Seeing may be believing but people see (or hear), what they want to see (or hear).
We see things not as they are, but as we are. H. M. Tomlinson.

How does one know if a message is from God or from an adversary?

Natural language, such as English or Greek, is inherently ambiguous. Words can have more than one meaning. Words can sound like other words and used as a form of nonverbal communication.

More: A biased view about being unbiased

More: Confirmation bias

When Paul writes something, it is most probably important.

Paul uses "servant" is he is a "servant" of both "Jesus" and the "world".

Paul is not a "slave" to "Jesus".

The ancient and modern Greek word has a meaning of "worker". Paul is doing the "work" of Jesus. We are all "workers" at some level. Do you "own" or "rent" your house and/or land? One must be careful not to conflate the "servant" meaning of Paul's time with the "slave" meaning of the American Civil War era.

There are many similarities but also many differences. Some pastors will try to make political and social statements, not really supported by the Bible, by ignoring the differences. Stirring up such "strife" is one of the warnings given to the Philippians in a few verses. These verses are often skipped or otherwise changed to not bring undue attention to the political and/or social statements.

As with most letters, Paul includes a somewhat boilerplate introduction and conclusion.

It is best to not make too many deep theological points about these parts. Rather, concentrate on the middle part. That is, the reason the letter was written.

The "saints" are the "holy" or "sanctified" ones.

The Catholic church made this word into an official recognition as "Saint".

More: Wholesome and healthy sanctified saints

Why are (plural) "bishops" and "deacons" are mentioned?

The Greek word for "bishop" means, literally, someone who "oversees" or "visits".

More: A bishop to visit and oversee the flock

The Greek word for "deacon" comes from the Greek words for "through the dust".

More: Deacon as an administration gopher

Paul does not mention any "bishop" nor "deacon" in any other opening line to the seven churches to which we have letters from Paul.

More: Paul's opening lines to the churches and pastors

• The modern Greek word "επίσκεψη" (eh-PEE-skeh-psee) ≈ "visit".
• The modern Greek word "επίσκοπος" (eh-PEE-sko-pos) ≈ "bishop".
• The modern Greek word "διάκονος" (thee-A-ko-nos) ≈ "deacon".
• The modern Greek word "διά" (thee-A) ≈ "for"
• The modern Greek word "σκόνη" (SKO-nee) ≈ "dust".

• "χαρά" ≈ "exultation" related to "ha-rah", "hail", "heil", etc.
• "χάρις" ≈ "favor, grace" as used in the LXX (Septuagint).
• Both are from "χαίρω" ≈ "to be happy" as in a greeting.
• "μακάριος" ≈ "happy, content" as in "blessed".

One must be careful not to confuse the English word "joy", as in bliss, with the GNT (Greek New Testament) favor, grace, greeting, etc.

More: A joyous thank you for the grace of a gaudy favor

More: Matthew 5: A eulogy of some blessed words on being blissfully happy

Paul mentions God the "Father", Jesus tho "Son", but not the "Holy Spirit".

More: Trinitarianism and Modalism

Paul will mention the "Spirit" of Jesus in a later verse.

• The Latin word "pax" ≈ "peace" as in the "Roman peace" made through military force.



More: Matthew 5:9 Making and appeasing peaceful peacemakers

• The Latin word "gratia" ≈ "grace, favor".

• The modern Greek word "ευχαριστώ" (ev-kha-ree-STO) ≈ "thank you".
• The Latin word "gratias" ≈ "thanks".
• The Spanish word "gracias" ≈ "thank you".

Ancient Greek: What does "always" mean?

• Always "in every prayer of mine".
• Always "in every prayer of mine for you" (just those prayers for you)

Is "each" request with "happiness" or "joy", or as a "favor" or "grace", or both (play on words)?

Paul appears to be making these requests as a "favor" to the Philippians. How is that? Read on.

More: A joyous thank you for the grace of a gaudy favor

The modern Greek word "χάρη" (HA-ree) ≈ "favor, grace"

What does "always" mean? Some choices:

Paul does this just in prayers that are for you.

• Always in (every prayer of mine for you)

Paul does this in every prayer:

• (Always in every prayer of mine) for you

It started on the "first day".

What is not said can be very important.

Will the "until now" continue into the future?


Some translations will call the "fellowship" or "community" a "partnership" which misrepresents the Greek word.

The Greek for "fellowship" or "community" should not be taken as "partnership". Any "partnership" would involve many more assumptions and details not knowable and not applicable in general.

