Jesus' is the reading of the Revised text). Therefore while we, with Paul, give Christ the place of pre-eminence, and

avow that his mere presence apart from Christ would have been no cause for abounding joy, yet on the other hand

there is a very precious association between the Lord Who was all in all, and the earthen vessel that bore His name.

Doubtless the Lord could sweep aside all human agents, and carry on His work without their feeble and often

blundering aid, but He does not choose so to act, and it is the glory of grace that He links His own Name and

Salvation with that of the servant He has chosen `in Christ Jesus in me'. Let us bring our present meditation to a

close with these gracious and inspiring words.

Just as we find the apostle returning in chapter 4:11-20 to the theme `fellowship in the Gospel from the

beginning' (Phil. 1:3-26), so we find `conversation' (Phil. 1:27 to 2:5) has its sequel in chapter 3:20,21, and although

we shall not leap from one section to its corresponding member, but take the epistle as it is written, we set out

Philippians 1:27 to 2:5 together with 3:20 to 4:10, so that it may be in the back of our mind while we concentrate on

the earlier portion. The structure of the epistle as a whole is given in the first chapter.

(Phil. 1:27 to 2:5, and 3:20 to 4:10) C and C page 8.

C

C1:27 Conversation,

*

worthy of the gospel (politeuo).

D 27 Stand fast (steko).*

E 27 With one spirit and one soul.

F 27 Striving together (sunathleo).

-

G 28 Not terrified by adversaries.

H 29,30 Conflict seen and heard to be in me.

I  2:1-3 Esteem others better than self.

J  4 Look on things of others.

C3:20,21 Conversation in heaven (politeuma).*

D 4:1 Stand fast (steko).*

E 2 Same mind.

F 3 Striving together (sunathleo).

-

G 4-7 Not anxious. Garrisoned.

I  8 If any virtue, reckon these things.

H -9 Things learned, received,

heard and seen in me.

J 10 Your care of me.

The coming of the apostle to the Philippians would be for their furtherance and joy, but that coming, though

hoped for with great longing, was nevertheless subject to delays, and so the apostle follows the record of his own

willingness to spend himself on their behalf, with an exhortation to a worthy walk in the meantime.

Monon `only'. The word isolates a thought and puts it into prominence `this only would I learn of you' (Gal.

3:2); `ye have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh' (Gal. 5:13). The

`furtherance' of the gospel and of faith is not a matter merely of soundness in doctrine, it is intimately associated

with loyal and loving practice. By the word `only' Paul focuses the attention on the words `conversation' and

To-day, the first meaning that is attached to the word `conversation' is `familiar or intimate talk' and this later

meaning of the word gives us the modern `conversationalist'. The dictionary however reveals that the primary

meaning of the word has to do with the manner of life rather than with speech.

*

- Only occurrences in the N.T.