Therefore
if:
Ei
tis
oun:
The “therefore”
(oun) is probably connected with the exhortations to unity in
Php 1:27.
Paul now proceeds to enumerate the resources they can tap into to
maintain and maximize unity in their local body at Philippi and which
can fulfill his command in Phil 2:2 to "make my joy complete".
Edwards sums up this section writing that...
Paul begins by appealing to they
relationship in Christ. All these four terms for affection appear to be
fairly similar and all four (really five) are distinctly peculiar to
believers. Based on the encouragement which is in Christ, the comfort
which comes from divine love, the oneness (fellowship) of an those
drinking from the same Spirit, and the tender mercies of these
believers, they are to live a certain way. They are to live in love and
harmony, not because of their natural fondness for one another (though
that may be there), but because of they divine responsibilities as
members of the household of God. This unity is not the result of natural
oneness but supernatural bonding. This is why Paul's appeal for unity
begins by focusing upon their relationship in Christ, not their
relationship towards one another. (Philippians)
Guzik adds that the
"Therefore
draws back to what Paul has built on in
Php 1:27, 29, 30,
telling the Philippians how to stand strong for the Lord against external
conflicts. Now he tells them how to act against
internal
conflicts in the body of Christ."
Vincent
says that the "therefore"
is there for it is both the saint's
"duty and
privilege (to)
fulfill my joy, and show yourselves to be true citizens of God's kingdom
by your humility and unity of spirit."
"If”
in each of the 4 uses in this verse is the same Greek word "ei"
which is what is referred to as a first class conditional particle which
means that
what follows equates with a fulfilled condition. It follows that the first class conditional particle can usually be accurately translated
with “since”, "so
then", “in view of the fact” or “If
such-and-such is true―and I know that it is …”
All four characteristics in this verse
are indisputable facts - certainties not "maybes" and are
reminders of the resources God has provided for us. There was not a hint of doubt in
Paul's mind as he penned these thoughts.
In these four succinct clauses Paul sets forth a powerful
motive for harmony in the Christian community. Because
the saints at Philippi are each recipients of these 4 benefits
(foundation stones), they have the resources as well as the responsibility to carry out what Paul
is about to command in the next verse, the end result being unity
which makes Paul's joy full. Parenthetically this order (provision
provided before practice commanded)
illustrates how God never asks us to do what He does not also enable us
to do. God is good and wise. In sum,
because these four things are true the Philippian believers, they can be
"of the same mind".
Why is Christian unity so important? In John 17, Jesus
prayed for
unity
four times for His disciples clearly emphasizing the importance our Lord
Jesus placed on
unity.
Jesus asked His Father to
"keep
them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be
one,
even as We are"
(Jn 17:11)
and that His disciples "may
all be
one;
even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and
I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that
Thou didst send Me. And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given
to them; that they may be
one,
just as We are one, I in them, and
Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in
unity,
that the world may know
that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love
Me."
(Jn 17:21, 22, 23)
Why did Jesus hold Christian unity in such high esteem? Read the verses
again.
Matthew Henry sums up this section stating that Paul
"presses them largely
to like-mindedness and lowly-mindedness, in conformity to
the example of the Lord Jesus, the great pattern of humility and love."
if
there is
any
encouragement in
Christ:
paraklesis
en
Christo: (Php
3:3; Lk 2:10,11,25; Jn 14:18,27; 15:11; 16:22, 23, 24; 17:13; Ro 5:1,2;
Ro 15:12,13; 2Co 1:5,6; 2:14; 2Th 2:16,17; Heb 6:18; 1Pe 1:6, 7, 8)
The first foundation stone
for unity
ENCOURAGEMENT IN CHRIST
So if in Christ
there is anything that will move you, (NJB)
Is there any
encouragement from belonging to Christ? (NLT),
Now if your experience of
Christ's encouragement and love means anything to you (Phillips),
In
view of the fact that there is a certain ground of appeal in Christ
which exhorts (Wuest),
SO BY whatever [appeal to you there is in our
mutual dwelling in Christ (Amp),
If the fact that you are in Christ has any power to influence you
(Barclay)
Spurgeon introduces this
section writing that...
the Holy Spirit, during the present
dispensation, is revealed to us as the Comforter. It is the Spirit's
business to console and cheer the hearts of God's people. He does
convince of sin; he does illuminate and instruct; but still the main
part of his business lies in making glad the hearts of the renewed, in
confirming the weak, and lifting up all those that be bowed down.
