Philippians
Chapter
2
{Function
of the Occupation with Christ - Verses 1-4}
1-2~~Therefore,
if
there is any type of encouragement in Christ
{Bravo-Grace} . . . and there is;
if
there is any comfort from love
{Occupation with Christ} . . . and there is;
if
there is any partnership with the Holy Spirit
{being filled with the Holy Spirit in your spiritual advance} . . .
and
there is;
and
if there are any emotional responses to doctrine
and
resultant mercies {Grace in Action} and there is . . . 2~~
BRING
TO COMPLETION my happiness
{+H, catch up with me in spiritual maturity},
in
order that you keep on thinking the same things {divine view},
having
the same love {occupation with Christ},
united
in the soul {rapport of souls},
concentrating
or intent on the same objective
{reaching UltraSuperGrace status}.
{Note: 'Bring to completion' is a command to all SuperGrace believers to keep moving to the final goal.}
{How
to deal with others advancing in SuperGrace - Verses 3-4}
3~~Do
nothing motivated by contentiousness nor ambitious pride; but by
means of grace orientation
be
considering each other {other believers}
as
BETTER than himself.
4~~Every
one of you {advancing to UltraSuperGrace}
should
not only be regarding his own personal interests {in advance},
but
also every one {advancing} the personal interests of others.
5~~
Keep on thinking this {Bible Doctrine} within yourself . . .
which
was also resident in Christ Jesus.
{Note: You can not 'think' what is in the bible. You can only think those doctrines that have been studied, accepted, and transferred to your soul.}
{Christ
in Eternity Past then the Hypostatic Union as He is today in Heaven
and always will be}
6~~Who
{Christ}, though He eternally existed in the essence of God,
He
did not think equalities {plural} with God
a
gain to be seized {means to violently take}
and
held {so that the Father's plan would not be neutralized}.
{Note: There is no 'robbery' here. He did not have to get equality with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, because He already HAD it! Christ as deity in eternity immediately accepted God the Father's plan for him to leave heaven and become human in hypostatic union. He did not consider this a loss because he still was/is 100% deity also. Just as Christ agreed to do His part of God the Father's plan, we should continue to move forward from SuperGrace A into no man's land of SuperGrace B and on to UltraSuperGrace.}
7~~But
He Himself {Christ}
deprived
Himself of the proper function of deity
when
He had received the 'inner essence'/form of a servant/slave
although
He had been born in the outward likeness/image of mankind.
{Note: Outwardly Christ's humanity looked the same . . . inside He was different in that He was not born with an Old Sin Nature and He never created one by sinning}.
{Note: Verse 6 - He has the essence of deity - always has always will. Verse 7 - He took on the essence of humanity, except for the imputation of the 'Sin of the Father' - The Old Sin Nature - i.e. the reason for the necessity of the virgin birth. Pure deity and pure humanity . . . this makes Him the uniquely born person of the universe - no one like Him - Jesus Christ - 100% deity, 100% humanity - in hypostatic union.}
8~~In
fact, although having been discovered
in
outward appearance as a man,
He
humbled Himself
by
becoming obedient to the point of {spiritual} death . . .
that
is, the death of the cross.
{Note: When Christ permitted Himself to carry our sins on the cross for us, this was a humbling experience for a perfect God.}
9~~Therefore
also, The God
has
exalted Him {Christ} to the maximum . . .
and
has bestowed on Him a name/rank
which
is above every name/rank.
{Note: Christ's humanity was given the highest rank given to a human - battlefield royalty - King of Kings, Lord of Lords.}
10~~In
order that in the presence of the person of Jesus
every
knee of heaven shall bow . . .
both
the ones on the Earth {the Rapture Generation still alive}
and
the ones under the Earth {the dead in Christ}.
{Note:
A reference to the Rapture of the Church. Living and dead believers
shall meet in the air (I
Thessalonians 4:17) and take One knee and bow to Christ. So this
verse refers to two groups of
people
. . . those still living at the time of the rapture and the Royal
Family that have died (as an example most of the dead of the time the
bible was written, had their bodies buried - but ALL believers will
be at the rapture). See also I
Corinthians 1:7}
11~~And
every tongue shall verbally acknowledge
that
Jesus Christ is Lord . . . resulting in the glory of God the Father.
