While the heart of this controversial passage is verse 23, it is essential that the spirit in which this passage was

approached by Paul shall be appreciated by us, and therefore our first inquiry must be into the intention of the

apostle when he wrote :

`For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain' (Phil. 1:21).

It will be seen at once that the presence of the argumentative `for', with which this resolution is prefaced,

compels us to go back into verses 19 and 20. When we do we discover that these verses, too, open with the logical

conjunction `for' and so link the new section on to the selfless rejoicing of the apostle when he said `what then?' The

`furtherance' of the gospel is still in view and plays an essential part in the right understanding of the whole passage

:

`For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness,

as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live

is Christ, and to die is gain' (Phil. 1:19-21).

What does the apostle mean here by `salvation'? Some refer it to deliverance from prison, some to salvation in

the highest sense. First we must give heed to the fact that he uses the word once more in the first chapter in a similar

context, the only difference being that on the first occasion he is speaking of himself, whereas on the second

occasion he speaks of the Philippians :

` ... in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation

and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for

His sake' (Phil. 1:28,29).

Here we have something that is an advance upon `believing on Him', it is the added `suffering for His sake'.

This indicates that salvation is not used here in its purely evangelical sense. It is, moreover, set in a context of

`striving' for the faith of the gospel and the false judgment of `adversaries'.

Most important of all is the fact that `salvation' is used over against `perdition', and a true understanding of this

word will place the salvation which Paul has in mind in its true light.

Apoleia, `perdition', is used again in Philippians 3:19, where it is translated `destruction' and there it is in contrast

with `perfection'. Now this association is proved to be intentional, because in Hebrews - which we have already

demonstrated is parallel with Philippians - these two words `perfection' or `perdition' present the two focal points of

the theme. The Hebrew believers were either `going on unto perfection' or they would `draw back unto perdition'.

Now the primitive meaning of apoleia is `waste', as seen in Matthew 26:8. `Salvation', therefore, in Philippians is

equated with `perfection', the goal that was before both the apostle and the Philippians and closely associated with

`the fellowship of His sufferings' (Phil. 3:10-12).

It is this aspect of salvation that Paul had in mind when he urged the Philippians to `work out' their own

salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). The apostle had earlier used the word `salvation' in a context of

suffering and triumph (2 Cor. 1:6), a context which employs the word `tribulation' (2 Cor. 1:4; Phil. 1:16);

`partakers' in reference to suffering (2 Cor. 1:7; Phil. 1:7); `pressed out of measure' (2 Cor. 1:8; Phil. 1:23); the

`helping together by prayer' (2 Cor. 1:11; Phil. 1:19); `sincerity' (2 Cor. 1:12; Phil. 1:10), and `conversation' (2 Cor.

1:12; Phil. 1:27); where, even though different Greek words are used, the things indicated are similar.

There is, however, another Scripture which will throw light upon the apostle's meaning here, for the words of

Philippians 1:19 contain a word for word quotation of the LXX version of Job 13:16, which in the Authorized

Version reads `He also shall be my salvation'.

The Greek version of Job 13:16 reads :

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