Whatever the Holy Ghost may not be, he is evermore the Comforter to the
Church; and this age is peculiarly the dispensation of the Holy Spirit,
in which Christ cheers us not by his personal presence, as he shall do
by-and-bye, but by te indwelling and constant abiding of the Holy Ghost
the Comforter. Now, mark you, as the Holy Spirit is the Comforter,
Christ is the comfort. The Holy Spirit consoles, but Christ is the
consolation. If I may use the figure, the Holy Spirit is the Physician,
but Christ is the medicine. He heals the wound, but it is by applying
the holy ointment of Christ's name and grace. He takes not of his own
things, but of the things of Christ. We are not consoled to-day by new
revelations, but by the old revelation explained, enforced, and lit up
with new splendour by the presence and power of the Holy Ghost the
Comforter. If we give to the Holy Spirit the Greek name of Paraclete, as
we sometimes do, then our heart confers on our blessed Lord Jesus the
title of the Paraklesis. If the one be the Comforter, the other is the
comfort. (Spurgeon's
Sermon on "Consolation in Christ")
Lord, Thy death and passion give
Strength and comfort in my need,
Every hour while here I live,
On Thy love my soul shall feed.
Encouragement
(3874)
(paraklesis
from parakaléo = beseech <>
pará = side of + kaléo = call) refers to
calling to one's side or one's aid which can be for the purpose of
providing solace, comfort, consolation,
exhortation, encouragement.
Encouragement is from en = in + corage from Latin
cor = heart. It describes the act of inspiring one with confidence
and/or hope, filling with strength, and suggests that the raising of
one’s confidence is accomplished especially through an external agency.
Comfort is from Latin com = with + fortis = strong, and means to
invigorate, to enliven, to cheer, to strengthen one's mind when
depressed, to give new vigor to one's spirits, to give strength or hope
to another, to ease their grief or trouble.
Exhortation is from ex = out + hortari = to urge or
incite and means incitement by argument or advice, a strong urging, an
urgent appeal, an earnest persuasion, giving strong advisement,
animation by arguments to a good deed or laudable conduct or course of
action.
MacArthur writes that...
Paraklēsis (encouragement) has
the root meaning of coming alongside someone to give assistance by
offering comfort, counsel, or exhortation. It is precisely the kind of
assistance exemplified by the Good Samaritan, who, after doing
everything he could for the robbed and beaten stranger, “took out two
denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and
whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you’ ” (Luke 10:35;
cf. Lk 10:30, 31, 32, 33, 34).
(MacArthur,
J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press
or
Logos)
Wuest on paraklesis...
The word has various meanings; “a
calling near, a summons, imploration, supplication, entreaty,
exhortation, admonition, encouragement, consolation, solace.” The
well-rounded all-inclusive idea is that of encouragement, of aid given
the needy person, whether it be consolation, exhortation, or
supplication.
(Wuest,
K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans
or
Logos)
Paraklesis - 29x in 28v - Luke 2:25; 6:24; Acts 4:36; Acts 9:31
(Note Who gives comfort?);
Acts 13:15; 15:31; Ro 12:8-note;
15:4-note,
Ro 15:5-note
(Who gives encouragement in
this verse?); 1 Cor 14:3;
2 Cor 1:3, 4, 5; 7:4, 7, 13; 8:4, 17; Phil 2:1; 1Th 2:3-note;
2Th 2:16 (Note the Source
of the saint's comfort and its longevity. How does it come to us? [by
what?]); 1Tim 4:13;
Philemon 1:7; Heb 6:18-note;
Heb 12:5-note;
Heb 13:22-note.
NAS = appeal(1), comfort(13), consolation(1), encouragement(6),
exhortation(7), urging(1). Below are a few of the NT uses of
paraklesis...
Luke 2:25 And there was a man in
Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout,
looking (prosdechomai
in the
present tense
= looking expectantly which motivated living righteously and devoutly,
cp the charge in Titus 2:12 with the motivating Blessed Hope in Titus
2:13-note) for the consolation (Paraklesis in this context is
not a concept but a living Person, the Messiah, the One Who is the
ultimate Source of encouragement, comfort and consolation.
Why do so often when in distress,
run everywhere but to Him?
