted before him?
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