PAUL: Paulos: (Acts 13:9;22:7;26:1,14) 

Guy King introduces this letter with these comments...

THE opening of this Epistle is different from that of most in one very interesting particular. It is a difference shared by all three of the Macedonian Epistles - this, and the two to the Thessalonians - and by the little personal note to Philemon. It consists in the somewhat noteworthy absence of the word apostle. In all his other letters, Paul feels it incumbent upon him to remind his readers that he writes with all the weight that his sublime position gives him; he will have occasion to administer rebuke, and, sometimes, rather bluntly, to give directions - and lest, because he was their friend, they might treat his words not too seriously, he takes care to let them understand that he speaks with an authority, and that they must give due and proper heed to what he says.

But his case is otherwise when he writes to his beloved Philippians.

The church at Philippi", says Dr. Graham Scroggie, "was almost quite free from those errors which beset so many of the churches of that day"; and he goes on to quote Professor Findlay as saying, "This is an epistle of the heart, a true love letter, full of friendship, gratitude, and confidence.

There is, we feel, no need to obtrude his apostleship here; and so his opening greetings are not inappropriately described as a "salut d'amour" - his letter will be found to be full of, and his heart to be full of, Love. (King, Guy: Joy Way: An Exposition of the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians, 1952, Christian Literature Crusade)

Background: Read Acts 16, for the birth of the church at Philippi (After you read the chapter yourself see Bob Deffinbaugh's article The Birth of the Church at Philippi - Acts 15:36–16:40), keeping in mind that these events occurred during Paul's Second Missionary Journey after he and Barnabas had gone separate ways. In this fascinating and strategic chapter you will read  of Paul's selection of young Timothy to travel with him to Philippi. You will read about the first "European" convert named Lydia, a Gentile Asian from Thyatira in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and a proselyte to Judaism. You will read about the Greek soothsayer, out of whom Paul cast a demon and who might have been a convert (although the text does not allow one to be dogmatic). And finally you will read about the first Roman convert in Europe, a jailer who would have had little class and social standing. This was the birth of the church at Philippi, a church that you will see as your read this letter was very special to Paul. Although specific dates are not given, it appears that the church at Philippi had its birth about 51BC. This epistle we know today as "Philippians" was written some 10 years later (about 61BC) by Paul during his first imprisonment in Rome. Keep these thoughts in mind as you read this letter in which he mentions several saints by name, indicating that despite the passage of the years, these saints have remained near and dear to the apostle's heart. What an example for leaders to emulate today!

For more on the introduction and book outline see Robert Herrick's Introductory Comments Introduction, Background, and Outline to Philippians or those by Daniel Wallace Philippians: Introduction, Argument, and Outline

Paul  (3972) is from Latin, Paulos meaning "little, small". Before his Damascus Road experience he was known by his Hebrew name Saul (Greek Saulos) which means "desired" or "ask" (derived from Hebrew word for "ask")

AND TIMOTHY: kai Timotheos: (For more on "Timothy"  Nave's Topical, Easton's, Smith's, ISBE)

Timothy (5095) (Timeotheos from Time = worth or merit of some object + theos =God) (24x in NAS) means literally "honoring God". The Greek word for "honor" has in it the ideas of reverence and veneration.

Bruce comments that...

Paul is the sole author of the letter, even if Timothy's name is conjoined with his in the prescript. (Quoted from Apple's Philippians Commentary)

Turner adds that

Timothy, who was not an apostle and did not have Paul's authority, was considered by Paul to be his equal when it came to servanthood. (Quoted from Apple's Philippians Commentary)

Lightfoot notes

The relationship between Timothy and the Philippian church had been constant and intimate.

Paul associates Timothy with himself in the greeting, because he is a co-laborer not because he is a co-author of the epistle, for from Phil 1:3 onward he writes in the first person singular and in Phil 2:19-23 he speaks of Timothy in the third person. Timothy had accompanied him when the church at Philippi was founded (Acts 16:1–12), had revisited it at his request (Acts 19:22), and had again accompanied him on the occasion of a later visit (Acts 20:4). So the Philippians were very familiar with him.

Matthew Henry offers an interesting thought that

Though Paul was alone divinely inspired, he joins Timothy with himself, to express his own humility, and put honour upon Timothy. Those who are aged, and strong, and eminent, should pay respect to, and support the reputation of, those who are younger, and weaker, and of less note.

