Philippians: Paul Tells the Church at Philippi to Be Like Christ
Philippians 2:1-4 - Through a series of word studies, we can understand four imperatives for a believer, the desired outcomes and the way to get to unity.
“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:1-4 NASB1995
Paul continues his exhortation to the believers at Philippi in these first four verses of Chapter two. He starts off with four If statements:
If there is any encouragement in Christ
If there is any consolation of love
If there is any fellowship of the Spirit
If [there] is any affection and compassion
Let’s do some word studies!
Encouragement comes from Greek noun παράκλησις or paráklēsis (Strong’s G3874), with the following Biblical usages:
a calling near, summons, (esp. for help)
imploration1, supplication, entreaty
exhortation, admonition, encouragement
consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment
thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter)
persuasive discourse, stirring address
instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful hortatory discourse
In Christ, we have our persuasive comfort and solace because He is our help!
Consolation comes from the Greek noun παραμύθιον or paramýthion (Strong’s G3890), with the following Biblical usages:
persuasive address
That’s an interesting usage! This word is only used once in the NT, in this verse in Philippians 2. It can also be used as “comfort”. We have a persuasive comfort addressed to us in love.
Fellowship comes from the Greek noun κοινωνία or koinōnía (Strong’s G2842) with the following Biblical usages (we have studied this one before):
fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse
the share which one has in anything, participation
intercourse, fellowship, intimacy
the right hand as a sign and pledge of fellowship (in fulfilling the apostolic office)
a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship
We have our community, our fellowship through our participation in the Spirit.
Affection comes from the Greek noun σπλάγχνον or splánchnon (Strong’s G4698) with the following Biblical usages:
bowels, intestines, (the heart, lungs, liver, etc.)
bowels
the bowels were regarded as the seat of the more violent passions, such as anger and love; but by the Hebrews as the seat of the tenderer affections, esp. kindness, benevolence, compassion; hence our heart (tender mercies, affections, etc.)
a heart in which mercy resides
Affection comes from deep inside us from a heart where mercy resides.
Compassion comes from the Greek noun οἰκτιρμός or oiktirmós (Strong’s G3628) with the following Biblical usages:
compassion, pity, mercy
bowels in which compassion resides, a heart of compassion
emotions, longings, manifestations of pity
Compassion also comes from deep inside us from a heart that has pity for others.
Enduring Word has good commentary on this first verse:
Therefore: This draws back to what Paul has built on in Philippians 1:27-30, 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.
If there is any: This introduces the basis for Paul’s exhortation to unity, humility and love among believers. The idea is that if the Philippian Christians have received the things he mentions, then they have a responsibility to do what he is about to describe.
“It is extremely difficult to give the force of these expressions; they contain a torrent of most affecting eloquence; the apostle pouring out his whole heart to a people whom with all his heart he loved, and who were worthy of the love even of an apostle.” (Adam Clarke)
If there is any consolation in Christ: Paul asked this as a rhetorical question, knowing of course that there was great consolation in Christ. Every Christian should know the consolation of Christ.
Luke 2:25 says that one of the titles for Jesus as the Messiah is the Consolation of Israel. Paul could say in 2 Corinthians 1:5, For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. In 2 Thessalonians 2:16, Paul says that God has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace. Of course there is consolation in Christ!
“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.” (Charles Spurgeon)
The word consolation in this passage is the ancient Greek word paraklesis. The idea behind this word for consolation in the New Testament is always more than soothing sympathy. It has the idea of strengthening, of helping, of making strong. The idea behind this word is communicated by the Latin word for comfort (fortis), which also means “brave.” The love of God in our life makes us strong and makes us brave. Of course there is comfort of love!
If there is any… comfort of love: This is Paul’s second rhetorical question in this passage, affirming the great comfort of love. Every Christian should know what it is to have Jesus give him the comfort of love.
