12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. – Philippians 1:12-18 ESV
One of the truly amazing things about Paul is his attitude of selflessness and total lack of self-obsessiveness. While he held the title of apostle and had been hand-picked by Jesus Christ Himself, Paul never saw himself as better than those to whom he ministered. He knew he was a leader and took seriously the responsibilities that came with his position, but he never displayed an elitist or superior attitude toward those under his care. It was as if he lived by the counsel given to elders in the church by the apostle Peter.
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. – 1 Peter 5:2-3 NLT
But unlike the average elder, Paul had responsibility for a much larger and geographically dispersed flock. He had helped plant churches throughout Asia, Galatia, Macedonia, and Achaia, and he cared deeply for every single congregation his ministry had helped to birth.
Even though he was writing this letter while under house arrest in Rome, he didn’t make it all about himself. In fact, his focus is clearly on those to whom he is writing, and he seems to be aware that they were upset over the news of his imprisonment and pending trial in Rome. Yet, rather than milk them for their sympathy and make it all about his less-than-ideal circumstances, he assured them that he was perfectly at peace with his situation. He attempted to assuage any concerns they had over his well-being by giving them a rather upbeat appraisal of his situation.
…what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. – Philippians 1:12 ESV
Basically, Paul enthusiastically announced, “It’s all good!” He wanted them to know that there was nothing for them to worry about because God was in complete control. Paul even seems to find delight in the fact that the entire Imperial Guard of the Roman Emperor was aware that his imprisonment was because of His faith in Christ. It’s important to remember that the whole reason Paul was in Rome was because he had been accused of bringing a Gentile into the restricted area of the temple, and in doing so, violating Jewish religious laws. This was a crime worthy of death, and Paul had appealed for a hearing before Caesar because he knew he would never get a fair trial in Jerusalem, where the Jewish religious leaders were out to get him. Yet the pagan Roman guards who were assigned to serve in the royal prison had come to understand that Paul was in prison for being a Christ follower.
How did they reach that assessment? The most likely answer is that Paul had been busy sharing Christ with each and every guard he met. In the book of Acts, Luke records, “When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to have his own private lodging, though he was guarded by a soldier” (Acts 28:16 NLT). In other words, Paul was under 24-hour watch, with a litany of Roman soldiers taking turns to guard him. Paul took advantage of this captive audience to share the good news regarding Jesus Christ, and, as a result, the gospel began to spread throughout the Imperial Guard and the court of Nero.
From Paul’s perspective, as long as Jesus Christ was being lifted up, that was all that mattered. He was encouraged to hear that his imprisonment had actually emboldened the believers in Rome to step up their game and increase their influence over the pagan culture in Philippi. He joyfully related that “because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear” (Philippians 1:14 NLT).
Paul revealed that he was unconcerned and unaffected by the news that others were preaching the gospel in his absence. In fact, he was glad to hear it. Yes, he realized that some were doing it for the wrong reasons, and he describes them as being motivated by envy and rivalry. These individuals were jealous of Paul and his notoriety. They viewed him as their competition and were taking advantage of his incarceration to elevate themselves to positions of power and prominence. But, as long as the gospel was being shared, Paul was joyous, not jealous. He also knew that others were preaching the gospel with pure motives, and he rejoiced in their work as well.
…the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. – Philippians 1:18 NLT
Remember the context. Paul is under house arrest in Rome. He is under 24-hour guard and facing a trial before Nero, the Roman Emperor and a notorious enemy of the followers of “The Way,” as Christians had become to be known. It had been several years since Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem and the initial hearings before the local authorities on the trumped-up charges leveled against him. He had no idea what the future held for him but he will allude to the only two options that seemed possible – either acquittal or death.
For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. – Philippians 1:20-24 NLT
And Paul was willing to accept either outcome. If God chose to release Paul, the apostle would simply return to his work of sharing the gospel just as he had been doing. But if the divine decision required Paul to die, he would do so gladly, fully believing that “to die is gain.” But Paul’s main concern seems to be for the Philippian believers; he wants them to be encouraged, not discouraged. He doesn’t want them to worry about him or to lose sleep over the possible failure of the gospel. Paul’s imprisonment was not going to bring the spread of the good news to a screeching halt because there were other messengers. He wanted the believers in Philippi to know that they had a job to do. His forced absence should motivate and mobilize them, not lead to despair and defeat.
Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. – Philippians 1:27 NLT
Paul gave a similar charge to the believers living in Colossae.
We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. – Colossians 1:9-10 NLT
Imprisonment was not an impediment for Paul. He saw it as just one more way to spread the gospel to those who desperately needed to hear it, including Roman guards. Paul didn’t want the Philippian believers to let his incarceration cause them consternation. As far as he was concerned, this was all part of God’s will and a necessary element of the divine plan to spread the gospel around the world. As long as Jesus Christ was being proclaimed, Paul had more than enough reason to rejoice – even while under house arrest.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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