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<p>2:9&nbsp;<em>Wherefore God highly exalted him-&nbsp;</em>The Lord Jesus "humbled himself", and was later "highly exalted" (<em><a href='B:570 2:9'>Phi 2:9</a></em>), practising His earlier teaching that he who would humble himself and take the lowest seat at the meal would be exalted higher (<em><a href='B:470 23:11-12'>Mat 23:11-12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 14:10-11'>Luk 14:10-11</a></em>). The Lord Jesus at the Last Supper humbled Himself from the seat of honour which He had and took not only the lowest seat, but even lower than that: He washed their feet as the servant who didn’t even have a place at the meal. And both James and Peter saw the Lord's humbling Himself at that supper and His subsequent exaltation as a direct pattern for us to copy (<em><a href='B:660 4:10'>Jas 4:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 5:6'>1Pe 5:6</a></em>). Paul takes things one stage even further. He speaks of how he humbled himself, so that<em>his hopelessly weak and ungrateful brethren</em>&nbsp;might be exalted (<em><a href='B:540 11:7'>2Co 11:7</a></em>). He is evidently alluding to the Gospel passages which speak of how we must humble ourselves so that&nbsp;<em>we</em>&nbsp;may be exalted (<em><a href='B:470 23:11-12'>Mat 23:11-12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 14:10-11'>Luk 14:10-11</a></em>). But Paul sees&nbsp;<em>his</em>&nbsp;exaltation, which his humbling would enable, as being identical to&nbsp;<em>theirs</em>. He doesn't say: 'I humbled myself so that I may be exalted'. He speaks of how he humbled himself so that&nbsp;<em>they</em>&nbsp;might be exalted.</p><p>We can understand <em><a href='B:540 8:9'>2Co 8:9</a></em> in this same context- the choice of Jesus to 'become poor' for our sakes is held up as an example to the Corinthians, to inspire their financial giving. The choice is whether or not to live out the cross in our lives- rather than deciding whether or not to come down from Heaven to earth. Jesus gave up the 'riches' of His relationship with God, calling Him "abba", to the 'poverty' of the cross, in saying "My God, Why have you forsaken me?" (<em><a href='B:470 27:46'>Mat 27:46</a></em>). Poverty was associated with crucifixion, rather than with a God coming from Heaven to earth: "Riches buy off judgment, and the poor are condemned to the cross" (Quoted in Martin Hengel,&nbsp;<em>Crucifixion In The Ancient World</em>&nbsp;(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977) p. 60 note 15. ). It is Christ's cross and resurrection, and not this supposed 'incarnation', which is repeatedly emphasized as being the source of our salvation (<em><a href='B:520 5:15'>Rom 5:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 5:21'>Rom 5:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:550 2:20'>Gal 2:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:550 3:13'>Gal 3:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 1:6'>Eph 1:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 5:21'>2Co 5:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 3:18'>1Pe 3:18</a></em>). This is a far cry from the teaching of Irenaeus, one of the so-called 'church fathers', that Christ "attached man to God by his own incarnation" (<em>Against Heresies</em>&nbsp;5:1:1). The New Testament emphasis is that we were reconciled to God by the&nbsp;<em>death</em>&nbsp;of His Son. The whole of Philippians 2 is about the Lord's attitude in His&nbsp;<em>death</em>&nbsp;and not at His&nbsp;<em>birth</em>. It was&nbsp;<em>after</em>His birth but&nbsp;<em>before&nbsp;</em>His death that the Lord could talk of his freedom of decision as to whether or not to lay down His life (<em><a href='B:500 10:18'>Joh 10:18</a></em>)- and it is this decision which <em><a href='B:570 2:9-11'>Phi 2:9-11</a></em> is glorifying.</p><p><em>And gave to him the name which is above every name</em>- These verses are taken to mean that Jesus was God, but at his birth he became a man. It is significant that this is almost the only passage which can be brought forward to explain away the ‘missing link’ in Trinitarian reasoning - how Jesus transferred himself from being God in Heaven to being a baby in Mary’s womb. Yet “God also has highly exalted” Jesus “and given him a name” (:9) shows that Jesus did not exalt himself - God did it. It follows that he was not in a state of being exalted before God did this to him, at his resurrection.</p><p>Jesus carried the name of Yahweh when on earth- He came in the Father's Name (<em><a href='B:500 5:43'>Joh 5:43</a></em>) and did and said many things which previously had been specific to Yahweh. Thus He walked on the water and stilled the waves as Yahweh was said to do (<em><a href='B:230 107:29'>Psa 107:29</a></em>);&nbsp;yet <em><a href='B:570 2:9'>Phi 2:9</a></em> implies He was given the Name at His ascension: "God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name". Does this suggest there are degrees of God manifestation and degrees of bearing His Name?</p><p>Peter preached in and about the name of Jesus- this is emphasized (<em><a href='B:510 2:31'>Act 2:31</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 2:38'>Act 2:38</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 3:6'>Act 3:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 3:16'>Act 3:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 4:10'>Act 4:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 4:12'>Act 4:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 4:17-18'>Act 4:17-18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 4:30'>Act 4:30</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 5:28'>Act 5:28</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 5:40-41'>Act 5:40-41</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 10:43'>Act 10:43</a></em>). The excellence of knowing Him and His character and the wonder of the exalted Name given on His ascension (<em><a href='B:570 2:9'>Phi 2:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 3:12'>Rev 3:12</a></em>) lead Peter to witness. Because of His exaltation, we confess Jesus as Lord to men, as we later will to God at judgment (<em><a href='B:570 2:9'>Phi 2:9</a></em>). According as we confess Him before men, so our judgment will reflect this.</p><p><em><a href='B:570 2:9'>Phi 2:9</a></em> in the AV says that the Lord Jesus has a name “above" every name. Yet His Name surely cannot be “above" that of Yahweh. The Greek for “above" is usually translated “for the sake of", and I would suggest we read <em><a href='B:570 2:9'>Phi 2:9</a></em> as saying that the name of Jesus is for the sake of every name, in that every man and woman was potentially comprehended in His all-representative sacrifice. By baptism into the name of Jesus, they confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. There was and is no other name given under Heaven by which men can be saved; “every name" under the whole Heaven must take on the name of Jesus in baptism. This is why Acts associates His exaltation (<em><a href='B:510 2:33'>Act 2:33</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 5:31'>Act 5:31</a></em>) and His new name (<em><a href='B:510 2:21'>Act 2:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 2:38'>Act 2:38</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 3:6'>Act 3:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 3:16'>Act 3:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 4:10'>Act 4:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 4:12'>Act 4:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 4:18'>Act 4:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 4:30'>Act 4:30</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 5:40'>Act 5:40</a></em>) with an appeal for men and women to be baptized into that Name. Realizing the meaning of the Name of Jesus and the height of His exaltation meant that they realized how “all men" could have their part in a sacrifice which represented “all men". And thus they were motivated to preach to “all men". And thus Paul’s whole preaching ministry was a bearing of the Name of Jesus before the Gentiles (<em><a href='B:510 9:15'>Act 9:15</a></em>).<br/>Christ as our representative means that He is the representative of the church as a whole, the entire body of persons who are “in Christ”, we each have some unique contribution to His body upon earth. This is why He suffered&nbsp;<em>so</em>&nbsp;much- so that He found a fellow feeling true with every tempted mind which is in Him. In society and the workplace, nobody is irreplaceable, no cog can somehow not be replicated albeit in a slightly different form. But the part we have to play in Him is unique and in one sense irreplaceable by anyone else. He has been highly exalted and given a name&nbsp;<em>huper</em>&nbsp;every name, that each of us should bow our knees before Him (<em><a href='B:570 2:9'>Phi 2:9</a></em>):&nbsp;<em>Huper</em>&nbsp;here is usually translated “above”, but perhaps the idea is rather that through His representative sufferings, the Lord has now a Name&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;every one of our names / personalities / histories / characters. He tasted death&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;every man (<em><a href='B:650 2:9'>Heb 2:9</a></em>), and we are therefore to be&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;Him and all that are in Him. His whole suffering&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;us was to leave us an example, that we should follow in His steps to the cross (<em><a href='B:670 2:21'>1Pe 2:21</a></em>). Forasmuch as He suffered&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;us, we are to arm ourselves likewise with that same mind (<em><a href='B:670 4:1'>1Pe 4:1</a></em> - this is repeating the teaching and reasoning of Philippians 2, that we should have the same mind in us which was in Jesus at the time of His death). As He laid down His life&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;us, so we should lay down our lives&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;our brethren (<em><a href='B:690 3:16'>1Jn 3:16</a></em>)- in all the myriad of large and small sacrifices this requires, from phone calls through thoughtful comments and cash generosity to literal death&nbsp;<em>huper</em>&nbsp;others if that’s what’s required. His whole priestly, reconciliatory work is to be ours. Not that&nbsp;<em>we</em>&nbsp;are Saviours of the world in ourselves, but we are to do this work&nbsp;<em>huper</em>&nbsp;Him and&nbsp;<em>huper</em>&nbsp;this world.</p>


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<p>2:10&nbsp;<em>That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the earth</em>- These words are alluding to <em><a href='B:290 45:23-24'>Isa 45:23-24</a></em>: “…unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength". We all find humility difficult. But before the height of His exaltation, a height which came as a result of the depth of the degradation of the cross, we should bow our knees in an unfeigned humility and realization of our sinfulness, and thankful recognition of the fact that through Him we are counted righteous. The reference in <em><a href='B:570 2:10-11'>Phi 2:10-11</a></em> to every knee bowing and every tongue confessing the Lordship of Jesus is perhaps a reference back to the great commission to take Him to all peoples. That day when every knee would bow to the Lord Jesus will be the result of the outcome of His exaltation. A grasp of who the Lord Jesus really is and the height of His present exaltation will naturally result in a confession of Him to the world, as well as a deep personal obedience to His word and will (<em><a href='B:650 2:1'>Heb 2:1</a></em>).</p><p>In <em><a href='B:570 2:10'>Phi 2:10</a></em>, the Lord Jesus is said to have been given power over all beings in heaven, earth and the nether–world. The Romans understood the world to be divided into these three spheres of the cosmos. But this passage is based upon <em><a href='B:290 45:23'>Isa 45:23</a></em>, which says that God has total supremacy – and this has been granted to His Son. As I understand it, Paul is reasoning that if God is all powerful, and if that power has been given to the Lord Jesus, then whatever cosmology there is around, e.g. belief in a nether–world, well, in that case, Jesus has all power over that as well. The same argument applies to demons. If they exist, well the essence is that they are well and truly under the Lord’s control and aren’t essentially powerful. Paul doesn’t so much ridicule the idea of a nether–world, rather he takes the view, as Jesus did in His dealings with the demon issue, that God’s power is so great that their existence is effectively not an issue.</p>


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<p>2:11&nbsp;<em>And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father</em>- The whole process of Christ’s humbling of himself and subsequent exaltation by God was to be “to the glory of God the Father”. God the Father is not, therefore, co-equal with the Son. <em><a href='B:290 45:20-24'>Isa 45:20-24</a></em> speaks of how “all the ends of the earth" will look unto “a just God and a Saviour Jesus" and be saved- evident reference back to the brazen serpent lifted up for salvation. The result of this is that to Him “every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess" his moral failures, rejoicing that “in the Lord have I righteousness and strength…in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory". These words are quoted in <em><a href='B:570 2:11'>Phi 2:11</a></em> in description of the believer’s response to the suffering Saviour. And yet they are quoted again in <em><a href='B:520 14:10-12'>Rom 14:10-12</a></em> regarding our confession of sin before the Lord at judgment day. The connections mean simply this: before the Lord’s cross, we bow our knee and confess our failures, knowing the imputation of His righteousness, in anticipation of how we will bow before Him and give our miserable account at the judgment. And both processes are wonderfully natural. We must simply allow the power of a true faith in His cross to work out its own way in us. At the judgment, no flesh will glory in himself, but only in the Lord Jesus (<em><a href='B:530 1:29'>1Co 1:29</a></em>). And even now, we glory in His cross (<em><a href='B:550 6:14'>Gal 6:14</a></em>).</p><table><tr><td></p><p><em><a href='B:290 45:23-25'>Isa 45:23-25</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:520 14:11-12'>Rom 14:11-12</a></em>, about our reaction at the judgment seat</td><td>Philippians 2, about our reaction to the cross of Christ today</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:23 every knee shall bow</td><td>:10 every knee shall bow</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:23 every tongue shall swear</td><td>:11 every tongue shall confess</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:24 in the Lord</td><td>:11 Jesus Christ is Lord</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:25 shall glory</td><td>:11 to the glory of God</td><td></td></tr></table><p>Clearly our response to the cross is a foretaste of our response to the judgment experience.</p>


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<p>2:12&nbsp;<em>So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence-&nbsp;</em>The fact they needed exhortation to be obedient when Paul was not present with them is another hint that Paul's warm commendations of them in chapter 1 were how he wished to see things, or because he as it were shared the Lord's approach of imputing righteousness. We noted the same about his "confidence" in the Corinthians, when he goes on to be far less than confident in them (see on <em><a href='B:540 7:16'>2Co 7:16</a></em>).</p><p><em>Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling</em>- This exhortation is in the light of his preceding poem about the Lord's total focus upon us on the cross. This should motivate us to respond; His efforts for our salvation should elicit similar from us. The "fear and trembling" would more speak of our deep respect for what He has done for us, rather than any idea of our being petrified as to the outcome of judgment day. The parable of the unjust steward makes the point that in the Kingdom, the faithful will be given by Christ "the true riches... that which is your (very) own" (<em><a href='B:490 16:12'>Luk 16:12</a></em>). The reward given will to some degree be totally personal. Each works out his&nbsp;<em>own</em>&nbsp;salvation, such as it will be (<em><a href='B:570 2:12'>Phi 2:12</a></em>)- not in the sense of achieving it by works, but rather that the sort of spirituality we develop now will be the essential person we are in the eternity of God’s Kingdom.</p><p>Moses' last speeches are often referred to by Paul here (e.g. <em><a href='B:570 2:15'>Phi 2:15</a></em> = <em><a href='B:50 32:5'>Deu 32:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 2:28'>Phi 2:28</a></em> = <em><a href='B:50 31:16'>Deu 31:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 2:12'>Phi 2:12</a></em> = <em><a href='B:50 31:8'>Deu 31:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 31:27'>Deu 31:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:50 31:29'>Deu 31:29</a></em>). This could be a hint that the suggestion on 1:1 was correct- that Paul wrote to the Philippians at the very end of his life, facing death in prison.</p>


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<p>2:13&nbsp;<em>For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work, for His good pleasure</em>- Christianity is meant to be lived in a community. Indeed, God has created salvation in a community, in the body of Christ. “Work out your plural salvation... for it is God who is working in your midst as a body” (<em><a href='B:570 2:12-13'>Phi 2:12-13</a></em>). But our working out (:12) is in response to God’s working within us, in our hearts. The initiative is his. He works in us to work s:w. His will- this is fair emphasis on the fact that God is really at work within us, in our hearts. And the will of God is that none of His should perish, but we should all be saved. <em><a href='B:560 1:11'>Eph 1:11</a></em> likewise connects God’s will with His working in us. Clearly enough, this working is by the Spirit, which works s:w. in each believer (<em><a href='B:530 12:6'>1Co 12:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:530 12:11'>1Co 12:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:550 3:5'>Gal 3:5</a></em>). <em><a href='B:560 3:18-20'>Eph 3:18-20</a></em> states that this working s:w. is through the gift of the Spirit "in the inner man". But we are to respond to that working of God- just as Paul laboured according to God’s working which worked mightily within him (<em><a href='B:580 1:29'>Col 1:29</a></em>).</p>


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<p>2:14&nbsp;<em>Do all things without complaining and questionings</em>- In the preceding light of the Lord's death for us with a mind totally focused upon our redemption, reflecting the will of God for our salvation, and His continued working within us to that end... we should be focused on far higher things than complaining and academic questions and the striving which accompanies them. Our way of life will make an inevitable witness to the world. Simply not moaning and groaning in the daily round will be a holding out of the word of life to those with whom we trudge through this life (<em><a href='B:570 2:14'>Phi 2:14</a></em> cp. 16). The allusion is to how Israel were saved with such great salvation- but murmured and questioned instead of rejoicing in it (<em><a href='B:530 10:10'>1Co 10:10</a></em>).</p>


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<p>2:15- see on <em><a href='B:470 3:11'>Mat 3:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:500 3:18'>Joh 3:18</a></em>.</p><p><em>That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world</em>- "Blameless and harmless" alludes to <em><a href='B:490 1:6'>Luk 1:6</a></em> (as does <em><a href='B:590 3:13'>1Th 3:13</a></em>). We are to have the serene spirituality, all down the years, of Zacharias and Elizabeth. "Become..." continues the idea that the Philippians had been given the Spirit, but had much growth left. Lights shining is alluding to the Septuagint of <em><a href='B:340 12:3'>Dan 12:3</a></em>, concerning the saints in the Kingdom shining as the stars. Once it is appreciated that we are now in the spiritual heavenlies (<em><a href='B:560 2:6'>Eph 2:6</a></em>) then this makes sense. And Paul was using language which Moses had earlier used of how apostate Israel were the "crooked and perverse generation" (<em><a href='B:50 32:5'>Deu 32:5</a></em>). The point of his allusion may have been that despite the darkness and apostasy of the surrounding brotherhood, we must all the same shine with the constancy of the stars. Those among God’s people who break their covenant with Him, He sees as the world. Thus Moses prophesied of an apostate Israel: "They have dealt corruptly with God, they are no longer his children because of their blemish; they are a perverse and crooked generation" (<em><a href='B:50 32:5'>Deu 32:5</a></em> RSV). These very words are used by Paul here regarding the Gentile world. Apostate Israel are the&nbsp;pagan world; and therefore the rejected at the day of judgment will be condemned along with the world (<em><a href='B:530 11:32'>1Co 11:32</a></em>). Likewise <em><a href='B:290 42:1-2'>Isa 42:1-2</a></em> concerning Christ's witness to the&nbsp;<em>Gentiles</em>&nbsp;is quoted in <em><a href='B:470 12:19'>Mat 12:19</a></em> regarding His witness to an apostate Israel. Israel were to be made like “the tope of a rock” just as Gentile Tyre would be (<em><a href='B:330 24:7'>Eze 24:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 26:4'>Eze 26:4</a></em>). “Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers”, the Lord said to Israel (<em><a href='B:470 23:32'>Mat 23:32</a></em>)- yet He was alluding to how the Gentile Amorites filled up the cup of God’s judgments and then had to drink it. Pharaoh's heart was hardened to bring about God’s glory, but Paul uses the very same language, in the same context, to describe what was happening to an apostate, Egypt-like Israel (<em><a href='B:520 9:17'>Rom 9:17</a></em>). Korah and his company were swallowed by the earth, using the very language which Moses so recently had applied to how the Egyptians were swallowed by the earth at the Red Sea (<em><a href='B:20 15:12'>Exo 15:12</a></em>).</p>


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<p>2:16&nbsp;<em>Holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or laboured in vain</em>- The context of shining as lights in the world encourages me to translate "holding fast" as in AV, "holding forth". The Lord Jesus was the light of the world; and by doing “all things without murmuring and disputing… blameless and harmless as the Lamb…&nbsp;<em>you</em>&nbsp;shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life” i:e. the Lord Jesus; <em><a href='B:570 2:14-16'>Phi 2:14-16</a></em>. Paul felt he would have "run in vain" if his converts didn’t in their turn preach. The quality of our converts affects the nature of our final reward- for Paul elsewhere uses the image of a race as a symbol for the Christian life which ends in the victory of the Kingdom. But whether he won or lost, he felt that the whole thing would be meaningless if they did not spiritually develop. If as suggested on 1:1 and 2:12,17,23; 3:13,20; 4:1,13 Paul was writing this at around the time he wrote 2 Timothy 4, his comment there that he had run a good race in <em><a href='B:620 4:7'>2Ti 4:7</a></em> therefore meant that he was satisfied with the fruit of his labours amongst his converts; for here in 2:16 he says that his race would have been run in vain if they were not spiritually fruitful. And yet all in Asia left him, and so many of his converts clearly fell away, according to how he writes to the Galatians and Corinthians. But some did not, especially some at Philippi, and so he considered his race to have been successful. We too can follow his example and see the glass half full rather than half empty. Paul's joy at the last day was to be a function of the efforts he made in this very brief life for others. And this is the thought which gives eternal significance to our patient teaching and involvement with others who are on the path to the Kingdom. Even a career helping unbelievers will not have the same eternal result; for those folks shall be eternally dead. But life lived for others in Christ shall have this eternal joy of fulfilment. Paul, like us, therefore had a personal investment in the spiritual success of those in his life.</p>


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<p>2:17- see on <em><a href='B:620 4:6-8'>2Ti 4:6-8</a></em>.</p><p><em>Yes, and if I am poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all</em>- As noted on :16, the nature of our eternal experience will be a reflection of what we have sacrificed for others in this life. Paul saw his life as the drink offering which gave acceptability and completeness to the sacrifice of those for whom he laboured. The believer’s death is a pouring out of blood on the altar (<em><a href='B:570 2:17'>Phi 2:17</a></em> Gk; <em><a href='B:730 6:9'>Rev 6:9</a></em>), which is language highly appropriate to the Lord’s death. It follows from this that the death of one in Christ is the pinnacle of their spiritual maturity, as the Lord’s death was the pinnacle of his. It is a spiritual victory, more than the temporal victory of the flesh which it can appear. The only other time we encounter the Greek word for 'poured out as a drink offering' is in <em><a href='B:620 4:6'>2Ti 4:6</a></em>, where Paul felt he was ready to be poured out. This is another reason for thinking that Philippians was written at the very end of Paul's life; see on 1:1; 2:12,16,23.</p><p>Paul says that he saw his brethren as an altar, upon which he was being offered up as a sacrifice. He saw his brethren as the means by which he could serve God. And for us too, the community of believers, the ecclesia, be they strong or weak, a pain in the neck or wonderful encouragement, are simply the method God has chosen for us to offer ourselves to Him. Running around for others, caring of others, patient sensitivity with our brethren… these are but the altar provided by God, upon which we can serve Him and give ourselves to Him.</p><p>"I am glad and rejoice" is in the present tense; Paul has said that their final acceptance will be his eternal joy at the last day (:16). But we are to live the Kingdom life now, for in this sense we "have eternal life" in that we are living the kind of life which we shall eternally live. Paul felt the Philippians were on track to the Kingdom; if the Lord came at that moment, they would be accepted. And so he rejoiced for them right now.</p>


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<p>2:18&nbsp;<em>And in the same manner you also should be glad and rejoice with me</em>- As explained on :16 and :17, Paul would rejoice eternally at the last day because of their salvation; but they were on track for salvation, and so Paul rejoiced even now. And he asks them to share that joy, as if they were in some unnecessary doubt about their salvation. There will be both now and eternally a mutuality in our joy. Joy in its true sense is not selfish; to rejoice regarding issues only pertinent to ourselves would surely be selfish.</p>


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<p>2:19&nbsp;<em>But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may also be cheered by news of you</em>- Paul's joy in their salvation was because he believed they would be saved, just as we ought to believe that others far away from us shall be saved. But he intended to send Timothy to them to actually know the real state of their faith, so that his joy could be based on reality rather than blind faith that they were strong in the Lord and on track for salvation. Paul's "hope in the Lord Jesus" indicates that he saw the Lord Jesus as the One who would decide whether or not Timothy's visit would happen. The Lord is indeed so very active, permitting or blocking various things in our lives, and certainly not sitting idle in Heaven leaving us to our own devices. As noted on 1:1, if this sending of Timothy to Philippi was at the time of 2 Timothy 4, this was indeed a sacrifice. For Paul felt abandoned and forgotten by all, and had begged Timothy to come to him in prison; and this letter to the Philippians was written by Paul and Timothy together whilst Paul was imprisoned (1:1).</p>


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<p>2:20&nbsp;<em>For I have no one likeminded, who will truly care for your welfare</em>- Timothy's visit was so as to return to Paul with good news about their spiritual state (:19), but this would perhaps be a result of Timothy's true care for their spiritual welfare. The "care" of all the churches daily pressed upon Paul, and had nobody else who had this same mind as he did apart from Timothy:&nbsp;</p>


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<p>2:21- see on <em><a href='B:530 13:5'>1Co 13:5</a></em>.</p><p><em>For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ</em>- Paul realized more clearly the apostasy of the brotherhood; "all men seek their own" he commented, in conscious allusion to his earlier words that such self-seeking should not be the case amongst the ecclesia (<em><a href='B:530 10:24'>1Co 10:24</a></em>). Paul was clearly disappointed in how little care there was for the spiritual welfare of others; he felt Timothy was the only one who 'got it'. And yet he is so positive about his brethren, whilst seeing their deep weaknesses. His 'cup half full' approach was therefore not the result of some naive, Alice in wonderland optimism. It was the more notable because he was not blind to the weaknesses of his brethren. He really believed what he wrote about the imputation of righteousness.</p>


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<p>2:22&nbsp;<em>But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served as an apprentice with me in declaring the gospel</em>- Paul has been explaining that he feels Timothy is the only one who really 'got it' about caring for the spiritual welfare of others (:20,21). But he partly attributes this to how Paul had spiritually nurtured him, to the point that although Paul had not baptized Timothy, he considered him his spiritual son.</p>


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<p>2:23&nbsp;<em>Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me</em>- This would suggest that Paul was at a critical point in his imprisonment, as noted on chapter 1. He wanted Timothy with him if it came to having to die. Paul is here apparently more realistic about his situation; in 1:19 he had written of being confident of his release from prison and his continued living in order to strengthen the Philippians. But now he is more realistic, recognizing that he doesn't actually know how things will turn out. There is no record of Paul revisiting Philippi, and so we can assume that perhaps things did not turn out as Paul confidently hoped, and he was executed. In this case this letter to the Philippians was written at the end of Paul's life. His great theme of joy was because he indeed was finishing his race with joy (<em><a href='B:510 20:24'>Act 20:24</a></em>).</p>


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<p>2:24&nbsp;<em>But I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall come shortly</em>- In 1:19-23 Paul speaks as if his desire to not die but continue living had been accepted by the Lord, and so that was how it would be. But it was a matter of trust / faith, although Paul speaks of what he prayed for as if he had actually received it. As soon as his case was decided positively, Paul would send Timothy to them, and then himself follow shortly afterwards. These were his plans, but there is no record of them coming true.</p>


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<p>2:25- see on <em><a href='B:590 3:1'>1Th 3:1</a></em>.</p><p><em>But I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need</em>- The "But..." suggests that Paul knew there would still be some time before his case was decided, and so he had sent Epaphroditus to them, even though this brother was the one who was arranging for Pauls care whilst incarcerated. It was largely over to relatives and friends to provide for the imprisoned, and so this was a huge sacrifice. Especially as Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4 as if he lacked even a cloak and writing equipment. We observe that the church in Rome, who he had felt so warmly towards in his letter to them, were not providing for him. This was indeed a sad way for such a great missionary to meet his end- ignored or avoided by his local brethren. We may consider Paul as the leading light of the early church, but that is not how he was perceived at the time. All Asia turned away from him. He describes Epaphroditus as the one "that ministered to my need". The Greek for "ministered" is used in the LXX concerning the priests (and Joshua) ministering to Moses in practical things; one of several examples of where Paul saw himself as Moses.</p>


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<p>2:26- see on <em><a href='B:480 14:36'>Mar 14:36</a></em>.</p><p><em>Since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick</em>- His longing for them was the longing Paul had for them (1:8 s:w:). Like Timothy, he shared Paul's care for them. This longing for other believers is described with this same word in <em><a href='B:520 1:11'>Rom 1:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 9:14'>2Co 9:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 3:6'>1Th 3:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:620 1:4'>2Ti 1:4</a></em>. It was a feature of the believers, and we must ask whether we have that today. For we live in an age of isolationism as never before. And in this connection we note how news of a brother's sickness in Rome travelled as far as Philippi, and they were so concerned about the brother that on his recovery, he wished to go visit them- in an age when international travel was generally unheard of. This was the kind of unity the Lord's death enabled, and which he foresaw in John 17 as alone having the power to convert the world. We live in the time of communication revolution, whereby we can have unparalleled contact with each other. This ought to be powerfully harnessed in the interests of the kind of unity which we have a taste of here:&nbsp;</p>


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<p>2:27&nbsp;<em>For indeed he was sick and near to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow</em>- Again we see the connection between brethren. The loss of Epaphroditus would have been a loss to Paul too. Losing him would have been a sorrow and loss- and yet Paul was prepared to lose him by sending him to visit the Philippians. His recovery from the face of death was being used for the Philippians, and in 1:19-23 Paul has said that this is how he wishes to use his salvation from the death penalty and the limitations of imprisonment. In this too we see the connection of spirit between these two believers. And the same connections in the Spirit are forged continually in the Lord's body today, if we are open to them. Losing Epaphroditus in death would have been another "sorrow" for Paul; and yet when he recovered, Paul wilfully lost him again by sending him to the Philippians. And this resulted in sorrow for Paul (:28), which would be compensated for if Epaphroditus were to find the Philippians as strong in faith in reality as Paul imputed to them by faith in their status before the Lord.</p>


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<p>2:28&nbsp;<em>Therefore I have sent him more diligently, so that when you see him again, you may rejoice and that I may be less sorrowful</em>- Their joy would reduce Paul's sorrow, because their joy was his joy; see on :27. <em><a href='B:540 2:3'>2Co 2:3</a></em> speaks in similar terms of the joy of the Corinthians being Paul's joy. This is the ideal of fellowship in the Spirit- our spirits are connected if we both have the Spirit of Christ. If we are focused only upon our own feelings then we will never achieve the joy which comes from caring for others' spiritual progress.</p>


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<p>2:29&nbsp;<em>Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy and hold such in honour</em>- That Paul had to ask them to "receive him in the Lord" could be another hint that the spirituality of the Philippians was not as great as he had praised them for in chapter 1. We receive each other on the basis that we are "in the Lord"; to refuse to accept those who are "in the Lord" but who fail to meet some document based fellowship requirement is wrong indeed. Epaphroditus was to be honoured by them because of his labour in the Lord (:30). This respect of others for their labours is all part of the general picture the New Testament gives, of the true church being a place of respect and praise of its members.</p>


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<p>2:30&nbsp;<em>Because for the work of Christ he came near to death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me</em>- We have just read that Epaphroditus was near to death due to sickness. It could&nbsp;be that this sickness referred to some physical result of persecution he had endured in an incident in which he risked his life to supply Paul's needs. Perhaps his identification with the imprisoned Paul and attempts to provide for him had led to him being so physically beaten up that he was sick and nearly died. Their ministry to Paul was "lacking"; and yet Paul speaks so positively of their great love for him in chapter 1. He later praises them for sending him material help when he was in Thessalonica (<em><a href='B:570 4:16'>Phi 4:16</a></em>), and they had also sent gifts for Paul with Epaphroditus when he had previously visited them (<em><a href='B:570 4:18'>Phi 4:18</a></em>). In <em><a href='B:570 4:10'>Phi 4:10</a></em> he writes of how their care for him had "revived", and excuses their lack of service to him as not having had the opportunity to do so: "But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me. I know you did indeed take thought for me, but you lacked opportunity". The rebuke here in 2:30 stands as it does; but Paul positively seeks to excuse them, whilst not turning a blind eye. Seeing the cup half full is no call to naivety or pretending not to notice things; for that is no basis for legitimate, authentic relationship. Just as Paul praises the Corinthians for their love of him and then reveals their lack of love and respect for him, so with the Philippians Paul is so positive about their care and love for him, and yet is not blind to the fact that their lack of service led to Epaphroditus nearly losing his life. This is not merely seeing the cup half full rather than half empty; this is the rightful praise of others for what devotion they do show, even if it is lacking, insufficient (Gk:), more than half empty. Paul's attitude was surely a reflection of how the Father sees us His wayward children, focusing with joy upon what little obedience and devotion we do show rather than overly lamenting 'that which is lacking in our service toward Him'.</p><p>"The work of Christ" was done by caring for Paul in prison, and like Paul, Epaphroditus did not consider his life worth holding on to if it meant not doing "the work of Christ". He like Paul considered that "to live is Christ"; and like Paul he did not count his life dear to himself for the sake of the ministry (<em><a href='B:510 20:24'>Act 20:24</a></em>). "The work of Christ" may not mean simply 'work done for Christ', for in :12,13 we have read of how God works through our works. So "the work of Christ" would then refer to the work done by Christ through us. And we like Paul and Epaphroditus should be so absorbed in being Him and letting Him work through us, that the continuation of our lives is not significant; for after resurrection we shall eternally continue this way of being.</p>


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<p>3:1&nbsp;<em>Finally my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. For me to repeat the same things to you as I did before is not tedious, indeed it only confirms their certainty</em>- "Finally" sounds as if the letter is being concluded, but Paul is only half way through the letter as we now have it. He seems to get carried away now in the Spirit in warning against false teachers and Judaism. Paul says he is repeating what he has said before, and the fact he is doing so prompted by the Spirit inspiring him "only confirms" the reality of the problem. He may have written these things before in an unrecorded letter, or perhaps he is reminding them of the warnings he gave them whilst present with them. He feels he has to make these warnings against legalism because he wants them to "rejoice in the Lord", and legalism takes away the joy of salvation by grace on account of the Lord's work.</p>


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<p>3:2&nbsp;<em>As so I say again: Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers-&nbsp;</em>"Dogs" were unclean animals; to call religious Jewish people workers of evil, when they considered themselves full of good works, and unclean body cutters an allusion to pagan idolatry was extreme language. Indeed "dogs" could refer to the male prostitutes of the idol temples. This was how Paul saw the Judaists- their legalism was a form of the crudest idolatry.</p><p><em>Beware of the mutilators</em>- “Look out for those dogs… who do evil… who cut the body” (NET). If this is merely a reference to circumcision only, it would contradict Paul’s tolerant attitude towards those who in their immaturity still practiced the rite. He wasn’t so passionately against circumcision as such; his reference is to those who divide the body of Christ through insisting upon such things. This cutting of the body is so easily done, whenever discord is sown. The language used by the Spirit here is some of the strongest anywhere in the New Testament. Sowing division is&nbsp;<em>so</em>&nbsp;seriously wrong.</p>


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<p>3:3&nbsp;<em>For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh</em>- Circumcision was understood by Paul to refer to what is done to the heart of a person after they have been baptized: "But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter" (<em><a href='B:520 2:29'>Rom 2:29</a></em>). The inward man is where the Spirit operates (<em><a href='B:560 3:16'>Eph 3:16</a></em>), strengthening us with God’s psychological power. And here in <em><a href='B:570 3:3'>Phi 3:3</a></em>, Paul again associates spiritual circumcision with the work of the Spirit; for it is the Spirit which empowers us to cut off the flesh. It is this work of the Spirit which is the seal or token of the fact we are in covenant with God and are His true Israel. Human willpower cannot cut off the flesh; those who seek justification by steel willed obedience are placing "confidence in the flesh" rather than in God’s operation through the Spirit. It is by the Spirit that we glory or (as AV) rejoice in Christ. This connects with the opening thought in 3:1, that we are to rejoice in the Lord Jesus rather than go the way of Judaism. There can be no joy for those who try to cut off the flesh by the flesh. And they have no sense of rejoicing or glorying in the Messiah Jesus if they effectively do not need Him to cut off their flesh. Circumcision is something done to another person when that person is immature and powerless. This is exactly what God does to the new born convert to Christ, through sending forth the Spirit of His Son into their heart to cut off the flesh (<em><a href='B:550 4:6'>Gal 4:6</a></em>).</p>


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<p>3:4&nbsp;<em>Though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more</em>- Paul is not boasting here, but rather saying that even the best qualifications of Judaism were irrelevant to salvation. <em><a href='B:570 3:4-11'>Phi 3:4-11</a></em> reads rather like an encomium see on <em><a href='B:550 1:10'>Gal 1:10</a></em>, with Paul writing of how he was "circumcised on the eighth day... of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews" (<em><a href='B:570 3:5'>Phi 3:5</a></em>). But then he as it were alters course half way through, as if to say 'Nah, just kiddin''. He speaks of his "confidence in the flesh", his former "gains", as being now "loss for Christ"; he's almost sarcastic about his humanly impressive encomium. For he says all this in the context of the preceding chapter, Philippians 2, where he has shown that the only true path of glory lays after the pattern of the Lord Jesus, who had to die the death of the cross in order to be highly exalted. A similar sarcasm about his humanly impressive encomium is to be found at more length in <em><a href='B:540 11:21'>2Co 11:21</a></em> to <em><a href='B:540 12:10'>2Co 12:10</a></em>.</p>


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<p>3:5&nbsp;<em>Circumcised the eighth day, of Israelite stock, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As touching the law, a Pharisee</em>- Benjamin was in the middle of Israel, the tribe of their first king, and the only son of Jacob born in the promised land, indeed he was Jacob's favourite son; and the only tribe faithful to Judah. The battle cry of Israel was “After thee, O Benjamin”. Paul was a pure blooded Jew with no question of intermarriage in his recent ancestors, a Hebrew of Hebrews in that his Hebrew parents had not become Hellenised; and belonging to the strictest school of interpretation of the Law (<em><a href='B:510 26:5'>Act 26:5</a></em>):&nbsp;</p>


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<p>3:6- see on <em><a href='B:570 1:10'>Phi 1:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:610 1:16'>1Ti 1:16</a></em>.</p><p><em>As touching zeal, persecuting the church. As touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless</em>- Judaism at the time apparently considered persecuting Christians as a sign of high qualification as a Jews. In saying that he persecuted the Christian church "zealously" he was alluding to the way that Phinehas is described as 'zealous' for the way in which he murdered an apostate Jew together with a Gentile who was leading him to sin (Numbers 25). Note that the Jews in Palestine had no power to give anyone the death sentence, as witnessed not only by the record of the trial of Jesus but Josephus too (<em>Antiquities</em>&nbsp;20:202;&nbsp;<em>BJ</em>&nbsp;2:117; 6:302). Paul was a criminal murderer; and he had justified it by saying that he was the 1st Century Phinehas. <em><a href='B:230 106:30'>Psa 106:30</a></em> had commented upon the murder performed by Phinehas, that his zeal "was accounted to him for righteousness". This sets the background for the converted Paul's huge emphasis upon the fact that&nbsp;<em>faith</em>&nbsp;in Jesus is what is "reckoned for righteousness", and it is in&nbsp;<em>this</em>&nbsp;way that God "justifies the unGodly" (<em><a href='B:520 4:3-5'>Rom 4:3-5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 5:6'>Rom 5:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:550 3:6'>Gal 3:6</a></em>). Paul is inviting us to see ourselves as him- passionately obsessed with going about our justification the&nbsp;<em>wrong</em>&nbsp;way, and having to come to the&nbsp;<em>huge</em>&nbsp;realization that righteousness is&nbsp;<em>imputed</em>&nbsp;to us by our faith in the work of Jesus. Paul saw himself as learning the lesson of Job. Philippians 3 has several allusions back to him- like Job, Paul suffered “the loss of all things” (:8), although he considered himself previously “blameless” (:6). He threw away his own righteousness, that he might be justified by grace and know thereby the essence of Christ (:9), just as Job did.</p><p>Paul's technical obedience to the Law was "found blameless"; but it was only "found" that way by men, externally; for in <em><a href='B:520 7:15-25'>Rom 7:15-25</a></em> he admits to gross and continued disobedience to the Law in his spirit. If we seek justification before God by legal obedience to the Law, we shall be "found sinners" (<em><a href='B:550 2:17'>Gal 2:17</a></em>). We can only be found truly blameless before God if He imputes righteousness to us through our being in Christ, and we are "found in Him" (:9).</p>


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<p>3:7&nbsp;<em>However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ</em>- Paul saw himself as the man who gives all to buy the pearl (<em><a href='B:470 13:45-46'>Mat 13:45-46</a></em> = <em><a href='B:570 3:7-8'>Phi 3:7-8</a></em>; although this passage also alludes to Moses; as if he took inspiration from Moses to be like the man in the parable). He saw the excellency of the knowledge of Christ as the pearl whose beauty inspired even a rich man to give up all that he had. "Gain" could imply financial gain; but Paul has recently used the word in saying that "to die is gain" (1:21). This is the radical inversion of values which there is in Christ; secular gain becomes spiritual loss, and secular loss becomes spiritual gain. Paul alludes to this idea when he says that the shipwreck on the way to Italy was gaining from a loss (<em><a href='B:510 27:21'>Act 27:21</a></em> uses the same words). It could well be that he had reflected on that incident, the casting overboard of secular wealth with his own hands, and it now influenced his later thought now imprisoned in Rome.</p>


