The Exemplary Hope, Obedience and Care of Paul and Timothy as They Imitate Christ: AN EXEGESIS OF PHILIPPIANS 2:19-24

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INTRODUCTION Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi is very tame when compared to those he wrote to other churches, such as those at Galatia and Corinth (292). This proves to be the case in Philippians 2:19-24. In these six verses Paul is intending to communicate two main points: (1) He believes that Timothy is a respectable teacher of God’s word, and he wants the Philippian congregation to recognize this (Phil 2:22); (2) Paul intends for Timothy’s visit to be encouraging to the Philippian brethren, and for their encouragement to be reciprocated in himself. In writing this section of verses, Paul also communicates another message through implication. Paul is sending Timothy to the church in Philippi because he is unable to go himself. While writing this letter, Paul is under house arrest (Phil. 1:7). His place of imprisonment is either Rome, or a closer province to Philippi, such as Ephesus (Phil. 1:13). However, in the face of the impending danger of death, Paul remains hopeful and demonstrates his faith in The Lord (Phil. 2:24). Paul is not able to go to the Philippian brethren at the time of his writing. However, he sends Timothy, and also Epaphroditus, with a message that he hopes to be coming to them as well. This all pends upon the will of Christ, which Paul explicitly states he follows regardless of his own desires. EXEGESIS 19 Ἐλπίζω δὲ ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ Τιμόθεον ταχέως πέμψαι ὑμῖν, ἵνα κἀγὼ εὐψυχῶ γνοὺς τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν. 20 οὐδένα γὰρ ἔχω ἰσόψυχον ὅστις γνησίως τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν μεριμνήσει, 21 οἱ πάντες γὰρ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ζητοῦσιν, οὐ τὰ [a]Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. 22 τὴν δὲ δοκιμὴν αὐτοῦ γινώσκετε, ὅτι ὡς πατρὶ τέκνον σὺν ἐμοὶ ἐδούλευσεν εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον. 23 τοῦτον μὲν οὖν ἐλπίζω πέμψαι ὡς ἂν ἀφίδω τὰ περὶ ἐμὲ ἐξαυτῆς· 24 πέποιθα δὲ ... ... middle of paper ... ...d Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005. Thielman, Frank S. The NIV Application Commentary. Edited by Terry Muck. Grand Rapids: ZondervanPublishingHouse, 1995. Thompson, James W. “Preaching to Philippians.” Pages 306–7 in Interpretation. Abilene: John Knox Press, 2007. Thurston, BB, JM Ryan, and DJ Harrington. Philippians and Philemon. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2009. Vincent, Marvin R. “The Epistles to the Philippians and to Philemon.” Pages 10–194 in The International Critical Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1904. Watson, F. “A Rhetorical Analysis of Philippians and Its Implications for the Unity Question Author ( S ): Duane F . Watson Stable URL : http://www.jstor.org/stable/1560841 . A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF PHILIPPIANS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UNITY” 30 (2014): 57–88.

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