Let us run quickly and
often to the Consolation of Israel, Yeshua, the one Who saves us the
first time [justification] and then Who is able to save us daily
[sanctification], e.g. When in distress, when afflicted, when downcast,
etc, let us take a moment and
meditate
on Him as our Refuge in
Ps 2:12-note, Ps 5:11-note, Ps 11:1-note, Ps 14:6-note, Ps 16:1-note, Ps 17:7-note; Ps 18:2-note, Ps 18:30-note;
Ps 25:20-note;
Ps 31:1-note,
Ps 31:19-note;
Ps 34:8-note,
Ps 34:22-note;
Ps 36:7-note;
Ps 37:40-note;
Ps 46:1-note;
Ps 52:7-note;
Ps 55:8-note;
Ps 57:1-note;
Ps 59:16-note;
Ps 61:3, 4-note,
Ps 62:7,8-note,
Ps 64:10-note;
Ps 71:1-note,
Ps 71:7-note;
Ps 73:28-note;
Ps 91:2-note,
Ps 91:4-note,
Ps 91:9-note;
Ps 94:22-note;
Ps 104:18-note;
Ps 118:8, 9-note,
Ps 141:8-note;
Ps 142:5-note;
Ps 143:9-note;
Ps 144:2-note.
(Note: All notes are C H Spurgeon's excellent commentary) Hide
yourself in Him beloved!)
of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Comment: Note that the context
of this passage is the "hope" of the Jews (who were true believers) to
realize the final and ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant
promises, which Messiah will in fact bring to pass in the Millennium. In
this way, Jesus to the Jews who were looking for Him was envisioned as
their Consolation.
Acts 4:36 Now Joseph, a Levite of
Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which
translated means Son of Encouragement), (Clearly as in here in
Philippians, God uses godly men and women as His arms and feet, to go to
those in need of encouragement, comfort and uplifting.
Are you known as a "Barnabas" in
your sphere of influence, or as a "son of discouragement"?!)
Romans 12:8-note
or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with
liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with
cheerfulness. (Paul's point is to "stay" within the sphere of your
gift.)
Ro 15:4-note
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our
instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement
of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Comment: In one sense the
entire Bible is a paraklesis, exhorting, admonishing and encouraging us
to be strong in our faith.
2Cor 1:3 Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort (How much? cp Isa 40:1, 51:3; 52:9; 66:13); 4 Who comforts
(parakaleo in the
present tense
= continually!) us in all our affliction (thlipsis
- word study) (Note
if we don't "feel" comforted, what might be the source of the feeling?
Cp 2Co 5:7) so that (What
is one purpose of any affliction God allows into our life beloved?)
we may be able (dunamai
[think "dynamic", "dynamo"!] the
present tense
= continually ready to come alongside our brethren!) to comfort
(parakaleo) those who are in any affliction with the comfort with
which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of
Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through
Christ.
1Th 2:3-note
For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or
by way of deceit.
Comment: John MacArthur
writes that here "The word exhortation (paraklesis) means
an urgent cry, appeal, or call, with an emphasis on judgment. Such usage
stressed for Paul’s readers the urgency and directness of his preaching.
He did not stray from the truth or operate apart from the standard of
divine revelation. Paul assured them there was no false teaching or
living—in other words, error—in his ministry.
1 & 2 Thessalonians. Moody Press
or
Logos)
1Ti 4:13 Until I come, give attention
to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.
Comment: Clearly paraklesis
as manifest by encouragement was to be a major focus of Timothy's
ministry in Ephesus. It follows that Biblical exhortation. As the Pastor
MacArthur observes "Exhortation challenges people to apply the
truths they have been taught. It warns people to obey, in light of the
blessing to come on them if they do, and the judgment if they do not.
Exhortation may take the form of rebuke, warning, counsel, or
comfort, but always involves a binding of the conscience."
(1Timothy
Moody Press
or
Logos)
Heb 12:5-note
and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you
as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are reproved by Him
Comment: "Turning to Scripture
is listening to God, for Scripture is His Word. For believers, it is the
Word of their Father. This forgotten exhortation tells us of two perils
of discipline—regarding it lightly, and fainting because of it."
(MacArthur,
John: Hebrews. Moody Press
or
Logos)
Heb 13:22-note
But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of
exhortation, (referring to the epistle to the Hebrews - see Acts
13:15 where this same phrase is used as the designation for a sermon)
for I have written to you briefly.
Comment: MacArthur "The book
of Hebrews is a great treatise preached with a pen. It is an urgent call
to the readers to come to single-minded devotion to the Lord Jesus
Christ and to complete satisfaction with the New Covenant. The high and
lofty doctrinal themes are the foundation for this primary exhortation."
(Ibid)
Marvin Vincent has a detailed note on
this word group writing that parakaleo literally means...
a calling to one’s side to help; and
therefore entreaty, passing on into the sense of exhortation, and thence
into that of consolatory exhortation; and so coming round to mean that
which one is summoned to give to a suppliant—consolation. Thus it
embodies the call for help, and the response to the call. Its use
corresponds with that of the kindred verb , to exhort or console...In
some instances, the meaning wavers between console and exhort.
