It’s always a bit troublesome to me whenever I see something in a text that others aren’t seeing. That’s usually how heretics are made. But I’m absolutely convinced that what I’m seeing in Philippians 1:19-26 is completely orthodox and more importantly it’s there in the text.
This isn’t a major point but I think it helps us to understand more the meaning of what Paul is doing here in the text. When most people preach/teach on Philippians 1:19-26 the emphasis is on Paul’s conundrum and his very quotable statement, “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” That’s incredibly easy to preach. Can you say that for you to live “is Christ” and can you say that if you died today it would be “gain”. That’s the sermon—tie a bow on it, give some response time and call it a day.
I’m convinced there is something going on underneath of this passage that is often overlooked. Why has the Spirit of God inspired Paul to “think out loud” here? What’s he doing? Why give them his conundrum?
Because Paul is modeling for us here.
Consider Philippians 1:9-11. This is Paul’s prayer for the church at Philippi. He is praying that they’ll have a grounded love so that they will choose what is excellent and so live in such a way that they won’t be ashamed when they stand before Christ. The picture is of a person having a million choices and a stamp which can only deem one thing necessary at any given time. Paul is praying that love would motivate that selection. And if it does you can guarantee that one will not waste their life.
Now come to Paul’s conundrum. If he dies then it’s far better for him because he gets to enjoy Christ for all eternity. But if he lives it will mean fruitful labor and a benefit to the church at Philippi. So what does love choose? It chooses to forego personal gain so that others can have a taste of this treasure. Rather than see the race completed in his life, Paul knows that he must continue so that the gospel will advance in the life of others.
True treasure does this. Rather than being an end in itself it actually motivates us to share. If I have a candy bar that I’m bogarting all for myself then I’m communicating that it’s only big enough to satisfy me. But if I must share it then I’m showing that it has a value far beyond myself. It’s the same way with Christ. You’d think that Paul would choose Christ—that is his treasure. But he doesn’t, true treasure is meant to be shared.
And I believe this is confirmed by where Paul goes next in his argument. He points to the self-giving love of Christ. Jesus was enjoying the Godhead fully. But he did not consider that a thing to be grasped but made himself to be a servant. So what did Jesus do? Love motivated him to bring others into this treasure rather than keeping it all to himself.
This is precisely what Paul is doing as he is thinking out loud. And it’s precisely what a potentially disunited congregation at Philippi must do as well. Euodia and Syntyche must choose love over personal benefit. Of course Paul’s argument doesn’t work if life doesn’t equal fruitful labor and death doesn’t equal gain. But I think by only preaching that point we’re missing the main point of what Paul is doing in this text.
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