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<p>3:8- see on <em><a href='B:490 9:23-25'>Luk 9:23-25</a></em>.</p><p><em>Yes indeed, I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ</em>- Paul truly believed, "doubtless" (AV), without even temporal doubt, that the loss of secular things was gain. We tend to doubt that sometimes; waves of worry about our financial future and longer term security swamp us at times. But Paul was without doubt about his position. The "all things" which Paul lost were largely psychological values and standing amongst men; although the words for gain and loss can have a distinct financial sense too. And he likely lost much of his family, seeing he was from a line of proud Pharisees. The power of Paul's teaching about singleness is backed up by his personal situation. As a member of the Council who condemned Stephen, he would have had to be married. An unmarried Orthodox Jew would have been a contradiction in terms at that time. And yet he is evidently single in his Christian ministry. It seems fairly certain that his wife either died or left him at the time of his conversion, probably taking the children with her. If this is so, it gives extra poignancy to his comment that he had suffered the loss of all things for the sake of his conversion. The chances are that he thought and wrote that with a difficult glance back to that Jerusalem girl, the toddlers he'd never seen again, the life and infinite possibilities of what might have been... And it gives another angle on his description of his converts as his children:&nbsp;</p><p>Paul "counted" the things of this life as loss "for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ" and His sufferings, so that he would gain the resurrection. Moses likewise rejected the world for the same two reasons: the excellency of sharing the reproach of Christ, and secondly from respect unto the recompense of the reward, at the resurrection. He uses the same word translated "esteemed" when we read of how Moses "esteemed" the reproach of Christ as greater riches than the treasures in Egypt (<em><a href='B:650 11:26'>Heb 11:26</a></em>). The "reproach" of Christ is the same word used concerning Christ being "reviled" on the cross. Paul felt that the intellectual heights of knowing the mind of our crucified Lord, of being able to enter into the riches than are even now in the mind of Christ (<em><a href='B:580 2:3'>Col 2:3</a></em>) more than compensated for his sacrifice of all material things in this life. And Moses was the same; he esteemed the "reproach of Christ", the knowledge that he was sharing the sufferings of his future saviour and would thereby enter the Kingdom which he would make possible, as far greater than the possibility of being King of Egypt. He knew that he was sharing the sufferings of Christ, and that therefore he would be rewarded. It was this knowledge which motivated him in rejecting the riches of Egypt:&nbsp;</p><p>Paul could have been such a high flyer; he profited (materially, the Greek could imply) in the Jews' religion above any one else (<em><a href='B:550 1:14'>Gal 1:14</a></em>). But he resigned it all. He wrote some majestic words which ought to become the goal of every one of us: "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss&nbsp;<em>for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord</em>: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I way win Christ" (<em><a href='B:570 3:7-8'>Phi 3:7-8</a></em>). Why did he do it? Not just because he wanted to get salvation. "For the&nbsp;<em>excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord</em>". For the&nbsp;<em>excellency</em>&nbsp;of who Christ is, as&nbsp;<em>my</em>&nbsp;Lord, he did it. Grasping the wonder of our salvation in the Lord Jesus should do even more than motivate us to write out a cheque; Paul not only gave, but he counted the things of this life as&nbsp;<em>dung</em>&nbsp;(and that's just what it means); he&nbsp;<em>despised</em>&nbsp;material advantage. This is a stage beyond just being generous.</p>


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<p>3:9&nbsp;<em>And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own which is of the law, but which is through faith in Christ- the righteousness which is from God by faith</em>- As noted on :6, it matters not if we are "found" blameless before men; it is our standing in Christ which matters. Righteousness "of the law" is not God’s righteousness, but 'our own'. A feeling good about ourselves because we were technically obedient to some laws. Righteousness which comes from God has to be imputed, or given- on account of our faith in Christ. This is absolutely what Paul taught the Romans and he is repeating it here.</p>


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<p>3:10- see on <em><a href='B:510 9:16'>Act 9:16</a></em>.</p><p><em>That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death</em>- The full knowledge of the Lord Jesus will be when we know materially the "power of His resurrection". Eternity will be about relationship with Him, and that is why eternity begins now insofar as we have relationship with Him. Knowing Him, therefore, refers to relationship rather than technical knowledge of theological propositions concerning Him.</p><p>The centrality of the cross is reflected in the way in which to live a life crucified with Jesus is set up as the ultimate aim of the Christian life. We are “becoming conformed coming towards His&nbsp;<em>morphe</em>, His form and appearance unto his death" (<em><a href='B:570 3:10'>Phi 3:10</a></em> RV). Slowly, our lives are working out towards that end; this is intended by God to be the final position we all reach by the time of our death or the Lord’s return; that we will in some vague, feint way, have become conformed to the mind of Jesus as He was at&nbsp;<em>His&nbsp;</em>death. For as chapter 2 has explained, His<em>&nbsp;morphe</em>&nbsp;there is to be our pattern. His Spirit is to be ours. And through His resurrection, we are given that Spirit to displace our natural spirit (<em><a href='B:500 7:39'>Joh 7:39</a></em>). The process of transformation by the gift of the new spirit, of "becoming conformed", is ongoing now and continues until our last breath. Old age is thereby given meaning once we grasp this. And then finally at the Lord's return, our body will be “conformed" (same Greek word) to His in a physical sense (<em><a href='B:570 3:21'>Phi 3:21</a></em>). And this is why we should count all things loss in order to come to know Christ (<em><a href='B:570 3:8'>Phi 3:8</a></em>)- which the context suggests we are to read as knowing the spirit of His death. This is why His cross, the mind He had at His death, is so vital and central to our lives.</p>


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<p>3:11&nbsp;<em>If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead</em>- As noted on :10, the idea is that it is through this ongoing conforming to His&nbsp;<em>morphe</em>&nbsp;our mind / spirit, we shall become fully like Him at the resurrection from the dead. This is the "means" by which we shall share His resurrection in literal terms. Paul clearly speaks of "the resurrection" as meaning 'the resurrection to eternal life'. Some will indeed be raised, condemned, and shall die "the second death". But Paul is focused on our resurrection being that of the Lord, and so he speaks of "the resurrection" as meaning 'the resurrection to life'. Paul uses the same word for "attain" in writing that through the work of the Spirit we shall come to 'attain' the full knowledge of the Lord Jesus and become like Him, a "perfect man", fully sharing His spiritual stature (<em><a href='B:560 4:13'>Eph 4:13</a></em>). This shall finally happen at the transformation of resurrection; for "we shall be changed", not just physically, but into Him in the fullness of all that means. Note that Paul here uses the same ideas of attaining to a 'perfect' state (:12) and knowing the Lord Jesus (:10).</p>


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<p>3:12- see on <em><a href='B:510 18:18'>Act 18:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:620 4:6-8'>2Ti 4:6-8</a></em>.</p><p><em>Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me</em>- As explained on :11, the final attainment of perfection will be at the resurrection. Relatively late in his career Paul could comment: “Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect”, alluding to the Lord’s bidding to be perfect as our Father is (<em><a href='B:470 5:48'>Mat 5:48</a></em>). Through this allusion to the Gospels, Paul is showing his own admission of failure to live up to the standard set. Yet we must compare this with “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect…” (<em><a href='B:570 3:12'>Phi 3:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 3:15'>Phi 3:15</a></em>). In <em><a href='B:530 13:10'>1Co 13:10</a></em>, he considers he is ‘perfect’, and has put away the things of childhood. Thus he saw his spiritual maturity only on account of his being in Christ; for he himself was not “already perfect”, he admitted. We are counted as if we are in Christ, as if we are Him; but we are to live like that in practice. In a marvellous statement of our mutuality with the Lord, we are to lay hold on what we have been laid hold of for; and what is in view is the final perfection of body and spirit which shall be achieved at the resurrection to life. We have been seized (Gk:), laid hold of, for salvation. The grip is tight, and only by our&nbsp;wilfully wriggling out of it will the Lord not achieve His intention with us.</p>


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<p>3:13&nbsp;<em>Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet. But one thing I do, forgetting the past and looking forward to those things which are ahead</em>- Paul twice stresses that he does not consider himself to have arrived at the "perfected" state (:12). Perhaps this was in response to slander that he considered himself perfect. "Forgetting the past" doesn't mean to delete past events from our memory banks- because that is not within our power to do. And Paul talks freely about his awful past, h had not obliterated memories. So Paul presumably means that we are not to wallow in past failure. The certainty of what is ahead means we will focus on that; the glass is not only half full rather than half empty, but more than half full. We admit we have not yet attained perfection, but this doesn't mean we are to allow the past to exist as a fountain of constant regret. We are to look forward in sure hope to the things ahead- which is to know Christ, to be perfectly and fully like Him through the resurrection to life (:10,11,14). Paul sees this hope as being "ahead". He looks forward to it without any doubt as to whether it shall be true for him; because 'hope' means a confident assurance that what we hope for we shall certainly receive. It is not a mere 'hoping for the best'. But "looking forward" is literally 'reaching forth', and connects with the image of the runner which will be used in :14. The idea is of the athlete stretching forth head and body towards the finishing line. Paul felt that the end of his race was very near- another indication that he wrote this at the very end of his life, when he felt he had all but finished his race (<em><a href='B:620 4:7'>2Ti 4:7</a></em>). See on 2:16. Here he speaks as if he is but centimetres away from the tape and is reaching forward to touch it.</p>


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<p>3:14- see on <em><a href='B:620 4:6-8'>2Ti 4:6-8</a></em>.</p><p><em>I press on toward the goal, to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus</em>- The Greek for "goal" is literally 'the line'; Adam Clarke's commentary gives examples of its usage like this in contemporary literature. As noted on :13, Paul is reaching forth towards the finishing line, just centimetres away. The "prize" is to be as the Lord Jesus (:10,11,14). This is the essence of our future salvation and eternity; the Abrahamic land promises are incidental to this. Eternity will be about knowing Him, and the location of that relationship is not much emphasized in the New Testament. It is a high or heavenly calling in that to be called to be like Him is the highest calling, the greatest end point of the journey, which could be imagined.</p>


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<p>3:15&nbsp;<em>Let us therefore, as many as are mature, be thus decided; and if in anything you are otherwise decided, this also shall God reveal to you</em>- "Mature" or "perfect" (s:w:) is the state which Paul says we have not yet attained (:12). But we are counted as perfect by being in Christ. "Decided" is literally "minded" (AV). Paul repeatedly brings everything back to the state of our hearts, how we think, and whether we are letting the Spirit operate within us or not. Those who have received the Spirit will be thinking of the things of the Spirit (<em><a href='B:520 8:5'>Rom 8:5</a></em> s:w:). The "mind" we should have is that of the Lord Jesus, and that is a gift, of His Spirit (<em><a href='B:520 15:5'>Rom 15:5</a></em>). The same word has been used in 2:2,5 of how we should have the mind or spirit of Christ in His time of dying on the cross. In the immediate context, the "mind" we should have is one of pressing toward the goal or finishing line of final and total identity with the Lord Jesus. But a mindset is an outlook which incorporates many aspects of thinking, attitude and behaviour. In some things we will be out of step with the total mind of Christ; the work of the Spirit is to transform us towards His image in every way. And so in those things or aspects wherein we are 'otherwise minded', the Spirit will reveal these areas to us. We think of how the Lord used the same word in commenting that the Father, rather than the unaided mental strength of the flesh, had "revealed" the Lord to Peter (<em><a href='B:470 16:17'>Mat 16:17</a></em>). The Father both hides and reveals things to people (<em><a href='B:490 10:21'>Luk 10:21</a></em>); and He does all things by the Spirit. The arm of the Lord has to be revealed to men (<em><a href='B:500 12:38'>Joh 12:38</a></em>). <em><a href='B:530 2:10'>1Co 2:10</a></em> is clear as to the connection between the Spirit and God’s 'revealing' things to believers: "God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit" (also <em><a href='B:560 3:5'>Eph 3:5</a></em>). God revealed His Son&nbsp;<em>within</em>&nbsp;Paul (<em><a href='B:550 1:16'>Gal 1:16</a></em>). Stage by stage, aspect by aspect, those areas of our thinking and being which are not of the spirit of Christ will be revealed to us, so that we might move towards that total transformation into Christ which shall be at the last day.</p>


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<p>3:16&nbsp;<em>For now, according to that understanding unto which we have attained, by that same rule let us walk</em>- As noted on :15, we are on a journey towards the full mind of Christ within us. But we are not yet perfect (:12), aspects of the Lord's mind are still being revealed to us (:15); but we are to live according to what we do currently understand. This conception of each believer being on a journey is important in enabling us to live together in the church, being at different stages on the journey. We cannot expect another to have grasped what has been revealed to us; we have to be patient, recognizing that full completeness of understanding and Christ-mindedness will only come at His return:&nbsp; It has been observed of Paul here: “In Philippians 3 he concludes a fundamental statement of his own Christian conviction by commending his opinion: ‘So let those of us who are mature think in this way. And if in any way you think differently, this too will God reveal to you. Only we must stand by that conclusion which we have already reached’ (3:15,16). That is: I am sure that mine is a correct, mature, Christian view, and I believe that in God’s time, you will in the end share it. But what matters is that you honestly maintain and live by the position you have at present reached”. "Rule" translates&nbsp;<em>kanon</em>, a line or boundary. And yet we will each have different lines or boundaries. It is this question of drawing lines and establishing boundaries which tends to divide believers, especially once they are written down as 'canon', as documents such as statements of faith and definitions of behaviour. All this is an attempt to impose the understanding or maturity of one upon another. We are to each individually walk according to the&nbsp;<em>kanon</em>&nbsp;which we have come to understand, realizing that we will likely have other aspects revealed to us as the Spirit transforms us towards full understanding or knowing of the Lord Jesus (:15). We simply cannot impose our&nbsp;<em>kanon</em>upon another. The fact the wider church has spoken of 'canon law' is the tragic opposite of what Paul is teaching here.</p>


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<p>3:17&nbsp;<em>Brothers, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern</em>- The example in view may specifically refer to the attitude expressed in the notes on :16. They were to be 'co-followers', bound together by a common attempt to walk as Paul did. The 'walking' in view is surely that just spoken of in :16, of walking according to our present state of understanding of the Lord Jesus. Paul's tolerance of others, of meeting them where they stand and going further with them, is to be our pattern. And yet it is also clear from <em><a href='B:610 1:16'>1Ti 1:16</a></em> that Paul saw himself as "a Christ appointed model" (Robert Roberts).</p>


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<p>3:18&nbsp;<em>For many walk, of whom I told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ</em>- The 'walking' is that of :16, walking according to our current understanding of the mind of Christ, and open to being taught further of Him (see on :15). Those who did not walk like that, in the context of this chapter, were the legalistic Judaizers. Legalism requires that all jump the same bar; the idea of each individual being on a personalized journey, being progressively led by the Spirit ever closer towards the full mind of Christ, is all anathema to legalism. Such Judaizing requires that each have an identical understanding and position at the same moment. Growth is thereby disallowed. And Paul wept tears on the parchment, as it were, because he saw that such attitudes were robbing the cross of Christ of its power in men.</p><p>The cross of Christ is personified here as if to show that the Lord's whole being and life was crystallized in His cross. He could take the bread and wine with the comment that&nbsp;<em>right then</em>&nbsp;His body was being broken and His blood shed (note the present tenses).<br/>We can be active&nbsp;<em>enemies</em>&nbsp;of the Lord's cross unless we carry it, no matter how soporific and unaggressive our lifestyles may be. &nbsp;</p>


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<p>3:19&nbsp;<em>Whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things</em>- The Judaizers in view (see on :18) were not actually bringing people closer to God by their insistence upon a common obedience to the same set of legislation. They were glorying in shameful things, and worshipped their own sensual desires as a god. Again, Paul brings it all down to the state of mind, whether we have the Lord's Spirit or not. And they were minding or thinking of&nbsp;<em>earthly&nbsp;</em>things; for the&nbsp;<em>heavenly&nbsp;</em>calling is to think with the mind / Spirit of the Lord who is now in Heaven (see on :14). We noted on :2 what extreme language Paul uses of the Judaizers. By teaching obedience to a few rules, they were allowing shameful behaviour to be glorified, and sensual desires in other areas to become a god to people. This is why we have noted time and again in expounding Paul's letters that Judaism was so attractive to newly converted Gentile Christians, who didn’t want to leave behind the sensuality and shameful behaviour they had once enjoyed. Their "end",&nbsp;<em>telos</em>, is in contrast to the end or perfection / maturity (<em>teleios</em>) of the Spirit filled believer, which is to be immortalized with the mind of Christ at His return. But the end of legalism and these Judaizers at the Lord's return would be destruction; the same word is used of how Jews justified in their own minds by the Law are destined to "destruction" (<em><a href='B:520 9:22'>Rom 9:22</a></em>). The 'enemies' of the Philippians of 1:28 had advance notice of their "destruction" (s:w:); and these opponents were therefore the Judaizers who are here referred to. The Jewish Christians who were drawing back from Christ, rather than reaching forward unto Him (3:13,14), were drawing back unto destruction (<em><a href='B:650 10:39'>Heb 10:39</a></em> s:w:). Peter uses the same word about the end of the Judaizers in <em><a href='B:680 2:1-3'>2Pe 2:1-3</a></em>.</p>


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<p>3:20- see on <em><a href='B:470 6:10'>Mat 6:10</a></em>.</p><p><em>For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ</em>- When Paul speaks of redemption, he alludes to the practice of manumission, whereby a slave could be redeemed by his master and given the breathtaking gift of the much coveted Roman citizenship. Thus there were slaves who actually became Roman citizens. Hence here he invites all of us to see ourselves as a citizen of a Heavenly state (<em><a href='B:570 3:20'>Phi 3:20</a></em>). We learn from <em><a href='B:510 22:26'>Act 22:26</a></em> that Paul was a Roman citizen from birth. The question therefore arises as to how they obtained citizenship. It would not have been through army service, because they were observant Jews (<em><a href='B:570 3:5'>Phi 3:5</a></em>) and Jews didn’t serve in the army. “The most common origin of this status for Jews outside Palestine was the manumission of Jewish slaves by masters who were themselves Roman citizens. In this case the citizenship was acquired… after one or two generations” Simon Legasse, ‘Paul’s pre-Christian career’&nbsp;in&nbsp;Richard Bauckham, ed:,<em>&nbsp;The Book Of Acts</em>&nbsp;Vol. 4 (Carlisle: Paternoster, 1995) p. 372:. So it seems Paul's father may have been ‘redeemed’ by manumission. And yet he uses the very language of manumission about all who are redeemed and freed in Christ:&nbsp; Roman citizenship was the most coveted thing in the Roman empire. <em><a href='B:570 3:20'>Phi 3:20</a></em> claims that we&nbsp;<em>all</em>&nbsp;have the coveted citizenship of the Kingdom / empire of Heaven. The Judaizers were minding earthly things (:19); but our minds should be full of Heavenly things. We are pressing towards the goal of being made fully like the Lord Jesus (:10,14), and this pressing towards that is spoken of here as eagerly awaiting the second coming. <em><a href='B:520 8:23'>Rom 8:23</a></em> uses the same word for "eagerly wait" in describing how we who have the spirit / mind of Christ therefore and thereby eagerly await the redemption / manumission of our bodies. And Paul is to speak of this in :21. It is by or on account of the Spirit that we "eagerly await" the Lord's coming (<em><a href='B:550 5:5'>Gal 5:5</a></em>). The Spirit is progressively at work in us, transforming us into His mind- and so due to that work, the work of our lives and hearts, we eagerly await the moment when we shall be fully changed into His image. This is why all who eagerly look for His coming on this spiritual basis shall be saved (<em><a href='B:650 9:28'>Heb 9:28</a></em>; <em><a href='B:620 4:8'>2Ti 4:8</a></em>). We note the connection of thought with <em><a href='B:620 4:8'>2Ti 4:8</a></em>, written by Paul apparently at the end of his life in Rome: "From this time forward there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me alone, but also to all those that have loved his appearing". This would be further reason for thinking that Philippians and 2 Timothy were written at around the same time, at the end of Paul's life and imprisonment in Rome. See on 2:16.</p>


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<p>3:21&nbsp;<em>Who will transform our lowly body-&nbsp;</em>The link between our mortality and humility is brought out in Paul’s description of our present state as being “the body of our humiliation” (<em><a href='B:570 3:21'>Phi 3:21</a></em> RV). Believing we are mortal ought to be a humbling thing<em>:&nbsp;</em>The fact we lose faculties and memory, needing to be cared for by others, is humbling. But it is built into our human experience purposefully, because God’s whole game plan with us is to progressively humble us, to bring us down, so that He might exalt us in due time (2:2,5). We must go with the program and not resist it, humbling ourselves under His humbling hand that we might be exalted in due time (<em><a href='B:670 5:6'>1Pe 5:6</a></em>).</p><p><em>That it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself</em>- There is a clear parallel in <em><a href='B:520 8:11'>Rom 8:11</a></em>: "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies- through His Spirit that dwells in you". The gift of the Spirit given at baptism is the means whereby God is "working" within us. That gift is the guarantee of our eternal salvation (<em><a href='B:540 1:22'>2Co 1:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 5:5'>2Co 5:5</a></em>). The transforming work of the Spirit is leading us through processes which will come to their final term in our body being transformed into the form of His glorified body, at His return. Bit by bit, every part of our lives is being subdued to Him through the internal work of the Spirit. This is the huge significance of our death; that is the point at which we will have been humiliated and subdued unto Him. As noted on 2:2-5, we are called to have the<em>&nbsp;morphe</em>&nbsp;of the mind of the Lord Jesus, especially His&nbsp;<em>morphe</em>&nbsp;in His time of dying. This will be revealed in more physical terms at the second coming by our bodies being "conformed" to His body. This is the end intention of the entire working of the Spirit in transforming our minds now.</p>


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<p>4:1&nbsp;<em>Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, my beloved, stand firm in the Lord</em>- This longing for each other in Christ was how Paul opened the letter (1:8); and see on 2:26. The joy of the Kingdom will therefore be far greater for those who longed for their brethren, than for they who went off into spiritual isolation from others, seeing only the issues that made them differ rather than what they had in common. There will be differences between us, but we are united by what we have in common in Christ. This again is a case of Paul seeing the cup half full rather than half empty. Paul assumed that at this moment in time, his brethren were in Christ and would be accepted in God’s eternal Kingdom at the Lord's return. For to think any other way is to judge / condemn in a way we are unqualified to do. But his earnest desire was that they should "stand firm in the Lord", just as the Lord in John's Gospel speaks of "abiding" in Him. Their abiding in the Lord would mean that Paul's joy and crown in the Kingdom was them. The nature of his eternity was therefore bound up in their endurance in the faith. Our attitude to the endurance or stumbling of others simply cannot be to shrug the shoulders. In2 Tim. 4:8 Paul at the end of his life wrote from prison that he looked forward to receiving "the crown" (<em><a href='B:620 4:8'>2Ti 4:8</a></em>). This would be another indication that Philippians was written around the time of 2 Timothy, at the end of Paul's life. See on 2:16. But that "crown" was the immortality of his brethren for whom he had laboured (<em><a href='B:590 2:19'>1Th 2:19</a></em>). This may be why Peter uses the same image in saying that faithful pastors will receive a crown at the last day (<em><a href='B:670 5:4'>1Pe 5:4</a></em>).<p><p>Paul clearly envisioned seeing and recognizing his converts at the day of judgment (also 1 Thess. 2:19,20; 3:9; 2 Cor. 1:14). We will recognize each other in the Kingdom. Immortality will mean that those we are now in relationship with... we shall remain eternally in relationship with. We simply must get it right in this life in our relationships, as much as lies in us.</p>


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<p>4:2- see on <em><a href='B:530 14:34'>1Co 14:34</a></em>.</p><p><em>I exhort Euodia and I exhort Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord</em>- This repeats the earlier appeals to have the same mind, that of the Lord Jesus (2:2,5). The appeal is not simply that they should have the same mind about the issues dividing them, but to have the same mind which is "in the Lord" Jesus. Whatever the differences between these two sisters (:3 "these women"), the fundamental issue was that they were not of the mind of the Lord Jesus. We will never have the same mind over many issues; but we can each be devoted to the replication of the mind of Jesus within us, and this of itself will bring about the unity of the Spirit. "Exhort" is parakleo, inviting association with the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. The word is elsewhere used in connection with having a "mind" which will preclude interpersonal divisions (1 Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 13:11). The presence of the spirit of Christ in these women would bring them together, in what elsewhere he calls "the unity of the Spirit". This unity of / brought about by the Spirit is in fact the only real unity between persons. It is only through people each sharing the mind of Christ that they can be unified. This is the whole force of the passage about the mind of Christ in Phil. 2- it is part of an appeal to be likeminded, to be of one and the same mind. Not uniformity of thought and intellectual position, but rather having the same one mind- of the Lord in His time of dying.</p>


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<p>4:3- see on <em><a href='B:470 11:29'>Mat 11:29</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 1:5'>Eph 1:5</a></em>.</p><p><em>Yes, I urge you also, true companion, help these women, for they laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also-&nbsp;</em>The women are Euodia and Syntyche (:2); although as noted on :2 they were not fully of the mind of Christ, yet they laboured with Paul in the work of the Gospel. As explained on 3:15 and :16, we do not fully have the mind of Christ and it is progressively revealed to us where we fail to have it. But this doesn't mean that we cannot work for the Lord or be accepted by Him as we are. We note that again "the gospel" is put for "the work of the Gospel", because the Gospel of itself elicits labour for it. The "help" required from the undefined "true companion" was presumably to help these women to have the mind of Christ, so that they would be united. The anonymity may have been to avoid naming someone in a document for reasons of avoiding persecution; or it could be that&nbsp;<em>synzugos</em>&nbsp;should be read as proper noun, the name of a person, and it should just be transliterated as that. Or it could refer to Epaphroditus or Lydia. Paul clearly saw those women as just as much his fellow workers as men like Clement; we see here an example of how Paul was so far ahead of his time in considering man and woman equal in Christ, and the work of the Gospel equally open to women as well as men. Paul asks Lydia, or whoever is the true companion, to help these women reconcile exactly because they were workers in the Gospel. He was most concerned that disunity and inter-Christian conflict not be displayed in evangelism. Exactly because the Lord had taught that the unity between us should be enough to convert the world. And our disunity will deconvert the world. </p><p><em>And the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life-&nbsp;</em>Perhaps the idea is that these other fellow workers were already dead, asleep in Christ, and assured of salvation. <em><a href='B:650 12:23'>Heb 12:23</a></em> speak of those who had died faithful as "written in heaven". Our names are written already in that book, but can be blotted out from it (<em><a href='B:730 3:5'>Rev 3:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:20 32:32'>Exo 32:32</a></em>). Salvation is assured for each baptized believer, but we can lose it if we do not stand fast (:1). All Paul's fellow workers were written in the book of life. And so the feuding sisters of :2 were also written in the book of life, for they were also is fellow workers. Despite their division between each other and lack of the complete mind of Christ (see on :2). This is a comfort when we consider the immaturity of our brethren. And so the feuding sisters of :2 were also written in the book of life, for they were also his fellow workers. Despite their division between each other and lack of the complete mind of Christ (see on :2), they were still going to be saved. This is a comfort when we consider the immaturity of our brethren. This is why there is the call in :4 to rejoice, despite the division within the church between these two sisters. Division may be lamented but it is never to take away our joy.</p>


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<p>4:4&nbsp;<em>Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say: Rejoice</em>- Possibly this double command to "rejoice" is in the context of the interpersonal tensions just alluded to between two sisters. Being overcome with Christian joy shoud mean that such tensions are at least, not foremost in our minds. And yet some believers live and breathe such tensions 24/7. The command to rejoice "always" is unrealistic if he has in view a joy that comes from ciscumstance. That isn't in view here; the joy is "in the Lord" Jesus. Such joy is only possible if we are confident of our future salvation; that our names are written in the book of life (:3). If the Gospel is perceived not so much as good news as a list of theological tenets we must believe, then there will be little joy. Faith is not the same as understanding theology; it is faith in the good news that truly I shall be saved because I am in Christ and counted as Him. This is why the call to rejoice is predicated upon being "in the Lord". That status is constant, and so our rejoicing likewise is to be "always", at all times. If indeed Paul is writing this facing death (see on 1:1; 2:16), his repeated focus upon joy is wonderful (3:1). He was indeed achieving his aim of finishing his race with joy (<em><a href='B:510 20:24'>Act 20:24</a></em>).</p>


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<p>4:5&nbsp;<em>Let your gentle attitude be known to all men. The Lord is at hand</em>- The appeal to be gentle is perhaps in the context of the fierce dispute between the two sisters of :2. There was a particular need for this to change because they were involved in the work of Gospel proclamation (:3), and disunity between believers is the biggest disadvertisment for the Gospel. The 'making known to all men' is because "the Lord is at hand". We should preach especially in the last days, knowing that a witness must be made to all nations before the Lord comes; and <em><a href='B:570 4:5'>Phi 4:5</a></em> seems to imply that just because “the Lord is at hand” we should let our “moderation” RVmg. “gentleness” be known unto all men” in the hard world of the last days. "The Lord is at hand" is also how Paul signs off his letter in <em><a href='B:530 16:22'>1Co 16:22</a></em>, although he uses the Aramaic equivalent of this term: "Maranatha".</p><p>However, it is possible to understand "at hand" as meaning near in space rather than near in time. The appeal for gentleness would then be based around the fact that the Lord is present with us, and in His close presence we should be always gentle. In support of this we note that the same Greek phrase is used in the LXX of <em><a href='B:230 119:151'>Psa 119:151</a></em> "You are near, O Lord":&nbsp;</p><p>Forbearance and tolerance are to be characteristic of our attitude to others (<em><a href='B:560 4:2'>Eph 4:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 4:5'>Phi 4:5</a></em>). Paul was aware that on some matters, brethren can quite honestly hold different points of view (<em><a href='B:520 14:5-6'>Rom 14:5-6</a></em>). But there is a difference between tolerance and indifference. The tolerance which is the fruit of the spirit is something hard to cultivate, and it can only spring from love:&nbsp; It's not that we think something doesn't matter... but rather that in sympathy with the other person, we seek to understand why the other person is thinking and behaving as they do. There is some truth in the saying that to know all is to forgive all. And when false doctrine does have to be challenged, the truth must be spoken&nbsp;<em>in love</em>&nbsp;(<em><a href='B:560 4:15'>Eph 4:15</a></em>). Opponents are to be corrected "with gentleness" (<em><a href='B:620 2:23-25'>2Ti 2:23-25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 3:15'>1Pe 3:15</a></em>). It is all too easy, knowing the truth as we do, to win the argument but lose the person. And so often I have been guilty of this.</p>


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<p>4:6&nbsp;<em>In nothing be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God</em>- This surely alludes to the six occurrences of the same word in <em><a href='B:470 6:25-34'>Mat 6:25-34</a></em>. But here Paul explains how concretely we can "take no thought" for our lives. It is by praying consciously for every little thing that you need in secular life, e.g. daily bread. It can be that we take the exhortation to “be careful for nothing” as meaning that we are intended to live a care-free life. But the sentence goes on: “but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”, and a few verses later we read of how the Philippians were “careful” to support Paul’s ministry in practice (<em><a href='B:570 4:6'>Phi 4:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 4:10'>Phi 4:10</a></em>). The idea is surely that we should have no anxiety or care about the things of this life- and the world in which we live is increasingly preoccupied with the daily issues of existence. The same Greek word for “careful” or “anxious” (RV) is repeatedly used by the Lord in the context of saying we should&nbsp;<em>not&nbsp;</em>be anxious (<em><a href='B:470 6:25'>Mat 6:25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 6:27-28'>Mat 6:27-28</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 6:31'>Mat 6:31</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 6:34'>Mat 6:34</a></em>)- but rather, we should be anxious to serve and hear the Lord in practice. We must “be careful to maintain good works” (<em><a href='B:630 3:8'>Tit 3:8</a></em>), “care for one another” (<em><a href='B:530 12:25'>1Co 12:25</a></em>), “care” for the state of others (<em><a href='B:570 2:20'>Phi 2:20</a></em>). So the NT teaching is that we should not have the anxious care about our daily existence which characterizes the world, but rather, should translate that into a life of anxiety for&nbsp;<em>others:&nbsp;</em>See on <em><a href='B:490 10:42'>Luk 10:42</a></em>.</p><p>Prayer should be "with thanksgiving". Any request we make known to God should be framed within deep gratitude for what He has already done for us. Paul perhaps realized the tendency to make prayer just a list of requests when he commanded his Philippians: "In every thing by prayer and supplication&nbsp;<em>with thanksgiving</em>&nbsp;let your requests be made known unto God". This is what prayer is all about; an opening up of life before God, not specific requests; a conscious casting of our care upon Him (<em><a href='B:670 5:7'>1Pe 5:7</a></em>). The believers of the parable told their Lord of the ungrateful behaviour of their brother (<em><a href='B:470 18:31'>Mat 18:31</a></em>)- they brought the situation before Him, without asking specifically for something to be done.</p>


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<p>4:7&nbsp;<em>And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus</em>- The peace of God fills the mind simply as a result of making our requests known. Praying alone in the room, kneeling, maybe at the bedside, pressing your little nose into that mattress as you concentrate your thoughts and requests; the very experience of this close communion will&nbsp;<em>of itself</em>&nbsp;enable you to unbend your legs and rise up a new man. But "peace" Biblically refers to peace with God on the basis of having been forgiven. This is the wonderful atmosphere in which we are to live daily life, and which guards our thinking. That peace passes all definition or "understanding" expressed in words. This guarding or keeping of our minds is due to God’s action, through the Spirit. We are "kept s:w. "guard" by the power of God" (<em><a href='B:670 1:5'>1Pe 1:5</a></em>).</p>


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<p>4:8&nbsp;<em>Finally brothers-&nbsp;</em>This is the second "Finally..." (3:1). We get the feeling that Paul is writing in a flow of consciousness, albeit under Divine inspiration. I have commented much more about this in discussing the apparent contradictions within Paul's arguments in 2 Corinthians 7-9.</p><p><em>Whatever things are true, whatever things are honourable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things</em>- Again Paul is focusing upon where our thoughts are. We are to have the mind or spirit of Christ, and in practice this means making a conscious effort to think on spiritual things. If we are to achieve spiritual mindedness, we need to surround ourselves with positive influences- Bible verses on the walls, regular Bible reading, not filling our minds with the trash which passes for entertainment; and cultivate a culture of gratitude and appreciation for all in our lives. Too much of our lives can so easily be spent going over the past, reliving old hurts- when our mental space should be taken up with positive spiritual things.</p>


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<p>4:9&nbsp;<em>The things which you both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do</em>- Ours isn’t just a religion like anyone else’s; it is&nbsp;<em>real</em>, creative life. There is congruence between belief and action, an honest admission of our humanity, just as there was then, and this yet further compels a response in those who see it. Paul could tell the Philippians to think on whatever&nbsp;<em>things&nbsp;</em>were true, honest, just, pure etc:; and then boldly say that “Those things which he has just listed which ye hath both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, these things do” (<em><a href='B:570 4:8-9'>Phi 4:8-9</a></em> RV). What they had learnt and heard from Paul, they had seen in him. He was the word which he preached made flesh, after the pattern of his Lord. Paul could speak of “my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church” (<em><a href='B:530 4:17'>1Co 4:17</a></em>). His ways, his life, his person, was what he taught- there was congruence between his teaching and himself. And this congruence was consistent- in every place and in every ecclesia, be it in Corinth, Jerusalem or Rome, Paul the person was reflected in the teaching of Paul. The lack of congruence between the message and the life is what is turning people away from the true church in these last days; and yet the opposite is true now as never before. Congruence between life and teaching, to the point that they are one and the same, is powerfully attractive, especially in these days of shallowness of personality, playing out of roles and&nbsp; other forms of hypocrisy. This was why people believed in Jesus.</p><p><em>And the God of peace shall be with you-&nbsp;</em>The God of peace can mean the God who gives peace. In response to their conscious effort to copy Paul in thinking about spiritual things, God would give peace in their hearts.</p>


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<p>4:10&nbsp;<em>But I rejoice in the Lord greatly-&nbsp;</em>Paul's joy, as explained on :1, was in the spiritual progress of others. His joy in this context was that they were showing spiritual fruit by caring for him.  If we are given a significant unexpected gift, we naturally tend to rejoice. But Paul spends some verses explaining that his leap of joy on receiving that gift was not because of any personal benefit- his joy was because their account in Heaven was added to. That reflects a very high level of spiritual maturity. Paul explains that he has this, as it were, personal emotional indifference to the receipt of the gift because God has strengthened him spiritually in order to cope with hunger and abundance, with poverty and wealth. That 'strengthening' had really worked- because now on receipt of the Philippians' gift, Paul was untouched emotionally on his own account- but he was overcome with joy purely and totally because he knew that their gift had accrued to their account in Heaven. </p><p><em>That now at length you have revived your thought for me-</em>&nbsp;In the form of the gift he has just received from them (:18).</p><p><em>I know you did indeed take thought for me, but you lacked opportunity</em>- Paul has rebuked them for not caring for him to the extent that Epaphroditus nearly lost his life (see on 2:30). But as in writing to the Corinthians, Paul puts the best possible slant on their behaviour, saying that they had not had the chance to help as they must have wished to. This is a worked example of the mind which thinks on positive spiritual things (:8) having the love which covers weakness; not in a naive, cup half full way, not papering over disappointment and failure, but genuinely wanting to move on from that which is past and press forward positively, as noted on 3:13.</p>


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<p>4:11&nbsp;<em>Not that I speak regarding want-&nbsp;</em>If Paul didn’t really need material help whilst imprisoned, why does he make such an issue about it in 2:30 (see notes there)? It could be that his reasoning is similar to that we find in 2 Corinthians, where he says that the project of donating for the Jerusalem poor, and also temporarily excommunicating the immoral member, was not for the sake of the poor or for the sake of that individual (see on <em><a href='B:540 7:12'>2Co 7:12</a></em>). Rather it was all an opportunity to bring forth fruit for the Lord. He states that specifically in :17: "Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that accrues to your account".</p><p><em>For I have learned to be content whatever my situation</em>- This is the same word used in :9, where he asks the Philippians to "learn" from him. But he the teacher has also had to learn. He does not place himself above them, but rather as an example of how to learn. "Content" is similar to the word found in <em><a href='B:540 12:9'>2Co 12:9</a></em>, where Paul was taught that the Lord's grace was "sufficient" or content enough for him. If Paul had nothing materially but had the Lord's grace- that was enough. "Whatever my situation" is an attempt to render a strange phrase- literally 'with what I am'. This is a concept far wider than simply his material state. To be content with ourselves, recognizing that we are not perfect nor as mature in the mind of Christ as we should be (see on 3:13,15,16)- but content with how "I am", knowing that we are in the true Name of "I am", Yahweh of Israel.</p>


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<p>4:12 - see on <em><a href='B:490 3:5'>Luk 3:5</a></em>.</p><p><em>I know how to be abased and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to have plenty and to be in want</em>- Life is littered with examples of people who do not know how to be. They may abound or be abased, but they do not know how 'to be' in that situation. We noted on :11 that Paul was content with 'how I am'. From how he reasons here, we can assume that Paul had experienced wealth. He had "profited" in Judaism, and the word has a distinct financial meaning (<em><a href='B:550 1:15'>Gal 1:15</a></em>). At the start of his imprisonment he had funds to rent a house large enough to entertain a large crowd of visitors in; he was considered wealthy enough to pay a significant bribe (<em><a href='B:510 24:26'>Act 24:26</a></em>), and his family were wealthy enough to send him to Jerusalem to study under Gamaliel. And yet he had to work with his own hands at other times, and needed material assistance ("to be in want" is used of his situation whilst living at Corinth, <em><a href='B:540 11:9'>2Co 11:9</a></em>). He says here that he has experienced actual hunger; and yet he doesn't mean that he has simply experienced those things. He had learned the secret how to be both hungry and filled. This is different from simply experiencing things, for there is no secret to be learned by experience alone. People experience things and yet never learn 'how to be'. He had been "instructed" (AV) by those things, he had learnt from experience rather than simply passed through experience. "To be in want" is a phrase quarried directly from the parable of the prodigal son (<em><a href='B:490 15:14'>Luk 15:14</a></em>), as if Paul felt he had squandered so much opportunity, and had come back to the Lord only "in want". But he had learnt from it all- and therefore didn’t need their material assistance for the sake of the assistance in itself.</p>