{Note: The Rapture of the Church ends the Church Age or dispensation. When the body of Christ is completed, this part of God the Father's plan is concluded and results in Glory for God the Father. The resurrected Christ is in heaven at the right side of God the Father. At the Rapture, His bride is in heaven being evaluated - and, therefore, Christ's Royal Family is with Him in heaven. The Jewish dispensation will now have its last seven years. And, then the millennial reign of Christ on Earth will begin - back to perfect environment like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.}
{Advance
to UltraSuperGrace - Verses 12-16}
12~~So
then, my personal beloved {those advancing to maturity},
just
as you have always obeyed {hupakouo},
not
as in my presence only,
but
now much more in my absence
{face to face is NOT the only acceptable method of receiving
doctrine},
be
accomplishing your own preservation in danger
{be advancing from SuperGrace B - no man's land with great subtle
attacks from reversionists and now you have Satan's attention -
to UltraSG}
with
reverence {toward Christ}
and
respect {toward doctrine}.
{Note: 'hupakouo' - is a strong Greek word for obedience - 'to hear under the authority' - the consistent obedience to the teaching of your right pastor/teacher is required to advance in spiritual growth.}
13~~
For it keeps on being God {the Holy Spirit}
Who
is at work in you both to will {motivation for taking in doctrine}
and to do {execution of intake of doctrine}
'above
and beyond His will and good pleasure'
{synonym for UltraSuperGrace - the highest level of maturity}.
{Opposition
to the advance to UltraSuperGrace}
14~~Keep
on doing all things {everything necessary to advance} without sullen
discontent and argumentations
which
undermine authority.
15~~In
order that you yourselves
might
become blameless {free from evil},
that
is faultless . . .
not
censored by God {for being in reversionism}
even
innocent . . .
not
diluted by evil
but
full of doctrinal integrity.
Blameless
from the standpoint of establishment morals/patriotism,
students/sons
of God
{a child under the authority of the parents},
in
the middle of a crooked
{rejection of establishment}
and
perverted {under the influence of evil} generation . . .
among
whom . . . you {mature believers}
keep
shining as light giving bodies in the world {cosmos}.
{Note: There is a big difference between EVIL and SIN. Sin comes from our old sin natures. Evil comes from the thoughts in the mentality. This is related to the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Sins were judged at the cross. If you are anti-establishment, you are evil but not necessarily sinning. If you commit homicide, you are both doing evil and sin. If you are a social activist trying to improve the devil's world, you are not sinning but you are doing 'human good' or 'works' . . . which is a category of evil. All unbelievers will have their works evaluated by Christ on the Day of Judgement and from prophecy we know that 'all will fall short of the glory of God'. Believers' evil is 'wood, hay and stubble' and will be burned away before we receive our resurrected bodies.}
16~~Be
concentrating on the Word of Life {bible doctrine}
in
order that I may have a basis for boasting
with
reference to the day of Christ {Rapture},
for
the purpose that I have not run
without
profit/in vain,
nor
worked hard for no purpose
{had there been only negative volition in the congregation -
but this was a mature, advancing congregation}.
{Note: At the rapture of the Church, the believers are evaluated and given rewards. Based on the rewards earned by the congregation, the Pastors and Apostles also will have great reason to be happy (Boasting/rejoicing/glorying) in their work on Earth. They also will receive greater rewards in heaven based on how far they were able to assist their congregation to advance.}
{Verses
17-30: Three illustrations of Occupation with Christ}
17~~But,
even if I am being poured out as a libation, and I am,
on
the altar of sacrifice {study} and service {teach}
with
reference to YOUR doctrine,
I
keep having inner happiness! {share the happiness of God}
and
congratulate all you all.
{Note: 'Poured out' here in the Greek here is 'spendo', which was used by the Greeks when they offered a drink to a Greek God. Here it comes to mean that Paul is sacrificing his entire life in studying and teaching doctrine. And, because the Philippians are on the path to Ultimate spiritual life right behind Paul, he is happy and lets them know it!}
18~~Now
you also have inner happiness
for
the same reason {faithful intake of bible doctrine} . . .
IN
FACT . . . You ought to CONGRATULATE ME!
{Note: This is not bragging or a request for praise! All Paul is saying is he is working hard to get to UltraSuperGrace so he can LEAD them to the high ground. No pastor can take a congregation any higher in maturity then HE is. So, God the Holy Spirit directs Paul to say that they should congratulate him . . . as he congratulated them.}
19~~Now
I anticipate by the grace of the Lord Jesus
to
send Timothy to you
without
delay {their pastor is sick so they need Timothy},
in
order that I may also have tranquility of soul
when
I know your status quo.