BOND-SERVANTS: douloi: (Phil 1:9; 15:16; 16:18; Jn 12:26; 13:14-16; 15:15, 20, Ac 27:23; 2Cor 4:5; Gal 1:10; Php 1:1; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1; Rev 1:1; 22:6 ,9) 

Bondservant (1401) (doulos from deo = to bind) (Click additional notes on doulos) was an individual bound to another in servitude and conveys the idea of the slave's close, binding ties with his master, belonging to him, obligated to and desiring to do his will and in a permanent relation of servitude. In sum, the will of the doulos is consumed in the will of the master. 

A bondservant is one who surrendered wholly to another’s will and thus devoted to another to the disregard of his own interest. Paul and Timothy were not their own but had been bought with the price of the blood of Christ. They were now the property of our Lord Jesus Christ and were His slaves exclusively. No man can serve two masters (see note Matthew 6:24). Paul and Timothy had been slaves of Sin (see note on "the Sin") by their birth into Adam's likeness, but now they are slaves of Christ by their new, second birth. They had no will of their own, no business of their own, no time of their own and were acting for their Master, Christ; dependent upon Him and obedient to Him.

Doulos is used 141 times in the NT (30x Mt; 5x Mk; 27x Lu; 9x Jn; 3x Acts; 5x Ro; 4x 1Cor; 1x 2Cor; 4x Gal; 3x Eph; 2x Phil; 4x Col; 1x 1Ti; 1x 2Ti; 2x Titus; 1x Phile; 1x Js; 1x 1Pet; 2x 2Pet; 1x Jude; 13x Rev)

There are some 277 uses in the Septuagint (LXX) (Lev. 25:44; 26:13; Deut. 32:36; Jos. 9:23; 24:29; Jdg. 2:8; 6:27; 9:28; 15:18; 1 Sam. 2:27; 3:9f; 8:14ff; 12:19; 13:3; 14:21, 41; 16:16; 17:9, 32, 34, 36; 19:4; 20:7f; 22:8, 14f; 23:10f; 25:10, 39; 26:17ff; 27:5, 12; 28:2; 29:3, 8; 30:13; 2 Sam. 3:18; 6:20; 7:5, 8, 19ff, 25, 27ff; 8:2, 6, 14; 9:2, 6, 8, 10ff; 10:2, 19; 11:9, 11, 13, 17, 21, 24; 12:18; 13:24, 35; 14:19f, 22, 30; 15:2, 8, 21, 34; 18:29; 19:5, 7, 14, 17, 20, 26ff, 35ff; 21:22; 24:10, 21; 1 Ki. 1:19, 26f, 33, 47, 51; 2:38ff; 3:6ff; 5:6, 9; 8:12, 23ff, 28ff, 36, 52, 56, 59, 66; 11:11, 13, 26, 32, 34, 36, 38; 12:7, 24; 15:29; 18:9, 12, 36; 20:9, 32, 39f; 21:28; 2 Ki. 1:13f; 4:1; 5:6, 15, 17f, 25; 6:3; 8:13, 19; 9:7, 36; 10:10, 19, 21ff; 12:20f; 14:5, 25; 16:7; 17:3, 13, 23; 18:12, 24; 19:34; 20:6; 21:8, 10; 22:9, 12; 24:1f; 1 Chr. 17:7, 18, 26; 2 Chr. 2:8; 6:23, 42; 28:10; 36:20; Ezr. 2:65; 4:15; 5:11; 9:9, 11; Neh. 1:6, 11; 2:10, 19f; 5:5; 7:57, 60, 67; 9:14, 36; 10:29; 11:3; Job 41:4; Ps. 19:11, 13; 27:9; 31:16; 34:22; 35:27; 36:1; 69:36; 78:70; 79:2, 10; 80:4; 86:2, 4; 89:3, 20, 39, 50; 90:13, 16; 102:14, 28; 105:6, 17, 25f, 42; 109:28; 116:16; 119:17, 23, 38, 49, 65, 76, 84, 91, 122, 124f, 135, 140, 176; 123:2; 132:10; 134:1; 135:1, 9, 14; 136:22; 143:2, 12; 144:10; Prov. 9:3; Eccl. 2:7; 5:12; 7:21; 10:7; Isa. 14:2; 42:19; 45:14; 48:20; 49:3, 5, 7; 56:6; 63:17; 65:9; Jer. 2:14; 3:22; 7:25; 25:4; 46:27; Lam. 5:8; Ezek. 28:25; 34:23; 37:24f; 38:17; Dan. 3:26; 6:20; 9:6, 10f, 17; Joel 2:29; Amos 3:7; Jon. 1:9; Hag. 2:23; Zech. 1:6; 3:8; Mal. 1:6; 4:4)

Click the convicting poem He Had No Rights written by Mabel Williamson a missionary to China.