In the
sense of exhortation or counsel, the noun (paraklesis) may be found in Acts13:15; Ro
12:8; Heb 13:22. The verb, in Acts 2:40; 11:23; 14:22; Ro 12:8; Titus
2:15. Neither the noun nor the verb appear in the writings of John, but
the kindred word the Paraclete, Comforter, or Advocate, is peculiar to
him. It should be noted, however, that the word comfort goes deeper than
its popular conception of soothing. It is from the later Latin , to make
strong. Thus Wycliffe renders Lk 1:80, “the child waxed, and was
comforted in spirit” and Tyndale, Lk 22:43, “there appeared an
angel from heaven comforting him” (AV., strengthening).
The comfort which Christ gives is not
always soothing. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is to convince of sin
and of judgment. Underlying the word is the sense of a wise counsel or
admonition which rouses and braces the moral nature and encourages and
strengthens it to do and to endure. When, therefore, Christ says “they
that mourn shall be comforted,” he speaks in recognition of the fact
that all sorrow is the outcome of sin, and that true comfort is given,
not only in pardon for the past, but in strength to fight and resist and
overcome sin. The atmosphere of the word, in short, is not the
atmosphere of the sick-chamber, but the tonic breath of the open world,
of moral struggle and victory; the atmosphere for him that climbs and
toils and fights. (Word Studies in the NT - Notes on Luke 6:24)
Robertson
writes that
"If one's own
life in Christ
does not stimulate the soul to the noblest effort, it is useless to go
on with the appeal."
Two
of the paraphrases pick up this same thought --
"If the fact that you are in Christ has any power to influence you"
(Barclay)
"If then
your experiences in Christ
appeal to you with any
force.."
(Lightfoot)
Is there
encouragement in Christ? Of course there is. Godly Simeon called
Jesus the "the
Consolation
(paraklesis) of
Israel" (Lk 2:25)
Paul taught that
"just
as the sufferings of
Christ are
ours in
abundance,
so
also our
COMFORT (paraklesis) is
abundant
through
Christ." (2Co 1:5)
If there be any encouragement in Christ - Not "if" but "since",
for this is comfort in Christ! (cp 2Co 1:3, 4, 5)
Every believer has received encouragement, exhortation, and comfort from
and through
Christ Who is like an artesian well (see
Artesian Well diagram) that effortlessly, endlessly flows
through us as we surrender our will to His sweet will and in the context
as the saints at Philippi enter into the reality of Christ Who is now
their life, and the result of this common experience will serve to draw
them together and unite them.
F B Meyer writes regarding the bonds of unity in a local body
that...
The first bond is the consolation
which is in Christ. For consolation let us substitute exhortation, or,
better still, persuasiveness, so that we might put it that the first
bond of Christian fellowship is Christ's persuasiveness. That Jesus
Christ is interested in every Church fellowship is obvious, but we do
not always realise how much He is always doing to persuade us to
main-rain it. Have there not been times in your life when you have been
greatly incensed, but have realised that there was a voice speaking
within your heart, and a gentle influence stealing over you, a yearning
towards the brother about whom you had cherished hard and unkind
feelings? That has been the persuasiveness of Christ. It is He who has
besought you to check that word, to refrain from writing that letter, to
abandon that bitter and offensive way which had seemed so befitting a
method of repaying your enemy to his face. It was Christ who was
persuading you to drop the weapon from your hand, and to reach it out in
brotherhood, and this because He was so eager to keep the unity of the
Spirit unbroken in the bond of peace. (The
Epistle to the Philippians
)
if
there is
any
consolation of
love:
ei
ti
paramuthion
agapes:
(Ps 133:1; Jn 15:10, 11, 12; Acts 2:46; 4:32; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:30, 31,
32; Col 2:2; 1Jn 4:7,8,4:12, 4:16)
The second foundation stone for unity
CONSOLATION OF LOVE
Love is agape which ultimately
is God's
love (cf the quality &
quantity of that love in Jn 3:16
Torrey's Topic "Love
of God")
since there is a certain tender
persuasion that comes from divine love (Wuest)
by whatever persuasive incentive there is in love
(Amp),
if there is any persuasive power in love (Weymouth),
If love has any power by its tenderness to stir your
hearts, then listen to me. (Robertson)
Pentecost phrases it this
way...
The fact that Christ loved me ought
to move me to love the brethren. We could paraphrase the phrase, “if any
comfort of love,” with these words, “if the love of Christ exerts any
persuasive power, if love supplies an incentive or gives encouragement,”
then fulfill my joy by loving one another. The fact that God loved me,
as unlovely as I was, ought to move me to love the brethren.