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<p>4:13&nbsp;<em>I can do all things in him that strengthens me</em>- The "all things" refer to the attitudes to plenty and want he has just spoken of in :12. The strengthening of Paul was therefore psychological, and that ability to learn and cope with varying life situations is granted by the work of the Spirit in our minds. The same word for 'strengthen' is to be found in <em><a href='B:580 1:11'>Col 1:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 3:16'>Eph 3:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 3:20'>Eph 3:20</a></em> about the strengthening "by his spirit in the inner man". The Lord Jesus strengthening him is exactly how he concludes 2 Timothy (<em><a href='B:620 4:17'>2Ti 4:17</a></em> s:w:), again encouraging us to see Philippians as written about the same time and in the same broad circumstances. See on 2:16.</p>


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<p>4:14&nbsp;<em>However you did well in that you had fellowship with my affliction</em>- Fellowship is not simply an on paper agreement about theological propositions, sharing membership in the same church or fellowship. It means feeling in common with an afflicted brother and therefore doing something in response; or as :15 puts it, a fellowship in giving and receiving. "My affliction" may have specific reference to the "affliction" which had been brought upon the imprisoned Paul by false brethren seeking to create "affliction" for him in prison (1:16 s:w:). The Philippians would have been amongst those who sought to help him out of that situation (see on 1:17). They suffered his afflictions with him, just as he and we all share in the afflictions of the crucified Lord Jesus. If we ask how exactly we do that in concrete terms, the answer is that we fellowship with the afflictions of His body, which is the members of His church. Paul's "affliction" uses the same word used in 2 Cor. 8:2, concerning how the Phlippians were also in "affliction" but despite that, were 'richly' generous. Their fellowship or sharing in Paul's affliction was on the basis of common experience; and it is experience which elicits fellowship in practice. </p>


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<p>4:15&nbsp;<em>And you yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel’s work, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but you only</em>- As noted on :14, "fellowship" is no theoretical matter, but concerns not just giving to those we have commonality with, but the art of receiving from others too. Paul was not perceived in his lifetime as the charismatic Christian leader whom all tried to support. In his time of need after leaving Macedonia, not one church apart from the Philippians sent him material support. He would have been perceived as a difficult maverick, a pariah figure rejected by conservatives and liberals alike in the church. We note that although the Antioch church sent him forth on the Gospel's work (<em><a href='B:510 13:1-3'>Act 13:1-3</a></em>), they did not support him in his time of material need; when they as his sponsoring church would surely have been the ones who ought to have done so. We can assume there was some falling out between them and Paul. And yet he speaks of their fellowshipping him in "giving&nbsp;<em>and receiving</em>". It is too simplistic to read this as meaning that they fellowshipped him by giving to his material needs; for they fellowshipped in giving "and receiving". This consideration makes attractive the GNB rendition: "You were the only ones who shared my profits and losses". The trading metaphors continue in :17,18: "I want to see profit added to your account. Here, then, is my receipt for everything you have given me..." (GNB).</p>


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<p>4:16&nbsp;<em>For even in Thessalonica you sent often to my need</em>- How are we to square this with Paul's claims elsewhere that he did not receive personal support but was self supporting financially? Maybe the answer is in the way that Paul saw his brethren’s need as his personal need. We see this by studying the apparent contradiction between Paul’s comment that the Philippians sent support to him repeatedly for&nbsp;<em>his</em>&nbsp;necessities (<em><a href='B:570 4:16'>Phi 4:16</a></em>), and the way he boasts to the Corinthians (<em><a href='B:540 11:7'>2Co 11:7</a></em>) and Thessalonians (<em><a href='B:590 2:9'>1Th 2:9</a></em>) that he did not receive personal financial support from others, but worked with his own hands so as to be self-supporting (see too <em><a href='B:510 20:33-35'>Act 20:33-35</a></em>). Yet he wrote those things at roughly the same time as the Philippians were sending him help towards ‘my necessities’. The conclusion seems to be that Paul viewed the necessities of his converts as&nbsp;<em>his</em>&nbsp;personal necessities- hence he can say that the Philippians sent money and support for&nbsp;<em>his</em>&nbsp;necessities, whilst at the same time truly stating that he took no&nbsp;<em>personal</em>&nbsp;support from his converts. Perhaps he is arguing that he took donations to support others, but not for himself.</p>


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<p>4:17- see on <em><a href='B:590 3:12'>1Th 3:12</a></em>.</p><p><em>Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that accrues to your account</em>- Paul prayed that others would bring forth fruit (<em><a href='B:580 1:9-10'>Col 1:9-10</a></em>), and he here tells the Philippians how he is willing to accept donations from them, because he wanted them to bear fruit. We can help others please God- by our prayers for them, and by giving them the opportunities to bear fruit. Their 'minus' by giving to Paul's work was a 'plus' in God’s accountancy. The cattle on a thousand hills are His, and in that sense nothing can be given to Him (<em><a href='B:230 50:8-14'>Psa 50:8-14</a></em>). And yet, for our benefit, He asks for sacrifice to be given to Him. And Paul realized that it is similar with their giving for him. "Fruit that accrues" is read by some as referring to interest on a deposit paid by a bank. The actual money was given to God, but the interest upon the gift was spiritual fruit, which arises from the process of giving. Although salvation is by grace, a penny a day for all, it is clear that works do affect the nature of our eternity. And therefore there is an "account" of 'pluses', according to how Paul reasons here. Paul breaks with the strict social conventions about gratitude for gifts- in that he doesn't specifically 'thank' them for their gift, and only mentions the issue at the end and not at the beginning of his letter. But I suggest he did this because he believed that if he didn't thank them, then God would; and it would accrue to his account.</p>


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<p>4:18- see on <em><a href='B:500 12:3'>Joh 12:3</a></em>.</p><p><em>But I have all things and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, they were as the odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, pleasing to God</em>- "I have all things" is quoting from Jacob in <em><a href='B:10 33:11'>Gen 33:11</a></em>. Having earlier deceived Esau of the blessing, he asks Esau to now "take away my blessing, for God has dealt with my in grace, and I have all things". Jacob eagerly resigned all the material blessings he once held dear, because God’s grace was "all things" to him. The same argument is used to Paul in 2 Corinthians 11, where he is told that having God’s grace is sufficient; we need nothing more, because with that we have all things. Paul is reasoning here that he is "filled", his cup is not half full but full; not because of what they have sent in itself, but because that gift was spiritual fruit for them, and a very acceptable sacrifice to God. Paul has earlier written that the sacrifice of his life to God was made upon their sacrifice to Him; he wrote in 2:17 in the conditional tense: "If I be offered upon your sacrifice... I joy and rejoice with you all". Now he had seen their sacrifice, he was the more ready to be offered himself. And this is why he could speak of his joy at their offering (:10). Again we see how the nature of his eternal salvation was bound up with their salvation; his offering of his life and theirs went together. Truly no man is an island in Christ; we are inextricably linked, both now an eternally, with our brethren.</p><p>Clearly :10-20 is Paul's message to the Philippians that he has received their much needed material support. We note however that there is never any actual statement of 'thank you' here. And in any case, this section is at the very end of the letter rather than anywhere else in it. This may well be a tacit reflection of how close he felt to them- so close that the word 'thank you' for a gift, or equivalent statement, wasn't strictly required within the closeness of the relationship. Or it could be that as true to life, some people don't verbalize the obvious, they may express gratitude without even saying "thank you". However I suggest that Paul felt that their generosity had pleased God, and He would bless them because of it (:19). This is far more significant than any 'Thank you'. His lack of thanks would, he felt, mean that God would 'thank' them with the blessing of the Spirit and meeting their spiritual needs. His perspective is totally spiritual, and therefore he breaks with all the expected conventions regarding writing 'thank you' in a letter. Even though his letters generally stick to the usual conventions of letter writing at his time. His readership would have been very sensitive to the word "thank you" and would have noticed the glaring omission. Just as we tend to look for 'thanks' when we are generous to others, and we teach our children to always say the magic words 'thank you'. The omission would therefore have been noticeable; and this was to flag up his spiritual point. That instead of thanks / blessing from him, thanks would come from God. Thanks for a gift was supposed to come at the opening of a letter. And he opens instead by writing that "I thank my God every time I remember you" (Phil. 1:3). He thanked God, not them. He mentions in 2 Cor. 1:11 that the donations to the poor brethren in Jerusalem would elicit "thanks by many". So he is not unaware of the need to say 'thank you'. But he doesn't do it to the Philippians, and the omission is intentional, I suggest. Because he knew that if we do not receive recognition from men for our good deeds, then we will from God (Mt. 6:2-4). And he was mature enough to wish that for them. 
He shows in 2 Cor. 8:2 that he is aware that they are poor and can't afford what they have given to him; but he never mentions that to them. He doesn't praise them at the obvious point, nor show his awareness of how deeply they have given. Not because he was not grateful for it, but because he seems to reason that by not publically mentioning it, they will thereby get more praise and recognition from God. And this whole section is at the end of the letter because the issue of material needs is not at all the most important thing in life. Although he is careful to show that he really did warmly appreciate their support, he uses a phrase from cold commercial dealings to acknowledge receipt of their gift: "I have received (payment) in full" (:18). It is as if he especially doesn't want to express his thanks because he wants them to get as much thanks as possible from God. Their meeting of his need  (:15) would result in God meeting all their needs (:19 s.w.). Because he was "full" or 'supplied' (:18) by their generosity, God would "supply" them (:19 s.w.).  These are perspectives we can take with us in our approach to giving and receiving charity. It helps us feel able to receive charity; and comforts us against the commonly expressed disappointment at inadequate thanks for charity that was given ["they didn't even say thank you!"] .  </p>


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<p>4:19&nbsp;<em>And my God shall supply every need of yours according to His riches, in glory in Christ Jesus</em>- And my God shall supply every need of yours- Paul has used the idea of "supply" earlier, writing of "the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ" (1:19). That supply of the Spirit, that great spiritual richness, would be granted in response to their giving; for grace, giving, charis, the gift of the Spirit, would be God's response to their giving. "Supply" is the same word just used in :18 for "full". As Paul had been filled with their gift, so God would fill them with the Spirit and all its rich blessings. For the same word is in Eph. 5:18: "Be filled with the Spirit" (as Rom. 15:13 "Now may the God of hope fill you [s.w. "supply"] with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit"). The idea of supplying or filling is often used of being filled with the Spirit. And this is man's greatest need. The same word is in Mt. 9:12 "They that are sick need a doctor, not they that are healthy". "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men... he might fill all things... that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph. 4:8-10; 3:19).  </p><p>
According to His riches, in glory in Christ Jesus- </p><p>This is a tacit recognition that Paul did have material needs, although he discounts them. He understands "riches" to refer to spiritual blessings given through the gift of the Spirit in the inner man (Eph. 1:7; 3:16 "according to the riches of His glory, that you may be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man"). The "riches in glory" is the term used in Rom. 9:23 and Eph. 1:18 for our final salvation. The response to such generosity was going to be eternal. This is not to say that we can buy our salvation, but all the same, there will be an eternal outcome of generosity. And in this life too, the gift of the Spirit is given as a foretaste and guarantee of that great salvation in the future. Their generosity was "rich" (2 Cor. 8:2), in the sense that it the "riches" they gave would be matched by the gift of spiritual riches .</p>


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<p>4:20&nbsp;<em>Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen</em>- The whole wonderful way of God’s working, filling us with grace and His Spirit that we might be saved, our response to that in giving... all this leads to glory to Him, and not to ourselves. And we shall glorify Him eternally for the wonder of it all, perhaps recalling incidents from this life where His giving and our giving meshed together, to the glory of His grace and gift in His Son.</p>


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<p>4:21<em>&nbsp;Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers that are with me greet you</em>- "Every saint" is a reminder again that Paul is not writing just to the eldership. Every believer, including the illiterate and the slaves who could rarely attend meetings, were saints in Christ. Likewise in :22, "All the saints...". Paul saw himself as facilitating person to person communication, real fellowship between ordinary people, and not just high level communication between elders. The brothers with Paul could refer to his fellow prisoners whom he had converted, or the few faithful friends who had come to Rome to minister to him. We note he does not extend greetings from the Roman church, with whom he seems to have parted company; for nobody stood with him at his final trial (<em><a href='B:620 4:16'>2Ti 4:16</a></em>). To die in such isolation from local brethren was a hard thing, but he clearly felt the Lord's personal presence with him compensating for it (<em><a href='B:620 4:17'>2Ti 4:17</a></em>).</p>


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<p>4:22&nbsp;<em>All the saints greet you, especially they that are of Caesar's household</em>- "All the saints" again emphasizes the value of the rank and file believers; see on :21. As noted on 1:13, Paul's witness (presumably via the soldiers he was chained to) had led to conversions within the extended family and slaves of Caesar's palace; although according to Romans 16 there were already some believers there. Through all the hard things that happened to Paul, the Gospel had entered the very elitest centre of the Roman empire. Josephus even suggests that the Empress Poppaea may have been favourably inclined to Christianity. This is an encouragement for all time that even the worst experiences and situations have a role to play in the extension of the Lord's saving way amongst men. And Paul realized that, hence "especially they...".</p>


