19
THINGS THAT ARE MORE EXCELLENT
A Colossians
The Mystery.
a Bishops and Deacons.
B 1 and 2 Timothy
b The Crown.
and Titus.
Confidence and continuance, with special attention to the word epiteleo
Paul opens the epistle proper with thanksgiving `upon every remembrance' of the Philippians, and that with
particular reference to their `fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now' (Phil. 1:3-5).
Two very characteristic words appear in this opening, namely, eucharisteo `I give thanks' and mneia
`remembrance'. Eucharisteo is for ever rendered sacred by the fact that it was used by the Lord when He took the
cup of wine that set forth in type the very shedding of His life's blood and yet `gave thanks' (Matt. 26:27). It has
also been rendered odious by the Pharasaic self complacency of the man who stood and prayed `God, I thank thee,
that I am not as other men are' (Luke 18:11). This expression `I thank' or `we thank' marks the introduction of seven
of the epistles of Paul (Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4; Phil. 1:3; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2 Thess. 1:3 and Philemon 4). Not
only so, but the companion word mneia `remembrance' occurs but seven times in the New Testament and every
occurrence is found in Paul's epistles (Rom. 1:9; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3; 1 Thess. 1:2; 3:6; 2 Tim. 1:3 and Philemon 4).
The reader will be aware that as age creeps on memory becomes fickle, yet we note that `remembrance' (mneia), `be
mindful' (mnaomai), `call to remembrance' (hupomnesis), and `put in remembrance' (anamimnesko), are found
together in the opening verses of Paul's last epistle, 2 Timothy.
If the use of the word eucharisteo is laden with precious thoughts as we think of its use at the Last Supper, the
use of `remembrance' in connection with thanksgiving is likewise sanctified by the Lord's saying at that same feast,
`this do in remembrance of Me' (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24).
When writing these epistles, Paul is not only recording doctrine by Divine revelation, he is also recording certain
characteristics of his own by grace. It is certainly no accident that `the giving of thanks' and the word for
`remembrance' are each used seven times by him in his epistles as already indicated, which makes us aware that
some of his success as a preacher of the gospel, must be ascribed to this very lovely trait of thankful remembrance.
In Philippians this thankful remembrance is linked with the Philippians' continual fellowship in the gospel from the
first day. Perhaps an examination of the other epistles that use this expression will deepen the suggestion we have
made, that there exists a relationship between the thankful remembrance of the preacher, and the growth in grace of
his hearer.
In Romans 1:8 Paul thanks God that the faith of the saints at Rome is spoken of throughout the whole world, and
to this he adds the solemn assertion `for God is my witness, Whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son,
that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers'.
How far was the faithful stand of the Roman Christians connected with the thankful and unceasing remembrance
of them by the apostle?
If the Roman believers' faith was spoken of throughout the whole world, the Thessalonians were likewise
thankfully remembered (1 Thess. 1:2,3), for he wrote there `from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in
Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad: so that we need not to speak
anything' (1 Thess. 1:8).
This thanksgiving of the apostle was continuous and comprehensive. `Every' remembrance; `always' in `every'
prayer for you `all'. Where the apostle in the Philippian epistle assures the believer that on `every' remembrance he
gave thanks, in Romans, 1 Thessalonians and 2 Timothy he substitutes the words `without ceasing', which is but
another way of saying that he remembered continually.
It appears therefore that there is this vital link of thankful remembrance between the teacher and the taught, that
the responsibility and privilege of ministry does not end at the class room or the meeting, but is a remembrance
`without ceasing' before the throne of grace.