(Pentecost,
J. D. The Joy of Living: A study of Philippians. Kregel Publications)
Consolation (3890) (paramuthion
from para = towards + muthéomai = to speak, which is from
múthos = a tale, myth, speech) literally describes speaking closely
to someone. The idea is to speak to someone coming close to their side.
The basic sense speaking to someone in a friendly way. It refers to that
which causes or constitutes the basis for consolation and encouragement.
Paramuthion "indicates
a greater degree of tenderness than" the preceding word "encouragement"
(paraklesis).
One Greek lexicon defines paramuthion as an assuagement ( = lessening
the intensity of something that pains or distresses).
Friberg defines paramuthion...
as persuasive power that points
to a basis for hope and provides incentive. (Analytical
Lexicon of the Greek New Testament)
Consolation is the attribute
of agape love of God that
alleviates grief, the sense of loss, trouble, etc.
Vine says
that "consolation" is
"that
tender cheer, imparted as the effect of “love” (agape practical love)."
(Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
)
Rienecker adds intriguing note that
the preposition (para = beside) may have the force of
aside and pictures consolation that draws one's mind "aside"
from their cares and concerns.
MacArthur adds that paramuthion
"portrays
the Lord coming close and whispering words of gentle cheer or tender
counsel in a believer’s ear."
Wuest has an excellent note
"We have
here the subjective genitive construction, in which the noun in the
genitive case, “love,”
produces the action in the noun of action, “consolation.”
That is,
the tender persuasion and encouragement which exhorts to unity
among the Philippians, comes from God’s love for them.
Their
realization of divine love which reached down and saved them, should
urge them to live in a spirit of unity with one another. In addition to
that, this divine love produced in the hearts of the Philippian saints
by the Holy Spirit (cf
Ro 5:5,
Gal 5:16),
should cause them to so love each other with a love that impels one to
sacrifice one’s self for the one loved, that their little differences
will be ironed out, and they will live in unity with one another.”
(Wuest,
K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans)
F B Meyer writes regarding the bonds of unity in a local body
that...
The second bond is the comfort of
love. The Greek word will bear this rendering--if you know the tender
cheer that love gives; that is, see to it that you maintain the bond of
Christian fellowship by meeting your fellow Christians with the tender
cheer of love. We all know what tender cheer is, when men have been out
all day and tried, almost beyond endurance. As they come out of the
storm, the depression of their spirit and their health may have
conspired to reduce them to the lowest depth of darkness--then as the
door opens, and they see the ruddy glow of the fire, and the wife comes
to meet them, and the child is there with its prattle, for a moment it
seems almost worth while having known the weariness and depression
because of the contrasted cheer that greets them. All around us in the
world are Christian hearts which are losing faith; many hands hang down,
and knees shake together. Let us see to it that by the kindly cheer of a
smile, the grasp of a hand, the welcome of a word, we do something to
draw those people into the inner circle of Christian love. (The
Epistle to the Philippians
)
if
there is
any
fellowship of the
Spirit:
ei
tis
koinonia
pneumatos: (Ro
5:5; 8:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; 8:26; 1Co 3:16; 6:19,20; 12:13;
2Co 13:14; Gal 4:6; Eph 1:13,14; 2:18, 19, 20, 21, 22; 4:4; 1Pet
1:2;1Pet 1:22,23; 1Jn 3:24)
The third foundation stone
for unity
FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT
in
view of the fact that there is a certain joint-participation with the
Spirit in a common interest and activity (Wuest),
if
your fellowship in the Spirit is a living reality.
(Lightfoot)
if you really are sharing in the Holy Spirit
(Barclay)
Paul says, in effect, “If there is
any such thing as communion with the indwelling Spirit, or if your
consciousness of fellowship with the Holy Spirit who dwells within is a
reality in your life, and it most certainly is, then fulfill my joy by
your love for one another.”
Fellowship of the Spirit - The
NET Bible has this technical note...
Or "spiritual fellowship" if
pneumatos is an attributive genitive; or "fellowship brought about by
the Spirit" if pneumatos is a genitive of source or production.
Fellowship
(2842) (koinonia
from koinos = common,
shared by all) (Click for an in
depth word study of
koinonia) means
a close association involving mutual interests and sharing (communion,
fellowship, partnership).
Koinonia is an intimate partnership, a common eternal life or joint
participation with common interests and mutual, active participation.
This dynamic is effected by Holy Spirit’s working in and through
individual saints in the body to produce unity (1Co 3:16, 12:13,
2Co 13:14,cf 1Jn 1:4-6)
Koinonia -
19x in 17v - Acts 2:42; Rom 15:26; 1 Cor 1:9; 10:16; 2 Cor 6:14; 8:4;
9:13; 13:13; Gal 2:9; Phil 1:5; 2:1; 3:10; Phlm 1:6; Heb 13:16; 1 John
1:3, 6, 7. NAS = contribution(2), fellowship(12), participation(2),
sharing(3).
