Christian Unity is Detailed to the Philippians Volume 26

Paul Commends Brother Timothy to the Philippian Church Part 1

Philippians 2:19-20 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. KJV

Paul being ever the optimist ever the one to hope in and upon the mercy and grace of God the Father through the power of God the Holy Spirit for the sake of God the Son after just exhorting them to rejoice with him, even as he is confined under Roman imprisonment as his old nature surely persist to bring upon his heart anxiety and worry, yet instead he seeks the counsel of his new nature and the Holy Spirit that reassures him in this hope to believe this, “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.” (Philippians 2:19) (KJV). The English phrase “I trust” Paul uses here is a weighty, strong, and robust Greek word elpizo and it means to anticipate usually with pleasure; to have hope; to expect or to confide. This hope, this pleasurable anticipation was not blind anticipation, but it was in the Lord Jesus Christ and this is why Paul expressed such sure confidence to these Philippian believers. Paul had grown to know our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately over the years and knew that His chief desire was the constant, consistent, and continuous washing, purging, edifying, and cleansing of His Bride (the Church) and that done by the human instruments He had chosen to perform this work as it is written by this same Apostle Paul with these words to the Ephesian believers, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head --- Christ --- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-16) (NKJV).

Paul had a sure confidence that our Lord Jesus was not quite finished with him being a conduit to the building up of His Body the Church at Philippi and this Paul would do by sending someone who he had supreme confidence in to teach, comfort, care for, exhort, rebuke, edify, etc. just as Paul would do himself (Brother Timothy) as Paul directed Timothy to do with these words written to him, “I charge [you] in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by (in the light of) His coming and His kingdom: Herald {and} preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking {and} correcting, warning {and} urging {and} encouraging them, being unflagging {and} inexhaustible in patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:1-2) (Amplified Bible). Paul trusted that Timothy (having the same heart for the brethren as he) would bring back to him an accurate and honest report as to the spiritual welfare of these Philippian believers without fear of being unpopular with them or others, but only with a desire to see them walking in the truth as the Apostle John declared with these words, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well {and} prospers. In fact, I greatly rejoiced when [some of] the brethren from time to time arrived and spoke [so highly] of the sincerity {and} fidelity of your life, as indeed you do live in the Truth [the whole Gospel presents]. I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my [spiritual] children are living their lives in the Truth.” (3 John 1:2-4) (Amplified Bible).

The English phrase “may be of good comfort” Paul uses here speaking of himself while in prison is translated by one Greek word eupsucheo which means to be in good spirits, that is, feel encouraged: This is the one and only time this word is used in the entire New Testament. Paul during his confinement longed to know of the spiritual condition of these Philippian believers perhaps with such urgency due to the problems he encountered with the Galatian believers as recorded for us by these words of his written to them, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different Gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other Gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-10) (NKJV).

Because of the false teachers, the Judaizers having caused so much confusion within the Galatian Church, the Apostle Paul made it a practice to send faithful believers to the other Churches to keep this from ever occurring again in any other Church as he sums up his care and concern with these words written to the believers in Thessalonica, “Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the Gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.” (1 Thessalonians 3:1-5) (NKJV). Paul in his current state or status of being imprisoned for preaching the Gospel by the Romans has only one man with him that he completely trusts to send to these Philippian believers and that is Timothy as he declares with these very strong words, “For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.” (Philippians 2:20) (KJV). It is uncertain if there were any other of the disciples that were frequently with Paul on his missionary journeys such as Dr. Luke or Barnabas or Aquila while he is imprisoned now at Rome, but it appears that none of them were there because Paul would not have singled out only Timothy to be of the same spirit as he or to be as genuinely concerned for the spiritual care of these Philippian believers.

“Timothy was a genuine son of blessed Paul, and walked in the same spirit and the same steps. Naturally, that is, sincerely, and not in pretense only: with a willing heart and upright view, so agreeably to the make of his mind. It is the duty of ministers to care for the state of their people and be concerned for their welfare: I seek not yours, but you, 2 Corinthians 12:14. It is a rare thing to find one who does it naturally: such a one is remarkable and distinguished among his brethren.” Matthew Henry

“Notice the importance which may justly attach to human instrumentalities. One is not as good as another. Some are far more fit for use than others are. The Apostle thought earnestly on the point who was fittest to go, and he was glad he had a man like Timothy to send. It is true that the supreme source of success in Gospel work is God Himself; and sometimes He gives unexpected success to unlikely instruments. But yet, as a rule, much depends on men being adapted to their work. When God prepares fresh blessing for His Church, He commonly raises up men fitted for the service to be rendered. Therefore, we do well to pray earnestly for men eminently qualified to do the Lord’s work.” Expositor’s Bible Commentary

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…