Date: 3/15/18
Lesson # 1
Title: Salutation
Text: (Philippians 1:1-2)
Scripture: (Philippians 1:1-2, NIV)
1 Paul{P1] and Timothy{P2], servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons{P3]:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[P1} Paul, commonly known as Saint Paul and also known by his Jewish name Saul of Tarsus was an apostle (though not one of the Twelve Apostles) who taught the gospel of Christ to the first century world. We know a lot about Paul already from our study of his other epistles, so I will be brief and remind readers of just a few things. Paul is generally considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age and in the mid-30s to the mid-50s AD he founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe. He took advantage of his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen (Paul’s Roman citizenship gained his freedom and silenced his enemies.) to minister to both Jewish and Roman audiences; preaching that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God. Approximately half of the book of Acts deals with Paul's life and works.
[P2} Timothy (Greek: meaning "honoring God" or "honored by God.") was an early Christian evangelist and the first first-century Christian bishop of Ephesus, who tradition relates died around the year AD 97. Timothy was from the Lycaonian city of Lystra in Asia Minor, born of a Jewish mother who had become a Christian believer, and a Greek father. The Apostle Paul met him during his second missionary journey and he became Paul’s companion and co-worker along with Silas. The New Testament indicates that Timothy traveled with Saint Paul, who was also his mentor. Paul entrusted him with important assignments. He is addressed as the recipient of the First and Second Epistles to Timothy.
[P3} The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; see Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8, 12. There are some who believe that their work may have been patterned after the seven of Acts 6:1-6, but they are not called deacons.
Introduction:
In Paul’s time letters typically began with the name of the sender, the name of the recipient, and a brief salutation. That Philippians was written by Paul is virtually unquestioned. Tradition holds that the apostle wrote the Philippians from Rome, while in prison, and by the hand of Epaphroditus. But according to Acts 16:12-40, Paul and his missionary companions founded the church during his so-called second missionary journey (A.D. 49), after having answered a call at Troas to enter Macedonia to help there. Philippi received its name from Phillip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great.
Christianity which began with quiet meetings in the humble Jewish homes, or oratory, by the river-side, had spread in Philippi and has by now settled down into a stable and permanent church organization. Of all his churches, the Church at Philippi was the one to which Paul was closest; and he writes, not as an apostle to members of his Church, but as a friend to his friends.
Paul’s letter to the Philippians is practical. It gets right down to where we live. It is a wonderful little epistle and we will be enriched by the sweetness of it.
Lesson
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the servants of Christ Jesus and deacons:
“PAUL AND TIMOTHY”—Paul associates Timothy with himself. Paul brings this young preacher and puts him right beside himself, and he encourages him. Paul loves this young man, Timothy. He was Paul’s son in the Lord, that is, he had won him to Christ; and Paul was very interested in him. Paul is constantly identifying certain young preachers with himself.
“SERVANTS OF CHRIST JESUS{A.4].” In the greeting, Paul identifies himself and Timothy as the servants{A.6] of Jesus Christ, not because Timothy played any part in the composition of the letter as Paul’s prompt return to the singular demonstrates (1:3), but because he wishes to prepare the Philippians for Timothy’s forthcoming visit (2:19) by showing them that they are colleagues engaged in the same work. This is further emphasized by the joint designation, “bond servants of Christ Jesus”, which is not an honorific title, but an expression denoting their complete submission to the lordship of Christ. Having been redeemed by Christ from the bondage of sin, they are now totally at the disposal of their New Master. A servant is free to come and go; but a slave is the possession of his master forever.
When Paul calls himself the slave of Jesus Christ, he does three things.
I. He asserts that he is the total possession of Christ. Christ has loved him and bought him with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20{A.7]), and he can never belong to anyone else.
II. He states that he owes an absolute obedience to Christ. The slave has no will of his own; his master’s will must be his. So Paul has no will of his own; his master’s will must be his. So Paul has no will but Christ’s, and no obedience but to his Savior and Lord.
III. In the Old Testament the regular title of the prophets is the servants of God (Amos 3:7; Jeremiah 7:25). That is the title which is given to Moses, to Joshua and to David (Joshua 1:2; Judges 2:8; Psalm 78:70; 89:3, 20). In fact, the highest of all titles of honor is a servant of God; and when Paul takes this title, he humbly places himself in the succession of the prophets and of the great ones of God. The Christian’s slavery to Jesus Christ is no cringing subjection. As the Latin tag has it: “to be his slave is to be a king.”