In the Greek culture doulos usually referred to the involuntary, permanent service of a slave, but the use in the epistles of Paul and Peter elevates the meaning of doulos to the Hebrew sense which describes a servant who willingly commits himself to serve a master he loves and respects (cp Ex 21:5, 6 Dt 15:12-16 discussed below).  By Roman times, slavery was so extensive that in the early Christian period one out of every two people was a slave! From at least 3000BC captives in war were the primary source of slaves.

Doulos speaks of submission to one's master The doulos had no life of his own, no will of his own, no purpose of his own and no plan of his own. All was subject to his master. The bondservant's every thought, breath, and effort was subject to the will of his master. In sum, the picture of a bondservant is one who is absolutely surrendered and totally devoted to his master. What a picture of Paul and Timothy's relation to their Lord! What an example for all believers of every age to emulate!

This word provides an incredible word picture of those who bound to their Lord Jesus Christ, Who had bought them with a price to be His own possession (cf 1Cor 6:20, Acts 20:28, Gal 3:13, see note Hebrews 9:12, see note 1 Peter 1:18, Revelation 5:9, see note Titus 2:14, see note 1 Peter 2:9).

By using doulos Paul is saying

"I am a slave to the Lord Jesus Christ. I am absolutely sold out to His will. I am willing to do whatever He tells me to do. I am willing to say whatever He tells me to say. I am willing to go wherever He leads me. I am a man who has made a choice. I am going to serve Him for all eternity."

Matthew Henry adds that...

"The highest honour of the greatest apostle, and most eminent ministers, is to be the servants of Jesus Christ; not the masters of the churches, but the servants of Christ."

Kenneth Wuest explains that a doulos as

 "the most abject, servile term used by the Greeks to denote a slave.  The word designated one who was born as a slave, one who was bound to his master in chords so strong that only death could break them, one who served his master to the disregard of his own interests, one whose will was swallowed up in the will of his master. Paul was born a slave of sin at his physical birth, and a bondslave of his Lord through regeneration. (Note: There was another word, andrapodon which was person taken prisoner in war and sold into slavery) The chords that bound him to his old master Satan, were rent asunder in his identification with Christ in the latter’s death (Ro 6). The chords that bind him to his new Master will never be broken since the new Master will never die again, and is Paul’s new life (see notes Philippians 1:21, Colossians 3:3-4). He has changed masters because he has a new nature (2Cor 5:17, see note 2 Peter 1:3-4), the divine, and the evil nature which compelled him to serve the Devil has had its power over him broken (see note Colossians 1:13, Heb 2:14, 15). Paul’s will, at one time swallowed up in the will of Satan, now is swallowed up in the sweet will of God.

The reader will observe how wonderfully God has watched over the development of the Greek language so that at the time it was needed as the medium through which He would give His New Testament revelation to the human race, its words were fit receptacles and efficient instruments for the conveyance of His message to man. Paul calls himself a bondslave of Christ Jesus... The apostle is proud of the fact that he is a slave belonging to his Lord. There were certain individuals in the Roman empire designated “Slaves of the Emperor.” This was a position of honor. One finds a reflection of this in Paul’s act of designating himself as a slave of the King of kings. He puts this ahead of his apostleship."  (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Studies in the Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans) (Bolding added)

The function of a doulos is to serve His Master. The great violinist, Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin to city of Genoa on condition that it must never be played. The wood of such an instrument, while used and handled, wears only slightly, but set aside, it begins to decay. Paganini’s lovely violin has today become worm-eaten and useless except as a relic. A Christian’s unwillingness to serve His Master may also destroy his capacity for usefulness.
 