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<p>4:23&nbsp;<em>The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit</em>- The gift or&nbsp;<em>charis</em>&nbsp;of the Lord Jesus often refers to His gift of the Spirit to every baptized believer. And that is surely in view here, having alluded to the work of the Spirit so much in this letter. His gift, of Hi Spirit, was to be with&nbsp;<em>your</em>&nbsp;spirit. Paul's greatest wish was that the Lord's spirit would displace our carnal thinking or spirit:&nbsp;</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:1'>Col 1:1</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God</em>- Paul often begins his letters by saying this. But "the will of God" should not be understood by us as it is by Islam, where the will of God is understood as fulfilling anyway in a deterministic sense. The word carries the idea of the intention, the wish or pleasure of God. Paul could have turned down the call to be an apostle. He was not forced into obedience by an omnipotent Divine manipulator. All things were created for God’s "pleasure" or will s:w. <em><a href='B:730 4:11'>Rev 4:11</a></em>, but clearly enough "all things" do not all perform God’s wish. We pray for the Kingdom age when God’s will shall be done on earth- for it is now generally not done. We are best therefore to understood the idea of God’s wish, His desire, which of course He labours to see fulfilled. But He does not force or impose; He too deeply respects the freewill of His creatures. The art of Christian life is to willingly align ourselves with His will.</p><p><em>And Timothy our brother</em>- The "our" connects Paul with the Colossians. The rather unusual grammar suggests Paul is identifying himself with his audience. This identity is a vital part of all preaching and pastoral work.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:2'>Col 1:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ that are at Colosse</em>- This doesn't refer to two tiers of believers in Colosse but rather reminds them that every believer is a saint. In both Judaism and paganism there was a tendency to consider some believers to be in a 'super' category. Paul carefully debunks that concept.</p><p><em>Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ</em>- This is no mere standard literary introduction. God’s grace and subsequent peace was willed and prayed for by Paul to come upon his audience, and prayer for third parties indeed makes a difference.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:3'>Col 1:3</a></em>&nbsp;<em>We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying&nbsp;always for you</em>- Paul tells so many that he is "always" praying for them. His life was a life of prayer for others.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:4'>Col 1:4</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus-&nbsp;</em>Perhaps Paul had never visited them nor knew them personally. <em><a href='B:580 2:1'>Col 2:1</a></em> suggests they had never seen his face. But his warmth towards them is remarkable. We must ask what emotions and feelings are called forth in us by news of believers we have never met. The same connection between faith in Christ and love for the others in Christ is made in <em><a href='B:690 3:23'>1Jn 3:23</a></em>. We cannot therefore profess faith in Christ personally and remain in splendid isolation from others in Him. For we are baptized into the body of Christ, which is the church. There are many parallels between the letters to the Ephesians and Colossians, and the parallel here is in <em><a href='B:560 1:15'>Eph 1:15</a></em>, where Paul says again that he has heard of both their faith in Christ and their love to the other believers.</p><p><em>And of the love which you have toward all the saints</em>- Loving other believers is part and parcel of accepting the faith in Christ; this love is the intended outcome of it, the fruit of the Gospel (:6), which can be powerful enough to convert the world by its display.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:5'>Col 1:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>We thank God because of the hope</em>- Paul has spoken of faith and love in :4. The Greek suggests that the love of :4 was elicited by their hope. Faith, hope and love are so often spoken of by Paul together. If we really believe in the Gospel of salvation then we have a sure hope, and the certainty of that hope results in love for others.</p><p><em>Which is laid up for you in the heavens</em>- A specific reward is prepared for each of us, s:w. <em><a href='B:620 4:8'>2Ti 4:8</a></em> a crown of righteousness is laid up for Paul. The nature of each of our battles is unique, and therefore our crowns or rewards / signs of victory are going to differ. In the parable, we will each have different towns we rule over. It's an upward spiral. We have "love toward all the saints, because of the hope which&nbsp;<em>is</em>&nbsp;laid up for you" (<em><a href='B:580 1:5'>Col 1:5</a></em> RV). If we doubt the hope, thinking we don't know if we will be accepted or not… there isn't much inspiration to love our brethren with the similar senseless grace which&nbsp;<em>we</em>&nbsp;have experienced. Note that the hope was 'laid up' in Heaven in the sense of being stored safely there- rather than the hope consisting of being one day in Heaven. For the Kingdom of God shall come on earth. Although Paul had never met these brethren, he strongly assumed they would be saved; this is an assumption which we must make about all believers in Christ. For it is not for us to condemn.</p><p><em>Of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel</em>- The parallel <em><a href='B:560 1:13'>Eph 1:13</a></em> says that the word of truth is the good news of salvation. The ultimate truth is that we shall be saved. This is the good news of the Gospel- no reference is in view to some set of theological propositions which are logically true. The truth is that we shall be saved, not that we have figured out a true set of interconnecting theological explanations which ring 'true' to our own minds- at this point in our lives. We should be able to positively answer the question 'Will I at this point in my life be saved if I die?'. This is the final, ultimate and only truth. We may at some future point change our interpretations of some Bible passages and themes, but the ultimate truth is that we shall be saved. And if we lose that confidence, and only then, we will have 'left the truth'. Departure from some particular interpretation is not necessarily the same as 'leaving the truth', neither should 'the truth' be used as a kind of code word summarizing our association with a particular church or denomination.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:6'>Col 1:6</a></em>&nbsp;<em>That Gospel is come to you, even as it has also come to all the world-</em>&nbsp;This is not to be read as a statement that the Gospel had been spread into all the world let alone the entire&nbsp;<em>kosmos</em>- for it had not been. The idea may be that there is something universal about the Gospel, in contrast with the various false religions and gospels of paganism, which tended to have mere local appeal. They offered good news for the local people of a certain city or area, whereas the true Gospel of Christ has universal appeal and relevance and is addressed to all people equally. Colossians appears directed against a particular false 'gospel' which was circulating in Colosse and surrounds.</p><p><em>Bearing fruit and increasing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth-&nbsp;</em>Paul enthuses that the Colossians were in the good ground category of the sower parable: the Gospel “<em>bringeth forth fruit</em>... in you, since the day&nbsp;<em>ye heard</em>” (AV). The important doctrines of the basic Gospel bring forth the fruit of spirituality in the converts (<em><a href='B:580 1:6'>Col 1:6</a></em>). The&nbsp;<em>euangelion&nbsp;</em>is pictured in Colossians 1 as a mighty, personal force working powerfully in the lives of men and women. It produced fruit, i:e. concrete actions (<em><a href='B:640 1:11'>Phm 1:11</a></em>). The Gospel gives "understanding&nbsp;<em>that&nbsp;</em>ye might walk worthy" (<em><a href='B:580 1:9-10'>Col 1:9-10</a></em>). We bear fruit and increase in this "by the increasing knowledge of God" (<em><a href='B:580 1:10'>Col 1:10</a></em> RVmg:). Thus we are to be renewed in knowledge, finding full assurance of our salvation in&nbsp;<em>understanding</em>&nbsp;(<em><a href='B:580 2:2'>Col 2:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 3:10'>Col 3:10</a></em>). The Hebrew word for “understanding” is also that for “certainty”- e.g. <em><a href='B:60 23:13'>Jos 23:13</a></em> “Know for a&nbsp;<em>certainty</em>…” s:w. “understanding”. To understand is to be sure, in God’s language. Understanding, "being filled with the knowledge of his will",&nbsp;<em>does&nbsp;</em>have a place in determining our daily walk in Christ. What and how we understand, and thereby what we believe,&nbsp;<em>does&nbsp;</em>therefore matter.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:7'>Col 1:7</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Even as you learned it of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf</em>- The same as Epaphroditus (<em><a href='B:570 2:25'>Phi 2:25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 4:18'>Phi 4:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:640 1:23'>Phm 1:23</a></em>, which mentions he was a prisoner in Rome at some stage). He was a local Colossian, "one of you" (<em><a href='B:580 4:12'>Col 4:12</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:8'>Col 1:8</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Who also declared to us your love in the Spirit-&nbsp;</em>Perhaps the Spirit inspired Epaphras to give Paul an inspired account of how they were doing. Or maybe the idea is that their love had been brought forth as a result of the function of the Spirit in their hearts; for love is a fruit brought forth by the Spirit (<em><a href='B:550 5:22'>Gal 5:22</a></em>). This would be the "love of the Spirit", the love brought forth as a fruit of the Spirit, which <em><a href='B:520 15:30'>Rom 15:30</a></em> refers to. God’s love is poured out in our hearts through the function of the Spirit within us (<em><a href='B:520 5:5'>Rom 5:5</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:9'>Col 1:9</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding</em>- Paul wishes that the Colossians would be “filled with the knowledge of his will”, just as at his conversion he had been chosen so “that thou shouldest know his will” (<em><a href='B:510 22:14'>Act 22:14</a></em>). He wanted them to share the radical nature of conversion which he had gone through; the sense of life turned around; of new direction… See on <em><a href='B:510 13:11'>Act 13:11</a></em>. He clearly believed, as we should, that our prayers can affect the internal spiritual condition of others; and that the Lord is willing to fill believing minds. The parallel in <em><a href='B:560 1:22-23'>Eph 1:22-23</a></em> is that the church, the individuals within the body of Christ, is filled with the fullness of Him who fills all in all. This filling can be complete- insofar as we allow it and are open to it. There's nothing more wonderful to behold than the life and heartbeat of a secular man or woman being taken over by the things of the Spirit.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:10'>Col 1:10</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:580 2:1'>Col 2:1</a></em>.</p><p><em>To walk worthily in the Lord fully pleasing him, bearing fruit in every good work; increasing in the knowledge of God</em>- This is wonderful encouragement when we as sinners wonder how we could ever please the Lord Jesus. We can, according to these words,&nbsp;<em>fully</em>&nbsp;please Him. This doubtless is a function of His way of imputing righteousness to us, and the way love has of being thrilled at the slightest move of the beloved towards the lover. This is why Paul goes on to say that we are "suitable" for immortality (:12), and are spotless before Him (see on :22). We are "filled" (:9) so that we might "fully" please Him. The fruit which pleases Him is empowered by the Spirit He grants which brings forth that fruit if we allow it. In this sense we are "strengthened" by Him (:11). "Fully" translates&nbsp;<em>pas</em>, "all", and we find the word again in :11 speaking of the "all" power which strengthens us to be fruitful. We too easily assume that it is circumstance or environment which enables our pleasing of Him; and too many have sold their souls to create wealth, believing that this will enable them to somehow purchase a situation in which they can more fully please their Lord. But here we are told that it is His will that we please Him, and He gives us "all" that is necessary in terms of internal strengthening and attitude. If we are honest, we all know that it is those internal attitudes which are most important, and they are a gift which cannot be bought with wealth or situation.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:11'>Col 1:11</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Strengthened with all power-&nbsp;</em>See on :10&nbsp;<em>Fully pleasing him:&nbsp;</em>A play on words, ‘made able with all ability’. It’s the same word as found in <em><a href='B:470 25:15'>Mat 25:15</a></em>, where we read that talents are given to each one “according to his personal&nbsp;<em>ability</em>”; but&nbsp;<em>kata&nbsp;</em>(“according to”) needn’t be translated like this at all, and could mean that the talents given&nbsp;<em>are</em>&nbsp;what results in the personal abilities. This connects with a major theme of Paul’s- that we are&nbsp;<em>made</em>&nbsp;able, rather than having existing abilities which God asks us to use. The parallel <em><a href='B:560 3:16-20'>Eph 3:16-20</a></em> speaks of “the power that works in us” as being far above all we ask or think; and it is exercised within our minds (“strengthened with might by His spirit in the inner man”, <em><a href='B:560 3:16'>Eph 3:16</a></em>). We are given psychological power, strength within, to do what would have been impossible otherwise. Constantly we’re faced with mental situations we feel we can’t endure- the need for continued patience with a difficult person, to keep on keeping on forgiving and showing grace... The strengthening which Paul has in mind is exactly what we need. It is internal, “in the inner man”. And this is the same context in which Paul speaks here in Colossians 1; for the mighty strengthening we receive enables the mental, internal attributes of patience and joyful endurance (:11). We who were once alienated “in your mind” (:21) are now changed; the Christ formed “in you”, the mind of Christ within, is the basis for our “hope of glory” (:27). <em><a href='B:580 2:2'>Col 2:2</a></em> continues this theme when Paul speaks of his urgent concern for the state of the believers’&nbsp;<em>hearts</em>. Indeed the whole hymn of praise to Christ in :15-18 is in this context; Paul is emphasizing the utter supremacy of Christ because this should lead to Him dominating our thinking. Appreciating the height of His exaltation will lead to Christ mindedness. “He is the head of the body” in the sense that He is the mind of it, the thinking of it. Members of Christ’s body are shown to be in the same body by the fact that they are Christ-minded, they have Him as their “head”. Christ-mindedness is therefore the basis upon which we feel that someone is also in the body of Christ rather than membership of the same denomination, fellowship, church etc. But note that the idea of the Greek word translated "strengthened" is essentially ability, and therefore potential. Nobody is forced against their will. We are given the potential ability, and must use it.</p><p><em>According to the might of his glory, to all patience and endurance, with joy</em>- This appears to be a reference to the immense and total power which the Lord Jesus now enjoys, as King of the cosmos and prince of the kings of the earth. The idea is that the internal strengthening of the believer is performed by He whose power is unbounded throughout the cosmos. This is encouragement indeed, when we wonder how ever we might be able to change, or rather, be changed.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:12'>Col 1:12</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Giving thanks to the Father</em>- This is a function of the work of the Spirit in us, which Paul has introduced in :9.</p><p><em>Who made us suitable</em>- See on :22. The Greek is clear that the idea is not that we are in process of being made qualified, as if 'making us suitable'. We have been made suitable, in that we attained this new status at baptism into Christ. This is indeed the breathtaking good news of the Gospel.</p><p><em>To be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light</em>- Paul may well have Angels in mind- we shall become like the Angels (<em><a href='B:490 20:35-36'>Luk 20:35-36</a></em>), who are "Angels of light" (<em><a href='B:540 11:14'>2Co 11:14</a></em>). But he has defined the "saints" in :2 as the believers. We walk now "in light"; insofar as we do, we are experiencing the essence of the future inheritance. The parallel idea in Ephesians is that "You were once darkness, but now are you light in the Lord" (<em><a href='B:560 5:8'>Eph 5:8</a></em>). Our future and present hope is expressed in terms of partaking in something collective, the inheritance of all the saints; no man can therefore be an island in this life.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:13'>Col 1:13</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Who delivered us out of the power of darkness-&nbsp;</em>"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness (cp. Egypt, <em><a href='B:670 2:9-10'>1Pe 2:9-10</a></em>), and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear son; in whom we have (now) redemption through His blood... for by Him were all things created (the new, spiritual creation of believers is finished in prospect) ... you... now hath he reconciled…&nbsp;<em>if</em>&nbsp;ye continue in the faith... whereunto I also labour, striving..." (<em><a href='B:580 1:13-14'>Col 1:13-14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:16'>Col 1:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:21'>Col 1:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:23'>Col 1:23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:29'>Col 1:29</a></em>). This shows how our comprising the Kingdom in prospect is dependent upon our continued personal effort. The contention is sometimes made in discussion with those who wrongly believe that the Kingdom in its full sense is the church of today that "into" in <em><a href='B:580 1:13'>Col 1:13</a></em> can mean 'for'. However, the Greek preposition&nbsp;<em>eis</em>&nbsp;means 'in the interior, into, indicating the point reached or entered' (Strong). Thus Phillip and the Eunuch "went down both into (Gk:&nbsp;<em>eis</em>) the water" (<em><a href='B:510 8:38'>Act 8:38</a></em>)- from which we correctly argue that baptism is by full immersion into water. However, it is true that at times 'eis' is translated with the idea of 'towards', although this is not its primary meaning. The rest of the quotation from Colossians 1 made above would suggest that we should understand 'eis' here in its normal meaning.</p><p><em>And translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love</em>- Used of the removing of people from one nation to another, as in the exile of the Jews to Babylon and thence back to Judah. The language of Judah's restoration is so often applied to what has happened to the believers. But the idea presented in :12 is of us receiving the lot or inheritance of the saints- suggesting the allusion is at least equally to the bringing of Israel out of Egypt through baptism, to receive an inheritance in Canaan.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:14'>Col 1:14</a></em>&nbsp;<em>In whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins</em>- The Greek for "redemption" definitely refers to a ransom payment. In Christ- through baptism into that "in Christ" status- we were bought out of slavery. This metaphor with all the limitations of any metaphor was used of Israel's redemption from slavery in Egypt, and on :13&nbsp;<em>Translated us</em>&nbsp;I have noted that this image is in view in this chapter. The ransom payment is in that we have been forgiven our sins- which continues the slavery metaphor with the suggestion that we were in slavery because we were hopeless debtors. The Lord Himself used that idea in framing the parable of the unmerciful debtor. It's highly likely that the language and metaphors chosen by Paul here were aimed at deconstructing the heresies about 'redemption' and ransom which were common amongst the incipient Gnosticism of that time and area. But that notwithstanding, the truths he elicits are for all time.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:15'>Col 1:15</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation</em>- This interprets the creation of a man in God’s image as a reference to the resurrection and glorification of the Lord Jesus:&nbsp;<em>This</em>&nbsp;was what the Angels had worked for millennia for, in order to fulfil the original fiat concerning the creation of man in God’s image. Even now, we see not yet all things subdued under Him (<em><a href='B:650 2:8'>Heb 2:8</a></em>); the intention that the man should have dominion over all creation as uttered&nbsp;<em>and apparently fulfilled&nbsp;</em>on the sixth day has yet to materially come to pass. The Angels are still working- with us. For <em><a href='B:530 15:49'>1Co 15:49</a></em> teaches that&nbsp;<em>we</em>&nbsp;do not now fully have God’s image, but we will receive it at the resurrection. Therefore we are driven to the conclusion that the outworking of the creation directives regarding man in God’s image was not only in the 24 hours after it was given, but is still working itself out now. The new creation is therefore a continuation of and an essential part of the natural creation; not just a mirror of the natural in spiritual terms. &nbsp;See on <em><a href='B:540 4:6'>2Co 4:6</a></em>.</p><p>The idea of a new creation is well explained in <em><a href='B:550 6:15'>Gal 6:15</a></em>: "For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything. What counts is being a new creation". This seems to parallel <em><a href='B:550 5:6'>Gal 5:6</a></em> "For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love". Paul's argument so far has been: Faith rather than works results in an identification with the Lord Jesus as the seed of Abraham; for to him were the promises of salvation made, and not through the Law. That faith and identification with Christ is confirmed by the Spirit being sent forth into our hearts (<em><a href='B:550 4:5'>Gal 4:5</a></em>), which results in love as the fruit of the Spirit (<em><a href='B:550 5:22'>Gal 5:22</a></em>). In that way, faith works through love. The parallel to that is that "what counts is being a new creation"; in other words, being created as Christ, being created as a Son of God as Jesus was, with His spirit whereby we also cry out "Abba, Father" just as He did. So the new creation in view is that we are created to be as Christ. Hence if any man is&nbsp;<em>in Christ</em>&nbsp;he is a new creation (<em><a href='B:540 5:17'>2Co 5:17</a></em>). The language of "new creation" need not call up ideas of planets and a new cosmos. The new person created is Christ. Hence "the rule" of the new creation (<em><a href='B:550 6:16'>Gal 6:16</a></em>) is another way of saying "the law of Christ". The Lord Jesus is "the image of every new creation" (<em><a href='B:580 1:15'>Col 1:15</a></em>); we are made / created like Him, by the agency of the Spirit. He is thus "the beginning of the creation of God" (<em><a href='B:730 3:14'>Rev 3:14</a></em>). Hence the Gospel was preached to "every creation" (<em><a href='B:580 1:23'>Col 1:23</a></em>), i:e. every convert. No "creation" is not open to the scrutiny of God’s Word in Christ (<em><a href='B:650 4:13'>Heb 4:13</a></em>). Clearly, "creation" was a title for believers in the early church, so common was this idea.</p><p>The creation record in Genesis 2 is not about a different creation from that in Genesis 1; it is a more detailed account of how the Angels went about fulfilling the command they were given on the sixth day. The process of bringing all the animals to Adam, him naming them, becoming disappointed with them, wishing for a true partner need not therefore be compressed into 24 hours. It could have taken a period of time. Yet the command to make man, male and female, was given on the sixth day. However, this may have taken far longer than 24 hours to complete. Indeed, the real intention of God to create man in His image was not finished even then; for as Paul shows here, the creation of man in God’s image ultimately was fulfilled in the resurrection of God’s Son.</p><p><em><a href='B:580 1:15-20'>Col 1:15-20</a></em> is another poetic fragment which is misunderstood by those seeking to justify the false idea of a personal pre-existence of the Lord; it has been identified as a Jewish hymn which Paul modified (see on <em><a href='B:570 2:6'>Phi 2:6</a></em>). We must remember that Paul was inspired by God to answer the claims of false teachers; and he was doing so by using and re-interpreting the terms which they used. This is typical of those passages which can give the impression that Jesus actually created the earth.</p><p>If this were true, then so many other passages are contradicted which teach that Jesus did not exist before his birth. The record in Genesis clearly teaches that God was the creator. Either Jesus or God were the creator; if we say that Jesus was the creator while Genesis says that God was, we are saying that Jesus was directly equal to God. In this case it is impossible to explain the many verses which show the differences between God and Jesus (see&nbsp;<em>Bible Basics&nbsp;</em>Study 8:2 for examples of these).</p><p>The Lord Jesus was the “firstborn”, which implies a beginning. There is no proof that Jesus was God’s “firstborn” before the creation of the literal earth. Passages like <em><a href='B:100 7:14'>2Sa 7:14</a></em> and <em><a href='B:230 89:27'>Psa 89:27</a></em> predicted that a literal descendant of David would become God’s firstborn. He was clearly not in existence at the time those passages were written, and therefore not at the time of the Genesis creation either. Jesus became “the Son of God with power” by his resurrection from the dead (<em><a href='B:520 1:4'>Rom 1:4</a></em>). God “has raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, You are My Son, this day have I begotten you” (<em><a href='B:510 13:32-33'>Act 13:32-33</a></em>). Thus Jesus became God’s firstborn by his resurrection. Note too that a son standing at his father’s right hand is associated with being the firstborn (<em><a href='B:10 48:13-16'>Gen 48:13-16</a></em>), and Christ was exalted to God’s right hand after his resurrection (<em><a href='B:510 2:32'>Act 2:32</a></em> R:V:mg:; <em><a href='B:650 1:3'>Heb 1:3</a></em>).</p><p>It is in this sense that the Lord Jesus is described as the firstborn from the dead (<em><a href='B:580 1:18'>Col 1:18</a></em>), a phrase which is parallel to “the firstborn of every creature” or creation (<em><a href='B:580 1:15'>Col 1:15</a></em> R:V:). He therefore speaks of himself as “the first begotten of the dead... the beginning of the creation of God” (<em><a href='B:730 1:5'>Rev 1:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 3:14'>Rev 3:14</a></em>). Jesus was the first of a new creation of immortal men and women, whose resurrection and full birth as the immortal sons of God has been made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus (<em><a href='B:560 2:10'>Eph 2:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 4:23-24'>Eph 4:23-24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 5:17'>2Co 5:17</a></em>). “In Christ shall all (true believers) be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (<em><a href='B:530 15:22-23'>1Co 15:22-23</a></em>). This is just the same idea as in Colossians 1. Jesus was the first person to rise from the dead and be given immortality, he was the first of the new creation, and the true believers will follow his pattern at his return.</p><p>The creation spoken about in Colossians 1 therefore refers to the new creation, rather than that of Genesis. Through the work of Jesus “were all things created…thrones…dominions” etc. Paul does not say that Jesus created all things and then give examples of rivers, mountains, birds etc. The elements of this new creation refer to those rewards which we will have in God’s Kingdom. “Thrones... dominions” etc. refer to how the raised believers will be “kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth” (<em><a href='B:730 5:10'>Rev 5:10</a></em>). These things were made possible by the work of Jesus. “In him were all things created in the heavens” (<em><a href='B:580 1:16'>Col 1:16</a></em> R:V:). In <em><a href='B:560 2:6'>Eph 2:6</a></em> we read of the believers who are in Christ as sitting in “heavenly places”. If any man is in Christ by baptism, he is a new creation (<em><a href='B:540 5:17'>2Co 5:17</a></em>). By being in Christ we are saved by His death (<em><a href='B:580 1:22'>Col 1:22</a></em>). The literal planet could not be created by being in Christ. Thus these verses are teaching that the exalted spiritual position which we can now have, as well as that which we will experience in the future, has all been made possible by Christ. The “heavens and earth” contain “all things that needed reconciliation by the blood of (Christ’s) cross” (<em><a href='B:580 1:16'>Col 1:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:20'>Col 1:20</a></em>), showing that the “all things…in heaven” refer to the believers who now sit in “heavenly places…in Christ Jesus”, rather than to all physical things around us.</p><p>If Jesus were the creator of the universe, it is strange how He should say: “…from the beginning of the creation God made them…” (<em><a href='B:480 10:6'>Mar 10:6</a></em>). This surely sounds as if He understood God to be the creator, not He Himself. And if He literally created everything in Heaven, this would include God.</p><p>That "by him" is a poor translation is readily testified by reliable scholars. Take J:H. Moulton: "for&nbsp;<em>because of him</em>&nbsp;Jesus..." (1); or the&nbsp;<em>Expositor's Greek Commentary</em>: "<em>en auto</em>: This does not mean "by Him"" (2).</p><p>Many of Paul's more difficult passages are understandable once it is appreciated that he is alluding to existing Jewish and Gentile literature which was familiar to his readers. He does this in order to deconstruct it and give the Lord Jesus His rightful place of exaltation. There are a number of connections between <em><a href='B:580 1:15-20'>Col 1:15-20</a></em> and Jewish Wisdom theology concerning Adam and the mystical "heavenly man". The terms "image of God" and "firstborn" refer to Adam; it's as if Paul is showing that Jesus should be afforded the place of all exaltation, and not the mystical "Adam" or "Heavenly Adam" which Judaism then believed in (3). Another possibility, not necessarily mutually exclusive, is that Paul is alluding to and even quoting a "pre-Christian Gnostic redeemer hymn" (4)- and seeking to demonstrate that Jesus is the true redeemer. We may apply the words of a well known song or character to someone we know, in order to show the similarities and bring out the contrasts; but the correspondence isn't 100%. And so with the manner in which Paul quotes Gentile or Jewish literature and terminology about Jesus- not every word must be literalistically pressed into relevance to Him. It's like the idea of types- Joseph was a type of Christ, but not&nbsp;<em>everything</em>&nbsp;about Joseph was true of Christ. We need to be aware that Paul didn’t sit down to right theology sitting in an ivory tower university, or because he just felt like delving into these matters for the pure intellectual buzz of it. His letters are all missionary documents, born out of real life situations in his work of preaching and then pastorally caring for his immature converts. He was dealing with attacks upon his tender babes in Christ by Jewish and Gentile false teachers; there was no written New Testament, and the Christian message was in competition with the 'scriptures' of the surrounding religions. So it's hardly surprising that Paul so often alludes to their terminology and literature in order to deconstruct it.</p><p>It should be noted, as a general point, that God the Father&nbsp;<em>alone, exclusively,&nbsp;</em>is described as the creator in many passages (e.g. <em><a href='B:290 44:24'>Isa 44:24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 45:12'>Isa 45:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 48:13'>Isa 48:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:290 66:2'>Isa 66:2</a></em>). These passages simply leave no room for the Son to have also created the literal planet.</p><p>It could also be argued that the hymn to Jesus here in Colossians 1 is speaking of how God views Jesus. “He is “firstborn of all creation”-&nbsp; not in time, but in the Father’s mind” (5). To God, Jesus was the beginning, in everything He was&nbsp;<em>en pasin autos proteuon</em>- in all things He held first place (<em><a href='B:580 1:18'>Col 1:18</a></em>). But where and how? In the Father’s mind. It was God who created the world. But for God, in the context of creation, Jesus His Son was pre-eminent.<br/>James Dunn comments on <em><a href='B:580 1:20'>Col 1:20</a></em>: “Christ is being identified here not with a pre-existent being but with the creative power and action of God…There is no indication that Jesus thought or spoke of himself as having pre-existed with God prior to his birth" (6).</p><p>Notes&nbsp;<br/>(1) J:H. Moulton,&nbsp;<em>Grammar Of New Testament Greek</em>&nbsp;(Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1963) Vol. 3 p. 253.<br/>(2) W:R. Nicoll, ed:,&nbsp;<em>Expositor's Greek Commentary</em>&nbsp;(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1967) p. 504.<br/>(3) This case is made at length in H. Ridderbos,&nbsp;<em>Paul: An Outline of His Theology&nbsp;</em>(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996) pp. 78-86.<br/>(4) See E. Käsemann, "A Primitive Christian Baptismal Liturgy"&nbsp;in&nbsp;<em>Essays On New Testament Themes&nbsp;</em>(London: S:C:M. Press, 1964) pp. 149-168.<br/>(5) Thomas Weinandy<em>, In the Likeness of Sinful Flesh</em>&nbsp;(Edinburg: T & T Clark, 1993) p. 138.<br/>(6) James Dunn,&nbsp;<em>Christology In The Making</em>&nbsp;(Philadelphia: Westminster, 1980) p. 254.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:16'>Col 1:16</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible</em>- See on :15. The theme of the believers being "in Christ" is so major in Colossians and Paul generally that we should have no problem in seeing here a reference to the new creation. But all this has meaning in practice- we who are in Christ are to have Him and not mere abstract ideas as the whole basis of our existence.</p><p><em>Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created on account of him and for him</em>- “Thrones… powers” is a Jewish rabbinic term which expressed their idea of “the various gradations of angelic spirits”. But it’s doubtful he believed in this himself. Paul at times quotes from or alludes to popular Jewish ideas with which he may not have necessarily agreed. The lack of quotation marks in New Testament Greek means that it’s hard for us at this distance to discern when he does this – but it seems to me that it’s going on a lot in his writings. Thus he uses the phrase “your whole spirit, soul and body” (<em><a href='B:590 5:23'>1Th 5:23</a></em>), a popular Jewish expression for ‘the whole person’ – but it’s clear from the rest of Paul’s writings that he didn’t see the body and soul as so separate.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:17'>Col 1:17</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And he is superior to all things, and in him all things consist</em>- See on :15. The "all things" are those reconciled to God in Christ (:20), and therefore refer to persons rather than the physical creation, which is not morally alienated nor in need of reconciliation with God.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:18'>Col 1:18</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead</em>- See on :11,15. A phrase which is parallel to “the firstborn of every creature” or creation (<em><a href='B:580 1:15'>Col 1:15</a></em> R:V:). He therefore speaks of himself as “the first begotten of the dead... the beginning of the creation of God” (<em><a href='B:730 1:5'>Rev 1:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 3:14'>Rev 3:14</a></em>). Jesus was the first of a new creation of immortal men and women, whose resurrection and full birth as the immortal sons of God has been made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus (<em><a href='B:560 2:10'>Eph 2:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 4:23-24'>Eph 4:23-24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 5:17'>2Co 5:17</a></em>). “In Christ shall all (true believers) be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (<em><a href='B:530 15:22-23'>1Co 15:22-23</a></em>). This is just the same idea as in Colossians 1. Jesus was the first person to rise from the dead and be given immortality, he was the first of the new creation, and the true believers will follow his pattern at his return.</p><p><em>So that in all things he might have the pre-eminence</em>- The concept of being "in" Christ is so frequent here in Colossians 1 that we must surely interpret the "all things" as a reference to the believers; because of His work, we are to give Him the pre-eminence in our thinking and hearts. And a real person, the Lord Jesus, can more meaningfully have such pre-eminence far more than abstract ideas or even theology as theology.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:19'>Col 1:19</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell</em>-&nbsp;<em>All</em>&nbsp;the fullness of God dwelt in Christ (<em><a href='B:580 1:19'>Col 1:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 2:9'>Col 2:9</a></em>);&nbsp;"and of his fullness have&nbsp;<em>all</em>&nbsp;we received" (<em><a href='B:500 1:16'>Joh 1:16</a></em>). God’s fullness, the full extent of His character, dwelt in Christ, and through His Name which speaks fully of that character, that fullness of Christ is reckoned to us. And so, in line with all this, <em><a href='B:560 3:19'>Eph 3:19</a></em> makes the amazing statement. And it is amazing. We can&nbsp;<em>now</em>&nbsp;“be filled with&nbsp;<em>all</em>&nbsp;the fullness of God". Let's underline that, really underline it, in our hearts. We can be&nbsp;<em>filled</em>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<em>all</em>&nbsp;the fullness of God. Filled with all the fullness of God’s character. See on <em><a href='B:560 1:23'>Eph 1:23</a></em>. We are counted righteous, counted as if we have the Lord's moral perfection; but as Romans 8 explains, the Spirit is given in order to help us become in reality what we are counted as being by status. The language of 'filling' is used about being filled with the Spirit in our inner person (<em><a href='B:510 13:52'>Act 13:52</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 15:13'>Rom 15:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 4:10'>Eph 4:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 5:18'>Eph 5:18</a></em>). It is the filling by the Spirit which reveals to us the fullness of God.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:20'>Col 1:20</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And through him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross- yes, to reconcile all things through him, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens</em>- God has reconciled all of us into Himself through the work of Jesus; reconciliation with God is therefore related, inextricably, to reconciliation with each other. The fact that believers in Christ remain so bitterly unreconciled is a sober, sober issue. For it would appear that without reconciliation to each other, we are not reconciled to God. All we can do is to ensure that any unreconciled issues between us and our brethren are not ultimately our fault.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:21'>Col 1:21</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works</em>- Note how the “works” were done “in your mind”; a similar parallel is in <em><a href='B:630 1:15-16'>Tit 1:15-16</a></em>. Paul had fully absorbed the Lord’s teaching that the thought is the action. We live in a virtual world, lived looking at screens. At no other time in history has this perspective been more vital; that sin is in the mind, the thoughts are the works. The parallel <em><a href='B:560 4:18'>Eph 4:18</a></em> speaks of being alienated “from the life of God”. His Spirit, His living, His life and personality, can be given into our minds through the receipt of the Holy Spirit. Refusing that is to be alienated from God. The work of reconciling us with God is therefore fundamentally performed in the mind; for that is where the essential alienation is located. Our thought processes and worldviews are alien from Him; and the work of reconciling that alienation in our minds, in our evil spirit, is performed by the&nbsp;<em>holy</em>&nbsp;spirit of God.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:22'>Col 1:22</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Yet now has he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish</em>- Yet by our preaching we “may present every man perfect in Christ” (<em><a href='B:580 1:22'>Col 1:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:28'>Col 1:28</a></em>). The connection is clear: because we are being presented perfect in Christ through belief and baptism, we preach the opportunity of this experience to others. Likewise the Law often stressed that on account of Israel’s experience of being redeemed from Egypt, they were to witness a similar grace to their neighbours and to their brethren. See on <em><a href='B:720 1:24'>Jud 1:24</a></em>.</p><p><em>And unreproveable before Him</em>- AV “in His sight”. In His view, the way He looks upon us, we will be without sin, faultless before the presence of His glory at the last day (<em><a href='B:720 1:24'>Jud 1:24</a></em>); we will be “made meet” or appropriate to receive the inheritance of the saints (:12). We will be “made” like this. It will be the result of imputed righteousness. Thus the Lord will praise the faithful for all the good deeds they did, which they will be ignorant of (<em><a href='B:470 25:37'>Mat 25:37</a></em>). But there is also a mechanism through which the Lord works to achieve this; for we will be “<em>made</em>” like this (:12). Thus :28 speaks in very similar terms of how at that last day, Paul hoped to “present every man perfect in Christ”. How Christ counts us in status- as complete because we are “in Him”- He also tries to work out in reality by actually changing our minds and hearts through His work. And one of the ways he chooses to do that is through people like Paul. Our efforts for others’ spiritual development will have His every blessing and enablement. Hence Paul moves forward to describe in :24,25 how he suffers with Christ in order to build up the body of believers into the body and person of Christ in actuality.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:23'>Col 1:23</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:490 6:48'>Luk 6:48</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 2:9'>Act 2:9</a></em>.</p><p><em>If indeed you continue in the faith-&nbsp;</em>We are to continue in the doctrine (<em><a href='B:610 4:16'>1Ti 4:16</a></em>), continue in grace (<em><a href='B:510 13:43'>Act 13:43</a></em>), rather than continuing in sin (<em><a href='B:520 6:1'>Rom 6:1</a></em>). The idea is not simply that we shall doggedly hold to a set of theology we accepted at baptism; but more essentially, that we shall continue in faith in the wonderful grace those teachings reflect, that little me, I myself… shall really and truly live for ever in God’s Kingdom. For the immediate context here is about being presented faultless in His eyes at the last day (:22); and we are to continue believing that wonderful truth.</p><p><em>Grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to all creation under heaven. Of which I Paul was made a servant</em>- Paul says that the certain hope of salvation is what must ground us in life. “Hope” means a certain assurance. The fact it had been preached to all creation doesn’t mean that it is no more to be preached. And “all creation” in the context of this chapter refers to every member of the new creation; for not all of the natural creation had heard the Gospel. And “all creation” is a strange way to refer to “all people”. The idea is that all the current believers at the time of writing, those in whom the work of the new creation had happened, were in that status because of having heard the very same gospel which Paul was preaching. The Colossians had also heard it- they too needed to allow the work of the new creation through that gospel to work in them.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:24'>Col 1:24</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh-&nbsp;</em>It has been perceptively commented: “The work of Christ in one sense is complete, but in another sense it is not complete until all men have known it and been reconciled to God by it. He is dependent on men and women to take it out and to make it known. He who accepts this task of bringing the message of the work of Christ to men may well be said to complete the sufferings of Christ”. Every leaflet we distribute, every conversation we start, every banknote we put to the Lord’s work... through all this we are extending the victory of the Lord in ways which would otherwise never occur. Thus Paul can say that in his work of preaching and upbuilding, he was filling up the sufferings of Christ (<em><a href='B:580 1:24'>Col 1:24</a></em>). By the cross, all things were reconciled, but this is only made operative in practice&nbsp;<em>if&nbsp;</em>men “continue in the faith”, which Paul suffered in order to enable (<em><a href='B:580 1:20-23'>Col 1:20-23</a></em>). This is the context in which Paul speaks of fulfilling the cross. Thus Paul speaks of filling up “the afflictions of Christ” in his life (<em><a href='B:580 1:24'>Col 1:24</a></em>), but uses the very same word to describe the “afflictions” s:w. which he suffered for his brethren (<em><a href='B:560 3:13'>Eph 3:13</a></em>). The sufferings of the Lord become powerful and continue to bring forth fruit in human lives- through our response to them.</p><p>We too are asked to fill up the Lord’s sufferings in our lives. The idea is that by the end of our lives, we have fellowshipped His sufferings, and finally our death becomes His death, so that His resurrection shall become ours. This perhaps is why old age for believers often entails particular physical or mental affliction which enables us to fellowship aspects of His sufferings which previously we had not fellowshipped. This imparts meaning to the final part of our lives, whereas in secular terms we would be viewed as having daily experiences which have little significance attached to them.</p><p><em>For His body's sake, which is the church-&nbsp;</em>The way in practice we fellowship the Lord’s personal sufferings is through our engagement with the sufferings of others in the church. Paul saw himself as filling up what was lacking in his share in the sufferings of Christ’s body. He uses the idea of Christ’s body in a double sense- the sufferings of Christ’s body on the cross are being replicated in him in the course of his ministry to the body of Christ in the sense of the church. It could also be that Paul has the idea that Christ is suffering now, the cross is in a sense ongoing, and he is suffering with Christ right now for our redemption. All we suffer for the sake of the believers and the preaching of the Gospel in order to develop the body of Christ is in fact a sharing in the crucifixion sufferings of Jesus. The “afflictions” of Christ are inevitable. We were “appointed” to such afflictions (<em><a href='B:590 3:3'>1Th 3:3</a></em>). The parable of the sower suggests that tribulation s:w. “afflictions” come inevitably to the believer in Christ (<em><a href='B:470 13:21'>Mat 13:21</a></em>). We&nbsp;<em>must</em>&nbsp;pass through much affliction or tribulation s:w. to enter the Kingdom (<em><a href='B:510 14:22'>Act 14:22</a></em>). We can therefore glory in such tribulation (<em><a href='B:520 5:3'>Rom 5:3</a></em>). We experience “affliction” as Paul did in concern for our brethren (<em><a href='B:540 2:4'>2Co 2:4</a></em>), in ostracism (<em><a href='B:650 10:33'>Heb 10:33</a></em>) as well as physical deprivation in the generosity of spirit required in the preaching of the Gospel and care for the body of Christ, in which context Paul uses the word many times. There’s a logic to all this, as the same word is used about the “afflictions” to be suffered by the rejected at the judgment seat (<em><a href='B:520 2:9'>Rom 2:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 2:22'>Rev 2:22</a></em>). <em><a href='B:600 1:4'>2Th 1:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 1:6'>2Th 1:6</a></em> speaks of&nbsp;<em>our</em>&nbsp;afflictions now and then uses the same word to describe the afflictions of the rejected in that day. We must suffer- one way or another. Paul consciously sought to experience what Christ did on the cross. He was warned by the Holy Spirit that “afflictions” awaited him if he went up to Jerusalem (<em><a href='B:510 20:23'>Act 20:23</a></em>), but he chose to go up there, he made a determined decision within his own spirit to do so (Acts 19). High challenge as this is, we too should seek to consciously experience the sufferings of Jesus.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:25'>Col 1:25</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Of which I was made a servant, according to the plan of God which was given me concerning you, to fulfil the word of God-&nbsp;</em>Knowing the Gospel somehow compels us to testify of it. “The word (<em>logos</em>) of God", a phrase which the NT mainly uses with reference to the Gospel rather than the whole Bible, is sometimes used as parallel to the idea of preaching the Gospel (<em><a href='B:730 1:9'>Rev 1:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 6:9'>Rev 6:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 20:4'>Rev 20:4</a></em> and especially here in <em><a href='B:580 1:25'>Col 1:25</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:26'>Col 1:26</a></em>&nbsp;<em>The mystery&nbsp;of which has been hid for ages and generations; but now has it been manifested to His saints</em>- Paul is answering the incipient Gnostic claims to hold 'mysteries'. The idea that 'I know something you don't' is very attractive, and is surely one of the reasons why the likes of JWs and other small time Protestant sects with unusual interpretations are at least initially attractive to many simple folks. They claim, as did the Gnostics, that the true mysteries are only to be found within their private meetings. Paul is saying that the mystery is now openly revealed and being shouted from the housetops- quite simply, any who believe in Christ shall be saved.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:27'>Col 1:27</a></em>&nbsp;<em>To whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles- which is Christ in you, the hope of glory</em>- At baptism, the “new man” was created within us; the man Christ Jesus was formed in us, a new birth occurred, the real, essential Duncan or Dave or Deirdre or Danuta became potentially at least ‘Jesus Christ’, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (<em><a href='B:580 1:27'>Col 1:27</a></em>). This is how important this matter is. Perceiving the Christ-man within yourself is related to your “hope of glory”; this is the assurance of our future salvation, through which we can have all joy and peace through believing.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:28'>Col 1:28</a></em>&nbsp;<em>We proclaim him, encouraging every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ</em>- As Christ will "present (us) holy and unblameable" (<em><a href='B:580 1:22'>Col 1:22</a></em>), as a spotless bride (<em><a href='B:560 5:27'>Eph 5:27</a></em>). The relationship between Christ and the ecclesia is to be mirrored within the ecclesia:&nbsp; See on <em><a href='B:560 5:31'>Eph 5:31</a></em>.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 1:29'>Col 1:29</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:490 13:24'>Luk 13:24</a></em>.</p><p><em>For this purpose I labour, striving according to his power, which works in me mightily</em>- As explained on :11, this power is boundless. And it works through us if we seek to save others and bring them within God’s saving purpose. Never therefore need we fear lack of power, resources etc. in performing His mission. Paul can say that he has not yet become complete (<em><a href='B:570 3:10-14'>Phi 3:10-14</a></em>) and yet he seeks to present each of his converts “complete in Christ” (<em><a href='B:580 1:28'>Col 1:28</a></em>). He recognized that he too hadn’t got to where he was seeking to take his converts.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:1'>Col 2:1</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:520 9:3'>Rom 9:3</a></em>.</p><p><em>For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh</em>- This striving for others is in the power of the Lord’s spirit, as explained in the preceding verse (<em><a href='B:580 1:29'>Col 1:29</a></em>). His mental effort for those he had never met was and is inspirational. Paul's conflict or struggle was in prayer; for true prayer is a struggle, not a mental muttering of a few thoughts as we drift off to sleep at night, just as Jacob's struggle with the Angel is interpreted as a wrestling with God in prayer (<em><a href='B:350 12:4'>Hos 12:4</a></em>). Paul's attitude in prayer spread to Epaphras, who did the same (<em><a href='B:580 4:12'>Col 4:12</a></em>)- attitudes to prayer are catching, just as the disciples asked to be taught to pray after observing the Lord Jesus in prayer. But the idea of striving in prayer is continuing the figure of <em><a href='B:580 1:29'>Col 1:29</a></em>, where Paul says he strives "according to His working which works in me mightily". This explains why at times we feel moved to pray for situations; we can of course refuse to allow God’s work to work in us, but if we are in touch with Him, walking in step with the Spirit, then we will be open to His promptings to pray for situations.</p><p>Appreciating that prayer is so much "in the spirit", we can better grasp why prayer is portrayed as a struggle. Moab would pray in the time of his judgment; "but he shall not prevail" (<em><a href='B:290 16:12'>Isa 16:12</a></em>), as if the prayer process was a struggle. Jacob, by contrast, struggled with the Angel in prayer and prevailed (<em><a href='B:350 12:2-4'>Hos 12:2-4</a></em>). The Romans were to strive together with Paul in prayer (<em><a href='B:520 15:30'>Rom 15:30</a></em>); the Lord's prayers in Gethsemane were a resisting / struggling unto the point of sweating blood (<em><a href='B:650 12:2'>Heb 12:2</a></em>). "I would that ye knew what great conflict I have RV ‘how greatly I strive / struggle’ for you... that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding" is parallel to "We do not cease to pray for you... that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (<em><a href='B:580 2:1'>Col 2:1</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:580 1:9-10'>Col 1:9-10</a></em>). Paul's conflict / struggle for them was his prayer for them. Epaphras likewise was “always striving for you in his prayers” (<em><a href='B:580 4:12'>Col 4:12</a></em> RV).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:2'>Col 2:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>That their hearts may be comforted-&nbsp;</em>The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, can operate in human hearts- but we must allow this to happen. Hence throughout Ephesians and Colossians, Paul prays that the potential activity of the Spirit will be realized in his readership.</p><p><em>They being knit together in love-&nbsp;</em>He who fears the Lord, “him shall he teach in the way that he God shall choose” (<em><a href='B:230 25:12'>Psa 25:12</a></em>). The Father opens up new ways of understanding for us each, of His choosing and according to our individual needs, in response to our living a God-fearing life. If our hearts are knit together in brotherly love, the more we will understand- for true understanding is, in the end, to fathom the depths of God’s love (<em><a href='B:580 2:2'>Col 2:2</a></em>).</p><p><em>And to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God as it is in Christ</em>- It is true that the deeper we understand, the easier some things are to cope with. But the understanding in view here is of the "mystery", which we saw in chapter 1 refers to the simple fact that those who truly believe in Christ's death and resurrection shall indeed be saved. This is what gives assurance; whereas correct theology of itself gives no assurance when faced with the inevitable demise and death which all men face.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:3'>Col 2:3</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:470 13:46'>Mat 13:46</a></em>.</p><p><em>In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge</em>- "The wisdom of God was in the midst of him" (<em><a href='B:110 3:28'>1Ki 3:28</a></em> AVmg:) is alluded to here in <em><a href='B:580 2:3'>Col 2:3</a></em> - clearly seeing Solomon as a type of Christ.</p><p><em>The idea of being hidden is&nbsp;</em>an allusion to the Colossian heresy of incipient Gnosticism, the idea that truth is hidden in secret writings, known only to the chosen few. The true wisdom is indeed hidden, but hidden in Christ.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:4'>Col 2:4</a></em>&nbsp;<em>This I say, so that no one deludes you with persuasive speech-&nbsp;</em>AV "beguile", s:w. LXX <em><a href='B:60 9:22'>Jos 9:22</a></em> of the Gibeonites deceiving Joshua with their words. The implication may be that even false teachers and infiltrators of the flock still have the possibility of salvation, for by all accounts the Gibeonites appear to have repented and to have become fully assimilated into God’s people, serving Him with distinction above many Israelites. Clearly the community Paul wrote to were threatened by false teachers whose ideas were attractive- it was "enticing" (AV):&nbsp;</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:5'>Col 2:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For though I am absent in the flesh, I am still with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ</em>- Perhaps Paul had some Spirit gift of knowledge which enabled him to know their spiritual position. A similar passage in <em><a href='B:530 5:4-5'>1Co 5:4-5</a></em> seems to also imply a supernatural ability to be present with an ecclesia: "I truly, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him that has done this thing, I command you that in the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are gathered together (and my spirit is present with you when you do), with the power of our Lord Jesus...". But the ideas of flesh as opposed to spirit would more suggest that he was mentally, spiritually 'with' them.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:6'>Col 2:6</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord- walk in him</em>- Gk:&nbsp;<em>The</em>&nbsp;Christ…&nbsp;<em>the</em>&nbsp;Lord- all the emphasis upon Christ's greatness is in the context of warning us to let nothing whatsoever distract us from our focus upon Him as a person. In our generation those distractions may not be arguments of Gnostics and Judaizers- although there are those who fall to such- but rather the host of selfish, laziness-enabling, egocentric distractions of modern culture.</p><p><em>As</em>&nbsp;we received Christ Jesus as Lord at baptism, so we&nbsp;<em>live</em>&nbsp;daily in Him; our baptism experience is lived out throughout daily life (<em><a href='B:580 2:6'>Col 2:6</a></em>). Thus Paul spoke of how he died daily so that he might share in the Lord's resurrection life (<em><a href='B:530 15:31'>1Co 15:31</a></em>). We always bear about in our body the spirit of the Lord Jesus in His time of dying, so that His life might be made manifest in our mortal flesh even now (the use of "mortal flesh" indicates that this is not a reference to the future resurrection). In this way the process of dying to the flesh works life in us (<em><a href='B:540 4:10-12'>2Co 4:10-12</a></em>). See on <em><a href='B:550 3:27'>Gal 3:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 1:23'>1Pe 1:23</a></em>.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:7'>Col 2:7</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:490 6:48'>Luk 6:48</a></em>.</p><p><em>Rooted and up built in him and established in your faith, even as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving-&nbsp;</em>Rooting, as of a tree, and being built up, as a building, are two metaphors which occur together in <em><a href='B:560 3:17'>Eph 3:17</a></em>, where we are taught that we are to be rooted and grounded "in love", whereas here we are to be rooted and grounded in Christ personally. A Christ-focused life leads to love. The source of a loving life isn't therefore to be found in psychological gymnastics within our minds, but rather by a focus upon Him personally. And we all, surely, want the answer to the question: 'How can I be more loving?'.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:8'>Col 2:8</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:470 24:4'>Mat 24:4</a></em>.</p><p><em>Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit-&nbsp;</em>The Greek for “spoil” means literally to lead away as booty. There were clearly false teachers eager to lead off the Christian converts through deceitful philosophy; and their origin was clearly Jewish.</p><p><em>After the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ</em>-&nbsp;<br/><em>“The tradition</em>” is perhaps a reference to the Jewish Kabbala, 'the received tradition'; “the world” is the Jewish world.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:9'>Col 2:9</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For in him, in a bodily form, dwells all the fullness of all that God stands for</em>- Colossians and Ephesians emphasize the reconciling of both Christians and Angels through the death of Christ, perhaps due to the cross taking away the Angel-coordinated Mosaic system which separated man from God and the Angels. "Having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things (a phrase which elsewhere includes Angels- e. g. <em><a href='B:650 2:8'>Heb 2:8</a></em>) unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven" (<em><a href='B:580 1:20'>Col 1:20</a></em>). What are the things in earth and Heaven if they are not Christians and Angels? In Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (<em><a href='B:580 2:9'>Col 2:9</a></em>)- the fulness of Gentiles, Jews and Angels. "And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power (i:e. Angels- <em><a href='B:580 2:15'>Col 2:15</a></em>)"- <em><a href='B:580 2:10'>Col 2:10</a></em>. As Christ is the head of the Angels, so if we are in the body of Christ, He is our head too, and we are therefore with the Angels in the same body. There is thus no need to worship them, nor the Mosaic ordinances they instituted. This seems to be a major theme in Colossians 2 "Let no man beguile you of your reward in… worshipping of Angels... and not holding the Head (Christ), from which all the body (both Christians and Angels, whose head is Christ, v. 10,15) by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together (Angels and Christians) increaseth (both of us growing in knowledge of God) with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the elements of the (Mosaic/ Angelic) world, are ye subject to (Mosaic/ Angelic) ordinances... ?" (v. 18-20). The evident&nbsp; similarities between Colossians and Ephesians invite us to interpret Ephesians 1 in the same way: "In the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth (Angels and Christians, Jews and Gentiles)… in whom we also (as well as Angels- it is hard to understand why Paul, being a Jew, should speak like this about Gentiles also, as well as Jews, obtaining an inheritance) have obtained an inheritance… (God) raised (Christ) from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the Heavenly places, far above all principality and power (i:e. Angels- <em><a href='B:580 2:15'>Col 2:15</a></em>), and might, and dominion (Angels- <em><a href='B:720 1:8-9'>Jud 1:8-9</a></em>), and every name that is named (Christ "hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name" than Angels- <em><a href='B:650 1:4'>Heb 1:4</a></em>), not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things (literally all things- including Angels) under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all" (<em><a href='B:560 1:10-11'>Eph 1:10-11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 1:20-23'>Eph 1:20-23</a></em>). The reference in <em><a href='B:560 3:15'>Eph 3:15</a></em> to "the whole family in Heaven and earth" probably refers to the Angelic and human parts of the family of God in Heaven and earth respectively being united by the sacrifice of Christ. Christ's parables of the lost coin&nbsp;and lost sheep lend support to this. The woman and the shepherd on one level represent Jesus searching for the lost saint, calling together the friends to rejoice on finding him (<em><a href='B:490 15:9'>Luk 15:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 15:29'>Luk 15:29</a></em>). These friends represent Angels, we are told (v. 10). However, those in the ecclesia are also members of God’s household; Christ laid down His life for us His friends; "Ye are My friends... I have called you friends" (<em><a href='B:500 15:13-15'>Joh 15:13-15</a></em>). The parables of Luke 15 were initially directed at the Pharisees, implying that they as the shepherds of the ecclesia should be mixing with the weak of the flock to win them back (<em><a href='B:490 15:2-4'>Luk 15:2-4</a></em>; n. b. "which man of you..."). Thus Jesus also expected the woman, shepherd and friends to refer to members of the ecclesia on earth. Yet He also specifically says that they have reference to the Angelic household in Heaven. Thus both Angels and earthly believers are part of the same "family in Heaven and earth" of <em><a href='B:560 3:15'>Eph 3:15</a></em>. See on <em><a href='B:720 1:6'>Jud 1:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:650 9:23'>Heb 9:23</a></em>.</p><p><em><a href='B:580 2:8-9'>Col 2:8-9</a></em> reasons that because in Christ dwells all the fullness of God, so far is He exalted, that we therefore should not follow&nbsp;<em>men</em>. A man or woman who is truly awed by the height of the Lord's exaltation simply will not allow themselves to get caught up in personality cults based around individuals, even if they are within the brotherhood.<br/>Many of the 'difficult passages' in the New Testament are only difficult because they are alluding to, and even quoting phrases from, popular contemporary ideas and writings and seeking to deconstruct them. This technique is found throughout the Bible, especially with respect to false yet popular ideas about evil. To take an example: Valentinus taught in the second century that there was a&nbsp;<em>pleroma</em>, a "fullness of the Godhead", comprised of 30 aeons of time. Like most thinkers, he was drawing on ideas that had circulated a century before him, and so it's reasonable to think that the philosophical idea of a "fullness of the Godhead" was around in the first century. And Paul uses just this phrase when explaining how the entire fullness of the Godhead was to be found in the person of Jesus Christ (<em><a href='B:580 2:9'>Col 2:9</a></em>). No need for philosophy and wild guesses at the structure of God. The fullness of the Godhead was and is in the personality of Jesus. However, this isn't Paul's only allusion to this idea. The lowest of the 30 aeons, Sophia, "yielded to an ungovernable desire to apprehend God’s nature". And Paul alludes to this in <em><a href='B:570 2:6-7'>Phi 2:6-7</a></em>, saying that Jesus by contrast didn’t even consider apprehending God’s nature, but instead made Himself a servant of all. As more and more is known of the literature and ideas which were extant in the first century, it becomes the more evident that Paul's writings are full of allusions to it- allusions which seek to deconstruct these ideas, replacing them with the true; and by doing so, presenting the Truth of the Gospel in the terms and language of the day, just as we seek to.