The word servants actually means “bondslaves (or bondservants).” It suggests not only the idea of a special calling (as it had done when applied to the Old Testament prophets), but also a complete devotion to the Lord. This is in contrast to his epistle to the Galatians where he was defending his apostleship. He began with “Paul, an apostle.” He did the same thing to the Corinthians. He had to declare and defend his apostleship and wanted them to know he was apostle not of men, neither by man. He didn’t need to defend himself with these Philippians. They love him, and they’ve accepted his apostleship. They had all been led to the Lord by him. So Paul takes a humble place, his rightful position; both “Paul and Timothy,” are “servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The significance of the words of a salutation depends upon the character and reputation of those from whom it comes. Paul was honored by the Philippians as their father in the gospel, and as one who had won a high distinction by his conspicuous abilities and labors in other spheres; and Timothy was well-known to them as a devoted minister and fellow helper of the apostle. Words coming from such a source would be gratefully welcomed and fondly cherished.
This is the first instance in which servants and deacons are mentioned, and addressed in the apostolic salutation. The former are sometimes called elders, pastors, presbyters, ministers, rulers, or presidents, and were empowered to take the oversight of the whole church, to instruct, exhort, and rule the members; the latter were chosen to take care of the poor and to manage the finances of the Church. The servants of Jesus Christ tended to the internal, the deacons to the external affairs of the Christian community. Since the Apostles due to their frequent absence were unable to take the personal oversight of the Churches they founded, they appointed pastors in each church and deacons to assist them.
“TO ALL GOD’S HOLY PEOPLE IN CHRIST JESUS AT PHILIPPI.” Paul is not writing to one little clique in the Philippian Church; he is writing to all the saints, and every believer is a saint by virtue of their spiritual union with Christ, but are also objectively “holy” in Him because His perfect righteousness is freely put to their account (3:9{A.8]; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
The term “saints” (“holy people,” NIV) reminds the Philippians that they are united with one another not by their own decision but by God’s having chosen them out of all the peoples of the earth to be His treasured possession (Exodus 19:5-6{A.5]). He reminds them that their status as “saints” implies their unity as the people whom God has called to be his treasured possession. The nation Israel is called “a treasured possession, kingdom of priests, a holy nation” in the passage we just read, Exodus 19:5-6{A.5]. They were holy unto the Lord; God had severed them from other nations, so that they might be His (Leviticus 20:26{A.9]); it was they of all nations on the face of the earth whom God had especially known?“You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins” (Amos 3:2). The Jews were different from all other nations, for they had a special place in the purpose of God.
We do not progress to sainthood. But we progress in sainthood. We progress in sainthood in proportion as we sing alleluias for the initial gift of sainthood. This heavenly union with Christ is here contrasted with the earthly location of the worshipping community. The saints at Philippi are the free-born citizens of heaven (3:20{A.10]), but their present vocation is to bear witness to Christ amid the pagan darkness of a Roman colony?“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).
The human family is divided into two groups; the saints and the ain’ts. Saints are believers in Christ. They are saints, not because of their conduct, but because of their position in Christ. Saint means “holy,” set apart for God. Anything that is holy is separated for the use of God. Even the old pots and pans in the tabernacle were called “holy vessels,” and they were probably beaten and battered after 40 years in the wilderness. They may not have looked holy, but they were. Why? Because they had been set aside for the use of God. Now that should be the position of every child of God. We are set aside for the use of God. Now, friend, if you ain’t a saint, then you are an ain’t.
The saints are “IN CHRIST JESUS.” When you put your trust in the Lord Jesus, the Spirit of God comes to dwell in you. The Holy Spirit baptizes you into the body of Christ. You are put in Christ by the Spirit of God. That’s what makes you holy; being in Christ makes a man internally and spiritually holy; it is necessary that he be in Christ by faith, so to make him externally holy requires a visible and external union with Christ in professing truths relating to Him.
Now these saints were “IN CHRIST,” but they were at Philippi. You see, it doesn’t make any difference where you are at—that may not be grammatically correct, but it is a true statement. You may be at Los Angeles or Duluth or Moscow or Philippi. It won’t make any difference where you are at; the important matter is being “IN CHRIST JESUS.” Saints are such by divine calling, and they are also ones who on their part have called upon the Lord Jesus Christ?“To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Divine initiative in calling and human response in faith, both belong to one’s becoming a saint. Saints in the New Testament are the eschatological{A.11] people or “the saints of the Most High” of Daniel 7:18, 27.
