Free Bible Commentary
“Philippians 1:1-7”
Categories: Philippians“Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.”
---End of Scripture verses---
Paul wrote this spiritually substantive letter to the “saints,” “overseers and deacons” of the church of Christ in the city of Philippi (verse 1). This was, is and should be the constitution of every authorized congregation of the Lord’s people. Notice that in Christ’s church there are no offices of priest, assistant pastor, head pastor, associate minister, archbishop, archdeacon, etc. The word “saint” literally means “holy one,” and that designation is given to anyone who has been sanctified by faith and obedience to the Lord in a covenant relationship with Him. Today, a saint is a faithful Christian.
The word “overseer” is the Greek word “episkopos” and it is commonly translated “bishop”. This is a compound word where, according to Vine’s dictionary, “epi” means “over” and “skopeo” means “to look or watch”. The words “elder,” “overseer” and “shepherd” (pastor) are used interchangeably in the New Testament because they are different terms which apply to the same “office” (consider Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Peter 5:1-2). Vine’s also says this about overseers: “The term ‘elder’ indicates the mature spiritual experience and understanding of those so described; the term ‘bishop,’ or ‘overseer,’ indicates the character of the work undertaken. There was always a plurality (more than one) of overseers appointed in each local congregation (Acts 14:23; 20:17; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:5; James 5:14). For their qualifications and responsibilities see 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9. Please notice that elders are always men.
The word “deacon” means “servant” in its generic sense, but in this passage it refers to the position of certain appointed men who function under the oversight of elders in an official capacity of service to a local congregation. The qualifications for deacon are set forth in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Vine’s dictionary says of deacons that, “The so-called ‘seven deacons’ in Acts 6 are not there mentioned by that name, though the kind of service in which they were engaged was of the character of that committed to such.” It is the conclusion of many (and logically so I believe) that the function of these seven servants recorded in Acts 6:1-6, as they served the church in Jerusalem under the oversight of the 12 Apostles, mirrors the situation that exists in the church today with saints, elders and deacons. Deacons are always men as well.
Paul’s epistle to the Philippians is very much a thank you letter for the service that they had rendered to him while he was suffering imprisonment for the service that was rendering to the Lord. He thanked them for their “participation in the gospel” (verse 5), and that they were “partakers” with him in his “imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel” (verse 7). These brethren had helped to alleviate Paul’s “affliction” (4:14), by sending him a very generous “gift” (4:16-17) to support his needs while he was “getting along with humble means” (4:12) under house arrest in the city of Rome. As a matter of fact, they had contributed to Paul’s needs at his “first preaching of the gospel” (4:16), and they helped him plentifully and frequently (4:17) as he dedicated his life to the preaching of the word.
Paul loved these benevolent brethren deeply (verse 7) for their love for him and the Lord, and he wanted to encourage them and assure them that God would continue to be with them, and perfect them (verse 6), and supply their every need “according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus” (4:19).
Please read Philippians 1:8-11 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
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