2:19
Timothy and Paul worked closely together, and Paul was like a father to Timothy, as shown by 1 and 2 Timothy. While Paul was in captivity he intended to send Timothy to the Philippians with the intention that Paul would receive good news about them. This is the only place in Paul’s letters where in reference to sending someone he uses the phrase “in the Lord”. Timothy’s imminent arrival would encourage the Philippians to put into action the things that Paul has been talking about in the letter.
2:20
Paul had great trust in Timothy, knowing that he shared the same concerns and motivations that Paul had. He was dedicated to Christ, dedicated to the gospel, and dedicated to looking after the church. These are the concerns that we should all have. He had genuine concern for the Philippians’ welfare. Throughout history, from the very beginning of the church, there have been those who seek to take advantage of people in the church, either for monetary gain or for self-advancement. Those who have a selfless dedication to the church are to be greatly valued.
2:21
This verse has been taken in various ways. It could be seen as an indictment of the other Christians around Paul, or his failure to find anyone other than Timothy who was prepared to go to Philippi. Or it could be a general statement contrasting Timothy’s attitude to that of the attitude commonly found among people. Whatever the case, the lesson is that we should make the concerns of Christ the top priority in our lives. As Jesus said, seek the first the kingdom of heaven and everything else will be taken care of (Matt 6:33).
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