Paradoxically a bondservant of the Most High God is one of the most privileged, noblest professions in the world. Little wonder that notable men of God in the have always been called the servants of God. The list of names includes (use  InstaVerse to see Scriptures in context in the version you prefer)

Moses (Dt 34:5 Ps 105:26 Mal 4:4)

Joshua (Josh 24:29)

David (2Sa 3:18 Ps 78:70)

Paul  (Ro 1:1; Phil 1:1; Titus 1:1)

Peter (2Pe 1:1)

James (Ja 1:1)

Jude (Jude 1:1 )

Prophets (Amos 3:7; Jer 7:25).

Ideally believers (Acts 2:18; 1Cor 7:22; Eph 6:6; Col 4:12; 2Ti 2:24).

Guy King comments on the phrase bondservants of Christ Jesus writing...

Let it be said at once that the word here is the same as bond-slaves - a conception which would be vividly familiar to every reader of this Letter. Quite a number of them were, or had been, slaves themselves - and the word would catch their attention at once. I say "had been" of some, because the law of manumission (process of releasing from slavery) would have operated in their case - a price would have been paid, and the slave set free.

In his fascinating Light from the Ancient East, Dr. Deissmann, pp. 319 ff., has some most interesting paragraphs on this releasing of slaves (see note that follows); and, with his quick and ready mind, the late Archbishop Harrington Lees, in his CHRIST and His Slaves, made use of the learned Doctor's discoveries to point many a moral concerning spiritual servitude and release.

Paul's writings abound in allusions to this last phenomenon. The material and the spiritual are found together in such a passage as 1Corinthians 7:22,

He that is called in the LORD, being a servant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

When a man becomes a Christian, though materially bound as a slave, he is spiritually freed from bondage to Satan and sin; on the other hand, such a man, though materially set at liberty, is, in the spiritual sense, bound hand and foot to CHRIST.

How Paul himself rejoiced - and even gloried - in this New Slavery. In his letters he so constantly uses the word as indicating his relationship to JESUS CHRIST. He would so readily enter into the attitude of the well-satisfied slave of Exodus 21:5, "I love my Master . . . I will not go out free."

From the bondage of sin, the believer has, by the manumission price of "the precious Blood", (see notes 1 Peter 1:18; 1:19), been set free-only to find himself thereby committed to a bondage more binding than ever. Yet, this time the "service is perfect freedom", the bonds are honourable and sweet.

And, for our encouragement, let us remember that

(i) The Master is responsible for His slaves' needs - feeding, housing, clothing, and all else is the slaveowner's concern. It is because we are GOD'S servants (slaves) that our Lord says "Therefore . . . take no thought . . .", (see notes Matthew 6:24; 6:25), for the ordinary needs of life. Our apostle will say later in this very Epistle, "My GOD shall supply all your need." (see note Philippians 4:19)

Also

(ii) The Master is responsible for His slaves' duties - they will not choose their own task, or their own sphere. Whether ours is to be the more menial, or the more genial, work is in His plan, not ours. It is the Christian's wisdom to stand before Him as those in II Samuel 15:15, "Thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my Lord the King shall appoint", or as Gabriel in Luke 1:19, "I . . . stand. . . and am sent . . .".

Then, too

(iii) The Master is responsible for His slaves' supplies - "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?" asks 1Corinthians 9:7: the soldier has all his military equipment provided; and likewise, the slave is supplied with everything needful for the adequate discharge of all his duties. Whatever He tells us to do, we can do - "If . . . God command thee . . . thou shalt be able to . . ." Exodus 18:23 - because all supplies are at our disposal. And as Paul records, in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for thee". (Ibid)

Regarding the setting free of slaves in Paul's day, Deissmann records the following custom which has clear parallels with Paul's teaching on saints as bondslaves of Christ...

Among the various ways in which the manumission of a slave could take place by ancient law we find the solemn rite of fictitious purchase of the slave by some divinity. The owner comes with the slave to the temple, sells him there to the god, and receives the purchase money from the temple treasury, the slave having previously paid it in there out of his savings. The slave is now the property of the god; not, however, a slave of the temple, but a protégé of the god. Against all the world, especially his former master, he is a completely free man; at the utmost a few pious obligations to his old master are imposed upon him. The rite takes place before witnesses; a record is taken, and often perpetuated on stone. (Deissmann, A., & Strachan, L. R. M. Light from the Ancient East the New Testament illustrated by recently discovered texts of the Graeco-Roman world. Pager 326. London: Hodder & Stoughton. 1910).

Dr Wayne Barber has an excellent practical explanation of the significance of a bondservant asking the practical question...