</p><p>The fullness of God dwells in the body of Christ- and Paul often uses this idea with reference to the body of baptized believers. Within us and amongst us, over time and space, there will have dwelt (by the time of Christ's return) all the fullness of God’s moral perfection and characteristics; one may have His love and grace, another His judgment, etc. This is confirmed by <em><a href='B:580 2:10'>Col 2:10</a></em>.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:10'>Col 2:10</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And in him you are made complete. He is the head of all principality and power</em>- “<em>Complete” is</em>&nbsp;Gk. 'made full'. As God dwelt fully in Christ, so He fully dwells in us, the entire body of Christ. However the principalities and powers were perceived, be their hierarchies of Angels or not, the Lord Jesus was the head.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:11'>Col 2:11</a></em>&nbsp;<em>In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ</em>- Through baptism, we enter the "in Christ" status, and our flesh is as it were cut off, by status we are in Him and not in the flesh. This is repeated in Paul's argument in Romans 1-8, although there he stresses that our flesh still remains; but from God’s perspective, it is cut off. It takes faith to believe this- faith in God’s operation, that the circumcision operation was really performed by Him (<em><a href='B:580 2:12'>Col 2:12</a></em>). Baptism is the means by which we become "in Christ" and in spiritual terms cease to be uncircumcised (<em><a href='B:580 2:13'>Col 2:13</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:12'>Col 2:12</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Having been buried with him in baptism, by which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead-&nbsp;</em>AV "the operation of God". See on <em><a href='B:580 2:11'>Col 2:11</a></em>. Baptism is effective because we are to believe that God will now work in us to allow the life of the risen Lord to break forth in our mortal flesh. The faith required before baptism is therefore not merely an understanding of past events, but more importantly a belief that God’s&nbsp;<em>energeia</em>, His energy, will operate in the transforming of our hearts and lives. The act of baptism alone doesn't save; it saves through our faith in God’s operation to save us. <em><a href='B:630 3:5'>Tit 3:5</a></em> speaks of baptism as "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit"; but we have to believe in that "working of God" as Paul here puts it in Colossians. Baptism is paralleled with circumcision, which was a cutting off of the flesh. Our flesh, the mind of the flesh, will be cut off by God, as an ongoing process, once we make the connection with Christ in baptism. The parallel in Ephesians is <em><a href='B:560 1:19-20'>Eph 1:19-20</a></em>, which speak of how the same unbounded power which raised the dead body of Jesus from the dead will likewise work in the hearts of us who believe.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:13'>Col 2:13</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses</em>- This change from the second to the first person, or,<em>&nbsp;vice versa</em>, is common in Paul's writings. He like a truly good teacher admits his own need for forgiveness, and wishes to share his personal experience with us his readers.</p><p>Baptism is to be associated with the ancient rite of circumcision. The Lord Jesus Himself as it were circumcises men at their baptism, cutting off the flesh of their past lives, and thereby inviting them to live in a manner appropriate to what He has done for them (<em><a href='B:580 2:11-13'>Col 2:11-13</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:14'>Col 2:14</a></em> In the context of baptism and warning believers not to return to the Law, Paul argues “If ye be dead with Christ (in baptism) from the rudiments of the (Jewish) world, why, as though living in the (Jewish) world, (i:e. under the Law) are ye subject to (Mosaic) ordinances…?” (:20). The Law was “against us... contrary to us” (<em><a href='B:580 2:14'>Col 2:14</a></em>) – hence it being called an adversary/Satan. The natural Jews under the Mosaic Law, as opposed to the Abrahamic covenant regarding Christ, are called “the children of the flesh” (<em><a href='B:520 9:8'>Rom 9:8</a></em>). Similarly those under the Law are paralleled with the son of the bondwoman “born after the flesh” (<em><a href='B:550 4:23'>Gal 4:23</a></em>). Paul reasons: “Are you now made perfect by the flesh?... received you the Spirit by the works of the Law?” (<em><a href='B:550 3:2-3'>Gal 3:2-3</a></em>) – as if “by the flesh” is equivalent to “by the law”. Now we can understand why <em><a href='B:650 7:16-18'>Heb 7:16-18</a></em> speaks of “The Law of a carnal commandment... The weakness and unprofitableness thereof”. Not only is the word “carnal” used with distinctly fleshly overtones elsewhere, but the law being described as “weak” invites connection with phrases like “the flesh is weak” (<em><a href='B:470 26:41'>Mat 26:41</a></em>). <em><a href='B:520 8:3'>Rom 8:3</a></em> therefore describes the Law as “weak through the flesh”. See on <em><a href='B:520 8:3'>Rom 8:3</a></em>.</p><p><em>Having blotted out the bond written in ordinances</em>- Gk. 'to wash out', an allusion to baptism. The same word is used about the blotting out of our sins (<em><a href='B:510 3:19'>Act 3:19</a></em>), of our tears (our lament for our sins, <em><a href='B:730 7:17'>Rev 7:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 21:4'>Rev 21:4</a></em>). Our sins are blotted out in that the law itself has been blotted out. We are saved through being "in Christ", counted as Him- and not on the basis of any legal obedience to any law. This is Paul's argument in Romans; not simply the Law of Moses, but any legal code which is against us has now been taken away. 'Law' in the sense of 'legality', and not only the law of Moses, has been replaced by salvation by faith in grace. But the reality of salvation by such pure grace is not lawlessness and indulgence in sin, but rather being utterly bound by the principle or law of being "in Christ". Our response to such grace will make us in fact more self controlled and consciously obedient to Divine principles than any system of binding laws, resulting in our being judged according to our obedience or disobedience.</p><p><em>That was against us, which was contrary to us, Christ did away with it by nailing it to the cross</em>- Legal terms, reminiscent of the argument in Romans, that the Law stands in court accusing and condemning us by our failure to obey it; but in Christ we are declared in the right. Paul says here that this Law has been taken away, or as he says in Romans, where is now our accuser? He has fled the court room, there is none to accuse us if we are in Christ. Hence "took it out of the way" means literally in Greek to take away from the midst, away from the foreground- from the middle of the courtroom.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:15'>Col 2:15</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:490 11:22'>Luk 11:22</a></em>.</p><p><em>Having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it</em>- S:w. <em><a href='B:650 6:6'>Heb 6:6</a></em> about the "open shame" of the crucified Christ. One reason for the cross was to publicly declare that all the laws which we break, our sins, are once and for all publicly declared in all their shame- and rendered powerless, lead away in Christ's triumph (<em><a href='B:540 2:14'>2Co 2:14</a></em>). Disarmed NIV- an allusion to <em><a href='B:90 17:51'>1Sa 17:51</a></em>.</p><p>The binding of the strong man in the parable was done by the death of Christ. One of the spoils we have taken from his house is the fact we don't need to keep the Mosaic Law (<em><a href='B:470 12:29'>Mat 12:29</a></em> = <em><a href='B:580 2:15'>Col 2:15</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:16'>Col 2:16</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Let no one therefore judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day</em>- But people do judge us. We can only not allow them to judge us by not letting their judgments affect us. This is a valuable principle; for the judgment of others seriously impacts upon our emotional and spiritual state. We are not to allow the judgments of others to do this, because we believe that there is only one final judge. Believing that God and His Son are our only judges is therefore of immense practical import. A similar situation is to be found in <em><a href='B:610 4:12'>1Ti 4:12</a></em> (cp. <em><a href='B:530 16:11'>1Co 16:11</a></em>), where Timothy is told to let nobody despise him. People did despise him- but he is told to disallow them from doing so by not taking it to heart, holding on to his value before God. And Paul tells Titus the same (<em><a href='B:630 2:15'>Tit 2:15</a></em>). Likewise in <em><a href='B:690 3:7'>1Jn 3:7</a></em> we are told to let no man deceive us- although they will try, for as John notes, there are many deceivers in the world. Here in <em><a href='B:580 2:18'>Col 2:18</a></em>, the same is taught- the Colossians were not to let anyone deceive them.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:17'>Col 2:17</a></em>&nbsp;<em>They were a shadow of the things to come, but the real object is Christ</em>- Bible students have long recognized a 'prophetic perfect' tense in Hebrew, whereby the future is spoken of as having already happened. This not only reflects the utter certainty of God’s words coming true, it also reflects God’s way of looking at issues without time, in the sense that God is beyond time. Thus when He told Abraham that He&nbsp;<em>had made him&nbsp;(</em>not 'will make you') a great nation, this reflected the way that God already saw Abraham as a father of many. Things which don't yet exist for us do&nbsp;<em>actually</em>&nbsp;exist for God (<em><a href='B:520 4:17'>Rom 4:17</a></em>). The Law was a&nbsp;<em>shadow</em>&nbsp;of Christ (<em><a href='B:580 2:17'>Col 2:17</a></em>) even when Christ didn’t physically exist. Yet a shadow implies the real existence of the object. The Law reflected God’s knowledge of the Lord Jesus; to Him, the Lord did in that sense pre-exist, although we know that literally He didn’t. Likewise Levi was seen by God as paying tithes whilst he was still as it were within Abraham's body (<em><a href='B:650 7:9-10'>Heb 7:9-10</a></em>), and the dead believers are likened to spectators in a stadium, cheering us on as we race the race of this life (<em><a href='B:650 12:1'>Heb 12:1</a></em>).</p><p>Paul’s statement that God has made public display for ridicule (<em>edeigmatisen en parrêsia</em>) of the “rulers and authorities” is alluding to a phrase which occurs in the Jewish writings about the supposed Satanic rulers of this present world. But Paul says that God displays them for what they are and thereby holds them up to ridicule (<em><a href='B:580 2:17'>Col 2:17</a></em>), rather like Elijah mocking the non-existence of Baal. In <em><a href='B:580 2:8'>Col 2:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 2:20'>Col 2:20</a></em> and <em><a href='B:550 4:3'>Gal 4:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:550 4:8-10'>Gal 4:8-10</a></em>, Paul says that believers are no longer subject to the “elements of the cosmos” (<em>ta stoicheia tou kosmou</em>) – again, a term the Jews used to describe supposed sinful Angels ruling the cosmos. He’s deconstructing these ideas rather than supporting them.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:18'>Col 2:18</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Let no one rob you of your prize by a false humility and worshiping of the angels, keeping on about all the things which he has supposedly seen in visions, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind</em>- If we let ourselves act against our conscience, we are&nbsp;<em>now&nbsp;</em>condemned (<em><a href='B:520 14:23'>Rom 14:23</a></em>). If we judge another, "thou condemnest present tense thyself" (<em><a href='B:520 2:1'>Rom 2:1</a></em>). We must not let false teachers "judge against you" (<em><a href='B:580 2:18'>Col 2:18</a></em> AVmg:) in the sense that by following them we can let them as it were pass the verdict of condemnation upon us, here and now.</p><p>Seeking to cut off the flesh by steel willed obedience to laws is in fact fleshly. Likewise in <em><a href='B:580 2:23'>Col 2:23</a></em> Paul argues that obedience to laws isn't any benefit in cutting off the flesh; this is done by God in Christ through our baptism into Him and being counted as Him.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:19'>Col 2:19</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increases with the increase of God</em>- The Lord Jesus, as the Head,&nbsp;<em>ministers</em>&nbsp;nourishment to the body (<em><a href='B:580 2:19'>Col 2:19</a></em>). But how? The same word is used in the parallel <em><a href='B:560 4:16'>Eph 4:16</a></em>: every joint of the body&nbsp;<em>supplies</em>(s:w:) the rest of the body with nourishment. The Lord’s work of ministering to us is articulated through us His servants. This is why faith can die in individuals and ecclesias, simply because brethren and sisters are not ministering strength to others. We should seriously consider our words, spoken and written, our motivation, whether or not we challenge a brother or sister over something, the direction of our conversations... for we can obstruct the grace and nourishment of Christ by our raising of that which pulls down rather than builds up. Likewise <em><a href='B:580 2:19'>Col 2:19</a></em> says that God gives increase to the body; but <em><a href='B:560 4:16'>Eph 4:16</a></em> uses the same Greek in saying how the body makes increase of itself in love. It occurs again in <em><a href='B:560 2:21'>Eph 2:21</a></em>: “all the building fitly framed together&nbsp;<em>groweth</em>&nbsp;unto an holy temple”. This is all so weighty in its implication. Our duty is not merely to retain a correct understanding of certain propositional truths, and ourselves live a reasonable life. The welfare of all others in the body has been delegated to us. Their salvation and perhaps their eternal rejection lays in our hands, to some extent. See on <em><a href='B:560 4:16'>Eph 4:16</a></em>.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:20'>Col 2:20</a></em>&nbsp;<em>If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances?</em>- The aorist tense of “you died” refers to a one time event, surely our baptisms into Christ's death. Likewise <em><a href='B:580 3:1'>Col 3:1</a></em> refers to our one time rising with Christ in baptism. They were ‘subjecting themselves’ to the Jewish ordinances, the legalities of Judaism, “as though” they were living in the Jewish world. Submission to Judaism was inappropriate for those who had died with Christ in baptism. The salvation by faith through grace experienced in Him meant that they had died not only to sin, but to the law which brought about sin.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:21'>Col 2:21</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Handle not, nor taste, nor touch</em>- These legal concerns were about external contamination. But the focus of Colossians has been that the gift of the Spirit affects the human spirit, the mind, the heart. This is the focus of true Christianity. Contamination of the heart cannot occur through eating or touching ritually unclean things. “Touch” in Greek can mean simply ‘association’, having ‘to do with’ someone. In this case, Paul is categorically condemning the whole concept of ‘guilt by association’ which has been the root cause of so much division between believers. Not handling touching nor tasting is alluding to Eve’s perception that she was not to touch nor taste the forbidden fruit (<em><a href='B:10 3:3'>Gen 3:3</a></em>). Eve had put a fence around the command not to eat of the fruit; she had added ‘neither shall you touch it’. And it had not saved her from sin; indeed, her primitive legalism was not mixed with faith in God’s grace, and it led her to spiritual catastrophe. The Judaist legalism and fences around the law were leading them in just the same way.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:22'>Col 2:22</a></em>&nbsp;<em>(All things that perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?</em>- The idea may simply be that all external things perish, food is touched, eaten and then perishes; whereas the work of the Spirit is in the heart and is permanent. The food laws concerned things which perished permanently; avoiding them was just a temporary way of avoiding legal infringements, whereas the work of the Spirit had permanent effect upon the heart. And it is the Spirit which will be experienced eternally in God’s Kingdom. And in any case, the ordinances of Judaism in view here were “of men”, and not therefore the law of God. This is a pointed attack on the Jewish idea that the teachings of the Rabbis effectively became Divine law.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 2:23'>Col 2:23</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Which things have indeed a false appearance of wisdom in worship and humility and severity to the body, but are not of any real value against stopping the indulgence of the flesh</em>- Paul sees the “real value” of any teaching in spiritual terms. The legalism associated with worrying about food legislation was of no value against stopping us indulge the flesh. What is required is the Spirit, working internally; rather than regulations about external defilement. The “worship” in view is that of Angels (:18). Fasting was not demanded by the Mosaic law, apart from at the day of atonement; but fasting was a major part of Judaism. But all this would not stop the flesh but rather encourage it; what was required was the ministry of God’s spirit within the human spirit.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:1'>Col 3:1</a></em>&nbsp;<em>If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above</em>- Chapter 2 has spoken of baptism as death and resurrection with Christ. If this has happened, then we follow where He went after resurrection, which was to Heaven. Not literally, for heaven going after death is not taught in the Bible; but in our thoughts being with Him there in the Heavens. The structure of Paul's letters shows very clearly the link between doctrine and practice. Colossians 1, 2 are pure theology, the precise, analytical Paul at his most flowing, intellectually devastating and persuasive; but "then..." (<em><a href='B:580 3:1'>Col 3:1</a></em>) we are lead on to another two chapters of the practical implications of this. This theology / doctrinal treatise and the pivotal, crucial then... therefore... is likewise the turning point of Romans (<em><a href='B:520 12:1'>Rom 12:1</a></em>), Galatians (<em><a href='B:550 6:1-10'>Gal 6:1-10</a></em>), Ephesians (<em><a href='B:560 4:1'>Eph 4:1</a></em>) and Philippians (<em><a href='B:570 4:1'>Phi 4:1</a></em>). His theology, his doctrine, always ends in an ethical demand (see too 1 Thessalonians 5 and 2 Thessalonians 3). To use pompous words, our orthodoxy (right doctrine) must lead to orthopraxy (right behaviour).</p><p><em>Where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God</em>- Hence the significance of Stephen seeing the Lord&nbsp;<em>standing</em>&nbsp;at the right hand of God in urgent mediation and emotion for him in his sufferings.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:2'>Col 3:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Set your mind on the things that are above</em>- The same word is used in bidding us to "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ" (<em><a href='B:570 2:5'>Phi 2:5</a></em>); indeed, Paul uses the word seven times in Philippians. It is Christ who is "above" in that He has ascended to Heaven (:1); so the "things" in view are those of Christ, rather than spiritual, heavenly things generally.<br/><em><br/>Not on the things that are upon the earth</em>- Paul is repeating the great theme of Philippians, to set our mind on Christ rather than be of those who "mind earthly things" (<em><a href='B:570 3:19'>Phi 3:19</a></em>). The appeals in Philippians to be of "one mind" refer to the need to all be focused upon the same mind- Christ. That is the basis of unity, rather than being uniform in all matters of doctrinal interpretation or living.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:3'>Col 3:3</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For you died-&nbsp;</em>Continuing the baptism allusions. When we were baptized, we died to the natural life, and therefore the only life we have is the life which we are given by reason of our association with the resurrected Lord Jesus. And therefore our spiritual life must be the central thing in our existence- not a hobby. As I dried myself off after my baptism, I opened my Bible at 'random', and came with marvellous appropriacy to <em><a href='B:240 23:26'>Pro 23:26</a></em>: "My son, give me thine heart". And Paul taught the same: "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (<em><a href='B:580 3:3'>Col 3:3</a></em>). "The love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that (Christ) has died for all (believers); therefore all have died. And He died for all (of us), that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised... therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old (life) has passed away, behold, the new has come" (<em><a href='B:540 5:14-17'>2Co 5:14-17</a></em> RSV). "I was co-crucified with Christ (Gk:): nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me" (<em><a href='B:550 2:20'>Gal 2:20</a></em>). And "The love of Christ constrains us", it shuts us up with no other real way to move, as the Greek implies.</p><p><em>And your life is hid with Christ</em>- The idea is of treasure in a totally secure place; for Christ is in "the bosom of the Father" (<em><a href='B:500 1:18'>Joh 1:18</a></em>). Our most valuable treasure is our life, who we are, our personality, which is what shall eternally endure. The "life" in view is surely our eternal life. In this we see the supreme, eternal importance of the development of spiritual personality; for it is that which shall last eternally.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:4'>Col 3:4</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:530 15:20'>1Co 15:20</a></em>.</p><p><em>When Christ, our life, shall be manifested, then with him you shall also be manifested in glory-</em>&nbsp; <em><a href='B:690 3:2'>1Jn 3:2</a></em> uses the same word in saying that "what we shall be" has not yet been "manifested". The manifesting of the Lord Jesus at the second coming is therefore our manifestation, because Christ is our life. But we are also individuals;&nbsp;<em>our</em>&nbsp;life and eternal being is involved. So our unique eternal personality is in fact an aspect of Him. The fullness of His personality has been shared out amongst all those in Him; one wired more towards His grace, another more towards His justice, e.g. In another figure, we are each unique parts of the body which is Christ.</p><p>If we believe we really will be there, then we will look more earnestly for the day to come. We can never be truly enthusiastic about the Lord's return if we are unsure about our ultimate acceptance at His hand. Because we are sure that "When Christ… shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication…" etc. (<em><a href='B:580 3:4-5'>Col 3:4-5</a></em>). We don't control ourselves because we think this will make us good enough to be accepted, but rather because we believe that we have already been accepted. By grace alone.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:5'>Col 3:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Therefore, put to death what is earthly in you: Fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and covetousness</em>- Gk. 'make a corpse of'. We are alive and yet we are dead, as walking corpses. Putting to death is paralleled with "also put away..." in :8; the idea there is of undressing, of casting away clothes. We are naked corpses, that is the picture being developed. Our real life and being is centered around Heavenly things. The same word is only used elsewhere of Abraham whose body was dead, i:e. sexually impotent (<em><a href='B:520 4:19'>Rom 4:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:650 11:12'>Heb 11:12</a></em>). The examples now given in the rest of this verse are all sexual. We are invited to see ourselves as Abraham, whose focus was upon the stars above, the promises of Heavenly things. Paul clearly saw that there was a real temptation for his readers to fall into sexual lust; and at the end of chapter 2 he has warned that claiming to abide by Jewish legal regulations was actually a temptation towards lust. The reasoning seems to be that legal obedience tempts a person to think that other areas of sin are therefore quite acceptable. And this would explain the link between Christian legalism and sexual immorality which has so often become apparent.</p><p>Paul saw <em><a href='B:470 5:29-30'>Mat 5:29-30</a></em> in a sexual context (= <em><a href='B:580 3:5'>Col 3:5</a></em>); which fits the context of <em><a href='B:470 5:28'>Mat 5:28</a></em>.<br/>The Colossians still had to "put to death" things like fornication, even though they had put them to death in baptism (<em><a href='B:580 3:5'>Col 3:5</a></em> = <em><a href='B:520 6:6'>Rom 6:6</a></em>). Yet they are described as having formerly lived in those things, as if now, they don't do them (<em><a href='B:580 3:7'>Col 3:7</a></em>). Yet clearly they did still do those things. Again, Paul is saying that they don't do those things by status, in God’s eyes, therefore they shouldn't do them in practice.</p><p><em>Which is idolatry</em>- Paul is writing to those attracted by Judaism, for whom avoiding idolatry was an obsession. But he is warning that the real idolatry is not falling down before statues, but the life of the flesh and the hidden lust of the mind.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:6'>Col 3:6</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For which things' sake comes the anger of God upon the children of disobedience</em>- The idea of disobedience suggests that the class in view are those who know God’s requirements, those responsible to judgment. The similar language of <em><a href='B:520 1:18'>Rom 1:18</a></em> refers to this category of persons. And we can assume there were some in Colosse, as in other New Testament churches, who were justifying serious sexual immorality as perfectly allowable for believers in Christ.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:7'>Col 3:7</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Things in which you also once walked, when you lived in these things</em>- The parallel <em><a href='B:560 2:2'>Eph 2:2</a></em> says that "in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, according to the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience". That 'spirit' is here defined as that of sexual abandon and lack of internal mental control. This arises from within the flesh; and not as a result of some cosmic being controlling us.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:8'>Col 3:8</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But now you are to also put away</em>- See on <em><a href='B:580 3:5'>Col 3:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Put to death. The commandment to “put away” these behaviours suggests that they were all ongoing amongst the Colossian converts. The same word is used of how Christian converts elsewhere needed to “put off” such carnal behaviour and immorality (</em><em><a href='B:520 13:12'>Rom 13:12</a></em><em>; </em><em><a href='B:560 4:22'>Eph 4:22</a></em><em>; </em><em><a href='B:670 2:1'>1Pe 2:1</a></em><em>). Clearly the early churches were full of quite serious immorality, bad language, blasphemy and even violence. The historical accounts of how some very self-sacrificial behaviour attracted the positive notice of outsiders doesn’t take away from this; and this sad scenario is all witnessed by the New Testament itself. We need to give this internal evidence its due weight. It’s clear that Paul preached and then baptized whoever said ‘yes’ without unduly analysing their motives or morality. Inevitably with so many quick baptisms, the communities which developed would have been characterized by the same spiritual immaturities which were in their native societies.</em></p><p><em>The “also” connects with the list of five forms of sexual sins in :5. Paul now gives another list of five sins which are more internal than external. He may be continuing the theme developed at the end of chapter 2, of needing to focus on the internal and spiritual more than the external.</em></p><p><em>Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth</em>-The idea is that the five gross sexual sins of :5 are no worse than the five more common failures no<em>w&nbsp;</em>listed.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:9'>Col 3:9</a></em><em>&nbsp;Lie not one to another</em>- The parallel <em><a href='B:560 4:24-25'>Eph 4:24-25</a></em> explains the significance of "to each other"<em>:&nbsp;</em>"Put on the new man... Therefore, putting away falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour. For we are members one of another"<em>:&nbsp;</em>The function of the one body will be hindered by lying to each other within it.</p><br/><p><em>Seeing you have put off the old man with his doings-&nbsp;</em>This is the language of <em><a href='B:520 6:6'>Rom 6:6</a></em> about baptism. It could fairly be said that Colossians is explaining to baptized believers the implications of their baptisms.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:10'>Col 3:10</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator</em>- Because in status we have 'put on the new man', "put on, therefore... mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind", i:e. bring forth in yourself the characteristics of Jesus, seeing you have 'put Him on' in baptism (<em><a href='B:580 3:10'>Col 3:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 3:12'>Col 3:12</a></em>). Clothe your personality with Him, submerge yourself within Him, seeing you 'put on' Christ in baptism. We are to live out in practice how the Lord sees us by status.</p><p>The Lord Jesus is set up in so many ways as the example for us to follow- in a way that some cosmic being descending from outer space never could have been. In the same way as Jesus was the image of the invisible God in His character (<em><a href='B:580 1:15'>Col 1:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 4:4'>2Co 4:4</a></em>), so we are bidden put on the image of God (<em><a href='B:580 3:10'>Col 3:10</a></em>), being transformed into His image progressively over time (<em><a href='B:540 3:18'>2Co 3:18</a></em>), through "the renewing of your mind" (<em><a href='B:520 12:2'>Rom 12:2</a></em>), being conformed to the image of Jesus our Saviour (<em><a href='B:520 8:29'>Rom 8:29</a></em>; <em><a href='B:530 15:49'>1Co 15:49</a></em>). Thus the process of our redemption, through the perfect character of Jesus, becomes in turn a personal pattern for each of us who have been saved by that process. And it was only through the successful completion of that work of redemption that Jesus was "made" Lord of all (<em><a href='B:520 1:4'>Rom 1:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 2:36'>Act 2:36</a></em>). This is a different picture to the Gnostic-Trinitarian idea of a pre-existent Lord of all descending to earth which was apparently troubling the Colossians. Further, their theory gets somewhat confused when they claim that the Angelic appearances on earth in Old Testament times e.g. the Angel with Israel in the wilderness were actually appearances of Jesus on earth. If this is so, then when did Jesus come to earth to save men? Did He make several visits…? Why couldn't each of these visits have been enough for human salvation? The idea that the Lord Jesus was an Old Testament Angel is simply unsustainable in Scripture and needs to be rejected, along with all Gnostic-influenced views of Him. We know from <em><a href='B:510 14:11'>Act 14:11</a></em> that there was a strong tendency in the first century to believe that the gods could come to earth in the likeness of men; and Trinitarianism simply reflects the fact that weak Christians in the early centuries sought to accommodate Christianity to their existing beliefs.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:11'>Col 3:11</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Where there cannot be Gentile and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman- but Christ is all and in all</em>- In the "new man" whom we have "put on", i:e. Christ, "there cannot be Greek and Jew" etc (<em><a href='B:580 3:11'>Col 3:11</a></em> RV). But we have to do something in order to bring this about- mere baptism isn't enough. Paul continues: "Put on therefore... a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience" (<em><a href='B:580 3:12'>Col 3:12</a></em>). If we are "in Christ", there "cannot be" division in that body- if there is, from our perspective, then surely we are proclaiming ourselves to be not of that body. But in order to actualize being "in Christ", we have to therefore show kindness, humility, patience etc. in order that there will not be division. We have to live out in practice the status which we have been given at baptism, of being "in" the undivided, indivisible Christ. "Christ is created in all who believe and in all places of the world" (<em><a href='B:580 3:11'>Col 3:11</a></em> Bullinger). It is the common experience of this new creation which binds us together as one body and spiritual nation world-wide.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:12'>Col 3:12</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Therefore, as God’s elect</em>- The language of Old Testament Israel, and also of the Messiah. The new Israel are characterized and identified by their spiritual attributes, as the children of Abraham by the spirit, rather than fleshly identity. We again note that the false teaching plaguing Colosse and its surrounds was connected with a return to Judaism. But the main reference is I believe to us being as Christ, the elect.</p><p><em>And beloved</em>- A title of Christ, whose titles and personality is now counted to all of us in Him (<em><a href='B:470 12:18'>Mat 12:18</a></em>; and the clear parallel in <em><a href='B:560 1:6'>Eph 1:6</a></em> is that He "has made us accepted by being in the beloved").</p><p><em>Put on</em>- We cannot just sit down and acquire the listed characteristics. But insofar as we are in Christ, we have clothed ourselves with Him, and these characteristics of His personality are counted to us by grace. We have "put on s:w. the new man", Christ (:10), who according to Isaiah's servant songs was "the elect". The faith that that is indeed so leads us to naturally be the persons we are counted to be by status.</p><p><em>Sensitivity, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering</em>- These five characteristics are the antidote for the lists of five sins in :5 and :8.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:13'>Col 3:13</a></em><em>&nbsp;Forbearing one another and forgiving each other, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as&nbsp;the Lord forgave you, so also forgive-&nbsp;</em>He forgives us on account of our status in Christ, forgiving therefore without demanding specific repentance for every sin. And we are to operate a similar policy with others in Christ. This is the force of the little word "As...". Forgiveness without requiring repentance frees us from so much legalism and bearing of records of wrongs against others. Every "complaint" needs to be gone into, and a judgment reached as to whether the event really happened, or happened as the aggrieved party says it did; and whether there has been real repentance. And there is no ultimate ombudsman or judge on earth who can reach the ultimate truth of the situations. Every judge and jury, within or outside the church, formal or informal, will decide differently. In many cases, mitigating or unconsidered factors will keep on coming out of the woodwork. All this is a recipe for interpersonal strife and division. To forgive without demanding repentance, including forgiving perceived issues, is the way to peace and harmony, both within ourselves and within the believing community.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:14'>Col 3:14</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:530 13:11'>1Co 13:11</a></em>.</p><p><em>And above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection-&nbsp;</em>Moses' spiritual pinnacle was characterized by arriving at a profound depth of love. Love is likewise seen by Paul as "the bond of perfection" (<em><a href='B:580 3:14'>Col 3:14</a></em>), the sign of ultimate maturity. He has already begun in Colossians 1 by saying that true faith and hope for eternity will bring forth love. The Greek for "bond" is a medical term, referring to the ligaments of the human body. Paul has just used it concerning the anatomy of the body of Christ, the church, in <em><a href='B:580 2:19'>Col 2:19</a></em>. The completeness of the body is brought about by love, and the context of that "love" is in the command in the preceding verse :13 to forgive as we have been forgiven, i:e. without demanding repentance. But this is the state of "perfection" or spiritual maturity. Those who insist upon repentance before forgiveness are not therefore mature, and the body of Christ will only be completely functional if this policy of forgiveness without repentance is universally accepted and applied.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:15'>Col 3:15</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts- to this you were also called in one body; and be thankful</em>- We are called to the hope of the Kingdom "in one body" (<em><a href='B:580 3:15'>Col 3:15</a></em>); all who receive the call of the true Gospel are in the same one body. There is one body, based around sharing the one faith, one hope, understanding of the one Father and Son, having participated in the one baptism (<em><a href='B:560 4:4-6'>Eph 4:4-6</a></em>). So whoever believes the doctrines of the basic Gospel and has been baptized and walks in Christ, we have a duty (and should have a desire) to fellowship. The need for unity amongst us is so very often stressed (e.g. <em><a href='B:530 1:10'>1Co 1:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 15:5-6'>Rom 15:5-6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 2:2'>Phi 2:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 4:31-32'>Eph 4:31-32</a></em>; Col. 3;12-15).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:16'>Col 3:16</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:670 2:5'>1Pe 2:5</a></em>.<br/><em><br/>Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. In all wisdom teach and encourage one another-&nbsp;</em>This may well be an allusion to the tradition of learning the Gospel of Mark. How can it richly dwell in us if we do not daily meditate upon those inspired records?</p><p><em>With Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs- singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord</em>- There are connections between praise and forgiveness of sin. <em><a href='B:580 3:16'>Col 3:16</a></em> speaks of communal hymn singing as a means of "admonishing" each other- and the Greek translated "admonish" here means just that (cp. <em><a href='B:630 3:10'>Tit 3:10</a></em>). The connection between praise and confession / forgiveness makes this appropriate. It may be that Paul is writing with his eye on Deuteronomy 32; the Song of Moses spoke of Israel's weakness and proneness to apostasy. Yet they were bidden sing this to each other, in order to inculcate the culture of forgiveness without repentance- see on :13 and :14. Would anything like that get into a Christian hymn book today?</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:17'>Col 3:17</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And whatever you do, in word or in action, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him-&nbsp;</em>The doing and acting in view is in the policy of forgiving without repentance, on account of a believer's status in Christ; see on :13 and :14. We do this because we are in Christ, we are acting in His Name, and do so giving thanks to God for our blanket forgiveness which we experience in Him, whereby all our sins are blotted out because of our status in Christ (<em><a href='B:580 2:13'>Col 2:13</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:18'>Col 3:18</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord</em>- As all in Christ are to be subject to each other (<em><a href='B:560 5:21'>Eph 5:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 5:5'>1Pe 5:5</a></em>). These commands about family life are added in the context of the preceding argument about love and unconditional forgiveness. The Christian family and home is to be the living and supreme example and microcosm of the principles governing church life. This is why church leaders are to be judged more than anything else by the state and function of their own families.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:19'>Col 3:19</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them</em>- I have argued that these commands about family life are exemplifications of the preceding comments about unconditional forgiveness and treating each other as Christ has treated us. The parallel in <em><a href='B:560 4:31-32'>Eph 4:31-32</a></em> supports that: "Let all bitterness and wrath... be put away from you... be kind to each other, sensitive, forgiving each other, even as God in Christ also forgave you". Bitterness arises from unforgiveness. Likewise the command in :21 about not provoking others to wrath (AV) must be read in this same context; wrath, according to <em><a href='B:560 4:31-32'>Eph 4:31-32</a></em>, arises from unforgiveness.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:20'>Col 3:20</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing to the Lord</em>- Implying there were baptized young people in the ecclesias. The early critics of Christianity mocked it as a religion of children and women. Those not counted as persons in ancient society found their meaning and acceptance in Christ.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:21'>Col 3:21</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Fathers, do not provoke your children, in order that they are not discouraged</em>- See on :19&nbsp;<em>Be not bitter</em>. These commandments are regarding believing families. The discouragement in view was presumably in the context of the children growing up encouraged by their fathers to believe and be baptized. But endless provocation of children in domestic life will only discourage them from that path.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:22'>Col 3:22</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Servants, obey in all things those that are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord</em>- The Greek&nbsp;<em>kurios</em>&nbsp;is used here for “masters” rather than the more natural&nbsp;<em>despotes</em>&nbsp;because the idea is being developed that service to human masters can be accepted as service towards the Master- the Lord Jesus.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:23'>Col 3:23</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Whatever you do, work heartily, as if to the Lord and not to men</em>- This is in the context of commands to slaves (:22). It would have been so liberating for those in dead end daily situations, similar to those trapped in minimum wage employment today, to realize that their service can be done "to the Lord". He realizes the limitations of human situations in employment, and is willing to accept the toil of the daily grind as done to Him- if we are willing to give it to Him.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:24'>Col 3:24</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ</em>- The comfort is to first century slaves, and those in the slavery of minimum wage dead end employment in our age, to not look so much to the pittance of salary or reward at the end of each day or month- but to realize that the reward of working as unto the Lord is in fact the inheritance of the Kingdom.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 3:25'>Col 3:25</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But he who does wrong&nbsp;will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality</em>- The context is about slaves and masters, and the reference may well be to believing masters who abused their slaves.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:1'>Col 4:1</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Masters, give to your servants what is just and equal. Knowing you also have a master in heaven</em>- Our relationships with others should be governed by our sense of relationship with the Lord Jesus. If we are but His slaves, then we will deport ourselves appropriately in any secular position of authority which may be our lot. The even handed attitude of the Lord Jesus to us, without favouritism, was to be reflected by masters not having favourites amongst their slave; and certainly not giving them unjust compensation for their services. For the Lord's attitude to us is ultimately "just and equal". Indeed, Paul's thought is repeatedly that we are the unjust, but are justified by faith in His grace. Our Master died for us, "the just for unjust" (<em><a href='B:670 3:18'>1Pe 3:18</a></em>). And even if we have to deal with unjust servants, we are to remember that God sends His rain on both the just and the unjust (<em><a href='B:470 5:45'>Mat 5:45</a></em>). This command follows on from the comment in the previous verse that there is "no respect of persons" with the Lord Jesus, and that believing masters who abused their slaves would be judged for this (<em><a href='B:580 3:25'>Col 3:25</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:2'>Col 4:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving</em>- This is the very language of the earliest church, who are repeatedly set up as our example (<em><a href='B:510 1:14'>Act 1:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 2:42'>Act 2:42</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 2:46'>Act 2:46</a></em>). The difficulty of prayer is to persevere in it, not making requests as a passing shot, but continuing in prayer. And any requests are to be framed within constant thanksgiving for what the Lord has given us already, not least in His Son. The same word is used about continuing in prayer in <em><a href='B:510 6:4'>Act 6:4</a></em> and <em><a href='B:520 12:12'>Rom 12:12</a></em>. "Vigilant" means 'keeping awake', and is used of the disciples in Gethsemane failing to do this as asked (<em><a href='B:470 26:38'>Mat 26:38</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 26:40-41'>Mat 26:40-41</a></em>). We can read it quite literally- do not drift asleep whilst praying. For who of us is not concerned about our tendency to do that. The appeal is for mental focus, not allowing prayer to slip into mere ritual, a repetition of the same themes and phrases. And "thanksgiving", deep gratitude for what we have been given already, which will help us in this alertness.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:3'>Col 4:3</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for preaching the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for the sake of which I am also in chains</em>- This prayer was indeed answered, because Phil. 1:13 ["So that my bonds made Christ manifest throughout the whole Praetorian guard, and to all the rest"]; 4:22  ["All the saints greet you, especially they that are of Caesar's household"] report that Paul's witness in chains led to the conversion of people right within Caesar's household.  Paul's witness (presumably via the soldiers he was chained to) had led to conversions within the extended family and slaves of Caesar's palace; although according to Romans 16 there were already some believers there. Through all the hard things that happened to Paul, the Gospel had entered the very elitest centre of the Roman empire. Josephus even suggests that the Empress Poppaea may have been favourably inclined to Christianity. This is an encouragement for all time that even the worst experiences and situations have a role to play in the extension of the Lord's saving way amongst men. And Paul realized that, hence "especially they...".  Onesimus likewise was converted in chains (Philemon 10). It has been suggested that if Paul were constantly chained to a succession of Roman soldiers, he would have preached to them all; and thus the Gospel was spread throughout the guard. And from Phil. 4:22 we know that there were believers amongst "Caesar's household". Paul's apparently dead end situation therefore led to the Gospel penetrating the very highest of places within the Roman empire, in a manner which would have been impossible had he not been imprisoned in Rome. The Greek praitorion is mainly used of how the Lord Jesus was held in the Praetorium, in chains as Paul was. Paul quickly perceived that in essence he was continuing the Lord's witness by fellowshipping His sufferings, and we can make the same connections between our chains in life and the Lord's sufferings. And yet despite understanding this on one level, he was clearly frustrated by his chains. </p><p> Opening doors is the language of release from prison (<em><a href='B:510 5:23'>Act 5:23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 16:26'>Act 16:26</a></em>). So although in prison, Paul felt that his chains would as it were be loosed, he would no longer feel so limited, if he could spread the Gospel. I pray each day to meet the right people, or as Paul put it, for a door to be opened for preaching. Paul had earlier written of how a great door had been opened to him to preach the Gospel (<em><a href='B:530 16:9'>1Co 16:9</a></em>). He may well have prayed for this, for the allusion is to how prayer is a knocking which opens doors (<em><a href='B:470 7:7'>Mat 7:7</a></em>). If we want such open doors, they will be given to us. For to pray for that is surely to pray according to God’s will. But all the same, Paul asks others to pray for him in this matter; and his success in prison is a parade example of how this prayer will be answered.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:4'>Col 4:4</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:470 26:35'>Mat 26:35</a></em>.<br/><em>Pray that I may speak boldly, as I should</em>- As noted on <em><a href='B:560 6:20'>Eph 6:20</a></em>, Paul himself admits a tendency not to preach, to hold back from giving his all to fulfil that commission he had received to testify of the Gospel of God’s grace (<em><a href='B:530 9:16'>1Co 9:16</a></em>). He asks his brethren to pray that he would be able to "make it manifest" more than he did (<em><a href='B:580 4:4'>Col 4:4</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:560 6:20'>Eph 6:20</a></em>). As noted on :3, this prayer was powerfully answered in the conversion of slaves and others within Caesar's household. "Speak boldly" is literally 'to manifest'. Paul earlier told the Romans that the Gospel is now made manifest s:w. to all nations (<em><a href='B:520 16:26'>Rom 16:26</a></em>, also <em><a href='B:540 2:14'>2Co 2:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:630 1:3'>Tit 1:3</a></em>). But this is dependent upon our efforts to make it manifest, and even Paul felt that he was failing in this and needed prayer to achieve what was potentially possible. The Gospel has been made manifest to us (<em><a href='B:580 1:26'>Col 1:26</a></em> s:w:) and we therefore are to manifest it to others.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:5'>Col 4:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Walk in wisdom toward those that are without, redeeming the time</em>- In a preaching context, Paul tells us to "redeem the time", or "be buying up the opportunity" (<em><a href='B:580 4:5'>Col 4:5</a></em> RVmg:); we are to urgently snap up every opportunity to preach. And walking wisely towards those "without" is a way of witnessing to them. Closer analysis of "redeeming the time" reveals that this is in fact a quotation from the LXX of <em><a href='B:340 2:8'>Dan 2:8</a></em>, where Nebuchadnezzar tells the wise men that they want to 'redeem the time, because you know that the decree for their execution is gone from me'. There are other allusions in Colossians 4 to Daniel: captivity, earnest prayer, thanksgiving, making manifest wisdom to the world as we ought to, walking in wisdom in the eyes of the world. Daniel and his friends urgently devoted every moment of their lives to prayer in order to redeem time, so that they would be delivered; and Paul took as it were a snapshot of their frantic urgency, and applies it to each of us, also living in Babylon. "The days are evil", the world around us is insidious- and therefore we must redeem the time from it (<em><a href='B:560 5:16'>Eph 5:16</a></em>). Or it could be that 'the evil days' refers to the great and special day of evil, at the second coming (<em><a href='B:560 6:13'>Eph 6:13</a></em>, in context; <em><a href='B:230 37:29'>Psa 37:29</a></em>). In view of the coming of that day and the judgment it will bring, we ought to have a deep sense of the future we might miss, and the urgency of our present position; and devote ourselves therefore to redeeming the time. The sure coming of that day is an exhortation to the believer, "that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles... for we shall give account to him that is ready to judge" (<em><a href='B:670 4:2-5'>1Pe 4:2-5</a></em>). Peter's message is that there's no need to spend time living as the world does, tickling the desires of our nature- for we already spent enough of our time doing that. We are men and women living under judgment, and therefore should devote our lives to the service of God’s will.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:6'>Col 4:6</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one</em>- "Always" demands consistency; it is easy to talk nicely at times, but to live and speak like this as the atmosphere of our language demands much more. Our experience of grace should empower this consistency, our word choice and intonation will reflect the grace we have received. Living in this atmosphere or spirit of thinking will mean that we somehow naturally find the right words to speak, rather than struggling to respond rightly every time we encounter a provocative conversation. "Each one" presumably refers to "those without" of :5. But it equally applies to our words to our brethren. The command to have salt and therefore peace with each other (<em><a href='B:480 9:50'>Mar 9:50</a></em>) is fulfilled, Paul saw, by watching our words (= <em><a href='B:580 4:6'>Col 4:6</a></em>). Salt was a symbol of covenant relationship with God (<em><a href='B:30 2:13'>Lev 2:13</a></em>); yet in the NT this salt stands for love, peace and kind speaking the one to the other (<em><a href='B:480 9:50'>Mar 9:50</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 4:6'>Col 4:6</a></em>). This is the result of true membership in covenant relationship; a true and abiding love for all others in covenant.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:7'>Col 4:7</a></em>&nbsp;<em>All my affairs shall Tychicus make known to you, the beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord</em>- In an age where communication was very limited, "the messengers of the churches" travelled around the known world taking messages and news (<em><a href='B:540 8:23'>2Co 8:23</a></em>). We should be making the same effort to be bound together with others within the Lord's body, and surely the age of easy communication has arisen in order to allow us to do just that. Let us not abuse it but use it for the purpose the Lord intended.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:8'>Col 4:8</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our state and that he may comfort your hearts</em>- The sole reason Tychicus was sent all the way from Rome to Colosse was to carry news of how Paul was faring in prison; see on :7. Paul assumed that the Colossians were desperately worried about his state in prison, and "for this very purpose" sent Tychicus to comfort them.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:9'>Col 4:9</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you, they shall make known to you all things that are done here</em>- As the Lord sent out the disciples in pairs, so it would seem that Tychicus and Onesimus were sent together. Onesimus was "one of you", originally from Colosse and known to them. "All things that are done here" presumably refers to the kind of regime Paul was experiencing in prison, as well as the real state of things under Nero's terror against the Christians. Paul has to emphasize that Onesimus is faithful, because he would have been known only as the runaway slave. He is again called "the beloved brother" in <em><a href='B:640 1:16'>Phm 1:16</a></em>. Paul would therefore have been writing the letter to Philemon at the same time as he was writing to the Colossians. As noted on <em><a href='B:570 1:1'>Phi 1:1</a></em>, a fair case can be made that the prison epistles were all written quite close to each other, when Paul was no longer dwelling in his own hired house in Rome but was suffering the results of Nero's persecution of the Christians. In this case we note all the more his focus upon the spiritual wellbeing of others, when he was himself in such a time of crisis.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:10'>Col 4:10</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him)</em>- Aristarchus is called Paul's fellow worker when he writes about this time in <em><a href='B:640 1:24'>Phm 1:24</a></em>. The prisoners saw themselves as actively working for the Lord despite their apparently reduced freedoms. It's all a great encouragement to us, that no matter that the ties that bind, we can actively labour for the Lord. "Mark" is likely the "Marcus" of <em><a href='B:640 1:24'>Phm 1:24</a></em>; another hint that the letters of Philemon and Colossians were written about the same time and may well have been carried together to Colosse by Onesimus. If Mark was the relative of Barnabas, we can better understand why Barnabas found a patience with him which Paul apparently didn’t. Paul was aware that he had fallen out with Barnabas over Mark, who had 'departed from' Paul and returned to the Jerusalem church- all language which suggests a spiritual division between them, perhaps because Mark couldn't cope with the mass appeal to the Gentiles which Paul was making. But now towards the end of his life, Paul urges them to forget all that and accept him amongst them. For Mark now is with Paul, apparently also his fellow prisoner. All tensions between brethren over interpretation and acceptance of third parties are all somewhat irrelevant once both of them are sitting together in prison for Christ. We too need to focus as far as possible on what we have in common, which is so much, indeed, "all things".</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:11'>Col 4:11</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And Jesus who is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow-workers to the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort to me</em>- Paul graciously speaks of some brethren "who are of the circumcision party" as his "fellow workers unto the Kingdom of God", noting that they are "men that have been a comfort unto me" (<em><a href='B:580 4:11'>Col 4:11</a></em> RV). The circumcision party understood things very differently to Paul- he is ever arguing against their position, showing that circumcision profits nothing. And yet these brethren whom he here refers to were still acceptable to him as fellow workers, and he even took "comfort" from their fellowship. I find that a beautiful example of how tolerance can be practiced; despite the fact Paul was right and they were wrong, the simply reality that they were mistaken on this point, he could still work with them and be encouraged by them. He didn’t reason: 'If you don't agree with me on this point, well, we're not working together, that's it, goodbye, I can take nothing positive from you by way of fellowship or encouragement'. In fact we could read the AV translation as implying that although Paul had many fellow workers, out of them all, the ones who were a personal comfort to him were these brethren who were of the circumcision party: "Aristarchus... Justus, who are of the circumcision, these only are my fellow workers... which have been a comfort unto me". Justus was in common use among Jews and proselytes, as “denoting obedience to the law". Yet Paul the apostle of grace and the end of the Law found great comfort in him, and worked together with him "to the Kingdom". The Kingdom of God is not now literally established upon earth, but we as believers are under God’s kingship. We are therefore His Kingdom. Paul and his brethren in prison were workers within and towards the Kingdom. There is nothing better than when man has an end in view for his labour; and that end for us is glorious, nothing less than men and women entering God’s Kingdom at the last day.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:12'>Col 4:12</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:580 2:1'>Col 2:1</a></em>.<br/><em>Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God</em>- Perhaps Paul had watched Epaphras on his knees in the same prison cell, 'wrestling' as Jacob did in prayer, for the perfecting and assurance of his home church back in Colosse; for he too "is one of you". Prayer is no bedtime lullaby; it is a real wrestling, not just on occasion, but "always". Faith is a certain hope that really, we shall be saved and live eternally in God’s Kingdom. He prayed that they would 'get it', and be fully assured that this was indeed God’s will for them. For our salvation is so often linked with the will of God. Epaphras was following Paul's example, who constantly prayed that they would be filled s:w. "fully assured" with the knowledge of God’s will (<em><a href='B:580 1:9'>Col 1:9</a></em>). If these brethren were sharing the same prison accommodation, we can understand how attitudes to prayer would be so contagious. Knowing God’s will doesn't have to mean that we know the will of God for us in every situation. It is part of the journey of faith and trust that we do not. But His will is for our salvation in His Son; this we can know and experience:&nbsp;</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:13'>Col 4:13</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For I bear witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and for those in Hierapolis</em>- On :11 we noted that Paul considered these brethren, along with himself, to be 'working' for the Kingdom's cause whilst incarcerated. In :12 he observes how Epaphras was always striving in prayer "for you". I suggest therefore that the hard work AV "great zeal" in view refers to the work of prayer. And he also prayed not only for Colosse but for those he knew in Laodicea and Hierapolis.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:14'>Col 4:14</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you</em>- Luke's loyalty to Paul had led him to accompany Paul on the journey to Rome, including the shipwreck; and perhaps he remained in Rome as Paul's personal physician. Luke was with Paul at the very end of his life (<em><a href='B:620 4:11'>2Ti 4:11</a></em>). We could therefore conclude that Colossians was written at around that same time. I have argued the same for Philippians (see on <em><a href='B:570 1:1'>Phi 1:1</a></em>). In this case, Paul ended his days with desperate appealing to others to see the reality of the great hope he had; his focus was outward, not upon himself, but upon the spiritual welfare of others. However, <em><a href='B:620 4:10'>2Ti 4:10</a></em> contrasts the faithful Luke with the less faithful Demas, who left Paul, "having loved this present world". Colossians would therefore have been written slightly earlier than 2 Timothy. But the fact both Luke and Demas are mentioned together suggests the time gap was not that great.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:15'>Col 4:15</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Greet the brothers that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in their house</em>- This could mean that the church in Laodicea met in the home of Nymphas. For Laodicea is the context both before and after this mention of Nymphas some manuscripts offer Nympha, a female name, and read "her house". We tend to assume that the size of 'churches' today was the same in the first century; but there is no archaeological evidence for dedicated Christian meeting places in the first century, although there is ample for the existence of house churches. The perversions which the Lord later criticizes in the church at Laodicea would likely have all occurred in the lounge or side rooms of a large house. Nymphas may well have been "the angel of the church" to whom the Lord's letter to Laodicea was addressed (<em><a href='B:730 3:14'>Rev 3:14</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:16'>Col 4:16</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And when this letter has been read among you, take steps to have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and you also read the letter from Laodicea</em>- The letter&nbsp;<em>from</em>&nbsp;rather than&nbsp;<em>to</em>&nbsp;Laodicea may refer to a circular letter which was being passed around the churches, and was to come from Laodicea to Colosse. The letter in view may well be Ephesians (see on <em><a href='B:560 1:1'>Eph 1:1</a></em>). The wish for letters to one church to be read to another indicates that we are wrong to think these letters are merely Paul writing to one specific church, and that the principles have no relevance to us. They clearly do, for even originally the letters were to be read to other churches for their instruction.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:17'>Col 4:17</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:510 12:25'>Act 12:25</a></em>.<br/><em>And say to Archippus: Take heed to the service which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfil it</em>- Archippus was part of the house church of Philemon (<em><a href='B:640 1:2'>Phm 1:2</a></em>; possibly the son or relative of Philemon). His ministry "service" was perhaps to minister there whilst Epaphras and others from there were away in Rome. This would suggest that the Colossian church met in the home of Philemon. if we are "in Christ", then we receive a ministry; receiving the ministry is predicated upon being in Christ, and therefore every baptized believe into Christ has a ministry, something to do; but we must "take heed" that we "fulfil it". To "receive" Christ (s:w. <em><a href='B:580 2:6'>Col 2:6</a></em>) is to also receive a unique role in His body, a ministry, a path of service.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:580 4:18'>Col 4:18</a></em>&nbsp;<em>I Paul write this salutation with my own hand. Remember my bonds</em>- As he signed the letter, Paul would have been aware of this chain. There is here the stamp of circumstantial evidence that what we read in the Bible is authentic; for signing a letter would lead to reflection on the chain.</p><p><em>Grace be with you</em>- The<em>&nbsp;charis</em>&nbsp;or gift of the Spirit was what Paul so wished to be experienced by all believers. And he often prays for this. We cannot therefore read this as a standard ending to a letter, which in any case would more likely have read "I wish you peace". Paul really felt that his prayerful wishes for them would have effect in practice. &nbsp;</p>