2 Corinthians 1:3 says that God is the God of all comfort. There is no way He cannot comfort us and no circumstance beyond His comfort. But this is more than comfort; this is the comfort of love.
If there is any… fellowship of the Spirit: This is Paul’s third rhetorical question in this context. Paul knew and valued the fellowship of the Spirit, and every Christian should know what it is to have the fellowship of the Spirit.
Fellowship is the ancient Greek word kononia. It means the sharing of things in common. We share life with the Spirit of God that we never knew before. The Holy Spirit fills and guides and moves in our lives in a powerful and precious way. Of course there is fellowship of the Spirit!
“The Lord doth usually and graciously water the holy fellowship of his people with the dews of many sweet and glorious refreshings; so that they have a very heaven upon earth.” (John Trapp)
If there is any… affection and mercy: Paul’s final rhetorical question assumes that every Christian knows something of the affection of God and of the mercy of God.
Paul mentioned these things in a manner that suggests to us that they should all be obvious parts of the Christian’s experience. To make his rhetorical point, he could have just as easily said, “If water is wet, if fire is hot, if rocks are hard,” and so forth.
Each of these gifts – consolation in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, affection and mercy – are communicated to us both in a direct, spiritual way from Jesus, and from Jesus through His people. But there isn’t any doubt that these are real gifts for Christians to really experience.
The Bible version that Guzik uses (New King James Version) uses mercy instead of compassion but they mean the same thing. Paul, in his rhetorical if statements, is recognizing that a true believer will (or should) have these as imperatives in their daily lives.
Paul then completes his “if/then” statement by saying the following:
[then] make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
Paul has joy when he thinks of the saints at Philippi. But his joy can be made even more complete by knowing that they have applied the four imperatives (some call them incentives) to a state of being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, being united in spirit, and being intent on one purpose. I like this commentary from Precept Austin:
By way of background, the Philippian Church had very few problems. There was no doctrinal heresy or immoral conduct. However, if the Devil cannot reach Christians one way, he will try another. In the church at Philippi, there were some insipient forms of fighting and feuding among the congregation so that their testimony to the world was being hindered. In 1:27, Paul appeals to these Christians to stop wrangling and “stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.” Christian unity is not an option but a necessity if the local church is going to make an impact upon the world for Christ.
NOTE: As much as we Christians intellectually know we should be striving for unity, many of us are not doing much about it. We somehow rationalize that our critical attitude is all right, our negative spirit is acceptable, and our gossip is not so bad as long as we are doing it against someone else but not he to us. Unity comes when there is one mind, one spirit, one heart and one bond in the gospel cause. Fighting within the local church destroys the power of Christ in the midst of His people, and the outside world mocks Christ because of the carnal actions of Christians.
So how are the Philippians going to move from the imperatives to unity? Verses 3 & 4 of this passage answer that question:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
These are essential verses from Philippians 2. I think two more word studies are in order!
Selfishness comes from the Greek noun ἐριθεία or eritheía (Strong’s G2502) with the following Biblical usages; I’ve included a note that comes with the Biblical usages:
electioneering or intriguing for office
apparently, in the NT a courting distinction, a desire to put one's self forward, a partisan and factious spirit which does not disdain low arts
partisanship, factiousness
NOTE: This same word was "found before NT times only in Aristot., Polit. 5, 3 p. 1302b, 4; 1303a, 14, where it denotes a self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means". Paul exhorts the church to be one in the mind of Christ not putting self forward or being selfish (Phl 2:3). Jam 3:14 speaks against having selfishness or self-promoting in your heart. (Wayne Steury).
Well, how about them apples? The Greek root word for selfishness denotes a self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means, according to Aristotle. It also indicates partisanship or fractiousness or self-promotion. In this age of “me, me, me, I’m right, you’re wrong” on social media, there is a lot of selfishness going on out there that does not allow for any grace whatsoever for differing viewpoints. This is one of the many reasons I stopped posting my political opinions publicly on social media an few years ago and also a reason to scroll past and not react to the cesspool of comments (I don’t always succeed at this). Even in private “like-minded” groups, there is plenty of factiousness and self-seeking that happens on a daily basis. To be one in the mind of Christ is to not put yourself forward!