"Why do you serve the Lord Jesus Christ? "Well, I had better. God will kill me if I don’t." You know, I’ve talked to a lot of people who have that mentality. It is as if God has a big club and if you don’t do what He wants you to do, then He will hit you over the head with it. Yet God says, "Wait a minute. I have set you free. You are free now to be what you ought to be. Make up your mind. No man can serve two masters." The person who has any sense at all will say, "Lord, You have overwhelmed me. I am making a choice out of love for You to be Your slave. I know I am no longer Your slave, but I choose to be Your slave." Do you want to be used by the Lord? Come to the place in your life that you are willing to say, "God, it doesn’t matter what You tell me to do, I am willing to be submissive to Your will." When you come to that place, God will do things through you like He did through Paul. One picture of that is beautiful, and it is found in Dt 15:12-17: "If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free. And when you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you. And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. And it shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. And also you shall do likewise to your maidservant." What a gorgeous picture. Slavery in that day and time was nothing like we know today. The slaves had to be treated as if they were your own children in your own family. You had to treat them with dignity and integrity. After they had served you for a period of time, you had to set them free. But the beautiful picture here is of a slave. He served a master for seven years. The master has loved him, provided for him, been kind to him, helped him, all the things that you would look for. Now the day comes that he has been set free. He is given of the flock, given of the threshing floor, given of the wine vat. This servant stands there, and he says, "You know, I have been so cared for during the seven years that I have worked with you, where would I go? I don’t know where I am going to go. Nobody would love me like you have loved me. Nobody would do for me what you have done for me. Why, I am going to choose to be your slave. I know you have set me free, but because of who you are and because of my love for you, I want to continue to be your slave. I want to do for you not because I have to but because I just want to." What a gorgeous picture. They had a public ceremony and they would take that little instrument and put it up by their ear and drive it through the ear into the door, leaving a hole in the ear. What a gorgeous picture when you see this slave walking alongside his master, smiling. You would see that man and you knew he had been with him seven years, maybe it is three years down the road past that seven years and you say, "Isn’t that wonderful! That man was set free and now that man has chosen to serve out of love for his master." Man looks on the outside. God looks at our heart. Why are you serving the Lord Jesus? If you don’t love Him, if you haven’t understood that nobody else will ever treat you like Jesus, then no wonder you are not being used of the Lord in the task He has assigned to His church. A man that God can use is a person who is willing to bow, a person who is willing to say, "God, I just want what You want in my life." ...God is waiting on us to love Him and to bow before Him and to make conscious choices. "God, you have given me everything. If I left you, where would I go? Lord, I want to serve you. No man can serve two masters. I want to serve You. I want to be usable in the kingdom of God." That is the Apostle Paul. He was a man who was willing, sold out to the will of God." (Click for additional notes by Dr. Barber on "bondservant)

Harry Ironside wrote that Paul...

"does not mean however that his was a service of bondage. Rather he served in the whole-hearted obedience of one who realized that he had been "bought with a price," even the precious blood of Christ. There is a story told of an African slave whose master was about to slay him with a spear when a chivalrous British traveler thrust out his arm to ward off the blow, and it was pierced by the cruel weapon. As the blood spurted out he demanded the person of the slave, saying he had bought him by his suffering. To this the former master ruefully agreed. As the latter walked away, the slave threw himself at the feet of his deliverer exclaiming, "The blood-bought is now the slave of the son of pity. He will serve him faithfully." And he insisted on accompanying his generous deliverer, and took delight in waiting upon him in every possible way. Thus had Paul, thus has each redeemed one, become the bondman of Jesus Christ. We have been set free to serve, and may well exclaim with the Psalmist (Ps 116:16 ).

A businessman once asked his Bible study group,

“How can you tell if you have a servant attitude?”

The reply came back...

“By the way you react when you are treated like one.”

It’s not easy to find an attitude like that. But for a disciple, servant-hood is one of the keys to growing in Christ-likeness.

Describing His own ministry, Jesus said:

“For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark10:45)

When we give Jesus Christ His rightful place as Lord of our lives, His Lordship will be expressed in the way we serve others. Therefore, one of the best ways we can demonstrate our love for God is by showing love for our fellow man. We demonstrate love for others by helping them, by sharing their problems, and by doing what we can for them. Why should we serve? For Jesus’ sake.

OF  CHRIST JESUS: douloi Christou Iesou:

Christ (5547) is a transliteration of the Greek word