The goal of "fellowship" is made much more precise as a goal from what John writes in 1 John 1.

More: 1 John 1 Top down purpose of life

The Greek for "gospel" is, literally, "good news".

More: Calque: The good news

The good work was begun. Will it continue? Are they "seeking"?

More: Matthew 6: Seek to eat , drink and be married to Jesus

The ancient Greek word "εναρξάμενοι" ≈ "having begun". This word as used appears made-up by Paul and to have an additional meaning.

• "εν" ≈ "in".
• "ἀρξάμενος" ≈ "begun rule" as an inflection of "ἄρχω" ≈ "begin, rule, lead" as in "monarch".

Have they begun in the spirit or are they attempting to "self-rule" as in "remain in the flesh" as they see fit?

This appears to be a pun on "remaining in the flesh".

Where else does Paul use this word?

The modern Greek word "έναρξη" (EH-nar-ksee) ≈ "begin, start". On DVD movies, this is the command to start the movie. In computer programming, this Greek word is used for "initialization" or "beginning" of the running of some code.
The Windows "Start" menu (Windows 7) in Greek uses the modern Greek word "έναρξη" (EH-nar-ksee) ≈ "begin, start"

Paul uses this same unique word for "hath begun" in Galatians where "foolish" is "ἀνόητος" ≈ "foolish, stupid, idiot" and means, literally "not thinking".


Might a similar meaning be inferred in Philippians?

Why might it be "more needful" for Paul to "remain in the flesh"?


The KJV (King James Version) "meet" means "right" as in "righteous".

• Give God what is right, not what is left.

The more figurative "bonds" is not the physical "chains". The word "defense" is the word "ἀπολογία" ≈ "speech made in defense" and is the source of the English words "apology" and "apologetics". The word for "gospel" is, literally, "good news".

Before Socrates was forced to drink poison after being condemned to death by the city "democracy", he made a verbal defense of himself known as the "Apology of Socrates" as written by Plato.
Paul is in a similar situation. He is in prison, in chains and facing what might be an eventual execution. Many think than the written documents to support his "apology" are the books of Luke and Acts, both researched, compiled and written by Luke. 0

The "answer" is the Greek "apology" as in a "verbal defense".
The "reason" is the Greek "logic" process of your reasoning.

Be careful not to clobber people with logic. Most cannot tell valid logic from "eristic" (invalid and augmentative) logic.

The Greek for "hope" is that of an "expectation".

• The ancient Greek word "ἐπίγνωσις" ≈ "examination, scrutiny" - not just "head knowledge".
• The ancient Greek word "αἴσθησις" ≈ "senses, sensation" from which comes the English word "aesthetics" (pertaining to the senses).

Is Paul telling them to be "sensible" and "come to their senses"?

As in most languages, a prefix to a word does not intensify that word. It (usually) changes the meaning of that word.

A word related to the Greek word for "aesthetic" is the Latin word "audio" ≈ "hear, listen".

• The modern Greek word "επίγνωσις" (eh-PEE-gno-sees) ≈ "knowledge, awareness".
• The modern Greek word "αίσθηση" (EH-sthee-see) ≈ "sense, sensation".

The English word "approve" (in a modern passive way) is the Greek for "test out" or "try out" (in an active way).

The KJV uses "excellent" but the Greek word means "different".

As in: That you may try out those things that are different.

More: Deferring on a difference of opinion on differences

Instead of "pure", Paul uses the ancient Greek word "ειλικρινής" ≈ "sincere" as in separated by the light of the sun. Are they being "sincere" as in being "frank" and "telling it like it is"?

The second part of the word is the ancient Greek word "κρίνω" ≈ "separate" as in the first part of a judging process and often translated "judge" in English (which can be misleading).

More: Matthew 7:1-2 Here comes the judge, but just barley

This same word is used by Peter in the GNT.

The modern Greek word "ειλικρινής" (ee-lee-kree-NEES) ≈ "sincere, frank".

The "without offense", only used by Paul, is interesting. The letter started with (multiple) "bishops".
These Greek words of Paul differ only in the prefix.

• "ἐπίσκοποι" ≈ "bishops"
• "ἀπροσκοποί" ≈ "without offenses"
• "σκοπός" ≈ "watcher, target"

Will the "bishops" be "pure" and "without offenses" at the day of Christ? Will they change their ways? Is that within "scope"!

This word is used only 3 times, all by Paul. There appears to be a pun on "without works" as a rhetorical question.

