11
THINGS THAT ARE MORE EXCELLENT
walk that is worthy, and unless we embrace the truth of these epistles together, we shall fail to grow and our
knowledge will be barren and unfruitful. The high calling will be ours, but we shall miss the prize of the high
calling. The inheritance will be ours, but we shall miss the reward of the inheritance. We shall have nothing to lay
at His feet in the crowning day that is coming.
Our special study in this volume is the epistle of `the prize' and of `the out-resurrection' and of those who go on
unto `perfection'; we shall not meet with such terms as `the Mystery', `principalities and powers' or `dispensation' for
these belong to the hope and to Ephesians, rather than with the prize and to Philippians.
Special attention has been given to the meaning of the words `depart and be with Christ', and we commend that
section of the exposition that attempts to understand what is involved in the `mind that was in Christ Jesus' as set out
in Philippians 2:6-9.
A fairly comprehensive structure of the epistle is provided, and every effort has been made to let the Scripture
speak for itself. Greek words are represented by italic type thus, lego, but no attempt has been made to indicate the
omega (or the long o); the reader who is familiar with the Greek does not need it, the reader who cannot read Greek
does not want it and the appearance of the type page, to say nothing of the proof corrector's feelings, will be
improved by their omission.
Now may the Lord bless us all as we consider the prize of our high calling, and the spiritual qualities that are
called into play as we seek to emulate the apostle who said :
`... This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are
before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' (Phil. 3:13,14).
CHAPTER 1
The Scope of the Epistle
Philippians is a `prison epistle', containing four references to the apostle's `bonds' (Phil. 1:7,13,14,16), and the
statement that these bonds in Christ were manifest to the whole Praetorium, and to all the rest (1:13). A special
salutation is sent to the Philippians from the saints that were in `Caesar's household' (Phil. 4:22). The imprisonment
which the apostle had suffered at Caesarea was at any time terminable by him by an appeal unto Caesar, which we
know was actually the case (Acts 25:10-12). In the imprisonment referred to in the epistle he was `in a strait'
betwixt life and death, but became confident that his release would be granted, and that he would see the Philippians
once more (Phil. 1:24-26; 2:24). Not only must the epistle have been written during the two years detention in
Rome, it must also have been written toward the end of that period. There are certain events recorded that demand a
period of time for their accomplishment. The Philippians had learned of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, and had had
time to make a collection on his account and to send Epaphroditus as their messenger (Phil. 2:25); Epaphroditus had
in the meantime fallen dangerously ill, but sufficient time had elapsed, not only for his recovery, but for the news to
have travelled as far as Philippi (Phil. 2:26). Epaphroditus moreover is the bearer of this epistle back to the
Philippians. The apostle expressed the wish to send Timothy shortly to Philippi (Phil. 2:19) `as soon as I shall see
how it will go with me' (Phil. 2:23). It is therefore fairly obvious that his trial is drawing to an end. It is indeed
probable that the epistle was written after his case had been heard by the Emperor, and before the public declaration
that set him at liberty. This would account for all the allusions made to both his confinement and his expectation of
immediate release. A considerable length of time moreover must be allowed for reasons that while not actually
mentioned in the epistle, were matters of well known historic fact. On similar occasions, the testimony of historians
helps us to see that the Jews would adopt delaying tactics, for if they could not succeed in accomplishing the
apostle's death, the next best thing for their own cause, would be to keep him bound. According to the law, Paul's
accusers could apply for an adjournment while they summoned witnesses (Tac. An. 13. 52), especially as Paul was
charged with exciting sedition throughout `the world' (Acts 24:5). Paul himself had referred to this law when he
stood before Felix saying that the Jews of Asia ought to have been summoned to the trial (Acts 24:19). Tacitus
mentions a case in the time of Nero, when a year was allowed for the obtaining of necessary evidence. We can be
fairly certain therefore that Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon had been written before Philippians was penned,
Philemon being the epistle immediately before Philippians, for in that very gracious and personal letter to Philemon