Letters from Paul

A taste of the study room coming with Paul — pull open whatever you'd like to sit with.

The reading — Philippians 1:12-26

¹²Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News; ¹³so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ; ¹⁴and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear. ¹⁵Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. ¹⁶The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains; ¹⁷but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News. ¹⁸What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice. ¹⁹For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death. ²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose. ²³But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. ²⁴Yet, to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake. ²⁵Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

World English Bible

The words behind the words

When I write that my imprisonment has served "to advance the gospel" (Philippians 1:12), the word I use is one for cutting a path forward — the pioneer's work of clearing the way where there was no road. My chains did not block the gospel; they hacked open new ground for it, into the very praetorian guard. And when I say "to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21), the word for gain is plain profit, the merchant's word — death is not loss for me but the ledger tipping over into pure increase, for it hands me over to the One I love.

Where else you say this

I have said this same thing in other seasons and other cells. That my sufferings serve rather than sabotage the work — this I labored over at length (2 Corinthians 4:8-12). That to depart is far better yet I am pressed on both sides — I carried the same ache elsewhere, groaning to be clothed with what is heavenly (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). And that Christ is my one gain, everything else counted as loss and refuse — I say it again in this very letter, a little further on (Philippians 3:7-8).

The situation

I write from Rome, under guard in a rented house, chained to a soldier but free to receive all who come (and the season turns cold; I have sent for my cloak). The Philippians love me and were troubled — they had heard I was imprisoned, and they feared the gospel and I were both undone. Some in Rome, meanwhile, were preaching Christ out of rivalry, hoping to grieve me in my chains. So I write to a people anxious for me, to steady them: the work advances, and I rejoice, whatever the motive of the preacher, so long as Christ is proclaimed.

The hard question

You may well ask: how can a man honestly say he does not know whether he would rather live or die — and mean it? Is that not either despair, or a pose? Look closely at what I actually wrote. It is not that life had grown bitter; it is that both roads led to Christ, and so I could not lose. To depart is gain, but to remain is fruitful labor for you (Philippians 1:24-25). That is not a man tired of living — it is a man so held by Christ that death cannot frighten him and love keeps him at his post. Weigh it there in the text, and see whether it is despair or the deepest kind of freedom.

This is a small window into what a study room with Paul will hold — word by word, letter by letter, and the maps and journeys behind them. Get notified when it opens →

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