• "ἀπροσκοποί" ≈ "without offenses"
• "ἀπρόκοποι" ≈ "without work" where work is related to "copious"

The modern Greek word "απρόκοπος" (a-PRO-ko-pos) ≈ "unsuccessful, good-for-nothing".

O.J. Simpson trial saying of lawyer Johnny Cochran about the glove: "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit.".

• The modern Greek word "επιδοκιμάζω" (eh-pee-tho-kee-MA-zo) ≈ "approve"
• The modern Greek word "δοκιμάζω" (tho-kee-MA-zo) ≈ "test" which in the GNT meant test or tempt.

• Are they filled?
• Are they in the process of being filled?
• Will they ever be filled?



More: Abstracting the fruit of the spirit

The "understand" is a "willful" and "purposeful" attitude.


It would appear (following verses) that some have taken advantage of Paul's absence to blame him (or his sin) for his own misfortune.

Paul is in prison in chains but he uses the word "bonds", not "chains". There is a good purpose for this as a witness to others (in the palace) and (legally) to Caesar.

More: Waltzing out of chains

Do some (leaders of the) Philippians have the appropriate "bonds" or might it be a "mental block"? Paul says "my bonds". What about "your bonds"?

Since Paul is "out of the way", some "dare" to speak the word "recklessly" and "without fear" (from God or Paul).

• The ancient Greek word "τόλμα" ≈ "courage, recklessness"

This is not the good "bold" as in as in "speaking frankly" to "tell it like it is" which Paul will use of himself in verse 20.

This is the ancient Greek word "τολμάω" ≈ "dare" to the point of being "reckless" which, here, is not good.

Are they speaking the true word? What is the goal?

The modern Greek word "τολμάω" (tol-MA-o) ≈ "dare".

Paul is reasoning using a type of "syllogism"

• Both "strife" and "contention" are that of "eristic" arguments.
• The "sincerely" is that of innocence or "pure" motives.
• The "good will" is that of "wishful thinking".

How would one use "contention" to "add affliction" to another?

More: Eristic reasoning creates strife and contention

Some might have said that Paul must have sinned since he is in chains.

In a church setting, the groups with destructive behaviors are part of the church. That is, an "inside attack" rather than an "external attack".

In this case, the "goal" is not damaged directly, but the groups damage themselves such that they may not reach the goal.

In this verse, Paul uses another word for "zeal" that is still destructive.
It appears that, rather than competing for the same goal, they are competing, using "eristic" logic, etc., for different goals.

Only the true goal is without damage (to the groups).

The ancient Greek word "αγνός" ≈ "pure, chaste, innocent".

• The ancient Greek word "ἁγνός" ≈ "pure, chaste" (soft breath).
• The ancient Greek word "ἄγνος" ≈ "chaste tree" (hard breath) the "chaste" being taken from a similar Greek word (above).

The modern Greek word "αγνός" (a-GNOS) ≈ "pure, chaste, innocent".

There appear to be competing points of view with each group trying to sway the other group into their camp using "eristic" logic.

The same Greek word for "apology" as in "verbal defense" is used.

This eristic (bad) logic (by some) causes commotion or strife.

More: Eristic reasoning creates strife and contention

Even "false teachers" may benefit some listeners as those teachers "cherry pick" verses to promote their own views.

The Greek for "pretense" or "pretend" is, literally, "pretext" as in a "show" or "phase" as in (a deceptive) appearance.

Paul does "rejoice" and, hopefully, "will rejoice".

More: Selective evidence fallacy: Verse context matters

The Greek word for "phase" was for appearance.

There are "phases" of the moon as the moon changes appearance during the month.
The word "phase" took on the additional meaning of a changes over time.in addition to appearance.

Example: That is just a phase through which the child is going.

Paul tries to look on the good side of things.

From what Paul writes, the Philippians need to be careful.

The English word "pretext" is from the Latin and related to the English word "pretend".

The Bible is not a logical system of truth.

The Bible is not an opinion system of truth.

The Bible is a reality system of truth.

More: Hebrew truth as reality

More: Greek truth as reality

• The modern Greek word "αλήθεια" (a-LEE-thee-a) ≈ "truth".
• The modern Greek word "λήθη" (LEE-thee) ≈ "oblivion".

Paul starts his letter to the Philippians using some words that have double meanings.

On closer inspection, there are those at the church at Philippi who need to change their ways.

Paul is tactful in pointing this out.

The verses can be misinterpreted in modern English to be saying things that Paul did not really intend to say.

The content of Philippians 1 is completed at Philippians 1b: A gracious favor of joy to Philippi.