I believe the little phrase “IN CHRIST” comprises the most important words that we have in the New Testament. What does it mean to be saved? The Spirit of God chose just one little word, the preposition “IN,” to explain what salvation is. It is to be “IN CHRIST.” How do you get in Christ? You get in Christ when you accept Him as your Savior. When Paul spoke of the Christian being in Christ, he meant that the Christian lives in Christ as a bird in the air, a fish in the water, the roots of a tree in the soil. What makes the Christian different is that he is always and everywhere conscious of the encircling presence of Jesus Christ. To be “IN CHRIST” is not only to be bound to Him individually by faith, trust, and commitment; but it is to be bound together with His people. To be “IN CHRIST” is the opposite of being “in sin” or “in Adam”?“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
“WITH THE SERVANTS OF CHRIST JESUS AND DEACONS.” Notice he is addressing a local church with officers. “THE SERVANTS OF CHRIST JESUS” has been rendered bishops, overseers, shepherds: we would say pastor, minister, preacher, etc. The phrase “SERVANTS OF CHRIST JESUS” actually refers to the office, while the word “deacon” refers to the individual who is in that office, and they should be men who are mature spiritually. “DEACONS” are spiritual men who perform a secular service (see Acts 6). In an unofficial sense the word Deacon referred to one who waited on tables; it is possible that Pastors were charged with teaching and guarding Christian doctrine whereas deacons were responsible for administrative matters.
[A.4} “SERVANTS OF CHRIST JESUS” are currently identified as “the clergy.” The clergy are not the Church, but, under God, the servants and religious guides of the people.
[A.5} “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites” (Exodus 19:5-6).
[A.6} Both words, “servants” and “slaves,” mean, namely, men who in all their work have no will of their own but only their Owner’s will and Word.
[A.7} “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:20).
[A.8} “And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in (Or through the faithfulness of) Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9).
[A.9} “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own” (Leviticus 20:26).
[A.10} “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
[1A.11} “A belief concerning death, the end of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humankind; specifically: any of various Christian doctrines concerning the Second Coming, the resurrection of the dead, or the Last Judgment.”
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
“GRACE AND PEACE TO YOU.” You will find this form of address in all of Paul’s epistles, and grace and peace will always be in that sequence. Grace and peace were both commonplace words of Paul’s day. When Paul put together these two great words, he was doing something very wonderful. He was taking the normal greeting phrases of two great nations and molding them into one.
“GRACE” was the word of greeting in the Greek world. In the Greek language it is charis. They say it as we would say, “Have a good day.” And God is saying to you, “Have a good eternity.” When folks say to me, “Have a good day,” they don’t contribute anything to make it a good day other than just saying that. But God has made the arrangements whereby you can have a good eternity, and it is by the grace of God.
“PEACE” always follows grace; it never precedes it. While charis comes out of the Greek world, “peace” (shalom) comes out of the religious world; it is the Hebrew form of greeting. Actually, the name Jerusalem means “the city of peace”; Jeru-shalom—city of peace. It has never been that; it has been a city of war. Right now it is a thorn in the flesh of the world. No one knows what to do with it. There will never be peace in Jerusalem or in the world until the Prince of Peace comes to rule.
There is, however, the “PEACE” that comes to the believer through the “GRACE” of God. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). This is the peace that a sinner can have with a holy God because Christ died for us, paid our penalty, and now God in His grace can save us. However, the “PEACE” Paul commends the Philippians for is a blessing of reconciliation that has resulted from God’s gracious work on their behalf?“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1). So, when Paul prays for grace and peace on his people he is praying that they should have the joy of knowing God as Father and the peace of being reconciled to God, to men, and to themselves—and that grace and peace can come only through Jesus Christ.
This “GRACE AND PEACE” is “FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.” Let me ask this theological question; isn’t Paul a Trinitarian{B.1]? Doesn’t he believe in the Trinity? Then why doesn’t He include the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son? The reason is that the Holy Spirit is already over there in Philippi, indwelling the believer. Certainly Paul believed in the Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and he is being very accurate here.
[B.1} Believers in the doctrine of the Trinity.