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<p>1:1&nbsp;<em>Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace</em>- Paul and Silas were only "three Sabbath days" in Thessalonica (<em><a href='B:510 17:2'>Act 17:2</a></em>). As many would have been working during the week, and Paul would not have been the only teacher in the synagogue, those baptized there would have had only a few hours instruction in the Gospel. It's not surprising that Paul had to now write to them about apparently basic things such as the Lord's coming and the resurrection. They were really "in God" and in Christ- Paul didn’t want them to think that they had merely shown passing interest in some itinerant preacher. It was all for real.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:2'>1Th 1:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>We give thanks to God always for you all-&nbsp;</em>The Old Testament as well as New is written in such a way as to encourage memorization, although this is often masked by the translation. There are several devices commonly used to assist in this. Not least is alliteration, i:e. similarly sounding syllables, and we have an example here:&nbsp;<em>Pantote Peri Panton</em>&nbsp;(<em><a href='B:590 1:2'>1Th 1:2</a></em>);&nbsp;<em>&nbsp;Polymeros&nbsp;kai&nbsp;polytropos&nbsp;</em>(<em><a href='B:650 1:1'>Heb 1:1</a></em>);&nbsp;<em>hautee protee entolee</em>&nbsp;(<em><a href='B:480 12:30'>Mar 12:30</a></em>);&nbsp;a<em>phtharton amianton amaranton</em>(<em><a href='B:670 1:3-4'>1Pe 1:3-4</a></em>).</p><p><em>Making mention of you in our prayers</em>- This means more than just 'mentioning'. To mention before God is a Hebraism referring to actually having real effect upon God’s view of the person or situation, just as might make positive mention of someone to a superior. Whilst the Lord Jesus is our only mediator, it is also that because we in Him, we can have influence upon God in regard to others; He is so open to our prayers.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:3'>1Th 1:3</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Remembering without ceasing before our God and Father your work of faith, labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ</em>- "Remembering" is a similar word to "making mention" in :2 (see note there). Paul brought to God’s attention, as it were, their faith, hope and love. And we must ask ourselves, as to how much of our prayer time is taken up with telling God the good things about others? Paul says he did this "without ceasing". Quite a challenge to our prayer life, which so easily tends towards selfishness. "Labour of love" is literally 'toil', and is elsewhere translated "trouble" or "weariness". Loving others results in just this- weariness and trouble. But that is what love is about in practice. "Hope" refers not to a hoping for the best, but a solid expectation- in this case, of salvation, because we are in Christ. That hope was 'patient' or enduring; our tendency is to be persuaded of our salvation for a moment and then drift into the mire of mediocrity in that we lose that intensity of vision and expectation. But patient or enduring hope means life lived in the constant belief that we shall be saved. Paul commends them for this- and yet has to explain to them later that those of them who had recently died were not lost, but would be resurrected at the Lord's return. The Thessalonians therefore had a basic faith, that there was hope in Christ, and they endured in that faith; but their understanding of what that hope was remained clearly very hazy. But all the same, Paul commended them in his prayers before God for believing and having the sure hope. So whilst faith must have content, we believe in something, it is also true that basic faith in Jesus is acceptable even if we have details wrong as regards how it shall all work out in practice.</p><p>Note how many times Paul gives thanks for the spiritual progress he sees in others, even though we can be sure he saw clearly enough the spiritual immaturity which there still must have been in his converts. So many times he thanks God in his prayers for what he has seen in others (<em><a href='B:520 1:8-10'>Rom 1:8-10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:530 1:4-9'>1Co 1:4-9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 1:3-7'>2Co 1:3-7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 9:12-15'>2Co 9:12-15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 1:3-23'>Eph 1:3-23</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 1:3-6'>Phi 1:3-6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:3-14'>Col 1:3-14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 1:2-3'>1Th 1:2-3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:13-16'>1Th 2:13-16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 3:9'>1Th 3:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 1:3-10'>2Th 1:3-10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:620 1:3-7'>2Ti 1:3-7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:640 1:4-7'>Phm 1:4-7</a></em>). Now it follows that if we are to&nbsp;<em>pray&nbsp;</em>like Paul, we must have the heart of love for people that was in him. So often we dwell upon the negative, the scandals, the failures of others. And we can't thank God for those things. Paul's pattern of prayer was of positive praise. And we can only share that if we have a mind that is positively perceptive of signs of response to grace in others.</p><p>Their "work of faith" recalls how James argues that there is no essential difference between faith and works. 'Faith' is not just credulity or a vague feeling of hope, but an active, driving force. There is "the work of faith" (<em><a href='B:590 1:3'>1Th 1:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 1:11'>2Th 1:11</a></em>); faith is something which ought to be 'done', the Lord taught (<em><a href='B:470 23:23'>Mat 23:23</a></em>). Knowledge and faith are paralleled in John's thought (<em><a href='B:500 8:32'>Joh 8:32</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:500 14:1'>Joh 14:1</a></em>; and <em><a href='B:500 6:69'>Joh 6:69</a></em> cp. <em><a href='B:500 11:27'>Joh 11:27</a></em>)- in stark contrast to this world's emphasis upon works rather than faith. Hence Isaiah's appeals to&nbsp;<em>know</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>believe</em>&nbsp;Yahweh (<em><a href='B:290 43:10'>Isa 43:10</a></em>); and the Lord's parallel of 'little faith' with little understanding (<em><a href='B:470 16:7-8'>Mat 16:7-8</a></em>):&nbsp;<em>Pistis</em>, one of the NT words for 'faith', is translated in the LXX as both 'faith' (e.g. <em><a href='B:50 32:20'>Deu 32:20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:240 12:22'>Pro 12:22</a></em>) and 'truth' (<em><a href='B:240 12:17'>Pro 12:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:240 14:22'>Pro 14:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 5:1'>Jer 5:1</a></em>). Indeed, another word used in the LXX is 119 times translated 'truth' and 26 times 'faith'. There&nbsp;<em>is</em>&nbsp;a connection between true knowledge of the Gospel and faith. And this faith is the basis for our works. We don't just learn the propositions of the one faith before baptism, and forget them. The triumphant spiritual life&nbsp;<em>lives them out</em>.</p><p>We note that their "hope" is praised here, but they were seriously deficient in understanding what that hope was in detail, apparently not understanding much about the resurrection. Yet Paul perceived their faith in Christ and firm expectation "hope" of salvation in Him, and praises them for it- even if they were astray or ignorant in their understanding of how it would work out in practice. See on <em><a href='B:590 4:13'>1Th 4:13</a></em>. We can only conclude that not understanding the details of our future hope does not mean we do not have a valid faith in Christ, nor does it hinder the validity of a baptism. But like Paul, we are to seek to fill in the gaps which believers have in their knowledge of these things.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:4'>1Th 1:4</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Knowing, brothers beloved of God, your first calling</em>- Paul was sure they had been called because he had preached the Gospel to them (:5). The call is therefore in the Gospel. Those who hear the Gospel are called; those who have been invited to Christ cannot ever claim they were not invited or not called. Paul doesn't want them to be in any doubt about their calling- he wanted them to 'know' it. And yet Paul is so positive about these rather weak Thessalonians when talking to God about them; see on :3. The Lord's mediation for us is similar.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:5'>1Th 1:5</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:550 1:6'>Gal 1:6</a></em>.</p><p><em>How that our preaching of the gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit-&nbsp;</em>As noted on :4, this preaching of the Gospel was the proof that they had indeed been called to the Kingdom; and they should not stop 'knowing' that they were called. The word they had heard had been backed up by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no record of any miracles being performed to back up Paul's preaching in Thessalonica (<em><a href='B:510 17:1-10'>Act 17:1-10</a></em>). The confirmation of belief was in the gift of the power of the Spirit in the hearts of all believers after baptism. It was and is not simply accepting a word preached; that word is confirmed by the action of the Spirit. The "power" given can refer to miracles, but there is no record of them in Acts 17; I suggest the reference is&nbsp;therefore to the power of the Spirit within us; the parable of the talents uses the same word, translated "ability", regarding the gifts given to each believer (<em><a href='B:470 25:15'>Mat 25:15</a></em>). It is the gift of the power of the Spirit which enables us to abound in joy, hope and peace- all internal attributes (<em><a href='B:520 15:13'>Rom 15:13</a></em>). This is the "power" (s:w:) with which we are strengthened by the gift of "the Spirit in the inner man" (<em><a href='B:560 3:16'>Eph 3:16</a></em>). This is why Paul assures them that he can thank God for their faith, love and patience (:3); because they were given these things by the work of the Spirit.</p><p><em>And in much assurance-&nbsp;</em>See on <em><a href='B:500 15:26'>Joh 15:26</a></em><em>:&nbsp;</em>As noted above, this could also refer to the gift of the Spirit in their hearts which was an assurance of their future salvation (<em><a href='B:540 1:22'>2Co 1:22</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 5:5'>2Co 5:5</a></em>). The riches of full assurance (<em><a href='B:580 2:2'>Col 2:2</a></em>) are the same riches given by the gift of the Spirit in our hearts (<em><a href='B:560 3:16-18'>Eph 3:16-18</a></em>). But we can be given the Spirit gift, and yet not be spiritual (<em><a href='B:530 3:1'>1Co 3:1</a></em>). We must allow the work of the Spirit within us, and believe it.</p><p>There was a confidence exuding from the early preachers that they had arrived at Truth. They ‘had the Truth’ in that what they knew and had experienced was enough for salvation. Unlike the surrounding philosophies and religions, they knew whom they had believed; they weren’t going somewhere in vague hope, they had arrived. They had something concrete to offer others. They preached from a basis of personal hope and conviction and experience, quite unlike the more ‘political’ methods other religions used to recruit members. The philosophers and teachers of the 1st century had little conviction about the value or truth of their position. But the Truth came “not only in word but also in power… and with full conviction (Gk:&nbsp;<em>plerophoria</em>)” (<em><a href='B:590 1:5'>1Th 1:5</a></em>). This conviction was not mere dogmatism and self-belief; and likewise our witness must carry with it a “full conviction” that contrasts with the uncertainty about faith, hope etc. which many professing ‘believers’ of other faiths reveal when they are probed in any depth about their positions. Paul preached the seriousness of the issues which there are in the Gospel; and yet people flocked back to hear more (<em><a href='B:510 13:41'>Act 13:41</a></em>). The preaching of truth involves the message of something being exclusive, and compellingly so. In the first century, “no pagan cult was exclusive of any other and the only restriction on initiation into many cults was the expense”.</p><p><em>Even as you know what manner of men we have shown ourselves toward you, for your sake-&nbsp;</em>Paul realized he was "a Christ appointed model" (RR); see on <em><a href='B:610 1:15'>1Ti 1:15</a></em>. And so he framed his life in such a way as it could be usefully imitated, showing himself a pattern "for your sake". There is a fine line between this and posturing / hypocrisy. Paul was only with them for "three Sabbath days" (<em><a href='B:510 17:2'>Act 17:2</a></em>), he had only a few contact hours with many of them. The greatest Christian instruction he could give them was himself. And they imitated him (:6). As many would have been illiterate, the word of the Gospel and of Jesus had to be made flesh, modelled, so that they could follow the pattern. This is not the same as the endless 'Let me tell you about myself' sermons which clutter Christianity today. To be a Christian is to be Christ centered, and Paul realized this; for he goes on to say that their imitation of him was therefore also of the Lord Jesus (:6). He wrote the same to the Corinthians: "Be followers of me even as I also am of Christ" (<em><a href='B:530 11:1'>1Co 11:1</a></em>). He was to imitated only insofar as he was an image of the Lord.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:6'>1Th 1:6</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And you became imitators of us and of the Lord-&nbsp;&nbsp;</em>See on :5. The idea of consciously modelling, of having some characters as your heroes, your inspiration towards a closer following of God, was very much in Paul's thinking. Not only does he do it himself, but he encourages others to do it. He doesn't use the word 'modelling'; he uses the word 'mimicking', Greek&nbsp;<em>mimicos</em>, normally translated "follow" in the AV. This Greek word is used almost exclusively by Paul. "You became&nbsp;<em>followers</em>&nbsp;of us and of the Lord…. you know how you ought to&nbsp;<em>follow</em>&nbsp;us... an ensample unto you to&nbsp;<em>follow</em>&nbsp;us" (<em><a href='B:590 1:6'>1Th 1:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 3:7'>2Th 3:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 3:9'>2Th 3:9</a></em>; the implication is that in the gap between 1 and 2 Thessalonians, they stopped following Paul as they initially did straight after his conversion of them).</p><p>We all have more influence on each other than we may think. Quite naturally, the Thessalonians imitated the ecclesias of Judaea and also&nbsp;Paul personally (<em><a href='B:590 1:6'>1Th 1:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:14'>1Th 2:14</a></em>). And in turn, they became models to all the believers in Macedonia (<em><a href='B:590 1:7'>1Th 1:7</a></em>). Leadership is essentially a process of influence, rather than a brother standing up and lecturing others. But the Lord used images such as salt, yeast and light to describe&nbsp;<em>all</em>&nbsp;who are in Him. They speak of indirect, constant, transforming influence rather than a frontal assault on the unspirituality of others.</p><p>Paul explains to the Thessalonians that he has consciously lived life before them in order to provide them with a template to copy; and their copying of that template in turn became a pattern to those within their circle of contact to emulate. In this we see the power of example, especially in the preaching of the Gospel: "You know what kind of men we were among you&nbsp;<em>for your sake</em>&nbsp;(i:e. Paul consciously lived as an example to them). And you became followers of us... so that&nbsp;<em>you</em>&nbsp;became examples to all in Macedonia... so that&nbsp;<em>we</em>&nbsp;do not need to say anything because those who had copied Paul's example were effectively his voice to others... for&nbsp;<em>they</em>&nbsp;the converts of the Thessalonians, not Paul themselves declare concerning&nbsp;<em>us</em>&nbsp;what manner of entry we had to&nbsp;<em>you</em>&nbsp;i:e. the converts of the Thessalonians were a reflection of Paul's conversion of the Thessalonians... you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea" (<em><a href='B:590 1:6-9'>1Th 1:6-9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:14'>1Th 2:14</a></em>). This last comment suggests that in imitating Paul, the Thessalonians were imitating the ecclesias in Judaea- perhaps indicating that it was those ecclesias who had initially influenced Paul and been his pattern, and now he was a pattern to the Thessalonians, and they in turn were a pattern to their converts in Macedonia.</p><p><em>Having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit</em>- At the point of conversion and baptism, they received joy on account of the gift of the Holy Spirit. <em><a href='B:520 5:5'>Rom 5:5</a></em> speaks of love too being shed forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. The outpouring of the Spirit is not only at baptism; we continue to be given it if we are open to it. Hence at <em><a href='B:510 13:52'>Act 13:52</a></em> "the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit", and Paul prays that the Roman believers would be "filled with joy... through the power of the Holy Spirit" (<em><a href='B:520 15:13'>Rom 15:13</a></em>). Life in Christ now is about "joy in the Holy Spirit" (<em><a href='B:520 14:17'>Rom 14:17</a></em>). One of the fruits brought forth by the Spirit in us is joy (<em><a href='B:550 5:22'>Gal 5:22</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:7'>1Th 1:7</a></em>&nbsp;<em>In this way you became an example to all in Macedonia and in Achaia that believe</em>- See on :6. The example of the early Christians, especially their deportment under persecution and even death, was what converted others. The Thessalonians were convinced that what Paul taught them was not the word of men but the word of God, because of who Paul was: his life, his self-sacrifice, his caring, convinced them (<em><a href='B:590 2:1-14'>1Th 2:1-14</a></em>). Paul speaks of how they had become examples to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia; and yet he also notes in the same context how the Gospel has been spread throughout those very same regions, Macedonia and Achaia (<em><a href='B:590 1:7-8'>1Th 1:7-8</a></em>). Their example was associated with the acceptance of the message. Their faith had “gone forth” and so thereby had the word of the Lord “sounded forth” (:8 RV).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:8'>1Th 1:8</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:510 2:46'>Act 2:46</a></em>.</p><p><em>For from you has sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia but in every place your faith toward God has gone forth; so that we do not need to say anything about you</em>- See on :7. Their following of Paul (:5,6) appears to specifically be a reference to their obedience to the great preaching commission: as if Paul is saying: 'Well done for realizing that the great commission which some of us received specifically, does in fact apply to you too': "You became imitators of us…&nbsp;<em>for</em>&nbsp;not only has the word of the Lord&nbsp;<em>sounded forth</em>&nbsp;from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has&nbsp;<em>gone forth everywhere</em>". We see from this verse the network of communication which there was amongst the early churches. We read in <em><a href='B:580 4:8'>Col 4:8</a></em> of Tychicus being sent specifically from Rome to Colosse 'just' to share news of how Paul was faring in prison; and there were a whole group of "messengers of the churches" (<em><a href='B:540 8:23'>2Co 8:23</a></em>). Communication was so important within a community which knew itself to be the body of Christ on earth, existent in order to build one another up. And yet with all our ease of communication, so little real communication goes on within the body of Christ relative to the ease of it. Communication then was a real sacrifice, and yet messengers scurried around the Mediterranean basin, in an age when most people never travelled more than 50 km. from their birthplace. And so the faith of those in Thessalonica, who had heard Paul preaching Christ for only three Sabbath days, spread far and wide.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:9'>1Th 1:9</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For others report about what kind of reception you gave us and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God</em>- See on :8. The record in Acts 17 says that Paul preached for three Sabbath days in the synagogue; and yet this verse envisages the Thessalonians as having been previously idol worshippers, and <em><a href='B:590 2:14'>1Th 2:14</a></em> states that the readership were Gentiles. Perhaps Paul preached to Gentiles too, although Acts 17 doesn't record it states that in addition to some Jews, a large group of "religious Gentiles" also responded. We would assume from <em><a href='B:510 17:4'>Act 17:4</a></em> that these were proselytes, or at best the religiously curious who also attended synagogue services. In this case we find great encouragement in our witness; for it can be discouraging to keep meeting people who are religious on a hobbyist level, but who seem unable to come to firm faith in the one true God. These were, it seems, the types Paul converted at Thessalonica, attending the synagogue as well as worshipping idols. Confronted with the truth of the Lord Jesus, they realized that the days of having religion as a hobby were over; this was the truth, and they believed it. They perceived that they were called to actually serve this living God; that He was not just an idea, a theology which they could approve, but a real, live Being who called them not only to intellectually assent to Him, but to actually serve Him. The Lord's parable spoke of all believers being given unique talents, and leaving, as it were, the baptismal waters to go out and use them for Him. This call to service, rather than mere academic assent, is lacking in much of our witness.</p><p>There is an intended irony here, in that "atheist!" was the term for those like Jews and Christians who denied the existence of the gods. The irony is brought out again in Acts 14:11 where the people consider Paul and Barnabas to be gods. And the same point is made by Paul's comment that "you turned... from idols to serve the living and true God" (1 Thess. 1:9). Although we see in Acts 14 man's penchant to believe in 'gods' coming out. Total atheism is unnatural and forced, man wants to believe; and we need to remember this when witnessing to those who appear hardened in their atheism. Underneath, they want to believe. </p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 1:10'>1Th 1:10</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:470 3:7'>Mat 3:7</a></em>.</p><p><em>And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come</em>- On one hand we are serving God in practice (:9), on the other, we are waiting for the Lord's return. The usage of "Jesus" without any title, such as "Lord" or "Christ", is unusual. "Jesus" was a very common Jewish name at the time. Yet Paul baldly uses it, in purposeful juxtaposition with the fact He is God’s Son, raised from the dead, who shall return. Yet Paul along with that emphasizes His utter humanity, having a name as common as Dave or Steve in the Anglo Saxon world. "The wrath to come" may refer to the time of trouble of the last days which Paul clearly expected to come upon that generation; they should not fear it, because it was to be the sign the Lord's return was imminent. He may well be alluding to the prediction that God’s true Israel would be delivered by "Michael" from the time of trouble of the last days (<em><a href='B:340 12:1'>Dan 12:1</a></em>). Paul considered both Jewish and Gentile Christians to be part of that new people of God.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:1'>1Th 2:1</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Brothers, you know our visit with you, that it has not been found vain</em>- "Our visit" is literally as AV "our entering in", and is the same word used by Paul for the 'entering in' by the Lord Jesus when He began His ministry (<em><a href='B:510 13:24'>Act 13:24</a></em>). Paul clearly saw his ministry as a manifestation and replica of the Lord's. His audiences met Christ insofar as they met him. Therefore Paul’s personal example could hardly be distinguished from the gospel he taught (<em><a href='B:590 2:1-12'>1Th 2:1-12</a></em>)- he was his message, just as the Lord was His word made flesh. This is why ‘authority’ and respect are things which are earned naturally in a community by those who have converted the community. It is hard to impose these things from outside the conversion experience. 1 Thessalonians continually uses the idea of being brothers / sisters (1:4; 2:1,9,14,17; 3:7; 4:1; 5:1,4,12,14,25). The Thessalonians had broken with surrounding society on the basis of Paul's brief "visit" to their town, and Paul wanted them to see their new society and family as being each other. They had rejected the cult of empire (Acts 17:7 "they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus"), and the family unit was seen as a microcosm of the empire. Pulling out of the cult of empire meant family rejection and being labelled as sociopathic destroyers of family, which was seen as the worst crime. And so the new converts were to regroup and resocialize as a new family unit. This needs to be increasingly felt by us as believers today; if we are separated from the world as we should be, then we will also naturally feel this same cohesion. The Roman father was seen as having the duty to teach his children the ways of the Roman empire / Kingdom. But Paul says that he is now their teaching father (:11)- in the ways of the new Kingdom. He "dealt with each one of you" like this (:11), implying the group he had converted was small enough for him to have taught each one of them individually. But his contact time with each of them would have been minimal; because he had to work "night and day" to support himself during the "three sabbath days" he was with them, and also those who were with him. They also worked; and they probably only had time together on the three Sabbath days he was there. Again we see the huge impact of brief quality time with others, getting to the point of things quickly, brushing aside the peripheral to focus on the essence. </p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:2'>1Th 2:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>As you know-&nbsp;</em>1 Thessalonians constantly alludes to what Paul taught them whilst with them, and to how he had behaved amongst them in the brief ["three Sabbath days"] period when he had been amongst them (1 Thess. 1:5; 2:1,2,5,9,11; 3:3; 4:2,6,11; 5:1,2). This letter is therefore a follow up, reminding them of things which they would have only very briefly heard. We see here the power of words and even brief contact with an audience; the power of brief encounter with persons who have a real message which they are living. People can change as a result of brief meetings with us; but we need to follow up on that contact. Those brief meetings result in us becoming like Paul was to the Thessalonians- a nursing mother (:7) and father (:11). We become like this not because of any charisma we ourselves possess, but simply because of the power of the message we preach. 
Paul repeatedly asks his converts to mimic him, as he does the Lord. Here in 1 Thess. 2 he likewise presents himself as their pattern. Simply because we tend to learn more from a 'word made flesh', from living examples and mentors, than from a purely academic learning. And even in brief contact, we can model God's word, and the Lord Jesus, to others. We likely have had brief encounters with individuals who changed our lives; and we can do the same for others. This is where the work of evangelism opens up for us a totally different way of being, with huge possibilities in terms of achievment and relationships. Those with no relationships / family or a failed family, now have the opportunity to enjoy relationships which shall last for ever. Those who lament their lack of significance, who feel mere cogs in a machine or constantly under the control of others or systems too powerful for them... now have meaning. Ultimate meaning, in that they changed others and became their spiritual parents. 
The emotional level in Paul's reasoning here can only be described as very high. Those brief periods together elicited real emotional attachment, quite beyond what is experiened in this postmodern world: "affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us" (:8). Despite such a brief period together, Paul felt such joy [again, rarely experienced in the postmodern world] about them. And he knew that if they were finally saved into eternity, then they would be an eternal dimension in his eternal joy: "what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming? For you are our glory and our joy" (:19,20). He would eternally be happy for them; just as he was now happy for them. He had all the 'in love' emotions of longing for another visit: "having been taken away from you for a short time in presence but not in heart, endeavoured more eagerly to see your face with great desire". But "taken away from" is literally 'orphaned'. He felt as a child feels upon suddenly losing their parents, so alone. Although the term "applies also to parents bereft of their offspring", and is found inscribed on tombs of children, describing how the parents are so missing their lost child. And yet that intensity of emotion was for him tempered by the knowledge it was only to be for "a short time"; and that truly they lived on in his heart. Perhaps he is here hinting at what he will make explicit in chapter 4- that even were they to die, he and they would be eternally united at the resurrection. Again the emotion continues: "How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the gratitude that we feel before our God because of you?" (1 Thess 3.9). And all this was despite the fact they were theologically immature [witness their misunderstanding of the resurrection in chapter 4], and their moral, spiritual immaturity hinted at in several places in the letter- warnings against sexual impurity and adultery within the church in 4:6,7, complaint that some were not working and just wanting support from the church in 4:10-12 and 2 Thess. 3:7-9.  
Paul was only with them for three Sabbath days, and yet in his teaching of them he told them what had happened to him in Philippi just days before. The marks of the beatings and the imprint of the chains would still have been on his body. He would have been a living, visible example of what it meant to suffer with Christ, and of the kind of commitment which following Him required. And <em><a href='B:510 17:4'>Act 17:4</a></em> says that a large number of people responded to his preaching.</p><p><em>Previously in Philippi we suffered and were spitefully treated-&nbsp;</em>These are the very words used about the sufferings of the Lord (<em><a href='B:470 16:21'>Mat 16:21</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 17:12'>Mat 17:12</a></em> etc:); and of His shameful or spiteful treatment on the cross (<em><a href='B:490 18:32'>Luk 18:32</a></em>):&nbsp; Hence Paul could speak of filling up the measure of Christ’s sufferings through what he suffered whilst preaching Christ’s Gospel (<em><a href='B:580 1:24'>Col 1:24</a></em>). Paul was explaining and exhibiting what death and suffering with Him really meant; and people lined up to be baptized in response. They became followers of Paul and of the Lord (<em><a href='B:590 1:6'>1Th 1:6</a></em>). I suggested on <em><a href='B:590 1:9'>1Th 1:9</a></em> that the converts in Thessalonica were religiously curious Gentiles who attended the synagogue. But it was seeing the radical height of the call in Christ which made them snap out of the religiously curious mindset and be willing to sacrifice themselves for the Lord. The height of a demand motivates us to snap out of the mediocre secular mindset and give all for Him. Terrorist groups often find recruits among the uncommitted, religiously curious, secular types- who see in the rhetoric of total commitment something appealing. That rhetoric of total devotion unto death is found in the Lord Jesus, and Paul was a parade example of human response to it. The same word for "suffered" will be used in :14 and <em><a href='B:600 1:5'>2Th 1:5</a></em> of how in turn, the Thessalonians "suffered"- with Christ, with Paul, and as an invitation to others to likewise sign up to the life of suffering and death with Him, that we might live with Him.</p><p><em>But even amid much opposition we were bold in our God to tell you about the gospel of God</em>- Thessalonians tends to speak more about God rather than about the Lord Jesus. This was because they had been persuaded to quit their many gods and accept the one true God (<em><a href='B:590 1:9'>1Th 1:9</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:3'>1Th 2:3</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:540 12:7'>2Co 12:7</a></em>.</p><p><em>For our appeal is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deceit</em>- Paul didn’t state bald facts and leave it to his audience to make their minds up, which seems to be the tendency of preaching in our age. He&nbsp;<em>appealed&nbsp;</em>for their response. He has to remind the Thessalonians that he isn't preaching because he wants to take money and have relationships with women (<em><a href='B:590 2:3-12'>1Th 2:3-12</a></em>). There were some wealthy women in Thessalonica who accepted the Gospel (<em><a href='B:510 17:4'>Act 17:4</a></em> Western Text), and no doubt gossip spread from this. See on <em><a href='B:610 5:19'>1Ti 5:19</a></em>. It goes with the territory that any preacher of the Gospel is going to suffer gossip and slander, no matter how wisely they deport themselves.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:4'>1Th 2:4</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But even as we have been approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak-&nbsp;</em>We were "put in trust with the Gospel", literally 'en-faithed' with it, God gave it to us in faith that we would preach it (<em><a href='B:590 2:4'>1Th 2:4</a></em>). The parable of the talents has an element of unreality to it, in that the rich owner gives all his wealth to his slaves and then goes away, leaving them to trade with it and increase his overall wealth. The storyline demands that we see him as having taken a big leap of faith in men and women who were not at all used to operating on their own initiative.</p><p><em>Not as pleasing men but God, who tests our hearts</em>- If we know God’s judgments- and this is an ongoing process- then our self-examination will become closer and closer to the real picture of us which God has. It is apparent that God&nbsp;<em>now&nbsp;</em>tries our hearts (<em><a href='B:220 7:18'>Job 7:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 11:4'>Psa 11:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 17:3'>Psa 17:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 26:2'>Psa 26:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 139:23'>Psa 139:23</a></em>), e.g. weighing up our motives in preaching (<em><a href='B:590 2:4'>1Th 2:4</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:5'>1Th 2:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness</em>- Usually, itinerant preacher rocked up in a town, taught their ideas, and demanded payment or donation, using flattering words of gratitude. Paul was only two or three weeks in Thessalonica, but he was teaching what he knew to be desperately and urgently and ultimately true. His teaching was no cloak or covering over a covetous desire for money or adulation (:6). It is this desire for money and&nbsp;glory from men which has wrecked Christian leadership and the wider church.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:6'>1Th 2:6</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ</em>- Paul turned up in Thessalonica and preached. But he didn’t claim any authority to do so, listing his qualifications, explaining that he was an apostle of Christ etc. He simply preached the message. It's rather like the teenage Mormon 'elder' who comes to your door telling you all his qualifications. All that stands for nothing. The message is all important. Paul knew his motives well enough to be able to say that he did not seek glory neither from his converts nor from his audiences generally.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:7'>1Th 2:7</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherishes her own children</em>- Paul taught from the podium of the synagogue for three Sabbath days in Thessalonica. But he was somehow "in the midst of you", treating them as his babies. This is a challenge for all platform speakers. He was amongst them as a nurse with her&nbsp;<em>own</em>&nbsp;children. This is a touching figure- a wet nurse giving that extra special attention to her&nbsp;<em>own</em>&nbsp;child (as <em><a href='B:590 2:11'>1Th 2:11</a></em> RV a father with his&nbsp;<em>own</em>&nbsp;children); and like children, they mimicked him (<em><a href='B:590 1:6'>1Th 1:6</a></em> Gk:). This was quite different to Paul’s background culture, where “boldness and abusive scolding were considered essential by many of the wandering philosophers if their teaching was to have any impact”:&nbsp; Many a Pentecostal pastor likewise scolds his flock for their lack of faith; but the leaders of our groups shouldn’t be like this. There should be gentleness, an appeal for love’s sake, rather than shouting and criticism. Paul dealt with his converts “as a father with his own children”, encouraging, comforting, ‘dealing with each one individually’ and urging them to live a life worthy of God’s grace (<em><a href='B:590 2:11-12'>1Th 2:11-12</a></em> RV). Note in this context how Paul says that he cares for them as for his own babies, as both the father and mother, and yet reminds them that “We were babes among you” (<em><a href='B:590 2:7'>1Th 2:7</a></em> RVmg:). His appeal to them was on the basis of the fact that although their parent, he was also essentially like them. Only as their spiritual father could he ask the Corinthians whether they wanted him to come to them with a whip or with a loving appeal. He&nbsp;<em>could</em>&nbsp;exercise the discipline of a father, out of his affectionate concern for them; but he chose, wherever possible, a better way. He normally uses the father: child image to show his closeness to them, rather than to impose his authority upon them. And so it should be with the true spiritual father or mother in our groups today. He asks them to copy him; his method of shaping the community was to present himself as the pattern. This was especially necessary amongst largely illiterate converts- one could not direct them merely to independent study of the text of Scripture. Paul even likens himself to a woman breast feeding a child (<em><a href='B:530 3:1-3'>1Co 3:1-3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:7'>1Th 2:7</a></em>). And yet such wet nursing was considered to be an occupation for the very lowest&nbsp;of women in the Roman world; it was common for even a respectable slave woman to pass her baby over to such a woman to breast feed. But no, Paul himself, as their leader and converter, as it were breast fed them himself. This very nicely shows the link between unashamed, self-abasing&nbsp;humility and true leadership. And again, the Spirit chose ‘shepherd’ as an image of ecclesial leadership, when the surrounding Rabbis despised shepherds as&nbsp;dishonest. It’s just the same as the Lord Jesus describing Himself as the humble King- a very contradiction in the terms of the contemporary culture. There is an intended juxtaposition in <em><a href='B:450 9:9'>Zec 9:9</a></em>: “thy King cometh... lowly, and riding upon an ass”.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:8'>1Th 2:8</a></em>&nbsp;<em>So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us</em>- As explained on :7, this affection or 'yearning' (Gk:) was because he really considered them to be his own children, for whom he would die. It is one thing to impart the Gospel to someone. It is another to give your soul to them, because you truly love them. I suspect we have all been guilty of merely imparting the gospel, without the heart that bled within Paul. They are two quite different things. Imparting knowledge, inviting to meetings, distributing books… is not the same as giving your soul. The AV of this passage says that Paul was “<em>willing</em>&nbsp;to have imparted unto you… our own souls”. There may be a connection back to <em><a href='B:520 9:3'>Rom 9:3</a></em> (see note there), where in the spirit of Moses, Paul says that he is theoretically willing to give his eternal place in the Kingdom for the sake of his hearers’ conversion- even though he had learnt from Moses’ example that God will not accept such a substitutionary offer. To give your life, to impart a Gospel… is one thing. But to so feel for others that you would let them go to the Kingdom rather than you… this is love. No wonder Paul was so compelling a converter. There was such an upwelling of thankful love and reflected grace behind his words of preaching. The Thessalonians became so "dear to us" over just two or three weeks, and we wonder exactly how many contact hours they had with Paul during that period, given the demands of family and secular life, and Paul's need to work night and day to support himself (:9). But he fell in love with them, and treats them as his beloved babies; despite their weaknesses of understanding and behaviour. For he had to warn them: “Abstain from fornication” (<em><a href='B:590 4:3'>1Th 4:3</a></em>), and he had to teach them that when a believer dies, that is not the end, he will be resurrected at the last day (<em><a href='B:590 4:13'>1Th 4:13</a></em>). <em><a href='B:590 5:14'>1Th 5:14</a></em> clearly states that there were amongst them the “disorderly… fainthearted… the weak”. But moral and doctrinal weakness need not get in the way of a yearning love for our brethren because they all the same are committed to the Lord Jesus. Paul's example with the Thessalonians is a great example of this.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:9'>1Th 2:9</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:570 4:16'>Phi 4:16</a></em>.</p><p><em>For, brothers, you remember our labour and distress, working night and day, so that we would not burden any of you while we preached the gospel of God to you</em>- Paul was only there with them for three Sabbath days. But he didn’t have the cash in hand to support himself and his team for that time; he had to somehow work, presumably doing manual work on a casual basis. He would have had no time to set up a tentmaking business in three weeks; at best he could have only worked for a tentmaker on a casual basis. So he worked nights too, so desperate was he for cash. This makes his love for the Thessalonians the more remarkable, for he twice mentions that there were lazy people amongst them who didn’t work (<em><a href='B:590 5:14'>1Th 5:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 3:11'>2Th 3:11</a></em>). And he had only recently been thrown into prison and badly beaten in Philippi, so his health and ability to do manual work was limited. His example is even the more commendable because he knew that he would have been quite justified in asking for basic support. He reminds them again of this in <em><a href='B:600 3:8-9'>2Th 3:8-9</a></em>: "Neither did we eat bread for nothing at anyone's hand; but we ate our bread as the result of our own labour and toil, working night and day, that we might not financially burden any of you. Not because we do not have the right to do so, but to make ourselves an example to you- that you should imitate us". All this also suggests that the number of contact hours he had with the Thessalonians was limited. He worked by night perhaps so he could teach folks by day; but they too had to work, and so they learned the Gospel in a very short time. The power of the most basic ideas of the Gospel, even if one has only a few hours to explain them, is enough to radically turn around the religiously curious into those on fire for Christ, willing to sacrifice all. And it was during the course of his daily work that he won many converts: “You remember, brothers, our work and toil:&nbsp;<em>It was while</em>&nbsp;we were labouring night and day… that we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (<em><a href='B:590 2:9'>1Th 2:9</a></em> Gk:). People would have been stunned and deeply impressed by this man, as with lash marks on his back he carried water or shifted fruit or building material around the town to support himself... and it was whilst doing this that he preached and people believed. Celsus claimed that Christianity was attractive “only to the foolish, dishonourable and stupid, and only slaves, women and little children… the Christian evangelists were wool-workers, cobblers, laundry-workers, and the most illiterate and bucolic yokels who enticed … children and stupid women to come along to … the wooldresser’s shop, or to the cobbler’s or the washerwoman’s shop, that they may learn perfection”. This could almost be a quotation from 1 Corinthians 1, where Paul describes the converts as just such people. And yet from out of their ordinary life situations, the witness went forth. Not from specially built halls, but from the workplace. And so it has ever been. This is why Pliny could observe that Christianity “penetrated not only the cities but even the villages and farms”. It was individuals converting individuals. &nbsp;</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:10'>1Th 2:10</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:570 1:10'>Phi 1:10</a></em>.</p><p><em>You are witnesses and God also, how holily and righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe</em>- "Toward AV "among" you that believe" carries the sense that they now believed, because of Paul's example. It was Paul's behaviour during the two weeks he was with them which left such an impression. All itinerant preachers demanded money; but Paul was to be seen doing manual casual work around the town in order just to get food and lodging (:9), bearing in his body the signs of a recent traumatic lashing and beating. No wonder his own example led people to Jesus. Ideas alone are only meaningful and compelling, especially to the illiterate, when they are made flesh in practice. And this was just what Paul did. See on :9.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:11'>1Th 2:11</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:590 2:7'>1Th 2:7</a></em>.</p><p><em>As you know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, encouraging you and testifying</em>- Paul did not just preach to a group, baptize them as a group, and relate to them as a teacher to a class of pupils. He dealt with each of them individually. The language here is appropriate to practical exhortation and encouragement in a way of life, rather than theological instruction. Despite his few contact hours with each of them, he stressed the way of life more than theology (hence the need to teach them in chapter 4 that the dead in Christ are not lost but shall be resurrected at the last day). The Gospel of the Kingdom as taught by the Lord was likewise largely focused upon the way of life in Him rather than theological truths.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:12'>1Th 2:12</a></em>&nbsp;<em>To the end you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory</em>- See on <em><a href='B:590 2:2'>1Th 2:2</a></em> for the emphasis on God rather than the Lord Jesus. Note the present tense of "calls you"; God is constantly calling us to the Kingdom through the word of the Gospel, and therefore that word dynamically works in us who believe. The basic Gospel of the Kingdom works in us throughout our lives, calling us daily, beckoning us onwards to the Kingdom. Walking / living appropriately given our calling to eternity, appropriate to the fact the Lord died for us, is a major theme with Paul (s:w. <em><a href='B:520 16:2'>Rom 16:2</a></em>; Ephesians 4; Ephesians 1; <em><a href='B:570 1:27'>Phi 1:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:580 1:10'>Col 1:10</a></em>). This explains Paul's huge teaching emphasis upon practical issues in his short time amongst them (see on :11). The emphasis is upon God's own Kingdom and glory, as opposed to the kingdom of Ceasar, the Roman empire. For the opposition at Thessalonica had been because "they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus" (Acts 17:7).  </p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:13'>1Th 2:13</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works powerfully in you that believe</em>- It is the Spirit which works powerfully within believers (<em><a href='B:530 12:11'>1Co 12:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:560 3:16-20'>Eph 3:16-20</a></em> s:w:). But it would be a mistaken equation to therefore state that the word of God as in the Bible equals the work of the Spirit, as if we can squeeze the Spirit out of the pages of the Bible by extensive study of it. Such study has been impossible for the majority of believers over time, seeing they were illiterate and didn’t have Bibles. And the Spirit of God is repeatedly described as a gift, given into our hearts by grace. The "word of God" rarely refers to the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation; and here we are reading of the<em>&nbsp;logos</em>&nbsp;of God rather than the<em>&nbsp;rhema.</em>&nbsp;It is the Lord Jesus who is "received" and "accepted", as the essential<em>&nbsp;logos</em>&nbsp;of God. The Lord Jesus is He who "works powerfully" in human hearts through His Spirit. But this working is not independent of the word of the Gospel; if we neglect that word, He will never force us. His work in us is related to our willingness for Him to work in us, and such willingness will be reflected in our continued memory and in our generation reading of His word. That basic Gospel message continued to work powerfully within them. Spiritual growth is not so much from discovering new things about the Bible (which can become a mere form of intellectual titillation), but from being persuaded over and over of the wonder and practical implication of the basic Gospel truths.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:14'>1Th 2:14</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:590 1:6-9'>1Th 1:6-9</a></em>.</p><p><em>For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea. For you also suffered the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews</em>- This is a fairly clear statement that most of the Thessalonians were Gentiles, although they had been converted whilst involved with synagogue attendance (see on <em><a href='B:590 1:9'>1Th 1:9</a></em>). What did Gentiles in Thessalonica know about the Jewish churches in Judea? Only what Paul had taught them. And it was he who had persecuted those very churches (<em><a href='B:510 9:31'>Act 9:31</a></em>). Yet Paul was only three weeks at most with the Thessalonians. His teaching of them had involved personal testimony of his own shameful past, and how brave and committed those Judean Christians had been under his own persecution and torture of them. Paul would have been radically different from any other itinerant preacher; this man who worked day and night to support himself and his team (see on :9), with wheal marks on his back from a recent flogging and imprisonment in Philippi... who admitted to torturing and murdering Jewish Christians, but had changed because he had met the Lord Jesus, and was now urging Gentiles to convert to the Hope of Israel. His stories of those churches he had persecuted gripped the minds of his hearers, and they vowed to follow those brave believers. And somehow there was a credibility in Paul's accounts, a sense that really he was not making this up. They "suffered", using the same word as used for Paul's sufferings and those of the Lord (see on :2). Paul and the invisible Lord he imitated became their template.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:15'>1Th 2:15</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and do not please God, and oppose all mankind</em>- Considering Paul had met the Thessalonian converts in the synagogue, his strong anti-Jewish rhetoric was purposeful. He saw the threat of Judaism and the Judaist campaign against his work as the biggest single problem facing the church. "The prophets" refers to the New Testament prophets, and therefore to martyrdoms which aren't recorded in Acts, which mainly focuses upon the work of Paul and Peter alone. As noted on :2, Paul continually draws a parallel between the Lord's sufferings and his own, and theirs. This principle is true for us; all our sufferings are a sharing in His final suffering, so that His life might be ours too, both now and at the last day (<em><a href='B:540 4:11'>2Co 4:11</a></em>). They "drove us out" refers to how the Jews in Thessalonica had driven Paul out of town and persuaded the town authorities to ban Paul from ever returning (see :18). And contrary to the Judaist claim to be 'God pleasers', they were the very opposite. Judaism would have objected to the claim that they "oppose all mankind", but they did so in that they sought to stop Paul preaching to the Gentiles (:16). This is an example of how the implications of human behaviour are perceived and judged by God:&nbsp;</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:16'>1Th 2:16</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:470 19:14'>Mat 19:14</a></em>.</p><p><em>Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved-&nbsp;</em>Paul had preached in the synagogue at Thessalonica, and from this he had met Gentiles who attended the synagogue who were impressed with his message. But the Jews had forbidden him to preach; and like Peter, he had refused to be obedient. We also see here the huge and eternal significance of preaching; by speaking to men we can lead them to salvation:&nbsp; The reference may be to the persecution of the Jerusalem church ‘in the eighth year of Claudius’ (AD 48/49), recorded by Malalas of Antioch.</p><p><em>By doing so they fill up the full measure of their sins. But God’s wrath comes upon them at last</em>- The Jews forbad or hindered the apostles from preaching to the Gentiles “to fill up their sins… for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost” (<em><a href='B:590 2:16'>1Th 2:16</a></em>). This is quoting from the LXX of <em><a href='B:10 15:16'>Gen 15:16</a></em> about the Amorites. See on <em><a href='B:500 12:31'>Joh 12:31</a></em>. The religious Jews are being painted as nothing less than the worst of the Gentiles in God’s eyes. This was an argument Stephen had used multiple times in his speech of Acts 7 which Paul would have heard and been convicted by. And he now repeats that same basic argument.</p><p>Not only did the Jews crucify God’s Son, but the book of Acts makes it clear that it was Jewish opposition which was the main adversary to Paul’s spreading of the Gospel and establishment of the early church (<em><a href='B:510 13:50-51'>Act 13:50-51</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 14:2'>Act 14:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 14:5-6'>Act 14:5-6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 14:19'>Act 14:19</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 17:5-9'>Act 17:5-9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 17:13-14'>Act 17:13-14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 18:6'>Act 18:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 18:12-17'>Act 18:12-17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 21:27-36'>Act 21:27-36</a></em>; <em><a href='B:510 23:12-25'>Act 23:12-25</a></em>). Paul speaks of the Jewish opposition as having “killed both the Lord Jesus and the first century Christian prophets, and drove us out; they displease God and oppose everyone by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they have constantly been filling up the measure of their sins” (<em><a href='B:590 2:13-16'>1Th 2:13-16</a></em>). These are strong words, and must be given their full weight in our assessment of the degree to which the Jews were indeed a great ‘Satan’ to the cause of Christ in the first century. And Paul refers to them like this in :18. AV "The wrath is come upon them to the uttermost" means that the wrath of God has come upon them. And yet even at the point when Divine wrath "has come", He even then still desperately waits a bit longer for human repentance. For Paul was writing this some years before AD70, when God's wrath fell upon Israel.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:17'>1Th 2:17</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But we, brothers, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence but not in heart, endeavoured more eagerly to see your face with great desire</em>- Often he speaks of his urgent desire to see the face of his brethren (<em><a href='B:520 1:11'>Rom 1:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 15:24'>Rom 15:24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 1:27'>Phi 1:27</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:17'>1Th 2:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 3:6'>1Th 3:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 3:10'>1Th 3:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:650 13:23'>Heb 13:23</a></em>). It has been pointed out by F:F. Bruce that Paul's later letters reveal a marked&nbsp;<em>and progressive</em>&nbsp;fondness for Greek words compounded from&nbsp;<em>syn-</em>, i:e. together / with (e.g.&nbsp;<em>synergos</em>, co-worker; synaichmalatos<em>,&nbsp;</em>co-prisoner). Priscilla, Aquilla, Timothy, Titus, Marcus, Archippus, Luke, Aristarchus, Tychicus, Epaphras, Demas, Epaphroditus, Clement, Philemon, Euodias, Syntyche (the last two being weak in terms of spiritual behaviour) …all of these are described by Paul with a&nbsp;<em>syn-</em>&nbsp;compound word. It seems&nbsp;that as he matured, Paul&nbsp;<em>needed his brethren</em>, he realized he wasn't so alone and strong-willed as he had once been, he saw the Christ in his brethren. Perhaps Paul's endeavours to see them again refer to how he sought to have his ban from entering Thessalonica reversed; see on :15 and :18.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:18'>1Th 2:18</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Because we wanted to come to you, I Paul time and again; but Satan hindered us</em>- As noted on :16, it was the Jewish satan / adversary / opposition which stopped Paul returning to Thessalonica. According to Acts 17, it was the Jews who got Paul driven out of town, which may mean they persuaded the local Roman administration to issue a ban forbidding Paul to ever return there (:15). All efforts to appeal against it had been rejected by Jewish pressure upon the Roman administration there.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:19'>1Th 2:19</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming?</em>&nbsp;- Nearly all references to Paul's "joy" are in the context of his joy at the prospect of others' spiritual development and salvation (<em><a href='B:510 13:52'>Act 13:52</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 5:11'>Rom 5:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 15:32'>Rom 15:32</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 2:3'>2Co 2:3</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 7:4'>2Co 7:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 7:6'>2Co 7:6</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 7:13'>2Co 7:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 1:14'>Phi 1:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 1:18'>Phi 1:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 2:2'>Phi 2:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 2:17'>Phi 2:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 4:1'>Phi 4:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:19-20'>1Th 2:19-20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 3:9'>1Th 3:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:620 1:4'>2Ti 1:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:640 1:7'>Phm 1:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:640 1:20'>Phm 1:20</a></em>). See on <em><a href='B:560 1:4'>Eph 1:4</a></em>. Paul could say that his great joy at the judgment would be to see his dear brethren enter the Kingdom (<em><a href='B:590 2:19-20'>1Th 2:19-20</a></em>; <em><a href='B:570 4:1'>Phi 4:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 1:14'>2Co 1:14</a></em>); not just joy for his own personal acceptance. In this moment, "he that soweth and he that reapeth will rejoice together" (<em><a href='B:500 4:36'>Joh 4:36</a></em>)- the letter writers, speakers, writers, travellers... Hence Paul "held forth the word of life" to his converts at Philippi, "that I may rejoice in the day of Christ (through their acceptance) that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain". This explains the intensity of his efforts to strengthen his brethren: "As though God did beseech you by us: we&nbsp;<em>pray</em>&nbsp;you... be ye reconciled to God" (<em><a href='B:540 5:20'>2Co 5:20</a></em>). And later he could write from prison "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain&nbsp;the&nbsp;salvation which is in Christ Jesus" (<em><a href='B:620 1:10'>2Ti 1:10</a></em>). Thus even in this life John could write: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth... I wish&nbsp;<em>above all things</em>&nbsp;that thou mayest (spiritually) prosper" (<em><a href='B:710 1:2-4'>3Jn 1:2-4</a></em>).</p><p>Paul's "crown", the nature of his eternal reward, was tied up in whether or not his converts made it there. He appeals to the Philippians to "stand fast" exactly because they were his "crown" (<em><a href='B:570 4:1'>Phi 4:1</a></em>). His certainty at the end that he would receive the crown (<em><a href='B:620 4:8'>2Ti 4:8</a></em>) is perhaps a statement that he rejoiced that at least some of his converts would indeed be saved. Our focus likewise must be upon the moment when we shall stand before our Lord Jesus. The joy and crown will be tied up in the acceptance there of others for whom we have laboured. This is not to teach salvation by works; but the quality and nature of our eternity is clearly predicated upon what we do for others. Sitting in splendid isolation, insisting upon our understanding of some curious theological point as an excuse for non engagement with the rest of the Lord's body... is not going to enable us to share too much joy for others in that day.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 2:20'>1Th 2:20</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For you are our glory and our joy</em>- Paul has stated that their acceptance in the last day before the Lord Jesus will be his glory and joy (:19). We noted on <em><a href='B:590 1:3'>1Th 1:3</a></em> how in prayer before the Lord, he recounted the good things about his Thessalonian brethren; he gloried in them right now in this life, before the throne of grace in prayer. And our attitude in prayer now before the Lord will be our attitude at the last day. In that day too, Paul will be glorying in his brethren, and eternally (:19). All this is a powerful template for us to live by.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:1'>1Th 3:1</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Wherefore when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone</em>- The "wherefore" references Paul's explanation at the end of chapter 2 as to how his salvation is tied up in theirs; they would be part of his eternal crown. When Paul was imprisoned in Rome, it seems Epaphroditus was a great comfort to him; he didn’t want to send him to Philippi, but he "supposed it necessary" (<em><a href='B:570 2:25'>Phi 2:25</a></em>). Likewise, it was only when he "could no longer forbear" (<em><a href='B:590 3:1'>1Th 3:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 3:5'>1Th 3:5</a></em>) that he sent Timothy away from him when he was living at Athens, to strengthen the Thessalonians. Paul came to really need his brethren. We recall how Paul almost pathetically begs Timothy to come to him in Rom (2 Timothy 4); he so valued the company of others. So the sending of Timothy was a huge sacrifice for Paul, but he did so because he so loved the Philippians and was concerned at the state of their faith; for the nature of his eternity was tied up with their salvation.</p><p>Loneliness isn’t at all a bad thing. Paul tells the Thessalonians how desperately he wanted to physically be with them, but God stopped him “time and again”; and so he concluded in the end that it was better for him to be left at Athens alone and send his close companion to them (<em><a href='B:590 2:17'>1Th 2:17</a></em> to <em><a href='B:590 3:1'>1Th 3:1</a></em>). But looking back, we realize that that aloneness in Athens had actually been for his spiritual good, even though he so longed to be with his brethren. And here those who so bemoan understandably their spiritual isolation as they live out their Christian lives in ones or twos can take comfort. It was whilst left alone in Athens that Paul’s conscience was stirred within him and he began an incredibly successful preaching campaign (<em><a href='B:510 17:16-22'>Act 17:16-22</a></em>). The image of that wonderful man standing alone on Mars Hill taking Christ to the masses there for the very first time is inspirational; but he only stood up there and did it because he had been left in Athens alone by a loving Father. His loneliness led to his spirit / conscience being stirred within him by the need of the humanity around him. His loneliness made him see how unique was his relationship with God Almighty and His Son.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:2'>1Th 3:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And sent Timothy, our brother and God’s minister in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith</em>- See on :1. Paul was ever concerned with 'establishing' converts in their faith (s:w. <em><a href='B:520 1:1'>Rom 1:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:520 16:25'>Rom 16:25</a></em>). he was far from just notching up baptisms. This was a particular concern at Thessalonica, for they had only had Paul with them two or three weeks to teach them the Gospel. Paul uses this same word for "establish" another three times, but always about the Father and Son establishing the Thessalonians (<em><a href='B:590 3:13'>1Th 3:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 2:17'>2Th 2:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 3:3'>2Th 3:3</a></em>). Our efforts to establish others will have God working with them; we are Him to others. Especially in a situation like this, when it was impossible for Paul to personally visit and establish them (see on <em><a href='B:590 2:15'>1Th 2:15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:18'>1Th 2:18</a></em>). God is the One who builds up even when we personally cannot. "Comfort" is the word used about what Paul did to them whilst with them (<em><a href='B:590 2:11'>1Th 2:11</a></em>), what he seeks to do through his letter (<em><a href='B:590 4:1'>1Th 4:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:10'>1Th 4:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 5:14'>1Th 5:14</a></em>); and especially significant is the way that Paul uses the word in teaching them to comfort one another (<em><a href='B:590 4:18'>1Th 4:18</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 5:11'>1Th 5:11</a></em>). This is the sign of maturity of converts; when instead of relying upon visits and letters for upbuilding, they build themselves up.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:3'>1Th 3:3</a></em>&nbsp;<em>That no one be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that for this we are appointed</em>- "No one" reflects Paul's concern for every single member of the flock; see on <em><a href='B:590 2:11'>1Th 2:11</a></em> "each one of you". "Afflictions" is the same word used in the parable of the sower for the "tribulation" which inevitably comes to every believer, but which causes some to fall away (<em><a href='B:470 13:21'>Mat 13:21</a></em>). It is however the same word used about the tribulations of the last days (<em><a href='B:470 24:9'>Mat 24:9</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:21'>Mat 24:21</a></em>) which Paul believed were coming upon them in the first century.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:4'>1Th 3:4</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For truly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction. Even as it came to pass and you know</em>- Paul made a point of telling his converts that tribulation / affliction was bound to come (s:w. <em><a href='B:510 14:22'>Act 14:22</a></em> "We must through much tribulation s:w. enter into the Kingdom"). I noted on <em><a href='B:590 2:11'>1Th 2:11</a></em> that Paul spent his few contact hours which he had teaching the Thessalonians in focusing more upon practical issues than theological ones- hence the apparent serious gap in their knowledge about the resurrection in chapter 4. The persecution of Paul and driving him out of Thessalonica didn’t calm down after he left- his converts were clearly targeted.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:5'>1Th 3:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For this cause I also, when I could no longer endure it, sent Timothy-&nbsp;</em>"No longer endure it" is a repetition of :1. Paul was so anxious about their faith because the nature of his eternity was tied up with whether they would endure in faith (see on <em><a href='B:590 2:19-20'>1Th 2:19-20</a></em>). To send Timothy was a major sacrifice- see on :1,2. Notice how there was no distinction between Paul’s will (<em>“When I could endure it no longer, I also sent...</em>” <em><a href='B:590 3:5'>1Th 3:5</a></em>), and that of his fellow workers (<em>“When we could endure it no longer… we sent..."</em>&nbsp; <em><a href='B:590 3:1-2'>1Th 3:1-2</a></em>). He assigned to his brethren his own feelings and decisions.</p><p><em>That I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you and our labour should be in vain</em>- Despite having had these questions about the state of their faith, he had always been positive about their faith and endurance, even telling God about it (<em><a href='B:590 1:2-3'>1Th 1:2-3</a></em>). This means that despite his doubts about them and valid concerns, he believed in their status in Christ and felt towards them accordingly. This is no simplistic positivism, but a studied outworking of faith in what it means for a person to be in Christ. The source of the opposition at Thessalonica was the Jews, as <em><a href='B:590 2:14-16'>1Th 2:14-16</a></em> and Acts 17 makes clear. They were the tempters, the satan of <em><a href='B:590 2:18'>1Th 2:18</a></em>. He personifies the entire Judaist opposition and Jewish plot against his work as a singular adversary. We note he likens the Judaizers tempting the Corinthians to the tempting serpent in Eden (<em><a href='B:540 11:3'>2Co 11:3</a></em>). To go off to Judaism would cost them their salvation; and Paul's labour would have been in vain. But he has stated in <em><a href='B:590 2:1'>1Th 2:1</a></em> that his work with them so far had not been in vain.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:6'>1Th 3:6</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:590 2:17'>1Th 2:17</a></em>.</p><p><em>But now Timothy has come to us from you and brought us the good news of your faith and love, and that you have good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, even as we also you</em>- Paul seems to equate their good attitude towards him with having kept the faith. He was indeed so tied up personally with his own message that this was understandable. But he writes this in the context of concern about the Judaizers (:5). Their approach was clearly to defame Paul and shake faith in him personally. Paul must have endured defamation and slander more than most, and yet his positive, proactive approach continued. He didn’t let it bring him down, as lesser men have often done.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:7'>1Th 3:7</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For this cause, brothers, in all our distress and affliction, we were comforted through hearing of your faith</em>- Paul wrote to the Thessalonians how their faith was a comfort to him in his "distress". And yet he goes straight on to say that he plans to visit them in order to "perfect that which is lacking in your faith" (:10). I find this so wonderful. Their faith was imperfect- and yet Paul all the same rejoices in what faith they do have, and can speak of "all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before God" (<em><a href='B:590 3:9'>1Th 3:9</a></em>). Yet we are all too easily discouraged by the immaturities we notice in others' faith; instead, in a world where the majority don't truly believe, we need to focus on the positive in our brethren and rejoice in it, rather than holding them to some ideal standard which we claim to have in our own mind or understanding or perception. For when compared against the spirituality of our Lord, we are ourselves so miserably imperfect.