26
THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING
The furtherance of the Gospel is not an isolated effort. The reader may remember that in a published statement
concerning the work of the Berean Forward Movement, it was stated that our purpose was to `foster and to further'
the claim of Dispensational Truth. If the Gospel is to be furthered, it must also be fostered. Paul does not use this
term in Philippians, but he does speak of being set for `the defence and confirmation of the gospel' (Phil. 1:7) which
is equivalent.
The word translated `defence' is apologia and originally meant `to talk oneself out of a difficulty', even as the
word apology has this lower meaning in our own tongue. The word is used both in the New Testament Greek and in
English in a higher sense, being employed by the early `fathers' for the `defence of Christianity'. To-day we have a
department of theology entitled `Apologetics' from this same word. The word apologia is used of or by Paul seven
times.
`Hear ye my defence' (Acts 22:1). To his Hebrew accusers.
`And have licence to answer for himself' (Acts 25:16). Festus to the Chief Priests.
`At my first answer (defence)' (2 Tim. 4:16). Paul before Nero.
And in 1 Corinthians 9:3 it is translated `answer' and in 2 Corinthians 7:11 `clearing'.
In Acts 19 to 26 apologeomai is translated `make defence', `answer for' or `speak for', in relation to Paul's trial.
In only two references out of eighteen is the secondary and lower meaning `make excuse' intended, namely in
Romans 2:15 and 2 Corinthians 12:19.
Paul was blessedly conscious that his very imprisonment would be overruled and provide a testimony to the
integrity of the gospel. It should not and must not be allowed to pass unobserved, that whereas in Acts 19 to 26 Paul
is concerned with his own defence, now that he is at Rome and in prison he is far more concerned with the defence
of the gospel, even as, when writing to the Colossians at the selfsame time that he had said `remember my bonds', he
had prayed for an `opened door', yet not so that he might be set free from prison but that `God would open unto us a
door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds' (Col. 4:3).
Not only was Paul `set' for the defence, but also for the `confirmation' of the Gospel. Here he uses the word
bebaiosis, and anyone who had been a zealot for the law as he had been, would know that this word occurs once in
the LXX, namely at Leviticus 25:23, in the law concerning the sale of land in Israel. The Hebrew reads `the land
shall not be sold for a cutting off', which the LXX translates `the land shall not be sold for a permanence'.
Paul would also remember that the verb is found in Psalm 119:28, where we read `strengthen Thou me according
unto Thy Word'. Bebaios is translated `sure', `stedfast' and `firm' (Rom. 4:16; Heb. 6:19 and 3:6). Bebaioo is
rendered `confirm' and `establish' (Mark 16:20; Rom. 15:8; 1 Cor. 1:6,8; 2 Cor. 1:21).
In the background, yet nevertheless `behind' all this defence and furtherance, was the loving and constant
`fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now' (Phil. 1:5), the human side; and the confidence that `He Which
had begun a good work' would perform it (Phil. 1:6), the Divine side of the same blessed story.
The bonds of the apostle were manifest as `bonds in Christ' and this had been made known throughout the
praetorian guard. The very fact that his imprisonment necessitated that one of the guard should always be with him,
chained by the wrist, ensured that in time the doctrine and principles for which Paul was imprisoned would be
widely circulated. The apostle was so whole-heartedly devoted to the Gospel he served with such selfless singleness
of eye, that he could look beyond the faction that preached Christ of envy and strife and meet it with the challenging
`what then?'; Christ was preached, that sufficed. Christ was all in all in Colossians 3:11, Christ is as surely all in
Philippians, and it is this thread that binds the sections of this epistle together, linking Paul's choice in Philippians
1:21-24, with Christ's example (Phil. 2:5-11), providing the attitude of mind that attains unto
the out-resurrection (Phil. 3:10-14) and giving true contentment in all circumstances (Phil. 4:11,12). Here we have
indeed, what the hymn writer later desired :
`A mind at leisure from itself',
because so fully occupied with Christ.