One translation
has
If communion with the Spirit of love is not a mere idle name, but a
real thing
Robertson says that
If we have any partnership in the life and blessings of the Holy Spirit,
then we are ready to listen to Paul's plea for unity.
Paul is reminding them
that the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is a blessed reality, not merely
a beautiful idea. Remember every genuine believer at Philippi (and in
the body of Christ today) has received the Holy Spirit for as Paul
writes in his epistle to the saints at Rome...
the love of God has been poured out
within our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.
(Ro 5:5-note)
However, you are not in the flesh but
in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not
belong to Him. And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead
because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But
if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in
you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to
your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. 12 So then,
brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according
to the flesh-- 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must
die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of
the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit
of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of
slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of
adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit
Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of
God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with
Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be
glorified with Him. (see notes Ro
8:9,
8:10-11;
8:12-13;
8:14-15;
8:16-17)
Thus each and every believer has
personal fellowship with the Holy Spirit in his or her private life and
in turn all believers are united by the same Spirit in fellowship. The
practical application of this truth is that factions or divisiveness
should have no place in the body of Christ.
F B Meyer writes regarding the bonds of unity in a local body
that...
The third bond is the fellowship of
the Spirit. The word means to share the Spirit, the going in common with
the Spirit. They who live near God know what that fellowship is; they
know that they are always accompanied; that they are never for one
moment by themselves; can never enter a room with the consciousness of
vacancy; can never travel in an empty car with a sense of isolation and
solitude: there is always the fellowship of the Spirit. Whatever any one
man knows of this fellowship every other knows. Each Christian person is
conscious of the same Presence, making evident and obvious to us the
same Jesus Christ. The same atmosphere is lighted by the same sun; and
in proportion as we have fellowship with the same Spirit we cannot lose
our temper with each other, or be hard, cross, and unkind. (The
Epistle to the Philippians)
if
any
affection and
compassion:
ei
tis
splagchna
kai
oiktirmoi:
(Php 1:8; Col 3:12)
The fourth foundation stone for
unity
AFFECTION AND COMPASSION
The KJV reads "if
any
bowels
and
mercies". God has extended His deep affection (Php
1:8-note)
and compassion to every believer and that reality should stimulate and
empower saints toward unity.
if any bowels and mercies, (Young's
Literal),
any warmth or sympathy -- I appeal
to you, (NJB),
Are your hearts tender and sympathetic?
(NLT),
all that it means in
kindness and deep sympathy (Phillips),
since there are certain tenderheartednesses and compassionate yearnings and actions.
(Wuest),
by whatever depth of affection and compassionate sympathy
(Amp),
if you have any affectionate yearnings of heart.
(Lightfoot)
Matthew Henry adds
How cogent are these arguments! One would think them enough to tame the
most fierce, and mollify the hardest, heart.
Affection
(4698)
(splagchnon
or splanchna)
originally referred to the upper
abdominal viscera especially the intestines, which the
ancients regarded as the seat of affections and emotions, such as anger
and love. This word is always in the plural in the NT. The phrase "I feel it in the pit of my stomach" is a
modern parallel. And we all know how that feels! So splagchnon
refers to that deep, internal caring comparable to the modern
expressions of deep feeling such as “broken-hearted” or “gut-wrenching”.
Zodhiates
says that...
In Class. Gr. writers, it is chiefly
spoken of the upper viscera of animals, as the heart, lungs, and liver
which were eaten during or after the sacrifice...Figuratively, the
inward parts indicating the breast or heart as the seat of emotions and
passions. In the NT, of the gentler emotions as compassion, tender
affection indicating the mind, soul, the inner man (2Co 6:12, Philemon
1:7, 20; 1Jn 3:17; Sept.: Pr 12:10 (cf. Ge 43:30; 1Kgs. 3:26) (Zodhiates,
S. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. AMG
or
Logos)
Earlier Paul
speaking from his heart had said...
Philippians 1:8-note
For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection
of Christ Jesus.
Splagchnon
in classical Greek referred to the inward parts and somewhat ironically
is used of the literal bowels of Judas Iscariot who betrayed our Lord
(he lacked figurative "splagchnon"!) (Acts 1:18)
Splagchnon
- 14x in 14v - Luke 1:78; Acts 1:18; 2Cor 6:12; 7:15; Phil 1:8; 2:1; Col
3:12; Philemon 1:7, 12, 20; 1John 3:17. NAS = affection, 3;
affections, 1; heart, 4; hearts, 1; intestines, 1; tender, 1.
