Chapter 16: What I Shall Choose ===============================
From: Meditations on Philippians: Sacrifices of Joy
Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 7min
Philippians 1:21‑26 • 7 min. read • grade level: 8
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“For to me to live (is) Christ, and to die (is) gain. But if I live in the flesh, this (is) the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: nevertheless to abide in the flesh (is) more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again”
“For to me to-live (or, to-be-living) (is) Christ, and to-have-died (is) gain. If, then, to-be-living in flesh (is my lot), this (is) for-me (the) fruit of labor: and what I-shall-choose I-do not know. But I-am-pressed by the two, having the passionate-desire to-have-departed, and to-be with Christ ... for (that is) much more better. But to-remain in the flesh (is) more necessary on-account-of you. And having-confidence-of this, I know that I-shall-remain, and shall-remain-along-with you all, to (aid) your progress and joy in the faith, in-order-that your boast may-abound in Christ Jesus through me by my presence again with you.”
Philippians 1:21-2621For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. (Philippians 1:21‑26)
The words translated “more better” are a double comparative: the only place in the New Testament, I believe, where such a thing is found: and I think impossible to put literally into good English.
We pondered the first part of this quotation in our last chapter: but we might look for a moment at the word “gain”— “to have died is gain.” We will find the same word again in chapter 3:7; but there it is plural: all the Apostle’s “gains,” as he formerly reckoned them, now he counts but loss. In Titus 1:1111Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. (Titus 1:11) we read of filthy “gain.” These are the only times we find this word as a noun in the New Testament: but the verb is used repeatedly. The first time is the great question of the man who should “gain” the whole world, but lose his soul. And in Philippians 3:88Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:8) the Apostle tells us why he counted his “gains” but loss: it was that he might “gain Christ.”
The following portion is not easy to follow. Mr. Darby translates it: “But if to live in the flesh (is my lot), this is for me worthwhile: and what I shall choose I cannot tell.” Mr. Kelly’s translation is almost the same. Mr. Darby, however, gives the translation we have used above (which is the literal one) as an alternative. It seems to me a pity to lose the word “fruit” in the passage: for it almost instinctively takes our thoughts back to “the fruit of righteousness” (vs. 11) in verse 11, or to the branch abiding in the vine to bear fruit (John 156If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:6)): and it takes our thoughts forward to the end of the Epistle, where he writes: “I seek fruit abounding to your account” (ch. 4:17). Fruit and labor seem to be linked together in the Scriptures, as in our passage, and again in 2 Tim. 2:66The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits. (2 Timothy 2:6), (New Translation): “The husbandman must labor before partaking of the fruits.” The thought seems to be that if the Lord should leave Paul in this scene for a time longer, he would still continue in his labor: and that labor meant fruit for his Master.
This thought may well challenge most of us. Too often we may take up the sorrowful words of the disciples of old: “We have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing” (Luke 5:55And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. (Luke 5:5)). I know that the Lord says: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:2323His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:23)): not: “good and successful servant.” And I know that the Lord does not reckon “fruit” as we do. But, even so, I know it often comes home to me as a challenge to my own soul. Why so little fruit? And the answer may, perhaps, be found in John 1523He that hateth me hateth my Father also. (John 15:23). The branch must abide in the vine if it is to bear fruit: and perhaps some of us are not abiding in the vine as we should, and as we would. How easy it is to forget our Lord’s words: “Without Me, ye can do nothing” (John 15:55I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)); and then we try to labor in our own strength: and that is worthless.
You will notice that the Apostle does not speculate on what sentence the Roman Emperor may pass on him. Rather, he weighs up the matter. Much more better to be with Christ, on the one hand: but, on the other hand, more needful for you that he abide in the flesh. And being confident of this, he decides the matter himself: “I know that I shall remain” (vs. 25). What a true shepherd’s heart! Without hesitation he gives up his own wishes for the sake of the flock. Another Apostle could write, “We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:1616Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1 John 3:16)). They were of one mind. May the Lord grant to us to be thus minded: to love and care for the flock of Christ, and to put it far above our own wishes or desires.
How often we are apt to think, to depart and be with Christ will be to escape the trials and anxieties and perplexities and reproach of this wilderness path: and so we think it is better to depart: but such a thought never crossed the mind of the Apostle: the attraction, on the one hand, was CHRIST: and nothing else. On the other hand, there was the need of the saints. Nor was it in any way that he put the saints before Christ: but it was for Christ’s sake he would care for Christ’s flock.
You will notice the Apostle does not say he had a desire “to die,” but to depart and to be with Christ. The word translated depart is taken either from the breaking up of an encampment, or from loosing the cable that holds the ship to the dock. In 2 Tim. 4:66For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. (2 Timothy 4:6), Paul says: “The time of my departure is at hand” (2 Tim. 4:66For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. (2 Timothy 4:6)). This is from the same word. When the time of departure has come for a great ocean liner, you will see the last cable holding it to the shore unloosed, and silently it moves away for its long journey to a distant land. And for many onboard, it is going “home” to a land they love: such is the Apostle’s description of death.
In Psa. 34 we read, “My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad” (Psa. 34:22My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (Psalm 34:2)). Most boasting is hateful, especially to “the humble.” But they are glad to hear it when we boast in the Lord: and so our passage ends with the thought of aiding the joy of the Philippian saints: and remember “joy” is almost the key-word of this Epistle. The word translated “boast” has the thought of “joyous exultation.” In Philippians 3:33For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3) we will meet the word again, but as a verb; and, if the Lord will, we will speak more fully of it then: but notice how beautifully this portion ends: “I shall remain, and shall-remain along-with you all, to aid your progress and joy in the faith, in order that your joyful exultation (or, boast) may abound in Christ Jesus, through me (or, as to me) by my presence again with you.” Their joy would produce boasting, or, joyful exultation, not in Paul, but in Christ Jesus: and though it would be caused by Paul’s presence with them once again, their boast would be in Christ Jesus. Too often we find the saints of God boasting in themselves; of their own doings: but let us remember that “He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory” (John 7:1818He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. (John 7:18)). May the Lord mercifully deliver us from all such boasting, but fill our mouths with joyful exultation in Christ Jesus!
My soul shall make her boast
in the Lord:
the humble shall hear thereof,
and be glad.
Psa. 34:22My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (Psalm 34:2)
... we... rejoice
in Christ Jesus,
and have no confidence
in the flesh.
Philippians 3:33For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3)
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