Personal Meditations

Philippians - The Epistle of Joy

When we open the book of Philippians, we find the word grace, our 'Ephesian' word (see Search No. 114), in the salutation (1:2), in the benediction (4:23) and in only one other place (1:7), where the Apostle speaks of his own grace. Here the key note is joy and rejoicing. These two words occur a total of 14 times in the four chapters in the original language. (In addition to these, there are several other words translated "joy" and "rejoicing" in the epistle). Interestingly enough, the words we are to consider are very closely akin to the word grace in the Greek. The word for grace is charis (or karis ), while the words for joy and rejoicing are chara and chairo. Obviously, apart from the grace of Ephesians there cannot be the rejoicing of Philippians.

I learn from Philippians that I am to pray with joy (1:4); that there is joy associated with faith (1:25); that harmony among believers brings joy to spiritual leaders (2:3); that the Lord's servants who minister faithfully to the church are to be received with joy (gladness - 2:29). I learn that those who are won to Christ when we give forth the Word are our "joy and crown" (4:1).

The fact is impressed upon me that joy is a means of fellowship, for I read of the mutual joy and rejoicing of the Apostle with the Philippians (2:17, 18, 28). I am taught that when Christ is truly preached, regardless of the circumstances, I am to rejoice (1:18). And above all, I learn that true joy and rejoicing come only as we rejoice in the Lord (3:1; 4:4, 10).

Finally, I am made to pause reverently and confess my sin of failing to rejoice when I am reminded that these words on joy and rejoicing were penned from a Roman prison, under the shadow of possible martyrdom for the cause of Christ (1:20-24).