Having the Mind of Christ
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
Phil 2:1-5
The Mind of Paul
Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticise you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.
Phil 2:12-18
The Mind of Timothy
If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.
Phil 2:19-24
The Mind of Epaphroditus
Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honour that people like him deserve. For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away.
Phil 2:25-30
I am sure you can see what I have done in the passages above. It struck me that we have here – three examples of a Christlike mind – Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus. It is complex, as a glance at the colouring above will show you. I have tried to summarize the complexity in the table below. When I first noticed this a day or so ago while reading through the overall passage again, I saw the repetitive themes or motifs coming through. You will note I am sure that I have omitted a large chunk from the text I have given you above. That Majestic Passage! But I am content to have it summed up in the words “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus“. That is prepared to offer His Life for us. Such willingness to give up one’s life is clearly stated for Paul and for Epaphroditus and hinted at with Timothy. I intended highlighting the themes in strong colours and the motifs in similar lighter colours, but my colouring system is not sufficient for that.
I began to see Paul talks of sending Timothy to them. The Philippians send Epaphroditus to Paul to encourage him and then he sends him back to encourage them. Paul Himself was sent BY CHRIST. We have the centrality of the Word, Holding firmly to the Word of Life and holding out the Word of life. There is a dual sense of both aspects in the Greek words. That is mirrored again by both Timothy and Epaphroditus. Of course Christlike love, concern and care for others, emotion, distress, love and anxiety comes out in all three. The willingness to lay one’s life on the line as an offering just like Christ and exemplified by Paul. I am sure you are getting the point. There are other little things I noticed in the Greek text but I going to follow the KISS principle and Keep It Simple.
I have attempted to summarize these themes and motifs in the table below. You be the judge as to whether I have achieved my purpose and done it well or not.
Comparative Table of Christlikeness
Characteristic | Paul | Timothy | Epaphroditus |
---|---|---|---|
Sent | Commissioned by Christ | Sent by Paul | Sent by Philippians Sent back by Paul |
Holding on to Word | Holding firmly to the Word of Life | Has proved himself Like a son with father | True brother |
Holding out the Word | Holding out the Word of Life | Served with me Preaching the Good News | Co-worker Fellow soldier Your messenger (to me) The work of Christ |
Evidence of Christ’s Attitude | Agreeing Loving Working together One mind and purpose Interests of others | No one else like him Genuinely cares for you | Longing to see you Very distressed (at your concern) |
Sacrifice / Willing to Die | Lose my life Poured out like liquid Offering to God | Has proved himself | Very ill Almost died At the point of death Risked his life |
Joy Theme | Share the joy Rejoice I will share your joy | Cheer me up | Glad to see him With great joy |
I think you will grasp my intention. I just wanted to show you how similar each person is laid out as an example of having the mind of Christ. But of course I have not included the Exemplar, Jesus Christ Himself. I feel I have handled that aspect in full,spread over the number of Gems I took to unpack That Majestic Passage.
I want to add just one more little note of interest. Oh believe me, there are many more I am skipping over in my attempt to give you a concentrated, hybrid package here. A number of people have unsubscribed because they feel I go deeper into Scripture than they wish. That is fine. I have a distinctive approach and wish to delve into Scripture at a deeper level, even if just for myself. But I give you the privilege to follow along if you wish. I want to address a specific aspect of Epaphroditus’ name. ‘Epaphrodite’ is an expression in Greek the equivalent of “Luck” or “Lucky One”. It was a vocative expression of good luck shouted out when gambling. Something like “Good Luck”. “Lucky”. I am sure you have picked up on the fact that this guy Epaphroditus “gambled” or “risked his life” for the work of the Lord. That is exactly what Paul is referring to, by telling us “He certainly was ill, in fact he almost died . . . for he risked his life for the work of Christ and he was at the point of death.”
What about us?
Are we willing lose our lives, being poured it out like a liquid offering to God in faithful service like Paul?
Are we willing to prove ourselves like Timothy, serving together preaching the Good News?
Are we willing to risk our lives for the work of Christ, even to the point of death like Epaphroditus despite the fact we don’t have the name “Lucky”?
If you want a glimpse of your future, don’t look for the size of your dream, but for the size of your sacrifice.Â
Never desire another’s success until you know the sacrifice, pain & pressure they went through to achieve it.
The Price Of Success Tomorrow Is The Willingness To Sacrifice Pleasure Today
Have this mind in you that was also in Christ Jesus . . . who humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Phil 2:5,8
And I trust that my life will bring honour to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.
Phil 1:20-21
I will be a regular reader! God recently put it in my heart to go deeper in study, and immediately provided the pathway to this ministry! Praise You, Dearest Lord God!
I am so pleased that these Gems & Nuggets hit the sport for you. I am delighted. You can see that any Gem or Nugget I have ever written is readily available to you. I suggest you look at the series I recently did on Phil 2:5-11 – That Majestic Passage. I reckon you will love it and many more. Have fun looking.
Ian