Philippians - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

Present tense), holding their ground in the spiritual life, and not regressing because of his trials or
their pressures. He wants this to be the case for every single Philippian believer, which is the
responsibility of each and every one of them. But he also wants them to maintain corporate stability
by means of one and the same spirit and soul. “Spirit” is a reference here not to the Holy Spirit, per
se, but to a corporate maturity, a spirit of unity based on supergrace status and the royal family honor
code. “Soul” is a reference to teamwork.
Paul is using two parts of an individual believer’s existence, soul and spirit, to represent the same
union corporately. He wants the Philippian believers to be united in spiritual maturity as a team, just
as the soul and spirit operate in unison in each one of them individually. He holds this up as the
supreme goal not only for the Philippian believers, but for all believers on earth. He understands that
this maturity and teamwork is the only way Christians can fight together (Potential Subjunctive
mood) in the angelic conflict. We are to wrestle like a team of athletes (Gk: athleo) or fight together
as a close military unit. And what are we to fight for? We are to continue fighting (Iterative Present
tense) for the content of the gospel, Bible doctrine. “Faith” is here, and in many other passages, the
content of our faith, the Word of God.
REVELANT OPINIONS
The citizenship Paul had in mind was not Roman (on earth), but heavenly. (H. Kent) Turning from
his own circumstances, Paul exhorts his friends by focusing his attention on one (monon) highly
significant demand. Whether he visits them again or not he wants them to live as citizens of heaven,
behaving in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. They belong to the heavenly commonwealth
and, as its citizens, are to reflect its life. (P. O’Brien) The “spirit” may refer to the Holy Spirit or to
the oneness of purpose created within the human spirit by the Holy Spirit. There can be no unity
within the brethren apart from the sovereign control of the Spirit. (R. Gromacki) We could
understand “the faith” as the body of belief in which the gospel is defined, and the call to “strive for
the faith” would be equivalent to “strive for the truth.” (J. Motyer) The citizenship or
enfranchisement here referred to is celestial, not terrestrial. (A.E. Knoch)
Paul hopes the Philippian believers will “show unflinching courage like that possessed by soldiers
who determinedly refuse to leave their posts irrespective of how severely the battle rages.” (G.
Hawthorne) The apostle says that when Christ lives His life in a person, the person will be in union
(fellowship) with other believers ... Paul teaches throughout his epistles that believer is united with
believer by sharing a common life in a body of which Jesus Christ is the Head. (D. Pentecost) Is the
polis a state? So is the church. Is the polis people? So is the church. Is the polis a living community?
The church is also. Knowing ourselves to be members of a living community of which Jesus Christ
is the head and being conscious of our common life together, we are to live lives worthy of our
calling. Paul knew how proud the Philippians were of their earthly citizenship. How much more then
were they to be proud of their citizenship in heaven. This was the greater citizenship. (J. Boice)
Many take “pneuma” as designating the Holy Spirit, either as the sphere or the agent through whom
the Philippians will remain steadfast. Those who follow this line recognize that the counterpart of
the one Spirit’s presence will be the expression of unity by those who are made steadfast in or by