{Note: These people are at a critical point in their spiritual growth yet their pastor is sick so Paul feels the great need to send a mature teacher to them.}
20~~For
I have no man of equal soul {level of spiritual maturity}
who
{because of his spiritual maturity}
will
be genuinely concerned for your status quo.
{Charlie
Grace- Divine Disciple given to reversionistic believers in evil}
21~~For
they all keep seeking
after
their own interests {self-gratification},
not
the interests of Jesus Christ's
{putting the Word of God/ bible doctrine first in your life}.
{Note: 'They' here refers to the other believers in Rome around Paul. Per RBT the church in Rome was reversionistic, under the influence of evil, and not a grace organization. Timothy has to be the one sent to the Philippians while Paul is in prison and Epaphroditus (their pastor) recovers from his illness.}
22~~But
{in contrast} you have come to know
his
{Timothy} character/honor/integrity {quality of being approved} as a
child/student under strict discipline
with
reference to his father/academic leader,
he
has served with me with reference to the gospel.
{Note: Timothy was their pastor teacher before and they knew he studied and taught under Paul all Timothy's life. He did not try to under cut Paul. And, he became a great pastor himself. Every pastor is the slave of the Lord Jesus Christ . . . which means he is totally under the authority of Christ and it is Christ's responsibility to take care of his slaves! Not a bad place to be at all!}
23~~Therefore
I expect to dispatch him {Timothy} immediately,
as
soon as I see how things turn out here with me.
{Note: Paul is in prison and could be released any time . . . or not.}
24~~Now
I have confidence in the Lord
that
I also myself shall come {to you} soon.
25-26~~Now
I consider it proper {God's will}
to
send Epaphroditus face to face with you . . .
who
is my brother {a believer},
also
my co-worker {fellow communicator of doctrine}
and
comrade in arms {in the angelic conflict} . . .
that
is 'YOUR highest ranked one' {local pastor/teacher} . . .
even
your SuperGrace minister . . .
sent
with reference to my needs {rapport, companionship, someone
with whom Paul could relax and be comfortable} 26~~
because
he {Epaphroditus} was longing {deep love} for you all,
and,
since he was distressed
because
you had heard that he had become critically ill.
{Note: Epaphroditus means 'belonging to Aphrodite' - which became an idiom for 'handsome'. It was a name earned and never given at birth. Epaphroditus was the pastor of the local church at Philippians and though apparently was handsome, it was not important to him. He was a 'plugger' and kept with it. He did not have the intellect of Paul or the eloquence of Timothy, but he was a great man of the day - faithful to the Word . . . study and teach, study and teach. He was the one considered the most trustworthy to bring a very large offering to Paul in prison in Rome.}
{Note: Verse 26 is really a statement of a pastor's love for his right church . . . for his very mature congregation . . . they were very positive toward doctrine and were spiritually self-sustaining.}
27~~For
as a matter of fact he {Epaphroditus}
was
so ill that he nearly died . . .
but
The God had mercy on him
and
not on him only,
but
also on me {blessing by association},
lest
I should have sorrow stacked upon sorrow.
{Note: As a fellow mature pastor, Paul loved Epaphroditus so much, his death would have caused Paul much sorrow for his absence. He was a very mature believer and fellow pastor/teacher. He and Paul must have had a wonderful rapport. Paul in SuperGrace B here has many pressures. God never puts more pressures on believers than they can handle. Sorrow stacked on sorrow would be the sorrow of the death stacked on top of the sorrows Paul is facing under the great pressures of going over the barrier of SuperGrace B into UltraSuperGrace.}
28~~So
as has been said {in verse 25},
I
have sent him with special urgency,
in
order that when you stare at him again,
you
might have intensified happiness . . .
and
I may be less concerned/anxious.
{Note: The congregation will now appreciate Epaphroditus as people do when a loved one is gone for a while and almost lost for good . . . so they will look at him so strong they will stare.}
29~~Therefore
receive him {Epaphroditus}
with
submission and expectation in the Lord
with
all happiness
and
also be holding such a high quality type {all mature pastors}
in
highest honor.
30~~Because
on account of the business of Christ
he
came close to dying . . .
when
he had gambled his life . . .
in
order that he might make up
for
your lack of service {the absence of social fellowship}
face
to face with me.
{Note: Epaphroditus knew he was sick when he took off for Rome and was truly risking his life, but he went anyway! No whining! Do it! And, Epaphroditus was there representing the whole church of mature believers in Philippi - and Paul missed the of social relationship with this great church.}
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