One of the most precious uses of splagchnon is found in the Gospel of Luke where he quotes
Zacharias' beautiful description of Jesus, prophesying that the Child
Jesus will
"give to His people (Jews) the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because
of the tender mercy (splagchnon) of our God, with which the Sunrise (speaking of the Son Who
rose!) from on high shall visit (episkeptomai) us, to shine upon those who sit in
darkness and the shadow of death (Gentiles),
to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Lk 1:77, 78, 79)
Here are some
other representative uses...
Philemon 1:7 For I have come to have
much joy and comfort (paraklesis)
in your love, because the hearts (splagchnon) of the saints have
been refreshed (anapauo, a military term that speaks of an army resting
from a march - to cause one to cease from any movement or labor in order
to recover and collect his strength) through you, brother....12 And I
have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart...20
Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart
in Christ.
Comment: MacArthur "Hearts
translates splanchna, which literally means “bowels.” It refers
to the seat of the feelings. People struggling, suffering, and hurting
emotionally, had been refreshed by Philemon.
1John 3:17 But whoever has the
world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes (kleio = shut)
his heart (splagchnon - In other words he clearly sees a need in
a believer and shuts that need out of his heart! Woe!) against him, how
does the love of God abide in him?
Comment: NET Bible note: "Note
the vivid contrast with Jesus' example in the preceding verse 1Jn 3:16:
He was willing to lay down His very life, but the person
in view in 1Jn 3:17 is not even willing to lay down part of his material
possessions for the sake of his brother."
Splagchnon
- 3x in the Septuagint - Pr 12:10; 26:22; Jer 51:13;
The derivative verb
splagchnízomai
(found only in the Gospels most often descriptive of Jesus) means to
feel deeply or viscerally, to yearn, have compassion or to show pity
(Study the following 12 uses of
splagchnízomai
gleaning for precious insights into the heart of our Lord -- Mat 9:36;
Mat 14:14; Mat 15:32; Mat 18:27; Mat 20:34; Mark 1:41; Mark 6:34; Mark
8:2; Mark 9:22; Luke 7:13; Luke 10:33; Luke 15:20) If our bodies literally ache in pain and nausea when we
experience great agony, remorse, or sympathy, we can be sure that the
Son of Man felt them even more. Matthew tells us that, in order to
fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah, Jesus
Himself took our infirmities, and carried away our diseases (Mt
8:17).
It was not, of
course, that Jesus Himself contracted the diseases or infirmities, but
that in sympathy and compassion He physically as well as emotionally
suffered with those who came to Him for healing-just as a parent can
become physically ill from worry and concern over a child who is
desperately sick or in trouble or danger. The Son of God was not remote
or coldly calculating and analytical concerning men’s needs but was
deeply moved by the suffering, confusion, despair, and spiritual
lostness of those around Him. Jesus felt pain, experiencing genuine
anguish for the suffering of others, whether they were believer or
unbeliever, Jew or Gentile, man or woman, young or old, wealthy or poor.
As John MacArthur astutely comments
Jesus also felt compassion because of His perfect perception of hell and
the torment those would face who did not receive Him. Even as He
lovingly healed their bodies, He had infinitely greater concern to heal
their souls. Even after Jesus healed a body, it could become sick or
crippled again. But when He heals a sin-diseased soul, it is forever
freed from sin’s dominion and penalty."
(MacArthur,
J: Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press
or
Logos)
KJV translates splagchnon 9 times as "bowels" as a reference to
the emotions because of the way our emotions can affect how our
intestinal organs feel. This translation may sound strange to modern
ears but in fact even we use words that would sound strange to the
ancients. For example we have the word "melancholy" which is
literally "black bile"!
In a manuscript from 5BC
splagchnon was used figuratively in the phrase “for pity’s
sake.” The Hebrews regarded the splagchnon as the seat
of the most tender affections, especially kindness, benevolence,
compassion. In the NT splagchnon is only found in the
plural (tá splágchna = the viscera), and with the exception noted
above, is always used figuratively, referring to what we in the West
commonly refer to as "the heart", the seat of the tender
affections and of deepest human emotions. The Hebrews expressed their
feelings in terms of what they felt in their stomach. When they really
had some emotion, it turned their stomach, so to speak.
John MacArthur has an interesting
notation on splagchnon writing that...
The
Hebrews, like many other ancient peoples, expressed attitudes and
emotions in terms of physiological symptoms, not in abstractions.
As most of us know from personal experience, many intense
emotions-anxiety, fear, pity, remorse, and so on-can directly, and
often immediately, affect the stomach and the digestive tract.