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:8'>1Th 3:8</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord</em>- Paul could say that he lived, if his brethren held fast; his life was bound up with theirs (<em><a href='B:590 3:8'>1Th 3:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:540 7:3'>2Co 7:3</a></em>), just as his eternity was (see on <em><a href='B:590 2:19-20'>1Th 2:19-20</a></em>). He was willing to be offered as a drink offering upon the sacrifice of the Philippians (<em><a href='B:570 2:17'>Phi 2:17</a></em>). Time and again he rejoices in the joy and hope of others (e.g. 2 Corinthians 7 :l3; <em><a href='B:580 1:4'>Col 1:4</a></em>); they were his joy and hope and future crown of reward in the Kingdom (<em><a href='B:570 4:1'>Phi 4:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:19-20'>1Th 2:19-20</a></em>). For them to be accepted at the day of judgment would be his crown, i:e. his reward and expectation which he looked forward to. It was for their salvation, not his own, that he would rejoice at the Lord's return (<em><a href='B:540 1:14'>2Co 1:14</a></em>). His spiritual life was bound up in that of others; others who were many times his spiritual inferior. See on <em><a href='B:620 2:10'>2Ti 2:10</a></em>.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:9'>1Th 3:9</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:560 1:4'>Eph 1:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:19-20'>1Th 2:19-20</a></em>.</p><p><em>For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God</em>- We noted on <em><a href='B:590 2:19-20'>1Th 2:19-20</a></em> that their acceptance in the Kingdom would be his eternal joy as they stood "before God" at the last day. But in prayer likewise "before God" he rejoiced in their faith (<em><a href='B:590 1:2-3'>1Th 1:2-3</a></em>). We are to live now the kind of life we shall eternally live; in this sense we "have eternal life". And so Paul rejoiced that if the Lord were to return, or they were to die, at that moment... they would be saved. He didn’t allow the understandable worry about the possibility of living longer and falling away to cloud his present joy. He lived not as a naive short termist thinker, but as rejoicing in what Peter terms "the present truth" (<em><a href='B:680 1:12'>2Pe 1:12</a></em>), the reality which is gloriously true at this moment.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:10'>1Th 3:10</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:540 8:7'>2Co 8:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 2:17'>1Th 2:17</a></em>.</p><p><em>Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and may perfect whatever is lacking in your faith?</em>-&nbsp; We note the need Paul felt to be personally present with them in order to give them spiritual strengthening; he writes likewise to the Romans (<em><a href='B:520 1:11'>Rom 1:11</a></em>). The need of his physical presence may have been because the laying on of hands transmitted some spiritual gift. But I prefer to think that this was not really what he had in view; rather, as noted on <em><a href='B:590 2:9-10'>1Th 2:9-10</a></em> and elsewhere, Paul presented himself to illiterate people as the incarnation of the Lord Jesus, and asked them to follow him insofar as he followed the Lord. This is why in his brief contact with the Thessalonians, he had explained to them his own past and shown them by example what a life in Christ looks like. And this meant that his personal presence with them was significant, and would assist in maturing, developing and completing their faith. As noted on :6, Paul rejoiced in their faith, even though there were things lacking in it.</p><p>Paul's description of praying "night and day" (<em><a href='B:590 3:9-10'>1Th 3:9-10</a></em>) alludes to the sacrifices, prepared and offered "night and day" (<em><a href='B:20 30:7-8'>Exo 30:7-8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:230 55:16-17'>Psa 55:16-17</a></em>). There was clearly an element of preparation before offering the prayer, as there was before offering a sacrifice. Note how <em><a href='B:240 15:8'>Pro 15:8</a></em> likewise parallels sacrifice with prayer. Prayer ought to be a humbling experience, perhaps alluded to by the incense, representing prayer, needing to be "beaten small". Preparation of prayer involves humility. David takes words of supplication to himself, which as King he must often have heard from desperate citizens, and uses it in his own prayers to God: "Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call... A Psalm of David" (<em><a href='B:230 20:9'>Psa 20:9</a></em>). In this one sees a conscious humility in how David formulated his prayers.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:11'>1Th 3:11</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you</em>- "God Himself" is involved in our lives, and can confirm us in our deepest desires. The same word is in <em><a href='B:600 3:5'>2Th 3:5</a></em>: "The Lord direct your hearts...". Clearly Paul believed that God can work on the human heart, directing hearts and in this case directing our path in life. There is no evidence, however, that Paul did re-visit Corinth.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:12'>1Th 3:12</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:540 12:15'>2Co 12:15</a></em>.</p><p><em>And the Lord make you increase and abound in love one toward another and toward all men-&nbsp;</em>As noted on :11, Paul recognized that the Father and Son can work directly on the human heart. Increasing and abounding in love is an attitude of the heart or spirit, and here Paul prays that they will be "made" to have this; the work of the Father and Son on human spirits is surely by their Spirit working directly in the hearts of believers. Paul talks of an “account” of good works that is ‘increased’ by each good work- an account not kept by us, but by the Father (<em><a href='B:570 4:17'>Phi 4:17</a></em>):&nbsp; And if we ‘increase’ in such acts of love, we increasingly have a heart unshaken by the prospect of judgment to come (<em><a href='B:590 3:13'>1Th 3:13</a></em>).</p><p><em>Even as we also toward you</em>- Paul envisaged the love between the Thessalonians and himself as being a love which was ever increasing, thanks to God making it like that. All human relationships seem to begin with an in-loveness which fades and even ends. The unique spiritual gift of ever abounding love is that the recipients of that gift go on increasing in love. And this will be our experience eternally; an ever increasing love between each other. This is why it is so serious if believers in this life will not love one another, placing barriers and stone walls between each other so that love has no chance to grow.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 3:13'>1Th 3:13</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:470 24:28'>Mat 24:28</a></em>.</p><p><em>So that he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints</em>- It is the experience of the gift of the Spirit making us ever growing in love (:12) which will mean we can appear before God, the Lord Jesus and the Angels, or before our own brethren, with hearts which have been 'established' or set fast. This is the same word used of the work of establishing we do to others (:2). There is thereby a wonderful connection established between how the Thessalonians will be at the day of judgment, and the efforts made for them now by Timothy. And this is true of our work for others. No longer, then, is church attendance and interaction with other believers to be treated as mere attendance at the same social club. We are working for the establishment of others now, in a way which will help them become now who they shall be before God at the last day.</p><p>The context has been of love toward others, and so I suggest the "saints" before whom we shall have an established heart at the day of judgment refer to our brethren. "Saints" usually refer to human believers rather than Angels. If we have not dealt in love toward them now, how can we have an established, stable heart before God as we appear before them in the day of judgment? There is ample reason to think that the "saints" in this context of judgment day refer to the believers. The Lord Jesus comes to judgment with His saints with Him (<em><a href='B:590 3:13'>1Th 3:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:450 14:5'>Zec 14:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:720 1:14'>Jud 1:14</a></em>). It is reasonable to guess that this assembly of faithful believers will visibly reflect God’s glory, giving the impression of a 'shekinah' cloud. This may be due to the physical presence of the Angel with us during our time in this cloud:&nbsp;The cloud of witnesses (<em><a href='B:650 12:1'>Heb 12:1</a></em>) will go with Jesus to judgment, which must be located on earth for the glimpses of the judgment seat which we are given to be realistically fulfilled:&nbsp;Such a picture is presented in <em><a href='B:340 7:9-14'>Dan 7:9-14</a></em>;&nbsp;the Lord Jesus comes with the faithful, symbolized as clouds, along with the Angels, to the judgment seat. It is at this stage that the responsible from all nations come to the judgment (<em><a href='B:470 25:32'>Mat 25:32</a></em>) so that there can be a separation of sheep and goats:&nbsp;The 'coming down' of the righteous responsible to Jerusalem will be at the same time as the judgment of the wicked nations in that same place:&nbsp;"Thither cause thy mighty ones to&nbsp;<em>come down</em>" (<em><a href='B:360 3:11'>Joe 3:11</a></em>) occurs in the context of Armageddon. The bride as it were&nbsp;<em>comes down&nbsp;</em>out of Heaven as a prepared bride. "Saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau" (<em><a href='B:380 1:21'>Oba 1:21</a></em>), i:e. Israel's Arab enemies:&nbsp;The apparent confusion between our gathering to judgment in Jerusalem and the judgment of the nations there at the same time is explicable if we accept that the meaning of time will be collapsed around the second coming.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:1'>1Th 4:1</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Finally, brothers, we urge and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God</em>- “The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another... to the end He may establish your hearts” (<em><a href='B:590 3:12-13'>1Th 3:12-13</a></em>) gives an insight into the upward spiral of development which the Lord wishes us to partake in. The theme continues here in chapter 4: “abound more and more… increase more and more” (<em><a href='B:590 4:1'>1Th 4:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:10'>1Th 4:10</a></em>). "As you received from us" lends further weight to the argument that Paul's limited contact hours with them were spent teaching them practical things about how they "ought to walk", rather than theological issues- hence the gap in their knowledge about the resurrection which Paul addresses later in this chapter.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:2'>1Th 4:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For you know what instruction we gave you through the Lord Jesus</em>- The abounding love which is the context here (<em><a href='B:590 3:12-13'>1Th 3:12-13</a></em>), leading to an established heart before both the Lord and our brethren at judgment day, means that we will not commit fornication (:3). Paul's brief time with the Corinthians had been an instruction of them as it were by the Lord Jesus, whom Paul manifested. "Instruction" translates a specific term generally used in the contemporary literature for military orders. Paul set them up as soldiers in spiritual warfare, and gave them specific commands about moral issues. All this was part of the teaching of the basic Gospel:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:3'>1Th 4:3</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For this is the will of God, that you live sanctified lives. Therefore abstain from fornication</em>- The Greek for "sanctification" here was a term used for consecration unto an idol. But that consecration often involved the use of the cult prostitutes as a sign of consecration to the cult. Consecration to the one true God and His Son was through living a moral life, and specifically denied such fornication /&nbsp;<em>porneia</em>&nbsp;/ use of prostitutes. It was a radically new approach to religion. Despite Paul's praise of their faith and spirituality, the Thessalonians like the Corinthians appear to have been tempted to still visit the idol shrines and use the prostitutes there. Remember that most of the Thessalonian converts had been religiously curious Gentiles who attended the synagogue, which is where they encountered Paul (see on <em><a href='B:590 1:9'>1Th 1:9</a></em>). It could well be that they continued this syncretism, by not abstaining from the<em>&nbsp;porneia</em>&nbsp;of the idol cults. Paul has praised them for turning away from the idols (<em><a href='B:590 1:9'>1Th 1:9</a></em>); but he is not unaware that some of them had not done so completely. Again we see his positivism regarding his converts, and his great valuing of their status in Christ.</p><p>The will of God is not always done on earth automatically; it’s not determining of human behaviour in absolute terms; otherwise the will of God would exclude human freewill. “This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication” (<em><a href='B:590 4:3'>1Th 4:3</a></em> AV); but the Thessalonians still had the freedom to commit fornication. The will of God here refers to the wish / desire of God. But the fulfilment of God’s will is of course up to the freewill of the individual. Which is why we pray for God’s will to be done in our lives; not in the sense of ‘OK well get on and do what You are going to do anyway’, but rather of seeking for strength to personally do God’s wish in our lives. And as we mature, our will and the Father’s become closer. We ask what&nbsp;<em>we&nbsp;</em>will and it is done; and therefore and thereby we ask for the Father’s will to be done:&nbsp;</p><p>There was evidently a problem with immorality in the Thessalonica ecclesia (<em><a href='B:590 4:3-6'>1Th 4:3-6</a></em>). And yet the ecclesia was so eager for the second coming that some were throwing in their jobs, so certain were they that it was imminent. Clearly the moral implications of the soon coming of the Lord had not been felt. And this is why in every chapter of those epistles, Paul pounds away about the Lord's return- a fact which they knew and enthused about, just as we can, and yet would not face up to its real implications. If Christ is coming soon, we must quit the things which plagued Thessalonica- immorality, laziness, irresponsibility etc.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:4'>1Th 4:4</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Let each one of you take a wife for himself in sanctification and honour</em>- This command suggests that some of them, perhaps the younger ones, were using the temple prostitutes (see on :3). A wife / woman "for himself" suggests they needed to stop having relations with multiple women and have just one woman, their wife. And yet we recall the warm praise which Paul has heaped upon the Thessalonians, for their faith and spirituality, even saying this before God (<em><a href='B:590 1:2-3'>1Th 1:2-3</a></em>). Yet he did this being fully aware of their weakness. In <em><a href='B:600 1:3'>2Th 1:3</a></em> he states that the love of each and every one of them was growing and he rejoiced in this; and yet in 2 Thessalonians 3 he clearly is aware that all was far from well with the spiritual state of some of them. The AV gives "possess his vessel" for "take a wife", and the reference in that case would be to knowing how to use our bodies. This would then make better sense of :5.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:5'>1Th 4:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who do not know God</em>- As noted on :4, Paul was aware that the church as a whole, and not just some of them, needed warning about not living "in the passion of list". We would probably have praised the faithful amongst them, and then singled out the weaker members and made it clear that we are addressing them, and not the faithful. But we see no such division in Paul's writing here. The Gentile Thessalonians had turned from idols to the one true God (<em><a href='B:590 1:9'>1Th 1:9</a></em>); but by 'knowing God' Paul refers to relationship with Him. If we "know God" we will not live "in the passion of lust". To know God is not therefore a question of academic knowledge of theology alone.</p><p>We noted on :4 that the context here could be regarding how a man takes a wife, or how he possesses his body. If the reference is to taking a wife, then marriage is not to be entered on the sole basis of wanting to legitimize sex, for that would be taking a wife "in the passion of lust". If the context is as AV of 'possessing his vessel' or body, then the idea would be that our body should be possessed by the outcome of knowing God, i:e. His Spirit, and not in the spirit of the passion of carnal lusts. It is walking by the Spirit which empowers us to not obey the lusts s:w. of the flesh (<em><a href='B:550 5:16'>Gal 5:16</a></em>). The same word translated "lust" is used in <em><a href='B:520 6:12'>Rom 6:12</a></em>: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the&nbsp;<em>lusts</em>&nbsp;thereof".</p><p><em><a href='B:580 3:5'>Col 3:5</a></em> uses the same Greek word for "passion" and adds: "Which is idolatry". I suggested on :3 that the specific&nbsp;<em>porneia</em>&nbsp;in view was the usage of idol prostitutes.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:6'>1Th 4:6</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Let no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter. Because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified</em>- This appears to be a direct and sober warning against using another brother's wife. The context before and after is clearly in this context. I noted on :3 that the immediate reference may be to cult prostitution, and perhaps the particular scenario in view was in that context. Again we note that Paul is backing up what he has verbally taught them during his brief presence with them- he had warned them and testified about these things. And yet later in this chapter we find a gap in their knowledge about the death state and resurrection. Clearly his focus when with them had been on teaching the life in Christ rather than theology.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:7'>1Th 4:7</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For God called us not to uncleanness but to sanctification</em>- Perhaps the argument was that the usage of prostitutes was part of God’s call; and Paul is saying that His call is to a holy life, quite the opposite. Religion and sex have always got mixed up, unashamedly so in pagan religions. This was the problem at Corinth and there probably was a tendency in all the Gentile churches to import into Christianity the religious practices to which they had been accustomed. This call to holiness and not to uncleanness is described in :8 as a "teaching" Paul had given them during his brief time with the Thessalonians.</p><p>Paul had the same calling as we do (<em><a href='B:520 9:24'>Rom 9:24</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:7'>1Th 4:7</a></em>); in him above all there is set a pattern for all those who would hereafter believe. This may not entail itinerant missionary work as it did for Paul, but all the same, the same essential commitment to Gospel preaching must be at the core of the life of every convert.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:8'>1Th 4:8</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Therefore he that rejects this teaching rejects not man but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you</em>- The "therefore" implies that to reject God’s calling is to reject God. This is why most hard core atheists whom I know were actually exposed to God’s calling and refused it. The Holy Spirit is given at baptism, the internal potential power to overcome the flesh and be transformed "in the inner man" (<em><a href='B:560 3:16-20'>Eph 3:16-20</a></em>), but the Spirit is progressively poured out into the hearts of those open to it. "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us" (<em><a href='B:520 5:5'>Rom 5:5</a></em>), and Paul several times prays that converts will receive the Spirit in this ongoing sense (Ephesians 3 in particular). The result is that we are filled with the Spirit in order to sanctify us; to live in uncleanness rather than sanctification is therefore to grieve the Spirit, to go against God’s sanctifying intention for us.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:9'>1Th 4:9</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But concerning love of the brothers, you have no need that anyone write to you. For you yourselves are taught of God to love one another</em>- "But concerning" suggests Paul is going through a list of issues, perhaps brought to his attention as a result of Timothy's visit to them and his report back to Paul. Perhaps the Thessalonians had asked Paul to write to them about brotherly love; his response is that no letter from anyone can teach that better than the teaching they have from God to love one another. God’s ongoing involvement in our lives is therefore to be seen as His constant teaching of us "to love". Peter uses similar ideas as found in this section when he comments that we have been sanctified :7 through the Spirit :8 unto "love of the brothers" (<em><a href='B:670 1:22'>1Pe 1:22</a></em> s:w:).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:10'>1Th 4:10</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For indeed you do it toward all the brothers that are in all Macedonia. But, brothers, we encourage you to abound more and more</em>- Paul's desire for their love to increase came true, for he says in <em><a href='B:600 1:3'>2Th 1:3</a></em> that their love for each other is abounding. This is a feature of the love which is formed by the Spirit- it abounds, it increases, it is not stable nor does it decline or fragment into familiarity and mere sentimental fondness for a person or persons whom we have known a long time. True love keeps on growing, and we shall eternally experience this. Love is something 'done'; they 'did' love to the Macedonian brothers, perhaps in reaching out to their "great trial of affliction and deep poverty" (<em><a href='B:540 8:2'>2Co 8:2</a></em>):&nbsp;</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:11'>1Th 4:11</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:530 1:26-28'>1Co 1:26-28</a></em>.</p><p><em>May you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you</em>- "That ye&nbsp;<em>study</em>&nbsp;(be ambitious) to be&nbsp;<em>quiet</em>" (AV) presents a powerful opposition of ideas;&nbsp;to have heroic ambition to be quiet;&nbsp;to be self-controlled, living a blameless spiritual life in everyday things (:12; this is what the idiom of "walk" refers to). In <em><a href='B:600 3:12-13'>2Th 3:12-13</a></em>, Paul returns to this idea: He tells them once again to live a&nbsp;<em>quiet</em>&nbsp;life, and says in that context: "Be not weary in (such) well doing". Yet he asks them in <em><a href='B:590 4:11'>1Th 4:11</a></em> to be ambitious to be quiet. By encouraging them to keep on being "quiet" he is encouraging them not to be weary in living a life of such ambition. And this is not the only reference to ambition in Thessalonians. Paul praises them for the brotherly love which they undoubtedly had. But he doesn't just say 'Keep it up'. He exhorts them to increase in it, more and more (<em><a href='B:590 4:10'>1Th 4:10</a></em>).</p><p>Paul's "command" to "work with your own hands" was backed up by his own example in the three weeks he was amongst them (see on <em><a href='B:590 1:9'>1Th 1:9</a></em>). There was a congruence between his teaching and example; a word made flesh. "Mind your own business" may seem superfluous, but in illiterate urban society, with people living and working on top of each other, gossip and over involvement in the lives of others was a problem major enough to split a church. They were to aspire, or be ambitious, not to be like that. And we can take the exhortation too. For the world of social media today is little different in essence.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:12'>1Th 4:12</a></em>&nbsp;<em>That you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing</em>- Paul perceived very clear boundaries between those in Christ, and all others "who are outside". The commands of :11 were in order to make a witness to those "outside", just as Paul had lived amongst them as he did so conscious that he was setting an example: ""You know what kind of men we were among you&nbsp;<em>for your sake</em>". "Properly" can also mean "honestly" (AV), and this would connect with them 'having lack of nothing'. The temptation in that kind of society would be to do what everyone else did, and practice petty dishonesty so that they could make ends meet. But by being honest, they would under God’s providence "lack nothing". But the Greek can equally mean "that you may need no man". In :11 he has urged them to work with their own hands, and in this case, his argument would be that they then would have no need of asking support from others. Paul returns to this issue in 2 Thessalonians 3, where he openly states that some of them were asking for help but refused to work. Paul's great love for this group is the more notable, seeing that he speaks so highly of them all as a group, and having worked night and day, despite having been beaten in Philippi just beforehand, in order to get enough to eat during the three weeks he was with them.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:13'>1Th 4:13</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Brothers, we would not have you ignorant concerning those that fall asleep, lest you grieve like those who have no hope</em>- The following section addresses the question of what happens to believers who die, and it concludes by urging them therefore to be of good comfort (:18). Several times in these letters, Paul reminds them of practical issues about the life in Christ which he says he had already taught them whilst with them (<em><a href='B:590 2:11-12'>1Th 2:11-12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 3:4'>1Th 3:4</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:1-2'>1Th 4:1-2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:8'>1Th 4:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:11'>1Th 4:11</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 5:2'>1Th 5:2</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 2:5'>2Th 2:5</a></em>; <em><a href='B:600 3:10'>2Th 3:10</a></em>). If he had taught them about these issues concerning resurrection, we would rather expect him to point that out to them, and perhaps rebuke them for having forgotten. But he doesn't, which implies his brief contact time with them during his three week stay with them had been taken up with teaching them practical things rather than theology about death and resurrection. Yet he praises them before God for their hope in Christ (<em><a href='B:590 1:3'>1Th 1:3</a></em>). But they were seriously deficient in understanding what that hope was in detail, apparently not understanding much about the resurrection. Yet Paul perceived their faith in Christ and firm expectation "hope" of salvation in Him, and praises them for it- even if they were astray or ignorant in their understanding of how it would work out in practice. We can only conclude that not understanding the details of our future hope does not mean we do not have a valid faith in Christ, nor does it hinder the validity of a baptism. But like Paul, we are to seek to fill in the gaps which believers have in their knowledge of these things.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:14'>1Th 4:14</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again-&nbsp;</em>As noted on :13 and elsewhere, Paul had only taught the Thessalonians very basic theology; most of his teaching during his three weeks with them had been about practical issues of the Christian life. He is now drawing out an implication of the basic belief that "Jesus died and rose again". <em><a href='B:530 15:1-4'>1Co 15:1-4</a></em> likewise defines the Gospel Paul preached as being this thing- the death and resurrection of the Lord. The flow of the argument here is that if we believe the Lord died and rose for us- then "just as surely" those who believe that will also be resurrected with Him. Of course, belief in the Lord's death and resurrection is more than a mere passing assent, but we see here the Gospel summarized. Personal salvation flows out of a belief in the Lord's resurrection. We could assume that those who had "fallen asleep in Jesus" were on the same level of understanding as those who are here addressed, the other members of the church. They too perhaps had no clear understanding of the nature of things at the Lord's return, and yet they are assured of resurrection to salvation. The only other time we read the phrase "died and rose again" about the Lord is in Rom. 14:9 "Christ died and rose again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living". 1 Thessalonians was Paul's first letter, so I suggest Romans develops the thought. The Lord's death and resurrection means that he is right now the living Lord of those who died in Him. They are still in Him. His Lordship is for all time, whether we die before His return or not, He remains our Lord. I will discuss on :16 how this idea is present here too. "The dead in Christ" strictly means not 'the dead who were in Christ [in their lifetimes]', but 'the dead who are now in Christ'. They are still in Him right now. Likewise in 1 Cor. 15:20, the Lord's resurrection makes Him right now "the firstfruits of them that slept". The tenses are precise and important in Greek. Not 'will become the firstfruits of those who sleep but will then be raised'. He has already become the firstfruits of the future body of resurrected ones; but "of them that slept" means that we are to view all dead believers as already awake. They of course are dead, asleep; but from God's perspective, the Lord's resurrection means that death is not really death and to God, they "live unto Him" and are alive. </p><p><em>Just as surely those that have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring up with him</em>- We can read this as meaning that those baptized into the Lord will share a resurrection like his. "Bring up with him" would therefore refer to the resurrection. The Lord's resurrection is the basis for ours. Despite the emotion and hardness of death itself, our belief in resurrection is rooted in our faith that our Lord died and rose. When comforting those who had lost loved ones in the Lord, Paul doesn't simply remind them of the doctrine of the resurrection at the Lord's coming. His focus instead is on the fact that "if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (<em><a href='B:590 4:14'>1Th 4:14</a></em>). The reality of the resurrection must mean something to us in the times of death which we face in life. Jesus and the New Testament writers seem to me to have a startling disregard of death.</p><p>But "bring up with him" can also mean just as well "bring with him". It could be that the idea is that the Lord Jesus will "bring with Him" from Heaven "them also which sleep in Jesus" (<em><a href='B:590 4:14'>1Th 4:14</a></em>) when the Heavenly Jerusalem (the believers) comes down from Heaven at Christ's return (<em><a href='B:730 21:1'>Rev 21:1</a></em>). However, we know that the Lord Jesus will bring the Angels with Him. Being the guardians of those who have died, in this sense those people come with Christ from Heaven, although of course literally and personally they cannot seeing they "sleep in Jesus" in the dust of the earth. See on <em><a href='B:340 5:23'>Dan 5:23</a></em>. Or perhaps there is in view the Lord's triumphant arrival in Jerusalem to save Israel with the resurrected believers with Him. "Bring with Him" are the same three words used in Lk. 23:32 [again concerning the Lord] for the "criminals led out with him to be executed". The connection may be teaching us that if we suffer with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we are brought with Him to death, dying in Him, with Him and for Him- then we shall be brought out with Him in resurrection. </p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:15'>1Th 4:15</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:530 7:11'>1Co 7:11</a></em>.</p><p><em>For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are still living at the coming of the Lord, shall in no way precede those that have fallen asleep</em>- By or in the word of the Lord Jesus may mean that here Paul is repeating the teaching of the Lord in the Gospels. 1 Thessalonians 4, 5 are shot through with allusions to the Olivet prophecy. A few of the more obvious are listed:</p><table><tr><td></p><p>1 Thess.</td><td>Olivet Prophecy</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em><a href='B:590 4:15'>1Th 4:15</a></em> "This we say unto you by the word of the Lord" Jesus</td><td>Jesus on Olivet</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em><a href='B:590 4:16'>1Th 4:16</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:470 24:30-31'>Mat 24:30-31</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em><a href='B:590 5:1'>1Th 5:1</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:490 21:24'>Luk 21:24</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em><a href='B:590 5:2'>1Th 5:2</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:470 24:43'>Mat 24:43</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em><a href='B:590 5:3'>1Th 5:3</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:470 24:43'>Mat 24:43</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:48'>Mat 24:48</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:51'>Mat 24:51</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em><a href='B:590 5:5'>1Th 5:5</a></em> " Children of light"</td><td>Wise virgins with lamps (Matthew 25)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em><a href='B:590 5:6'>1Th 5:6</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:470 24:13'>Mat 24:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:25'>Mat 24:25</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:42'>Mat 24:42</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 24:49'>Mat 24:49</a></em></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><em><a href='B:590 5:9'>1Th 5:9</a></em></td><td><em><a href='B:470 24:51'>Mat 24:51</a></em></td><td></td></tr></table><p><em><a href='B:590 4:15-18'>1Th 4:15-18</a></em> begins with "For..." . This is explaining <em><a href='B:590 4:14'>1Th 4:14</a></em>, which states that "them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring (up) with him". This will thus be true both spiritually, in that they will share His victory over death, and, literally, in that they will come with their judge to judgment:&nbsp; <em><a href='B:500 14:3'>Joh 14:3</a></em> may also become easier to handle with this understanding: "I will come again, and take you to be with me" (N:I:V:):&nbspJohn 14:3 may also become easier to handle with this understanding: "I will come again, and take you to be with me" (N.I.V.). Initially, this may mean a literal ascent into the sky, followed by a return to earth to be with Christ eternally in the Kingdom. "That where I am, there ye may be also" may be the Spirit's basis for 1 Thess. 4:17, "And so shall we ever be with the Lord".  The idea of literally travelling through the sky to the judgment seat was plainly taught by our Lord in His explanation of how "one shall be taken (literally disappear) and the other left" at His coming;  "Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together" (Lk.  17:36,37). The point of this allusion is to show that as the eagle travels through the air with a natural homing instinct, without fear or worry as to correct direction, so there should be no apprehension in the mind of the believer concerning the mechanics of how he will be taken away to meet his Lord. </p><p>"And are still living" translates a Greek word which really means 'to survive'. The sense is that there will be a great falling away, either by apostacy or from physical death at the hands of persecutors; and those alive at the Lord's return are thererefore 'survivors'. "Alive and remain" (AV) shows that 'remaining / surviving' is different from merely being "alive". Being alive and surviving suggests that the "we" in view here is specifically those in Christ, alive at the Lord's return, who have spiritually survived the tribulation. For Paul writes here all through about those who shall "ever be with the Lord", the faithful.</p><p>Shall in no way precede those that have fallen asleep- This is emphasized because there was clearly some kind of misunderstanding that those who had died were somehow not going to have a reward; or that those alive at the Lord's return would have some kind of precedence over those who had died.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:16'>1Th 4:16</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first-&nbsp;</em>Alluding to how "this same Jesus" shall return as He was seen ascending into Heaven (Acts 1:11). We note the continuity between the Jesus of history and the Lord who shall return to the earth. The Greek for "shout" really means a shout of command. The command in view is for the dead in Christ to rise; we recall the Lord's loud shout to bring forth Lazarus from the dead. The shout of command is also for the responsible to come to judgment. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins suggests that initially, we have a choice as to whether to obey that command. And that will decide our eternity. If we "open unto Him immediately" we will be saved. "The archangel" is defined in <em><a href='B:720 1:9'>Jud 1:9</a></em> as Michael. The connection is clearly to the prophecy of <em><a href='B:340 12:1-3'>Dan 12:1-3</a></em>, which speaks of the revelation of "Michael" as being at the time the dead are resurrected. "The trumpet of God" is also associated with the Angels at the Lord's return in <em><a href='B:470 24:31'>Mat 24:31</a></em>: "He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet"; see on :14. <em><a href='B:530 15:52'>1Co 15:52</a></em> likewise: "The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised". Perhaps there shall be a literal trumpet sound as the first concrete sign of the Lord's return; but the allusion is to the trumpet blasts which called the camp of God to move onwards in the wilderness, which announced the day of Atonement of Year of Jubilee, and which brought down the walls of Jericho so that God’s people could possess the promised land. "The dead in Christ" strictly means not 'the dead who were in Christ [in their lifetimes]', but 'the dead who are now in Christ'. In terms of consciousness and function, they are dead. But "all live unto Him", their spirit, who they were, is with God. As the Lord Jesus is alive now, so are all those who died in Him. They lived "in Christ" and He in them, and so at death they remain in Him. "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living" (Rom. 14:9). See on :14. It seems redundant to say He is Lord of both dead and living unless in fact He is in some sense Lord of the dead.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:17'>1Th 4:17</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Then we that are alive-&nbsp;</em>Paul is speaking of the faithful believers in 1 Thessalonians 4, 5 rather than all the responsible. He comforts them that the dead believers really will be rewarded with immortality, and that they can take comfort from the fact that they would live for ever (<em><a href='B:590 4:13-14'>1Th 4:13-14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:18'>1Th 4:18</a></em>):&nbsp;Paul is therefore assuming their acceptability at judgment. "You are all the children of light" (<em><a href='B:590 5:5'>1Th 5:5</a></em>) as opposed to the unworthy within the ecclesia, who were in darkness:&nbsp;This suggests that Paul wrote as though his readership were all faithful and assured of eternal life.</p><p>If we believe that we are counted righteous, we must likewise assume that all those properly baptized are equally righteous, and will be saved along with us. We cannot condemn each other; therefore we must assume each other will be saved. If we have a positive attitude to our own salvation, we will likewise perceive our whole community. And the reverse is true; if we cannot believe that God sees&nbsp;<em>us</em>&nbsp;positively, we will tend towards a negative outlook upon ourselves. My sense is that many of us fail in this area. Paul had many reasons to think negatively of his converts; and yet he writes to the Thessalonians as if ‘we all’, all his readership, would be saved (<em><a href='B:590 4:17'>1Th 4:17</a></em>). And likewise to dodgy Corinth, he writes as if they would all be accepted at the Lord’s return (<em><a href='B:530 15:52'>1Co 15:52</a></em>); he saw them&nbsp;<em>all</em>&nbsp;as innocent Eve in danger of being beguiled (<em><a href='B:540 11:3'>2Co 11:3</a></em>).</p><p><em>That are left, shall together with them be snatched away in the clouds in the air-</em>Hama, "together", means 'at the same time'. There appears to have been a concern amongst the Thessalonians about the fate of dead believers. The assurance here is that there will be no different treatment; the resurrected, along with those who remain alive at the Lord's coming, will at the same time be snatched away. "With them" connects with "ever with the Lord". To be with the Lord is to be with our resurrected brethren. For they are His body. Eternity with Him means eternity with our brethren. We must treat them like that now. &nbsp;Jesus will return to earth for judgement with His Angels, as we are told in His parables concerning the judgement. In the parable of the wheat and tares the point is made that the Angels do not just come to gather the harvest, but also to separate the wheat from the tares. Thus it would seem that the actual process of judgement will be largely associated with the Angels. We are told in <em><a href='B:590 4:17'>1Th 4:17</a></em> that "we which are alive and remain shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air". The clouds must be the clouds of Angels with which Jesus returns, and may even represent the figurative "air" in which we meet Him first of all, as if He is manifested through the Angels which He sends to gather us to judgement (although it is quite possible to take the 'air' literally too):&nbsp;</p><p><em>To meet the Lord, and so shall we ever be with the Lord</em>- The simple picture of salvation is that we will eternally "be with Jesus". And that has just been stated in :14. We will be 'brought with Jesus' and shall remain with Him for ever. It is all about personal relationship, rather than eternity spent in some optimal physical environment. Indeed, very little is said in the New Testament about the physical environment of eternity. It's all about relationship. The connections between the parable of the virgins and 1 Thessalonians 4 are strengthened by the same Greek word being translated "meet" in <em><a href='B:470 25:6'>Mat 25:6</a></em> concerning the wise virgins going out to "meet" Christ and also in <em><a href='B:590 4:17'>1Th 4:17</a></em>: "We which are alive and remain shall be caught up... in the clouds to&nbsp;<em>meet</em>&nbsp;the Lord in the air":&nbsp;The picture is therefore presented of the righteous obeying the call of their own volition, and then being confirmed in this by being 'snatched away' to meet Christ in the (literal) air:&nbsp;We will then travel with Christ "in the clouds" (literally) to judgment in Jerusalem:&nbsp;In no way, of course, does this suggestion give countenance to the preposterous Pentecostal doctrine of being 'raptured' into heaven itself:&nbsp;Every alternative interpretation of <em><a href='B:590 4:17'>1Th 4:17</a></em> seems to run into trouble with the phrase "meet the Lord&nbsp;<em>in the air</em>":&nbsp;1 Thessalonians is not a letter given to figurative language, but rather to the literal facts of the second coming. Further, the <em><a href='B:590 4:16-18'>1Th 4:16-18</a></em> passage is described by Paul as him speaking “by the word of the Lord” Jesus (<em><a href='B:590 4:15'>1Th 4:15</a></em>). If 1 Corinthians 7 is any guide to how Paul uses this phrase, he would appear to be saying that in this passage he is merely repeating what the Lord Himself said during His ministry. This deals a death blow to some Pentecostal fantasies about the passage.</p><p>Those wise virgins who go forth to meet Christ immediately are those who will be "caught up together" with the faithful believers who will have been resurrected. This will be when the Angels "gather together&nbsp;<em>his elect</em>" (<em><a href='B:470 24:31'>Mat 24:31</a></em>). They then "meet the Lord in the air" literally, perhaps connecting with <em><a href='B:730 11:12'>Rev 11:12</a></em>:&nbsp;"They (the faithful, persecuted saints of the last days) heard a great voice from heaven (cp. "the voice" of <em><a href='B:590 4:16'>1Th 4:16</a></em>) saying unto them, Come up (cp. " caught up...") hither:&nbsp;&nbsp; And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud (cp. " caught up... in clouds”); and their enemies beheld them":&nbsp;&nbsp; It may well be that <em><a href='B:730 11:12'>Rev 11:12</a></em> is speaking of the faithful Jewish remnant of the last days, who will be snatched away along with us. This cloud of witnesses (<em><a href='B:650 12:1'>Heb 12:1</a></em>) will then go with Jesus to judgment, which must be located on earth for the glimpses of the judgment seat which we are given to be realistically fulfilled. It is reasonable to guess that this assembly of faithful believers will visibly reflect God’s glory, giving the impression of a 'shekinah' cloud. This may be due to the physical presence of the Angel with us during our time in this cloud:&nbsp; Such a picture is presented in <em><a href='B:340 7:9-14'>Dan 7:9-14</a></em>;&nbsp; Jesus comes with the faithful, symbolized as clouds, along with the Angels, to the judgment seat. It is at this stage that the responsible from all nations come to the judgment (<em><a href='B:470 25:32'>Mat 25:32</a></em>) so that there can be a separation of sheep and goats. The 'coming down' of the righteous responsible to Jerusalem will be at the same time as the judgment of the wicked nations in that same place: "Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down" (<em><a href='B:360 3:11'>Joe 3:11</a></em>) occurs in the context of Armageddon. "Saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau" (Obad. v 21), i:e. Israel's Arab enemies:&nbsp;The sequence of events here suggested chimes in with the thought so often expressed by generations of believers - that our initial reaction to the knowledge that our Lord is back will effectively be our judgment, although this will be formally confirmed at the judgment seat before which all the responsible must appear (<em><a href='B:540 5:10'>2Co 5:10</a></em>).</p><p>The chronology we have suggested can now be summarized:-&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; Persecution of believers:&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; The Lord is revealed; the resurrection:&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; An Angel invites each of the responsible to go and meet Christ:&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; The unworthy delay, whilst the worthy go immediately:&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; The worthy are snatched away into the air, forming a cloud of glory which is visible to all:&nbsp;They are physically with Jesus:&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; Along with Him they come to Jerusalem:&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; The unworthy are then gathered there:&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; There is a tribunal-style judgment. The sheep and goats are together&nbsp;&nbsp; before the judgment seat. They are then finally separated by Christ's judgment, and receive their rewards:&nbsp;<br/>-&nbsp; The wicked are destroyed along with the nations then surrounding Jerusalem.</p><p>The time scale for all this is unimportant- it could well be just a few seconds, if the meaning of time is to be collapsed, although there presumably must be a period of time for the cloud of witnesses to be beheld, and for the unworthy to desperately try to slap themselves into spiritual shape:&nbsp;The tremendous encouragement offered by the scenario here presented should not be missed:&nbsp;we will come with our judge, possibly already reflecting His glory, to the judgment:&nbsp;This in itself should give us a sense of humble certainty as we come before His tribunal:&nbsp;So much will depend on our reaction to the Angel's coming- our faith in acceptance, our degree of concern for the things of this life - all will be revealed in that instant.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 4:18'>1Th 4:18</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Therefore, comfort one another with these words</em>- The implication could be that they were indeed grieving as others who had no hope; see on :13 for the implications of this. The same word for "comfort" is used of how Paul comforted the Thessalonians whilst with them (<em><a href='B:590 2:11'>1Th 2:11</a></em>), how Timothy comforted them on his follow up visit (<em><a href='B:590 3:2'>1Th 3:2</a></em>), and how Paul comforted them in his letter (<em><a href='B:590 4:1'>1Th 4:1</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:10'>1Th 4:10</a></em>). But the sign of true maturity amongst converts is when they can comfort each other (as also in <em><a href='B:590 5:11'>1Th 5:11</a></em>), without needing letters and personal visits. This kind of spiritual autonomy amongst converts should be the aim of all missionary endeavour.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:1'>1Th 5:1</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that something be written to you</em>- It would seem that after the mention of the return of Timothy from his follow up visit to Thessalonica in <em><a href='B:590 3:6'>1Th 3:6</a></em>, Paul spends the rest of the letter answering various questions they had given to Timothy, or issues which he had brought to Paul's attention. The question 'When will Christ return?' is absolutely typical of the questions asked by new converts, and adds some verisimilitude to the inspired record. They had asked Paul to write to them about this, and Paul says there is no need for him to write anything, because the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night, unexpectedly (:2), and whether we die before His coming or not is immaterial because the Lord died and rose again for us, that we might be resurrected like Him (:10); and our focus should be on building each other up rather than trying to guess the date of the Lord's return (:11). These perspectives need attention in our days, with so much interest in "the times and the seasons".</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:2'>1Th 5:2</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For yourselves know perfectly well-&nbsp;</em>See on :1. This assumption of prior knowledge suggests that this too was one of the things Paul had taught them whilst with them, lending weight to the impression that he focused upon the practical issues of the basic Gospel rather than any deeper theology such as the issues about resurrection discussed in the previous section; see on <em><a href='B:590 4:13'>1Th 4:13</a></em>.</p><p><em>That the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night</em>- The Lord comes as a thief to the unready (:4; <em><a href='B:470 24:43'>Mat 24:43</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 12:39'>Luk 12:39</a></em>; <em><a href='B:730 3:3'>Rev 3:3</a></em>). The argument is: You don't need to know the day nor the hour; just watch, be aware of the Lord and eager for His return at all times. This would explain why Paul writes as if the Lord's return was imminent when it wasn't in reality. We are to live, as part of the Christian faith, in expectation of His coming at any moment, regardless of any other indicators in prophetic fulfilment which might encourage us that His coming is near. We are to be watchful exactly because we do not and cannot know the exact date of the Lord's return: "Watch therefore; for you know not what hour your Lord does come" (<em><a href='B:470 24:42'>Mat 24:42</a></em>).</p><p>The context is shot through with allusions to the parable of the virgins:&nbsp;The sleeping virgins represent the unworthy amongst the believers who will live just prior to the second coming. Paul's allusion to this fills out the details: the coming of Christ to this category of 'believers' will be like a thief in the sense that their privacy and spiritual house will be invaded by the reality of the second coming:&nbsp;This will be due to their attitude of 'peace and safety', which they will actively promulgate - 'Everything's great within the household, we're going from strength to strength spiritually, there's no need to fear failure in any form':&nbsp;That "they shall&nbsp;<em>say</em>, Peace and safety" (:3) suggests that this is an attitude which they publicly disseminate amongst the brotherhood. Bearing in mind the many prophecies and indications that there will be a massive spiritual collapse within the latter-day ecclesia, it is reasonable to assume that the faithful minority will speak out against this - to be met by a barrage of 'peace and safety' reasoning. Those who will stand ready for their Lord will be in the light, in the day, self-aware, spiritually sensitive and realistic, and therefore&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;saying "Peace and safety" (<em><a href='B:590 5:3-8'>1Th 5:3-8</a></em>). Christ's coming as a thief to the unworthy is therefore in the sense of His coming being unexpected by them, rather than being as a thief to the world:&nbsp;</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:3'>1Th 5:3</a></em>&nbsp;<em>When people are saying: Peace and safety, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no way escape</em>- See on :2, where I suggest that the cry of 'peace and safety' is amongst the unprepared within the brotherhood. It could also refer to a brief respite in the troubles of the last days, perhaps offering a possible explanation of how the final invader comes down upon Israel that is living without bars and gates and at peace, "dwelling safely" (<em><a href='B:330 38:11'>Eze 38:11</a></em>). Prophecy after prophecy describes a time of global cataclysm around the time of the second coming, even though this may be mixed with a fair degree of material prosperity:&nbsp;In no way will it be a time of "peace and safety" for the world; and their ever-increasing escapism shows that they don't exactly see it like that either. Biblically speaking, their hearts are failing them for fear, apprehensive concerning whatever is going to happen to their planet earth (<em><a href='B:490 21:26'>Luk 21:26</a></em>, see modern versions). So I am inclined to see this as referring to a situation amongst the brotherhood.</p><p>Paul begins chapter 5 by saying that we do not need to know exact times and seasons (i:e. dates) of the second coming, because the most obvious sign is that it would come when some in the ecclesia were unaware- it would come upon them as a thief. Likewise Jesus said that a sign more important that famines etc. was the tribulation of the household. The unworthy saints of the last days who are not watching will find the second coming take them like a thief (<em><a href='B:470 24:43'>Mat 24:43</a></em>). <em><a href='B:590 5:3'>1Th 5:3</a></em> says that those who think there is "peace and safety" within the ecclesia will also find the second coming to be thief-like. Thus a lack of spiritual watching is the equivalent of the "peace and safety" cry. The attitude that all within the house (the ecclesia) is well and there is no real danger of tribulation will result in a lack of watching. What sense can we make of <em><a href='B:490 21:36'>Luk 21:36</a></em> if we deny the possibility of a persecution period: "Watch ye therefore, and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass" …? "Pray&nbsp;<em>always</em>&nbsp;that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that&nbsp;<em>shall</em>&nbsp;come to pass...". Whilst it is possible that we will be&nbsp;<em>saved out of</em>&nbsp;the tribulation, to dogmatically say that we will not experience it, coupled with an attitude which refuses to admit the doctrinal and behavioural problems within the ecclesia, will result in us being lulled into a sense of peace and safety. This "peace and safety" atmosphere within the ecclesia matches that in Israel just prior to the Babylonian invasion: "Them that are at ease (A:V:mg. "secure" ) in Zion" (<em><a href='B:370 6:1'>Amo 6:1</a></em>, cp. <em><a href='B:490 6:24'>Luk 6:24</a></em>) trusted in their riches and regular observance of a few religious rituals:&nbsp; But surely we "are all the children of light", and therefore "are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief" (:5,4). "By peace (prosperity) he shall destroy many" (<em><a href='B:340 8:25'>Dan 8:25</a></em>) is the language of <em><a href='B:590 5:1-3'>1Th 5:1-3</a></em> regarding peace, safety and materialism destroying the saints of the last days. If this connection is valid, it shows that the little horn of Daniel will exert its influence within the ecclesia.</p><p>Ezekiel (<em><a href='B:330 8:8-15'>Eze 8:8-15</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 9:8'>Eze 9:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 11:3'>Eze 11:3</a></em>), Jeremiah, Micah and perhaps even the Lord Jesus (<em><a href='B:290 59:16'>Isa 59:16</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 13:8'>Luk 13:8</a></em>) over-estimated the spirituality of God’s people in the run up to the 'day' of Divine judgment in their time. The "peace and safety" cry within the latter day ecclesia is part of an extended set of allusions back to the parables of Matthew 24, 25, concerning the apostate, drunken servant who thinks everything is fine being suddenly destroyed by his Lord's coming. This kind of believer had been foreseen by Moses in <em><a href='B:50 29:19'>Deu 29:19</a></em>; the type who hears the curses for disobedience, but blesses (forgives) himself in his heart, "saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst". As natural Israel will be awoken from their drunkenness by the final Arab invasion (<em><a href='B:360 1:1-2'>Joe 1:1-2</a></em>), so spiritual Israel will be awakened by the holocaust to come. The false prophets who lived on the eve of the Babylonian and Assyrian invasions told Israel that everything was "peace and safety" within the ecclesia of their time (<em><a href='B:300 5:12'>Jer 5:12</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 6:14'>Jer 6:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:300 14:13'>Jer 14:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:330 13:10'>Eze 13:10</a></em>; <em><a href='B:400 3:5'>Mic 3:5</a></em>). It seems that the latter day ecclesia will likewise have a faithful remnant who clearly perceive the apostasy, although they are surprised at it, seeing in it the clearest sign of their Lord's return; and an apostate majority, backed up by the elders of the ecclesia, who will claim with some aggression that this is all utter nonsense, and there is peace and spiritual safety within the ecclesia.</p><p>The day of the Lord will result in the wicked being "in pain as of a woman that travails" (<em><a href='B:290 13:8'>Isa 13:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 5:3'>1Th 5:3</a></em>). The Lord seems to have alluded to this when He spoke of how the faithful just before His coming would be like a woman in travail, with the subsequent joy on delivery matching the elation of acceptance at Christ's return (<em><a href='B:500 16:21'>Joh 16:21</a></em>). So, it's travail- or travail, especially in the last days. If we choose the way of the flesh, it will be travail for nothing, bringing forth in vain (this is seen as a characteristic of all worldly life in <em><a href='B:290 65:23'>Isa 65:23</a></em>). We either cut off the flesh now (in spiritual circumcision), or God will cut us off. This point was made when the rite of circumcision was first given: "The uncircumcised un-cut off man... shall be cut off" (<em><a href='B:10 17:14'>Gen 17:14</a></em>).</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:4'>1Th 5:4</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that this day should overtake you as a thief</em>- it is therefore 'walking in the light' which means that we are not in darkness; we will not be caught off guard by the Lord's coming, as by a thief in the night, if our general walk is "in the light" (<em><a href='B:560 5:8'>Eph 5:8</a></em>; <em><a href='B:690 1:7'>1Jn 1:7</a></em>). If we live as if in the light of His presence, His actual presence will not surprise us as a thief.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:5'>1Th 5:5</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness</em>- "Sons of light" was the language of Judaism for the hyper righteous within Israel. Remember that the Gentile Thessalonians had been synagogue attendees whom Paul had persuaded. He was saying that they, in Christ, were the true "sons of light". "The day" surely refers to the Kingdom; we recall <em><a href='B:520 13:12-13'>Rom 13:12-13</a></em> (see note there): "The night is far spent, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light. Let us behave decently, as in the day". We are to live the Kingdom life now; in this sense, we "have eternal life", and that we are to live now as we shall eternally live. We are "the sons of the day" in that we are "the children of the Kingdom", another phrase understood by Judaism to refer to the righteous Jews- whom the Lord said would be cast out into the darkness of condemnation (<em><a href='B:470 8:12'>Mat 8:12</a></em>). "Darkness" is so often associated with the condemnation of the last day; we are not to live the life of the condemned, but of those who shall eternally live the Kingdom life.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:6'>1Th 5:6</a></em><em> So then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober</em>- The allusion would be to the foolish girls who slept (<em><a href='B:470 25:5'>Mat 25:5</a></em> s:w:). This would explain the otherwise strange phrase "as do the rest / the others". Those "others" would be the foolish girls, and Paul is writing as to the wise girls. The allusion is also to the Lord's command to the weak believers in Gethsemane to not sleep, but watch- which they failed to do (see on <em><a href='B:470 26:41'>Mat 26:41</a></em>). This conforms that "the rest" refers not to the world generally but to the failed believers.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:7'>1Th 5:7</a></em> - see on <em><a href='B:470 3:7'>Mat 3:7</a></em>.</p><p><em>For they that sleep, sleep in the night-&nbsp;</em>There are many links between 1 Thessalonians 4, 5 and Matthew 24, 25; see on <em><a href='B:590 4:14'>1Th 4:14</a></em>. The wise virgins slumbered and were sleeping at the time of the Lord’s return. Paul matches this by saying that the&nbsp;<em>unworthy</em>&nbsp;will be slumbering and we ought to be awake and watching at the time of the Lord’s return. And yet, the parable teaches that those slumbering wise girls will be accepted. This is a glaring paradox within the Lord’s own teaching- for had He not taught that the faithful servants will be awake and watching when their Lord returns? Yet the paradox is there to flag a major message- that even though the last generation of believers may well not be ready and watching as they should be, their humble recognition of the very likelihood of their oil running out would be their saving grace. And within <em><a href='B:590 5:6-10'>1Th 5:6-10</a></em> this same paradox is brought out: “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us&nbsp;<em>watch&nbsp;</em>and be sober. For they that&nbsp;<em>sleep sleep&nbsp;</em>in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we&nbsp;<em>wake s:w. watch&nbsp;</em>or&nbsp;<em>sleep</em>, we should live together with him”. The same Greek words are italicized. The contrast is between those who watch and those who sleep. And yet Christ died to save both those who watch / are awake, and those who sleep, as the ‘wise’ virgins slept when they ought not to have done. Both those who watch and those who sleep after the humble pattern of the wise virgins will be saved due to the fact that Christ died to save sinners, to save the sleepy as well as the more lively- if they are truly and humbly in Him. Likewise the Lord’s parables generally include two types- the self-righteous rejected, and the accepted, who have something spiritually the matter with them. They either enter the Kingdom with splinters in their spiritual vision / perception, or are totally blinded by planks in their vision and will be rejected.</p><p><em>And they that are drunk, are drunk in the night</em>- The allusion is to the parable of the believer who thinks the Lord delays His coming and starts drinking (<em><a href='B:470 24:49'>Mat 24:49</a></em>; <em><a href='B:490 12:45'>Luk 12:45</a></em>) rather than caring for his brethren. <em><a href='B:490 21:34'>Luk 21:34</a></em> uses the same word to say that believers must beware lest the Lord's coming is a shock for them (cp. "a thief in the night") due to their being drunk. This scenario could well arise if there is a brief respite in the traumas of the last days, all seems to be resolved politically, and there is an upsurge of global wealth.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:8'>1Th 5:8</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But let us, since we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation</em>- "We are of the day" means that we are living the Kingdom life now- see on :5. This means that we shall be "sober", aware, perceptive and watching for the things of the Lord. Peter three times uses the word in appealing for us to be "sober" in the light of the Lord's imminent return (<em><a href='B:670 1:13'>1Pe 1:13</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 4:7'>1Pe 4:7</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 5:8'>1Pe 5:8</a></em>). The armour listed here is defensive- against the temptation to be unready for the Lord's return. The Thessalonian converts had once been synagogue attendees, and would have appreciated that it was only the High Priest who put on the breastplate. No ordinary Israelite would ever have had the ambition to dream of wearing it. But as often, Paul calls the believers to the heights of spiritual ambition. They were not mere spectators at a show, but participants, the priestly tribe, called to do even the work of the High Priest on earth. The helmet guards the head, the mind, the thinking, which Paul presents as the essence of Christianity. If really we are persuaded that we shall eternally live the spiritual life, we shall not give in to petty temptation now. But we must clothe ourselves with that as a helmet, just as we must of our own volition clothe ourselves with Christ in baptism. "Hope",&nbsp;<em>elpis</em>, doesn't mean 'hoping for the best', but rather a solid confidence that we shall be saved. This shall guard our thinking, and keep us ready and eager for the Lord's return.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:9'>1Th 5:9</a></em>&nbsp;<em>For God has not destined us to suffer His wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ</em>- As noted on :8, the certain hope of salvation will keep us eagerly watching for His return, far more so than any understanding of prophetic interpretation. Paul therefore underlines this point here in :9; we were in fact predestined to salvation, and not to condemnation. He wants us to be saved; hence we have the sure Hope, and believing that if the Lord were to return now, we shall surely be saved... will make us ever eagerly watchful for His coming.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:10'>1Th 5:10</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him</em>- As explained on :8 and :9, we will be eagerly watching for the Lord's return if we surely believe that it means salvation for us; and Paul yet further underlines this by saying that the Lord died so that we should be saved. As explained on :7, the "sleep" here can be interpreted in line with the rest of the chapter, where it refers to spiritual sleep rather than the sleep of death. The paradox of those who should not be asleep being saved is an allusion to the fact that even the wise girls of the parable also fell asleep, but were saved by grace. And yet the passage could just as well be saying that whether we are dead or alive at the Lord's return is no big issues; because we shall be resurrected and live with the Lord, and this was the whole purpose of His death for us. See on :1. In <em><a href='B:590 4:14'>1Th 4:14</a></em>; <em><a href='B:590 4:17'>1Th 4:17</a></em> the same language has been used for those who fall asleep in death before the Lord comes, and the issue of what shall happen to those who are alive at His coming is discussed there.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:11'>1Th 5:11</a></em> - see on :1.</p><p><em>Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, even as you already do</em>- As explained on :8 and :9, we should encourage each other with the fact that if the Lord returns right now, we really shall be saved. And we must ask how often we specifically state this to each other. As noted on <em><a href='B:590 4:18'>1Th 4:18</a></em>, this ability to build each other up was a sign of maturity, rather than relying upon visits and letters to encourage them. The words for 'encourage' and 'build up' are also found in the record of how these things are done to believers by the Holy Spirit (<em><a href='B:510 9:31'>Act 9:31</a></em>). But that Spirit power is partly mediated to the members of the body of Christ through the other members (<em><a href='B:560 4:16'>Eph 4:16</a></em>); our efforts to build each other up are a channel for the Spirit, and will be blessed.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:12'>1Th 5:12</a></em>&nbsp;<em>But brothers, we urge you to recognize those that labour among you, who are over you in the Lord and who encourage you</em>- Although the work of encouragement was to be done by each member (:11), there were spiritual leaders in the group, who should be recognized and respected on the basis that they were labouring for the upbuilding of the community. This is the basis of respect and recognition; not the mere possession of office. It would seem from "But brothers..." that there was a tendency for them not to respect their elders.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:13'>1Th 5:13</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Esteem these exceedingly high in love, for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves</em>- As noted on :12, they should be respected for the sake of their work of upbuilding others, and not just because they demand respect or hold an office. "Be at peace among yourselves" suggests (as on :12) that the tendency not to respect elders leads to frictions amongst the group. And that is why those communities who do not have an eldership system are noted for the endless arguments amongst themselves.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:14'>1Th 5:14</a></em>&nbsp;<em>And we exhort you, brothers, warn the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all</em>- Despite knowing there were such within the church, Paul wrote so highly of them and spoke so positively of them before God (<em><a href='B:590 1:2-3'>1Th 1:2-3</a></em>). He saw them as "in Christ" and shared the Lord's view of imputed righteousness towards them. They were all exhorted to do the work of warning, encouraging and supporting; unless "brothers" refers specifically to the eldership. But the context is of Paul addressing the entire church membership, and he uses "brothers" specifically about them rather than about the eldership (:12,13). Being a member of the body of Christ means we are to take responsibility for others, and not resign it all to the eldership. The 'warning' of the disorderly was presumably with the consequence of temporary exclusion from the local congregation; for that is the consequence advised by Paul for "the disorderly" in 2 Thessalonians 3. The fainthearted were presumably those who struggled to believe the great truths explained in :8 and :9, that we really can be sure that we shall be saved if the Lord returns right now. See on :11. The allusion is to <em><a href='B:290 35:3-4'>Isa 35:3-4</a></em>, where in the context of a vision of the Kingdom, the weak minded are urged to believe it as wonderfully true for them. Being "longsuffering" may allude to the parable of <em><a href='B:470 18:26'>Mat 18:26</a></em>; <em><a href='B:470 18:29'>Mat 18:29</a></em>, where those indebted to us beg for "longsuffering", and we are to frankly forgive as the Lord has forgiven us. This idea is continued in :15.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:15'>1Th 5:15</a></em>&nbsp;<em>See that no one repays anyone evil with evil, but always follow after that which is good one toward another and toward all</em>- This follows on from the appeal at the end of :14 to be forgiving toward all. Forgiveness is "that which is good", and again they are told to practice this "toward all". To not forgive is therefore to repay evil with evil. The response to evil done is therefore to forgive, and there is no assumption here that we are to forgive only if repentance is shown. Paul uses the same words when commenting that Alexander had done him much evil, but the Lord would repay that evil (<em><a href='B:620 4:14'>2Ti 4:14</a></em>). The commands not to repay evil for evil are therefore because it is not for&nbsp;<em>us&nbsp;</em>to do this, but for the Lord (<em><a href='B:520 12:17'>Rom 12:17</a></em>; <em><a href='B:670 3:9'>1Pe 3:9</a></em>). Instead of repaying evil for evil, we are to bless or forgive (<em><a href='B:670 3:9'>1Pe 3:9</a></em>). But that is not to say that the person shall not have the evil repayed at the last day. But for us to do so in this life would be a form of playing God.</p>