This commentary from Albert Barnes, quoted in Precept Austin is quite good:
"This command forbids us to do anything, or attempt anything as the mere result of strife. This is not the principle from which we are to act, or by which we are to be governed. We are to form no plan, and aim at no object which is to be secured in this way. The command prohibits all attempts to secure anything over others by mere physical strength, or by superiority of intellect or numbers. or as the result of dark schemes and plans formed by rivalry, or by the indulgence of angry passions, or with the spirit of ambition. We are not to attempt to do anything merely by outstripping others, or by showing that we have more talent, courage, or zeal. What we do is to be by principle, and with a desire to maintain the truth, and to glorify God.
And yet how often is this rule violated! How often do Christian denominations attempt to outstrip each other, and to see which shall be the greatest! How often do ministers preach with no better aim! How often do we attempt to outdo others in dress, and it the splendor of furniture and equipment! How often, even in plans of benevolence, and in the cause of virtue and religion, is the secret aim to outdo others. This is all wrong. There is no holiness in such efforts. Never once did the Redeemer act from such a motive, and never once should this motive be allowed to influence us. The conduct of others may be allowed to show us what we can do, and ought to do; but it should not be our sole aim to outstrip them".
No wonder the chart of Christian denominations that I shared a couple of devotionals ago looks like a giant pot of spaghetti tossed on the floor. The minute there are angry passions or secret ambitions, another block on the flowchart is created rather than the parties sitting down and working out the reasons for the strife and the reasons we want to outdo each other. Then that new block on the flowchart wants to do everything for themselves instead of practicing humility and partnering with those who are more mature and established in certain aspects of mission work. Hmmm...
Empty Conceit comes from the Greek noun κενοδοξία or kenodoxía (Strong’s G2754), with following Biblical usages:
vain glory, groundless, self esteem, empty pride
a vain opinion, error
This is the only usage of this term in the New Testament. Empty conceit is vain, groundless and in error. Someone who exhibits Kenodoxia has a highly exaggerated sense of their alleged superiority. I have made this error in my life (more times than I can count) by thinking I knew something much better than someone else and I had no intention of listening to them. Empty pride! Here’s Albert Barnes again from Precept Austin:
…kenodoxia "seems to be that of mere self-esteem; a mere desire to honor ourselves, to attract attention, to win praise, to make ourselves uppermost, or foremost, or the main object. The command here solemnly forbids our doing anything with such an aim - no matter whether it be in intellectual attainments, in physical strength, in skill in music, in eloquence or song, in dress, furniture, or religion.
Self is not to be foremost; selfishness is not to be the motive. Probably there is no command of the Bible which would have a wider sweep than this, or would touch on more points of human conduct, it fairly applied.
Who is there who passes a single day without, in some respect, desiring to display himself? What minister of the gospel preaches, who never has any wish to exhibit his talents, eloquence, or learning? How few make a gesture, but with some wish to display the grace or power with which it is done! Who, in conversation, is always free from a desire to show his wit, or his power in argumentation, or his skill in repartee? Who plays at the piano without the desire of commendation? Who thunders in the senate, or goes to the field of battle; who builds a house, or purchases an article of apparel; who writes a book, or performs a deed of benevolence, altogether uninfluenced by this desire? If all could be taken out of human conduct which is performed merely from “strife,” or from “vain-glory,” how small a portion would be left!"
Holy cow!! This is exceedingly difficult! We all thrive on commendations and compliments and our constantly reinforced self-esteem, fed by deeply embedded Freudian psychology and individualistic self-centeredness in our culture. But Paul wants us (and the church at Philippi) to have a humility of the mind and to regard one another as more important than yourselves.