Upset stomach, colitis, and ulcers are a few of the common
ailments frequently related to emotional trauma. It is not
strange, then, that ancient people associated strong emotions with
that region of the body. The heart, on the other hand, was
associated more with the mind and thinking (see Pr 16:23;
Mt 15:19; Ro 10:10; Heb 4:12). The heart was the source of
thought and action, whereas the bowels were the responder, the
reactor." (MacArthur, J. Matthew. Chicago: Moody
Press)
Paul longed after the Philippians with the tender-heartednesses of Jesus
Christ, a tenderness that was produced by the Holy Spirit in the heart
of this bondservant who was fully yielded to His Lord. The Spirit filled
believer's pulse beats with the pulse of Christ. His heart throbs with
the heart of Christ. When we are walking in the Spirit, really one with
Jesus, His compassion and affection (splagchnon) flows through us
to our fellow men whom Jesus loves and for whom He died. Paul is saying
in this verse that the believer has the privilege of being a "partner"
in exhibiting the compassion of Christ! Do we really understand this
profound truth?
Splagchnon
is the strongest Greek word for expressing compassionate love or
tender mercy and involves one’s entire being. It describes the
compassion which moves a man to the deepest depths of his being. In the
gospels, apart from its use in some of the parables, it is used only of
Jesus
If there was one thing the ancient
world needed it was more splagchnon or tender mercy. The
sufferings of animals were nothing to it. The maimed and the sickly went
to the wall. There was no provision for the aged and they were left to
die. The treatment of the idiot and the simple-minded was unfeeling.
Christianity brought splagchnon into this world.
The English word compassion
(see the next section) is taken from the Latin, which means to "bear
with" or to "suffer with", but it has come to mean much more
than that. According to one definition, compassion is
“a feeling of deep
sympathy and sorrow, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the
pain and remove its cause.”
Compassion
(3628)
(oiktirmos
[word study]
from oikteiro = to have compassion {used only in
Ro 9:15-note}
in turn derived from oiktos = compassion or pity which in turn is
said to be derived from the interjection oi = "Oh!") denotes the
inward feeling of compassion which abides in the heart. It represents
the display of concern over or compassion with another’s misfortune.
(See also
Consolation)
Compassion (from Latin com
= with + pati = to bear, suffer - thus literally to "bear with"
or "to suffer with") is a sympathetic consciousness of other's distress
together with a desire to alleviate it and in the case of God, with the
ability to in fact do so!
The meaning of oiktirmos is
like splagchnon and is related primarily the viscera, which were
thought to be the seat of compassion. The word came to signify
manifestations of pity and refers to the pity that is aroused by the
sight of another's suffering. Lightfoot says
By splagchnon is signified the
abode of tender feelings, by oiktirmos the manifestation of these
in compassionate yearnings and actions
The related word
eleos [word study]
which is also often translated mercy is similar in meaning but
Thayer discussing the corresponding verb forms (eleeo, oikteiro) makes
the following distinction...
Eleeo—to feel sympathy with
the misery of another, especially such sympathy as manifests itself in
act, less frequently in word; whereas oikteiro denotes the inward
feeling of compassion which abides in the heart. A criminal begs
eleos of his judge; but hopeless suffering is often the object of
oiktirmos (p. 203).
The Baker Encyclopedia of the
Bible has an interesting note on compassion explaining
that...
In the OT, compassion describes one
aspect of God’s covenantal relationship with his people (Ed note:
In the examples of the use of oiktirmos in the Septuagint [see below]
compassion is frequently found with "lovingkindness" or hesed [checed] a
word integrally associated with the manifestation of God's covenantal
love - see related resource
Covenant - Why Study It?)
One of the Hebrew words translated compassion is derived from a root
word meaning “womb,” thus comparing God’s love with maternal love. God’s
compassion, however, went beyond simply feeling the emotion; it was
always demonstrated by definite acts that testified to his covenant with
Israel. In spite of Israel’s rebellions God still had compassion on his
people (2Ki 13:23; 2 Chr 36:15; Ps 78:38), as well as on all his
creation (Ps 145:9). When Israel was chastised, the nation often feared
that God had permanently withdrawn his favor (Ps 77:9; Is 27:11; 63:15;
Jer 13:14; 21:7; Ho 13:14). Yet God’s compassion would revive, and he
would restore his people (Dt 30:3; Ps 135:14; Is 14:1; 49:13; 54:7, 8;
Jer 12:15; 30:18; Micah 7:19; Zech 12:10), especially when they returned
to him and cried out for deliverance (1 Ki 8:50; Ps 79:8). (Elwell, W.
A., & Beitzel, B. J. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Baker Book House)
