Daily Thoughts from Philippians (14): Settling an Argument – Philippians 2:25-30

I’ll admit it, I’m an American Idol fan.  Carrie Underwood won American Idol in 2005, but in 2009 she guested on American Idol and sand a stirring duet with Country hall of famer Randy Travis, a song called “I Told You So”.  The song laments one partner leaving another and wanting to come back, but concerned that the one left might say, “I told you so, I told you some day you’d come crawling back and asking me to take you in, I told you so, but you had to go.  Now I found somebody new and you will never break my heart in two again.”  Saying “I told you so” is the bitter response of someone who has felt wronged and wants to hurt the one who wronged them.

Paul is expecting some of the Philippians to say to those they are in conflict with, “I told you so.”

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. (Philippians 2:25-30, ESV)

Paul has urged the Philippians to adopt the humility of mind (2:3,4) that leads to unity and he has used the examples of Jesus, himself and Timothy as models of that mindset.  He saves the example of Epaphroditus’ humility of mind for last for two reasons:

1) Epaphroditus is one of their own, sent to Paul with a monetary gift to sustain him in his imprisonment.

2) This gift and Epaphroditus’ service is at the heart of the conflict between and among the Philippians.

The fight has been over whether to send money to Paul (this is made more clear in 4:10-19).  Some think Paul’s desperate situation is a threat to the gospel and that they need to send money.  Others are apparently arguing that they don’t have enough to take care of themselves.  The “winner” is the side that wants to send money, and Epaphroditus is commissioned with the task.  He is most likely one of the elders or overseers.

But when the Philippians hear that Epaphroditus has been ill during this journey it has undoubtedly fueled the conflict all the more.  Those who didn’t want to send him could say, “See, we told you this was a bad idea!”  This is why Paul feels he must pile on the praise for Epaphroditus, highlighting his unity with Paul in the gospel, highlighting that Epaphroditus has a selfless perspective, being more worried about how they would receive news of his illness than he is his own life, and highlighting how Epaphroditus completed what was lacking in the Philippians’ care for Paul.  Now that might make it seem Paul has taken the side of those who sent money, but we’ll see later this is not the case.

Most telling, perhaps, is Paul’s charge to receive back their own pastor with honor for the work he did, risking his life for the gospel.  There would be no question of their receiving him this way if there had not been a conflict.  Epaphroditus exemplifies considering others more important than themselves and thinking of the needs of others before his own.  He has the attitude of Christ, who humbled himself.

Two side notes:

• Misfortune in the life of God’s child does not by itself mean God is not in favor of the course that person is taking.  Paul does not yield to what must have been the argument back home in Philippi that sending him the money could not have been God’s will because Epaphroditus got sick.  God’s will is not determined by circumstances alone.
• The communication back and forth between Philippi and Rome would have taken a bit of time and expense.  Here is a helpful article on what that entailed and how it might have been done (https://matthewsharmon.com/2012/10/05/fridays-in-philippians-pauls-circumstances/).  Roman stability and the needs of the Roman Empire for ways to communicate over long distances made for improved communication systems and security for everyone.  God sent Christ at the right time for the spread of the message to be helped by a common language throughout the Empire (Greek) and the freedom of travel in the Empire.

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

1. When you were young, what did you think getting older would look like, and did you share that information with someone older?
2. Have you ever wanted to tell someone, “I told you so,” and if you did, how did it feel?
3. Why would Epaphroditus not have been appreciative of those back home who might say, “I told you so”?
4. What do you like about Epaphroditus’ example of humility of mind?
5. What would it take for you to have Epaphroditus’ mindset?
6. Have you been guilty of using bad circumstances to conclude that you were out of God’s will?  How, if so?