15
THINGS THAT ARE MORE EXCELLENT
It will be a useful appendix to this opening study, if we indicate some of the essential differences that are
observable between the epistle to the Philippians and that to the Ephesians. With this comparison and that already
instituted between Philippians and Hebrews, we shall then have both positive and negative testimony to the real
purpose of the Philippian epistle.
Some differences between Ephesians and Philippians
(1) Fulness. Ephesians is an epistle of fulness, the word pleroma occurring four times, namely in 1:10,23; 3:19 and
4:13. In contrast with this, Philippians places great stress on the kenosis or `self emptying of the Lord' (`no
reputation' Phil. 2:7) but never uses the word `fulness'.
(2) Boldness. This is insisted on in Ephesians 3:12. Not only has the believer access, but access with boldness.
Fear and trembling, however, is the attitude of the believer in Philippians 2:12, for there `service' not `access'
is in view.
(3) Ascension. The Lord's ascension is stressed in Ephesians. The believer's hopes are all centred there, where
Christ sits at the right hand of God. In Philippians, the Lord's descent is emphasized. His original equality
with God being veiled while He humbled Himself to the death of the cross. His exaltation being a sequel,
parallel to `the joy that was set before Him' in Hebrews 12:1,2.
(4) Remember. The Ephesian believer is urged to remember that he was once an alien, a stranger, hopeless and
Christless (Eph. 2:12). Conversely, the Philippian believer is urged to forget the things that are behind, lest
they hinder him in running the race set before him.
(5) The Hope of the calling. Ephesians deals with the `Hope' of the calling, Philippians with the `Prize' of the
calling, which `prize' is associated with the figure of running a race and the possibility of failing to attain the
goal.
(6) Fellowship. Fellowship expressed by the use of the preposition sun `together with' in combination follows two
lines of teaching characteristic of the two epistles. There are eight distinctive words used in Ephesians which
have the affix sun, that give a fairly comprehensive view of the distinctive teaching of that epistle - all of
them, moreover, deal with basic position, none with experimental teaching. These we will here set out :
Fellow citizens (Eph. 2:19); fitly framed together (Eph. 2:21); fellow heirs, the same body, partakers (Eph. 3:6); the
bond of peace (Eph. 4:3) and fitly joined together (Eph. 4:16).
When we turn to Philippians we find the affix sun associated with a completely different set of words, indicating
a completely different line of teaching.
`Partakers of my grace' (Phil. 1:7). This refers to suffering for the Gospel. `Striving together' and `fellow
labourers' (Phil. 1:27 and 4:3); `fellow soldier' (Phil. 2:25); `followers together' (Phil. 3:17); `fashioned like unto'
(Phil. 3:21). This last occurrence is the only reference that approaches a line of teaching similar to that of
Ephesians. The similarity however is superficial. When we examine the passage we shall see that Philippians 3:21
is continuing the teaching given concerning the `out resurrection' and `the prize' which occupies the chapter from
verse 10. The fellowship that is stressed in Philippians is not that of being seated together, but of striving together,
and can be summed up in the words of Philippians 3:10, where `the (voluntary) fellowship of His sufferings', which
has the out-resurrection in view, is in order that `if by any means I might attain unto' the prize of the high calling. In
Ephesians we meet the word teleios `perfect' but once, as the goal of the church `the perfect man'. In Philippians we
meet the word teleios but once, with one occurrence also of teleioo (Phil. 3:12,15), where the context speaks of
running with a prize in view. Having seen the parallels that exist between Philippians and Hebrews and the
contrasts with Ephesians, together with the structure of the epistle as a whole, we can now take up the study of the
epistle, feeling that we have done what is necessary in clearing the way for its examination.