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<p><em><a href='B:590 5:16'>1Th 5:16</a></em>&nbsp;<em>Rejoice always</em>- A life of joy cannot be experienced if we are unforgiving and bent on repaying evil (:15). The insistent stress by Paul on the need to live lives worthy of our beliefs is really powerful. He knew that this was the main drawing power for the community. It has often been pointed out that sections of his letters seem to have strong links between them. Consider:</p><table><tr><td></p><p><em><a href='B:590 5:12-22'>1Th 5:12-22</a></em>&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Romans 12</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:12,13a&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Respect elders</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:3-8&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Don’t think too highly of yourselves</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:13b&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Peace among yourselves</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:18&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Peace with all men</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:14&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Care for weak and unruly (<em><a href='B:520 14:1'>Rom 14:1</a></em>); Receive the weak</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:15&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Not evil for evil, but good to all men</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:17&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Not evil for evil, but good to all men</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:16&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Rejoice always</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:12&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Rejoice in hope</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:17&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Pray unceasingly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:17&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Continue in prayer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:19&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Don’t quench the Spirit</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:11&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Fervent in spirit</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:20&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Don’t despise prophecy</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:6&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Prophecy</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:21&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Test all things, hold fast to good</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:9&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Cleave to good</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:22&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Avoid evil</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>:9&nbsp; &nbsp;</td><td>Hate evil</td><td></td></tr></table><p>The conclusion from this could be that there was in fact a common document to which Paul is referring- a kind of practical guide to true Christian living that was expected of converts. If this is the case, then the early community would have been committed to being joyful, prayerful, tolerant, peaceful, loving, humble, Bible based, as a fundamental principle. These were what accepting Christ in baptism would have required.</p>