I guess I have to do one more word study:
Humility of Mind comes from the Greek noun ταπεινοφροσύνη or tapeinophrosýnē (Strong’s G5012) with the following Biblical usages:
the having a humble opinion of one's self
a deep sense of one's (moral) littleness
modesty, humility, lowliness of mind
This concept was completely foreign to the cultures of Greece and Rome; they really had no word for humility and considered it a lowly state, an undesirable value and certainly not a virtue. Self-assertiveness and pride were the marching orders for legions (no pun intended) of Romans and Greeks. From John MacArthur, quoted in Precept Austin:
"In secular Greek literature, the adjective tapeinos (“lowly”) was used exclusively in a derisive way, most commonly of a slave. It described what was considered base, common, unfit, and having little value. Thus, it is not surprising that the noun tapeinophrosune has not been found in any extra-biblical Greek literature before the second century. It seems, therefore, to have originated in the New Testament, where, along with its synonyms, it always has a positive connotation. Humility of mind is the opposite of pride, the sin that has always separated fallen men from God, making them, in effect, their own gods. Humility is also a dominant virtue in the Old Testament. “When pride comes, then comes dishonor,” warns Solomon, “but with the humble is wisdom” (Pr 11:2). Later he declares, “It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Pr 16:19). (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press)
Finally, if we do have this humility of mind we will look out for other’s interests and not just our own. Humility is the essential state that will allow the fruit of the Spirit, as defined in Galatians 5, to thrive in the human soul. It is elusive and very difficult, especially in a culture that works against it in so many ways (I can’t imagine that a virtue of humility would help the average employee do well in performance reviews or win awards and commendations). I’ll end this with words of wisdom from Enduring Word:
Esteem others better than himself: This rebukes much of the culture’s concept of self-esteem. The Bible knows nothing of the idea that we should – and must – carry with us an attitude of confident superiority in every situation, and knows nothing of the idea that this is the foundation for a healthy human personality.
While we recognize the intrinsic value of every human life, we can’t deny that the low self-esteem of some is justified, and based in reality. When we are in rebellion against God, it is fitting for us to have a low self-esteem.
As we esteem others better, we will naturally have a concern for their needs and concerns. This sort of outward looking mentality naturally leads to a unity among the people of God.
If I consider you above me and you consider me above you, then a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone is looked up to, and no one is looked down on.
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others: Here the thought is completed. As we put away our selfish ambitions, our conceit, and our tendencies to be high-minded and self-absorbed, we will naturally have a greater concern for the interests and needs of others.
Paul doesn’t tell us that it is wrong to look out for our own interests, but that we should not only look out for our own interests.
Boy, there was a lot I learned in this short passage. I am still light years away from any semblance of humility on a day-to-day basis, but the Holy Spirit is doing a work in me that I would not have believed a few years ago (I consider it sometimes to be like spiritual Indian rope burns*). Verses 1-4 of Philippians 2 should be on everyone’s memorization card, but don’t just memorize it - learn about how Paul tells us the imperatives of our faith, the results of those imperatives and the way to get to unity with a body of believers.
*This is a prank done by grasping the victim's forearm firmly in both hands, and then twisting the hands in opposite directions about the victim's arm, causing the tender skin to stretch, making it red and sore.
My next devotional examines Philippians 2:5-11 - How this attitude that Paul describes is like our ultimate example of Christ.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - I’m not asking for much. I just would humbly request the following:
Encouragement in Christ
Consolation in love
Fellowship of the Spirit
Affection and compassion
Humility of mind
Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
The Blue Letter Bible was accessed on 07/07/2025 and 07/08/2025 to review the lexicon for encouragement, consolation, fellowship, affection, compassion, selfishness, empty conceit and humility of mind.
Precept Austin was accessed on 07/07/2025 and 07/08/2025 to review commentary for Philippians 2:1-4.
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission.