03/23/2025 – Day 266 – Philippians – Chapter 1 – 4 / “Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice (4: 4-7). Joy is the predominant note of this Epistle. Written by a man in prison, who for thirty years had been mobbed, beaten, stoned, and cuffed about, enough to make the angels gasp. Yet he is overflowing with JOY.” Halley’s Bible Handbook – pg. 620
Here is a selection of verse commentary from “The Apologetics Study Bible” that I found particularly edifying:
“2:7. Jesus’ self emptying (kenosis) cannot mean loss of deity or divine attributes; God cannot become less than God. Rather, He emptied Himself of divine privileges by becoming humans.”
“2.9 God highly exalted jesu, giving Him a new position. He became the visible focus of the Godhead, a position graciously bestowed because of His self-humbling death.”
“2: 10 – 11 Contrary to what some critics claim, this description does not reflect an outdated cosmology or view of universal reality. Jesus’ lordship is comprehensive – over all personal beings in heaven, and under the earth (the dead awaiting resurrection).”
“2: 12. To ‘work out’ our salvation (which was ‘worked in’ to us) is opposed to “working for’ salvation.”
“3:8 Heredity and merely human achievements are garbage. Paul’s attitude was a necessary expression of repentance. He did not expect to gain righteousness by this attitude (since right standing before God comes through grace); trusting in human achievements prevents one from obtaining righteousness.”
“3: 10-11. The goal of participation in the final resurrection comes from knowing Christ in every dimension of life. Conformity to death – the result of self-surrender – gives way to life. The Christian’s experience parallels that of Jesus.”
“3: 20-21. Christ’s second coming, unlike His first, will powerfully reveal His deity.”
Soli Deo Gloria!
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Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character?
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point?
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.